My life has been a whirlwind of time consuming obligations lately and, unfortunately, that means I've had to put my blog on the back burner for a while. Writing has always been my way of processing my thoughts and fleshing out my ideas and opinions, so I have definitely not stopped writing. It's the editing and refining process that takes time and has just not been as important to me as the other things going on in my life. I'm learning that I am one of those people who likes to take on everything I can, and as a result I tend to get overwhelmed by the sheer weight of all the things that I get involved in. And I love it. But occassionally I have to shave off some of the less important things in my life in order to check my stress levels and keep from getting too burned out. In short, sometimes I have to come up and take a breath before I dive back in.
But for those of you who still follow this blog, I'm back! And hopefully for a while. I have a number of posts I've been working on for a while, so brace yourselves!
As for this week, I will keep it simple. I'm in the process of finishing up a book by Max Lucado that I have absolutely loved. It's a phenominal book that centers entirely around the crucifiction of Christ. If you are interested in reading this book you can find it here, or get ahold of me and I will find a way to get a copy of it into your hands.
As I was getting ready to write this post I also just finished reading through a particularly powerful section of the book that I wanted to share. In part two of the book Max Lucado examines the cross from the point of view of it's witnesses. The last of those witnesses that he discusses are what he calls "miniature messengers".
Here is that passage. Enjoy, and see you next tuesday!
"Tears.
Those tiny drops of humanity. Those round, wet
balls of fluid that tumble from our eyes, creep down our
cheeks, and splash on the floor of our hearts. They were
there that day. They are always present at such times. They
should be that’s their job. They are miniature messengers;
on call twenty-four hours a day to substitute for crippled
words. They drip, drop, and pour from the comer of our
souls, carrying with them the deepest emotions we pos-
sess. They tumble down our faces with announcements
that range from the most blissful joy to darkest despair.
The principle is simple; when words are most
empty, tears are most apt.
A tearstain on a letter says much more than the
sum of all its words. A tear falling on a casket says what a
spoken farewell never could. What summons a mother’s
compassion and concern more quickly than a tear on a
child’s cheek? What gives more support than a sympathe-
tic tear on the face of a friend?
Words failed the day the Savior was slain. They
failed miserably. What words could have been uttered?
What phrases could have possibly expressed the feelings
of those involved?
That task, my friend, was left for the tears.
What do you do when words won’t come? When
all the nouns and verbs lay deflated at your feet, with what
do you communicate? When even the loftiest statements
stumble, what do you do? Are you one of the fortunate
who isn’t ashamed to let a tear take over? Can you be so
happy that your eyes water and your throat swells? Can
you be so proud that your pupils blur and your vision mists?
And in sorrow, do you let your tears decompress
that tight chest and untie that knot in your throat?
Or do you reroute your tears and let them only
fall on the inside?
Not many of us are good at showing our feelings,
you know. Especially us fellows. Oh, we can yell and curse
and smoke, yessir! But tears? “Save those for the weak-
kneed and timid. I’ve got a world to conquer!”
We would do well, guys, to pause and look at the
tearstained faces that appear at the cross.
Peter. The burly fisherman. Strong enough to
yank a full net out of the sea. Brave enough to weather the
toughest storm. The man who only hours before had
bared his sword against the entire Roman guard. But now
look at him. Weeping, no . . . wailing. Huddled in a corner
with his face hidden in his calloused hands. Would a real
man be doing this? Admitting his fault? Confessing his
failure? Begging forgiveness? Or would a real man bottle
it up . . . justify it. . . rationalize it. . . keep a “stiff upper
lip” and stand his ground. Has Peter lost his manhood?
We know better, don’t we. Maybe he’s less a man of the
world, but less a man of God? No way.
And John, look at his tears. His face swollen with
sorrow as he stands eye-level with the bloody feet of his
Master. Is his emotion a lack of courage? Is his despair a
lack of guts?
And the tears of Jesus. They came in the garden.
I'm sure they came on the cross. Are they a sign of weak-
ness? Do those stains on his cheeks mean he had no fire in
his belly or grit in his gut?
Of course not.
Here’s the point. It’s not just tears that are the
issue, it’s what they represent. They represent the heart,
the spirit, and the soul of a person. To put a lock and key
on your emotions is to bury part of your Christ-likeness!
Especially when you come to Calvary.
You can’t go to the cross with just your head and
not your heart. It doesn’t work that way. Calvary is not a
mental trip. It’s not an intellectual exercise. It’s not a divine
calculation or a cold theological principle.
It's a heart-splitting hour of emotion.
Don’t walk away from it dry-eyed and unstirred.
Don’t just straighten your tie and clear your throat. Don’t
allow yourself to descend Calvary cool and collected.
Please . . . pause. Look again.
Those are nails in those hands.
That’s God on that cross.
It’s us who put him there.
Peter knew it. John knew it. Mary knew it.
They knew a great price was being paid. They
knew who really pierced his side. They also somehow
knew that history was being remade.
That’s why they wept.
They saw the Savior.
God, may we never be so “educated,” may we
never be so “mature,” may we never be so “religious” that
we can see your passion without tears."
- Max Lucado, No Wonder They Call Him the Savior
pg. 106-108
Tuesday, April 7, 2015
Thursday, February 19, 2015
The Story Chapter 19
The Story Teen Edition Chapter 19
Its important to realize that God does not falter or change. He is constant and his nature, while complex, is reliable. He, unlike us, does not change who he is. Through scripture we can identify and take refuge in God's consistent character. Let's examine, through chapter 19, two truths about God and what they mean to us.
God...
1) Is faithful
Two weeks ago we learned about the prophet Jeremiah whom God used to speak to His people. A very famous, albeit misinterpreted, prophecy given through Jeremiah can be read in Jeremiah 29:10-11
"This is what the Lord says: 'When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future' "
So what became of this promise?
Ch. 19 video, pause at 0:40
God made good on His promise and brought His people back home and out of captivity through King Cyrus.
Why is this significant?
We can see that God will not promise something and then fail to deliver it.
In what ways do or don't our actions determine whether God follows through on a promise?
They don't. God is faithful despite and in the midst of our unfaithfulness.
We are not exiled Jews, so God's promise through Jeremiah being fulfilled may not seem significant in the here and now. What Promises has God made to you?
Look for discussion, especially with respect to God's promise of eternal life through Christ. Titus 1: 2-3
Why is it important to know that God will keep His word when He promises something?
We build our faith on the foundation of the gift of Christ. We must know that our salvation comes from a God who is always faithful. It's also helpful in further understanding God's heart, and the fact that God...
2) Desires to be with us.
Finish Ch. 19 video. Restart from beginning.
God brings the Israelites back home and provides them with the resources with which to rebuild the temple that the Babylonians had destroyed.
Why is the temple important?
The temple was where God dwelt among his people. Notice that God did not simply bring home the Israelites and allow them to rebuild the temple, but instead brought them home for the purpose of rebuilding the Temple in Jerusalem.
The construction of the temple halted for a whole 16 years. What had clearly been a priority for God ceased to be so for his people. God sent word through his prophets (Haggai especially) that the Israelites failed to find prosperity in their home land because God's house still remained in ruins. Thus, He instructed them to immediately finish the temple construction.
Haggai 1: 6-8
" 'You have planted much, but harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.'
This is what the Lord Almighty says: 'Give careful thought to our ways. Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build my house so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored,' says the Lord."
What does this passage say about God's priorities? What does it say about how we should respond to God's calling when it doesn't line up with our priorities?
Pray and close.
Its important to realize that God does not falter or change. He is constant and his nature, while complex, is reliable. He, unlike us, does not change who he is. Through scripture we can identify and take refuge in God's consistent character. Let's examine, through chapter 19, two truths about God and what they mean to us.
God...
1) Is faithful
Two weeks ago we learned about the prophet Jeremiah whom God used to speak to His people. A very famous, albeit misinterpreted, prophecy given through Jeremiah can be read in Jeremiah 29:10-11
"This is what the Lord says: 'When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future' "
So what became of this promise?
Ch. 19 video, pause at 0:40
God made good on His promise and brought His people back home and out of captivity through King Cyrus.
Why is this significant?
We can see that God will not promise something and then fail to deliver it.
In what ways do or don't our actions determine whether God follows through on a promise?
They don't. God is faithful despite and in the midst of our unfaithfulness.
We are not exiled Jews, so God's promise through Jeremiah being fulfilled may not seem significant in the here and now. What Promises has God made to you?
Look for discussion, especially with respect to God's promise of eternal life through Christ. Titus 1: 2-3
Why is it important to know that God will keep His word when He promises something?
We build our faith on the foundation of the gift of Christ. We must know that our salvation comes from a God who is always faithful. It's also helpful in further understanding God's heart, and the fact that God...
2) Desires to be with us.
Finish Ch. 19 video. Restart from beginning.
God brings the Israelites back home and provides them with the resources with which to rebuild the temple that the Babylonians had destroyed.
Why is the temple important?
The temple was where God dwelt among his people. Notice that God did not simply bring home the Israelites and allow them to rebuild the temple, but instead brought them home for the purpose of rebuilding the Temple in Jerusalem.
The construction of the temple halted for a whole 16 years. What had clearly been a priority for God ceased to be so for his people. God sent word through his prophets (Haggai especially) that the Israelites failed to find prosperity in their home land because God's house still remained in ruins. Thus, He instructed them to immediately finish the temple construction.
Haggai 1: 6-8
" 'You have planted much, but harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.'
This is what the Lord Almighty says: 'Give careful thought to our ways. Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build my house so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored,' says the Lord."
What does this passage say about God's priorities? What does it say about how we should respond to God's calling when it doesn't line up with our priorities?
Pray and close.
Tuesday, February 3, 2015
on modesty.
An open letter to women everywhere:
I'd like to speak on behalf of the men of the body of Christ. Let me start by apologizing. The conversation about modesty has largely been handled very badly by men, myself included. We can be harsh, insensitive, and unfair. I've heard numerous female friends of mine say that they have felt guilty, restricted, judged, and all around burdened, as if the weight of controlling the desires of men hangs over them at all times. Let me apologize on behalf of myself and the men of the church. I'm sorry. That's not your burden to bear and it is wrong of us to put that on you.
That being said, I feel that we as men often walk away leaving you feeling as if you have to battle our temptations for us. It's a touchy subject for everybody and as a result discussing it often ends in hurt, offended, and irritated men and women walking away having not accomplished anything. And while I do have my opinions on the subject, I don't believe it is my place to tell you where your responsibility is or is not. So I want to approach this from a different angle. I'm going to be honest. I'm going to try to earnestly express where I, and many men, are coming from. Please understand that the only reason we insist on talking about modesty is that you are precious to us. We as humans, and human men at that, are fighting daily to love you in a God honoring way. Our intention is never to burden you with our responsibilities.
You've heard people tell you how men are pigs. That we are sex-crazed, and we only have one thing on our mind. But you should also know that many of us are genuinely pursuing a Christ-like attitude towards women and sexuality. We are struggling to block out the world and the sex culture that constantly berates us from all sides. It's a constant battle. The Bible tells us that we are to love our wives as Christ loved us. I may not be married, but as a single Christian guy who does one day intend to be married, I am striving to be that kind of man. But I am imperfect. I am sinful and I am "a full time fool who occasionally dabbles in getting it right" (Scott Evans, Failing from the Front). I am locked in a lifelong battle against my sin nature as I strive to live in a way that glorifies God and His creation.
It's a new battle everyday. Some days I win, and some days I feel as if I've been beaten to a pulp and ruthlessly ravaged until it's all I can do to crawl back into bed and pray for the strength to rise again in the morning. Sexuality is a massive aspect of our spiritual lives, and thus one that we tend to be passionately opinionated about. But we are not helpless. We have a habit of painting a picture of ourselves as cowering little children fixed in battle with a Goliath that we have no hope of defeating. But Christ paints a very different picture. Through Him we are empowered and equipped to overcome sexual sin. Sin which we no longer live in and which Christ overcame for us when He died in our place. Still, it is a daily battle and it is in our struggle to learn how to love, respect, and protect you as God's beautiful creation that the issue of modesty arises. It is not, or at least it should not be, our way of shirking the responsibility that we have.
We know that it is our job to take our thoughts captive (2 Corinthians 10:5). We've no intention of blaming you and we certainly have no right to. Instead, we come to you, humbled as sinners and men in need of God, with this request:
Please help us. We have a battle to fight, and we know that in Christ we find victory. We are the men of the body of Christ and as such we are constantly learning and constantly growing. Its a new battle each day, and we sincerely desire to treat you with the love and respect you deserve. But we are not perfect. We have and we will fail. We don't mean to take away your rights and we certainly aren't asking you to fight our battles for us. We are only asking for your help. So if there is any way you, as our sisters in Him, can ease the burden of that battle, will you do it? Please?
Sincerely, an aspiring man of God
This is in response to an article by Relevant magazine that has been floating around social media lately.
The original article, titled "The Problem With Christian Cleavage" was renamed, edited, and eventually removed.
You can read the response article from Relevant here.
I'd like to speak on behalf of the men of the body of Christ. Let me start by apologizing. The conversation about modesty has largely been handled very badly by men, myself included. We can be harsh, insensitive, and unfair. I've heard numerous female friends of mine say that they have felt guilty, restricted, judged, and all around burdened, as if the weight of controlling the desires of men hangs over them at all times. Let me apologize on behalf of myself and the men of the church. I'm sorry. That's not your burden to bear and it is wrong of us to put that on you.
That being said, I feel that we as men often walk away leaving you feeling as if you have to battle our temptations for us. It's a touchy subject for everybody and as a result discussing it often ends in hurt, offended, and irritated men and women walking away having not accomplished anything. And while I do have my opinions on the subject, I don't believe it is my place to tell you where your responsibility is or is not. So I want to approach this from a different angle. I'm going to be honest. I'm going to try to earnestly express where I, and many men, are coming from. Please understand that the only reason we insist on talking about modesty is that you are precious to us. We as humans, and human men at that, are fighting daily to love you in a God honoring way. Our intention is never to burden you with our responsibilities.
You've heard people tell you how men are pigs. That we are sex-crazed, and we only have one thing on our mind. But you should also know that many of us are genuinely pursuing a Christ-like attitude towards women and sexuality. We are struggling to block out the world and the sex culture that constantly berates us from all sides. It's a constant battle. The Bible tells us that we are to love our wives as Christ loved us. I may not be married, but as a single Christian guy who does one day intend to be married, I am striving to be that kind of man. But I am imperfect. I am sinful and I am "a full time fool who occasionally dabbles in getting it right" (Scott Evans, Failing from the Front). I am locked in a lifelong battle against my sin nature as I strive to live in a way that glorifies God and His creation.
It's a new battle everyday. Some days I win, and some days I feel as if I've been beaten to a pulp and ruthlessly ravaged until it's all I can do to crawl back into bed and pray for the strength to rise again in the morning. Sexuality is a massive aspect of our spiritual lives, and thus one that we tend to be passionately opinionated about. But we are not helpless. We have a habit of painting a picture of ourselves as cowering little children fixed in battle with a Goliath that we have no hope of defeating. But Christ paints a very different picture. Through Him we are empowered and equipped to overcome sexual sin. Sin which we no longer live in and which Christ overcame for us when He died in our place. Still, it is a daily battle and it is in our struggle to learn how to love, respect, and protect you as God's beautiful creation that the issue of modesty arises. It is not, or at least it should not be, our way of shirking the responsibility that we have.
We know that it is our job to take our thoughts captive (2 Corinthians 10:5). We've no intention of blaming you and we certainly have no right to. Instead, we come to you, humbled as sinners and men in need of God, with this request:
Please help us. We have a battle to fight, and we know that in Christ we find victory. We are the men of the body of Christ and as such we are constantly learning and constantly growing. Its a new battle each day, and we sincerely desire to treat you with the love and respect you deserve. But we are not perfect. We have and we will fail. We don't mean to take away your rights and we certainly aren't asking you to fight our battles for us. We are only asking for your help. So if there is any way you, as our sisters in Him, can ease the burden of that battle, will you do it? Please?
Sincerely, an aspiring man of God
This is in response to an article by Relevant magazine that has been floating around social media lately.
The original article, titled "The Problem With Christian Cleavage" was renamed, edited, and eventually removed.
You can read the response article from Relevant here.
Thursday, January 29, 2015
on faith and God centered attitudes.
The Story Teen Edition Chapter 16
Two interwoven stories taking place:
Hezekiah and Isaiah
Hezekiah:
Israel again turns to false idols and away from God. As a result, the Israelites are exiled to Assyria. The nation of Judah, however, remains faithful and King Hezekiah leads them in the way of the Lord.
Ch. 16 video
What stands out to you about the story of Hezekiah and the Assyrians?
How does Hezekiah respond to the threats against Jerusalem?
King Hezekiah faced and incredible threat as the Assyrian army stood at his doorstep. Regardless, he remained faithful (not and easy task) and brought the matter directly to God in prayer.
How hard is it for us to have this kind of faith?
2 Kings 19:14-19
How does Hezekiah approach God?
Hezekiah comes humbly before God acknowledging who God is and what He is capable of. He then asks God to deliver His people and make clear "to all the kingdoms of the earth...that you alone, Lord, are God". His prayer is not out of fear nor is it for the sake of self-preservation. Rather he asks that God would reveal and glorify Himself.
What is a time when you have felt opposition?
How should we approach God when we face opposition?
Is it easy to have this attitude?
Isaiah:
Isaiah was a well established prophet of God by the time Hezekiah became King. The Lord spoke through him numerous times (the book of Isaiah...). It's important to note that while Isaiah played a major role in the story of Hezekiah and the Assyrians, his ministry went far beyond that one instance. In fact large portion of Isaiah's prophesies directly foretold the coming of Christ
The Story Pages 228-230
Isaiah says many things about the Savior that is to come. Throw out some descriptions about this Savior that stand out to you.
Take some time and pray in gratitude for God's provision of all that was prophesied.
Two interwoven stories taking place:
Hezekiah and Isaiah
Hezekiah:
Israel again turns to false idols and away from God. As a result, the Israelites are exiled to Assyria. The nation of Judah, however, remains faithful and King Hezekiah leads them in the way of the Lord.
Ch. 16 video
What stands out to you about the story of Hezekiah and the Assyrians?
How does Hezekiah respond to the threats against Jerusalem?
King Hezekiah faced and incredible threat as the Assyrian army stood at his doorstep. Regardless, he remained faithful (not and easy task) and brought the matter directly to God in prayer.
How hard is it for us to have this kind of faith?
2 Kings 19:14-19
14 Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers and read it. Then he went up to the temple of the Lord and spread it out before the Lord. 15 And Hezekiah prayed to the Lord: “Lord, the God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. 16 Give ear, Lord, and hear; open your eyes, Lord, and see; listen to the words Sennacherib has sent to ridicule the living God. 17 “It is true, Lord, that the Assyrian kings have laid waste these nations and their lands.18 They have thrown their gods into the fire and destroyed them, for they were not gods but only wood and stone, fashioned by human hands. 19 Now, Lord our God, deliver us from his hand, so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you alone, Lord, are God.”
How does Hezekiah approach God?
Hezekiah comes humbly before God acknowledging who God is and what He is capable of. He then asks God to deliver His people and make clear "to all the kingdoms of the earth...that you alone, Lord, are God". His prayer is not out of fear nor is it for the sake of self-preservation. Rather he asks that God would reveal and glorify Himself.
What is a time when you have felt opposition?
How should we approach God when we face opposition?
Is it easy to have this attitude?
Isaiah:
Isaiah was a well established prophet of God by the time Hezekiah became King. The Lord spoke through him numerous times (the book of Isaiah...). It's important to note that while Isaiah played a major role in the story of Hezekiah and the Assyrians, his ministry went far beyond that one instance. In fact large portion of Isaiah's prophesies directly foretold the coming of Christ
The Story Pages 228-230
Isaiah says many things about the Savior that is to come. Throw out some descriptions about this Savior that stand out to you.
Take some time and pray in gratitude for God's provision of all that was prophesied.
Tuesday, January 20, 2015
on traveling.
I'm always tempted to say that everybody should travel at some point. But I'm not entirely sure that's true. I've done a small bit of traveling and reaped the benefits, but I'm not positive its for everyone. One glance at twitter, facebook, or any of the other social media giants, however, and it would seem like everybody and their uncle is out traveling the world, putting pins in maps and collecting stories to tell when they get back. But that doesn't seem to be the case in real life. Which begs an interesting question, why are so few people doing it, if so many have the desire?
There are a plethora of typical response that I would expect to hear, and I could rant for days on how little money you need, how little time it takes, how easy it is to get started, and how "real life" will be here when you get back. But I'll save my breath, as I don't expect to really be changing anybody's minds. Which is fine. Maybe instead of traveling the world, people should simply crawl out of their comfort zones. For me, that meant living in Spain. For others that could mean something completely different. The point here is that comfort and growth are rarely, if ever, experienced together. We should always be growing. Always learning.
I have a friend who has a habit of asking odd questions to people he is just meeting. He will delve very quickly below the surface and ask about a persons dreams, aspirations, and passions. He'll dig around to discover who they are in ways that make may people very uncomfortable. One question that he is particularly fond of is "what is your greatest fear?". I Once asked him the same question and his response fascinated me.
"My greatest fear is that I will one day stop growing"
It was interesting to me, because I believe if we're honest with ourselves, many of us have the opposite fear. We are scared to grow. Change intimidates us. It makes us uncomfortable. It's why I always order the same thing at taco bell and it's why graduating high school and moving out is hard. But as hard as it is, crawling outside of our beloved comfort zones is not only good for you, it's necessary.
When I was in Rome I met an Australian guy named Van who was staying in the same hostel as I was. We ended up spending a decent amount of time hanging out and swapping stories about our travels. We had come from very different backgrounds and from, quite literally, opposite sides of earth. Regardless, we found that there were some aspects to our travels that were strikingly similar. Namely the plane ticket. That first big step. Buying the first plane ticket was one of the most nerve racking things we'd had to do. After that, we were committed. Things never really got easy, but the hardest part of the whole trip was that initial step where we had to actually step outside of the experiences we had been imagining and planning and go live them. We left our comfort zones thousands of miles away and the things that seemed scary and strange simply became the next adventure.
For me in particular, I had numerous instances in which I seemed to be knee deep in it with no idea how to get out. But those are the very same instances that I would point to as being not only the most fun and memorable, but the situations that I learned the most from. I developed confidence to handle whatever life would throw at me. I worked through problems, I learned to rely on myself when I had to and to seek help when I needed it, I discovered how to communicate without a common language, I made friends in all corners of the globe, I found out what my faith looks like when I'm alone, and I collected a hand full of memories that I wouldn't trade for the world.
So yes, traveling holds incredible value as a life experience. But not everybody will have the means or the desire to share these types of experiences. And that's okay. But if it's not traveling, make sure it's something else. Whoever you are, wherever your life is headed, make sure you're uncomfortable with it. Don't be afraid of growth, be afraid of a dormant life. Because a dormant life is a wasted life. If we aren't growing in ourselves, and most importantly growing in our faith and our savior, then what are we really doing with our lives?
There are a plethora of typical response that I would expect to hear, and I could rant for days on how little money you need, how little time it takes, how easy it is to get started, and how "real life" will be here when you get back. But I'll save my breath, as I don't expect to really be changing anybody's minds. Which is fine. Maybe instead of traveling the world, people should simply crawl out of their comfort zones. For me, that meant living in Spain. For others that could mean something completely different. The point here is that comfort and growth are rarely, if ever, experienced together. We should always be growing. Always learning.
I have a friend who has a habit of asking odd questions to people he is just meeting. He will delve very quickly below the surface and ask about a persons dreams, aspirations, and passions. He'll dig around to discover who they are in ways that make may people very uncomfortable. One question that he is particularly fond of is "what is your greatest fear?". I Once asked him the same question and his response fascinated me.
"My greatest fear is that I will one day stop growing"
It was interesting to me, because I believe if we're honest with ourselves, many of us have the opposite fear. We are scared to grow. Change intimidates us. It makes us uncomfortable. It's why I always order the same thing at taco bell and it's why graduating high school and moving out is hard. But as hard as it is, crawling outside of our beloved comfort zones is not only good for you, it's necessary.
When I was in Rome I met an Australian guy named Van who was staying in the same hostel as I was. We ended up spending a decent amount of time hanging out and swapping stories about our travels. We had come from very different backgrounds and from, quite literally, opposite sides of earth. Regardless, we found that there were some aspects to our travels that were strikingly similar. Namely the plane ticket. That first big step. Buying the first plane ticket was one of the most nerve racking things we'd had to do. After that, we were committed. Things never really got easy, but the hardest part of the whole trip was that initial step where we had to actually step outside of the experiences we had been imagining and planning and go live them. We left our comfort zones thousands of miles away and the things that seemed scary and strange simply became the next adventure.
For me in particular, I had numerous instances in which I seemed to be knee deep in it with no idea how to get out. But those are the very same instances that I would point to as being not only the most fun and memorable, but the situations that I learned the most from. I developed confidence to handle whatever life would throw at me. I worked through problems, I learned to rely on myself when I had to and to seek help when I needed it, I discovered how to communicate without a common language, I made friends in all corners of the globe, I found out what my faith looks like when I'm alone, and I collected a hand full of memories that I wouldn't trade for the world.
So yes, traveling holds incredible value as a life experience. But not everybody will have the means or the desire to share these types of experiences. And that's okay. But if it's not traveling, make sure it's something else. Whoever you are, wherever your life is headed, make sure you're uncomfortable with it. Don't be afraid of growth, be afraid of a dormant life. Because a dormant life is a wasted life. If we aren't growing in ourselves, and most importantly growing in our faith and our savior, then what are we really doing with our lives?
Tuesday, January 13, 2015
on why Batman should have died.
In anticipation of the large amount of writing that the upcoming three part blog is going to take, I'm keeping this week's post short, simple, and a little bit ranty.
SPOILER ALERT:
If you haven't seen all three movies in the Dark Night trilogy:
1) What are you doing with your life?
2)Don't read this blog.
Okay so that's fair warning. Now that I've gotten that out of the way, let's talk about my favorite movie trilogy of all the movie trilogies, and we all know there are plenty of those out there.
The Dark Knight movies stand out for a number of reasons. First and foremost because, let's be honest, everything to do with Batman up until the release of "Batman Begins" was pitiful. There simply was no good Batman movie. Batman Begins changed that, and "The Dark Knight Rises" gave us the epic conclusion we all wanted.......almost.
The story goes like this: Following the disappearance of the Batman, and the death of Gotham's beloved DA, a villain by the name of Bane enters the scene and prepares to bring the city to it's knees as it rips itself apart. He effectively separates the city from the rest of the world and removes any comfort that society, order, and a government body might bring. This new "lord of the flies" society does exactly as Bane planned and begins to tear itself to pieces, all the while under threat of a nuclear bomb.
Inevitably, Batman swoops in to save the day and restore hope to a city that seems to have none. As the story comes to a head Bruce Wayne is forced to make a difficult choice. The nuclear bomb that has been roaming around the city is set to go off and has to dealt with, however the auto-pilot on his ship doesn't work and Wayne has no choice but to pilot the ship himself, and thereby ensure his own doom. It's tragic, ironic, and the perfect conclusion to the epic trilogy.
Except Bruce Wayne lives. Somehow, unbeknownst to anyone else, the auto-pilot had actually been repaired and somewhere along the line Bruce jumped out of the ship and escaped before the bomb exploded. I hate it, and I whole-heartedly believe he should have died. Let me explain.
At the heart of the story we have a group of people who, by their own wrongdoing, are trapped in a world of corruption with no hope of escape and no hope of survival. They are doomed and there is nothing they can do about it. Then, a man who seems to do nothing but selflessly give to these corrupt people, gives them a way out. Even though he fights the evil that suppresses them, gives them a shot at redemption, and ultimately sacrifices himself for their sake. He takes on himself the fate that had been given to those who, if we're being honest, probably deserved it.
Sound familiar? It should. Up until the very end, this story is the gospel. But then we find out that the masked hero really didn't sacrifice himself. He put his ship on auto-pilot and ran away with catwoman. It's an ending that is only made right with the revelation that Robin was in the movie the whole time. An ALMOST perfect trilogy that was tragically ruined by our ridiculous need to have the happiest ending possible.
SPOILER ALERT:
If you haven't seen all three movies in the Dark Night trilogy:
1) What are you doing with your life?
2)Don't read this blog.
Okay so that's fair warning. Now that I've gotten that out of the way, let's talk about my favorite movie trilogy of all the movie trilogies, and we all know there are plenty of those out there.
The Dark Knight movies stand out for a number of reasons. First and foremost because, let's be honest, everything to do with Batman up until the release of "Batman Begins" was pitiful. There simply was no good Batman movie. Batman Begins changed that, and "The Dark Knight Rises" gave us the epic conclusion we all wanted.......almost.
The story goes like this: Following the disappearance of the Batman, and the death of Gotham's beloved DA, a villain by the name of Bane enters the scene and prepares to bring the city to it's knees as it rips itself apart. He effectively separates the city from the rest of the world and removes any comfort that society, order, and a government body might bring. This new "lord of the flies" society does exactly as Bane planned and begins to tear itself to pieces, all the while under threat of a nuclear bomb.
Inevitably, Batman swoops in to save the day and restore hope to a city that seems to have none. As the story comes to a head Bruce Wayne is forced to make a difficult choice. The nuclear bomb that has been roaming around the city is set to go off and has to dealt with, however the auto-pilot on his ship doesn't work and Wayne has no choice but to pilot the ship himself, and thereby ensure his own doom. It's tragic, ironic, and the perfect conclusion to the epic trilogy.
Except Bruce Wayne lives. Somehow, unbeknownst to anyone else, the auto-pilot had actually been repaired and somewhere along the line Bruce jumped out of the ship and escaped before the bomb exploded. I hate it, and I whole-heartedly believe he should have died. Let me explain.
At the heart of the story we have a group of people who, by their own wrongdoing, are trapped in a world of corruption with no hope of escape and no hope of survival. They are doomed and there is nothing they can do about it. Then, a man who seems to do nothing but selflessly give to these corrupt people, gives them a way out. Even though he fights the evil that suppresses them, gives them a shot at redemption, and ultimately sacrifices himself for their sake. He takes on himself the fate that had been given to those who, if we're being honest, probably deserved it.
Sound familiar? It should. Up until the very end, this story is the gospel. But then we find out that the masked hero really didn't sacrifice himself. He put his ship on auto-pilot and ran away with catwoman. It's an ending that is only made right with the revelation that Robin was in the movie the whole time. An ALMOST perfect trilogy that was tragically ruined by our ridiculous need to have the happiest ending possible.
Tuesday, January 6, 2015
on doubting.
This is a big issue for Christians, and as an aspiring youth pastor I find the idea of doubting and dealing with doubts to be a topic of monumental importance. Is it okay to have doubts? What's the difference between doubt and disbelief? Is doubt sinful? Is disbelief?
At first these questions seem simple. I could spit out a half a dozen surface level answers and explanations that would satisfy these questions, at least to some degree. But honestly I think it's far more important to address the assumptions behind the questions. As I've talked about in previous posts, I firmly believe that all questions come from somewhere. They reveal a persons heart and open a door, behind which lie a thousand more questions. For more about my thoughts and opinions on questions check out the blog post I did several weeks back :
http://whatsaaronthinking.blogspot.com/2014/10/on-being-clueless.html
For now though, I want to talk about where I believe these questions about doubting come from. I'll ease into the whole assuming things business with a simple one: People ask the question "is it okay to have doubts" because they have doubts. I think we can all agree that's a pretty safe bet. But it's also absolutely crucial to this conversation, because it means the person asking isn't interested in a yes or no. They could care less about a simple answer. What they are really after is practicality. In other words, they want to know if doubting is wrong how can we put an end to it? Alternatively, if doubting is not wrong, what do we do with our doubts? It's here that we typically have to stop and define doubt.
We would talk about how there is an important line between doubt and disbelief and that doubt stems from a lack understanding and disbelief stems from a lack of faith. I don't disagree with this. What I disagree with is the idea that there is a clearly defined line, because in my experience that line can be incredibly difficult to find and even more difficult to stay on one side of.
Rather than talk about definitions, lines, and straight foreword answers, I would like to talk about hearts. Specifically, the heart of the doubter. More important than an individuals doubts, or lack thereof, is that person's heart, and how it reflects their knowledge of Christ. In a book I was recently reading, Austin Fischer makes a comment on the starting point of theology that I think also very well sums up the way any Christian should approach the inevitability of doubts. He says this:
"Who is God? How do you know? From the Christian perspective these are the questions of human existence. All other questions asked and answers given ultimately bend back toward these, for in every answer to every question there is the implicit claim 'This is who God is and this is how I know'. And so who is God and how do you know?"
I've recently had the pleasure of watching a few of my best friends grow into some of the most loving and spiritually mature people I've ever met. I couldn't possibly be more proud of the Godly women they have become. They are by no means perfect and the circumstances that have forced this growth upon them have been sudden and tragic to say the least. Nonetheless, they have endured and I have seen Christ shine through their lives and in their stories. The reason, I firmly believe, is that they have answered those two questions in their hearts. Has it made their struggles easy? No. Has doing so wiped away any of their hardships? Most certainly not. Have they experienced doubt in one form or another along the way? More than likely yes.
What it has done, however, is given them a foundation. Amidst the tears, the anger, the confusion, there is always one constant: This is who my God is, and this is how I know. It's not a solution or the answer to all your questions, but instead a starting point.
So to those battling doubts, or guilt over having them, I would say this: Who is God? How do you know? Build your foundation, a starting point onto which you can always fall back when your own understanding fails. Answer that, then go out and struggle through the rest of your questions in search of Him, but always have your heart set on who you know Him to be, and how you know.
For me, my starting point will always be the God on the cross. That is who I know God is.
Hebrews 1:1-3:
"1 In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. 3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven."
At first these questions seem simple. I could spit out a half a dozen surface level answers and explanations that would satisfy these questions, at least to some degree. But honestly I think it's far more important to address the assumptions behind the questions. As I've talked about in previous posts, I firmly believe that all questions come from somewhere. They reveal a persons heart and open a door, behind which lie a thousand more questions. For more about my thoughts and opinions on questions check out the blog post I did several weeks back :
http://whatsaaronthinking.blogspot.com/2014/10/on-being-clueless.html
For now though, I want to talk about where I believe these questions about doubting come from. I'll ease into the whole assuming things business with a simple one: People ask the question "is it okay to have doubts" because they have doubts. I think we can all agree that's a pretty safe bet. But it's also absolutely crucial to this conversation, because it means the person asking isn't interested in a yes or no. They could care less about a simple answer. What they are really after is practicality. In other words, they want to know if doubting is wrong how can we put an end to it? Alternatively, if doubting is not wrong, what do we do with our doubts? It's here that we typically have to stop and define doubt.
We would talk about how there is an important line between doubt and disbelief and that doubt stems from a lack understanding and disbelief stems from a lack of faith. I don't disagree with this. What I disagree with is the idea that there is a clearly defined line, because in my experience that line can be incredibly difficult to find and even more difficult to stay on one side of.
Rather than talk about definitions, lines, and straight foreword answers, I would like to talk about hearts. Specifically, the heart of the doubter. More important than an individuals doubts, or lack thereof, is that person's heart, and how it reflects their knowledge of Christ. In a book I was recently reading, Austin Fischer makes a comment on the starting point of theology that I think also very well sums up the way any Christian should approach the inevitability of doubts. He says this:
"Who is God? How do you know? From the Christian perspective these are the questions of human existence. All other questions asked and answers given ultimately bend back toward these, for in every answer to every question there is the implicit claim 'This is who God is and this is how I know'. And so who is God and how do you know?"
I've recently had the pleasure of watching a few of my best friends grow into some of the most loving and spiritually mature people I've ever met. I couldn't possibly be more proud of the Godly women they have become. They are by no means perfect and the circumstances that have forced this growth upon them have been sudden and tragic to say the least. Nonetheless, they have endured and I have seen Christ shine through their lives and in their stories. The reason, I firmly believe, is that they have answered those two questions in their hearts. Has it made their struggles easy? No. Has doing so wiped away any of their hardships? Most certainly not. Have they experienced doubt in one form or another along the way? More than likely yes.
What it has done, however, is given them a foundation. Amidst the tears, the anger, the confusion, there is always one constant: This is who my God is, and this is how I know. It's not a solution or the answer to all your questions, but instead a starting point.
So to those battling doubts, or guilt over having them, I would say this: Who is God? How do you know? Build your foundation, a starting point onto which you can always fall back when your own understanding fails. Answer that, then go out and struggle through the rest of your questions in search of Him, but always have your heart set on who you know Him to be, and how you know.
For me, my starting point will always be the God on the cross. That is who I know God is.
Hebrews 1:1-3:
"1 In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. 3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven."
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