True Grit is a story about a girl, Mattie Ross, whose father was killed by a traveler in a boarding house while trying to help him. Mattie refuses to let the injustice lie, and she hires a hard-bitten U.S. Marshall to track down the scoundrel and bring him to justice. Through circumstances, they are accompanied by a Texas Ranger, a group for whom I have a lot of respect, and the three give chase to the murderer. Hardships fall upon Mattie and the others, but in the end, her father's murderer lies dead.
I watched the 2010 version of the movie this morning. While the Christian life is certainly not about revenge, "Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, 'Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord'" (Romans 12:19), the movie does portray a strong sense of perseverance and a desire for justice. Any believer who has walked in the faith long enough knows the value and necessity of both, "He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" (Micah 6:8), and as one walks with God, "Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him" (James 1:12).
It is the requirement of the Christian to have a firmness of mind and spirit when confronted by the world. There are many temptations that would drawn us away from the narrow road on which God would have us walk. The believer must show unyielding courage in the face of hardship and danger, even to the point of death, "for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control" (2 Timothy 1:7).
Foxe's Book of Martyrs gives an account of men and women throughout the ages that displayed true grit in the face of torture and death. They would not deny their King. Honestly, we have it too easy in the United States. Our hardships are trivial matters compared to those who have walked before us, those who live across oceans, and even some who live in our midst. It has made us weak morally and spiritually as a nation. Would someone with the kind of stalwart heart a Christian is expected to have knowing full well that their treasure is not here but in heaven fall apart when finances are hard? What if something goes wrong at work or school, or when friendships or family relationships are on the rocks? What if a girlfriend or boyfriend leaves... or a fiancee? I am not saying that our hearts should harden or that we should not hurt when these things happen. I believe we should, but the strength of God Himself undergirds those who trust in Him. It empowers us to carry on and fight the good fight, "The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold" (Psalm 18:2).
"Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel, 'My way is hidden from the Lord, and my right is disregarded by my God'? Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint" (Isaiah 40:27-31).
When God strengthens us, we can display the remarkable poise in devastating situations that causes others to see the power of the Almighty moving within us, "I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:11b-13). By the power and grace of God, the believer is equipped to stand face to face with the tribulations of this world, to grit our teeth and dig in our heels in order to stand firm in the truth of Christ. True grit is the mark of a Christ follower, and we will not be moved.
"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns. The nations rage, the kingdoms totter; He utters his voice, the earth melts. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress" (Psalm 46:1-7).
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Monday, June 27, 2011
Amphibians
Amphibians are interesting creatures. They are from two different worlds, one underwater and the other above the surface. Most amphibians begin their lives hatching from eggs under the water. They exist only in this aquatic habitat, living on insect larvae or algae. However, once they reach a certain stage of development, they shed their underwater accoutrements, and don the necessities of the surface dweller. From that point on, they tend to live close to the water, but they can never go back to what they once were.
C.S. Lewis describes humans as amphibians in The Screwtape Letters, a fictional book comprised of a series of letters written from Screwtape, an elder demon, to Wormwood, a fresh, out of the box tempter assigned to lead a particular human astray. Humans exist within two worlds, the material and the spiritual. We are a hybrid. While the rest of creation exists purely in the material world and angels and demons exist purely in the spiritual realm, we bridge that boundary and exist within both, whether we want to live that way or not.
In a sense, Christians go through an amphibian-like metamorphosis. Our change, however, is much more than that because our change is eternal, and it is different because the change is a choice. You can imagine a human living a normal life. They are aware of the material. This is the underwater stage of the amphibian. They have the potential to move to the surface, to breathe air and become a new creature, but they are stuck underwater by the choice not to accept this new life. They do not realize that this new existence will offer freedoms they cannot even imagine. At some point, God gets a hold of them, and He begins to reveal Himself to them. He shows them what true life is. It is not hiding underwater. It is rising above the surface to a new life. He transforms them. He gives them legs. He grows lungs within their bodies, and takes away their gills. He makes them a new creature with the freedom to enter into a new life. If they will move out of the water, they will see the world above the surface. If they will not, they will die under the water.
So, how does this creature of two worlds, this physical/spirit hybrid, interact with the Divine who is pure spirit? The first step is to enter into a correct relationship with Him. As humans, we all know that we have done wrong. We have lied or stolen. We have lusted over a woman, or we have imagined beating the snot out of the person that made fun of us the other day. We have all done something we know we should not have done. We say, "I'm only human," apologize, and then we move on. Unfortunately, those little things put us in an unacceptable relationship to the Divine. He is perfect, and He will not accept anything less than holiness from us (1 Peter 1:16). That puts us in a difficult situation because we are far from perfect, which is part of holiness. The good part is that He made a way for us to be holy.
"For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life" (Leviticus 17:11).
The Divine became human, "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John bore witness about him, and cried out, 'This was he of whom I said, "He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me."') And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ" (John 1:14-17). Once He became human, He lived a perfect life which was our requirement, "For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth" (1 Peter 2:22). Then He died on the cross in order that we would be granted forgiveness for our sin by the atonement made by His perfect life given in death, "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit" (1 Peter 3:18). You just have to accept it.
Once that is accomplished, the human is in a correct relationship with God. He is remade. He becomes a new creature, able to go beyond the water into the world of air. At this point, because Jesus has made us clean, interacting with the Divine becomes a simple process, "Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:14-16). All we need to do is talk to Him. This is what is common referred to as prayer, and this can happen anywhere because God is everywhere, "Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me" (Psalm 139:7-10). We can also come before Him as we read the Bible, "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success," (Joshua 1:8), "For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account" (Hebrews 4:12-13). We can enter into His presence when we are around other Christians as well, "Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God" (Colossians 3:16).
The human creature is a hybrid of spiritual and physical existence, and we are meant to exist within both. Even in heaven, we will have a remade body. God certainly does not consider the material existence evil, or He would have entered into it Himself. However, true life is in the spirit. Eternal life is with God alone. This physical world in which we are currently living is fallen and will be destroyed before it is remade. So, live within it, but know that your eternal life is up there, above the surface in the world of the air, "And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent" (John 17:3).
C.S. Lewis describes humans as amphibians in The Screwtape Letters, a fictional book comprised of a series of letters written from Screwtape, an elder demon, to Wormwood, a fresh, out of the box tempter assigned to lead a particular human astray. Humans exist within two worlds, the material and the spiritual. We are a hybrid. While the rest of creation exists purely in the material world and angels and demons exist purely in the spiritual realm, we bridge that boundary and exist within both, whether we want to live that way or not.
In a sense, Christians go through an amphibian-like metamorphosis. Our change, however, is much more than that because our change is eternal, and it is different because the change is a choice. You can imagine a human living a normal life. They are aware of the material. This is the underwater stage of the amphibian. They have the potential to move to the surface, to breathe air and become a new creature, but they are stuck underwater by the choice not to accept this new life. They do not realize that this new existence will offer freedoms they cannot even imagine. At some point, God gets a hold of them, and He begins to reveal Himself to them. He shows them what true life is. It is not hiding underwater. It is rising above the surface to a new life. He transforms them. He gives them legs. He grows lungs within their bodies, and takes away their gills. He makes them a new creature with the freedom to enter into a new life. If they will move out of the water, they will see the world above the surface. If they will not, they will die under the water.
So, how does this creature of two worlds, this physical/spirit hybrid, interact with the Divine who is pure spirit? The first step is to enter into a correct relationship with Him. As humans, we all know that we have done wrong. We have lied or stolen. We have lusted over a woman, or we have imagined beating the snot out of the person that made fun of us the other day. We have all done something we know we should not have done. We say, "I'm only human," apologize, and then we move on. Unfortunately, those little things put us in an unacceptable relationship to the Divine. He is perfect, and He will not accept anything less than holiness from us (1 Peter 1:16). That puts us in a difficult situation because we are far from perfect, which is part of holiness. The good part is that He made a way for us to be holy.
"For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life" (Leviticus 17:11).
The Divine became human, "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John bore witness about him, and cried out, 'This was he of whom I said, "He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me."') And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ" (John 1:14-17). Once He became human, He lived a perfect life which was our requirement, "For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth" (1 Peter 2:22). Then He died on the cross in order that we would be granted forgiveness for our sin by the atonement made by His perfect life given in death, "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit" (1 Peter 3:18). You just have to accept it.
Once that is accomplished, the human is in a correct relationship with God. He is remade. He becomes a new creature, able to go beyond the water into the world of air. At this point, because Jesus has made us clean, interacting with the Divine becomes a simple process, "Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:14-16). All we need to do is talk to Him. This is what is common referred to as prayer, and this can happen anywhere because God is everywhere, "Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me" (Psalm 139:7-10). We can also come before Him as we read the Bible, "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success," (Joshua 1:8), "For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account" (Hebrews 4:12-13). We can enter into His presence when we are around other Christians as well, "Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God" (Colossians 3:16).
The human creature is a hybrid of spiritual and physical existence, and we are meant to exist within both. Even in heaven, we will have a remade body. God certainly does not consider the material existence evil, or He would have entered into it Himself. However, true life is in the spirit. Eternal life is with God alone. This physical world in which we are currently living is fallen and will be destroyed before it is remade. So, live within it, but know that your eternal life is up there, above the surface in the world of the air, "And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent" (John 17:3).
Sunday, June 26, 2011
What Really Matters
I spent the last week at Impact 2011 Teen Camp with some of the teens for my church and other churches. It was an amazing time. Very rarely does the opportunity come to let the stresses and pains of this world fall away and just enjoy being with people and with God. Relationships. Loving and being loved by God. Loving and being loved by people. That is what will last in eternity.
I got to have several amazing conversations with some pretty cool people during the week about the most important things going on in their lives. What was the common ground of each one of these conversations? Each one involved a relationship.
What is crazy is that our American culture tries to build up walls between people. It keeps people working long hours away from their families to buy things they don't need. It tells people that happiness is one more product away, so, in their emptiness, they grasp at the material instead of at the eternal.
"But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs" (1 Timothy 6:9-10).
"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matthew 6:19-21).
Yet, because of our fallen nature, we forget the things that truly matter. We forget what will last for eternity. The big TV and the cool, new cell phone will fade. What matters is who you love. Jesus said that we should love God and love people. Those are the two greatest commandments. If you do these two things, Jesus said, "You will live" (Luke 10:28).
How do we free ourselves from materialism? How do we live to love God and people?
"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect" (Romans 12:2).
Set your sights on what is really important today, and forget about all that other stuff.
I got to have several amazing conversations with some pretty cool people during the week about the most important things going on in their lives. What was the common ground of each one of these conversations? Each one involved a relationship.
What is crazy is that our American culture tries to build up walls between people. It keeps people working long hours away from their families to buy things they don't need. It tells people that happiness is one more product away, so, in their emptiness, they grasp at the material instead of at the eternal.
"But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs" (1 Timothy 6:9-10).
"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matthew 6:19-21).
Yet, because of our fallen nature, we forget the things that truly matter. We forget what will last for eternity. The big TV and the cool, new cell phone will fade. What matters is who you love. Jesus said that we should love God and love people. Those are the two greatest commandments. If you do these two things, Jesus said, "You will live" (Luke 10:28).
How do we free ourselves from materialism? How do we live to love God and people?
"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect" (Romans 12:2).
Set your sights on what is really important today, and forget about all that other stuff.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Addiction
When I was in college a new idea was coming to the world of games. Multi-player games had existed for a while, but this was bringing not just three or four people into a game together. This was bringing thousands of people into one game at one time to interact with both the game world and each other. Everquest was the first one that I remember, but it was not until World of Warcraft came that my brother and I were captivated by the MMORPG craze.
Wyatt and I had already played and enjoyed the first three Warcraft games, but this was a chance to enter the world and become a part of the World of Warcraft. As soon as the game came out, we had it. We wasted no time in creating characters and jumping into hours of online action. Over the next four years, we logged a considerable number of hours playing that game, but it got boring. After playing for four years, there was not much left to do. Both of us quit the game.
Years passed, and Wyatt took up the game again. I had graduated and moved on from College Station, but I liked to come back for visits for time to time. It was one of these visits that finally drew me back into the World of Warcraft.
The Frozen Throne expansion had come out a while back, and with it came a new class, the Death Knight. Sounds cool, right? I thought so. I asked my brother if I could check it out. I made a character on his account to see what this Death Knight was like. I was hooked. The game got its claws into me again. By the end of the next day, Wyatt and I took a trip to Target, and I bought copies of WoW and the two expansions. I created my own Death Knight and plunged into the online gaming world once again.
It was my competitive nature coupled with the addictive qualities of the game that kept me in my apartment and online. I justified the game by saying I was reaching out and witnessing to those on the game, which I did... to some degree. I think God used me there, but I don't think it was what He really wanted of me. I also said that I would never play the game when I had the opportunity to hang out with friends in the real world. I kept to that with a couple lapses, but the truth was that I would not look to spend time with people outside the game all the time. I played every day. Sometime it was only an hour. Sometimes it was all day with the exception of eating and working out. I am glad I was at least able to tear myself away for a workout, though I remember rushing through a few of them to get back to the game.
My competitive nature moved me up through the ranks of server I played on. I got to point where I was the thirteen highest ranked Death Knight on the server. I had a couple other characters, too, that I played when my Death Knight got a little boring. I was firmly and unquestionably addicted to World of Warcraft.
I don't remember how I finally understood my addiction, but somehow God got through to me. This was not something I could continue to do and really live out the calling He had on my life. So, I quit. When you quit something like that, you have to quit completely or it doesn't work. I gave all my characters to my brother, and I was done. I was out. No more World of Warcraft for me again, ever.
Addiction can take many forms. Drug and alcohol addiction are the ones we hear about most often, but addictions to video games, sex, food, another person, or anything else can be just as harmful. My addiction kept me from fostering fellowship to the degree I should have been with my friends in seminary. It kept me from being involved in doing other kinds of ministry that I should have while I was there. I doubt many of them noticed because I was involved, but I could have been involved to a greater degree and reaped greater, eternal rewards.
God does not want us to be enthralled with anything in this world, "For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world" (1 John 2:16).
Remember that, "'All things are lawful for me,' but not all things are helpful. 'All things are lawful for me,' but I will not be enslaved by anything" (1 Corinthians 6:12). Paul knows that we will be enslaved to either God or something else (see Slaves). He refuses to be a slave to anyone or anything but God. Everyone of us should do the same. So, "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (James 4:7), and "put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires" (Romans 13:14).
Sexual immorality and addiction to pornography can be one of the most difficult addictions to break. It tends to be thought of as a male problem, but it effects both genders. Both men and women can get addicted to pornography just like both men and women can get addicted to romantic fantasies, which tends to be thought of as a female issue. "No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to mankind. God is faithful, and He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it" (1 Corinthians 10:13).
The key to all of this is to put God first. "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 'You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth'" (Exodus 20:2-4). When we let an addiction overtake us, we have set up an idol in our lives, and we are putting that thing before God. There is only one God, and you have only one King. Do not set up something else on His throne in your life.
Wyatt and I had already played and enjoyed the first three Warcraft games, but this was a chance to enter the world and become a part of the World of Warcraft. As soon as the game came out, we had it. We wasted no time in creating characters and jumping into hours of online action. Over the next four years, we logged a considerable number of hours playing that game, but it got boring. After playing for four years, there was not much left to do. Both of us quit the game.
Years passed, and Wyatt took up the game again. I had graduated and moved on from College Station, but I liked to come back for visits for time to time. It was one of these visits that finally drew me back into the World of Warcraft.
The Frozen Throne expansion had come out a while back, and with it came a new class, the Death Knight. Sounds cool, right? I thought so. I asked my brother if I could check it out. I made a character on his account to see what this Death Knight was like. I was hooked. The game got its claws into me again. By the end of the next day, Wyatt and I took a trip to Target, and I bought copies of WoW and the two expansions. I created my own Death Knight and plunged into the online gaming world once again.
It was my competitive nature coupled with the addictive qualities of the game that kept me in my apartment and online. I justified the game by saying I was reaching out and witnessing to those on the game, which I did... to some degree. I think God used me there, but I don't think it was what He really wanted of me. I also said that I would never play the game when I had the opportunity to hang out with friends in the real world. I kept to that with a couple lapses, but the truth was that I would not look to spend time with people outside the game all the time. I played every day. Sometime it was only an hour. Sometimes it was all day with the exception of eating and working out. I am glad I was at least able to tear myself away for a workout, though I remember rushing through a few of them to get back to the game.
My competitive nature moved me up through the ranks of server I played on. I got to point where I was the thirteen highest ranked Death Knight on the server. I had a couple other characters, too, that I played when my Death Knight got a little boring. I was firmly and unquestionably addicted to World of Warcraft.
I don't remember how I finally understood my addiction, but somehow God got through to me. This was not something I could continue to do and really live out the calling He had on my life. So, I quit. When you quit something like that, you have to quit completely or it doesn't work. I gave all my characters to my brother, and I was done. I was out. No more World of Warcraft for me again, ever.
Addiction can take many forms. Drug and alcohol addiction are the ones we hear about most often, but addictions to video games, sex, food, another person, or anything else can be just as harmful. My addiction kept me from fostering fellowship to the degree I should have been with my friends in seminary. It kept me from being involved in doing other kinds of ministry that I should have while I was there. I doubt many of them noticed because I was involved, but I could have been involved to a greater degree and reaped greater, eternal rewards.
God does not want us to be enthralled with anything in this world, "For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world" (1 John 2:16).
Remember that, "'All things are lawful for me,' but not all things are helpful. 'All things are lawful for me,' but I will not be enslaved by anything" (1 Corinthians 6:12). Paul knows that we will be enslaved to either God or something else (see Slaves). He refuses to be a slave to anyone or anything but God. Everyone of us should do the same. So, "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (James 4:7), and "put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires" (Romans 13:14).
Sexual immorality and addiction to pornography can be one of the most difficult addictions to break. It tends to be thought of as a male problem, but it effects both genders. Both men and women can get addicted to pornography just like both men and women can get addicted to romantic fantasies, which tends to be thought of as a female issue. "No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to mankind. God is faithful, and He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it" (1 Corinthians 10:13).
The key to all of this is to put God first. "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 'You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth'" (Exodus 20:2-4). When we let an addiction overtake us, we have set up an idol in our lives, and we are putting that thing before God. There is only one God, and you have only one King. Do not set up something else on His throne in your life.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Not Married = Not Qualified?
I had just started seminary back in 2006 at the San Antonio extension campus of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. "The Christian Home" class was held in the evening, so I was already tired from a day full of listening to syllabi when I heard something so surprising out of the professor's mouth that it has stuck with me to this day, "I would never let an unmarried man onto my staff." I stayed silent, but my mind was racing. As a single man trying to follow God's leading into ministry, you can imagine what was going through my head. Why would he say such a thing? What makes one of these married guys so much more qualified than me? Is there something wrong with me?
During the next few years in seminary, I began to see that this was not a legalistic prejudice of only a small minority of pastors. I began to see that this discrimination extended far beyond what I could have imagined. After I graduated seminary and began looking for ministry positions, I saw the "Preferred Married" stamp on many jobs. I do not know if this truly means preferred or if it is a politically correct way of saying, "If you aren't hitched, don't bother." I even found that ministry positions not bearing that little addendum were excluding those who were unmarried. I do not care to share how I found out about that. Just trust me that I did. All of this led me to ask in frustration the following questions:
"Since when has not being married excluded someone from following the call to ministry God has put on them?"
"How does being married make someone more qualified to hold a ministry position than someone who is single?"
In searching Scripture for the answer, I found only two verses that can be taken to support the need for a minister to be married. They are giving the qualifications for overseers (pastors), 1 Timothy 3:2 and Titus 1:6. The only thing you have to do with them first is to take them completely out of the literary and historical context. The literal translation of the Greek phrase is, "of one woman man." The same phrase is used as a qualification for widows in 1 Timothy 5:9, "one man woman." Obviously, the widows are not married or they would not qualify for financial support from the church. This means that 1 Timothy 3:2 is not requiring men in ministry to be married. It is requiring a quality of faithfulness. He should not be a womanizer. A requirement of marriage is also inconsistent with the rest of the listed qualifications of an overseer (pastor) because they are all qualities of character, not held statuses. There was some evidence of polygamy being practiced in Jewish circles at the time this book was written. It is not absolutely certain that was the case, but I am sure that if it was, God would prohibit it among those leading His Church. The original picture of marriage in Genesis was one man and one woman. It should never have been otherwise. However this verse was intended to read, it does not exclude single men from ministry. God is not looking at whether a man can get married. He is looking at the faithfulness of his heart. Requiring marriage of pastors is a step toward becoming the next line of Pharisees.
If a simple study of the Greek phrase can so easily show the error of a marriage requirement, why is there one? I believe the answer could come from two places. First, it is a backlash against the Catholic church's requirement of celibacy. Requiring celibacy is no better than requiring marriage. We can very easily see the problem of required celibacy looking back through the history of it. I will not go into it here. If you so desire, there are plenty of resources you can find to address that issue. The answer to the problem, though, is not to run the other direction and off the required marriage cliff instead. The answer is to walk in the requirement of faithfulness that is given in Scripture. The second reason I believe the requirement came about is the fear of pastors searching for wives in the flock they are overseeing. This is legitimate, to a point. If the pastor is serial dating his whole flock, that is a big issue, and it disqualifies him from holding that position by the requirement of faithfulness. However, is there really anything wrong with a pastor finding his ideal mate within the church? Honestly, is there any better place? Would you rather see him at the bar?
There are two very good examples of single men in ministry that I would refer any pastor who still has reservations about putting a single man on his staff: Jesus and Paul. Yes, Jesus is God and Paul was one of the apostles. However, that does not mean you have to be God or an apostle to be able to handle ministry as a single person. Paul even encourages people to stay single in order that they can devote themselves more fully to God and the ministry He has called them to:
"To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is good for them to remain single as I am" (1 Corinthians 7:8).
"Now concerning the betrothed, I have no command from the Lord, but I give my judgment as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy. I think that in view of the present distress it is good for a person to remain as he is. Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be free. Are you free from a wife? Do not seek a wife" (1 Corinthians 7:25:27).
Now, Paul makes it clear that getting married is not a sin. He even says that if you are going to burn with passion, you need to get married so you do not sin. However, even if a man is not married and seeking marriage, that does not disqualify him from ministry. He is doing what Scripture says he should as long has he is doing it in a way that shows faithfulness in his character.
Another point to make is that a single man can devote much more time to the ministry than a married man, and even more so than a married man with children. I am finding that to be true already after replacing a man as a youth pastor who had a wife and children. This is nothing against him. He had obligations and responsibilities that, from what I hear, he did an amazing job fulfilling. I just have more time than he did, plain and simple.
While I was at seminary, I began to see and hear of a trend that has been happening with men at the seminary because of this requirement of marriage from many churches. They are majoring in theological studies while minoring in availability. Some have even reversed that. They are concerned about the requirement of marriage so much so that, instead of following God to find a really good woman who can be a minister's wife, they are marrying the first woman they can find who will say, "Yes." If you think a single man in ministry is an issue, enter the firestorm of man mismatched in marriage. It is this catastrophe waiting to happen that blindsides the congregation with an affair or a divorce... or both. I witnessed the aftermath of just such an event having come in to replace a youth minister whose wife had an affair with one of the youth. It derails the ministry of the church, and it can tear churches apart. Yet, this is what the requirement of marriage, stated or unstated, is bringing to the church. Personally, I would rather have a single guy.
During the next few years in seminary, I began to see that this was not a legalistic prejudice of only a small minority of pastors. I began to see that this discrimination extended far beyond what I could have imagined. After I graduated seminary and began looking for ministry positions, I saw the "Preferred Married" stamp on many jobs. I do not know if this truly means preferred or if it is a politically correct way of saying, "If you aren't hitched, don't bother." I even found that ministry positions not bearing that little addendum were excluding those who were unmarried. I do not care to share how I found out about that. Just trust me that I did. All of this led me to ask in frustration the following questions:
"Since when has not being married excluded someone from following the call to ministry God has put on them?"
"How does being married make someone more qualified to hold a ministry position than someone who is single?"
In searching Scripture for the answer, I found only two verses that can be taken to support the need for a minister to be married. They are giving the qualifications for overseers (pastors), 1 Timothy 3:2 and Titus 1:6. The only thing you have to do with them first is to take them completely out of the literary and historical context. The literal translation of the Greek phrase is, "of one woman man." The same phrase is used as a qualification for widows in 1 Timothy 5:9, "one man woman." Obviously, the widows are not married or they would not qualify for financial support from the church. This means that 1 Timothy 3:2 is not requiring men in ministry to be married. It is requiring a quality of faithfulness. He should not be a womanizer. A requirement of marriage is also inconsistent with the rest of the listed qualifications of an overseer (pastor) because they are all qualities of character, not held statuses. There was some evidence of polygamy being practiced in Jewish circles at the time this book was written. It is not absolutely certain that was the case, but I am sure that if it was, God would prohibit it among those leading His Church. The original picture of marriage in Genesis was one man and one woman. It should never have been otherwise. However this verse was intended to read, it does not exclude single men from ministry. God is not looking at whether a man can get married. He is looking at the faithfulness of his heart. Requiring marriage of pastors is a step toward becoming the next line of Pharisees.
If a simple study of the Greek phrase can so easily show the error of a marriage requirement, why is there one? I believe the answer could come from two places. First, it is a backlash against the Catholic church's requirement of celibacy. Requiring celibacy is no better than requiring marriage. We can very easily see the problem of required celibacy looking back through the history of it. I will not go into it here. If you so desire, there are plenty of resources you can find to address that issue. The answer to the problem, though, is not to run the other direction and off the required marriage cliff instead. The answer is to walk in the requirement of faithfulness that is given in Scripture. The second reason I believe the requirement came about is the fear of pastors searching for wives in the flock they are overseeing. This is legitimate, to a point. If the pastor is serial dating his whole flock, that is a big issue, and it disqualifies him from holding that position by the requirement of faithfulness. However, is there really anything wrong with a pastor finding his ideal mate within the church? Honestly, is there any better place? Would you rather see him at the bar?
There are two very good examples of single men in ministry that I would refer any pastor who still has reservations about putting a single man on his staff: Jesus and Paul. Yes, Jesus is God and Paul was one of the apostles. However, that does not mean you have to be God or an apostle to be able to handle ministry as a single person. Paul even encourages people to stay single in order that they can devote themselves more fully to God and the ministry He has called them to:
"To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is good for them to remain single as I am" (1 Corinthians 7:8).
"Now concerning the betrothed, I have no command from the Lord, but I give my judgment as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy. I think that in view of the present distress it is good for a person to remain as he is. Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be free. Are you free from a wife? Do not seek a wife" (1 Corinthians 7:25:27).
Now, Paul makes it clear that getting married is not a sin. He even says that if you are going to burn with passion, you need to get married so you do not sin. However, even if a man is not married and seeking marriage, that does not disqualify him from ministry. He is doing what Scripture says he should as long has he is doing it in a way that shows faithfulness in his character.
Another point to make is that a single man can devote much more time to the ministry than a married man, and even more so than a married man with children. I am finding that to be true already after replacing a man as a youth pastor who had a wife and children. This is nothing against him. He had obligations and responsibilities that, from what I hear, he did an amazing job fulfilling. I just have more time than he did, plain and simple.
While I was at seminary, I began to see and hear of a trend that has been happening with men at the seminary because of this requirement of marriage from many churches. They are majoring in theological studies while minoring in availability. Some have even reversed that. They are concerned about the requirement of marriage so much so that, instead of following God to find a really good woman who can be a minister's wife, they are marrying the first woman they can find who will say, "Yes." If you think a single man in ministry is an issue, enter the firestorm of man mismatched in marriage. It is this catastrophe waiting to happen that blindsides the congregation with an affair or a divorce... or both. I witnessed the aftermath of just such an event having come in to replace a youth minister whose wife had an affair with one of the youth. It derails the ministry of the church, and it can tear churches apart. Yet, this is what the requirement of marriage, stated or unstated, is bringing to the church. Personally, I would rather have a single guy.
Friday, June 10, 2011
Battlefields
In 2007, my dad and step-mom took my brother and me to see the Civil War battlefields in the eastern United States. My dad said it might be the last opportunity we would have to do something like this, and I am really glad we did. It was my favorite trip of all the places I ever went with my dad and brother. We went to Gettysburg, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Manassas, Wilderness, and Washington D.C.
Very few places I have gone have left such a lasting impact on my life. I was in the Navy at the time, and the sacrifice of those in the military and their families was and is very close to my heart. On our second day at Gettysburg we arrived in the morning. The fog drifted slowly across the battlefield and around the lifeless gray monuments of a time long passed. I will never forget first seeing and then standing at the Bloody Angle, looking out over the area where Colonel Pickett charged the fortified union position on Cemetery Ridge. I remember being overwhelmed thinking, "So many men died right there. Their lives ended on that field." I felt as if I could almost hear the Union cannons firing canister into the wall of Confederate soldiers. The smoke from rifles and cannons filled the air, and the screams of the wounded and dying embedding themselves into the minds of the survivors forever. It was a very sobering and surreal moment. I remember the Dunker church at Antietam. The Confederacy took up position near it, and it was targeted during the battle several times by Union forces. I remember seeing the bullet wounds that scarred the walls of the church. I find it fitting that the walls of a church building bear the scars of war.
"For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 6:12).
"For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the tearing down of strongholds. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete. " (1 Corinthians 10:3-6).
We are the church, and we are at war, brothers and sisters. It is a war with battles being fought every day that are every bit as terrible as Gettysburg, Antietam, and the many other battles that took place in the Civil War. The violence is every bit as terrible as that which the Union and Confederacy visited upon each other during those campaigns, and the casualties are piling up.
If you are seeking to truly follow God, you can expect to be attacked by the "spiritual forces of evil." So be encouraged if you are trying to follow God and find yourself under fire. It means Satan sees you as a threat, and God desires us all to be a threat to the enemy. If you do not find yourself under fire, consider whether or not you are putting into action what is given to you in the Bible. If you are not, you have been relegated to the sideline. At best, you are not in the fight. At worst, you are already a casualty.
All is not lost because "greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world." You can choose to get up off the ground and rejoin the fight. God is sufficient enough to empower you to fight once again. So, today, take up your sword, which is the Word of God. Put on the armor of God (Ephesians 6), and go out with the eternal mindset to do war on the enemy. Be a threat to the Kingdom of Darkness and bring the light of God's salvation to those who desperately need the love of Jesus.
Very few places I have gone have left such a lasting impact on my life. I was in the Navy at the time, and the sacrifice of those in the military and their families was and is very close to my heart. On our second day at Gettysburg we arrived in the morning. The fog drifted slowly across the battlefield and around the lifeless gray monuments of a time long passed. I will never forget first seeing and then standing at the Bloody Angle, looking out over the area where Colonel Pickett charged the fortified union position on Cemetery Ridge. I remember being overwhelmed thinking, "So many men died right there. Their lives ended on that field." I felt as if I could almost hear the Union cannons firing canister into the wall of Confederate soldiers. The smoke from rifles and cannons filled the air, and the screams of the wounded and dying embedding themselves into the minds of the survivors forever. It was a very sobering and surreal moment. I remember the Dunker church at Antietam. The Confederacy took up position near it, and it was targeted during the battle several times by Union forces. I remember seeing the bullet wounds that scarred the walls of the church. I find it fitting that the walls of a church building bear the scars of war.
"For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 6:12).
"For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the tearing down of strongholds. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete. " (1 Corinthians 10:3-6).
We are the church, and we are at war, brothers and sisters. It is a war with battles being fought every day that are every bit as terrible as Gettysburg, Antietam, and the many other battles that took place in the Civil War. The violence is every bit as terrible as that which the Union and Confederacy visited upon each other during those campaigns, and the casualties are piling up.
If you are seeking to truly follow God, you can expect to be attacked by the "spiritual forces of evil." So be encouraged if you are trying to follow God and find yourself under fire. It means Satan sees you as a threat, and God desires us all to be a threat to the enemy. If you do not find yourself under fire, consider whether or not you are putting into action what is given to you in the Bible. If you are not, you have been relegated to the sideline. At best, you are not in the fight. At worst, you are already a casualty.
All is not lost because "greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world." You can choose to get up off the ground and rejoin the fight. God is sufficient enough to empower you to fight once again. So, today, take up your sword, which is the Word of God. Put on the armor of God (Ephesians 6), and go out with the eternal mindset to do war on the enemy. Be a threat to the Kingdom of Darkness and bring the light of God's salvation to those who desperately need the love of Jesus.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Slaves
"The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps."
"Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established."
Freedom is one of the things that we hold very dear in the United States. Our country was founded on the notion of freedom and independence from those who would seek to control or dictate our way of life. This ideal is hardwired into the psyche of Americans from the time they are born. Our school system glorifies the American revolutionaries in history classes, and tells every child they can do whatever they set their mind to. The ideal of freedom is one of the things that has made this country great. It helped bring it from being the petulant child throwing the Boston Tea Party fit in front of Mother England to the world's premier superpower, and we enjoy a level of luxury in this country that would send people of other nations into sensory overload.
The problem with this individualistic idea of complete freedom is that the people of this country have given credit to it for making the United States great while forgetting who really guides the path of any person or nation.
The freedom to do as we please is not what made this country great. In fact, that idea is starting to tear this country apart. I have been in the school system for years, first as a student and later as a teacher. It is troubling to see the students more concerned with what they feel they are entitled to because of their freedoms (respect when they give none, trust when they abuse it, a pass to the next grade when they do not earn it) than actually taking advantage of a free education system and submitted to basic rules of decent behavior. This behavior can be seen in adults who feel they can do whatever they want without consequences. Men and women sleep with stranger after stranger are surprised to learn they contracted a fatal STD they most likely already passed on. Bar patrons drink until they cannot walk, and then attempt to drive home killing a single mother who is driving to her job because her former husband decided he no longer wanted the responsibility of being a dad. I could go into many more issues, but I am sure you can think of them on your own. The truth is that as much as we like freedom, we are all slaves, and we will always be slaves, "Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness" (Romans 6:15-18).
You will either be a slave to your own desires only to perish, or you will be a slave to righteousness through Jesus and live forever. This is one of the biggest reasons people do not want to accept Jesus as Lord. They are rebels who would rather be led around by their own desires and fall than submit to Jesus and reap eternal joy. Remember this when you share Jesus with others.
When we plan our lives on our own, we are going to make mistakes. There will be things that seem so right that go completely bust, and we will not understand why. Learn to submit all things to God, not most things, all things. God is not satisfied with most of you. He requires all of you. When you commit all that you do to Him, He will straighten your path out in front of you.
"Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established."
Freedom is one of the things that we hold very dear in the United States. Our country was founded on the notion of freedom and independence from those who would seek to control or dictate our way of life. This ideal is hardwired into the psyche of Americans from the time they are born. Our school system glorifies the American revolutionaries in history classes, and tells every child they can do whatever they set their mind to. The ideal of freedom is one of the things that has made this country great. It helped bring it from being the petulant child throwing the Boston Tea Party fit in front of Mother England to the world's premier superpower, and we enjoy a level of luxury in this country that would send people of other nations into sensory overload.
The problem with this individualistic idea of complete freedom is that the people of this country have given credit to it for making the United States great while forgetting who really guides the path of any person or nation.
The freedom to do as we please is not what made this country great. In fact, that idea is starting to tear this country apart. I have been in the school system for years, first as a student and later as a teacher. It is troubling to see the students more concerned with what they feel they are entitled to because of their freedoms (respect when they give none, trust when they abuse it, a pass to the next grade when they do not earn it) than actually taking advantage of a free education system and submitted to basic rules of decent behavior. This behavior can be seen in adults who feel they can do whatever they want without consequences. Men and women sleep with stranger after stranger are surprised to learn they contracted a fatal STD they most likely already passed on. Bar patrons drink until they cannot walk, and then attempt to drive home killing a single mother who is driving to her job because her former husband decided he no longer wanted the responsibility of being a dad. I could go into many more issues, but I am sure you can think of them on your own. The truth is that as much as we like freedom, we are all slaves, and we will always be slaves, "Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness" (Romans 6:15-18).
You will either be a slave to your own desires only to perish, or you will be a slave to righteousness through Jesus and live forever. This is one of the biggest reasons people do not want to accept Jesus as Lord. They are rebels who would rather be led around by their own desires and fall than submit to Jesus and reap eternal joy. Remember this when you share Jesus with others.
When we plan our lives on our own, we are going to make mistakes. There will be things that seem so right that go completely bust, and we will not understand why. Learn to submit all things to God, not most things, all things. God is not satisfied with most of you. He requires all of you. When you commit all that you do to Him, He will straighten your path out in front of you.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Curveballs
Curveballs can really throw you for a loop. You see the ball coming right down the pipe. It looks pretty, and it is in the perfect place. Your brain tells you, "This one is going out of the park!" The signals fire off to your muscles, and they tense as muscle memory drives them through a motion they have done a million times before. The sweet spot of the bat lines right up with the ball, and you are about to be the hero of the game.
It is right then that defeat is snatched from the jaws of victory.
Your swing is perfect and the bat comes around quickly to meet the ball, destined for a glorious arc over the center field fence. Yet, right as the contact is about to be made, the ball dips and drops to the side into the catcher's mitt. You saw it coming. That gut feeling as you saw the characteristic spin of the ball is similar to that feeling your stomach gets when the elevator moves down too quickly, but it was far too late to stop your swing.
STRIKE THREE!
And off you go to spend some time reflecting on that luxurious plank of wood in the dugout...
All the "if only" thoughts go through your mind. If I had only seen it sooner, I could have let it go. If I had only swung lower, I would be rounding the bases right now, and this dugout would be emptied of my teammates waiting to congratulate me at home plate. If I had only... anything but swung like I did at that tasty-looking, big-as-a-beach-ball pitch. You feel like an idiot, and it might even be hard to look your teammates in the eye.
Events in life can be like that, and it is not always under your control. The batter can do everything right, and still miss that curveball. You see the pitch. It looks good. You take a good cut, quick and level. There is nothing more that can be expected of you, and you still lose. My encouragement is to look to God in these moments. Curveballs in life can be extremely confusing and even more painful. The pain can even be debilitating. I know it can. I just missed one myself. That is part of why I am writing this. It helps me to process. The thing I keep coming back to is relying on God through this time.
I read this verse to the youth last night, "Blessed be the LORD, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle; he is my steadfast love and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield and he in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples under me" (Psalm 144:1-2).
Usually I like to focus on the aspects of spiritual warfare, and I think that is applicable. Satan likes to try to derail us as we attempt to follow God, but I found myself thinking more about the second verse. God is my "steadfast love." He is "my stronghold" and "my deliverer." He is "my shield" and it is in Him that "I take refuge." That is what I am doing now in the aftermath of my curveball. I am making sure that my center is in Jesus alone. Whether you just got taken by a curveball or if you have been knocking them out of the park, take some time to make sure that Jesus is your focus and your center. Without standing on the solid Rock, you cannot hope to have a good base to swing from.
When life is pitching, a curveball or two are eventually coming your way. Things happen all the time that we do not expect. Remember, though. Not all is lost. I might just have got called out on a curveball, but it is only the beginning of the third inning. I know I have at least one more at bat. You may be further down the line, but no one ever said God was limited to nine innings either.
It is right then that defeat is snatched from the jaws of victory.
Your swing is perfect and the bat comes around quickly to meet the ball, destined for a glorious arc over the center field fence. Yet, right as the contact is about to be made, the ball dips and drops to the side into the catcher's mitt. You saw it coming. That gut feeling as you saw the characteristic spin of the ball is similar to that feeling your stomach gets when the elevator moves down too quickly, but it was far too late to stop your swing.
STRIKE THREE!
And off you go to spend some time reflecting on that luxurious plank of wood in the dugout...
All the "if only" thoughts go through your mind. If I had only seen it sooner, I could have let it go. If I had only swung lower, I would be rounding the bases right now, and this dugout would be emptied of my teammates waiting to congratulate me at home plate. If I had only... anything but swung like I did at that tasty-looking, big-as-a-beach-ball pitch. You feel like an idiot, and it might even be hard to look your teammates in the eye.
Events in life can be like that, and it is not always under your control. The batter can do everything right, and still miss that curveball. You see the pitch. It looks good. You take a good cut, quick and level. There is nothing more that can be expected of you, and you still lose. My encouragement is to look to God in these moments. Curveballs in life can be extremely confusing and even more painful. The pain can even be debilitating. I know it can. I just missed one myself. That is part of why I am writing this. It helps me to process. The thing I keep coming back to is relying on God through this time.
I read this verse to the youth last night, "Blessed be the LORD, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle; he is my steadfast love and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield and he in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples under me" (Psalm 144:1-2).
Usually I like to focus on the aspects of spiritual warfare, and I think that is applicable. Satan likes to try to derail us as we attempt to follow God, but I found myself thinking more about the second verse. God is my "steadfast love." He is "my stronghold" and "my deliverer." He is "my shield" and it is in Him that "I take refuge." That is what I am doing now in the aftermath of my curveball. I am making sure that my center is in Jesus alone. Whether you just got taken by a curveball or if you have been knocking them out of the park, take some time to make sure that Jesus is your focus and your center. Without standing on the solid Rock, you cannot hope to have a good base to swing from.
When life is pitching, a curveball or two are eventually coming your way. Things happen all the time that we do not expect. Remember, though. Not all is lost. I might just have got called out on a curveball, but it is only the beginning of the third inning. I know I have at least one more at bat. You may be further down the line, but no one ever said God was limited to nine innings either.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)