Last week, our reliable old Cressida broke down. Now you have to understand this is the vehicle that my wife drives to work every day. Myrtle — I think that is what she calls the 86 Cressida.  Also, know that we didn’t buy this car new, we bought it when the 92 Camry gave up the ghost several years ago. While this car was not exactly necessary, it was a pleasure we allowed ourselves. It was sitting on a lot in Franklin, TN with barely 70,000 miles on it! It was in excellent shape, only the sun visors showed signs of wear. However, Because of the subsequent death of our Suburban, it has been pressed into daily service, and Susan seems to enjoy driving ‘her’ Myrtle to work.

So, back to last week, Myrtle suffered from an over-exhausted alternator. We tried to revive Myrtle, and she was game. Her dependable engine would turn over and crank, but it required another car’s battery to do so. Luckily, Myrtle had her stroke within short range of our local repair facility. They were able to recover our car and later reported that our suspicions were correct, we needed an alternate alternator.

While Myrtle was in rehab, I drove my 92 Nissan truck. This truck was acquired last year from my mother/sister. It was my father’s old truck, which he bought new.  It was in need of some TLC, and  I have done some work on it, but it still needs some more. Replacing some light covers, tail gate latch, and a little under the hood work has been refreshing. It even came in very handy last year in helping us get all of the decorations and such to our daughter’s wedding. Last week was one of the few days I have actually driven it to work.

For some reason, while driving the truck, it made me think back to the countless miles my father had put into driving it. My father passed away in January, 2005. He was retired and never drove this truck to work. However, I couldn’t help but feel a connection to him as I drove the truck to work. I rode many miles with my father over the years, I would not say I remember very well how he sat, how he placed his hands on the wheel — how he drove, however, driving the truck, many of those memories came back to me. I have experienced that at other times as well. Sometimes when I cook, I will do something that I can well remember my father doing while cooking (placing his hand on the cabinet/range cover above the cook top is a prime example).

This past Sunday, I happened to be teaching from Romans 11. In this section of scripture, Paul mentions Elijah. As we discussed this section of the text, I was reminded of the point that for a 1st century Jewish person, they would have been intimately familiar with Elijah and his role in their community of faith. What came to mind is that each year during the Passover, Elijah holds a special place in the ceremony/meal. Paul, when he mentions Elijah, is trading on that memory, just as the Seder trades on the collective memory of the Jewish people in recalling the works of God in their history. It isn’t all about the here and now, but it is references such as Paul’s that calls to something deep within our being to remember. This was why the Jewish festivals were instituted. So that the people of Israel–God’s people– would remember.

Maybe it is a little like my driving my father’s truck last week. I remember back to the day’s he drove the truck and more importantly to the time we spent together. I don’t know if I ever appreciated my father as much while he was living as I do now. His absence sometimes weighs heavy on both my mind and heart when I wish I could draw from his wisdom. I am so much more thankful today for him than ever before, and I am confident that tomorrow will continue to show an increase in that feeling. My father sacrificed much for me, just like my heavenly Father has. He taught me through gentle instruction and through painfully felt and ‘telt’ lessons. I know I didn’t always appreciate them then, but I so much better understand why he chose those methods at different times.

Today, I was reading through my list of blogs and encountered an entry written by Dr. Holly Ordway. I became familiar with Dr. Ordway through the ministry of Greg Koukl of Stand To Reason. He has spoken of her book, “Not God’s Type” and had interviews with her on his radio show. A former atheist who discovered the love of God as an adult, she brings her significant literary knowledge to us. Dr. Ordway wrote this blog post today on the value of Liturgy. For many years, I felt liturgy was almost a waste of time. It stripped spontaneity out of services, it quelled the Spirit. Recently, I have begun to rethink that view.  Rethinking begin after attending EvenSong at Westminster Abbey twice.  I have grown to appreciate the value of liturgy, for some of the exact reasons Dr. Ordway cites in her blog. I won’t recreate the blog entry here, but I will point toward it for anyone interested:

Dr. Holly Ordway:  The Value of Liturgy

Here is my thought — what would God have us remember that points to Him? Would He have us remember that He has always been faithful to His promises? Would He have us remember that we can always call upon Him in the big and the little?  After reading Dr. Ordway’s blog and browsing through the Book of Common Prayer, I decided it would be a great addition to my daily devotions.  One of the areas I have always felt the most inadequate in is my prayer life.  After reading Dr. Ordway’s entry, I really looked into the BCP Daily Office and have enjoyed the last three days of reading the Office, of special note the prayers offered there!

While I am not ready to completely go “High Church” and advocate a highly liturgical worship, I do see a benefit in some of it’s aspects.  As I feel a struggle in my prayer life, it is comforting to read the prayers that are being read by at least thousands, if not million fellow believer’s across the world. And also in a form that reaches back hundreds of years!  I sense a comfort in sharing the prayers of such a large community.  Through those prayers, I find a more natural flow into my own prayers, with a feeling that they I am more focused and aware of my prayers.  Just like when I sat in the Abbey and felt that I was worshiping where Christians had gathered for over a thousand years to worship our Lord, I find a comfort in the rich traditions of faith that have brought us the Book of Common Prayer.  Its a truly humbling experience.

Filed under: Church History, Liturgy, Spiritual Formation, blogs, Faith, liturgy, promises, remember | Post a comment

I originally wrote this on Amazon.com. However, I also wanted to include it here just in case anyone finds it useful.

Currently on Amazon, I see three reviews for this title. Two of the reviews were written regarding the book only. I was able to watch the DVD and read the accompanying book together. With the book, you are getting the text of the DVD in the opening of each chapter. However, it is a “sterile” presentation of Brueggemann’s own spoken words available on the DVD. If you are seriously considering this book, realize it is presented primarily as a small group resource, or perhaps as a personal reflection resource (I read/watched alone). It is not something that you are going to read to find great insight in the printed word–which seems to be the point that Brueggemann is making about our reading of the sacred text’s of the bible. A simple read of the introduction of the book alone speaks to this through the story of the picture as related by Steve Frost (the Intro is not attributed, I believe it to be Frost writing).

So often, we want to read the Psalm’s as victory. Many Christians think Psalm’s and immediately can quote at least the opening of the 23rd Psalm, “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want”. This is truly a “feel good” Psalm. I can read it and feel good about myself. God is going to take care of me, provide for me, give me peace.

What we miss in Psalm’s is that the 23rd Psalm is kind of an oddity in the book. Many of the Psalms are anything but “feel good” in their openings at least. When Christ hung on the cross, we read these words spoken by him in his pain, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me”. Many Christians struggle with this text as we wonder why the Father would abandon the Son at this time. What we don’t often realize is that this is the text that opens the Psalm that immediately precedes our “feel good” Psalm. Jesus, most likely was quoting the Psalm 22. Psalms are often more about pain and lament rather than joy and victory. This is precisely what Brueggemann is bringing to our attention and inviting us to journey together to discover the joy that comes from acknowledging our pain in a new and fresh way.

The book is composed of five chapters/sessions. Each invites us into a consideration of the role of lament in our lives and in our lives as a community of faith. This is a powerful presentation. The five sessions are:

1. Denial — Interesting start. Yet, probably the most honest start. In our Western society, we live in a society that is becoming more and more insulated against the reality of the world beyond our TV or computer screen. This is honestly and frankly presented in this opening chapter.

2. Status Quo — We want things just as they are. Why? Brueggemann tells us that we aren’t much different than the Israelites during the Exodus. Sure slavery had it’s down days, but it was the “known”. What we fear most is the unknown, not the oppression we perhaps have learned to live with. This is truly a revolutionary thought in my life… This chapter may have been the scariest for me. Glad it didn’t last too long. Except those little questions at the end that keep pulling me back. Glad the phone rang…

3. Breaking the Silence — Now here is a chapter I can get into. Pain killers? Oh yeah, love them. Headaches, pass the Tylenol. We have gotten all about masking pain in our society. Smile, you are at church! Let’s sing a couple of happy songs so that we can really worship… If this is how we want to live, we might want to skip this chapter. Brueggemann is a little brutal here. Strip away that cheap veneer. The quality of the wood being covered is far more beautiful than that cheap laminate. Pain is there for a reason. Unless we feel it, we don’t change. Sadly, we don’t really want to change (see previous chapter).

4. Leading the Lament — Brueggemann breaks into a little Latin in this chapter. In extremis — meaning in “grave danger” is introduced to us. Again, this chapter is one of those that we probably should skip over if we want to feel good about ourselves. Brueggemann uses some all too common imagery to make this chapter way too personal. Yeah, I think I am in extremis… of not understanding what real pain is and how to deal with it. Again, thankfully these are short chapters otherwise who knows what might happen.

5. Juice of Emancipation — And what does all of this mean? Now that I realize how much I ignore real pain and just want God to be my own little happiness dispenser I wonder what’s next? Read it to find out…

More info on title available via Amazon.com.

Filed under: Books, scripture, Spiritual Formation, Uncategorized, Worship, Book Review, Brueggemann, lament, Psalms | Post a comment

Ever pondered what is a shadow?  I am almost afraid to admit I have.  Maybe I should not admit that to freely.  Then again, some who know me may say that is probably one of the least wastes of my time I have engaged in.  Recently I was sitting on a plane and happened to look out the window.  It was interesting because it was a cloudy day, yet the sun was shining.  I happened to look down and the shadow of a cloud could clearly be seen upon the ground beneath me.  Interesting to stop and think about for a second:  what is a shadow?

It is probably safe to assume that most of us have seen shadows.  Even the other day, I noticed our dog, Rolo seeking a shadow to stand in on a hot day.  The shadow afforded by a tree, provided a brief reprieve for Rolo from a south Alabama sun that was beginning to give a taste of things to come.  It struck me that in the case of the tree’s shadow, we actually even give it a unique name–shade.

So, back to the central question concerning the existence of shadows.  A shadow is not really a thing, instead it is the actual lack of something–light.  Maybe to even raise the concern of my friends a little more, I have even considered whether light or dark truly exist.  Theology and cosmology both seem to agree that darkness preexisted light in our universe.  However, the source of the light preexisted the darkness.  So dark really seems to be the absence of light.  I think this could be summarized that darkness has no ontological status — darkness as a thing does not exist.

That may or may not be new information for everyone.  Some may still be wondering what “ontological” even means.  Sometimes I get it, sometimes I don’t.  As Greg Koukl says, ontology deals with the nature of existence.  If something exists, like myself, then I have ontological status.

A shadow does not exist.  Instead, it is simply the absence of light.  If we took away the light, the shadow itself would be replaced by darkness.  Absent the light, a shadow cannot exist.

So, how about the title, “Shadows of Evil”?  What I have also pondered is the existence of evil.  However, I think a shadow shares certain aspects with evil, neither have an ontological status.  Evil does not really exist in separation.  If you look around the universe, you cannot find anything that would be called evil.  Evil cannot adhere itself to another object and impart anything.  Instead, evil is the absence of good.  Just like we don’t know a shadow without light, we don’t really know evil without good.

The problem of evil is perhaps one of the most simple questions that plagues people when they consider whether God exists.  Even if they would perhaps be contemplating whether God exists, it seems that with the prevalence of evil in the world that we see, how can a benevolent God exist?  Fair question.

When we read Genesis 1, there are numerous places where we read that God said creation was “Good”.  It takes quite a while for evil to appear on the scene.  We get all the way to Genesis 2:9, which if you were to be open to the concept of evolution, is probably a period marked by billions of years…  Even if you want to hold to a literalist view of Genesis, it takes a whole chapter, everything has been created before it makes its first appearance.  You can say that it doesn’t appear in creation until creation is storied as a narrative which is the sense of Genesis 2:9.  We don’t see evil as a condition of man (Genesis 3 only says man now possessed the knowledge of the distinction between good and evil) until chapter 6.  So evil takes its time getting out.

It has been said that all that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.  I would offer that while I agree with that, I also think that we can’t lose perspective that it is the actions of other men that are the cause of evil.  I understand that some people will say that not all evil is caused by man, that there is in fact a category called “natural evil”.  However, I don’t really think of the results of a hurricane or a tsunami as “evil”.  The cause of an earthquake is the shift of tektonic plates, unfortunately, the planet we live on is destined to suffer from these shifts.  There is no intent to cause destruction of homes built upon beautiful overlooking cliffs in an earthquake.  Others may carry a concept of natural evil, but for this discussion, I am setting that aside.

You see, God didn’t create evil.  He created good.  It is when Good is absent that evil can be observed.  Just as when the light is blocked we see the shadow, when good is absent we can see evil.  Ravi Zacharias has offered that evil is when a thing does not do that which it was created to do–when it fails it’s purpose.  I like that definition.

So when we want to raise the objection about the existence of God based on the problem of evil, we might do well to stop and question ourselves regarding how we have not fulfilled our purpose.  Even absent a belief in God, I think most people would still say that they have at times acted in a way that they knew was not good.  They have obscured the good they knew to be and in its absence allowed existence to evil.  Maybe it is not a great evil, maybe just a small thing.  Maybe calling it an evil is almost hyperbolic.  Still, when we

compare our actions to perfection, then it seems that it does not take a great departure from good to really give substance to evil.

In Luke 18:19, Jesus asked the young man why he called him good?  Jesus replied that only one was good, and that was God.  I have also heard Ravi explain an answer he gave on an exam he had to take for his denominational credentials.  The question that was asked was something like, “God is perfect, explain.”  As Ravi relates the story, the space for the answer was brief, “For only by being brief, could one hope to avoid heresy!” he quipped.  The beauty of his response was along the line that, “Every being besides God finds the reason for their existence externally.  God, is the only being that exists independent of any other cause.  In this, God is perfect.”  When even the best of us are compared to His perfection, the gulf can never be little.

I find it interesting that the Hebrews had a concept of light as the ideal.  Scripture tells us we are called to be the light of the world (Matthew 5).  If we are the light of the world, then we can deny the existence of shadows.  If we live as the light, we can also deny existence to evil.  This seems a high calling.  It can’t be done by chance.  Albert Einstein once said that ““Only a life lived for others is worth living”.  When questioned about the greatest commandment, Christ gave two.  “He answered: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Luke 10)

Ravi Zacharias tells a story of a young father that is asked by his daughter why her Mother died.

He spoke of a child who lost her mother and asked her dad ‘If Jesus died on the cross for our sins, why did mommy have to die?’ The heartrending question left her father at loss for words. Later when they were driving down, the father noticed a huge truck traveling alongside. He noticed the shadow of the truck and asked the little girl to have a look at it. He then asked her, ‘If you were to be run over by either the truck or its shadow, which one would you choose?’ The daughter replied, ‘the shadow daddy, because the shadow wouldn’t hurt’. The father smiled and replied, ‘When Jesus died on the cross, the truck of God’s judgment went over Him, so the death we go through is only the shadow of death.’      quoted from http://www.buzzle.com/articles/words-of-encouragement-from-the-bible.html

Filed under: General, evil, shadows | Post a comment

This youtube clip from Francis Chan asks us to consider the awe factor of God.  Do we really think about this?  Do we stop and think that the God that created the universe, a universe so vast that when you look at the last view that Chan shows in the clip, you don’t even see our galaxy!  Yet, it is that same God that created all of that that jealously yearns to be in a relationship with each of us! Jealous, maybe that word bothers some of us.  We think of it as negative, it so often can be.  However, there is a lesser definition of jealousy that we often overlook.

3: vigilant in guarding a possession <new colonies were jealous of their new independence — Scott Buchanan>

From:  http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jealous

Awesome God

Filed under: apologetics, New Churches, awesome, creation, God | Post a comment

Many Christians have heard the term ‘apologetics’ and have negative reactions.  Some are completely unfamiliar with the word.  The basis for Christian Apologetics is found in 1 Peter 3:15 “but sanctify in your hearts Christ as Lord: being ready always to give answer to every man that asketh you a reason concerning the hope that is in you, yet with meekness and fear”.  The Greek word that is here translated ‘answer’ is apologia.  It is usually rendered as answer or defense.

Paul preaching in Athens

What is a defense or answer?  Maybe it is easiest to start with what apologetics is not.  What apologetics is not is a bitter argument.  The last portion of the verse 15 informs us that our answers must be tempered with meekness and fear.  Noted Christian apologist Greg Koukl in his book ‘Tactics’ reminds us that our goal is never to win an argument, but instead to win a brother/sister.  This key principal must permeate our approach and response to the task of apologetics.

Apologetics is also not the final step in the journey of faith.  At best it is a beginning to removing the barriers that prevent another from seeing the cross.

So, what is apologetics?  It is being able to offer a rational and reasonable response to the questions surrounding our faith in Christ.  It is being able and willing to help others encounter the Risen Christ.

Filed under: General | Post a comment

I was driving into work just recently, listening to Ravi Z just like I do so many mornings.  Some days, I stay right with Ravi the entire time–hanging on every word and story.  This particular morning, I was listening to a podcast that I had heard before.  The topic was “Worship: A Clue to the Meaning of Life”.  Ravi draws from the Old Testament in this message from the Book of Malachi.  This is a rich sermon from Ravi that drives to a very core subject that continues to run through my head on various occasions– what is worship and how do we worship?

One verse that particularly struck me and I don’t think Ravi spent any time developing was found in Malachi 1.  The specific reference starts with verse 7 and extends only a few verses through verse 9.  I offer it below from the NIV:

⁷b   “But you ask, ‘How have we defiled you?’

“By saying that the LORD’s table is contemptible. ⁸ When you offer blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice lame or diseased animals, is that not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you?” says the LORD Almighty.

⁹ “Now plead with God to be gracious to us. With such offerings from your hands, will he accept you?”—says the LORD Almighty.

Maybe I over analyze things too much (I have been accused of that a few times).  However, I was kind of taken aback in thinking about this verse and why God would demand the sacrifice of the “first fruits” and not accept the sick and lame animals being sacrificed.  Perhaps my thinking was slightly flavored from websites with themes such as “why god hates amputees”.  But, I made a left hand turn onto another road and found my thoughts straying from the path Ravi was heading down.  Bear with me as I write out my thoughts.

Imagine the Israelite of the day, they are bringing into the temple a sacrifice to present to God.  However, if they have raised an animal that is sickly or lame and now simply decide that sacrificing the animal is a “way out” of their plight, what have they done?  Really?  That animal has no significant value in a market that is based upon desire and “value”.  Why not give it to God?  It would satisfy the technical requirement of a sacrifice.  They can save the fatted calf for themselves and their family.

Here is where the crux of the problem begin to develop in my mind.  If we only see the value of the sick and the lame as something to be “sacrificed” or given up, then have we not really begun to implement a value system that devalues the sick and the lame?  Have we not instituted a system that oppresses the lessor desired?  When we only see the value of the sick and the lame as an ends to a means–in this case a fulfillment of a sacrificial obligation, have we not begun a systematic exploitation of the weaker?

God was not interested in devaluing the sick and the lame by ignoring their being offered as a sacrifice.  Instead he was speaking to the heart that had already devalued that which was being offered.  You see, God is much more interested in the heart behind the sacrifice than the sacrifice itself.  This speaks back to the day and time of Cain and Abel and how God viewed their sacrifices.  How should God view our sacrifices as any different?  When I give to God, do I give of my first fruits?  When I give Him my worship, do I give Him the passionate worship that is at the beginning of my week, or the tired worship that is effected by being up and out too late Saturday?  Do I offer to Him the best of my thoughts, or do I cobble together a few scraps and maybe some perfunctory reading that will check the box?  Do I offer to God the meat of my life, or do I hope that the sick and lame scraps I cast toward him will be enough?

Yeah, Malachi is kind of old as a book, written so very long ago, but that really just means that my problem is not something new.  Then again, the answer to my problem is older than the world itself.

John 1:3 says, “Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.”

Is is even possible that the God who breathed the world into existence, who formed the heavens and the earth, who caused the stars to shine cares about even me?  Does He stand in the road and look for me as the Prodigal Son’s father did.  Awaiting me anxiously and when I appear doesn’t desire that I stand anywhere but with him, wearing a fine robe and a ring.  For me He would kill the fatted calf, not saving the best for anyone else.

Yeah, maybe God hates the lame and the sick — enough to heal them with His very touch.  Enough to take the time to walk all the way to the Cross.  Enough to spread His arms and say, “I Love You This Much”.

Filed under: Compassion, General, Worship, lame, Malachi, Old Testament, Ravi, sacrifice, sick | 1 Comment

As a young child, I loved to bang on things. I think anyone who has been around young boys has experienced the phenomenon of which I write. If you take a small boy, add an object in his hand and another object within an arms reach, you will likely see this phenomenon played out. Some boys will grow up and this innate desire will mature into the ability to strike one object with another and produce a rhythmic melody, my own ability never matured and many three-year olds can come closer to rhythm or melody than I. A very few boys (and girls, who also seem to have the same innate inclination yet seem to grow weary of it far faster than young men) will mature the ability to the point that they can entertain us, some further to the point that they can participate in a orchestra that can reach through our ears and grasp our very soul.

An orchestra is not a singular entity.  Instead it is a combination of various parts that together combine to present to us a diverse yet unified composition.  I hear the fullness of the orchestra yet I can also distinguish the individuality of the drums and violins.  The flutes are there along with the oboes.  The saxophones contribute equally with the triangles.  All play parts–none stands alone, although perhaps each could in the right situation.

What does this have in common with scripture?  Were you even thinking this question?  I think scripture is extremely similar to an orchestra.  Surely, we can read individual scriptures portions and gain some wonderful truths and tenets by which we should live.  John 3:16 is a phenomenal statement of God’s love for us.  However, it is when we read John 3 in light of Genesis 3 that the fullness of the message is gained.  Dr. Tom Wright points this out in his book I am now reading, “Surprised by Hope”. The fallen state of man in Genesis 3 would leave us distraught if not for the beauty of the promise of John 3, most specifically stated in John 3:16.

The struggle that we can so easily find ourselves in with scripture, is that at times we are hesitant to appreciate that scripture is at its best as a symphonic entity.  While written by a diverse group of writers, it is not merely a collection of individual writings. Instead each writer builds upon the tradition and scripture that preceded them and perhaps also with an echo forward to the scripture that will come to be.  So, while the Epistle to the church at Ephesus may be an excellent reading within its own right, we can only appreciate the rich complexity of the writing when we understand that Paul was building upon the richness of a long historical basis laid before him. And Paul would himself continue to build upon that foundation, laying upon it if you will a construction of beams that would provide the basis for the flooring of early Christianity.

Another example where we see the unity of scripture is the connections between the story related by Matthew, Mark, and Luke of the disciples observance of the transfiguration of Christ. The similarities between the white gleaming of Christ on the mountain and the radiance of Christ as he revealed himself to Paul on the road to Damascus is unmistakable. Again, one story may carry the rhythm while the second contributes a percussive crescendo.

So as we read scripture, let us be always diligent to reflect upon the entirety of scripture and not simply settle for solo performances that while masterful, more fully can be appreciated when considered within their context of the full orchestra of God’s word. It would also serve us well to always remember that it is not the text printed on the page that contains the power, but the God who moved among man in recording His love and grace toward us. It is when scripture is played within our hearts and mouths that we can fully appreciate the matchless beauty of God’s words in our lives.

Filed under: Blogging, Faith, scripture, Damascus, Genesis, John, love, Orchestra, Paul, scripture, symphony | 1 Comment

There are many giants in the Christian tradition that we owe very deep debts to for our Christian heritage.  Some of them are hallowed names of the past such as Wesley, Calvin, Luther, Augustine, Pascal.  Some of them are names of people more familiar such as Mother Theresa, and Billy Graham.  Some are probably more obscure, and are known only within smaller communities such as Robert Marley (my father-in-law, a retired Nazarene pastor) and David Seymour (my current pastor, who is burdened with my constant pestering about things probably all to obvious to him), and Donald Smith, a pastor I sat under for probably as long as any single pastor during my life while we lived in Florida.  Each of these people have contributed in so many ways to my spiritual growth and maturity by encouragement, admonition, and even sometimes just admitting when questions don’t have good answers.  I am thankful that God has placed each of them in my life and await the day when together, we will all worship around the throne!!

Today’s post is on another name from the past.  A phenomenal mind in the history of the Christian faith, and one that we owe a sincere debt to for pushing the envelope of thinkers in the church.  This man is Galileo.  This gentleman was not only a brilliant mathematician and physicist, but a philosopher as well.  Few minds deserve the accolades that should be bestowed on Galileo, hailed by Stephen Hawking as, “perhaps more than any other single person, [Galileo] was responsible for the birth of modern science.”

During his life, Galileo fail afoul of the church for what was termed a “vehement suspicion of heresy”.  Asked to recant from his position that the earth revolved around the sun (heliocentrism) as opposed to the more conventional theory demanded by the more popular geocentric belief (sun revolving around the earth), Galileo initially conceded yet later published a work that championed his properly held belief.

However, this is not the subject of what I want to peer into in Galileo works.  Instead, I would like to investigate and bring to light a few other statements made by Galileo that I consider more important and relevant in my own personal walk of faith.  A great line I recently read that still resonates within my heart his a line he penned in communication with Madame Christina of Lorraine, Grand Duchess of Tuscany: Concerning the Use of Biblical Quotations in Matters of Science.  Galileo wrote;

“But I do not feel obliged to believe that that same God who has endowed us with senses, reason, and intellect has intended to forgo their use and by some other means to give us knowledge which we can attain by them.”

One of the challenges I have encountered both from atheists in discussions and shockingly even from within the church itself is that we faith is in opposition to knowledge.  Any attempt to increase in knowledge about God would be to lessen the faith that one has.  There is an assertion that faith is diminished by knowledge.  Frankly, I find this position ludicrous!  There is no sincere contrariness between faith and knowledge.  To proclaim such would be to equate ignorance with faith.  Galileo, one of the most brilliant minds in the world surely did not see a contradiction between his faith and his immense knowledge! Perhaps this challenge from the side of believer’s is simply a misunderstanding.  I remain open to that possibility.  Otherwise, the challenge itself seems to be based on a desire to remain ignorant.  That I find untenable and without scriptural warrant.

Filed under: General, Faith, Galileo, knowledge, reason | 3 Comments

Many of us have seen or are aware of the reality show that features Donald Trump expressing his dismay with a potential employee by pointing at them and declaring, “You’re Fired!”.  We have seen that line almost take on a life of it’s own with even political candidates using it as a potential judgment on an incumbent opponent.  What was once seen as a line of dread and rejection, has almost become a comedic pronouncement that tickles our satisfaction for watching people suffer.  While I see a few implications for theology in this (bear with me), the one I want to focus on today has to do with a concept we see emerge in the Old Testament Book of Leviticus.  The first chapter of Leviticus begins to outline the customs and practices of the early Israelite nation and the topic of sacrifice, and more specifically burnt offering comes into view early within chapter 1 of the book.  Although addressing the instituting of burnt offering sacrifices is in Leviticus, it should be noted the first instance of burnt offering appears further back in Genesis 8 with Noah and their are additional burn sacrifices in Genesis and Exodus.

Many of us have experiences with burnt offerings.  In the early years of marriage, they are the creations of a loving wife attempting to create culinary delights offered to an appreciative (if unsuspecting) mate.  Or, they are those first attempts by a husband in learning how to properly master the flame of a Weber grill which results in a creation not fulfilling the full meaning of “blackened”. In this article we are talking about a little different burnt offering, one that is rooted in Leviticus 1. 

Perhaps first we should distinguish between an offering and a burnt offering. For a regular offering, either animal or grain, a portion would be consumed. Sometimes the offering would be eaten by the offeror and often by the priests themselves. A burnt offering, as opposed to a regular offering, is one in which the entirety of the offered will be consumed in the fire.  So, unlike the early-marriage burnt offering which will still be consumed by at least the husband, perhaps even amid declarations of a feast, the burnt offering of the Israelite was not to be enjoyed by the offeror nor the priest, but only by God.

The relevant text from Leviticus for this discussion is found in Leviticus 1 where the Lord speaks to Moses and Aaron:

² “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When anyone among you brings an offering to the LORD, bring as your offering an animal from either the herd or the flock.

³ “‘If the offering is a burnt offering from the herd, you are to offer a male without defect. You must present it at the entrance to the tent of meeting so that it will be acceptable to the LORD. ⁴ You are to lay your hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it will be accepted on your behalf to make atonement for you. ⁵ You are to slaughter the young bull before the LORD, and then Aaron’s sons the priests shall bring the blood and splash it against the sides of the altar at the entrance to the tent of meeting. ⁶ You are to skin the burnt offering and cut it into pieces. ⁷ The sons of Aaron the priest are to put fire on the altar and arrange wood on the fire. ⁸ Then Aaron’s sons the priests shall arrange the pieces, including the head and the fat, on the wood that is burning on the altar. ⁹ You are to wash the internal organs and the legs with water, and the priest is to burn all of it on the altar. It is a burnt offering, a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the LORD.

¹⁰ “‘If the offering is a burnt offering from the flock, from either the sheep or the goats, you are to offer a male without defect. ¹¹ You are to slaughter it at the north side of the altar before the LORD, and Aaron’s sons the priests shall splash its blood against the sides of the altar. ¹² You are to cut it into pieces, and the priest shall arrange them, including the head and the fat, on the wood that is burning on the altar. ¹³ You are to wash the internal organs and the legs with water, and the priest is to bring all of them and burn them on the altar. It is a burnt offering, a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the LORD.

When reading this passage, a couple of things tend to stand out to me.  The first thing of note is found in verse 4.  Here, the offeror is instructed to “lay your hand on the head of the burnt offering”.  This, we are told is so that the offering will be accepted on their behalf as an atonement.  Also, we are told that it is the offeror who would slaughter the animal. What I couldn’t help thinking is that this made the act very personal.  The offering is brought into the Tent of Meeting and the offeror has to be personally involved in the act.  It would not be enough that perhaps a laborer could lead in the animal and allow the Israelite to be separated from the offering.  This required a close, personal contact.  A direct acknowledgment that the offering was not just some abstract commandment, but deep and personal.

Sometimes we act as if our sin does not have consequences. I have read and heard Ravi Zacharias talking about pleasures. He made a point in his discussion that continues to permeate my mind. He was drawing the distinction between legitimate and illegitimate pleasures. The difference between the two that he highlighted was that we pay in advance for legitimate pleasures and then we enjoy them. For illegitimate pleasures, while there may be some cost prior to the pleasure, the greatest cost is after the actual pleasure experience. Burnt offerings were for unintentional sins, those that we inadvertently commit. The act of laying both hands on the animal and the act of sacrifice call to us to be intentional, to live a life wholly committed to God.

The problem that many of us face in living out our lives is precisely because we don’t practice with our lives the concept of the burnt offering. We don’t fully commit to the offering. We want to hold out and get some benefit of the offering for ourselves. Perhaps we are content with giving God our whole heart, but not our whole mind. Maybe it is our whole mind, but we want to continue to hold our own heart.

We want to not lay both hands on the offering, but instead hold onto the offering with one hand. Kind of reminds me of a story about catching monkeys. They would put the bait in the bottom of a container. The monkey would reach in and grasp the bait. The opening of the container was wide enough to allow the opened hand of the monkey to enter, but narrow enough to trap the closed fist. Instead of releasing the bait and gaining freedom, the monkey would continue to grasp the bait allowing it to be captured. We do that too. We want to hold out a portion of our life instead of completely offering it all to God.

So, much like the burnt offering of the Leviticus, we need to understand what it means to fully lay our lives on the alter to be consumed by God’s purpose. We need to understand that what we lay on the altar is God’s. As the creator of life and us, God is far better able to maximize our effectiveness if we are fully yielded to Him. Philipians 4:13 says it best when Paul penned these words: “”I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” (KJV).

I need to quit holding on and thinking that I can hold out the best for myself and give God almost all. What I need to understand is that like Donald Trump, when it comes to running my life, God is trying to say to me, “Your Fired!”

Filed under: General, burnt, Fired, offering, Theology | Post a comment

Ever wonder what is really behind a name?  Perhaps we shouldn’t.  We may not like what we learn.  You see, if we stop to look behind a name, we might see faces.  Seeing faces may not sound scary, but what if we begin to associate the name and the face?

Here is a little test — Who is pictured to the right?  Can you identify who this person is?  Does he matter to you in your life (ok, if you are frustrated with your computer right now, it is likely that you think he does matter — given that his company is the provider for the Operating System your computer most likely uses)?  A large number of people probably can identify this person.  And to be fair to Mr. Gates, I don’t want to pick on him.  I could have picked many famous people to put in his place.  It could have been Barack Obama, George Bush, Oprah Winfrey… pick someone.  There are countless people that most of us could easily pick out in a photo lineup.

What I am curious about, is how many of us can identify the picture on the left?  Struggling with her name?  To be fair, there is probably no reason you would know her.  The picture you see is of a homeless person, or more accurately she was a homeless person.  Her name was Leslie “Jill” May.  What is spectacular about her?  Maybe nothing.  Her’s is a face that is similar to a face in every city.  She lives under many bridges and begs on many corners.  I know I have walked by many a Jill.  I have sometimes dug in my pocket for a few coins.  I have sometimes just turned my head and kept walking.

(For the story of Leslie “Jill” May, read her story here)

What bothers me?  Well, I can probably pick out many people like Bill Gates that I could have put in his place.  How many people could I have replaced Jill May with?  Do I know anyone?  Hardly.  Recently, I was reading the book, “The Economy of Love” and this line sprang out at me:

“A great tragedy of the American church is not that rich Christians do not care about the poor but that we do not know the poor.” pg 30, “Economy of Love” – House Studio 2010

Is this true?  Surely the answer cannot be yes?  I mean, come on.  In the Gospel of Matthew it is recorded that Jesus spoke these words,

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me… I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’– Matthew 25:34-36,40

That leaves me in a little of a situation doesn’t it?  Perhaps, but perhaps not.  I mean, maybe I am not responsible for those I couldn’t really help.  Yeah, that’s right.  I could fool myself into believing that if Christ hadn’t covered the bases with that verse 40 part.  Yeah, he knows me all right, but not in the way I was hoping for.

So, the question I am struck by today — between Bill Gates and Jill May– would benefit more if I knew their name?  What if I could walk downtown and walk among the homeless and greet them by name?  What if I could reach out to that orphan or abused child and speak their name to them?  What if I knew them– not as pictures but as people.  As those who carry the image of God so unknowingly.  Not to worry about their salvation, but to worry about their humanity?  Sorry Bill, and George, Barack — you too Oprah… there are others out there who would like for me to know them.  I guess you guys are on your own.  Good luck*

* Feel free to join me though.  Let’s meet those other people together.  You guys want to change the world?  Get busy, it wants to be changed.

Filed under: Compassion, Emergent/Missional Church, Holiness, Spiritual Formation, Compassion, economy, homeless, love, poor | 6 Comments