A Few Of My Favorite Things (From 2014)

I've always liked lists--top ten lists, to-do lists, grocery lists.  I realize that this is probably an indication that I am a tremendous nerd, but I remain unapologetic in my love of lists.  For all the other list-lovers out there, I offer up a brief list of the top books, movies, and music that challenged and inspired me in 2014 as I read, watched, or listened to them.  

 Nonfiction:  Confessions by Augustine of Hippo

Although Augustine's autobiography was written more than 1,500 years ago, it feels eerily relevant in our post-modern era.  Written as a prayer to God, Augustine recounts the emptiness that he encountered trying to find meaning in the entertainment, sexual promiscuity, and relativistic philosophies of his culture.  He wrestles, in ancient Rome, with the same dilemmas and temptations that we face in contemporary America and, ultimately, he finds fulfillment and meaning only in the person of Jesus Christ.  Nearly every theologian and autobiographical author in the past thousand years has borrowed or stolen a great deal from Augustine, which is a testimony to his great brilliance as a thinker and writer.

Fiction:  Silence by Shusaku Endo

I was profoundly challenged and troubled by this novel (after finishing it, I laid awake for several hours thinking about the questions that it raised).  Written by a Japanese Catholic, the story follows a group of Portuguese missionaries who travel to 17th century Japan to investigate reports that their mentor has apostatized and denied his faith.  What they find is more troubling than they could ever have imagined.  Endo asks important questions about how Christianity can fit into Eastern culture, where God is the midst of suffering and, ultimately, about what it means to follow Christ.  The answer to these questions is ambiguously hinted at, but readers are left to sort through the clues and implications and to examine themselves for the answers.

Film:  The Kid With a Bike by Jeanne Pierre and Luc Dardenne

It is a Belgian film with subtitles, but don't let that keep you from putting it in your Netflix queue.  This heart-wrenching and hopeful tale of shattered innocence and redemption has one of the clearest portrayals of stubborn and unconditional grace that I have ever seen.  God is not mentioned verbally in the film, but His love is evident in the characters and events that unfold. The story is moving, the cinematography is gorgeous, and the acting is superb.

Music:  Instruments of Mercy by Beautiful Eulogy

Lyrically intelligent and aesthetically excellent, this Portland hip-hop trio mixes theological insight with creative beats and ambient instrumentation to create something utterly unique.  The group wears their Reformed theology prominently on their sleeve, basically rapping through Calvin's "Institutes of the Christian Religion," but it comes across much more worshipful than preachy.  You can't help but walk away from a listen with a sense of awe at the grace of God (and maybe a catchy beat or two stuck in your head).

What pieces of literature or art moved you this past year?  I'd love to hear!

Some Biblical Statements About Suicide

I apparently haven't added a blog in close to two years, but I felt compelled back into the "blogosphere" by a number of comments that I have seen floating around social media in the wake of Robin Williams' suicide.  First of all, I sincerely grieve the loss of a human life, a very talented actor, and one of the funniest men on the face of the earth.  During some of my most formative years, I soaked up both the hilarity and poignancy of movies like "Good Morning Vietnam," "Mrs. Doubtfire," and "The Dead Poets' Society."  Robin Williams had the ability to make me both laugh and cry within a matter of minutes.  He will be missed.

In the wake of Mr. Williams' suicide, I also grieve some of the statements that I have seen Christians make about depression and suicide, and some of the misunderstandings that my non-Christian friends have expressed toward Christians.  While I cannot claim to speak for all Christians on the matter, I thought it would be beneficial to try to make a clear statement about suicide from a biblical Christian viewpoint.  I'll do this by attempting to answer three questions:

1.  Does the Bible talk about suicide?   The Bible records God's long term plan to redeem messy broken people from the messy brokenness that they have fallen (or plunged themselves headlong) into.  As such, it records and addresses a lot of messy subjects, including suicide and depression.  Saul, the first king of Israel committed suicide (or at least attempted it) by falling on his own sword (I Samuel 31:4), Zimri, another king of Israel burned himself alive inside his own palace when he feared that he would lose his kingdom (I Kings 16:18), the hero Samson chose to wreak revenge on his enemies one last time, even though he knew it would mean destroying his own life as well (Judges 16:28-30).  Perhaps most famously, Jesus' disciple Judas committed suicide by hanging himself after suffering intense guilt and shame over betraying Jesus (Matthew 27:3-5).  It must be noted that, in all of these instances, the details of the suicide are simply stated as they happened with little or no moral comments about the actions themselves.  We would have a hard time drawing a strong biblical doctrine based on these passages alone.

The Bible also refuses to shy away from the reality of depression, which is sometimes a large prompting factor in suicide.  While they never took action on their feelings, such heroes of the faith as Elijah, Job, David, and Paul "despaired of life" and even prayed for death at different points in their lives and ministries (see I Kings 19:4, Job 3:11-13, and 2 Samuel 18:33, and 2 Corinthians 1:8).  All of this is to say that the Bible is not a sterile book far removed from the realities of human suffering, even the deepest kinds of suffering--God knows how messy and broken we are (and He has chosen to do something drastic to remedy our messiness and brokenness--but that is another topic).

2.  Does the Bible make any statements about the moral implications of suicide?  Quite simply, yes.  One of the basic assertions of God, who created human life, is that human life is precious.  "You shall not murder" (Exodus 20:13).  Human beings were made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27) and granted the gift of life from God (Genesis 2:7), therefore human life belongs to God alone and no human being has the right to take life--another's life or his own life.  This becomes doubly true for a follower of Jesus Christ, because "your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you . . . you are not your own" (I Corinthians 6:19)  In this sense, we must affirm that suicide is indeed a sin against God.  Suicide is a form of murder--the murder of oneself, and as such, it is an act to be resisted and rejected with as much horror as any other murder would be resisted and rejected.  There is no significant moral difference between me claiming my neighbors life because I hate him and me claiming my own life because I hate myself (or for any other reason).  Naming suicide as a sin and offense against God naturally leads to the last question.

3.  Is a person who has committed suicide automatically damned to hell?  Once again, the biblical answer can be stated simply:  No.  Nowhere in the Bible will you find the teaching that suicide is a unique and unforgivable sin that would prevent a person who has placed their faith in Jesus Christ from entering into the salvation that Christ has achieved for them.  In fact, the Bible is very clear about the fact that there is only one thing that keeps people from entering into salvation:  "God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.  Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God" (John 3:17-18).  The singular act that will prevent a person from receiving salvation and eternal life is not a sin or sins (not even murder or suicide) but a rejection of and refusal to believe  in, trust in, and submit to Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

There will be murderers in heaven (Moses, David, and the apostle Paul were all murderers) because salvation is not based on what we have done, but on what Jesus has done for us, and I fully expect to see brothers and sisters in Christ who have committed suicide in heaven as well.  I do not know whether Mr. Williams ever trusted in Jesus and received salvation by faith through grace (I pray that he did), but for those who have placed their faith in Christ, I praise the Lord that nothing, not even an act of sin as seemingly final as suicide, is able to separate us from the love of God that is in Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 8:39).

Book of the Month: "The Book of Revelation" Graphic Novel

I have a confession to make:  I got in a bit over my head on this book of the month thing.  I'm currently wrestling through a pretty complex and philosophical work that I don't see myself finishing within the month, so I decided to cheat a bit, and offer a review of a shorter graphic novel--"The Book of Revelation" translated by Mark Arey and Philemon Svastiades, adapted by Matt Dorff and illustrated by Chris Koelle.

The book is a graphic interpretation of the New Testament book of Revelation--it contains a new translation of the full text of Revelation with multi-panel and full page illustrations to supplement the text.  I purchased the book because I am familiar with the work of illustrator Chris Koelle who has produced some of my favorite contemporary Scripture based artwork (see "The History of Redemption" www.historyofredemption.org for a few examples).  Koelle has a fascinating ability to synthesize ancient Christian art and modern graphic design techniques and principles to communicate the ideas and emotions behind God's Word.  Here are a few thoughts about the work:

MY MAJOR RESERVATION:  As a follower of Jesus and a life-long student of the Bible, I take Scripture seriously.  I believe that it is God's Word in the most literal sense possible, inspired and authoritative.  That being the case, I am a little uncomfortable with messing with Scripture in any way-- particularly messing with a book that explicitly says, "if anyone adds anything to [the words of this book], God will add to him the plagues described in this book."  Revelation 22:18.  That's a serious warning, and I wondered if it was wise to add illustrations to a book that pushes the limits of imagination, let alone depiction.

Ultimately, I am comfortable with the idea, because the book reverently submits the artwork to the text, making the words of the Scripture central.  In fact, I would say, the book is much like one of the Bible commentaries that I find so useful.  It places the inspired Scripture in front of us and and offers some historical, cultural, or linguistic thoughts which are not inspired, but may be nonetheless true, and helpful for bringing us to a deeper understanding of the inspired words.  I came to think of "The Book of Revelation" graphic novel as a commentary that used pictures instead of words to offer the illustrator's insight into Scripture.

MY NIT-PICKY COMPLAINT:  The book contains the text of a new translation of the ancient Greek manuscripts of the book of Revelation.  The translators' credentials for producing a new version of the text are not listed in the book, but based on a lot of personal study of the book of Revelation, it seems to be a decent translation. I did have a few nit-picky complaints--for example, instead of translating Jesus' promise to the church of Pergamum in Revelation 2:17 as the receipt of a "white stone," the translators make it a "white writ of acquittal."  That is one valid interpretation of what the white stone might mean but it is not what the original Greek says.  I prefer translations that, as much as possible, keep within the limits of the language and don't stray into interpreting the ideas.

Now that I've bored you with nit-picky translation notes, let me get to the good stuff:

MY RECOMMENDATION:  The book is fantastic.  I read through all 22 chapters of the book of Revelation in about an hour and a half on a Friday night (not something I'm sure I would have accomplished, had there not been supplementary illustrations).  I've studied and read the book of Revelation so many times that I think I had grown a bit numb to the beauty and terror, hope and horror within the pages.  It is truly a gripping picture of the culmination of history and the ultimate and inevitable victory and rule of Jesus Christ.  The illustrations consistently portray Jesus as the central figure of history, whether He be the suffering Servant of the cross, the conquering Lamb at the center of heaven's worship, or the celestial indisputable King of the cosmos.  Although no form of art could do justice to the glory and beauty of Christ, Koelle does a fantastic job of reminding us that Jesus is more noble, powerful, and wonderful than we may have remembered.  I was also reminded of how terrible God's wrath will be on those who resist the rule of His Son.  It's been quite a while since I've felt the level of horror in the book of Revelation that I saw portrayed in the pictures.  As disturbing as some of the images may be, however, the illustrator remains careful not to stray into gratuitous violence or gore.  The horror and judgment of the sinful world is more implied than explicitly sketched out.  I was even impressed by the depiction of the angels--I tend to imagine angels as fairly innocuous beings (like people with wings).  Koelle however illustrates them as fierce passionate otherworldly beings--creatures that would truly have to remind us not to be afraid if we encountered them.

In the end, I think the best parts of the book were not the fantastic images of demonic locusts, seven headed dragons, and worldwide cataclysms (although it was fascinating to see how these complex characters and events were depicted), but the nuanced reactions of the author, John, as he beholds and records His vision.  John is shown responding in dumbstruck awe, in disgust, in terror, and in overwhelming joy.  He tearfully embraces Jesus like an old friend.  He stands shell-shocked by the glories of heaven.  He recoils in disgust at the prostitute, Babylon who seduces the earth.  And as I observed John's reactions, so vividly drawn, I remembered that I too am asked to react to what God is revealing here.  I too am to enter into a thankful embrace of Jesus, a deep awe of the glories of God, a bitter disgust at the nature and consequences of sin.  And to that end-- to the purpose of entering just a little further into the beautiful story of what Jesus Christ has done, what He is doing, and, ultimately, what He will do--I can recommend this wonderful little piece of art.

Radioactive Mutant Zombies and Joy

My middle daughter spurns the idea of "fitting in."  When her class was issued a school project involving dressing up like a Bible character and presenting an oral report on that character, I assume that most of the girls chose Esther and will show up at school in a sparkling princess dress and crown.  My daughter, out of sheer stubbornness, chose Balaam's donkey.  I wasn't sure whether to be proud, or irritated, but I found myself driving her to the costume shop on the night before Halloween in an attempt to find donkey ears and a tail.  

The shop was a wasteland of picked over shelves and tired irritated employees who were exasperated by the constant stream of last minute shoppers who were clogging the aisles, and yelling at their children, their spouses, or their parents.  We squeezed between a six foot tall robotic grim reaper statue and a couple who were having an unusual amount of difficulty deciding which kind of fake blood to purchase.  Overhead was an enormous "radioactive mutant zombie decoration" oozing neon pus.  Amid the commotion and gore, my daughter tugged on my sleeve.  "I don't like this place," she whispered.  I didn't care much for it either.  That crowded aisle stood for everything distasteful about Halloween to me--the rampant mindless consumerism, the preoccupation with the violent and macabre, the insistence on creating a supernatural realm without any moral governance or order.  I could understand why Christians would opt out of the celebration altogether.

That was last night.  This evening, I took my daughters out trick-or treating.  Everybody in our neighborhood was out of their houses, congregating in the street, smiling and greeting one another.  I talked with neighbors I hardly ever see and some that I've never met before as our children ran up and down sidewalks squealing with joy at the latest gifts of candy they had been granted.  An elderly African American woman made small talk with me while an Asian man over-generously filled my children's buckets with candy that he spent a good portion of his paycheck on.    An astonishing number of people took time  to address and compliment each of my children individually.    There was a palpable sense of community and connection--of kindness, generosity, and even joy.  I could understand why Christians work to redeem this strange slice of culture for Jesus. 

I recognize that Halloween is a polarizing issue among Christians.  I'm not attempting to defend or attack the holiday.  I see valid points on both sides of the argument.  I think that most of the modern cultural elements of Halloween--dressing up, trick-or-treating, carving pumpkins, etc. tend to fall squarely into the realm of "disputable matters" which Paul mentions in Romans chapter 12.  "Whatever you believe about these things," Paul admonishes us, "keep between yourself and God."  That's a wise command, although we have a terrible time keeping it.

It takes a supernatural wisdom to sort through all the details of life on this good but fallen planet.  It's a good thing we have the Holy Spirit to lead us through these dangerous and confusing territories.  In the meantime,  may God give us wisdom to reject what is evil and accept what is good as a gift from Him.

The F-Bomb and Thinking About Our Words

I downloaded Mumford and Sons new album "Babel" on a trusted recommendation.  I couldn't even make it more than a few songs into the album without hitting repeat.  The music was fantastic--like a British arena rock band got into a bottle-smashing fight with a bluegrass quintet in some quaint Irish pub.  While the music was what got my attention, it was the lyrics that really began to stick with me--they were rife with biblical imagery (starting with the title track which references the tower of Babel in Genesis 11).  The songs consistently speak in the language of Christian theology about brokenness, sin and the need for redemption--and the idea that redemption can only be received as a gift, by grace.  All, in all, many of the lyrics appeared to be more "Christian" than those of many bands marketed specifically to Christian audiences.  Then came a jarring song late in the album, when frontman Marcus Mumford suddenly dropped the f-bomb--repeatedly.
It's a frustrating and bewildering choice of language that has been made by several of my favorite "not-christian-christian-bands" (U2, Over The Rhine) forcing me to retire their albums from my playlists for the duration of my daughters' childhood years and, perhaps, beyond.

I hope I'm not being legalistic in my discomfort with certain words.  I know that the Bible never says, "thou shalt not use the f-bomb in thy speech (nor listen to music nor watch movies that do)."  I understand that at any given moment, God is infinitely more concerned with what is happening in my heart than what syllables are being formed on my tongue.  I know many musicians, artists, and communicators (some of them Christian) have no problem with using harsh language.  Profanity, they would say, as I recall Bono saying one time, is just the percussive section of language.  Words are just words, and sometimes unsettling, jarring language is required to communicate unsettling, jarring ideas and to shake people from complacency.  I understand that idea, but I don't know that I agree.

Proverbs 18:21 tells us that "the tongue has the power of life and death."   James elaborates on this concept with a somber warning:  "the tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body.  It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell" (3:6--extreme, I know, but I didn't say it--James did!).  Neither of these verses are speaking specifically about profanity, but they both affirm an idea which we are prone to forget--words are not, indeed "just words."  They are not inconsequential pebbles that we can toss around without thought--they are more like sticks of dynamite, objects which can be used responsibly for great good or irresponsibly for great harm.

As followers of Jesus, our words become instruments which we can play for God's glory, or tools which we can use to build God's kingdom.  That's why Paul encourages Timothy to "set an example for the believers in speech"  focusing his words on sharing Scripture and teaching people about God (I Timothy 4:12-13).  That's why the Colossians are admonished to think about what words they use in their day to day speech, especially with those outside of the faith:  "let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt" (4:5-6).  We are to think about our speech, they way a gourmet chef thinks about a dish they are making--we are to season it so that it always taste like the delicious grace of God expressed in Jesus.  Scripture also reminds us that as followers of Jesus, we are no longer to use our speech for selfish or destructive purposes such as expressing "anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language" but rather for   teaching and encouraging one another, singing praises to God and expressing thanksgiving (Colossians 3:1-17).

I hope that God gives all of us grace and wisdom to use our words for His purposes--to build up and not to destroy.  And I hope that Mumford and Sons consider making a new album without the harsh words--I'd love to introduce my children to their music someday!

Book of the Month: Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson

It’s going to take a bit of discipline on my part, but I’m going to try to read a new book every month and throw out a few thoughts on it.  We’ll start with a bestselling biography for the most obvious of reasons:  it was given to me as a gift, and didn’t require a trip to the bookstore or library!  Here’s some thoughts on Walter Isaacson’s authorized biography Steve Jobs:

The good:  Steve Jobs, of course, was one of the original founders of Apple and one of the driving forces behind its rise to become the most valuable company in the world.  I’ve never known a world without Apple products (the Apple II computer was released the year I was born, although only a handful of people ever owned or used one).  To someone who grew up alongside the personal computer, this book was a fascinating history of the technology behind an invention that all of us now take for granted.  I now know that many of the things I keep on my desk—from my phone to my ipod to my laptop did not suddenly appear out of thin air—they were the result of incredibly creative people working incredibly hard for an incredibly long period of time.  My own work ethic was significantly challenged by Apple’s determination to work hard to make excellent and innovative products.

The salty:  If  you happen to be one of the remaining three people on earth that haven’t read it, be warned:  there is some pretty rough language and a few vulgar comments scattered throughout the book.  Most of the offensive comments are direct quotations from Jobs himself, who prided himself on his brutal (and at times sadistic) honesty toward his friends and enemies.

The sad:  One verse haunted me as I read about Job’s life:  “What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul.”  (Matthew 16:26).  Steve Jobs was arguably one of the most successful entrepreneurs of the last 50 years.  He built an enduring company that made innovative and useful products and he became very wealthy doing it, but Steve Jobs never found peace.  Early in the book, we see a young Jobs challenging the existence of God and staging a dramatic exit from his childhood church.  The book closes decades later on the eve of his death as Jobs ruminated on the odds of there being an afterlife.  I find it terribly sad that someone who led such a remarkable life never knew the hope of a salvation that outlasted this temporary life.   

The slightly creepy:  The Apple II was originally sold for $666.66, a price set by Steve Jobs himself.  Also, Steve Wozniak admitted a fascination with repeating the number 6 and chose a phone number ending in 666.  With a proliferation of outlandish guesses as to who the antichrist is, why hasn’t a pastor or television preacher ever suggested one of the founders of Apple Computers?  My guess is none of them want to give up their iPhones.

 The challenging:  The book mentions several people and companies who were offered incredible opportunities to get in on the ground floor with Apple (one poor guy signed on as a part owner, and then backed out.  He could have been a billionaire, but now lives on Social Security).  Most of these individuals shied away from the chance because they were afraid.  Computers, at that time, were for hobbyists and geeks—no one knew if there would be a broad market for them.  No one wanted to take the risk of losing money or quitting their job on a bet like that.  Even Steve Wozniak, the engineer behind the first Apples tried to play it safe, keeping his day job at Hewlitt Packard and making Apple a side hobby.  Eventually, it became clear that this was too big to be a hobby—he would have to commit wholeheartedly or step aside and let more willing engineers push forward.  He chose to take a risk, and is still reaping the rewards for that choice.  Perhaps it is a bit of a leap, but I began to examine my own faith.  Am I willing to take risks for Christ or am I content to play it safe with my faith?  Following Jesus cannot be a side hobby where I still keep my day job.  He requires laying everything else aside.  It’s a risky business, to be sure.  I could lose everything I have here on earth, but the eternal dividends are greater than any stock option Apple could ever offer.

Innocence And Andrew Peterson's (Awesome) New Album

Last fall, I watched an inmate at a maximum security prison weep.  He was a murderer, twenty years into a forty year sentence.  The reason for this uncharacteristic vulnerability—this rare show of tears—was a crayon drawing.  A six year old girl had heard that I was going to the prison to do some ministry and she had drawn pictures for the prisoners—stick figures with oversized smiles standing under sunny skies with rainbows and bouquets of flowers surrounding them.  For this particular man, the picture was devastating.  He had lived so long in a place where hopelessness, fear, and violence reigned supreme, that he had forgotten that there was such things as innocence, beauty, and joy.  The picture was, to him, both a tragic memento of what he had a lost, and a hopeful reminder that good things still exist.  He carefully folded it up as though it were an ancient treasure map, and slipped it into his pocket.

Last week, I watched as my youngest daughter celebrated her fifth birthday.  She spent the day dressed in a princess outfit, playing with dolls, singing spontaneous songs with an unashamed abandon.  She was the epitome of wide eyed innocence and untainted joy.  At one point, I began to weep, not like the inmate in memory of what he had lost, but like a father in anticipation of what my daughter would one day lose.  I knew that the day was quickly approaching when she would stop wearing princess dresses because she would fear the ridicule and mockery of her peers.  I knew that the day was coming when she would no longer play with dolls because she would be too busy worrying about how to pay the bills.  The innocence of childhood is shattered, the curse of living in a fallen world exacts its toll, and all of us-- murderers, fathers, and baby girls alike—grieve what we have lost.  There is hope, however.  There is a light for the little lost child who wanders through the darkness looking for their missing innocence.   

Andrew Peterson explores both this grief and this hope in his new album “Light For the Lost Boy.”  The album is a concept album, with most of the songs tracing the metaphor of a little boy lost in the woods looking for his way back home.  Sometimes the child is Peterson himself looking for the lost innocence of childhood, sometimes it is Peterson’s son or daughter trying to find their difficult way into adulthood, sometimes it is a literary character such as Jody Baxter, the young boy who loses his beloved childhood pet in Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings book, “The Yearling.”  In all cases, the heartache of loss is embraced fully without ever losing sight of hope and beauty.

The album starts off with “Come Back Soon,” a haunting dirge which mourns the effects of The Fall on our world and begs for the redemption that God promised.  In “The Voice of Jesus” Peterson offers comfort by assuring that Jesus walks with us as we wander in the dark woods of this world.  “Day By Day” cleverly blends Scripture with the story of a visit to Kensington Gardens (where Peter Pan was written) to remind us that perhaps the key to joy is not returning to the innocence of childhood, but pushing forward to maturity in Christ.  All the loose ends are tied up beautifully with the album closer “Don’t You Want to Thank Someone” which zeroes in on the grace of God, and offers us some serious fodder for thought:  “maybe it’s a better thing . . . to be more than merely innocent/but to be broken and redeemed by love.”   It is good and right for us to grieve our exile from Eden, but Eden was never the goal for God.  He had a better plan, a plan to make us not only perfect creations, but perfected sons and daughters.  And, yes, I do want to thank someone for that.       

Creation Groaning

A little graph in the latest issue of World Vision News happened to catch my eye this morning.  The graph shows the number of economically damaging natural disasters that have occurred over the past 30 years (see http://www.emdat.be/natural-disasters-trends for the some of the research that the graph was based on).  It turns out that the number of major natural disasters has risen dramatically in the past 10 years (116 reported in the 1980s, 231 in the 1990s and 385 in the 2000s). 

I’m sure that there are a number of factors contributing to this increase in reported floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, and other disasters.  Perhaps a rapidly expanding world population has pushed people into areas more prone to natural disaster.  Perhaps advances in communications and technology have made reporting and assessing disasters easier and more likely to happen.  Or . . .

 Maybe this is exactly what the Bible says will happen in the days preceding Christ’s return and rule on earth.  Didn’t Jesus say that prior to His return, there would be “great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven” (Luke 21:11)?  Didn’t Paul remind us that “the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time” (Romans 8:22)?  Is it possible that the contractions are increasing in frequency because the birth is near?  Is it possible that the dominos are actually falling faster, that the intensity with which the world waits is building, and that the return of Jesus is immanent?   

I don’t care to speculate on the details of prophecy, filling in names and dates that the Bible does not clearly reveal.  I don’t know when Jesus will come back—plenty of people have attempted to guess and been proved wrong.  I do believe this, however—that history and creation seem to be barreling speedily toward their culmination and redemption.  There is a tangible sense of urgency that is mounting.  Jesus is coming--whether tomorrow or in a thousand years—He is coming.

 For me this thought is a reminder to stand up straight and keep my head lifted up, because my “redemption is near” (Luke 21:28).  For others I hope this is a reminder that “the Lord is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (I Peter 3:9).  Time may be short (and growing shorter by the minute), but the Lord has extended His mercy thus far so that you will have the opportunity to turn to Him.  I pray that when the Day of the Lord comes, you would find yourself standing in the only safe place in the universe—in Jesus Christ.

Carrying the Flag

I generally save my sport-watching time for play-offs or championship games.  Why bother with run of the mill regular season games where the stakes are relatively low and players have less motivation?   I want to see athletes playing their hardest, taking the biggest risks, reaping the greatest rewards.  Perhaps, that's why I love the Summer Olympics so much.  Once every four years, the athletes that have sacrificed the most, disciplined themselves the hardest, and dedicated themselves the most fully to their sport get to compete--not against the best athletes in their region or even their  country--but the best athletes in the world.

The Olympics bring vivid life to many of the sports metaphors that the New Testament is replete with (grab your concordance and do a study on "running," "race," "wrestling," or "winning a crown" for example).  This year, as I watched the opening ceremonies, I became aware of another metaphor.  In the Parade of Nations, athletes (or "delegates" as they are referred to in the opening ceremony) stream into the stadium behind the flag of their nation, wearing their national colors, or traditional cultural clothing.  Some of the delegates are stoic and somber.  Some are dumbstruck with awe, as it sinks in, for the first time, how many people are watching them.  Some cannot contain their joy and sense of national pride and weep even while they laugh. 

I watched with pride as the U.S. team strolled down the track, a massive crowd of more than 500 athletes dressed in matching suits and berets.  But what really stuck with me was the number of countries where only a handful of delegates--occasionally only one delegate represented his or her nation.  I remember one lone man, from some tiny island nation that has escaped my memory beaming proudly as he bore the flag of his country before the world.  He was all alone.  No one knew his name.  He won't return with a medal (or probably even qualify to compete for a medal) but he knew that he alone was representing his nation to a watching world, and he took that responsibility seriously.

How often do I stop to think that Christ has chosen me as a delegate to the world.  I represent the kingdom of God to the entire world that is watching as I carry the flag of Christ.  Do I take that responsibility with the humility, seriousness, and joy that it demands?  I praise the Lord that I am not the only delegate of that far country, but what if I was?  What would people think of the kingdom I represent, and the King I love.  I think of countless passages that encourage and challenge us with the role of being a flag bearer of Christ's kingdom:

-"We are therefore Christ's ambassadors . . ." 2 Corinthians 5:20

-"Thanks be to God who leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him."  2 Corinthians 2:14

-"[Be] children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life."  Philippians 2:14-15

-"Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."  Matthew 5:16

May you bear the flag with joy and honor!

Hymns

". . . addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart . . ." Ephesians 5:19

I must confess that for the majority of my life, I associated hymns with a musty and dying (if not dead) breed of Christianity.  The outdated words ("Thee and Thou") seemed pretentious, and the melodies laboriously complex.  I was proud to be a part of a generation that was finally casting off the baggage and constraints of "traditional Christianity" in favor of a fresher and more culturally relevant expression of faith.

I've come to see over the past few years, however, that a particular genre or form of music is not the problem.  It is just as possible for a cold dead form of Christianity to pipe out pop or rock flavored worship music as it is for it to pipe out hymns-- and it is just as possible for me to mumble mindless and distracted through a Chris Tomlin chorus as it is for me to fake my way through a Martin Luther hymn. 

Paul's description of a life filled with the Holy Spirit (in the above verse) actually paints a picture of a heart filled with all kinds of songs of praise (psalms, hymns, spiritual songs), sung corporately (to "one another") and privately ("with your heart").  A heart under the influence of the Holy Spirit is a heart ready to grab onto any available melody and make it a passionate expression of love, awe, and honor to the Lord.

I've been trained to do this with contemporary Christian worship music, but I find myself increasingly drawn to worship in traditional hymns as well.  The "wordiness" of many hymns allows for the exposition of deep theological truths which I seldom take the time to sit down and meditate on.  As I am taught and reminded of these truths (things like the Incarnation, and substitutionary atonement) I am drawn to worship God in response.

This morning, I was listening to a hymn written by Phillip Paul Bliss in the 1800s (pictured above).  It is a simple prayer which gives voice to the longings within me, and builds a structure for me to hang the desires of my heart on.  It is titled, simply:  "My Prayer."

More holiness give me, more strivings within.
More patience in suffering, more sorrow for sin.
More faith in my Savior, more sense of His care.
More joy in His service, more purpose in prayer.

More gratitude give me, more trust in the Lord.
More zeal for His glory, more hope in His Word.
More tears for His sorrows, more pain at His grief.
More meekness in trial, more praise for relief.

More purity give me, more strength to o’ercome,
More freedom from earth-stains, more longings for home.
More fit for the kingdom, more useful I’d be,
More blessèd and holy, more, Savior, like Thee.

If you'd like to get a good sampling of hymns which I have found to be helpful in personal worship, consider downloading "Eclectic Hymns" by Jacey Davison.  It's not a big budget recording from a well-known artist, but it remains true to the ancient lyrics and melodies of it's hymns while adding fresh instrumentation, and some of the most earnest and sincere vocals I've heard.  Best of all, its free.  You can get it at:  http://noisetrade.com/eclectichymns

May you find joy in worshipping your Maker and Redeemer this week (no matter what kind of music is playing)!

Dinosaurs and the Bible

If you verbalize your faith on a regular basis, you may have found that one of the perennial questions you get is "where do dinosaurs fit into the Bible?"  It's a great question, although it's hard to be dogmatic about any answer, because the Bible is largely silent on the subject of dinosaurs (some scholars cite Job 40-41 as evidence of a biblical reference to dinosaurs, but this is debated).  Even though answers fall largely into the realm of conjecture, I thought it might be helpful to have a working knowledge of several theories so that you can have an intelligent and loving discussion with a skeptic or curious searcher.  Here are four alternatives to an athiestic or evolutionary explanation of dinosaurs.

1. Mature Creationism Theory:  It would seem that God created Adam and Eve as mature adults from the outset.  He did not create a tiny baby which grew, but a fully grown adult.  Since He did this with people, advocates of mature creationism would argue, why would he not do it with other aspects of creation?  Why not create, instead of seeds or saplings, fully grown trees with rings already in their trunks?  Instead of creating infant stars whose light would take countless years to reach the earth, why not create stars with beams of light already in place?  Why not create an already mature earth as well, with fossils and oil and geologic strata?  In this theory, dinosaurs may never have lived at all, but exist only in fossil form to give the earth the appearance of age or maturity.
This theory has merit in that there is a definite precedent in Scripture for at least one mature creation-- that of man.  It has the disadvantage, however, in that it seems to make God almost . . . deceptive, for lack of a better word.  It paints a God who seems to be tricking people into thinking the earth is very old even though it is very young.  That seems problematic, and very unlike the God of Scripture.

2.The Day/Age Theory:  This theory states that the six days of Genesis chapter one are not literal 24  hour days, but extended periods of time, or geologic ages, with each "day" being hundreds of thousands or even millions of years.  In this theory, dinosaurs were created near the beginning of the sixth "geologic age of earth," roamed the earth for thousands or millions of years and died out before God made man near the end of the sixth geologic age.
This theory can find some support in the fact that the Hebrew word for day (yom) is occasionally used within Scripture to refer to an extended period of time, not a literal 24 hour day.  The disadvantages of this theory include the fact that it requires quite a bit of acrobatic stretching to rework the original language (it says "there was morning and evening", but it means the period began and ended . . .").  It also makes death, violence, and disease the rule of the world even before the Fall (although to be perfectly fair, while the Bible is clear that death entered the world for mankind  at the moment of the Fall, it never explicitly says that this was true for the animal kingdom as well).

3.  The Gap Theory:  This theory states that there is a large chronological gap between Genesis 1:1 and Genesis 1:2.  In this theory, God created a primordial universe and an earth that was populated with dinosaurs, which He subsequently destroyed and out of the chaos of that first destruction he made the current earth.  This theory states that Genesis 1:1-2 ought to read, "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.  Now the earth BECAME formless and empty . . ."  Many Bibles will have a footnote indicating the possibility of translating the Hebrew this way.  Some suggest that God destroyed this first earth by a flood (possibly as a judgment somehow connected to the rebellion and fall of Satan) and it is over the flooded earth that the Spirit of God hovers and begins to recreate.
This theory fascinates me and has some possible merit although it is hard to argue for it since a "prior earth" is mentioned nowhere else in Scripture.

4.  The Young Earth Theory:  I subscribe to this theory (although I am sure that it makes me an object of scorn and derision to some) because it seems to be the theory which best allows the Bible to say exactly what it seems to be saying-- that God made the earth in six literal days, that He created land dwelling dinosaurs on the sixth day with all the other land animals, and ultimately, on the same day, that man was created.  This would mean that man and dinosaurs lived side by side for some time (young earth scholars would suggest that dinosaurs became extinct during or shortly after the flood, which intensified and shortened the fossilization process).  I am fully away that many scientists would consider that crazy and ignorant, but if it is true, I have no problem saying with Paul, "Let God be true and every man a liar!" (Romans 3:4).

I do beleive we need to maintain a spirit of generosity and discussion within the Body of Christ on these matters.  As long as we hold to the clear facts of Genesis 1 (that God created the world by His Sovereign Power, that He made man specially and in His image, etc.) that we can allow some flexibility on the things that are not explicitly stated.  As teacher Allistair Begg is fond of saying about Scripture, "The plain things are the main things!"  Let us hold unswervingly to the truth, and loosely to theories.  God bless!

For All Who Would Use Their Minds And Hearts

Every once in a while, within nature, I will come across something so breathtakingly simple and beautiful that I can only interpret it as a gift of grace from God the Father.  A brilliant red maple laying on the ground, burning like a flame among the other faded and fallen leaves.  A small ripple in a rocky stream, catching and flinging the sunlight every which way.  A solitary mockingbird joyfully singing in anticipation of the dawn in the darkness outside my window.  All of these things are little love notes from God the Father who, since the creation of the world, has generously splashed evidence of His "invisible qualities-- His eternal power and divine nature" across the world He has made (Romans 1:20). 

I can't, in good conscience, call myself a conservationalist of any sort, but I do long for other people to see and experience the majesty, power, and loving care of the Creator evident in creation.  I want the love notes to remain uncluttered with crushed beer cans and candy bar wrappers.  I want there to be someplace, somewhere, where I can still hear the "rivers clap their hands and the mountains sing together for joy to the Lord" (Psalm 98:8) without the clatter of car engines.

I think Horace M. Albright, the first director of the National Park Service, would agree-- here's a snippet of his eloquent farewell letter that resonates with me: 

"Oppose with all your strength and power all proposals to penetrate your wilderness regions with motorways and other symbols of modern mechanization.  Keep large sections of primitive country free from the influence of destructive civilization.  Keep these bits of primitive America for those who seek peace and rest in the silent places; keep them for the hardy climbers of the crags and peaks; keep them for the horseman and the pack train; keep them for the scientist and the student of nature; keep them for all who would use their minds and hearts to know what God has created.  Remember, once opened, they can never be wholly restored to primeval charm and grandeur."

Recommended and Free

From time to time, when I find something that encourages or challenges me, I'll try to make it a point to pass it on in this blog, with the hope that it encourages or challenges you, as well.  Today's recommendation comes with the added bonus of being absolutely free.
I downloaded Josh Garrel's album, Love & War & the Sea In Between several months ago, and few days have gone by that I have not listened to some snippet of it.  It is both musically and lyrically deep.
Garrells finds some fresh analogies for the Christian life, ranging from the haunting image of a white owl floating through a dark wood guided by instinct, or the shipwrecked sailor Ulysses bravely manning his faltering vessel through storms and reefs on his way home to his true love.  The song "Resistance" recognizes the difficulty and the importance of standing for Christ in a world that denies Him, while "Revelator" worshipfully recounts the powerful picture of Christ in the book of Revelation.  Garrels slips comfortably in and out of folk, rock, and hip-hop stylings, forging songs that are beautiful within each genre.  My guess is that you'll be encouraged by the album and enjoy it thoroughly-- but even if you don't, you're not out any money!
You can download it for free here:
www.noisetrade.com/joshgarrels

Long John Silver's: A Cautionary Tale

I’ve noticed a trend in my life.  Every six months or so, I happen to be driving by a Long John Silver’s fast food restaurant, and I think to myself, “Hey, fried fish sounds good.”  Immediately, an epic battle begins in my mind.  The rational part of my brain kicks in and says, “Josh, eating fried fish from a fast food restaurant never ends well--it never tastes as good as you think it will, and within minutes of your last bite, you inevitably develop a nausea that will long outlast any pleasure you get from eating it.”  I know this is true, but the physical appetite part of me, counters with, “but think of the beauty of all that grease, think of how quickly and smoothly it slides down your gullet, think of the immediate satisfaction you will receive.”

So I get it.  I pull through the drive-through and order a combo meal:  one piece of fish, one piece of chicken some fries, two hush, puppies, and, of course, some fried batter crispies.  The fish and the chicken are somehow indistinguishable from each other in both taste and texture, the hush puppies and French fries are over-fried and taste stale.  I burn through several napkins wiping grease off my fingers between bites, and by the end, I can’t even touch the batter crispies for fear that I will vomit.  The nausea has set in and will stay with me for the rest of the night.

I think of Paul, in Romans chapter 7: “ I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.  For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep doing.”

Maybe someday, I’ll learn that the part of me that demands immediate gratification is a habitual liar.  The things it promises are never delivered, and the consequences of obeying it are always unpleasant.  Score one for the Bible.  It turns out again that the Word of God holds true when it speaks about these things.  Perhaps I won’t be so easily deceived next time.  Hey, look!—a Long John Silver’s restaurant!  That actually sounds pretty good . . .

Puddleglum

My daughters and I just finished reading through The Silver Chair, the fourth installment of C.S. Lewis' celebrated Chronicles of Narnia.  This is the second time we have read through the series as a family, and the eighth or ninth time I have read through the series as an individual.  There are still paragraphs that cause me to blink back my tears and force me to steady my voice because of their beauty and truth.

As a child, I was introduced in a very real way to the love and power of God as I entered the land of Narnia in my imagination and met its lion-king, Aslan.  I was profoundly impacted by the truths I read and a seed of faith was planted in me at an early age through the Chronicles.  Now, I get to watch my own children with their wide-eyed wonder as chapter by chapter we explore Narnia.  I get to see the same seed of faith taking root in them, and I pray that by knowing the fictional character of Aslan in their imagination, they might better know the true person of Christ in reality.

One of my daughter's favorite Narnian characters is the hilariously pessimistic Marsh-Wiggle (a lanky froggish creature of Lewis' invention) named Puddleglum that we meet in The Silver Chair.  Although he takes an overly serious view of life, Puddleglum is often the clearest voice of reason and faith to his traveling companions, and it is he that ultimately saves their party from one of its gravest dangers.  When they become trapped in a dismal underground kingdom ruled by a diabolical witch, the Narnians are nearly convinced by the witch's clever arguments.  With logic that mirrors that of many cynics and critics of Christianity, she proposes that the dark claustrophobic cavern they are now in is the only true reality-- that everything else is simply wishful thinking.  There is no sun, no wind, no Aslan ruling over Narnia-- all of these things are merely the products of their childish imaginations.  It is Puddleglum who finally breaks the spell by saying, "If what you are saying is right, then we are just four babies playing games.  But isn't is strange that four babies can make up a play world that licks your real world hollow.  So I am going to stick by my play world.  I'm on Aslan's side even if there isn't any Aslan to lead it.  I'm going to live like a Narnian even if there isn't such a place as Narnia."

Amen, Puddleglum.  Me too.

The Telegraph of Narcissus

In 2009, there was a brief hubbub about NBA player Shaquille O'Neal using the popular social media platform Twitter to "tweet" updates on himself during half-time.  Fans loved it, but his coach feared it would steal his focus on the game.  During the ensuing debates, one commentator called electronic media such as Twitter, Facebook, and Blogger the "Telegraph of Narcissus" indicating that these forms of communication betray a gross sense of self-obsession among those who use them.  I made a mental note of the commentator's term because I wholeheartedly agreed with him at the time.  That was nearly two years ago.  Today, before logging onto this Blogger page, I checked both my Facebook and Twitter account.  The times, they are a changin'.

In Philippians 2:3, Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit encourages us to "do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves."  In other words, as the people of God, we are not to be self-focused, but humble, allowing the needs of others to be served and promoted before our own.  Paul goes on to show how Jesus Christ himself lived this way and set the bar high for us, his followers.

This gave me some pause in my sudden interest in using social media.  Was I giving into "vain conceit"?  Was I subscribing to the "telegraph of Narcissus" that I had so vehemently criticized formerly.  Was I completely overthinking the whole thing?  Is there a good chance that not a single person in the world would even care what conclusion I came to on the matter?  (I'm sure the answer is yes, to the last two questions, at least).

After thinking through it, I found, in my own situation, several reasons to use social media (this blog in particular)

1.  It is an opportunity to "become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some." (I Corinthians 9:22).  If there is a chance that someone might get a glimpse of Christ and the gospel of grace through a blog or a tweet or a facebook post, then it is worth making the effort.  There are countless people in the world who would not come to Centerpoint Community Church and hear Bible teaching, but they just might skim a blog out of curiosity.

2.  It is an opportunity for me to grow in my gifts and so serve others better.  I beleive that I have been given the role of being a teacher in the Body of Christ.  The ability to faithfully and effectively communicate the deep truths of God's Word has been graciously given to me by the Holy Spirit who gives each beleiver their own wonderful role or gift for the purpose of building up the Church.  I beleive that while the gift is supernatural and given by grace alone, that we have the opportunity to "fan into flame" the gifts that God gives us by using and practicing them (2 Timothy 1:6).  I can practice being a better communicator of truth by honing my written communication skills here.  My prayer is that this will result ultimately in more people understanding God's Word.

3.  It is an opportunity for me to get to know other people better by opening myself up a little.  I pray that those who know me a little would be able to see my heart (and see Christ there in my heart) and so know me a little better as I share thoughts and news, and bits of random and useless trivia.  And I pray that those who do not know me might see Christ in me, somehow, and be drawn to Him through something that is blogged or tweeted or posted on facebook. 

I hope I have not bored you entirely with this introductory blog.  If nothing else, I hope it was slightly more thoughtful than Shaq's controversial half-time tweet, which (if you care to know) was "shhhhhh."
Signing off of the Telegraph of Narcissus,
-Pastor Josh