Over the past few weeks at All Things Fellowship, we've been taking a look at some fairly common questions that most of don't know how to answer and taking a look at what the Bible has to say on these various subjects. It has been an inspired look into some of the mysteries of life and of God, and it has caused me to start pondering the greatness of God.
If God is infinite then that makes us incredibly small and insignificant in the grand scheme, doesn't it? How can anything we're capable of thinking up or creating ourselves be anything of value? In Ecclesiastes 1:9, Solomon says, "What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun." We tend to get really caught up in our daily lives and very narrowly focused on the world around us that it can seem like there truly is nothing new under the sun. We can get to feeling like this is it...this is all there is to it.
I want to take some time this week to imagine something greater than that. I want to explore the possibility that we really aren't the small, insignificant beings we sometimes appear to be. I want to spend some time wondering what our lives might be like if we figured out how to let go of our spiritual inhibitions. What might we be able to accomplish if we followed that sage advice we've read on countless church signs that says, "Let go and let God"?
Our pastor ended his sermon series last night with the end of Solomon's consideration of the meaning of life by quoting the last couple of verses from Ecclesiastes (12:13-14)...
Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.
Come along with me this week and we'll attempt to discover the "What Ifs" of a life spent fearing God and keeping his commandments.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Friday, October 15, 2010
Happy Anniversary!
"Haven't you read," he replied, "that at the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female,' and said, 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh'? So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate." -- Matthew 19:4-6 NIV
Seventy years ago, my grandfather talked my grandmother into marrying him. Seventy years! Most of us can't imagine living to be seventy, much less being married for that long. It's special to me for two reasons. First, you just don't hear about folks being married that long much. Most of us are pretty proud of making it five years...so it gives me faith to see two people actually stick to God's will for them. Second, I feel tremendously luck and blessed to have such a great example of what a successful marriage looks like.
My grandparents have two kids, a small horde of grandkids, and an even better number of great-grandkids. They've poured countless numbers of prayers out for all of us. I'm convinced there have been times in my life when their prayers might very well have sustained me! They argue and fuss like any couple, but I can't remember a time when they went to bed mad at each other and my earliest memories are of their smiles and their affection for one another.
I don't think we hold couples like my grandparents up in a place of honor nearly as much as we should. They have so much to teach us, by their words and even more importantly by their example. If you are blessed enough to have parents, grandparents, or other couples in your life that have stood the test of time and have the kind of marriage God intended when he said we would 'become one flesh', make sure you tell them how much you love them and appreciate them. Don't by shy about letting them know they are an inspiration to you to do just as well with your marriage! Thank God that these people have been made a part of your life and know that your life is better because of them. Who knows? Maybe you will have the blessing of celebrating your seventieth anniversary with your kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids one of these days.
Seventy years ago, my grandfather talked my grandmother into marrying him. Seventy years! Most of us can't imagine living to be seventy, much less being married for that long. It's special to me for two reasons. First, you just don't hear about folks being married that long much. Most of us are pretty proud of making it five years...so it gives me faith to see two people actually stick to God's will for them. Second, I feel tremendously luck and blessed to have such a great example of what a successful marriage looks like.
My grandparents have two kids, a small horde of grandkids, and an even better number of great-grandkids. They've poured countless numbers of prayers out for all of us. I'm convinced there have been times in my life when their prayers might very well have sustained me! They argue and fuss like any couple, but I can't remember a time when they went to bed mad at each other and my earliest memories are of their smiles and their affection for one another.
I don't think we hold couples like my grandparents up in a place of honor nearly as much as we should. They have so much to teach us, by their words and even more importantly by their example. If you are blessed enough to have parents, grandparents, or other couples in your life that have stood the test of time and have the kind of marriage God intended when he said we would 'become one flesh', make sure you tell them how much you love them and appreciate them. Don't by shy about letting them know they are an inspiration to you to do just as well with your marriage! Thank God that these people have been made a part of your life and know that your life is better because of them. Who knows? Maybe you will have the blessing of celebrating your seventieth anniversary with your kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids one of these days.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Seeing Patterns
“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” -- Romans 12:2 NIV
I've come to a conclusion. God is a very detail oriented being. He likes patterns, order. He's more organized than anyone at Staples ever could be. I think God's will for us is ultimately order, but we have to go through chaos to get to it.
Think about it. It is very difficult to ever do something flawlessly without multiple failed attempts. Even our bodies have to learn. We teach our bodies how to walk by failing. We teach ourselves to swing a golf club (though with varying amounts of skill!) by doing it over and over and over. It's called muscle memory.
Our brains are no different. We learn by doing...and failing. There is a process involved, a pattern for us to follow to develop success at anything we're doing. We learn, which is to say we renew our minds. If we must fail to learn then doesn't it also follow that to find God's good, pleasing, perfect will for us requires us to learn how to look for it, and therefore, that we must try and fail?
The pattern of the world tells us who we are and that we need to just stay put. God tells us who we really are and that the way to realizing what He wants for us is to look! It's like a spiritual game of hide and go seek where the best place to hide is right in plain sight. We look at the patterns of the world and there is no chance we find God. But we renew our mind and actively seek Him and there is no way to miss him.
I've come to a conclusion. God is a very detail oriented being. He likes patterns, order. He's more organized than anyone at Staples ever could be. I think God's will for us is ultimately order, but we have to go through chaos to get to it.
Think about it. It is very difficult to ever do something flawlessly without multiple failed attempts. Even our bodies have to learn. We teach our bodies how to walk by failing. We teach ourselves to swing a golf club (though with varying amounts of skill!) by doing it over and over and over. It's called muscle memory.
Our brains are no different. We learn by doing...and failing. There is a process involved, a pattern for us to follow to develop success at anything we're doing. We learn, which is to say we renew our minds. If we must fail to learn then doesn't it also follow that to find God's good, pleasing, perfect will for us requires us to learn how to look for it, and therefore, that we must try and fail?
The pattern of the world tells us who we are and that we need to just stay put. God tells us who we really are and that the way to realizing what He wants for us is to look! It's like a spiritual game of hide and go seek where the best place to hide is right in plain sight. We look at the patterns of the world and there is no chance we find God. But we renew our mind and actively seek Him and there is no way to miss him.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
When It's Love
In the words of Van Halen (or Van Hagar if you prefer...):
Everybody's lookin' for somethin',
Somethin' to fill in the holes.
We think a lot but don't talk much about it
'Til things get out of control.
How do I know when it's love?
I can't tell you but it lasts forever.
How does it feel when it's love?
It's just somethin' you feel together,
When it's love!
The word 'love' appears in the NIV version of the Bible 697 times...so you know it's a critical subject! By contrast, the word 'hate' appears only 74 times. Clearly, our focus is supposed to be on love. We spend our early adulthood consumed by the search for the one God has provided for us. We want to have someone to love and someone who loves us just as much. The question in the song asks how we know when it really is love. The singer admits that he doesn't have any other answer than to say that it lasts forever.
How true!
To find our earthly love, I believe we need to be tuned in to God's love first. How can we possibly know who our person is if we haven't asked God to show them to us? Deuteronomy 6:5 says, Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. Deuteronomy 7:13 goes on to say, He will love you and bless you and increase your numbers. He will bless the fruit of your womb, the crops of your land—your grain, new wine and oil—the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks in the land that he swore to your forefathers to give you.
Clearly, we need to first love God with every fiber of our being. Love God first and then watch as God reveals your person to you, and the Bible says that God will bless you. How do you know when it's love? You know when God is front and center in your life because God's love lasts forever, and anything God blesses you with is the right thing because He has blessed you with it. It fills in the holes, it lasts forever, and we are meant to feel it together.
Everybody's lookin' for somethin',
Somethin' to fill in the holes.
We think a lot but don't talk much about it
'Til things get out of control.
How do I know when it's love?
I can't tell you but it lasts forever.
How does it feel when it's love?
It's just somethin' you feel together,
When it's love!
The word 'love' appears in the NIV version of the Bible 697 times...so you know it's a critical subject! By contrast, the word 'hate' appears only 74 times. Clearly, our focus is supposed to be on love. We spend our early adulthood consumed by the search for the one God has provided for us. We want to have someone to love and someone who loves us just as much. The question in the song asks how we know when it really is love. The singer admits that he doesn't have any other answer than to say that it lasts forever.
How true!
To find our earthly love, I believe we need to be tuned in to God's love first. How can we possibly know who our person is if we haven't asked God to show them to us? Deuteronomy 6:5 says, Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. Deuteronomy 7:13 goes on to say, He will love you and bless you and increase your numbers. He will bless the fruit of your womb, the crops of your land—your grain, new wine and oil—the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks in the land that he swore to your forefathers to give you.
Clearly, we need to first love God with every fiber of our being. Love God first and then watch as God reveals your person to you, and the Bible says that God will bless you. How do you know when it's love? You know when God is front and center in your life because God's love lasts forever, and anything God blesses you with is the right thing because He has blessed you with it. It fills in the holes, it lasts forever, and we are meant to feel it together.
Monday, October 11, 2010
Here Comes The Sun
Continuing to look at some of my favorite secular songs and putting a faith-based spin to them, I figure there is no way I can do something like this and not include my favorite Beatles song...EVA!!!
It can be tough to make sense of some of their music, but one thing you can always count on is there will be a catchy tune to go along with the lyrics. This particular song is my favorite of theirs because I love being out in nature and this song just screams nature to me. I think about a beautiful spring or fall morning after a really cool night. There is a little fog on the ground that burns away to reveal rolling hills filled with wildflowers. The coolness gives away to the sun's warmth and a hint of a breeze makes it a gorgeous day. The kind of morning you'd like to see sitting next to your spouse on a big, wrap-around porch with a warm cup of tea in hand. I could do that every morning and never get bored of it, I promise!
But the lyrics also bring to mind a message of hope...
Little darling, it's been a long, cold, lonely winter.
Little darling, it feels like years since it's been here.
Here comes the sun, here comes the sun,
And I say it's alright.
Little darling, the smile's returning to their faces.
Little darling, it seems like years since it's been here.
Here comes the sun, here comes the sun,
And I say it's alright.
There is a lot of suffering that goes on in the world, and it's pretty easy to focus on the bad things that are happening to us and also to the world around us. Listen to the nightly news for 10 minutes and prepare to be depressed about the sorry state of the world. I think that's why some people find it really hard to believe in God. They can't reconcile a God who loves them more than anything and yet allows so much bad to go on...or that He would be willing to allow any of us to end up in Hell.
But I promise you that through all of that pain and all of that suffering that happens in the world, so much more good gets done and I believe that more good than we can realize comes from even one single instant of suffering. Some scripture that speaks to hope...
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. -- Romans 15:13 NIV
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. -- Jeremiah 29:11 NIV
You will be secure, because there is hope; you will look about you and take your rest in safety. -- Job 11:18 NIV
Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. -- Isaiah 40:30-31
I believe in God's message of hope, that He loves us enough to give us the freedom to choose for ourselves, and that at the end of any long, cold night or any trying and stormy season in our lives comes a time when the sun shines so brilliantly that it is almost impossible to look into it. That's the hope I get from the Beatles song...the sun is coming back out, the smiles are returning to our faces, and it's going to be alright.
It can be tough to make sense of some of their music, but one thing you can always count on is there will be a catchy tune to go along with the lyrics. This particular song is my favorite of theirs because I love being out in nature and this song just screams nature to me. I think about a beautiful spring or fall morning after a really cool night. There is a little fog on the ground that burns away to reveal rolling hills filled with wildflowers. The coolness gives away to the sun's warmth and a hint of a breeze makes it a gorgeous day. The kind of morning you'd like to see sitting next to your spouse on a big, wrap-around porch with a warm cup of tea in hand. I could do that every morning and never get bored of it, I promise!
But the lyrics also bring to mind a message of hope...
Little darling, it's been a long, cold, lonely winter.
Little darling, it feels like years since it's been here.
Here comes the sun, here comes the sun,
And I say it's alright.
Little darling, the smile's returning to their faces.
Little darling, it seems like years since it's been here.
Here comes the sun, here comes the sun,
And I say it's alright.
There is a lot of suffering that goes on in the world, and it's pretty easy to focus on the bad things that are happening to us and also to the world around us. Listen to the nightly news for 10 minutes and prepare to be depressed about the sorry state of the world. I think that's why some people find it really hard to believe in God. They can't reconcile a God who loves them more than anything and yet allows so much bad to go on...or that He would be willing to allow any of us to end up in Hell.
But I promise you that through all of that pain and all of that suffering that happens in the world, so much more good gets done and I believe that more good than we can realize comes from even one single instant of suffering. Some scripture that speaks to hope...
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. -- Romans 15:13 NIV
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. -- Jeremiah 29:11 NIV
You will be secure, because there is hope; you will look about you and take your rest in safety. -- Job 11:18 NIV
Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. -- Isaiah 40:30-31
I believe in God's message of hope, that He loves us enough to give us the freedom to choose for ourselves, and that at the end of any long, cold night or any trying and stormy season in our lives comes a time when the sun shines so brilliantly that it is almost impossible to look into it. That's the hope I get from the Beatles song...the sun is coming back out, the smiles are returning to our faces, and it's going to be alright.
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