Redirection

Please Check out my new blog, Worship Discussions, for more blog posts.

Stay tuned...

As I come to the end of the semester, I have been (and hope to do more of) reflecting on the things that I have learned and gained from these past 15 weeks.  One thing that I have truly enjoyed is this blog and the continual posting that I have been encouraged (by threat of grade reduction) to do.  I say that jokingly as it was exactly the push I needed to get back into this.

What I have realized about this blog is that I've been kind of all over the place in the things that I've posted about.  We really haven't engaged too many topics involving worship or liturgy... and I feel bad for that.

Yet, I think that the goal of blogging is engaging in the greater conversation that is going on all around us... about life in general and about specific topics that are important to us.

I certainly do not wish for my voice to be lost in the incessant rambling of most blogs, going on and on about life.  Nor to I desire to become another angry anonymous voice that complains about everything.  Least of all, I would hate for this part of my life to slip into the background and fade away.

And so, with great hope and anticipation, I look forward to time over Christmas break in which I can redevelop this blog.  It will involve a change of blog address... expansion of topics... and (of course) a hip new look.

The current posts will go with this blog to the new one... all will not be lost...

So stay tuned... things are about to get crazy!  More to come soon!

The End of the World?

                I have heard in recent days an increasing amount of chatter and discussion about the coming doomsday, “prophesied” about in the Mayan calendar.  Even within the circles in which I run, people are talking about it more and more.  Presumably, should this horrid scenario play out as depicted in the film 2012 (which I have yet to see), my writing this for whatever purpose will be quite futile and those that do read it, either before or after the coming cataclysm are welcome to become part of what I’m sure will be a cacophony of “I told you so” to all those, like me, who don’t believe it will happen (sarcasm intended).  I guess if I think about it, in the event that this debacle does not take place on fateful coming of 12/21/12, this subject will make little difference, except that I will be able to join the chorus of folks also able to say “I told you so.”  In any case, I think a quote here from Marvel Comic’s Character Nick Fury may at least provide some sort of platform on which we can stand and address this topic:

 

“Until such time as the world ends, we will act as though it intends to spin on”

                As I reflect on this though, I think there is a significant amount of theological insight that can be brought to this discussion, some of which has to do with worship, all of which has to do with our faith.  It is no secret that discussions about the end of the world and things related to it such as terrorism, nuclear disasters, and even politics tend to generate, even at the most basic of levels, a small amount of anxiety and perhaps some inner angst that we have to deal with.  It is, simply put, Worry.  It is the most basic of emotions and thought processes arise when things present themselves in our lives and we either do not have the capacity to deal with them or have no answer, good or bad, for them; a spiral of problem ever seeking a solution that is not or seems not to be present at the time.

                But, apart from asking whether or not we should be talking about this particular topic, which I suggest at the present time, is practically unavoidable, I would like to address the reaction to this topic as a topic of conversation.

                In the extensive history of doomsday-predictors, the Mayans are, at least by some standards, the philosophical ancestors to our modern day versions.  Even the last ten years have been quite full of cults like Heaven’s gate, predictors like Harold Camping, and even the anti-climactic crisis of the millennium all predicting our impending doom.  In fact the world has survived about 180 (thank you Wikipedia) dooms day predictions, at least those made public, with ten more that we know of coming up between now and approximately 10 to the 100^th power years from now when the universe is supposed to burn itself out.  It’s a wonder that we’ve made it this far…

                So how are we supposed to face these false predictions, and the anxiety associated with them?

FAITH

                Like all things, this too is an opportunity to live into what we say we believe.  What do we believe?

                Genesis 8 – The last time a major cataclysm struck the earth it was sent by God in the form of a worldwide flood.  According to Scripture, God wiped out every living creature on the planet with the exception of Noah, his family, and those animals on the ark.  After this happening, God made the following promise:

“I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the intention of man's heart is evil from his youth. Neither will I ever again strike down every living creature as I have done. While the earth remains, seed-time and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.”  Genesis 8:21-22 (ESV)

Though often associated with the flood, there is no direct reference to God only promising to not send a flood.  We do not serve a deceitful God who makes thinly veiled promises, but hold a trump card in God’s back pocket just in case.  This is an all-encompassing promise.  God will not destroy all life on earth again.

                Matthew 24 – Here Jesus speaks about the signs of the coming of the end of the age.  This has often been quoted, sometimes pulling in random proof texts from all over the Bible, as a way of point to the continuing degradation of society which is supposed to mark the end of time.  While I won’t deny that things often seem bleak, and even that some of these things appear to be coming true, Jesus makes a blatant statement here:

“But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.”  Matthew 24:36 (ESV)

Yes, this passage seems to thinly reference that the moral fabric of society will unravel and it will be “as in the days of Noah,” but that doesn’t mean that tomorrow, or 12/21/12, or any other day is going to be the day.  I myself believe that this passage actually makes the point of saying “it will be a day like every other day,” which stands firmly within the context of the rest of the passage.  Jesus is saying that, like when the flood came, no one was paying attention (much like our Savior’s coming at Christmas that we anticipate now in Advent).  We simply don’t know when it is going to happen.  According to Scripture, anyone who predicts this sort of thing is wrong.

                Revelation 21 – With these two passages in mind, we come to the mystery of Revelation.  Some would say that Genesis 8 ensures only that the earth would continue to spin as long as the earth exists, and that the text of Matthew 24 also references global catastrophe, both of which give us reason to be afraid.  I cannot argue with these statements, but rather lift up Revelation 21 in light of them.  John the Revelator doesn’t say, “and God destroyed the earth,” but rather that he sees a “new heaven and a new earth.”  The imagery here is not that of God doing away with creation, but rather God’s restoration of creation.  John heard these words in his vision:

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.  He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”  And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.”  Revelation 21:3-5 (ESV)

What we see here is the fulfillment of the work of God throughout the course of human history.  Though I would not presume to know the will of God, it is clear that God has been working toward the complete and total restoration of creation.  All that was made wrong in the fall would be put right.  There will be no more death, pain, crying, and mourning because all of that will have passed away.  God will dwell on earth and all of creation will be restored.  While there is a great deal of imagery in the Bible that has to do with the end of time, the seat of God’s throne will be here on earth, in a restored and glorified creation.  Even though society may be degrading, we know that God is working in ways much higher than we’ll ever understand to restore and renew God’s creation.

So, what are we to do with this?  In Matthew 6:25-34, Jesus instructs us to not worry about tomorrow.  God will be faithful to us, as God has always done in the past.  God’s promises are true and God’s love for us is unrivaled.  God will always provide for us all that we need.   Worry is really our attempt to control things that are out of our control.  Jesus could come back tomorrow, or in a hundred years.  We don’t know and we have no control over it.  In the present time, we simply need to rest in the peace of God and the promised that have been made to us (hard as that may be).  Every day we must continue to try and live into these promises, casting aside our fear and worry.

 Jesus also says, in Matthew 24, that we need to be alert, always ready for the day and hour when Jesus will return.  We shouldn’t be caught unprepared.  Jesus references his coming like that of “lightning” or “as a thief in the night.”  It will also happen when we least expect it.  We will never know the day or time that He will return until he actually does.  Therefore we should be prepared at all times.  All we know is what Jesus says at the end of Revelation:

“Behold, I am coming soon.”

Amen.  Come Lord Jesus.

Thanksgiving

            Well it seems as though another year as gone by and the holiday season is upon us once again!  Where does all that time go?  Taking a step back and looking at this past year I cannot help by be awestruck by the over-abundance of blessings I have received in the past year.  God, as God always does, has blessed me so richly in my life, I know I do not thank God enough for all of everything that I have been blessed with.

            In this time of thanksgiving, gift giving, family gatherings, and holiday parties, do you find yourself taking a moment to stop and look around at how blessed you are?  Sometimes I think that we get so caught up in the busyness that we don’t take a minute to see God at work in our lives, especially in this season where we are supposed to be placing Jesus at the center of our focus.  The holiday season has been filled with things to distract us it seems.  Be it shopping, parties, commercials, commitments, work, school, kids, family, or the plethora of other things that I cannot name right now, our lives have been filled with good things, and yet we need to make sure that our focus is still where it needs to be.  Satan would have these things distract us, but let us, in this time, be mindful not of the gifts, but of the giver, keeping our focus on The Reason For The Season, giving God all the glory, honor, praise, and thanks!

            I wonder too in this time, if we bring this posture of thanksgiving into worship with us.  Do we come to worship God with thanksgiving overflowing from our hearts?  Or do we come because we want something for ourselves?  Are we worshiping out of the overflow of God’s grace in our lives?  Or are we here because we want to hear a certain song or music type?

            What about when there are distractions in the service?  Think of this: you’re sitting in a worship service, listening to the pastor, when the child in front of you pops up over the pew and starts playing with his action figures, making all sorts of childish exploding noises (in whispered tones of course).  Maybe you can recall a time when you were praying in church and a child started crying, or wailing due to some unforeseen disaster that had befallen her coloring picture.

            Perhaps you can remember a time when you were listening to a sermon and the words that you heard burned in your heart.  The sting you felt was deep, almost to the point of making you upset.  You’re mind starts to spin as you wonder how it is that the pastor knew your deepest secret, and how he/she dared say something like that so directly to you.

            What would your reactions be in these situations?  Take a moment to think about it before you read on…

            I wonder if thankfulness was the first thing that came to your mind.  It certainly wasn't for me, and yet the more I think about it, the more I realize that even these things fall in the realm of us being thankful.  We can be thankful that the Spirit is working in our lives, convicting us with the Truth of God’s Word.  We can be thankful that the church is learning new songs and that there are ways for all generations to express themselves in worship!  We can also be thankful that we are blessed with the opportunity to worship with our mothers and fathers, grandparents, children, grandchildren, and even great grandchildren.

            We can even be thankful for the abundant life that is in the church when a child cries or plays with toys.  Instead of giving sour looks at the child or the parents, smile and take a moment to thank God for new life and the energy that children bring into the church!

            We are so abundantly blessed!!  Be sure, in this busy holiday season, you make sure to take time to thank God for everything that God has blessed you with in your life!

Rest

For a student, there is nothing quite like a weekend in which you have no assignments or readings due for that next week.  Sometimes I think that this is truly the Sabbath of a student.  After a rough week, or semester, breaks like this one are a welcome breath of fresh air.

Again, my the best words to describe this come from Scripture:

Psalm 23

English Standard Version (ESV)

The Lord Is My Shepherd

A Psalm of David.

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
     He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
     He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
    for his name's sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
    I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
    your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me
    in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
    my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
    forever.

Persistence

There are times in our lives where we feel bogged down, overwhelmed, and just plain worn out.  It is that time for me in the semester.  The end is coming, but it isn't that close yet.

In light of this, I have little to say this week... and I think I will just let Scripture speak as I should probably do more often anyway...

Count it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.  And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.  James 1:2-4

Lord, please grant my patience and perseverance in this time...

Remember remember...

Remember remember the fifth of November

The gunpowder, treason and plot.

I see no reason why gunpowder, treason

Should ever be forgot...

These are famous words referring to the plot of a man named Guy Fawkes and his attempt to blow up the houses of parliament and made more famous in the 2005 film V for Vendetta.  The film takes place in a dystopian future in which a society has been taking over by a particular political party.  Rising to power through the use of fear, they govern with an iron fist convincing the populace that without them, the world will plunge into chaos.

The main character, “V,” elaborates on this in a speech:

And the truth is, there is something terribly wrong with this country, isn't there? Cruelty and injustice, intolerance and oppression. And where once you had the freedom to object, to think and speak as you saw fit, you now have censors and systems of surveillance coercing your conformity and soliciting your submission. How did this happen? Who's to blame? Well certainly there are those more responsible than others, and they will be held accountable, but again truth be told, if you're looking for the guilty, you need only look into a mirror. I know why you did it. I know you were afraid. Who wouldn't be? War, terror, disease. There were a myriad of problems which conspired to corrupt your reason and rob you of your common sense. Fear got the best of you, and in your panic you turned to the now [insert political office], [insert politician’s name]. He promised you order, he promised you peace, and all he demanded in return was your silent, obedient consent.

Now, before you dismiss this blog as simply another political ranting with baseless accusations, let me assure you that it is nothing of the sort.  Much of this is inspired by a brief conversation I had with my good friend Cody (http://blowingontheembers.wordpress.com/).

It seems like, with the election looming and the barrage of political ads and attack at their peak today, we too are confronted with a message of fear.  Slogans like “take back our country,” “fire Obama,” and speeches about how we should be afraid if we elect this or that person have become all too common place.  Practically impossible it has become to not be affected by this; and as Americans in the United States, we should embrace this electoral process.  The election and the campaigns are part of this democracy and are part of the freedom that we have been blessed with.

And yet… there still seems to be something wrong with this whole process…

With the unbelievably large amount of media coverage that happens these days, whether biased or not, it seems like every slip-up or misspoken word is another opportunity for an attack, a chance for a candidate to say, “See!!  If you elect them, this country is doomed!”  Ads have been run against both candidates that direct our attention to the other’s shortcomings whilst skirting past their own.  And, especially as I have observed this campaign process, I have noticed that fear has been the prevailing message of the times.  The vote this election is not for a certain candidate, but rather a vote in fear against the opposing candidate.  Whether this is one person or party’s fault versus the other is not the point, what is the point is that we are getting to the point where fear could indeed get the best of us… and that is a poor place for us to be certainly as Americans and absolutely as Christians.

Scripture is very clear about our posture as Christians in this world.  Paul writes in Romans 8,

…For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear…

The writer of Hebrews echoes this Truth in the 13^th chapter,

For he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”

While there are some very real things that we deal with and struggle with in the world today, the election being a prime example, we need not be subject to the fear that some would seek to use to control.  Though this world, with its overabundance of issues and struggles might be full of difficulties, remember that Jesus says,

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Though it may seem as if everything is clouded in the darkness of lies and deceit, remember that Jesus says,

“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

It may seem like the world is going to hell in a hand basket, we may stand in confidence knowing that our Savior is the Lord over the world, He sits on the throne at the Right Hand of God and reigning.  Remember, He is in control.  God is sustaining the world, working His will.  And we know, beyond any shadow of a doubt, that no matter what evil or fear that we face, the outcome has already been decided.

So have your political opinions.  As Christians we should have them, we should vote, we should support those that we feel best represent our beliefs and convictions, but not out of fear.  God is in control.  When you step into that voting booth tomorrow, and you definitely should do that, cast your vote in the confidence that we have in Christ the true Lord of all and remember these words of God from Isaiah,

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Grace and Peace…