Easiest thing in the world: Sit on the sideline, don't get involved in the production/game/play, then shout down the ones who are in the action for not doing what the spectators think they should.
Just an observation.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Control
Why do we insist on making this business of following Jesus so cleverly packaged; all nice and neat, the loose ends all wrapped together and tied into a beautiful bow on top? Have you read the Bible lately?! What a mess! Murder, sex, deceit-and these were the ones the God used to further His purposes, the Big Names, if you will.
How do we get to the place where we say that this is the way or that is how that will happen or God is going to work like this? I think it is because we are ill at ease with the mystery that is God; we can't control it.
So much time and effort is spent trying to make sure that we have, as one of my youth group kids used to say, our "poop in a group". Somehow if everything is lined up, we feel like we are in control a bit more. It's a lie that we buy quickly and keep going back for more.
At what point in a person's journey with Jesus do we expect Him to say, "You know, you pretty much have this whole life thing figured out, your resume looks good, your children are behaving themselves, you haven't really sinned (I mean the big sins, not just the little ones) for a good while. I'm just going to go check on a few others who are really struggling and leave you in your very own capable hands for a little while. If you need me, and I doubt you will, you know where to find me."
I am not saying that we should let all of our ugliness be on display all the time. It just seems that we would all do well to learn a little humility before God and be ok with saying "I'm not exactly sure but I am trusting that God is in control, He sees the end from the beginning and He will never leave me nor forsake me."
How do we get to the place where we say that this is the way or that is how that will happen or God is going to work like this? I think it is because we are ill at ease with the mystery that is God; we can't control it.
So much time and effort is spent trying to make sure that we have, as one of my youth group kids used to say, our "poop in a group". Somehow if everything is lined up, we feel like we are in control a bit more. It's a lie that we buy quickly and keep going back for more.
At what point in a person's journey with Jesus do we expect Him to say, "You know, you pretty much have this whole life thing figured out, your resume looks good, your children are behaving themselves, you haven't really sinned (I mean the big sins, not just the little ones) for a good while. I'm just going to go check on a few others who are really struggling and leave you in your very own capable hands for a little while. If you need me, and I doubt you will, you know where to find me."
I am not saying that we should let all of our ugliness be on display all the time. It just seems that we would all do well to learn a little humility before God and be ok with saying "I'm not exactly sure but I am trusting that God is in control, He sees the end from the beginning and He will never leave me nor forsake me."
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Shortcomings
All my life, I have done a tremendous job of holding myself back.
I don't know what triggered this thought, but it hit me pretty hard yesterday afternoon. It seems like life does that though, doesn't it? You are cruising along, doing what you do, and "WHAM!...Deal with this!!". Whoa.
I realized that I have been the King of Lame Excuses, The Master Procrastinator and The Talent/Gift Comparison Expert all rolled into one tall, skinny, bald-headed package. I have had things all my life that I would like to do or try and, one way or another, I have talked myself out of them. Dreams that have gone unrealized because I was too afraid to attempt to catch them, suitcases that have remained unpacked because I decided against the trip, excitement that has been kept to myself because I feel the need to be under control; I think they all boil down to two things.
Fear of man and lack of faith.
These two probably run together hand in hand down the beach every time I decide that I know what is the best for me and I leave God out of the equation. I have probably squandered multiple opportunities to realize fully what God has had for me over the years. That doesn't mean that I have missed God or that I have been outside of His will. It just means that I have not fully immersed myself in what He has given me.
The fear of man comes in the form of wondering what others will think, as well as not being sure of my own abilities to do something "well". The lack of faith is not believing that God might call me to give myself to a certain task because it could be beyond me.
I don't know that I won't be afraid or that I will have abundant faith from this point forward. I do know that I am aware of my (multiple) shortcomings and will daily lay them at the feet of my King.
Peace.
I don't know what triggered this thought, but it hit me pretty hard yesterday afternoon. It seems like life does that though, doesn't it? You are cruising along, doing what you do, and "WHAM!...Deal with this!!". Whoa.
I realized that I have been the King of Lame Excuses, The Master Procrastinator and The Talent/Gift Comparison Expert all rolled into one tall, skinny, bald-headed package. I have had things all my life that I would like to do or try and, one way or another, I have talked myself out of them. Dreams that have gone unrealized because I was too afraid to attempt to catch them, suitcases that have remained unpacked because I decided against the trip, excitement that has been kept to myself because I feel the need to be under control; I think they all boil down to two things.
Fear of man and lack of faith.
These two probably run together hand in hand down the beach every time I decide that I know what is the best for me and I leave God out of the equation. I have probably squandered multiple opportunities to realize fully what God has had for me over the years. That doesn't mean that I have missed God or that I have been outside of His will. It just means that I have not fully immersed myself in what He has given me.
The fear of man comes in the form of wondering what others will think, as well as not being sure of my own abilities to do something "well". The lack of faith is not believing that God might call me to give myself to a certain task because it could be beyond me.
I don't know that I won't be afraid or that I will have abundant faith from this point forward. I do know that I am aware of my (multiple) shortcomings and will daily lay them at the feet of my King.
Peace.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Random Links
I'm going to cheat a bit and not really write much. I am going to give you some links to things I have found on the web that have inspired, provoked,enlightened or amused me over the last few weeks. Most of these are from blogs that I read every day.
I think it helps us to read alot. I don't always agree with the things that I come across on these sites but they stir me to think and that is always a good thing.
http://dickstaub.com/culturewatch.php?record_id=1235
http://donmilleris.com/2010/04/30/if-youre-life-were-a-movie/
http://donmilleris.com/2010/04/23/telling-the-truth-is-more-important-than-selling-the-truth/
http://mockingbirdnyc.blogspot.com/2010/04/killed-by-robber.html
http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2010/04/the-coming-meltdown-in-higher-education-as-seen-by-a-marketer.html
That should be plenty for now. I'll try to get some lighter stuff in here at some point in the near future.
Peace.
P.S. Click the post title for one more. Amazing!
I think it helps us to read alot. I don't always agree with the things that I come across on these sites but they stir me to think and that is always a good thing.
http://dickstaub.com/culturewatch.php?record_id=1235
http://donmilleris.com/2010/04/30/if-youre-life-were-a-movie/
http://donmilleris.com/2010/04/23/telling-the-truth-is-more-important-than-selling-the-truth/
http://mockingbirdnyc.blogspot.com/2010/04/killed-by-robber.html
http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2010/04/the-coming-meltdown-in-higher-education-as-seen-by-a-marketer.html
That should be plenty for now. I'll try to get some lighter stuff in here at some point in the near future.
Peace.
P.S. Click the post title for one more. Amazing!
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