one week from today I'll be on the road to Chicago to truly begin the first leg of this new part of the journey. where has the time flown? I'll be gone for most of the summer. separated from my wife and kids for several weeks at a time. kind of crazy. don't know how it will flow or work. But I'm doing because I think this is what God wants me to do. my family, many friends, my church and pastor, and all of my professors have encouraged me in this. could they be wrong? only a couple of friends have told me they think the idea of me leaving my family behind is a terrible one. one thinks it's wrong because of leaving my wife behind. the other thinks it wrong because my kids need me; and he himself struggles with going away from his kids for a weekend retreat.
but what do you really think, O Lord? have Sarah and I heard you correctly? are we stepping out in faith or in folly?
what I do know is that we are seeking to step out in faith, in joyful obedience. this is not about my ego, or some pipe dream. we believe that in my going for this, we are following God faithfully. we trust God. we trust Him with our lives; we trust Him with our kids; we trust Him with our future.
we believe God is worthy. we believe God is as good as He says He is.
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
2 Kings 4:8-37
I was catching up on my WordLive devotions from Scripture Union UK, and this was the entry for May 24. The story of the OT prophet Elisha and the hospitality he constantly received from a wealthy Shummanite woman and her husband is meant to show us the contrast he received from the people of Israel. But that's not my focus (nor was it the point of the devotion). Elisha is grateful for her kindnesses, and asks her if there is anything he can do for her. The devotion writer points out for us that she is content with her life - even content in accepting that she and her husband have no children - she is barren. This was a majorly big deal back in the Ancient Near East and the OT.
And Elisha and his servant Gehazi discuss that this is the desire of her heart. Elisha then goes on to pronounce to her that she and her husband will be holding their own child by this time next year. It's interesting that in spite of the woman's scoffing at such a word, the promise is still fulfilled. Maybe because she's not an Israelits? I don't know. But she has the child, and her life only seems richer than before.
But then the boy complains of headaches, and falls over, dead. And the Shummanite woman decides she's going to load up a donkey, and with her servant, goes out searching high and low for Elisha. When she finds him, his servant asks her what's wrong, and at first she says nothing, waiting until she can fall at the prophet's feet before she shares her weeping. Interestingly, the prophet can discern nothing from the will of God. But once he discovers what's happened, he sends his servant to go and try and raise the child (with the instructions, don't stop and talk to anyone!). Gehazi is unable to do anything, and reports back. By the time Elisha gets there, he literally lays over the boy's body, even stretching his arms over the boy's arms. There's a little response, but the boy still lays there. Then he stretches out a second time, and this time the boy sneezes seven times, and gets up.
This is a crazy story. And the devotion writer wants to make sure we note that even Elisha was puzzled as to why God allowed this to happen. It seems pointless. Note I have written "It seems". What I take away from this passage is that for all we can say we know about who God is, no matter how many years since we've first professed faith in Him, no matter how long we've been reading the Bible, God is still mysterious. I recall Mr. Beaver's words to the children in the C.S. Lewis book, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, where he tells them Aslan's good, but he's not safe.
God, too, is good, but the reality is, He is not safe. I must be honest; even in the twenty-three or so years since I first made a profession of faith, I am still no closer to understanding God than that first day I realized I wanted Jesus as my Savior and Lord. And, as another confession of honesty, God scares me more now than that first season of faith. I've tried to stay away from praying for God to keep me safe - though I confess I've prayed it many a time for my wife and kids - I do pray for God's protection.
What's the difference? Some might say there is none. I would disagree. The main difference is in the fact that, at least in our current, Western culture, "safe" is associated with staying away from trouble or its effects. "Protection" on the other hand, as I understand it, is about keeping us alive and getting through the good, the bad, and the ugly. In any event, in my mind, God won't necessarily keep us "safe", but I do believe He will protect us. But even there, I think there's a caveat. Because God is so mysterious, I think that there are times where even He will allow us to experience what we might clearly define as the worst of circumstances - even death, or worse - and yet He will still protect us. How? Because God's protection is eternal. That is, even those who can destroy the body cannot destroy the soul; that is, nothing can pull us from the love of God for us that is in Jesus Christ. And that, too, is party of the mystery of God.
But I sit here this morning, and I think I know what those writers in Scripture meant when they said the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. As I look at where I think my life is going, just in the next few weeks and months, I must trust in God, for even though He isn't safe, He is good.
What do you think?
And Elisha and his servant Gehazi discuss that this is the desire of her heart. Elisha then goes on to pronounce to her that she and her husband will be holding their own child by this time next year. It's interesting that in spite of the woman's scoffing at such a word, the promise is still fulfilled. Maybe because she's not an Israelits? I don't know. But she has the child, and her life only seems richer than before.
But then the boy complains of headaches, and falls over, dead. And the Shummanite woman decides she's going to load up a donkey, and with her servant, goes out searching high and low for Elisha. When she finds him, his servant asks her what's wrong, and at first she says nothing, waiting until she can fall at the prophet's feet before she shares her weeping. Interestingly, the prophet can discern nothing from the will of God. But once he discovers what's happened, he sends his servant to go and try and raise the child (with the instructions, don't stop and talk to anyone!). Gehazi is unable to do anything, and reports back. By the time Elisha gets there, he literally lays over the boy's body, even stretching his arms over the boy's arms. There's a little response, but the boy still lays there. Then he stretches out a second time, and this time the boy sneezes seven times, and gets up.
This is a crazy story. And the devotion writer wants to make sure we note that even Elisha was puzzled as to why God allowed this to happen. It seems pointless. Note I have written "It seems". What I take away from this passage is that for all we can say we know about who God is, no matter how many years since we've first professed faith in Him, no matter how long we've been reading the Bible, God is still mysterious. I recall Mr. Beaver's words to the children in the C.S. Lewis book, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, where he tells them Aslan's good, but he's not safe.
God, too, is good, but the reality is, He is not safe. I must be honest; even in the twenty-three or so years since I first made a profession of faith, I am still no closer to understanding God than that first day I realized I wanted Jesus as my Savior and Lord. And, as another confession of honesty, God scares me more now than that first season of faith. I've tried to stay away from praying for God to keep me safe - though I confess I've prayed it many a time for my wife and kids - I do pray for God's protection.
What's the difference? Some might say there is none. I would disagree. The main difference is in the fact that, at least in our current, Western culture, "safe" is associated with staying away from trouble or its effects. "Protection" on the other hand, as I understand it, is about keeping us alive and getting through the good, the bad, and the ugly. In any event, in my mind, God won't necessarily keep us "safe", but I do believe He will protect us. But even there, I think there's a caveat. Because God is so mysterious, I think that there are times where even He will allow us to experience what we might clearly define as the worst of circumstances - even death, or worse - and yet He will still protect us. How? Because God's protection is eternal. That is, even those who can destroy the body cannot destroy the soul; that is, nothing can pull us from the love of God for us that is in Jesus Christ. And that, too, is party of the mystery of God.
But I sit here this morning, and I think I know what those writers in Scripture meant when they said the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. As I look at where I think my life is going, just in the next few weeks and months, I must trust in God, for even though He isn't safe, He is good.
What do you think?
Monday, May 19, 2008
Graduation
Saturday, May 17 marked a milestone for me. Actually, it was a big day on a couple of counts. For one thing, it was my oldest daughter, Maddie's 11th birthday. That was a big deal - party with four friends to see 'Prince Caspian', breakfast in bed, and her own cell phone (with a camera built in). But it was also my graduation day. My brother, Josh, his wife, Erin, and their two daughters, Kaitlyn and Emma drove in Friday night to stay with us. My friend, Mike drove down from New Hampshire, where he and his family had just mo
ved last month, and he stayed with us as well. A number of friends from church came to cheer me on, as well as the youngest of my wife's older brothers and his wife. More of her family would have come, but my mother-in-law fell seriously ill last Thursday, and so my father-in-law begged off, as did another of my brothers-in-law. My mom came as well.
ved last month, and he stayed with us as well. A number of friends from church came to cheer me on, as well as the youngest of my wife's older brothers and his wife. More of her family would have come, but my mother-in-law fell seriously ill last Thursday, and so my father-in-law begged off, as did another of my brothers-in-law. My mom came as well. Held at Enon Tabernacle East in Philadelphia, I gathered with some forty-plus of my fellow seniors, and a couple score certificate and diploma earners, and almost a dozen or so DMin recipients. We were treated to a wonderful message from World Baptist Alliance president, David Coffey. 
His theme, being biblical Christians in a secular world, was incredible and encouraging.
His theme, being biblical Christians in a secular world, was incredible and encouraging. At two-and-one-half hours long, it got taxing at the last half-hour, but I had a vested interest to keep attentive. As the Senior class president, I was given the opportunity to give the closing prayer. There were two good things about it - it was completely God-centered and holistic, and it was only two plus minutes long (which was important considering we were all exhausted). But it was great fun, and a powerful experience. One of the highlights was after coming down from the dias, I was greeted by my six year old son, who went with my wife as she took my picture. It was great to see them there waiting.
After it was over, I felt kind of funny, like the whole thing was kind of anticlimatic - afterall, I had really finished up in December (and because of that, my diploma was in my folder!). But it was over. Some five plus years after beginning my studies part-time with 'Introduction to Pastoral Care', it was finished, over, done. At this point, I want to thank God, and give Him the glory! I was able to do well, and learned so much all because of God's grace and power at work. Now I want to go to the next level, serving God by learning and preparing to teach. Thank you, Lord, for everything!
disclaimer for the last month
I've meant to write several times over the last month, but much has happened in that time, not the least of which was that we had to put Toby, our dog, down at the SPCA. I wanted to write about it on a couple of occassions, but just didn't have the energy. I've also been very busy with getting ready for graduation. The next entry will cover that. I'm also getting ready to go away for pretty much the entire summer for studies at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, beginning my doctoral studies for a Ph.D. in Systematic Theology. So, onto the next thing...
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