Merry Christmas

The season of Christmas brings tangents; parties, food, shopping, family, movies, music, even those favorite Christmas T.V. shows. I think we all get caught up in the hype, I know I do.

There is this quote by Dallas Willard that keeps messing with me: "Familiarity breeds unfamiliarity."

I've done Christmas 25 times and I can probably remember 21-22 of them. Every year the same sort of thing takes place.

Routine.

I love the routine of Christmas; I always have and I hope I always will. I love all the things that come along with Christmas.

But this quote, this quote keeps me thinking.

In thinking, I question my subconscious. Within my familiarity, I wonder how unfamiliar I am with Christmas. I wonder if I'm really celebrating Christmas, or just the tangents that come along with Christmas. I wonder what occupies my mind the most. This messes with me.

The reason we have Christmas tangents is because of one event. We are celebrating the birth of the One who came to redeem and restore the brokenness of the world. We are celebrating Emmanuel (God with us). We are celebrating the waiting and the arrival of the One who was promised throughout the Old Testament of the Bible. This event is the root, the cause, the foundation of all the tangents and routines that accompany Christmas.

What occupies my mind the most?

The tangents: All the stuff that comes with Christmas is on my mind far more than the meaning of Christmas itself.

I don't like this.

It bothers me.

It makes me cringe thinking I'm just another person caught in the net of a commercialized Christmas holiday.

So

May we celebrate this one event. May we recognize our possible unfamiliarity and attempt to bring back the consciousness of the real purpose behind this holiday. May we all remember and reflect upon the point of singularity when it comes to Christmas: the Savior's birth.

"Let me tell you about the time I..."

I'm starting to change the way I talk to people.

Through my life, I feel I have had some pretty wild success stories as well as some interesting stories of failure. In fact, I've been pretty eager to share these stories with people. I've always thought my stories could help people cope with their own situations.

Have you ever had someone share a struggle with you?

...something painful?

...something hard?

...something unjust?

For some reason, I've always felt that this is an important time to share my stories.

"Maybe if they knew my story, then they wouldn't realize how bad theirs really is.

Maybe the success of my story of struggle will help them succeed in theirs."

Recently I've been sharing some of my struggles.

Recently I've been running into a lot of other people's stories.

Quite honestly, I'm learning something.

I'm learning not to attempt to heal someone else's struggles with my stories.

"Maybe my token of advice isn't as helpful as I thought.

Maybe they don't want to hear my story.

Maybe our perspectives and cognitive clockwork aren't as compatible as I thought.

Maybe they don't want to hear how I've been there before."

What I'm learning is that maybe its far more effective to enter into someone's suffering with them, than it is to give them a token of advice or a story.

Encouragement

Motivation

Inspiration

I'm starting to think that the comfort of a loving friend will go much farther than a personal story or a token of advice.

Instead of being so quick to make their story about me, now I'm going to try and make my story about them.

Everything Happens for a Reason

I'm sorry, but this quote has been messing with me lately.

I mean, have you ever had a conversation with someone who says something like:

"It's God's plan."

or

"Everything happens for a reason."

...have you?

Have you ever thought about what this really implies?

-It is God's will for people to get cancer.

-It is God's will that a 5 year old gets shot and dies before he can experience life.

But what about Adam and Eve? Was it God's will that they ate from the only tree they weren't supposed to eat from? Was it God's will that Cain killed Abel?

Seriously

If everything happens for a reason, and that reason is God's will; how does God decide what 5 year old dies and what 5 year old lives?

I'm really struggling with the "everything happens for a reason" mentality.

Its easy to find some sort of comfort in this mentality, but is it truth?

It can be quite uncomfortable to live in a world where bad things happen.

It has been uncomfortable since the chronological location of Genesis 3 (the Fall).

At what point do we start taking responsibility for our actions? This question isn't simply referring to an individualistic type approach, this question is referring to a communal perspective. At what point is an effect the result of a decision we (man) has made?

We find quotes of the "everything happens for a reason" mentality all over "Christian America." Coffee cups, bumper stickers, t-shirts, house decor, and nice and tidy little quotes; all these things constantly feed and fuel the popular mentality.

But does everything happen for a reason?

... we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him...

Regardless what happens, historically God has continued to work in and among people who choose their way over His.

Whatever the cause may be, God continues to work in the effects.

God's will?

God's plan?

It may not be as convenient as we would sometimes like it to be, but God's will is a redemption and restoration project through his Son and our teacher, Jesus.

His ways

His love

His Kingdom

Relevant Jesus

Have you noticed how hard Jesus came down on the religious?

Like in Luke chapter 11 towards the end, Jesus gives a distressed proclamation focused to this people group.

Jesus even goes on to say, "Woe to you (religious people) because you are like unmarked graves, which men walk over without knowing it."

Jesus insults.


A while back I was in a meeting full of pastors from around the place I live. A topic had been brought up dealing with who and what kind of pastors would be allowed to be in this little group. The discussion had gone on for quite some time and standards were made which would limit who was allowed to attend our meetings.

Who was left out?

Homosexual pastors
Pluralistic pastors (those who believe there are multiple ways to God besides Jesus)
Buddhist Monks

So here you have a group of people leading congregations who are excluding other leaders who don't have it all "figured out."


In the past year I have become extremely sensitive to the places in scripture where Jesus confronts, challenges, and insults the religious leaders. Being a pastor, I have a responsibility to observe the instances where I act like just another religious leader, and the places I act as Jesus has taught.

I'm finding out that if one thing is for sure, I don't have things figured out. I'm finding that the more I study and the more that I seek, my self seems worlds apart from God. I'm finding that the more I live, feel, think, and even breathe like Jesus; the harder it is and the shorter I fall.

I don't have things figured out.

Grace.
Mercy.
Love.

I thank God for his extension in reaching to me where I am, and where I fall short. Everyday I desire to live more in tune with God by continuing to follow the ways of Jesus. I am so thankful for this grace.

By excluding pastors who don't have it all "figured out," is the group somehow saying they do have it all "figured out?"

Its the sick that need a doctor, not the healthy.

At what point do we as followers in the way of Jesus, feel we have the right to stop extending grace to others? At what point do we say, "forget mercy," and continue to exclude the people who may need us the most?

May we, in every second of our life, continue to let Jesus teach us the difference between up and down. May we learn the ways of Jesus so that in every moment, our center is focused on doing things God's way and not our way. May we extend grace to others because of our thankfulness to God for extending his grace to us.

Spectrum

I find this interesting: the degree to which the diversity of Christianity reaches.

On one side, Christianity contains teachers such as Joel Olsteen who teach a health and wealth type Gospel. The other side contains the likes of individuals such as Shane Claiborne who give up everything to become poor for a mission of reaching out to the "least of these."

Where do we turn with such a broad range of Christians?

The Civil war brought about two sides (the Union and the Confederate groups) who thought God was with each of them. They both prayed, praised, and believed they had God's favor.

What do we do with this?

Health and wealth vs. social justice

Union vs. Confederates

Even in Christian denominational circles, there exists critiques of "other" denominations not doing things the right way.

Ghandi even once said he wasn't so sure of Christians, but he was quite fond of their Christ.

Jesus said something like this: "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me." (John 14:23-24)

As individuals who are disciples of this Jesus, we must stay true to His teachings. Our faith in Him encourages us to walk, live, speak, act, pray, and even breathe in His way. Ultimately, somewhere deep down inside us we know that His way is better than our way.

When religion can seem to pull us apart, Jesus (his life, his teaching, his death, and his resurrection) unites those who place their faith and trust in Him.

May the spectrum of Christians prod you to be more and more like Christ. May the various colors of religious people not discourage you, but inspire you to be like your Teacher.

Exposure

Have you ever sat down to read the Bible?
If you have, have you ever had a time when it seems you feel more uncomfortable after you've read than before you've read?

Does the Bible ever mess with you?

Just the other day I opened to the Sermon on the Mount. It was one of those days when things just seemed to be going perfect.

Comfortable

I read half way through Jesus' teaching when I stopped. Something didn't seem right. The perfection and comfort I had, suddenly turned cold, stale, and lonely.

I closed my Bible and began to meditate, pray, and focus on God.

For the rest of the day my spirit hurt. I was hard on myself. I saw myself as a failure. I saw myself as a person who lacks something.

Distant

Later that night, I was read through Isaiah 6. Verses 5-7 vibrantly jumped off the page:

"Woe to me! I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among of people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty."
"Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the alter. With it he touched my mouth and said, 'See this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.'"

It is when Isaiah is exposed to God when he realizes how dirty, how unclean, how distant the rhythm of his being is compared to that of God.

In that moment, the angel atoned his sin with a coal from the alter of God.

This Jesus

He atoned sin, canceled guilt and taught us how to live so we may begin to live in rhythm with God.

So

When we feel distant, stale, unclean, and uncomfortable; we have hope and believe that Jesus has shown us the Way.

May you continue to follow Jesus' way regardless of how you feel. May you live in rhythm with God. May the scriptures continue to mess with you, humble you, and make you realize your dependency in Jesus. May the comfort and perfection you feel in yourself dissolve away as you expose yourself to the living God.

The Way

Do you ever wonder what God is like?

Sometimes I'm left wondering what to do with this God who created everything around me. The stars seem so far away and so far removed. The scale of creation seems so big and yet I'm left trying to understand what God is like. Doesn't He feel so far away? So big I can't get a hold of Him? So great that I don't know how to relate to Him? I'm left pondering the age old question: "What is God like?"

Here are some ways people say this:
"The nature of God"
"The rhythm of God"
"In line with God"
"The glory of God"

The Psalms continuously describe different aspects of God.

Pick one.

Read it.

Find how God is described.

Like in Psalm 19:

The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they display knowledge.
There is no speech or language
where their voice is not heard.
Their voice goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.
In the heavens he has pitched a tent for
the sun,
which is like a bridegroom coming
forth from his pavilion,
like a champion rejoicing to his
course.
It rises at one end of the heavens
and makes its circuit to the other;
nothing is hidden from its heat.
The law of the Lord is perfect,
reviving the soul.
the statutes of the Lord are trustworthy,
making wise the simple.
The precepts of the Lord are right,
giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are radiant,
giving light to the eyes.
The fear of the Lord is pure,
enduring forever.
The ordinances of the Lord are sure
and altogether righteous.
They are more precious than gold,
than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey,
than honey from the comb.
By them is your servant warned;
in keeping them there is great
reward.
Who can discern his errors?
Forgive my hidden faults.
Keep your servant also from willful sins;
may they not rule over me.
Then I will be blameless,
innocent of great transgression.
May the words of my mouth and the
meditation of my heart
be pleasing in your sight,
O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.

So we read and read and observe what (in this Psalm the author is David) David said.
But what do we do with this?

Do you believe in Jesus?
Does Jesus live in your heart?
Are you living in Christ?

It seems so easy to answer yes to these questions.
But what do these over-asked questions even mean?

Jesus instructs us to obey his teachings. [Matthew 28:18-20, John 14:23-24]

What are Jesus' teachings?

Think.

Is the Jesus you've learned about and understand come from the scriptures (the gospel), or from some others lips? Is the Jesus you've learned a stereotype or stigma produced by other people? Does that version of Jesus reflect the same Jesus the gospels reflect?

May you look to understand what God is like by looking at Jesus; the things he did, taught, and instructed. May you live your life with a belief in not only His death and resurrection; but with a belief in everything He was/is and stood for. May an uneasiness come over you to be a true disciple, a true learner of this Christ. May the pulse of your being beat to the rhythm of God.

May the cross represent "The Way" of Jesus to us all.
May the cross confirm what God is like.

Does God's = ours?

A church.

What does your church look like?

Maybe some of us share the same church.

Some even refer to it as "my church."

People all over the world have specific mental associations when they hear the word "church." These associations can be positive or negative, true or false, reality or fiction. The point is that everyone has a certain understanding of what a church is.

Some people sacrifice their everything to support their church.

Some people stick with the same church their whole life.

Some people jump churches until they find one that suits them.

Some of us have questions:

"How does God see church? Does God call church the same thing we call church?"

In the book of Acts, there is this place in Chapter 2 which talks about how the believers devoted themselves to one another. It even says they sold all their possessions and goods and gave it to whoever had a need. They met everyday; ate together, praised together, and God added to their numbers daily.

The book of Acts records this amazing event during Pentecost.

This is the beginning of the Church.

Is this what "your" church looks like?

May you
be one
within the community of the church
who is actively living the way of Jesus.

Cichorium Intybus

Have you ever seen this flower?

It is a Cichorium Intybus, more commonly known as Chicory.

Odds are, you've seen this flower a 100 times and never paid it much attention because it grows in ditches and is often referred to as a weed.

A couple days ago I had my camera with me in the woods. I noticed I was surrounded by thousands of little blue flowers. I didn't pay much attention to them because they are extremely common. So there I was out in the woods looking for that perfect "one in a million" shot. I kept looking and thinking where in the world my picture was going to come from.

We all do this don't we?

We find ourselves constantly searching for something extravagant.

We find ourselves wanting something that sticks out in large and incredible ways.

We find ourselves looking for the uncommon.

At that moment, with camera in hand, I snapped this picture. I love this picture not because it is large and incredible. I love this picture because it is small and it is common. I love this picture because of what it stands for.

It is so easy to look for the large and incredible things of life, but in our attempt to do so we limit perception.

Some of the most beautiful gifts of life are right in front of our eyes and we don't even see them.

Sometimes I wonder how much we would appreciate our life if we only paid attention to the Chicory.

Where is your Cichorium Intybus?