Morning Breath

Sometimes I look at myself and where I am in life and wonder if God knows what He is doing with me. So much change has happened all at once in my life and in the lives of those around me--which makes me think that maybe God got surprised by it all and had to scramble to put someone in the positions I find myself in. But in my heart I know that nothing surprises Him. I am not just the "fill-in guy" in God's mind. He has picked me out especially for what I am doing. Just like Paul said in Galatians 1:15 about his own place in life: "[He] set me apart before I was born... and called me by his grace." Yet even with that knowledge I still find myself questioning God's choice.

Does He have any idea how messed up I can be? Does He know what I deal with? Does He regret His decision when my attitude sucks? Does He get embarrassed when I say this, or think that, or mess up here, or lose focus there?

This morning, while I was half-awake in the shower, God decided to answer these questions. (Now mind you I was not contemplating these theological frustrations when He answered--I was hardly awake enough to remember to shut my mouth when using face-wash... yes I do know what that stuff tastes like... He just decided to drop it on me.) He said to me "Seth, I know what kind of person you are. I knew before you were born what would tempt you, what would depress you, what would distract you. I knew you would mess up, struggle, and fail. I chose you anyway. I created you with purpose. I don't look at all your hang-ups when I see you. I don't sit around worrying about when you are going to screw up next. I know that there will be mistakes made, but I made provisions for that through my Son. He is what I see when I look at you. Don't worry, I know what I am doing."

You gotta love it when God pops out of nowhere and hits you with a humdinger like that. I wasn't awake enough to argue. I'm sure He knew that. And now as I sit in my office I am awake enough to realize how blessed I am to be loved so unconditionally by my Creator. There are days when I am convinced that I fail at being a decent human being, let alone husband, son, pastor, or friend. But God knew there would be those moments. Jesus was sent for those moments. I just need to relax and know that He knows what He is doing.

Reach

I was recently in Oregon for a wedding of some friends. On the way back, as I stared out the window of the plane I was struck by the beauty of creation as it shrunk away beneath me. It was a clear sunny day for those of us above the cloud cover. Inspiration hit me, so I had to write. This was the result. I haven't written poetry in a while so it may get reworked eventually:

In Heaven's wilderness
white tranquil behemoths
float by in silence,
unaware of the perceived barriers
easily created
between earthbound minds
and the Divine Face.

Snowy eternal landscape
solid to sight, feathery to touch
sporadically parts as a window
into the turmoil below...

Yet the Swift Sure Hand,
purposing to reach into the clamor,
dwells in the din
amongst those deciding
the wide and the narrow--
those who could be mere pin pricks,
no more than dust.

Yet they--no we!
are the heat of His heart,
the works of his art.
Not damned or destined for death
but chosen, blessed, renewed.

We tread both asphalt roadways
and cloud-paved skyways,
His hands firmly upon unsure shoulders,
not needing to know the way,
only the Waymaker.

Cycles of Grace and Forgiveness

Luke 17:3-4
"Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, 'I repent,' you must forgive him."

Reading these verses today made me realize how God is so incredibly in tune with human nature (and by "human nature" I mean the tendency to repeatedly screw up and repent, screw up and repent, screw up and repent, all in the same day). Jesus is telling people here that even in their person-to-person relationships they need to imitate God in how He relates to us in the midst of sin cycles. We are expected to show unending forgiveness to each other. It doesn't matter if it is one offense or thirty-two in one day. We are still to forgive. Now that part isn't the amazing thing to me. I understand that we are to be forgiving with each other. But what I have never seen in this before is that it is really a reflection of God's heart towards us. He is infinitely forgiving and gracious to us even though he knows we may do the same stupid thing to Him countless times in one day. He understands that mankind is messed up and that we often fall into the cycle of sin and repent, sin and repent without trying to. Yet His grace never falters. He faithfully extends his love and forgiveness to us all the way through our ridiculous daily cycles of sin.

How humbling it is to get smacked in the face with the truth some time! I can't count how many times I have had to ask for forgiveness and repent for the same thing multiple times in one day. And there are moments when I think that God actually gets tired of hearing me come back to Him in repentance because I think He is thinking, "This guy doesn't really mean it. He is going to go screw up again in fifteen minutes." God's heart is always that we would return to right relationship with Him. He extends his grace in spite and/or because of our cycles of idiocy. If he expects us to forgive each other like this, then it is all the more true for us and Him. Whether it is once, twice, or three thousand times I never need to fear that his forgiveness won't be there.

Superbowl Thoughts

1) For the first time in a while I was very impressed with the athletic performance of the teams in the Big Game. It seems that in the past few I have watched have been, at best, an average football game. This time, instead of waiting for the commercials with great enthusiasm, I was on the edge of my seat waiting for the teams to start pounding away again. Both teams fought like they wanted it until the last seconds of the game. That was what a championship game should look like!

2) What happened to the commercials? That used to be a highlight for Superbowl Sunday! It is supposed to be the one time of year that everyone wants to watch them right? There were a couple that I laughed about, but overall it was a lackluster showing.

3) Are we picking past their prime musicians for halftime shows merely to avoid another wardrobe scandal brought on by our generation's Janet Jacksons? Not that The Boss isn't a good musician, but when I think football I don't think of him (or the Rolling Stones for that matter). I think of heavy guitars, bone crushing breakdowns, and a little more angst... but I guess not everybody shares my tastes in music. What is the target audience for the NFL anyway? Maybe the music matches them, I don't know. I just need a little more heavy hitting in that area.

Adult Diapers Needed

Sometimes I laugh when I read the Bible. My twisted sense of humor latches onto little things found within the powerful words and stories and creates something akin to Sunday School meets Napoleon Dynamite, Nacho Libre, and The Office. I know my little mental movies are probably heretical and irreverent to some, but I think we often forget the raw humanity that actually existed within the characters of the Bible's stories. We let them stay "stories" and forget that Gideon, David, Moses, Peter, John, and Judas were real people that acted and reacted like the rest of humanity did and does.

Insert my latest SNL bible scene: the Transfiguration

Jesus takes Peter, James and John onto the mountain. They doze off while Jesus prays and talks to some "dead" guys. They snap out of their sleep haze and see that Jesus is glowing like he just got back from a Chernobyl missions trip. Then they realize that its not just any dead guys, but it is Moses and Elijah. The three apostles start to freak out like teenage girls at a Jonas brother's concert because Mo and Eli are superstars of their faith... until they realize that the intensity of the situation would probably dictate more appropriate behavior--wouldn't want a dead saint to get a bad impression. Peter gets the bright idea that they should be hospitable and put up a tent for Jesus and his buddies from heaven to hang out in. (All in all not a bad idea). All of a sudden a crazy looking ominous cloud surrounds them. James' knees start knocking together, John is looking a little pasty, and Peter is babbling about the roast he left in the oven that he really needs to get back to. Then God cranks the amps and turns on the woofers and blasts his voice out of the cloud, saying:

"This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!" (note the exclamation mark used--whens the last time God used an exclamation mark with you)

This sudden sonic statement really puts the icing on the cake and has the already terrified apostles reaching for the Depends. Uh-oh.... too late.

No wonder the next verse says that the apostles kept silent about the incident. I would probably have done the same. I guess there are no "normal" nights of hanging out with Jesus for these guys.

These guys were humans like you and me. How do you think you would have reacted to what went down on that mountain? Jesus in his full glory chatting with the super saints of old and God blasting a command to listen to His Chosen One in your ear from a creepy cloud!? Yeah, you would be doing the same thing.

How long until the savior turns into the new satan?

Please don't see this as an attack, rather a musing.

I see so many headlines, message board posts, blogs, and bulletins that carry exclamations of relief, hope, change, and prosperity for the world's future with Obama at the helm. I have no problem with people's support of the President elect, but I wonder how long his ratings will stay up? How long will it be before this new "savior" becomes a target for cruel words, scathing reviews, personal insults, or heads shaking in frustration? It happens to every president we have had in the past, and it will happen to Obama too. Whether you are a conservative or liberal, right or left wing, Rep or Dem, elephant or donkey, you paint a permanent bulls eye on yourself when you assume leadership of this country. People like you one day and herald you as the change we have all been waiting for (like that isn't said every four years!) and the next day you are fodder for an angry public and rival politicians.

Don't treat Obama like he is Jesus. He won't save the world. I would say the same thing about McCain or Nader or Pat Robertson. These politicians are not the ultimate change we are looking for. We have to look to Christ for that. Pray for this nations' leaders, but don't worship them. I don't care if you have Obama stickers on your car or "Bush for Life" tattooed on your chest, my thoughts would be the same. Pray for righteous leadership. Pray for protection. Pray for divine wisdom. Pray for personal transformation and radical relationship with the Creator for all of our nations' leaders. If you place your hope in politics you will get burned (at least every four to eight years).

I believe Israel did that once. They told Samuel they were tired of trusting in God and they wanted someone they could see and touch. "Give us a king old man!" Sam cringed, God warned, but they persisted. Their loyalty was misplaced and they got burned. Don't make the same mistake. I don't hate Obama and I didn't unswervingly love McCain either. I respect them both. I will not demonize anyone. I pray the Obama will be an amazing leader that listens to the voice of God. I trust that God can speak and lead through anyone who listens, but it is God that will never fail me--not politicians.

David's words ring true here:

"Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. They collapse and fall, but we rise and stand upright. O LORD, save the king! May he answer us when we call."

(Psalm 20:7-9)

Soul Story

Every soul has a story. For each person, whether loved or hated by surrounding society, there is a reason for how they live, love, hate, think, rebel, influence, speak, write, create, and dress the way they do. No person is void of a story. And no story is without meaning. There is meaning and worth and purpose to each life because God has imprinted us with a reflection of His image. We have inherent worth because of the majesty and glory of the Creator and because of the blood of His Son that was spilled for our sake. How often do we forget this as Christians when we look at those in this world without Christ? It is easy to see God’s reflection in a newborn infant or an innocent toddler, but do we think the same thing when we look at those who truly drive this culture: celebrities, musical megastars, porn stars, film directors, entertainment tycoons? It seems a little more difficult for most Christians to look at Marilyn Manson or Eminem and see a child of God… but it isn’t any less true. We would rather boycott and picket than pray for them. Yet Christ died for them like He died for all of humanity. And who is it that the hurting, angry, questioning youth of this generation flock to for solace? It is these cultural forces that we flinch away from as if they are not human. These are the movers and shakers of our world—not politicians, legislators, teachers, or clergy—whether we like it or not. Where they go our society follows. And fear of this reality is what causes us to draw a line in the sand, behind which we point our fingers, scream words of “repentance” and try to hope our way into a safer society for our children.

A major problem lies within this approach: there is no “them and us” when it comes to the love of God. There are no lost causes except in the minds of Christians caught up unknowingly in the trap of arrogance, fear, and lies. We recognize that these stars hold sway over society even more than politicians and we get scared. We see the evil, the deception, the darkness, the immorality and we feel cornered so we lash out. What would happen if we prayed for them? What if we looked through all the darkness and saw the injured, depressed, broken, and questioning child of God? What if we got into their stories and prayed with purpose for those who hold such sway over our youth, our pop culture, and ultimately our society as a whole. We need not lash out; we need to listen. We need to pray between the lines of what is being shown if we truly believe that Jesus came to seek and save the lost. We don’t do this out of arrogance, but out of genuine compassion and love. We do not patronize or look down our noses because we follow Christ. We must remember that we are all broken without the love and grace of Christ. We instead should look these stories, these people, these beloved creations of God in the eyes and pray with intensity and passion that God would move on their behalf.