Wednesday, February 15, 2012
A Quick Thought...
About many modern worship songs... stop singing and telling God what He CAN do, and instead start thanking Him for what He IS DOING!
Monday, February 13, 2012
Trying.
A few weeks back, I overheard someone. Her statement went something like this: "Some people like to hate everybody, but I try to find the good in everyone."
Friends, I can't even begin to describe how sad this makes me.
First of all, accusing people of 'hating everybody' is an untrue and unjust judgment against many people that she knows. Judgment must be left up to God because God's judgment is perfect in every way. His motivation and the result of his judgment cannot be questioned. Human judgment is flawed, however, and hers is no exception. Ironically, her claim that "some people like to hate everybody" indicates a lack of love in her own approach toward others.
The second part of her statement reveals a horribly skewed view on how people are called to treat others. Firstly, she is contrasting her own actions with the verb "hate," and I think this is an indicator of how she defines love. To her, love is the overlooking of the bad and the selection of what is good out of a whole.
But this is not what we are called to! We are called to love unconditionally, even if there is no good that we, as humans, can find. We are not called to overlook the bad, because that would be irresponsible. Instead, we are called to love in a direction that brings people into alignment with God.
(I do not know whether or not she is a follower of Christ, but I feel that this expresses a perversion of the Truth believed by many, both Christian and non-Christian. For that reason, I am of the opinion that this sentiment needs to be addressed.)
Friends, I can't even begin to describe how sad this makes me.
First of all, accusing people of 'hating everybody' is an untrue and unjust judgment against many people that she knows. Judgment must be left up to God because God's judgment is perfect in every way. His motivation and the result of his judgment cannot be questioned. Human judgment is flawed, however, and hers is no exception. Ironically, her claim that "some people like to hate everybody" indicates a lack of love in her own approach toward others.
The second part of her statement reveals a horribly skewed view on how people are called to treat others. Firstly, she is contrasting her own actions with the verb "hate," and I think this is an indicator of how she defines love. To her, love is the overlooking of the bad and the selection of what is good out of a whole.
But this is not what we are called to! We are called to love unconditionally, even if there is no good that we, as humans, can find. We are not called to overlook the bad, because that would be irresponsible. Instead, we are called to love in a direction that brings people into alignment with God.
(I do not know whether or not she is a follower of Christ, but I feel that this expresses a perversion of the Truth believed by many, both Christian and non-Christian. For that reason, I am of the opinion that this sentiment needs to be addressed.)
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
One Big Thought
Recently, this passage impressed itself upon my mind. I'm not sure why. This was the resulting message that I sent to a good friend to explain my thoughts on the passage. My thoughts are weighty, I know, but don't skim them. Also, the reading is not meant to be pretty, only articulate. If you are going to be reading this, I request that you would consider it closely. If you have something to say, give feedback! I don't get enough of that...
First, so you can have the passages right here, I'll type them out for you (NIV translation). For background, both passages come after the parable of the sower and the seed, in which "the seed is the word of God" and the various kinds of soil describe the various types of people that hear and process that Word.
Mark 4:21-25
"[Jesus] said to them, 'Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don't you put it on its stand? For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to brought out into the open. If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear. Consider carefully what you hear,' he continued. 'With the measure you use it will be measured to you- and even more. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.'"
Luke 8:16-18
"'No one lights a lamp and hides it in a jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, he puts it on a stand so that those who come in can see the light. For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought into the open. Therefore, consider carefully how you listen. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken from him.'"
(Anything quoted below without a specified reference comes from one of the two passages above.)
Here in these passages of scripture, the light of the lamp represents Jesus and the new capacity for knowledge/wisdom that was not possible before he came to earth.
When Jesus came, mercy and grace allowed humans to begin to cultivate a relationship with God on a personal basis. That event revealed various parts of God's nature and will, and these became more clear to those who know and pursue him. In Isaiah, in the same section but shortly after the prophecy that predicts John the Baptist, it says that "the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it."
In light of this, the second part of the passage becomes more clear: "nothing is hidden that will not be disclosed" because God would not send his Son with a new revelation of himself, and then pursue a relationship of intimacy while withholding himself from us. (There are aspects of God that are too great for us to know right now, that's part of God's mystery, but these will be known eventually, for we will see God in all of his splendor when we get to heaven.)
Although we know there are things we cannot know yet, there ARE aspects of himself that God has revealed or is in the process of revealing. This is why we are commanded to "love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind" (Matthew 22:37). All of these aspects let us discern, embrace, and implement the words that God does give us.
With all of this in mind, I believe that the command to "consider carefully how you listen" and "consider carefully what you hear" is a reminder of how important it is to listen to the word of God at all times. Also it is important to note HOW we proceed to listen, and if we do hear, it is also important to consider WHAT we are told. In this way, we can know if we are people receiving the seed onto healthy soil or unhealthy soil, as described in the parable. If we make efforts in this area, those things that God would choose to reveal to us are sure to be brought into the light!
The last part of the section deals with measures. Matthew 7:1-2 states "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you". Here, 'measure' describes the judgment that precedes, and in the above passages, I would assert that 'measure' applies to hearing and listening. I'm not exactly sure how they apply as it seems slightly ambiguous. It is possible that these are describing the relationship between listening correctly to the word and the increase in knowledge/understanding. It's also possible that if our capacity for listening increases, mutual communication (God to us, and us to God) is improved.
First, so you can have the passages right here, I'll type them out for you (NIV translation). For background, both passages come after the parable of the sower and the seed, in which "the seed is the word of God" and the various kinds of soil describe the various types of people that hear and process that Word.
Mark 4:21-25
"[Jesus] said to them, 'Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don't you put it on its stand? For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to brought out into the open. If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear. Consider carefully what you hear,' he continued. 'With the measure you use it will be measured to you- and even more. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.'"
Luke 8:16-18
"'No one lights a lamp and hides it in a jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, he puts it on a stand so that those who come in can see the light. For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought into the open. Therefore, consider carefully how you listen. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken from him.'"
(Anything quoted below without a specified reference comes from one of the two passages above.)
Here in these passages of scripture, the light of the lamp represents Jesus and the new capacity for knowledge/wisdom that was not possible before he came to earth.
When Jesus came, mercy and grace allowed humans to begin to cultivate a relationship with God on a personal basis. That event revealed various parts of God's nature and will, and these became more clear to those who know and pursue him. In Isaiah, in the same section but shortly after the prophecy that predicts John the Baptist, it says that "the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it."
In light of this, the second part of the passage becomes more clear: "nothing is hidden that will not be disclosed" because God would not send his Son with a new revelation of himself, and then pursue a relationship of intimacy while withholding himself from us. (There are aspects of God that are too great for us to know right now, that's part of God's mystery, but these will be known eventually, for we will see God in all of his splendor when we get to heaven.)
Although we know there are things we cannot know yet, there ARE aspects of himself that God has revealed or is in the process of revealing. This is why we are commanded to "love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind" (Matthew 22:37). All of these aspects let us discern, embrace, and implement the words that God does give us.
With all of this in mind, I believe that the command to "consider carefully how you listen" and "consider carefully what you hear" is a reminder of how important it is to listen to the word of God at all times. Also it is important to note HOW we proceed to listen, and if we do hear, it is also important to consider WHAT we are told. In this way, we can know if we are people receiving the seed onto healthy soil or unhealthy soil, as described in the parable. If we make efforts in this area, those things that God would choose to reveal to us are sure to be brought into the light!
The last part of the section deals with measures. Matthew 7:1-2 states "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you". Here, 'measure' describes the judgment that precedes, and in the above passages, I would assert that 'measure' applies to hearing and listening. I'm not exactly sure how they apply as it seems slightly ambiguous. It is possible that these are describing the relationship between listening correctly to the word and the increase in knowledge/understanding. It's also possible that if our capacity for listening increases, mutual communication (God to us, and us to God) is improved.
Again, this is merely my interpretation of the passage. This accounts for what the passage means for me and is not necessarily 'right'. Thank you for reading! Happy wonderings, friends.
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Midnight Ponderings
A face backs away, backs out
while I turn a corner,
making for my destination.
The buildings on my side fall past
and then away.
Their distance only reminds of the loneliness
that I enforce.
A cry echoes
off those distant, brick shells,
but in the hollow, faded remnant that reaches my ears
I cannot distinguish joy from agony.
I do not stop.
The buildings return to my side.
But I know what they are now
and their presence offers
no consolation.
A string of curses is thrown idly,
and in passing,
though I committed no offense.
I think I've arrived.
A laugh escapes, but neither for me
nor from me.
Can one really lose a friend, or
is that person just misplaced?
What makes a good one,
anyway,
and what makes one best?
Then the less often asked,
what makes one better?
while I turn a corner,
making for my destination.
The buildings on my side fall past
and then away.
Their distance only reminds of the loneliness
that I enforce.
A cry echoes
off those distant, brick shells,
but in the hollow, faded remnant that reaches my ears
I cannot distinguish joy from agony.
I do not stop.
The buildings return to my side.
But I know what they are now
and their presence offers
no consolation.
A string of curses is thrown idly,
and in passing,
though I committed no offense.
I think I've arrived.
A laugh escapes, but neither for me
nor from me.
Can one really lose a friend, or
is that person just misplaced?
What makes a good one,
anyway,
and what makes one best?
Then the less often asked,
what makes one better?
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