Sam (short for Samson, not Samuel), picked up the stein of beer he had just paid for, gave it an initial taste to savor the taste, and thenย followed with a gulp. He enjoyed his beer in the evening after a hard day of work.
He took a quick look around the bar, searching for faces he knew. He wasnโt much of a talker, but he loved to sit with friends and just be there.
Today, however, he saw a man he didnโt know sitting alone at one of the high tables, an empty stein in front of him. The only conclusion one could come toโand as usual, Sam came to it quicklyโwas that the man was wearing high quality clothes, but had been wearing the same ones for at least a couple of days. He was alone at the table, and he looked alone, absolutely alone.
Sam walked over to the table. โHi. Iโm Sam. Can I buy you a refill?โ he asked.
The man looked back blankly, like he didnโt understand the question. Sam just stood there. He figured the man would figure it out in his own time.
After what seemed like a couple of minutes, the man nodded and kind of pushed the stein over. It didnโt look very polite, but Sam didnโt care. Without knowing why, he sensed that was about all the man could do.
He went to the bar, got the manโs drink refilled, paid, and went back to the table. As he sat down, he remembered what his pastor had said in church the past Sunday. Heโd talked about being a witness, introducing people to Jesus. โWitnessโ didnโt make much sense to Sam. He understood introducing people to Jesus, but he could never figure out how you did it. If Jesus was one of his normal friends, heโd take him to one of his friends and say, โHey Bob, meet Jesus.โ Then heโd just sit there quietly and people would talk. He just couldnโt quite get to those intellectual things people kept saying about Jesus. (Read more โฆ)
Sorrowing Old Man by Vincent Van GoghHow utterly disheartening it is when you are in the thick of serious questions and doubts to be told that you should not be questioning and doubting. If youโre in the middle of a storm, itโs no help to be told that you should not be there. What you then need is a helping hand, a sharing mind. And the more important the questions are to you, the more urgent will be your desire for clarity, proper consideration, and decision. When we were children we did not have to be taught to accept what our parents and teachers said. There was no other alternative but to accept. They were there first. But we grow up and we learn more than we knew as children. We begin to have the problem of sorting out the answers we learned and even the questions we should now be asking. This produces more questions and, most likely, confusion and frustration. No one who thinks at all gets through this stage of life without doubting. At this stage, the people who think they know every answer, or worse still, every question, are the ones who may be able to help us the least. People who have gone through an experience similar to ours a long time ago, and who have now found working answers to their questions, may have forgotten how hard-won their conclusions and attitudes were. Itโs easy once youโve found a working answer to problems which were once important to us and forget or overlook the process of struggle that led up to our present positions. It is easy then to be unsympathetic. That happens when once has become very certain of the answer one has attained. There is, of course, a very different attitude. Having experienced a struggle, more or less intense, to achieve oneโs present position, one can then reflect on that process. It becomes obvious on reflection that others who have achieved some certainty through the process of doubting have also had tensions, struggles, opposition. Realizing that is often the case, one may be ready to be sympathetic to them, and willing to give support and help as it is needed. Those who have not gone through what we go through in this period simply live in a different world from us, and speak to us in a language which does not connect. We hear the words and see the concern. We know their affection and appreciate it. Yet sometimes the very finality and placidity with which we are told what they believe what their new attitudes and positions are disarms us. Their position differs from ours and is considered unsatisfactory. It may even, if we are deeply troubled by dogmatism, lead us to reject not only the answer that but also the very quest in which we are participating. It may even lead top alienation. Fortunately sometimes respect and even affection can survive the emergence of drastic differences of belief. This is a gesture of despair, but quite an understandable one. To those who have difficulty finding people who will treat their questions seriously and with understanding, I say: โDo not be put off from the quest for truth and for life. Keep asking. Keep searching. And try, meanwhile, to be loving. If you donโ t appear to be understood, then turn the tables by trying, as far as possible, to be understanding.โ It might help if I made an explicit distinction for you to think about. It is one thing to ask questions about what faith means. It is another thing to give up the faith. Because you have questions about the faith does not mean at all that you are giving up the faith. Do not let anybody persuade you that it does. If you are alert you will have serious questions. If your faith is vital and healthy, it will give rise to inquiry, to careful thought, to examination of answers you did not question as a child. One of the emancipating discoveries you can make is that Christian faith is big enough to permit the believer to live with questions, and to go on living with questions. To some questions there simply is no intellectually satisfying answer. For example, I have yet to read an intellectually satisfying answer to the problem of suffering. Indeed I do not believe that one is possible. There will always be room to doubt the goodness of God. I believe that God is good. But my faith in God does not depend upon the answer to this problem being satisfying to my mind. This does not mean of course that I shouldnโt seek the very best explanation I can get. While to some questions there is no finally satisfying answer, there is an answer to the mystery of life–the answer of faith in Jesus as Lord. When Jesus is found, then the process of inquiry and of questioning is put into a context where it has both significance and direction. Life is not Godโs reward for cleverness in solving problems. It is a gift he offers us because we need it. When we accept and live out of the grace he gives, joy is larger than frustration. How do you mark off what is beyond doubt from what you may doubt, and what you must doubt, what is indubitable from what may be doubted? Why do you not doubt if you feel you should? There is no virtue in resolving, โI will not doubtโ. you maintain a belief because no alternative has yet been offered to you or come to your attention. You have asked questions and may be in the process of finding answers that provide you with satisfaction. Questioning is not doubting, but it is often a pathway that leads us to revise our understanding, to revise our beliefs. But you maintain a belief or set of beliefs because it is comfortable to be accepted by other believers. You may forget that life and understanding become richer as new perspectives emerge. But guidance is often needed even if it is not sought.
We have distinguished faith from belief. We distinguish โthe faithโ from beliefs held with in its context. Because you have questions about the faith does not mean that you are giving up the faith. Do not let anybody persuade you that it does. If you are alert you will have serious questions. If your faith is vital and healthy, it will give rise to inquiry, to careful thought, to examination of answers you did not question as a child, or have not questioned since. One of the emancipating discoveries you can make is that Christian faith is big enough to permit the believer to live with questions, and to go on living with questions.
John 9:24-25, NASB: So a second time they (Pharisees) called the man who had been blind, and said to him, โGive glory to God; we know that this man [Jesus] is a sinner.โ He then answered, โWhether He is a sinner, I do not know; one thing I do know that though I was blind, now I see.โ John 1:46. NASB: Nathaniel said to him, โCan any good come out of Nazareth?โ Phillip said to him, โCome and see.โ
Jealousy and fear led to the accusation of Jesus being a sinner and not of God. Does unbelief and worldly desires cause division? What must the โbelieving bodyโ be very careful of? Does the church question change in a personโs life when a testimony is shared? Does the body truly forgive others and find joy in oneโs redemption? Does the body encourage and nurture the new believer to live out the shared testimony? What is our response to John 1:46?
Check out Part I of the book, Testify: By the Blood of the Lamb and the Word of our Testimony.
John 8:31-32, NASB: So Jesus was saying to these Jews who had believed Him, โIf you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth and the truth will make you free.โ
Is it culturally risky to share oneโs testimony? Is it more difficult to share with church family than the unbelieving world? How does the church body respond to testimonials?
When one has made a drastic change in life and shares a personal testimony, it may be difficult to share the testimony with long-term believers. One may be living in an environment that is not approved of by the congregation or may be in a job that requires Sunday obligations. The new believer may be marginalized by the congregation due to economics, education, disabilities, racism, misjudgment or misunderstandings. Persecution may come to the person who chooses to testify to the Truth of Jesus Christ. John 8:31-32 speaks of spiritual freedom through the Truth, Jesus Christ.
Has the congregation that persecutes or segregates truly found freedom through the Truth? Does God expect us to damage our worldly reputation to become reputable witnesses for His Kingdom?
Must others see changes in the Christianโs walk in order for us to be ongoing witnesses to the world? Once weโve accepted Christ as our personal Savior, can we remain at this initial stage of belief? Without interruptions on this walk that move us in new directions, are we truly growing as Christians? What is the journey of sanctification?
As author of the book, Testify: By the Blood of the Lamb and the Word of Our Testimony, I believe the Christianโs life should be filled with spiritual markers that redirect the footsteps of the faithful, ever-drawing the disciple closer to the likeness of Jesus and Godโs eternal kingdom. Read the book. Become aware of spiritual markers and how these markers change the believerโs life. Internalize the process of sanctification so that there is a personal awareness of God ever-moving in the believerโs journey to complete salvation.
After my book, Habitation of Honey: Poems and Songs, was published this May, I continued to write poems, and they came in quick succession. God would inspire me with a thought or a verse from Scripture, and the words would flow out in rhythm and rhyme. Writing a poem or a song is more fun and easier than writing prose. The advantage of poetry is that it isnโt complicated, it takes less time, and it encapsulates truth that can fly like an arrow to the heart.
I wrote a poem, โHis Shaft of Light,โ as a poetic response to the shooting in the AME church in Charleston, South Carolina, and the subsequent controversy about the Confederate flag. Here is an excerpt of that poem:
Ramping up the rhetoric, accusations rife,
Doing all they can to get you into strife.
Please donโt take the bait, and let your temper flare.
Behind it all is Satan, of whom youโre not aware
Principalities and powers, fanning flames of hate,
People rush to judgment, but God calls out to wait.
Pause and say a prayer to the One Who sees it all.
Be a source of healing, be ready at His call
.โฆ.
Look for opportunities to be His shaft of light,
When anger smokes and voices rage,
His Spirit scatters night.
Warfare is our portion, so itโs best that we obey
Our Commander, the Messiah โ He will lead the way.
The next morning I awoke with a big question mark in my soul. Was this poem really from God or just my own โtakeโ on the situation? I asked the Lord and then turned at random in the Bible to see if He would answer with a certain verse. It so happened I opened at Ephesians 2, and my eye fell on the little boxed-in section at the top right of the page, โWord Wealth,โ with the definition of the Greek word for โworkmanshipโ from the 10th verse: โFor we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.โ
This is what I read: โPoiema (poy-ay-mah): from the verb poiea, โto make.โ (Compare โpoemโ and โpoetry.โ)โ OH! I GASPED! It was obvious God was speaking to me! I held the Bible to my chest and began to worship and thank Him for answering my question and convincing me that my poem was indeed from Him! Then I read on: โPoiema emphasizes God as the Master Designer, the universe as His creation and the redeemed believer as His NEW creation (Eph. 2:10). Before conversion our lives had no rhyme or reason. Conversion brought us balance, symmetry, and order. WE ARE GODโS POEM, HIS WORK OF ART.โ[1] Wow! Just to think that I am Godโs work of art, His poem!
Satan had tried to squelch my creative endeavor, but God graciously affirmed me as a poet. I was scheduled to speak at a womenโs meeting a month later, and I shared my testimony about how God spoke to me in the midst of my doubts. Then I recited a new poem God had given me from Ephesians 2:10 just for this group of women, โGodโs Poem.โ Here is an excerpt:
โฆ
Put on His whole armor, quote His word out loud,
You are Godโs poem, of you Heโs very proud.
Maidens on the march, publishing His word,[2]
As you speak in love, know that youโll be heard.
God wants a multitude, a wedding is His goal โ
Jesus and His bride, His poem to unfold.
โฆ
All my poems and songs in my book, Habitation of Honey, are based on Scripture. The recurring theme is the destiny of the Church as the Bride of Christ, her highest calling. I think of these poems as helping to prepare the way for the return of the Lord. John the Baptist did that the first time the Messiah came to earth. Remember, he ate locusts and wild honey in the wilderness. To be ready for the Bridegroom, the Bride needs to continually eat the honey โ read and study the Scripture. These scriptural poems and songs can serve as daily devotionals. They are varied, some calling for action, some extolling the awesomeness of God in creation, and some contemplative. I need this one, โSit Quietlyโ (an excerpt):
As the butterfly flitting from flower to flower,
Youโve tasted the nectar in this worldโs hour.
Your wings have shimmered with light from above,
But I would tuck you under my wing, little dove.
Youโll never want to fly away,
Nestled by Me, youโll want to stay.
You will hear my heart, if you lie very still,
And youโll have my power working in your willโฆ
There are seasons in life, and youโve run the race,
But nothing is better than seeing My face.
Sit quietly now, look up at My smile.
Iโve been gazing at you a long, long while.
What kind of poem is God making of your life? What truth is He displaying through His workmanship in your life? What facet of His beauty, power, and love is He showing forth in the poetry of your life? You are Godโs poem! Rejoice!
[1] Jack W. Hayford, Gen. Ed., Spirit-Filled Life Bible (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, New King James Version, 1991), p. 1789. [2] Psalm 68:11 โ โThe Lord gave the word, great was the company [feminine noun] of those who proclaimed it.โ
Order Habitation of Honey: Poems and Songs here: https://energiondirect.info/christian-living/habitation-of-honey
It was on August 18, 1995, that God called me to a specific work in His kingdom, that of a โMizpahโ for Israel. It came in the form of a personal prophecy from my husband, who said, โThe Lord has told me you are a Mizpah for Israel.” A friend pointed me to the story of the covenant made between Jacob and his father-in-law, Laban. โAnd Laban said, โThis heap [of stones] is a witness between you and me this day.โ Therefore its name was called Galeed, also Mizpah, because he said, โMay the Lord watch between you and me when we are absent one from another.โ Later I found out that Israel and the Church were indeed โabsent one from another,โ because the Church had cut off her Jewish roots!
A personal prophecy is not meant to direct your life but to confirm a direction that God is already leading you in. I had already been acting as a witness and a watchman for Israel after being inspired by my first tour there in 1994. Being in Israel gave me the feeling I had gone home, and upon my return I wrote a report entitled, โBack to My Roots.โ This was before I even knew there was a Jewish roots movement. Now God was calling me to help the Church to be reconnected to her Jewish roots.
The real beginning point of my Jewish roots journey began back in 1975, when I read Corrie Ten Boomโs book, The Hiding Place. The courage she and her family had in hiding Jews from the Nazis in Holland really impacted my life. On a trip to Israel in 1998, with a seven-and-a-half-hour layover in Amsterdam, I was able to visit the Ten Boom watchmakerโs shop where the famous hiding place was located. How dramatic that I could step into the cut-out wall to stand in that hiding place! While in the house I also had the blessing of playing the piano and having others gather around and sing โYou are My Hiding Place.โ
On my most recent trip to Israel in September-October, 2012, I had another priceless musical experience. My friend and I visited the Jerusalem Prayer Center, which is the former home of Horatio Spaffordโs daughter, Bertha Vester. Her piano was in the chapel, and my host in Jerusalem, Roy Kendall, played Spaffordโs beautiful hymn, โIt is Well with My Soul,โ on that piano, as our group sang along. My spirit soared.
Other exciting things have happened to me on my seven trips to Israel, but nothing is more satisfying than seeing my Jewish Messiah in Scripture, as I continue my journey as a Mizpah! I see Yeshua the Messiah closely identified with Israel in the servant passages in Isaiah โ โIsrael, My Servantโ (Isa. 41:8-9; 43:10; 44:1, 21; 45:4; 48:20; and 49:3) and โYeshua My Servantโ (Isa. 42:1; 49:5-6; 50:4-10; 52:13; and 53:11.) The servant roles of both Yeshua and Israel are juxtaposed, however, within these three verses: โโฆ You are My servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified โฆ And now the Lord says, Who formed Me [Yeshua] from the womb to be His Servant [Yeshua], to bring Jacob back to Him, so that Israel is gathered to Him โฆ It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles โฆโ (Isa. 49:3, 5-6).
Never forget that Jesus was born King of the Jews, died King of the Jews, and is coming back to Jerusalem, the Jewish capital, as not only King of the Jews, but King of the whole world!
Although national Israel today does not recognize Yeshua of Nazareth as their long-awaited Messiah, they will soon. Zechariah prophesies, โโฆ they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstbornโ (Zech. 12:10), indicating repentance and recognition! It is interesting that the word โwhomโ in this verse was inserted by the translators, because the Hebrew word, โet,โ is not translatable. This little word, โetโ looks like this in Hebrew โ ืืช, and it is always used between a verb and its object. The two Hebrew letters making up โetโ are Aleph (ื) and Tav (ืช), which are the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet. In Greek they would be Alpha and Omega! Who does that remind you of? The little word โetโ gives the identity of the โWHOM,โ connectingโMeโ (Jesus) and โtheyโ (Israel) in this verse! He is the Aleph and the Tav, the First and the Last! The Hebrew letters form a picture of His sacrifice – Aleph (ื), the ox, a sacrificial animal, and Tav (ืช), a CROSS in its earliest form! Chew on that a while!
It is satisfying to see a portrait of the Jewish Messiah hidden in the Hebrew alphabet. And knowing that we are grafted in to the Jewish olive tree (Rom. 11:16-24) causes Scripture to really open up to us. Current events in Israel become more personally relevant also. We will not only see Bible prophecy being fulfilled, but we can choose to be involved in it!
Maybe I have whetted your appetite to take a Jewish roots journey. I pray so. What kind of journey are you on now in your walk with the Lord?
Order Jewish Roots Journey here: https://energiondirect.info/theology/jewish-roots-journey
I believe the Bible to be the inerrant word of God. While I believe the Bible to be inerrant, rarely do I argue for inerrancy. First off, let me briefly explain what I mean by the Bible is the inerrant word of God. While it is possible to be much more explicit, basically I believe that the Bible as written by the Apostles and Prophets is correct in all that the authors intended it to say. (Those wishing a more in-depth discussion should google The Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy, or get Norman Geislerโs excellent book, Inerrancy).
Note that this brief definition avoids all of the problems of textual issues, translations, and interpretation and in fact most of the issues that are behind a lot of disagreements we have as Christians. This is in fact part of the reason I do not argue for Inerrancy, though my main reasons fall into two categories, one for non-Christians and one for Christians.
Why I donโt argue inerrancy with non-Christians.
For Non-Christians, this is pretty straight forward and easy. It is pointless, I donโt need to, and in fact it only makes things harder. Inerrancy is a theological doctrine, grounded on many beliefs, some of which are an integral part of being a Christian. For example, a key underpinning for inerrancy is the belief in the existence of God. Thus how can one argue for inerrancy with an atheist?
More importantly, when dealing with non-Christians, inerrancy is not required. That one does not need to accept inerrancy is amply demonstrated by those Christians who reject the doctrine. Thus for me, why would I want to put a potential stumbling block in the path of someone who needs Christ?
Not only is it not required it makes things harder. Even when I was an atheist I never bought the argument that if there is even one error in the Bible the entire book should be tossed out. Apply that rule universally, we would not have any books. When I claim inerrancy, I take on an impossible burden of proof. How could I ever demonstrate that there was not even a single error in any of the books? I couldnโt.
Instead of taking on this impossible burden, when dealing with non-believers I discuss reliability, not inerrancy. If the Bible is reliable when it talks about the life, ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus, and the implications of this in our lives, what else do I need? Showing the Bible is reliable is actually fairly straight forward, and it is the critics who have to come up with special rules and exceptions so as to avoid conclusions they do not wish to reach. (See my books, Evidence for the Bible, and Christianity and Secularism) Finally, when you get right down to it, the problem of conversion is not a rational problem of arguments and evidence. It is a spiritual problem of the heart.
Why I donโt argue inerrancy with Christians.
While the above reasons are valid when talking with non-Christians, they donโt apply, or apply only secondarily with other Christians. With other Christians my reasons for not arguing inerrancy center around relevance. In short inerrancy simply does not come up that often. As I stated above, a key feature of the definition of inerrancy is that it avoids all the problems of textual issues, translations, and interpretation. While that is good for the doctrine of inerrancy, it does not help when settling other doctrinal disagreements and it is just a fact that there are doctrinal disagreements even among those who those hold to inerrancy. Thus inerrancy is usually the last place I go when attempting to resolve doctrinal disputes. In addition, Inerrancy is not a clear teaching of scripture in the sense that there is a passage that says: the Bible is inerrant. While I believe there is a solid scriptural basis, there remain a few steps of faith and issues of interpretation, and so I can see where rational people could reach a different conclusion.
So does all this mean that I think the doctrine is unimportant? Not at all. But I think there is a deeper issue here: How do we see ourselves in relation to Godโs word. Do we sit in judgment of Godโs word or does Godโs word sit in judgment of us?
There are those verses in the Bible that I wish were not there; verses that do not conform to my understanding of the way I think things should be. It would be far easier to say, โthat apostle didnโt know any better,โ or โthat prophet made a mistake,โ so I could simply ignore the passage. A key โdisadvantageโ of inerrancy is that this is not an option. On the other hand, there are a lot of people who profess inerrancy and yet avoid all such troublesome issues simply because they do not read the Bible in the first place.
Instead I must wrestle with the text, digging deeper, trying to understand the background and the setting, trying to figure out why God would say such a thing. Most of all, I must pray for understanding, seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Granted, this is no guarantee. At the end of the process it is still not hard to find ways to ignore troublesome and difficult passages. The line between being a judge of the text, and being judged by the text is often quite fine, and I do not make any claims of perfection in this area.
So even though I believe in the doctrine of inerrancy, I rarely argue for it. Instead, I argue that we place ourselves under, not over, the word of God. That we wrestle with those passages that we find difficult, and that by doing so we let the Holy Spirit transform our lives.
How does one begin to define the mission of the church?
For those with an historic commitment to โone Lord, one faith, and one baptism,โ we might think that most Christians would respond with some consistency (something along the lines of disciple-making); but alas, much of our experience as the church would suggest otherwise. While certain qualities of the churchโs mission must remain inviolate (in order to be Christian), this question must nevertheless be revisited with the coming of each generation and emerging context. The reason being, as Paul said, because we โsee through the glass dimlyโ (1 Cor. 13:12).
Consider, if you will, a small slice of church history which I gladly summarize from the most impressive work of Darrell Guder in Missional Church: A Vision for the Sending of the Church in North America.
Beginning in the 16th century, the Reformers emphasized that a church exists wherever the gospel is rightly preached, the sacraments rightly administered, and church discipline is exercised. Declared in Protestant circles as โthe marks of the true church,โ they served as a means of identifying its essential nature and clarifying its mission. While these three โmarksโ might sound familiar to us today, these emphases were rather profound at the time, as they not only opened the doors for new possibilities, but also represented an intentional call for the church to reconsider its vocation in the world. No longer could the centralized power of the ecclesial institution serve as the sole dispenser of religious goods and services. Mission could happen wherever!
This is the positive side of this ecclesiological development. Accompanied by the arrival of the printing press, these newly conceived โmarks of the churchโ asserted the authority of the Bible for the churchโs life and proclamation as well as the importance of making that proclamation accessible to all people.ย ย This was one of the great shifts in the history of the church toward its reclamation of a missional identity, as witnesses to the gospel of Jesus Christ who were sent in the power of the Spirit to the ends of the earth. The mobility of Pentecost was slowly being rekindled, though a prevailing thought remained: the church exists whereverโฆ.
As with any definition, there are limitations. Notice the implicit emphasis on place. Despite the considerable merit of the active criteria, a peculiar consequence did arise. Recognized in a series of lectures given in 1991, mission theologian David Bosch observed that the churches shaped by the Reformation came to conceive the church as โa place where certain things happen.โ This stagnate image was never the intention of the Reformers, but it happened. The refrain was never stated in any formal creed, but eventually became so ingrained in the practices of the church that it eventually became a presumed characteristic of the churchโs self-understanding.
The influence of such thought with respect to the praxis of Christian mission is not hard for us to imagine. It has taken the church, in general, years to recognize the importance of witness and outreach beyond its literal walls. Many are still waiting for the world to come to them. In this case they are effectively waiting for death. As the formative itinerary of Jesus suggests, there is a time and place for the temple, but the great commission calls us to go to the ends of the earth. What good is resurrection if it stays in the tomb? In order for proclamation to do its work it must move beyond the boundaries of the cave. It is impossible to follow Jesus very long when cemented in the pew!
Regrettably, some churches never grab hold of this gospel imperative to โgoโ and end up closing in on themselves. If that is the extent of their witness, then perhaps they should. โFollow meโ said Jesus, โand let the dead bury their own deadโ (Mt 8:22).
Some years ago, a man confessed to his pastor an occurrence in which his good intentions had gone awry.
This was his story: believing it was time for him to โstep upโ his efforts as the spiritual leader of his household, the man decided to rededicate himself to the discipline of a standard devotional time.ย ย Ignoring, however, Jesusโ admonition to not make a spectacle of oneself in the interest of piety, the husband and father placed himself prominently in the big chair in the middle of the living room at an hour that was sure to warrant recognition from the rest of his family. How appropriate to let his light shine, he thought to himself.
Much to his dismay, no one seemed to notice on the first day of his new routine. Hoping for better results on day two, he brought additional commentaries and such and spread them across the coffee table. Previously convinced that his energetic children would cease their frivolous activities and be mysteriously drawn to sit at his feet, he was perturbed to watch them run and play, zooming past him time and again with no regard for his individual sanctity (or sanity). To make matters worse, his ungrateful children insisted on behaving likeโwell, children–which means that they were also loud and inconsiderate of the distraction they had become.
Clearly, his self-made sanctuary had made no impact whatsoever, other than contributing to his own disease. Those he had sought to impress continued their path of revelry, undaunted.ย ย Finally, with a fleeting breath of self-determination, the man slammed his Bible down on the table and shouted to his wife upstairs โHoney, will you get these kids out of my space? Canโt you see? Iโm trying to do my damned devotional!โ
Itโs been nearly a decade since I had the privilege of being that manโs pastor, but his story stays with me. In the context of confession, my friendโs transparency not only reveals the delicacy of Christian witness, but also leads me to reevaluate the methods and motives of the church in our attempts as salt and light. For instance, how many times has the church been shocked to discover that the community which surrounds them is not naturally inclined to stop and see whatโs going on with the most stationary figure in the room?
I once had a church trustee tell me that their plan to engage more young people in worship was to trim up the azalea bushes in front of the sanctuary. Really? I donโt mean to underestimate the importance of pruning, or the appeal of creation, but I had my doubts about the sufficiency of maintenance as the sole strategy for mission.
What would have happened if the church chose to set aside its oblivious narcissism long enough to lovingly investigate the lives of those whom he was trying to reach? How can one say, hey neighbor, keep it down will you? Iโm trying to work on my relationship with Jesus.
A damned devotionalโฆindeed!
At times we are prone to forget that there are two planes that comprise the cross of Jesus Christ. One vertical. One horizontal.
In the preface to the Hymns and Sacred Poems of 1739, John Wesley offered this critique:
โThe gospel of Christ knows of no religion, but social; no holiness but social holinessโฆโThis commandment have we from Christ, that he who loves God, loves his brother also;โ and that we manifest our love โby doing good to unto allโฆespecially to them that are of the household of faith.โ
Fortunately, my wise friend gets it now. Children are going to run in all sorts of directions. The question is, who will get off their throne and run with them?
Sam (short for Samson, not Samuel), picked up the stein of beer he had just paid for, gave it an initial taste to savor the taste, and thenย followed with a gulp. He enjoyed his beer in the evening after a hard day of work.
John 9:24-25, NASB: So a second time they (Pharisees) called the man who had been blind, and said to him, โGive glory to God; we know that this man [Jesus] is a sinner.โ He then answered, โWhether He is a sinner, I do not know; one thing I do know that though I was blind, now I see.โ
After my book, Habitation of Honey: Poems and Songs, was published this May, I continued to write poems, and they came in quick succession. God would inspire me with a thought or a verse from Scripture, and the words would flow out in rhythm and rhyme. Writing a poem or a song is more fun and easier than writing prose. The advantage of poetry is that it isnโt complicated, it takes less time, and it encapsulates truth that can fly like an arrow to the heart.
It was on August 18, 1995, that God called me to a specific work in His kingdom, that of a โMizpahโ for Israel. It came in the form of a personal prophecy from my husband, who said, โThe Lord has told me you are a Mizpah for Israel.” A friend pointed me to the story of the covenant made between Jacob and his father-in-law, Laban. โAnd Laban said, โThis heap [of stones] is a witness between you and me this day.โ Therefore its name was called Galeed, also Mizpah, because he said, โMay the Lord watch between you and me when we are absent one from another.โ Later I found out that Israel and the Church were indeed โabsent one from another,โ because the Church had cut off her Jewish roots!
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How does one begin to define the mission of the church?
