Friday, December 08, 2006
Narcissus killed himself...
Questions and issues about identity go beyond the limits of psychology. Pray that the Holy Spirit will move our eyes to Christ. If not, we will end up like Narcissus. He died while looking obsessively into his own reflection, for he loved to preoccupy himself with himself.
Friday, December 01, 2006
Consuming Fire
"Our God is a consuming fire." The author of the biblical book of Hebrews 12:29 thusly describes Gods' essence. God is a raging inferno of heat, a blazing torch that lights the universe. The author of Hebrews quotes this statement about God from Deuteronomy 4:29 and 9:3. This is striking in light of Christ's death and resurrection. Why?
Moses who wrote Deuteronomy states that God is a consuming fire, reminding the Israelites that they saw God descend on Mount Sinai in smoke, noise, fire, and an earthquake. God's presence shook the Israelites to fear so much so that they acknowledged that if God spoke to them any longer they would melt to death.
Despite this potential to die from God, who is a consuming, the author of Hebrews avers that God remains a consuming. What does this mean for Christians? It means that in Christ God is still a consuming fire. What?
In Christ we will have resurrected bodies in which we will endure and enjoy the heat of God. Think about it. The sun is 27,000,000 degrees at its core---what does that say about God who created the sun. Well, because we are in Christ, who is God, instead of experiencing a melting death, we will absorb all God, all his fiery presence as everlasting joy and power.
Moses who wrote Deuteronomy states that God is a consuming fire, reminding the Israelites that they saw God descend on Mount Sinai in smoke, noise, fire, and an earthquake. God's presence shook the Israelites to fear so much so that they acknowledged that if God spoke to them any longer they would melt to death.
Despite this potential to die from God, who is a consuming, the author of Hebrews avers that God remains a consuming. What does this mean for Christians? It means that in Christ God is still a consuming fire. What?
In Christ we will have resurrected bodies in which we will endure and enjoy the heat of God. Think about it. The sun is 27,000,000 degrees at its core---what does that say about God who created the sun. Well, because we are in Christ, who is God, instead of experiencing a melting death, we will absorb all God, all his fiery presence as everlasting joy and power.
Friday, November 03, 2006
Sojourn and Exile
"All these died in faith, without receiving the promises...having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth" (Hebrews 11:13). Hebrews 11:13 teaches this: If you believe in Christ, your life on earth is exile.
True, God calls us to be stewards of his creation, and to redeem the time. But God also calls us sojourners and exiles on earth. That is tension. Enhance life earth, remember your exile. Love your emenies, hate your mother and father and wife. Be slaves to serve men because you are free in Christ; be free from men because you are a slave to Christ.
All the tribulation, pain, unmet longing, all the disappoints of spouses and the guilt felt when we wrong a loved one, all of life under the cruse is endurable because we have new birth in Christ and are in his love us that liberates us to embrace all agony in our exile.
True, God calls us to be stewards of his creation, and to redeem the time. But God also calls us sojourners and exiles on earth. That is tension. Enhance life earth, remember your exile. Love your emenies, hate your mother and father and wife. Be slaves to serve men because you are free in Christ; be free from men because you are a slave to Christ.
All the tribulation, pain, unmet longing, all the disappoints of spouses and the guilt felt when we wrong a loved one, all of life under the cruse is endurable because we have new birth in Christ and are in his love us that liberates us to embrace all agony in our exile.
Sunday, October 29, 2006
Christian Eroticism
Christian eroticism. Does it exist? Read the Song of Solomon. Christian marriages (all marriage in general) suffer--and much of that suffering is in the bed (or out of it?). Now I’m a single white male, but from what I hear, one place marriages suffer is the bed. Christians need to recover and discover a healthly view of “Christian eroticism" (my friend Chaplain Matt Temple coined this apparent oxymoron).
Consider this: "Sustain me with raisins; refresh me with apples for I am sick with love" (Song 2:5). When was the last time you (married person) were sick with love? Is the job a distraction? Is the degree troubling you?
Do you spend more time reading than making love? Maybe you've spent more time wipping your kid than feeling your spouse's pulse at night---alone? Do you spend more time talking baby talk than saying things to your spouse like, "How much better is your love than wine" (Song 4:10).
The last time I drank wine, I felt it. Do you want to feel love like you feel wine? If you don't, honestly, what's the point? If your marriage is boring, a hassle, drudgery? If so..., thanks for the example. Give me this: "Love is strong as death, jealousy is fierce as the grave" (Song 8:6a). Give me love stronger than death, otherwise, I'll wait for Jesus' final return.
Consider this: "Sustain me with raisins; refresh me with apples for I am sick with love" (Song 2:5). When was the last time you (married person) were sick with love? Is the job a distraction? Is the degree troubling you?
Do you spend more time reading than making love? Maybe you've spent more time wipping your kid than feeling your spouse's pulse at night---alone? Do you spend more time talking baby talk than saying things to your spouse like, "How much better is your love than wine" (Song 4:10).
The last time I drank wine, I felt it. Do you want to feel love like you feel wine? If you don't, honestly, what's the point? If your marriage is boring, a hassle, drudgery? If so..., thanks for the example. Give me this: "Love is strong as death, jealousy is fierce as the grave" (Song 8:6a). Give me love stronger than death, otherwise, I'll wait for Jesus' final return.
Sunday, October 22, 2006
The day of death better than birth...
Recently a friend of mine (Chaplin Matt Temple) conducted a funeral. He made me aware that the first statement in the famous "a time to...a time to" passage in Scripture is "a time to be born, and a time to die" (Eccl 3:2).
The day of death is better than the day of birth (Eccl 7:2). Of coarse, that depends on who you are. Death comes to all. And that's why the Preacher avows, "It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind" (Eccl 7:2).
Societies are marked by feasting: from the rich American who snorts cocaine and wife-swaps, to the poor Haitian peasant who after work inebriates himself with moon-shine under the moon light blackness of a sweltering Haiti night.
"Sorrow is better than laughter" (Eccl 7:3a). "The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning" (Eccl 7:4a). Are you wise? Go to the house of mourning. That is a philosophical tension in life. Jesus promises to make our joy complete, but he would tell us to go to the house of mourning---for this is the end of all mankind.
The day of death is better than the day of birth (Eccl 7:2). Of coarse, that depends on who you are. Death comes to all. And that's why the Preacher avows, "It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind" (Eccl 7:2).
Societies are marked by feasting: from the rich American who snorts cocaine and wife-swaps, to the poor Haitian peasant who after work inebriates himself with moon-shine under the moon light blackness of a sweltering Haiti night.
"Sorrow is better than laughter" (Eccl 7:3a). "The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning" (Eccl 7:4a). Are you wise? Go to the house of mourning. That is a philosophical tension in life. Jesus promises to make our joy complete, but he would tell us to go to the house of mourning---for this is the end of all mankind.
Friday, October 20, 2006
Leap for Joy
When the disciples "left the presence of the council rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name" (Acts 5:41) they vindicated Christ. Jesus Christ taught that those who suffer persecution for his name's sake are blessed: "Blessed are you when men hate you...on account of the Son of Man" (Luke 6:22).
If that teaching didn't hit hard radically enough, he continues his rhetorical radicalizing, commanding, "Rejoice in that day." The holy madness continues with this final stroke, "...and leap for Joy!" Only Jesus could teach this.
And why can the disciple "leap for joy!" when men hate him?---because Jesus promises, "For behold, your reward is great in heaven" (Luke 6:23). Allegiance to Christ means obedience to his command to leap for joy when men hate you for his sake.
If that teaching didn't hit hard radically enough, he continues his rhetorical radicalizing, commanding, "Rejoice in that day." The holy madness continues with this final stroke, "...and leap for Joy!" Only Jesus could teach this.
And why can the disciple "leap for joy!" when men hate him?---because Jesus promises, "For behold, your reward is great in heaven" (Luke 6:23). Allegiance to Christ means obedience to his command to leap for joy when men hate you for his sake.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)