Ps 99:1 The Lord reigns,
let the nations tremble;
he sits enthroned between the cherubim,
let the earth shake. (New International Version)
It seems like the "The Lord reigns" should be a given... Yet the Psalmist announces it like it the greatest news ever... Either I am reading it wrong or the Psalmist is easily excitable. I think I may be reading it wrong... well not wrong, but not with the right attitude. I think I may have become sort of smug or complacent about God's rule. It says here that the nations should tremble. Is it possible that I have become so preoccupied by having Jesus as my "good buddy" that I have forgotten just how majestic God and His rule are? I don't remember to tremble at God's presence, nor do I shake with fear. I don't mean the kind of fear produced by scary movies or like being afraid of the dark... No, I mean the kind of fear produced by being in the presence of something so much greater than me. Greatness that should make my knees knock. The greatness and wonder that God who so awesome would love me is just beyond my scope of imagination.
In the children's books The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis, the God character who meets with the kids is a huge Lion. He befriends the kids and helps them... even to die for them (raised from the dead of course). At one point Aslan (the lion) tells the children that they must never forget that He is not a tame lion. he may love them, and he may save them and all that... but He is not tame! Have I settled for a tame God? A God that I can control? A God that I call when I need something? Or, do I fall, tremble and shake at the presence of a God who controls me? A God who calls me? Hmmm...
Monday, January 31, 2011
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
How Immediate is "At Once"?
"Jesus called James and John, and at once they left the boat and their father, and went with Him (Jesus)." Matthew 4:21-22
Jesus called and they followed... at once. Wish it always went that way for me. Jesus calls, and I want to think about it, consider my options, weigh the evidence, consult the consultants... think about it some more... you get the picture.
Jesus calls and they answer. Jesus calls and they obey. Jesus calls and they act. It seems as though it is almost automatic, doesn't it? No questions, no hesitations, no regrets. It seems that so often when Jesus calls I have to drag around so much baggage. It weighs on me, it distracts me, it concerns me... the list goes on, and on, and on...
How do I go about cutting loose that baggage? One of my favorite movies is called "The Mission" starring Jeremy Irons and Robert De Niro. De Niro character is a conquistador who has an amazing encounter with Jesus Christ. He takes as a penance for his sins the task of dragging all his conquistador armor, weapons, and gear behind him in a net. As he follows Jeremy Irons, who portrays a priest, into the the jungle he drags all this stuff behind him. Including up a very high water fall. At the top of the falls, Jeremy Irons and the whole group encounter the tribal people they are seeking. In a very moving scene De Niro refuses to let go of his baggage... finally, Irons the priest takes knife and cuts the rope that binds De Niro to his past and his baggage. As they fall behind him, down this incredible falls, I was struck by the fact that sometimes we need help from those around us to cut the ropes that bind us to our past, to our baggage.
With out the baggage we are a little more able to keep from hesitating, to keep things immediate. To act in obedience when Jesus calls us.
Hebrews 12:1-2 says it this way..."Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
NIV
Grace and Joy In Jesus,
Pastor Bill
Jesus called and they followed... at once. Wish it always went that way for me. Jesus calls, and I want to think about it, consider my options, weigh the evidence, consult the consultants... think about it some more... you get the picture.
Jesus calls and they answer. Jesus calls and they obey. Jesus calls and they act. It seems as though it is almost automatic, doesn't it? No questions, no hesitations, no regrets. It seems that so often when Jesus calls I have to drag around so much baggage. It weighs on me, it distracts me, it concerns me... the list goes on, and on, and on...
How do I go about cutting loose that baggage? One of my favorite movies is called "The Mission" starring Jeremy Irons and Robert De Niro. De Niro character is a conquistador who has an amazing encounter with Jesus Christ. He takes as a penance for his sins the task of dragging all his conquistador armor, weapons, and gear behind him in a net. As he follows Jeremy Irons, who portrays a priest, into the the jungle he drags all this stuff behind him. Including up a very high water fall. At the top of the falls, Jeremy Irons and the whole group encounter the tribal people they are seeking. In a very moving scene De Niro refuses to let go of his baggage... finally, Irons the priest takes knife and cuts the rope that binds De Niro to his past and his baggage. As they fall behind him, down this incredible falls, I was struck by the fact that sometimes we need help from those around us to cut the ropes that bind us to our past, to our baggage.
With out the baggage we are a little more able to keep from hesitating, to keep things immediate. To act in obedience when Jesus calls us.
Hebrews 12:1-2 says it this way..."Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
NIV
Grace and Joy In Jesus,
Pastor Bill
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
What's the best evidence for the existence of God?
"We may ignore, but we can nowhere evade the presence of God. The world is crowded with Him. He walks everywhere incognito."
— C.S. Lewis
In these words the great author, C. S. Lewis, reminds us that the biggest question is not "is there a God?". The biggest question is "Where isn't God?". The evidence of God is every where around us. Like, when Miranda was a baby, we had no problem ever knowing where she was... all we had to do was follow the evidence. In her case it was usually a messy trail. In God's case it is his handiwork revealed in everything.
The Psalmist says "heavens declare the glory of God, the stars, His handiwork". In another place he asked rhetorically, "Where can I go to escape the presence of God?" He answers his questions by proclaiming that even in Hades, he can't escape God.
Yet, why do so many choose to live in ignorance of God? Is it out of fear? Is it intellectual pride? There are many reasons people give... but it has been my experience that the usual reason that underlies peoples claim that God doesn't exist... is a fear that God is going to make them give up something they cherish. Sometimes it is a career that they love. Other times it is a fear of rejection by family or friends... more often than not it is a sin or a lifestyle they value more than a right relationship with God.
What can we do for people who don't see, or who don't want to see God? All we can do is love them with God's love. The one evidence for the existence of God that is the hardest to refute... Love. Un-conditional Love. Love that is undeserved. Love that doesn't give up. The best argument for the existence of God is God's love shown to you and me.
So... Keep loving, keep and when you think you can't love anymore... ask God to love through you, to use you to show His love. And then Love some more.
Peace and Love,
Pastor Bill
— C.S. Lewis
In these words the great author, C. S. Lewis, reminds us that the biggest question is not "is there a God?". The biggest question is "Where isn't God?". The evidence of God is every where around us. Like, when Miranda was a baby, we had no problem ever knowing where she was... all we had to do was follow the evidence. In her case it was usually a messy trail. In God's case it is his handiwork revealed in everything.
The Psalmist says "heavens declare the glory of God, the stars, His handiwork". In another place he asked rhetorically, "Where can I go to escape the presence of God?" He answers his questions by proclaiming that even in Hades, he can't escape God.
Yet, why do so many choose to live in ignorance of God? Is it out of fear? Is it intellectual pride? There are many reasons people give... but it has been my experience that the usual reason that underlies peoples claim that God doesn't exist... is a fear that God is going to make them give up something they cherish. Sometimes it is a career that they love. Other times it is a fear of rejection by family or friends... more often than not it is a sin or a lifestyle they value more than a right relationship with God.
What can we do for people who don't see, or who don't want to see God? All we can do is love them with God's love. The one evidence for the existence of God that is the hardest to refute... Love. Un-conditional Love. Love that is undeserved. Love that doesn't give up. The best argument for the existence of God is God's love shown to you and me.
So... Keep loving, keep and when you think you can't love anymore... ask God to love through you, to use you to show His love. And then Love some more.
Peace and Love,
Pastor Bill
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Nervous Communication
Hello and Welcome to my new blog. I hope you enjoy your visit. What I hope you find here is inspiration, encouragement and a little challenge. For years I have considered it my job to "comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable"... and hopefully have some fun along the way.
I am a little nervous about getting this started... after all, it is a bit revealing to put one's self out there like this. Anyone can make fun of, criticize, or just argue with whatever is up here. I guess that's okay, but it does make me a little nervous. Maybe, this exercise is a little like all of us when we pray. We open ourselves up to God's consideration. What if God doesn't like what I say? What if God doesn't agree with what I say? What if God just ignores what I say? Communication is a scary proposition.
Faith means trusting in the love and grace of the other. It means trusting that you, the reader, or God the listener will be patient with me (or you) the communicator. God wants to listen to us. God wants us to communicate with Him. God wants so desperately to show us His love. Like a kid who carves his loved ones name in a tree in hopes of attracting her attention... God has carved our names in a tree, and stained it there for ever with his own blood. That is the kind of love we can trust. That is an experience of love that calls us to love back. Do you? Have you?
I hope you f ind peace and joy today!
I am a little nervous about getting this started... after all, it is a bit revealing to put one's self out there like this. Anyone can make fun of, criticize, or just argue with whatever is up here. I guess that's okay, but it does make me a little nervous. Maybe, this exercise is a little like all of us when we pray. We open ourselves up to God's consideration. What if God doesn't like what I say? What if God doesn't agree with what I say? What if God just ignores what I say? Communication is a scary proposition.
Faith means trusting in the love and grace of the other. It means trusting that you, the reader, or God the listener will be patient with me (or you) the communicator. God wants to listen to us. God wants us to communicate with Him. God wants so desperately to show us His love. Like a kid who carves his loved ones name in a tree in hopes of attracting her attention... God has carved our names in a tree, and stained it there for ever with his own blood. That is the kind of love we can trust. That is an experience of love that calls us to love back. Do you? Have you?
I hope you f ind peace and joy today!
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