John 1:10-13, 4:39-42
Salvation. For me, the word has a nice ring to it. It's has finality, eternity, power.
Wholeness. I like it, but its more vague. It has freedom, inclusivity, comfort.
Among the many words debated in churches and seminaries, salvation and wholeness are often interchangeable, at least in their common usage. Salvation hearkens back to biblical texts of victory over an oppressing force. One who has salvation has been saved. Specifically this could refer to any incident of being rescued from something, or to the center point of the Christian life, Jesus saving us from sin and death. Redefining our lives in light of this is to be Christian.
Wholeness hearkens back to "Shalom," a Hebrew word with a variety of meanings in English, principal among them "peace" in a more all-encompassing way: peace in our souls, peace in our relationships, peace between nations, and peace with God. Wholeness tends to focus on those times when we do not feel all together, the way we were meant to be, like we lost something along the way. We need to get back to that Image of God we were created in the likeness of.
Salvation is including in my understanding of wholeness, which is God's plan, but wholeness should ever be a blanket term to downplay the salvific work of Jesus Christ. Certainly these terms, like any terms can be used in a variety of ways and my experience with them determines my opinions of them. I like salvation because it is the language of tradition, of the Bible, and is therefore trustworthy to a great degree, though what it means to be saved is not always spelled out and that is a sad thing. Words like "salvation" come to have no meaning because they are thrown about so much without a meaningful context. I like wholeness because it brings the goodness and light of God into every area of existence. God's will is not confined to the saving forgiveness of individuals that turn to God's grace, but radiates from that centerfold event into all life. Unfortunately, wholeness can also be used to focus of the self, rather than God. For me, to be saved is to have a savior: it is God-centered. Jesus is the focus. For me, to be made whole is to move from feeling inadequate to feeling fulfilled: it is self-centered. My feeling of incompleteness is the focus. Both are important. Both should be about Jesus.
Thank God for his many gifts: of salvation from sin and death, of wholeness in being the people God made us to be, and the relationship we have with Jesus, whose words are much better than ours, and whose love is holy, just, and never-ending.
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Life or Death?
Mark 8:34-37, Matthew 10:34-39, Psalm 86:1-4, Deuteronomy 30:15-20
When we are faced with the choice, life or death, I think the answer seems fairly obvious, correct? Correct. I hope. Jesus tells us that we must lose our lives for Jesus' sake in order to find true life. Talk abut a paradox! Yet, its so true (as most paradoxes are). By rejecting myself of the self-absorbed desires and concerns that try to take God's place as numero uno in my life, I can open myself to life in Christ. This is called kenosis, or surrenduring to God. It seems interesting to me that this concept is under some criticism recently. The argument is that a spirituality of surrenduring works for those who already have power and can get whatever they want. These people can surrendur their power and become a servant. Other people who have been oppressed don't have much power to relinquish, they are already surrendured.
So, in light of this experience of some people that surrenduring is alreayd what they live and its unjust, how can Jesus' words be useful or redeemed. I believe that many Christians have misunderstood surrenduring, submitting, and serving. They do not as much refer to people losing dignity and becoming apathetic to their own suffering. Keep in mind that Jesus says life is found when people first lose their lives for his sake. Its not just about being submissive to every person or power that comes along, its about being submissive to God, the only person worthy of our service. When we submit to God, it may mean standing up to others and exercising power, challenging authority, and making right the wrongs of the world. There are also times to be sumissive to other people too. When we submit fully to Christ, we take on Christ's mind and we are more aware of when its time to stand up, and when its time to serve in love. Sometimes even the act of loving service can also challenge the most powerful of authorities (see MLK, Jr. or JESUS).
God offers us both options, life and death, prosperity or destruction, and its our choice. God isn't in the business of deciding for us. He wants our love, not zombie robots! That means its not going to be easy. it means God is going to test our love and root for us to make the right decision. So surrendur to his love: its like an ocean of AWESOOOOOOME!...
When we are faced with the choice, life or death, I think the answer seems fairly obvious, correct? Correct. I hope. Jesus tells us that we must lose our lives for Jesus' sake in order to find true life. Talk abut a paradox! Yet, its so true (as most paradoxes are). By rejecting myself of the self-absorbed desires and concerns that try to take God's place as numero uno in my life, I can open myself to life in Christ. This is called kenosis, or surrenduring to God. It seems interesting to me that this concept is under some criticism recently. The argument is that a spirituality of surrenduring works for those who already have power and can get whatever they want. These people can surrendur their power and become a servant. Other people who have been oppressed don't have much power to relinquish, they are already surrendured.
So, in light of this experience of some people that surrenduring is alreayd what they live and its unjust, how can Jesus' words be useful or redeemed. I believe that many Christians have misunderstood surrenduring, submitting, and serving. They do not as much refer to people losing dignity and becoming apathetic to their own suffering. Keep in mind that Jesus says life is found when people first lose their lives for his sake. Its not just about being submissive to every person or power that comes along, its about being submissive to God, the only person worthy of our service. When we submit to God, it may mean standing up to others and exercising power, challenging authority, and making right the wrongs of the world. There are also times to be sumissive to other people too. When we submit fully to Christ, we take on Christ's mind and we are more aware of when its time to stand up, and when its time to serve in love. Sometimes even the act of loving service can also challenge the most powerful of authorities (see MLK, Jr. or JESUS).
God offers us both options, life and death, prosperity or destruction, and its our choice. God isn't in the business of deciding for us. He wants our love, not zombie robots! That means its not going to be easy. it means God is going to test our love and root for us to make the right decision. So surrendur to his love: its like an ocean of AWESOOOOOOME!...
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Finding Myself and Choosing Life
Deuteronomy 34:1-12, Psalm 90:1-6, 13-17, 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8, Matthew 22:34-46
What a crazy few weeks! My soul has been up and down and everywhere! Little time to blog, much less take seriously God's real presence. There was unfortunately much paying of lip-service to devotions and prayer. However, I am back into a routine (bahahahahaha...as if my routine could be called a routine...) so I intend to be more faithful. I have spent time at home renewing myself, which has lit the spiritual flame in my heart to continue the work of Jesus. Once more, and probably not the last time, this blog has become more chore than blessing.
I have discovered that God desires for me to do what's best for me. Sounds strange, but what's best for me is what's best for God. And what's best for God is what's best for everyone. Thus, what's best for everyone is what's best for me. Gives a new meaning to selfishness... love: all-encompassing and all-consuming love. May Moses and Paul provide us with examples to live by and the words of Jesus and the prophets encourage us on. Choose what's best for all and best for you: choose Jesus!
What a crazy few weeks! My soul has been up and down and everywhere! Little time to blog, much less take seriously God's real presence. There was unfortunately much paying of lip-service to devotions and prayer. However, I am back into a routine (bahahahahaha...as if my routine could be called a routine...) so I intend to be more faithful. I have spent time at home renewing myself, which has lit the spiritual flame in my heart to continue the work of Jesus. Once more, and probably not the last time, this blog has become more chore than blessing.
I have discovered that God desires for me to do what's best for me. Sounds strange, but what's best for me is what's best for God. And what's best for God is what's best for everyone. Thus, what's best for everyone is what's best for me. Gives a new meaning to selfishness... love: all-encompassing and all-consuming love. May Moses and Paul provide us with examples to live by and the words of Jesus and the prophets encourage us on. Choose what's best for all and best for you: choose Jesus!
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
I Suffer More Than You Suffer!!!
2 Corinthians 11:16-33
Paul is hilarious sometimes. He gets in these crazy pseudo-sarcastic moods where he goes overboard explaining the awesome ridiculousness of some christian idea. He knows it too! He repeatedly tell readers he is a big fool (fool for Christ, but nonetheless a fool). Paul brags and boasts about all the ways in which he has suffered for his faith in Christ. He was shipwrecked three times! Say what! This guy really believed what he preached. I mean, who would undergo ALL THAT and not be totally convinced of the truth of their convictions? It seems ridiculous to say "Hey, check out how much serving Jesus hurt me." And yet, how else do we serve a God who was executed? We take up our own crosses and follow him. Let us not forget the resurrection of course. There is greater life at the end of the pain, fuller life through the crucible.
God is worshiped and glorified in our weakness. The root of sin is our refusal to hand over our lives to God's will and grace. We keep things for ourselves: be it money, pleasure, control over the future, selfish priorities, or time. God is not glorified when we have control BECAUSE WE ARE FOOLS. We don't really know what is best for us, but God does (by definition). It is less in our human successes that we worship, but when we are persecuted or we display our weaknesses and present all failings and sufferings to God, then, we acknowledge God's power and love. Then we say, "Yes! The Lord our God can do all things, even save us humans from our self-delusions of control." Like Paul, when we worship Christ through handing our lives over, we remain fools, but we become fools FOR CHRIST. Rather than displaying our meaningless successes that won't last next year or even a hundred years, we display the power of God through our rejection of self-reliance. Give it up to God. Do this in two ways: give your lives over to be untied with him, and give it up like applause: WORSHIP!
Paul is hilarious sometimes. He gets in these crazy pseudo-sarcastic moods where he goes overboard explaining the awesome ridiculousness of some christian idea. He knows it too! He repeatedly tell readers he is a big fool (fool for Christ, but nonetheless a fool). Paul brags and boasts about all the ways in which he has suffered for his faith in Christ. He was shipwrecked three times! Say what! This guy really believed what he preached. I mean, who would undergo ALL THAT and not be totally convinced of the truth of their convictions? It seems ridiculous to say "Hey, check out how much serving Jesus hurt me." And yet, how else do we serve a God who was executed? We take up our own crosses and follow him. Let us not forget the resurrection of course. There is greater life at the end of the pain, fuller life through the crucible.
God is worshiped and glorified in our weakness. The root of sin is our refusal to hand over our lives to God's will and grace. We keep things for ourselves: be it money, pleasure, control over the future, selfish priorities, or time. God is not glorified when we have control BECAUSE WE ARE FOOLS. We don't really know what is best for us, but God does (by definition). It is less in our human successes that we worship, but when we are persecuted or we display our weaknesses and present all failings and sufferings to God, then, we acknowledge God's power and love. Then we say, "Yes! The Lord our God can do all things, even save us humans from our self-delusions of control." Like Paul, when we worship Christ through handing our lives over, we remain fools, but we become fools FOR CHRIST. Rather than displaying our meaningless successes that won't last next year or even a hundred years, we display the power of God through our rejection of self-reliance. Give it up to God. Do this in two ways: give your lives over to be untied with him, and give it up like applause: WORSHIP!
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
God provides... DUH!
Matthew 6:9-13, Psalm 127:1-2
Of course God provides! I feel like my blogs lately have been exclamatory! That's why I put exclamation points behind my sentences! God gives us all kinds of things, but we don't really trust that provision. That's why we work our butts off to provide for our own security and well-being. This is not reflective of a christian lifestyle. At least, its not compatible with a mindset that depends on God's provision over ONESELF.
When we pray the Lord's Prayer, we say "Give us Lord, our daily bread," we really mean, "Thank you Lord, for the bread that we have provided ourselves with." Instead, we should pray those words and then let it go, no longer worrying about where our bread will come from. Trust God! Seriously, God provides!
There have been truly life-giving times when my trust in God has been strong and I do not bother preparing days in advance how I will eat, how my work will get done, where I will sleep; because God gave me all those things in his own way. We must trust God's way, which means trusting the unknown. Welcome it. it is God...
Of course God provides! I feel like my blogs lately have been exclamatory! That's why I put exclamation points behind my sentences! God gives us all kinds of things, but we don't really trust that provision. That's why we work our butts off to provide for our own security and well-being. This is not reflective of a christian lifestyle. At least, its not compatible with a mindset that depends on God's provision over ONESELF.
When we pray the Lord's Prayer, we say "Give us Lord, our daily bread," we really mean, "Thank you Lord, for the bread that we have provided ourselves with." Instead, we should pray those words and then let it go, no longer worrying about where our bread will come from. Trust God! Seriously, God provides!
There have been truly life-giving times when my trust in God has been strong and I do not bother preparing days in advance how I will eat, how my work will get done, where I will sleep; because God gave me all those things in his own way. We must trust God's way, which means trusting the unknown. Welcome it. it is God...
Monday, October 11, 2010
Worry is of the Devil
Psalm 128:1-2, Exodus 32:1-14, Psalm 106:1-6, 19-23, Philippians 4:1-9, Matthew 22:1-14, Mark 8:14-21
Seriously! It is! Worry = anxiety over life circumstances, but the only real concern in life is serving Jesus Christ. To worry is to show our lack of faith in Jesus. Now, everyone's faith is subject to such weakness, and frequently too. But the message of scripture and the point of the Gospel should remind us that God is in charge and good defeats evil. We must be careful when worry rears its ugly head because Satan loves to enslave us with worry. When we lose faith Jesus is bigger than all our troubles, we depend on ourselves, or we depend on some other source of power, which is idolatry. I am certainly preaching to myself now. I get worried about schoolwork, paperwork, and my general stupidity a lot. But really, who cares?! Isn't God's plan greater than our desire to please everyone here. Doesn't God's will carry more eternal consequence than temporary financial security, missed deadlines, or perfect home environments. God reigns! Christ is alive! How hard it is to convince ourselves to not care so much about what worries us!
The people of Israel worried a lot. That led them to seek idols and false gods. The disciples worried about lack of supplies and storms. This led Jesus to tell them to get with the program and have faith. People everywhere are so concerned with their temporary issues (that seem important) that they refuse the call to salvation, grace, and freedom offered by Jesus. This is the only real thing that matters, and everything else is, in the end, second to choosing Jesus always.
"When its all been said and done there is just one thing that matters..."
Seriously! It is! Worry = anxiety over life circumstances, but the only real concern in life is serving Jesus Christ. To worry is to show our lack of faith in Jesus. Now, everyone's faith is subject to such weakness, and frequently too. But the message of scripture and the point of the Gospel should remind us that God is in charge and good defeats evil. We must be careful when worry rears its ugly head because Satan loves to enslave us with worry. When we lose faith Jesus is bigger than all our troubles, we depend on ourselves, or we depend on some other source of power, which is idolatry. I am certainly preaching to myself now. I get worried about schoolwork, paperwork, and my general stupidity a lot. But really, who cares?! Isn't God's plan greater than our desire to please everyone here. Doesn't God's will carry more eternal consequence than temporary financial security, missed deadlines, or perfect home environments. God reigns! Christ is alive! How hard it is to convince ourselves to not care so much about what worries us!
The people of Israel worried a lot. That led them to seek idols and false gods. The disciples worried about lack of supplies and storms. This led Jesus to tell them to get with the program and have faith. People everywhere are so concerned with their temporary issues (that seem important) that they refuse the call to salvation, grace, and freedom offered by Jesus. This is the only real thing that matters, and everything else is, in the end, second to choosing Jesus always.
"When its all been said and done there is just one thing that matters..."
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Where Are You, God!?
Psalm 105:1-6, Psalm 90, John 14:27-28, John 16:29-30, 1 Corinthians 13:12, Matthew 27:46, Psalm 22:1, 1Corinthians 2:16, Philippians 2:5
What can we say? God is bigger than everything. And yet God is a part of everything. Jesus lives within us, yet he cannot be bound by us. God created all that is, and God is concerned about the smallest detail.
We find ourselves wondering why we cannot find God: why is God not listening, why is God not responding, why can't God send help, am I alone in this?
We see God at best through a thick mist, or as a pale reflection. That is good, but it leaves us sometimes confused. We feel like God is absent and we have to work out life by ourselves. Its true, Jesus is not here as a brother in the flesh. God is far removed from our insignificance, but he is also closer to us than us, for he formed the workings of us.
God is here, and his CONSTANT reminder is to let go of this world and be more concerned about his world! Those things that cause us stress are almost always of this world (and I include here school troubles, work troubles, LEGAL troubles, and the expectations of others). Spend time in prayer and Bible study. I sure have to. Without it, I would be lost. When we seek God's will first, all else will fall as it will (and God is good).
What can we say? God is bigger than everything. And yet God is a part of everything. Jesus lives within us, yet he cannot be bound by us. God created all that is, and God is concerned about the smallest detail.
We find ourselves wondering why we cannot find God: why is God not listening, why is God not responding, why can't God send help, am I alone in this?
We see God at best through a thick mist, or as a pale reflection. That is good, but it leaves us sometimes confused. We feel like God is absent and we have to work out life by ourselves. Its true, Jesus is not here as a brother in the flesh. God is far removed from our insignificance, but he is also closer to us than us, for he formed the workings of us.
God is here, and his CONSTANT reminder is to let go of this world and be more concerned about his world! Those things that cause us stress are almost always of this world (and I include here school troubles, work troubles, LEGAL troubles, and the expectations of others). Spend time in prayer and Bible study. I sure have to. Without it, I would be lost. When we seek God's will first, all else will fall as it will (and God is good).
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