well, this past Saturday marked a first for the young men and women who were counted as my first youth at Narberth Presbyterian Church. Matt Weed, the son of the pastor, was married to Linshuang Lin in a ceremony officiated by his dad. it was perhaps more emotional for his dad than himself, but Matt seemed to take it all in stride.
it was a nice reception held afterward. the couple had requested that in lieu of gifts, guests bring some finger food tray to share, seeking to somehow make it a truly community effort and event.
for me personally, it was fun to see several former students, some for the first time in years. it was crazy to realize that I was Matt's current age (25) when Sarah and I were married. I ask myself, did I look so young, or try to come across as confident and wise as he does? simply amazing the work that time does to us.
as it should be, the wedding was a beautiful testimony to what God does in our lives. it was an opportunity for me to reflect on my own vows, my own hopes for my marriage (Sarah may have thought the same, but we didn't have much time to reflect together). our own wedding anniversary is just a little over a month away, when, on April 8, we will celebrate 14 years of almost wedded bliss. when I think about her, and the ways that God has used her to soften me, mold me, and grow me, I am so thankful that He brought her into my life.
my hope is that Linshuang will do the same for Matt, and that he will cherish and honor her all the days of his life. in the end, we must all realize and remember that we are only apt to do any of this with God's help. And God is good this way. He wants us to succeed; He wants us to walk in His ways, living to His glory.
the next yg weddings are Phil Adams and Margot Lesch, and around the same time, perhaps, Shannon Hoops. these are wonderful times for these, my friends and former students. and this is all to God's glory.
Monday, March 03, 2008
Friday, February 29, 2008
happy 'Leap Day'!
couldn't let this once in a four-year period of time pass by without wishing you all a very happy 'Leap Day'!
hope it's been special. Sarah and I took the kids out to the diner this morning for breakfast before dropping them off at school. we'll have a family night tonight and play board games (not that that has anything to do with it being a leap day, but I just thought I'd share).
wonder what the next leap day will be like? my oldest will be in high school! egad and gadzooks!!!
hope it's been special. Sarah and I took the kids out to the diner this morning for breakfast before dropping them off at school. we'll have a family night tonight and play board games (not that that has anything to do with it being a leap day, but I just thought I'd share).
wonder what the next leap day will be like? my oldest will be in high school! egad and gadzooks!!!
Thursday, February 28, 2008
"Move Along", part 1
I recently purchased a new song on itunes, "Move Along" by The All-American Rejects. I don't know much about this group aside from three songs that were popular a couple of years ago. But I enjoyed this song a lot, and since I bought it and listened to it (I'm listening to it right now), I found some deep stuff embedded in the lyrics.
I want to share with you the theology that I find in the song. While it's not a "Christian" song (by the way, can a "song" be "Christian"?), I submit that there's a message from God in there. Consider these lyrics...
I'm going to do the proverbial post-modern move of interpreting for myself the meaning of this song - my apologies if I'm way off the original intentions of the song's writers.
I find the song to be filled with hope, and for me, as a follower of the living God who has been revealed in Jesus Christ, I find there's a message, a reminder, of hope in God's presence and strength. This is evidenced in the lyrics "When you fall everyone stands", and "Speak to me, when all you got to keep is strong".
The first reference reminds me that I'm not alone - I am a part of a church, the Church - and that when I "fall", my church, my brother and sister Christians, are there to help me. Whether it be from sin (to restore my gently - hopefully!), or from grief (to bring comfort and help), I am not along, for when I fall "everyone" stands around me.
The second reference calls me to remember that I can, that I need to call out to God in prayer. "Speak to me, when all you got to keep is strong" alludes to when I'm in the midst of struggles and suffering, God is waiting for me - patiently, I might add - to call out to Him. He doesn't want me to forget Him on the best of days, for He is the source of all good things. But He definitely doesn't want me to forget Him when things are wrong. When I've exhausted myself, emotionally and physically, God wants me to "speak to [Him]", even amidst the temptation "keep [is] strong".
These lyrics offer us a reminder that while we all have to rely on the Holy Spirit to reveal the Truth of God's Word, He will also reveal "truth" reminders to us even in some "secular" sources.
I want to share with you the theology that I find in the song. While it's not a "Christian" song (by the way, can a "song" be "Christian"?), I submit that there's a message from God in there. Consider these lyrics...
Go ahead as you waste your days with thinking
When you fall everyone stands
Another day and you've had your fill of sinking
With the life held in your
Hands are shaking cold
These hands are meant to hold
Speak to me, when all you got to keep is strong
Move along, move along like I know you do
And even when your hope is gone
Move along, move along just to make it through
Move along Move along
I'm going to do the proverbial post-modern move of interpreting for myself the meaning of this song - my apologies if I'm way off the original intentions of the song's writers.
I find the song to be filled with hope, and for me, as a follower of the living God who has been revealed in Jesus Christ, I find there's a message, a reminder, of hope in God's presence and strength. This is evidenced in the lyrics "When you fall everyone stands", and "Speak to me, when all you got to keep is strong".
The first reference reminds me that I'm not alone - I am a part of a church, the Church - and that when I "fall", my church, my brother and sister Christians, are there to help me. Whether it be from sin (to restore my gently - hopefully!), or from grief (to bring comfort and help), I am not along, for when I fall "everyone" stands around me.
The second reference calls me to remember that I can, that I need to call out to God in prayer. "Speak to me, when all you got to keep is strong" alludes to when I'm in the midst of struggles and suffering, God is waiting for me - patiently, I might add - to call out to Him. He doesn't want me to forget Him on the best of days, for He is the source of all good things. But He definitely doesn't want me to forget Him when things are wrong. When I've exhausted myself, emotionally and physically, God wants me to "speak to [Him]", even amidst the temptation "keep [is] strong".
These lyrics offer us a reminder that while we all have to rely on the Holy Spirit to reveal the Truth of God's Word, He will also reveal "truth" reminders to us even in some "secular" sources.
Monday, February 25, 2008
heart check-ups
I'm in a self-reflective mood today. With my eldest daughter home sick today, I've been forced to be a 'servant'. "Forced" certainly gives you insight into my more unconscious feelings on the matter. I suppose I could have edited that sentence - cleaned it up - made it more "christian" sounding. But that would defeat the point; wouldn't it?
Maybe it's this season of transition I'm in, but I'm (seemingly) feeling more tempted to be self-focused. I'm feeling a need to focus on care of my self. I'm sure there's several bookcases worth of texts designed to make me feel good and guiltless about making sure I'm "happy" and "feeling" fulfilled. I neither need nor want what they have to peddle, however.
I don't really need to be "nurturing" my id, my ego, or my super-ego, for that matter. What I am in need of, however, is to check my heart at the door. I need a spiritual check-up. I need to repent of this 'All-American' ideal of getting to have my own way, of getting to be able to have the proverbial cake and eat it, too (though I do have a nice piece of cheesecake in the fridge!).
I need to check-in with my maker. The Maker. The One who created me, who knows the number of hairs on my head (even though that number seems to be changing daily!). I need to examine myself in light of, and in the light of, the Triune God of grace. My heart does not so often resemble the heart of God, as it is so often self-centered. I need to look at God and repent. I need to look at God, and look at who God calls me to be. I need to look at God, and embrace the transforming empowerment that God seeks to put to work within me.
It is too easy for me to dive into a book - something I will no doubt try to do shortly - rather than tackle chores, tasks, or things that just need to get done around the house. It's too easy to do what I want, rather than spend time being with or doing what my kids would like to do with me.
And yet, God is patient. And God is kind. I am reminded that God is not done with me yet. Because I would like to consider myself humble, I will not list some of the things I've done over this past week. Though in the end, they are nothing but filthy rags, should I seek to claim them as deductions from the LORD. The things I have done for others only have value before God as I do them out of love for others, not based on any level of satisfaction I get.
But this results in reading Scripture (more regularly), and finding (being led to find) opportunities to be like Jesus, to live like Jesus. But this is not merely a psychological treatment of Jesus as pure example. Rather, Jesus is who He calls us to be. And what's more, He makes that possible, through the presence and power of the Spirit of God, living, indwelling each individual believer, as well as in the greater corpus of the local church. We are without excuse.
God calls us to live lives that are radically oriented toward the Triune God, fleshed out through interactions with those inside and outside the church. We are to serve, not to seek out being servied. And all of this calls for regularly scheduled heart check-ups. We need to look into our hearts. We need to let the God who first called us to examine and reclaim us for His own service, a service to others, to the least of these. This is what's on my mind, and my heart, today.
But I have to go now. I need to clear out the dish washer, and load up the dirty dishes.
How about you? What's on your heart today?
Maybe it's this season of transition I'm in, but I'm (seemingly) feeling more tempted to be self-focused. I'm feeling a need to focus on care of my self. I'm sure there's several bookcases worth of texts designed to make me feel good and guiltless about making sure I'm "happy" and "feeling" fulfilled. I neither need nor want what they have to peddle, however.
I don't really need to be "nurturing" my id, my ego, or my super-ego, for that matter. What I am in need of, however, is to check my heart at the door. I need a spiritual check-up. I need to repent of this 'All-American' ideal of getting to have my own way, of getting to be able to have the proverbial cake and eat it, too (though I do have a nice piece of cheesecake in the fridge!).
I need to check-in with my maker. The Maker. The One who created me, who knows the number of hairs on my head (even though that number seems to be changing daily!). I need to examine myself in light of, and in the light of, the Triune God of grace. My heart does not so often resemble the heart of God, as it is so often self-centered. I need to look at God and repent. I need to look at God, and look at who God calls me to be. I need to look at God, and embrace the transforming empowerment that God seeks to put to work within me.
It is too easy for me to dive into a book - something I will no doubt try to do shortly - rather than tackle chores, tasks, or things that just need to get done around the house. It's too easy to do what I want, rather than spend time being with or doing what my kids would like to do with me.
And yet, God is patient. And God is kind. I am reminded that God is not done with me yet. Because I would like to consider myself humble, I will not list some of the things I've done over this past week. Though in the end, they are nothing but filthy rags, should I seek to claim them as deductions from the LORD. The things I have done for others only have value before God as I do them out of love for others, not based on any level of satisfaction I get.
But this results in reading Scripture (more regularly), and finding (being led to find) opportunities to be like Jesus, to live like Jesus. But this is not merely a psychological treatment of Jesus as pure example. Rather, Jesus is who He calls us to be. And what's more, He makes that possible, through the presence and power of the Spirit of God, living, indwelling each individual believer, as well as in the greater corpus of the local church. We are without excuse.
God calls us to live lives that are radically oriented toward the Triune God, fleshed out through interactions with those inside and outside the church. We are to serve, not to seek out being servied. And all of this calls for regularly scheduled heart check-ups. We need to look into our hearts. We need to let the God who first called us to examine and reclaim us for His own service, a service to others, to the least of these. This is what's on my mind, and my heart, today.
But I have to go now. I need to clear out the dish washer, and load up the dirty dishes.
How about you? What's on your heart today?
Friday, February 22, 2008
when your back is to the sea
This past Wednesday night, I was teaching as part of our church's weekly Lenten devotions. The main text was Exodus 13:17-14:14. The Israelites had just celebrated the first Passover, and were in the process of leaving Egypt. The LORD sends them on a particular path, avoiding Philistia, going down toward the Red Sea. Interestingly, the LORD tells Moses his reasoning is to turn Pharaoh's heart hard once more - that he will think the Israelites are confused, and will be drawn into pursuing them with plans to force them to return to enslavement. Then, God would show the Egyptians that He is the LORD.
The Israelites get to the shores of the Red Sea, and realize that Pharoah's army - 600 of his best chariots, and all the rest - are coming for them. What a site that must've been! Their reaction was a crying out against Moses - "were there no graves in Egypt that you brought us out here to die?"; "didn't we say to you leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians?" (vv. 14:11-12) - in spite of all that they had seen by the hand of the LORD. I brought this up to the folks in attendance. The Israelites had (seemingly) forgotten each of the ten plagues they had witnessed, and been protected from. They forgot that when they left Egypt, the LORD was with them, as a pillar of smoke by day, and a pillar of fire at night. In spite of these things, they panicked, and cried out against Moses.
But rather than tell them to shut up and have faith, Moses responded to their fears by pointing them back to the LORD and His plan for them - "Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still." (vv. 13-14). I purposely stopped there, because I wanted to juxtapose and compare our own perspectives (as 21st century Christians) with the people of Israel some thirty-five hundred years ago.
It is interesting that often, when we feel that our proverbial backs are to the sea, we tend to panic. We, like Israel, forget all that the LORD has done for us. We think, speak, and act as if the pressure has been on us the whole time. We give into our fears, and we forget not only about God, but who God is. There were four basic points I underscored:
1) God has a reason for leading us down the path He calls us to follow.
2) God's ways are not our ways.
3) God is sovereign - even when it doesn't look like it.
4) God calls us to be like Jesus.
The Lenten journey serves several purposes. It reminds us of and prepares us for the pain and suffering Jesus went through on His way to the Cross, and the true cost of our Easter celebration. Christians today (at least in the West) are too "me" focused. Too absorbed with living the life they want, or think they deserve. They forget that we have been bought at a price, and do not understand that we cannot truly appreciate, let alone live as Easter people without understanding the whole story.
It also reminds us that we are follow, and be like, our master, Jesus. Our Lord told his disciples that no servant is greater than his master (Jn. 13:16). If Jesus suffered on our account, should we not expect to suffer for Him? This is not necessarily a given; however, Christians in the West can afford to be more than dismissive of this point, and live in such a way that we are desensitized the pains and problems around us. We can rationalize suffering away as something that happens to people b/c of their bad choices. We can turn away from suffering by writing checks. And yet, Jesus was God incarnate. Emmanuel, God with us, was sent by the Father to show us the love of the Father, and to defeat sin and death so that we might become like Jesus. But we have to embrace and accept this calling. Many places in Scripture point to who Jesus is, but it is in the beatitudes that we discover that the way Jesus calls us to live (the beatitudes themselves), is who Jesus already is, and who Jesus is, is who He is calling us to be.
What is necessary for us to understand all of this, however, is that we cannot even understand, let alone live out this divine ideal without the Holy Spirit empowering, encouraging, and equipping us by speaking to us first through Holy Scripture, and secondly through the Church. We cannot truly appreciate the road to Golgotha, or to the empty garden tomb, let alone we cannot become like Jesus, all without the transforming power of the Spirit of the Living God. It is the Spirit who first opens our hearts and minds to receive the reality and truth of God as contained and communicated to us through the dramatic stories of Scripture. It is the Spirit of God who invites and empowers us to take our part and participate in the reality of the body of Christ, the Church. It is the reality of the Spirit in our lives, individually and personally, who transforms us from the inside out, beginning with the renewing of our minds, allowing us to become like Jesus Christ.
When your back is to the sea, do you react or respond? I was able to share with the folks gathered with me last Wednesday night, that I struggled with reacting in fear, rather than responding in faith. I know whom I have believed, whom I have trusted with all my life. And yet, too easily have I found myself fearful of what will happen if this happens or this doesn't happen. Do I trust God? Has not God shown Himself to be my protector, defender, provider on enough occasions? How many times does the LORD have to deliver me before I trust Him enough to not panic?
The journey takes us to all different places, and along the way, God shows His love for us by inviting us to walk the path with Him. How glorious this journey is. Through His Holy Spirit, through His Scriptures, through His people, God speaks, invites, and leads us, not for the purposes of our betterment (though that may be a result of that particular part), but to teach us faithfulness and obedience to Him that we might give Him all glory.
With this in mind, the next time I have my back to the sea, I want to trust God. I want to cry out to Him in faith. I want to give God the praise and the glory.
How about you?
The Israelites get to the shores of the Red Sea, and realize that Pharoah's army - 600 of his best chariots, and all the rest - are coming for them. What a site that must've been! Their reaction was a crying out against Moses - "were there no graves in Egypt that you brought us out here to die?"; "didn't we say to you leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians?" (vv. 14:11-12) - in spite of all that they had seen by the hand of the LORD. I brought this up to the folks in attendance. The Israelites had (seemingly) forgotten each of the ten plagues they had witnessed, and been protected from. They forgot that when they left Egypt, the LORD was with them, as a pillar of smoke by day, and a pillar of fire at night. In spite of these things, they panicked, and cried out against Moses.
But rather than tell them to shut up and have faith, Moses responded to their fears by pointing them back to the LORD and His plan for them - "Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still." (vv. 13-14). I purposely stopped there, because I wanted to juxtapose and compare our own perspectives (as 21st century Christians) with the people of Israel some thirty-five hundred years ago.
It is interesting that often, when we feel that our proverbial backs are to the sea, we tend to panic. We, like Israel, forget all that the LORD has done for us. We think, speak, and act as if the pressure has been on us the whole time. We give into our fears, and we forget not only about God, but who God is. There were four basic points I underscored:
1) God has a reason for leading us down the path He calls us to follow.
2) God's ways are not our ways.
3) God is sovereign - even when it doesn't look like it.
4) God calls us to be like Jesus.
The Lenten journey serves several purposes. It reminds us of and prepares us for the pain and suffering Jesus went through on His way to the Cross, and the true cost of our Easter celebration. Christians today (at least in the West) are too "me" focused. Too absorbed with living the life they want, or think they deserve. They forget that we have been bought at a price, and do not understand that we cannot truly appreciate, let alone live as Easter people without understanding the whole story.
It also reminds us that we are follow, and be like, our master, Jesus. Our Lord told his disciples that no servant is greater than his master (Jn. 13:16). If Jesus suffered on our account, should we not expect to suffer for Him? This is not necessarily a given; however, Christians in the West can afford to be more than dismissive of this point, and live in such a way that we are desensitized the pains and problems around us. We can rationalize suffering away as something that happens to people b/c of their bad choices. We can turn away from suffering by writing checks. And yet, Jesus was God incarnate. Emmanuel, God with us, was sent by the Father to show us the love of the Father, and to defeat sin and death so that we might become like Jesus. But we have to embrace and accept this calling. Many places in Scripture point to who Jesus is, but it is in the beatitudes that we discover that the way Jesus calls us to live (the beatitudes themselves), is who Jesus already is, and who Jesus is, is who He is calling us to be.
What is necessary for us to understand all of this, however, is that we cannot even understand, let alone live out this divine ideal without the Holy Spirit empowering, encouraging, and equipping us by speaking to us first through Holy Scripture, and secondly through the Church. We cannot truly appreciate the road to Golgotha, or to the empty garden tomb, let alone we cannot become like Jesus, all without the transforming power of the Spirit of the Living God. It is the Spirit who first opens our hearts and minds to receive the reality and truth of God as contained and communicated to us through the dramatic stories of Scripture. It is the Spirit of God who invites and empowers us to take our part and participate in the reality of the body of Christ, the Church. It is the reality of the Spirit in our lives, individually and personally, who transforms us from the inside out, beginning with the renewing of our minds, allowing us to become like Jesus Christ.
When your back is to the sea, do you react or respond? I was able to share with the folks gathered with me last Wednesday night, that I struggled with reacting in fear, rather than responding in faith. I know whom I have believed, whom I have trusted with all my life. And yet, too easily have I found myself fearful of what will happen if this happens or this doesn't happen. Do I trust God? Has not God shown Himself to be my protector, defender, provider on enough occasions? How many times does the LORD have to deliver me before I trust Him enough to not panic?
The journey takes us to all different places, and along the way, God shows His love for us by inviting us to walk the path with Him. How glorious this journey is. Through His Holy Spirit, through His Scriptures, through His people, God speaks, invites, and leads us, not for the purposes of our betterment (though that may be a result of that particular part), but to teach us faithfulness and obedience to Him that we might give Him all glory.
With this in mind, the next time I have my back to the sea, I want to trust God. I want to cry out to Him in faith. I want to give God the praise and the glory.
How about you?
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