One of the best pieces I have ever read at Relevant - the author's raw honesty and transparency remind me of the Jesus who is working to invade our lives...
http://www.relevantmagazine.com/god_article.php?id=7579
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Temperature of the Truth
It’s cold outside. If you are like me, you can feel the chill even indoors, warmed by heated space. It just feels cold on the other side of the walls – like we have thermometric antennae transmitting temperature to our bloodstream. Sometimes when we near a window that is cold to the touch we can feel a waft of frigid air.
There is a Weather Channel option on my computer that depicts the outdoor temperature. Just next to the wi-fi strength signal on the lower tool bar, a Fahrenheit digit affirms that what I am feeling is not just an illusion – it is reality. I’m not just feeling things. It really is cold.
It’s funny how we need a thermometer to legitimize what we are experiencing.
Sometimes our bodies aren’t accurate, though, and we need a standard. There are other times when the same temp can be cold to some and hot to others.
Just try setting a thermostat for a room of more than a few people. No matter what the temperature reads, some are uncomfortable.
Thermometers are fairly oblivious to our concerns. They do not read “comfortable”, or assure Goldilocks’ ascription of “just right.” Rather, a thermometer states fact: “It’s 39 degrees outside – deal with it.” It simply tells truth. Thermostats, on the other hand, aren’t primarily for reading the temperature, but for adjusting it. (And thank goodness for that
technology!)
A temptation in our homes is to walk in a room and adjust the thermostat to our comfort. Is it possible this convenience creeps into other aspects of life? Are we so used to our personal settings (power seats, tilt steering, lots of channels) that we arrange truth to our preferences, too? We don’t like the Sermon on the Mount so we adjust it a few degrees to our liking…
One of the things Scripture does for the church is it tells truth. It is often uncomfortable. There are times when we do not wish to weather the storms of reality. The Bible states it like it is. Other times we’re not sure if our feelings are legitimate until the Standard affirms what is. The function of Scripture in our lives is to tell the truth. This is what is.
So, the stories – even when they are ugly and expose the human inclination to perversion – are accurate. And the hope, expressed in humanity’s restoration to God in Christ, is sure. And the reality expressed in this God/man relationship is trustworthy. Scripture is sure. It is not a tool for us to adjust the atmosphere to our comfort. It is more like a thermometer than a thermostat. The adjustments are made inside us, not outside.
There is a Weather Channel option on my computer that depicts the outdoor temperature. Just next to the wi-fi strength signal on the lower tool bar, a Fahrenheit digit affirms that what I am feeling is not just an illusion – it is reality. I’m not just feeling things. It really is cold.
It’s funny how we need a thermometer to legitimize what we are experiencing.
Sometimes our bodies aren’t accurate, though, and we need a standard. There are other times when the same temp can be cold to some and hot to others.
Just try setting a thermostat for a room of more than a few people. No matter what the temperature reads, some are uncomfortable.
Thermometers are fairly oblivious to our concerns. They do not read “comfortable”, or assure Goldilocks’ ascription of “just right.” Rather, a thermometer states fact: “It’s 39 degrees outside – deal with it.” It simply tells truth. Thermostats, on the other hand, aren’t primarily for reading the temperature, but for adjusting it. (And thank goodness for that
technology!)
A temptation in our homes is to walk in a room and adjust the thermostat to our comfort. Is it possible this convenience creeps into other aspects of life? Are we so used to our personal settings (power seats, tilt steering, lots of channels) that we arrange truth to our preferences, too? We don’t like the Sermon on the Mount so we adjust it a few degrees to our liking…
One of the things Scripture does for the church is it tells truth. It is often uncomfortable. There are times when we do not wish to weather the storms of reality. The Bible states it like it is. Other times we’re not sure if our feelings are legitimate until the Standard affirms what is. The function of Scripture in our lives is to tell the truth. This is what is.
So, the stories – even when they are ugly and expose the human inclination to perversion – are accurate. And the hope, expressed in humanity’s restoration to God in Christ, is sure. And the reality expressed in this God/man relationship is trustworthy. Scripture is sure. It is not a tool for us to adjust the atmosphere to our comfort. It is more like a thermometer than a thermostat. The adjustments are made inside us, not outside.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Gratitude in the right places.
What are you thankful for?
God is not merely teaching us to be grateful. Rather, we are learning what to be thankful for. This is a crucial distinction in discipleship.
Gratitude can be as ambiguous as a mass credit mailer. It’s when we name and identify that which is worthy of the kingdom of heaven that we grow in the Image of God.
There’s no question everyone on earth is thankful; some for food and shelter, others for health and wellness. Still others have what we might call “gratitude distortion”: another drink for the alcoholic, more credit when our spending lifestyle has not changed, a relational advantage over someone we can wield power…sometimes we’re thankful just because we get what we want, or think we need. The condition of our hearts is revealed by the direction of our gratitude.
Discerning what to be grateful for is as important, or more, than the measure of our gratitude. It’s possible this season could open our eyes to uncomfortable blessings: a broken heart that led you into a closet of prayer, the argument that prompts two persons to talk about their relationship more thoughtfully, an embarrassing situation that teaches humility and meekness. We reveal who our God is by our gratitude.
God is not merely teaching us to be grateful. Rather, we are learning what to be thankful for. This is a crucial distinction in discipleship.
Gratitude can be as ambiguous as a mass credit mailer. It’s when we name and identify that which is worthy of the kingdom of heaven that we grow in the Image of God.
There’s no question everyone on earth is thankful; some for food and shelter, others for health and wellness. Still others have what we might call “gratitude distortion”: another drink for the alcoholic, more credit when our spending lifestyle has not changed, a relational advantage over someone we can wield power…sometimes we’re thankful just because we get what we want, or think we need. The condition of our hearts is revealed by the direction of our gratitude.
Discerning what to be grateful for is as important, or more, than the measure of our gratitude. It’s possible this season could open our eyes to uncomfortable blessings: a broken heart that led you into a closet of prayer, the argument that prompts two persons to talk about their relationship more thoughtfully, an embarrassing situation that teaches humility and meekness. We reveal who our God is by our gratitude.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Troubled Times
One of my favorite writers recently encouraged me to go back and study Israel's journey through the wilderness in the Old Testament. For forty years every need that they had was met by God, sustenance in the form of manna literally fell from the sky and water came from rocks. The story even tells us that their clothes didn't wear out! Forget Under Armor - can you imagine clothes that would last forty years under those extreme conditions?
Open your web-browser to any news site - these are uncertain times. The headlines today scream about the instability of the world we live in: the crashing market, the government bail-out plan, Pakistan attacks U.S. troops, Obama calls for change...
The story of Israel's journey through the wilderness speaks directly to our hearts in these anxious times. Israel's primary form of sustenance was "manna" - there is no real scientific explanation matching the biblical description of manna - but the idea is one worth meditating on.
God provided manna for Israel every morning, it would be gathered and used, but could not be stored. The people had to rely completely on God for "their daily bread" and could do nothing by their own power to protect themselves from the possibility of going hungry the very next day. This promise speaks directly into modern day American headlines, it is not a promise of prosperity, not even a promise that we won't go hungry. God doesn't guarantee your 401k, your mortgage, protection from acts of terror, or even your job... but He does guarantee that whatever challenges we find in this wilderness of life - He will sustain us.
Open your web-browser to any news site - these are uncertain times. The headlines today scream about the instability of the world we live in: the crashing market, the government bail-out plan, Pakistan attacks U.S. troops, Obama calls for change...
The story of Israel's journey through the wilderness speaks directly to our hearts in these anxious times. Israel's primary form of sustenance was "manna" - there is no real scientific explanation matching the biblical description of manna - but the idea is one worth meditating on.
God provided manna for Israel every morning, it would be gathered and used, but could not be stored. The people had to rely completely on God for "their daily bread" and could do nothing by their own power to protect themselves from the possibility of going hungry the very next day. This promise speaks directly into modern day American headlines, it is not a promise of prosperity, not even a promise that we won't go hungry. God doesn't guarantee your 401k, your mortgage, protection from acts of terror, or even your job... but He does guarantee that whatever challenges we find in this wilderness of life - He will sustain us.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
"Re-Walk"
41 year-old Radi Kaiof, an Israeli veteran, is paralyzed from an accident in1988. The paratrooper has not walked in twenty years. On Monday of this week he took his first steps since the accident. Strapped to an apparatus called the “Rewalk” – a battery powered exoskeleton – the soldier experienced life upright again. The Rewalk gives the user control with a remote attached at the wrist.Crutches aid with balance as the paralytic leans forward. The contraption helps a person of paralysis stand, walk, and climb stairs. Muscle and lung activity in the upright position strengthen the user’s overall health. However, “It’s not just about health, it’s also about dignity,” assures the inventor of the Rewalk, Emit Goffer. Radi agreed: “Only when standing up can I feel how tall I really am and speak to people eye to eye, not from below.”While the invention is Goffer’s brainchild, he doesn’t know what it is like to walk with it. He, himself, is a paraplegic but still does not have enough mobility in his arms or hands to control the instrument panel! (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26391953/)
There are times in our lives when we are forced to function by the support of external mobility. We do not have it in our power to coordinate activity for our own good. We must learn to trust, to lean into, the proper support systems. We are braced by intentional motion and accountable direction. Love the church. She is present in your life, not for the sake of adding burden to your back, but mobility to your limbs. Be accountable to Christian fellowship. Yield to the practices. Trust the disciplines. Render yourself to the directions of Christian history that strengthen spiritual health and stamina: read scripture, pray, meditate, memorize, give, serve, show compassion…take up your cross - this is the framework of mobility our Lord has taught us to share.
- Tob Adams
There are times in our lives when we are forced to function by the support of external mobility. We do not have it in our power to coordinate activity for our own good. We must learn to trust, to lean into, the proper support systems. We are braced by intentional motion and accountable direction. Love the church. She is present in your life, not for the sake of adding burden to your back, but mobility to your limbs. Be accountable to Christian fellowship. Yield to the practices. Trust the disciplines. Render yourself to the directions of Christian history that strengthen spiritual health and stamina: read scripture, pray, meditate, memorize, give, serve, show compassion…take up your cross - this is the framework of mobility our Lord has taught us to share.
- Tob Adams
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Harrison Bergeron and Meditation: A Healthy Dose of Quiet
Kurt Vonnegut has a great little science fiction story titled "Harrison Burgeron" where the characters wear ear-pieces that essentially keep them from thinking about anything for too long. "Every twenty seconds or so, the transmitter would send out some type of sharp noise to keep people like George (father of the main character) from taking unfair advantage of their brains." While Vonnegut's theme is a little different, the details of the story and his social commentary spoke to me on a spiritual level.
I am working through The Celebration of Discipline right now by Richard Foster with some friends and have spent a great deal of time focusing on his chapter on meditation. Speaking on Christian meditation in general he says, "Inward fellowship of this kind transforms the inner personality. We cannot burn the eternal flame of the inner sanctuary and remain the same, for the Divine Fire will consume everything that is impure." I have been encouraged to hear that some of those in my group have experienced the "Divine Fire" through meditation. One friend commented that his meditation on Scripture before prayer had progressed in a way that had lead to some humbling moments before God. Many of us though are experiencing the struggles of the discipline, the challenges presented by all the noise in our lives. The radio, the television, my latest iPod purchase, and my precious cell phone leave little time for quiet reflection.
The genius of the vision in Vonnegut's short story is found in the idea that noise and distraction are so prevalent that they "handicap" us. The wall of sound and distraction is so large in 2008 that I cant imagine what it will be like in 2081 (the setting of his story). I am realizing a process that began in my search to find the discipline to meditate, has also illustrated the spiritual and holistic need for silence in my everyday life (beyond the time set aside for prayer and meditation). I am working to use the 'off' button a little more these days and infuse a healthy dose of quiet into my daily routine...
- Matt Litton
I am working through The Celebration of Discipline right now by Richard Foster with some friends and have spent a great deal of time focusing on his chapter on meditation. Speaking on Christian meditation in general he says, "Inward fellowship of this kind transforms the inner personality. We cannot burn the eternal flame of the inner sanctuary and remain the same, for the Divine Fire will consume everything that is impure." I have been encouraged to hear that some of those in my group have experienced the "Divine Fire" through meditation. One friend commented that his meditation on Scripture before prayer had progressed in a way that had lead to some humbling moments before God. Many of us though are experiencing the struggles of the discipline, the challenges presented by all the noise in our lives. The radio, the television, my latest iPod purchase, and my precious cell phone leave little time for quiet reflection.
The genius of the vision in Vonnegut's short story is found in the idea that noise and distraction are so prevalent that they "handicap" us. The wall of sound and distraction is so large in 2008 that I cant imagine what it will be like in 2081 (the setting of his story). I am realizing a process that began in my search to find the discipline to meditate, has also illustrated the spiritual and holistic need for silence in my everyday life (beyond the time set aside for prayer and meditation). I am working to use the 'off' button a little more these days and infuse a healthy dose of quiet into my daily routine...
- Matt Litton
Friday, July 18, 2008
A Meandering Path
In Ashley Falls, Massachusetts, a woman named Maria Nation has received suchnotoriety for her 8-acre garden that a popular magazine published a 10-page spread complete with an interview, colorful pictures and aerial designs of her estate. “Meandering paths, dotted with beds overflowing incolor and texture, abound in the gardens at Good Dogs Farm.” (CottageLiving, Tom Christopher, July / August, 2008. pp. 92-101.)
When friends askher to design a garden for their property, she declines on the basis that gardening is a form of self-expression. “A garden is a diary. We justwalked through years of my life out there,” she told editors. Approaching this Independence Day we consider our history and we ponder our emerging culture. A lot of change has occurred in the last few years, some good and some not so good. This is the mark of a free country. Change isn’t something new to our nation, but has been the mainstay since its inception. We are still under fifty years being 50 United States (Alaska &Hawaii, 1959). Terms like “melting pot” and “tapestry” describe the plurality that constitute our country. The authors of “Religion in America”describe this as an “evolving nation.” I had a history professor in seminary repeat on several occasions, “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” If there is one thing we can count on, it is acculturation. Believe it or not, the church is not the caboose of most change in our nation’s history…it is the engine. I hope we can remember that God-driven directions are empowered by the Holy Spirit. As the church we are responsible to an evolving culture. We are to be Christlike. We are called to be set apart in Jesus’ purposes. We are equipped to pray the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. As a pastor, my role is to remind you…when you pray for our country your primary obligation is to welcome the rule of God. I once heard a wise man describe life in the church as walking through a garden. Those who welcome the Kingdom are already living in that Garden. See God’s provision. Explore the beauty of his mercy and grace. It is a meandering path, abounding in color and texture.
- Tob Adams
When friends askher to design a garden for their property, she declines on the basis that gardening is a form of self-expression. “A garden is a diary. We justwalked through years of my life out there,” she told editors. Approaching this Independence Day we consider our history and we ponder our emerging culture. A lot of change has occurred in the last few years, some good and some not so good. This is the mark of a free country. Change isn’t something new to our nation, but has been the mainstay since its inception. We are still under fifty years being 50 United States (Alaska &Hawaii, 1959). Terms like “melting pot” and “tapestry” describe the plurality that constitute our country. The authors of “Religion in America”describe this as an “evolving nation.” I had a history professor in seminary repeat on several occasions, “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” If there is one thing we can count on, it is acculturation. Believe it or not, the church is not the caboose of most change in our nation’s history…it is the engine. I hope we can remember that God-driven directions are empowered by the Holy Spirit. As the church we are responsible to an evolving culture. We are to be Christlike. We are called to be set apart in Jesus’ purposes. We are equipped to pray the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. As a pastor, my role is to remind you…when you pray for our country your primary obligation is to welcome the rule of God. I once heard a wise man describe life in the church as walking through a garden. Those who welcome the Kingdom are already living in that Garden. See God’s provision. Explore the beauty of his mercy and grace. It is a meandering path, abounding in color and texture.
- Tob Adams
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