Shining Light into Dark Places

Peace on Earth?

2010-12-05T05:01:00.000-08:00

I was shocked when I realized I hadn't posted in a year. This raises two important points. First, why does anyone need a blog, anyway? Second, why did no one say, "I sure miss your blog posts. Where have you been?" I think the answer is that a blog is mostly for the benefit of the blogger, a way to vent a little, or to create your own little pulpit, even if nobody is listening.

Today is the one year anniversary of my last post. The easy explanation for the hiatus is that I've just been too busy. Dr. C., my former business partner, ran away from home about a year ago. He moved his practice to the other end of the state for reasons that are still not quite clear to me. As a result, the work load jumped up and spare time for silly little things like blog posts just disappeared.

A more complex explanation is that I went through a period where I lost my peace. I read somebody's quote that peace is not absence of trouble and conflict, but rather inner calm in spite of trouble and conflict. Now, don't think that I went off the deep end or anything, but I think I lost that inner calm for a while. I let the inner turbulence of stress churn around for several months.

It is Advent season again and the host of angels would like to crank up their old song, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." The incarnation of Jesus Christ was all about peace. He made a way for us to have peace with God, peace with other people, and even peace over that inner turbulence.

Paul the Apostle clearly explains about peace with God. "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God." (Romans 5:1-2) Through grace we stand in a new place where our broken relationship with God has been repaired and peace restored.

Peace with other people is a little more tricky. You may try to have peaceful relations with others, but some of the responsibility is on them. The author of Hebrews wrote, "Make every effort to live at peace with everyone and to be holy . . ." (Heb 11:14) I think that as long as we live on this side of eternity we will struggle to get along with friends, family, and even those people in the church that rub us the wrong way. The same grace that provides peace with God can also overflow into those human relationships.

Finally, there is the possibility of inner, personal peace.

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me--put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you." (Philippians 4:6-9)

My Advent prayer for everyone is that the God of peace will supply the peace that each of us needs. That might include repairing a relationship with him. Or maybe he can help us find peace instead of a grudge with someone else. And most of all that we can find that inner peace that transcends all understanding.

Middle Advent Dystocia

2009-12-05T08:04:00.001-08:00

Advent is the season leading up to the celebration of Christmas. I will confess that this has been a difficult season for most of my adult life and I’m not sure why. This week, as I began to prepare the Bible study lesson on HOPE, I realized that there are really three Advents to consider here.

The first Advent is the obvious one during which Christians prepare for the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. I get this one. The ancient Hebrew prophets had predicted that a messiah would come for the salvation and restoration of the nation of Israel. There would be a turning of the people back toward God. From this we get the familiar stories of the census, the Nativity, the shepherds, the star, and the Magi.

I also think that I have a pretty good grasp on the second Advent. As believers, we look forward to the return of the messiah at the end of the age. Then, all things will be set right, made anew and restored to perfection. The reality of the second Advent is the only reason that the first Advent has any importance. Otherwise, the Nativity would be just a cute, heart-warming story.

Here’s where I get stuck. Middle Advent. Right now. I celebrate the first Advent and I look forward to the second Advent, but why can’t I get into the Christmas spirit in 2009? Then I saw an article by Barry Howard, a pastor friend, who was lamenting the rush to Christmas without the necessary devotional journey. He said, “I love a festive and joyful celebration of Christmas. However, to begin celebrating Christmas in October, November, or even early December, is like a parent trying to skip labor and delivery to go straight to the nursery.”*

Suddenly I had the diagnosis. I suffer from Middle Advent Dystocia. Dystocia is a medical term referring to difficult labor and delivery. The causes may be maternal, such as failure of uterine contractions, or the causes may be fetal, such as a stuck shoulder. Successful treatment might include methods “from above” such as oxytocin, a medication to stimulate contractions. Or, dystocia might be treated “from below” with forceps or other methods to grasp the baby to facilitate delivery.

(As many of you know, I am a gastroenterologist. Aren’t you glad I opted for an obstetrical metaphor?)

Middle Advent Dystocia, or “MAD,” I think, can likewise be treated both “from above” and “from below.” From above, God gives us his Holy Spirit to tide us over with enough hope to get through these in-between times. Paul writes, “We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.” (Romans 8:22-23, NIV)

It seems that Middle Advent Dystocia can also be treated with some human measures. Pastor Howard goes on to say, “For a Christian, Advent is our progressive, devotional journey that culminates in grateful celebration when the Christ candle is lighted and the Christmas Star shines over the manger in Bethlehem.”* There you have it: a progressive, devotional journey. I guess that means that I need to spend some time this season dwelling on something besides bills, receipts, schedules and decorations. I will endeavor to focus on prayer, meditation and Bible study. I will let my Christian brothers and sisters be my Advent obstetricians as they pull me along the devotional journey toward Christmas 2009.

I wish you all Hope and Peace and Joy this season.

* It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Advent by Barry Howard

Why I will never be a fan of Alabama Football

2009-09-28T04:36:00.000-07:00

I tried on Saturday. A neighbor was nice enough to give us a couple of tickets and we needed to run down to my daughter’s apartment in Tuscaloosa anyway. So I put on the Crimson Tide t-shirt that she had given me and we visited Bryant-Denny Stadium for the Arkansas game. Why not pull for the local team? Lots of other people do it. My own college team never wins a lot of games. So I tried. I have now pondered these matters deeply and decided that I will never be a fan of Alabama football. This phenomenon has all the trappings of a cult religion. Also, my medical opinion is that it is a serious mental illness. Finally, the whole matter reminds me of a schoolyard bully with no sense of civility.

Alabama Football is a cult religion. A cult may be defined as a pseudo-religion that often uses psychological manipulation to entrap and maintain its membership. The religious iconography is everywhere. Turn down Paul Bryant Drive and visit Bryant-Denny stadium. Many people were wearing hounds tooth hats. Mr. Bryant has been gone for a quarter of a century yet he is still worshipped. The psychological manipulation occurs in the mindless repetition of short, meaningless phrases. And if you are not very smart, the PA announcer gives cues so the worshippers can join the religious litany. (“First down Alabama,” and the masses, on cue, “Roll Tide.") The faithful enter a state of trance-like reverie, with eyes glazed over and loss of control of salivation. I was reminded of the swaying, worshipping masses during the human sacrifice scene in Mel Gibson’s Apocalypto.

I saw fans that were obviously in the throes of profound mental illness. Even though their team was winning by a comfortable margin, these folks still alternated uncontrollably between euphoria and violent anger. On offense, if the team on any given play achieved anything less than a touchdown or first down (“roll tide”) the fans around me would scream “idiots!” or even vile profanities at their own team. Then, moments later, sheer delight. This to me reflects depression, dysthymic disorder, personality disorder and perhaps ever Tourette’s syndrome. No thank you. These poor people need medication and psychotherapy.

All hope for me becoming a fan was lost at halftime. They trotted out the 1979 team so that we could worship them while the 2009 team rested in the locker room. I was relieved to see that they were overweight, gray, and limping like the rest of us. Nevertheless they were hailed as superheroes of the Alabama faith. The PA announcer pointed out that these athletes won every game, 5 of which were by 30 or more points and even beat Vanderbilt 66-3. It has been 30 years and I had just about forgotten it, but I was reminded that I was at that game. That was the day I started hating Alabama. Who but an uncivilized bully would ever run up the score like that? And why keep living ancient history? No, these fans are uncouth Philistines and I will never be one.

I already have a religion. I do not want a mental illness. No rational person likes a bully. My heartfelt thanks go out to the Alabama team and fans who reminded me once again that I do not want to be one of them.

Naked Vegetarians Ruin Everything

2009-08-10T04:16:00.001-07:00

We spent the morning yesterday talking about Genesis 3, also know as "The Fall". I am certainly ready for Fall, with cooler weather, lower humidity, and college football. But Genesis 3 is about a different fall, the story of Adam and Eve and the biggest screw-up in the history of the world. I asked them to name the biggest catastrophes in the past 200 years. I got the expected wars, terrorist attacks, tsunamis, hurricanes, etc. One guy mentioned Mike Dubose (former Alabama head football coach.) Then we launched in to the text:

1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?" 2 The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3 but God did say, 'You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.'" 4 "You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman. 5 "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." 6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.
Gen 3:1-7 (NIV)

The first item of discussion related to the nature of the tempting. The crafty serpent went right to the heart of the matter. Before long, he had the woman wondering about the goodness of God, the truthfulness of God, and the fairness of God.

Before we had time to proceed in the text, we got into a couple of philosophical questions that seemed to be troubling folks. If God didn't want them to eat of the Tree of Knowledge, then why did he put it right there in the middle of the Garden in the first place? I mean, you don't give your child a doughnut and tell them not to eat it, do you?

Another concern: who let the damned serpent into the Garden anyway? Can God not make a safe place for his people?

I certainly don't have the answers but I have been pondering. I think it might have to do with why God created anything. Full of his own glory, he did not need anything. Out of his overflowing love he created the universe to reflect and magnify his glory. This included the creation of humans. Now what would reflect that glory best: a mindless robot unable to do anything different, or a person who could choose to worship and who could voluntarily praise, magnify and honor God? If God wants volunteers to worship him, then there also has to be an option to be independent and run off to do one's own thing.

It turns out that trying to be independent from God is not such a sweet deal. Ask Adam and Eve. As for me, I choose to be a worshiper. Lord, make me more dependent.

Incongruence---some things just don’t go together

2009-06-27T16:06:00.000-07:00

Incongruence is the antonym or opposite of congruence. Wiktionary defines congruence as “the quality of agreeing, being suitable and appropriate.” So, items that show incongruence would not be suitable or appropriate together. Like grape juice and cheese, or beer and Frosted Flakes. Here are some other examples:

My daughter went to City Stages, the local music festival. Later, she posted a group of photos on Facebook entitled Young Jeezy/Lynyrd Skynyrd. Young Jeezy is apparently a famous rapper, who appeared to be wearing his trousers down about mid-thigh. I’m not saying the Skynyrd boys are saints, but they do seem to know how a belt and buckle work. The point is that these things don’t go together. They are incongruent.

Here’s another. This week I saw a bumper sticker that said “Pro-Faith, Pro-Family, Pro-Choice.” You may disagree with me, but those three items seem to show incongruence.

Here’s one more set, a pair of Bible verses about David. “. . . the LORD has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him leader of his people . . . .”---1 Sam 13:14 and “. . . . the thing David had done displeased the LORD.”--- 2 Sam 11:27 (This was after the whole Bathsheba episode which included adultery and the murder of her husband.) How could David be a man after God’s own heart and yet still be capable of carrying out one of the most despicable and heinous series of events in the Bible? Did David cease to be a man after God’s own heart? No. He did have to face disastrous consequences the rest of his life, but God continued to use David and even bless David.

I think the solution lies in the fact that David, when confronted by Nathan the prophet, felt broken-hearted over his sin. He repented and asked for forgiveness. Psalm 51 is a beautiful depiction of David’s remorse. How can I be a child of God and a sinner at the same time? I think I need to share God’s broken-heart about my sin. I need to stop rationalizing the sin and justifying myself. I need to let the Father wash me, clean me, purify me and give me a new heart. Only then will my internal incongruence be solved.

Go Outside! It's in HD!

2009-06-09T04:21:00.000-07:00

At my age, waking up early isn't just easy, it's automatic. Today, instead of spending the first half hour of the day checking Drudge Report, Foxnews.com, Weather.com and the like, I did something different. I guess it was just impulsive. I went outside. Coffee in hand, I strolled around to the backyard and sat by our koi pond. I turned off the waterfall so the water would be still, then I tossed in a handful of fish food to see if the little buggers would eat.

What happened next was amazing. My senses, probably blunted by fluorescent lighting, LCD screens, and mind-numbing electronic media, gradually came alive. The richness of sounds was incredible. There were dozens of birds both near and far chirping away. The fish started coming up for breakfast and I could see their amazing palette of colors. Flowers everywhere. I could smell honeysuckle and pine bark. It was better than HD television with Dolby Surround-Sound. Way better.

I spent a few moments in quiet praise to the One who was into HD before we even thought of "indoors." Let's get out there, folks.

O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.
Psalms 104:24

Judas Iscariot--my kind of guy

2009-05-24T20:00:00.000-07:00

Our Bible Study today was a biographical study on the life of Judas Iscariot. (The sketch is a Da Vinci drawing for the figure that would eventually be in the Last Supper.) My main thesis was that he has been excessively villified through the centuries. No one names their kid Judas Iscariot. His name is synonymous with traitor and he is commonly seen as nothing but a black hearted villain. But if that is true, several questions arise.

Why did Jesus choose him as one of the Twelve in the first place? Did he choose poorly?

Why did the other apostles not censure him during their ministry with Jesus? Sure, John the Evangelist, writing years after the fact, describes him as a thief. Apparently he was known to skim a little for himself since he was in charge of the moneybag for the group. But what person with a responsibility hasn't felt a twinge of entitlement along with it?

Didn't Judas go out on mission with the others, healing with supernatural power?

Here are my conclusions: First, Judas Iscariot started out as just a regular guy. Jesus called him to be one of his disciples and close associates so he must have had at least the potential to become a genuine believer. But Judas seems to have had a couple of personality flaws. He had a greedy streak and a sense of entitlement. He probably had his own agenda, perhaps trying to force Jesus into open rebellion against Rome. Satan started tempting Judas and Judas started considering a plot. I bet he thought he was doing the right thing. Maybe he was a Zealot, trying to get Jesus to show his cards, as it were.

Here's the zinger: I have character flaws and weaknesses and I can sometimes bring my own agenda to bear on a situation instead of looking for God's plan. Placed in the same situation, with the same temptations and prodding, I might have fared about as poorly as Judas. There but for the grace of God go I.

Here are some passages about Judas: Judas Iscariot )

24 Hour Support

2009-05-17T17:58:00.000-07:00

A friend of ours has recently found out she has breast cancer. After several weeks of consultation, biopsies, prayer and deliberation she went ahead with the big and difficult decision. She had a double mastectomy. Yesterday as I was driving past her house I was startled to see that her fence was adorned with numerous brassieres. My simple mind spent several hours pondering the meaning. Since the bras seemed to be in all shapes and sizes I decided that these had been placed there by friends as a sign of their “support”. What an incredible, overt act of love and defiance and solidarity. You go, girl. We are still praying.

Love?

2009-05-11T10:35:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we talked about 1 John 4:7-12

7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
1 John 4:7-12 (NIV)

We reached a few conclusions:

John must have been talking about some special type of love, a supernatural or Godly love. Certainly not everyone who just loves their dog or cares about someone else is necessarily "born of God."
This kind of love that Christians are called to exhibit is not really natural. This type of love was most clearly and convincingly demonstrated to us in the Christ event: God sent his Son to pay the price for our sin and make us right with him.
If we have trouble mustering up much love for other people, then there are a few things that we can do. We can:
Simply ponder what God has done for us in Christ. Meditate on that sacrifice.
Consider the magnitude of your cancelled debt, like the woman in Luke 7
Obey his commands. Jesus said in John 15 that if we obey, we abide in his love.
Ask God to increase our love for others. Jesus prayed in John 17 that we could have that kind of love that already exists inside the Trinity: "I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them."
John 17:26 (NIV)

Have a loving week.

Surreal Saturday

2009-05-04T10:51:00.000-07:00

surreal : marked by the intense irrational reality of a dream ; also : unbelievable, fantastic

This is a rambling post about several non-related events that happened Saturday that created for me a surreal experience. None of this is terribly profound. If you are looking for depth and meaning, you'll need to wait for another post.

1. It was Saturday morning and I looked out the window and there was an absolute deluge going on. Cats and Dogs. I was already at the computer so I pulled up the weather radar:

Do you see it there? It was absolutely pouring and all I got was a shower about 2 pixels in diameter. I laughed out loud. I think I must have had my own black cloud following me around this weekend. I thought about starting an Ark. Well, at least now you know where I live.

2. We drove to Tuscaloosa to begin retrieving my daughter's things, as her academic year was almost over. As I trudged out with her mini fridge and file cabinet on the hand truck it dawned on me: didn't we just last weekend haul all of this stuff in here? I know time flies but give me a break. Her year may have seemed like a long time to her, but to me it had passed in a moment. Surreal. This is also surreal: I just used the words "academic" and "Tuscaloosa" in the same sentence! While there, I also used the word "surreal" in a sentence while eating ribs at Dreamland, (imagine a mouthful of meat and sauce), "these surreal good ribs."

3. Last, but not least, while walking out the front door of a nice store in a nice area of town, there was a lady just standing on the sidewalk. After I walked past her, I did a complete double-take to make sure I had seen what I thought had seen. She was flossing her teeth! I'm all for oral hygeine, don't get me wrong, but come on! Let's floss at home people. Unless you just ate at Dreamland.

Spiritual Fatigue

2009-04-23T04:37:00.000-07:00

Fatigue can be debilitating. It can also be a good thing at times. Sometimes at our house we say, “I’m tired, but it’s a good kind of tired.” You know the difference. A difficult day at work, full of frustrations and obstacles and those people---you know which ones I mean---leads to a type of fatigue that is not pleasant. But then, there’s the fatigue of a job well done, or of physical exertion, like a long hike to a waterfall. This can be a satisfying fatigue. This week we will consider an episode in the story of the people of Israel, just before their destruction/captivity/exile by Babylon. Here is the full text and outline for this episode:

Spiritual Fatigue and Revival

Spiritual fatigue can be related to one person taking on too many responsibilities at church. Or it might be related to personal difficulties in which prayers seem to go unanswered for a long time. Here, though, the Israelites seem to have a bigger problem. They are actually weary of God.

"Yet you did not call upon me, O Jacob; but you have been weary of me, O Israel!” Isaiah 43:22 ESV

God, through Isaiah, points out that destruction awaits those who have fallen into idolatry and apostasy. But, as always, there is a possible solution.

3 For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground;I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants.4They shall spring up among the grass like willows by flowing streams.5 This one will say, 'I am the LORD’s,' another will call on the name of Jacob,and another will write on his hand, 'The LORD’s,' and name himself by the name of Israel." Isaiah 44:3-5

Isn’t it amazing? We become weary of God’s grace and presence, yet his remedy, if we’ll take it, is more grace and more of his presence. May your week be filled with the good kind of fatigue that comes from obedience to God and service to others. If, however, you may be experiencing spiritual burnout, let his Spirit pour over you again. Say, “I am the Lord’s.”

Tea Parties, the Presidency, and Piracy

2009-04-16T20:09:00.000-07:00

Tea Parties and the Bill of Rights.

Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) blasted "tea party" protests yesterday, labeling the activities "despicable" and shameful."
"The ‘tea parties’ being held today by groups of right-wing activists, and fueled by FOX News Channel, are an effort to mislead the public about the Obama economic plan that cuts taxes for 95 percent of Americans and creates 3.5 million jobs," Schakowsky said in a statement.

What? I didn’t go to a tea party. I didn’t have the energy after working all day to pay my taxes. My son went to one in Birmingham and said there was a big crowd. Where does Rep. Schakowsky get off knocking this sort of thing? Here’s something I found:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

It’s called the First Amendment. The Founding Fathers felt the need to spell this out explicitly because they were familiar with abuses of these freedoms. Many brave men and women have served their country defending these freedoms. So, Rep. Schakowsky can get together with her friends and say what she wants, but so can the rest of us. I can’t think of anything more American: baseball, apple pie, and getting together with others to complain out loud about the government. What a country.

Isn’t it interesting how career politicians always get nervous when there’s a groundswell of anti-government sentiment?

On Being President

I reviewed Article 2 of the Constitution. I think we should have a bivocational President. He could keep his regular job (assuming no conflict of interest.). I say this because I think I could do the job in about 2 hours a day.

Uphold and defend Constitution. 30 min
Commander in Chief (meet Joint Chiefs) 30 min
Report to Congress on State of Union (email) 15 min
Sign some treaties 15 min
Appoint a few (conservative) judges 15 min
Visit with foreign dignitaries 15 min

There, done by 10 am. If you can live on 400K a year, then you can just take the rest of the day off. Or go back to your regular job.

Piracy

I was saying just last week that I had the solution to the piracy problem. Shoot them. No lawyers or liberal judges or two decades on death row. Get some really big guns and simply shoot anyone trying to capture your boat. And how about this: pull up your ladders when you are going by Somalia. Thankfully, the US Navy and their SEAL team must have heard my speech. Way to go, guys.

Easter

2009-04-13T19:13:00.000-07:00

Our group discussed the passages in the previous post. We concluded that God is creative, spontaneous, purposeful, timely, surprising, self-starting, the Prime Mover, secretive at times, keeping his own counsel, compassionate, merciful, just, sometimes humorous (Google "ashdod tumors"), abounding in joy, and loving. He moved, unseen, in the dark, needing nobody's help, to accomplish his perfect plan. A God who is able to do that could certainly shine light into the dark places of my heart or anyone's heart. Happy Easter.

God Does His Finest Work at Night

2009-04-09T03:31:00.000-07:00

There is some profound truth lurking beneath these passages and I haven’t quite figured it out yet. It has something to do with the fact that God does some of his best work in the dark. Read through these. Why would he do these things in the dark, when no one can see? What kind of god is God?

Creation
Gen 1:1-5
1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. 3 Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light. 4 And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So the evening and the morning were the first day.

The Last Plague
Ex 12:29-30
29 And it came to pass at midnight that the LORD struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of livestock. 30 So Pharaoh rose in the night, he, all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was not a house where there was not one dead.

The Ark is Captured
1 Sam 5:1-4
1 Then the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. 2 When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the temple of Dagon and set it by Dagon. 3 And when the people of Ashdod arose early in the morning, there was Dagon, fallen on its face to the earth before the ark of the LORD. So they took Dagon and set it in its place again. 4 And when they arose early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen on its face to the ground before the ark of the LORD. The head of Dagon and both the palms of its hands were broken off on the threshold; only Dagon's torso was left of it.

A Joyful Announcement
Luke 2:8-11
8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 10 Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 "For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

The Empty Tomb
John 20:1-2, 11-18
1 Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. 2 Then she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him." . . . .
. . . .11 But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb. 12 And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. 13 Then they said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him." 14 Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?" She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, "Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away." 16 Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said to Him, "Rabboni!" (which is to say, Teacher). 17 Jesus said to her, "Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, 'I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.' " 18 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that He had spoken these things to her.

Take up your cross

2009-04-06T17:44:00.000-07:00

So, yesterday, we did "Stations of the Cross." My first time. I thought it went well, though I wish weather would've permitted us to be outdoors. It was an effective tool for encouraging reflection on all that Christ went through for us. I would do it again in future years, though possibly on Good Friday. One thing that caught my eye was the teen student who actually picked up a (thin, lightweight) replica of the cross. What little Christian art I have seen usually shows Christ carrying the cross with the stipes (long, vertical part) out behind him. Like this:

Our young man, through no fault of his own, carried the cross stipes forward. It looked like he might pole vault with it at any moment. I could only find rare images of it being carried this way. Here's a Salvador Dali:

This looks like a harder way to carry the cross. And who is the buxom female behind Jesus in Dali's lithograph? Who knows. Anyway, all this is probably wrong. Archaeological evidence suggests that the condemned may have carried only the patibulum (cross piece). He would have then been lifted up onto the more permanently situated upright.

So, how would I carry my cross for Jesus? In typical fashion, I have gone off on a tangent about stipes forward or backward, or patibulum only. I don't know. I'd probably carry it the easiest way, the way with the fewest stumbles and splinters. If you think about it, it is really a tough problem. If you carry the cross the easiest and most effective way, then you wind up at the site of execution that much faster. Perhaps all that matters is that we do take up a cross and follow.

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Gal 2:20 (NIV)

Here's a dark place: Via Dolorosa

2009-04-02T04:22:00.000-07:00

As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross.
Matt 27:32 (NIV)

I'm not teaching this week, but my cohort came up with this idea to do "Stations of the Cross." He's from a more liturgical tradition and most of us in the class don't even know what is going to happen. I've been reading about this a bit. I think it is going to be a good thing.

One event along the crucifixion route is the compelling of Simon of Cyrene to carry the cross-piece on Jesus' behalf. Apparently Jesus was too weak from everything else by this point to continue to carry it himself. Here are a few musings on this dark road.

1. You can't get to Easter Sunday and the Resurrection without going down the dark road of despair first. That Jesus had to do this is sorrowful, but also tremendously helpful to those of us on the road.

2. Where were the volunteers? Simon becomes a hero, but the tragedy is this: was there not one of Jesus' followers around with enough gumption to say, "I'll carry it!" I certainly would have. (Not. I'd probably be leading the pack of disciples as we ran in the opposite direction.)

3. The suffering of the Lord validates our observation that the way is indeed sometimes dark and difficult. We experience pain, illness, loss of loved ones. Yet he is the prime example of perseverence despite the pain and the darkness of the journey.

4. God does some of his best work in the dark.

As I approach Easter, I hope to do so with an awareness of God's presence and purpose, even though the way is sometimes dark.

Randy

The Aging Process

2009-03-27T12:08:00.000-07:00

Besides the Triumphal Entry, mostly this week I've been pondering the aging process. I've been dealing with some health problems in my father. He is scheduled for surgery in Birmingham next week related to a lymphoma condition he's had for several years. In watching him recently I have made these observations:

1. Gosh, my dad really looks like HIS dad, when he got old and frail.
2. So, I looked carefully in the mirror, and to my dismay, I saw my dad. A younger, more virile dad, of course.
3. When I look at my 21 year old son, of course, I see me. Men never mature much past age 21 anyway. And we think we can still do any and everything physically.
4. I wonder what my son sees?

The world turns. We become our parents. Then we have to parent our parents. Then it turns again.

The Triumphal Entry

2009-03-26T16:00:00.000-07:00

This week, I've been pondering the whole bizarre parade that happened on Palm Sunday. I know this is a week early, but my co-teacher has something else planned for the Sunday before Easter. Stations of the Cross, or some such un-Baptist sort of thing. Actually, I'm curious what he's putting together.

See Matthew 21:1-17

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2021:1-17;&version=31;

Here's the conundrum for this week. Did Jesus really think they were going to make him some kind of king that day? Did he really know that only 5 days later these same crowds would be shouting "Crucify". If he really did know what was coming, then why did he let the crowds carry on as they did?

Here's what I think. Since he rode the donkey, he was obviously alluding to Zechariah 9:9. The broader context talks about a coming King who will bring peace. Hence, I think he was trying to convey that his kingdom would bring peace.

Since he let them praise him at all, with all the "hosannas", I think he was saying, "Yes, I'm the Savior," though perhaps not the savior they expected.

Then, he went beserk, overturing tables and tossing out the money changers. Then Jesus himself quoted Isaiah 56

Isaiah 56:6-8
6 And foreigners who bind themselves to the LORD to serve him, to love the name of the LORD, and to worship him, all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it and who hold fast to my covenant-- 7 these I will bring to my holy mountain and give them joy in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations." 8 The Sovereign LORD declares-- he who gathers the exiles of Israel: "I will gather still others to them besides those already gathered."

I think this emphasizes the point that Jesus meant his new kingdom for everyone, Jew and Gentile alike.

Then, he healed some folks. Reminds me of the time John the Baptis sent a group to check on Jesus. (He was in jail.) He said, are you the ONE, or should we look for another. Jesus said,

"Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me." MT 11

Sound like he was saying, Yeah, it's me. Just look at the evidence.

Then, the religious leaders blast Jesus for allowing even the children to praise him. He quotes the eighth Psalm:

Psalms 8:1-2
1 O LORD , our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. 2 From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.

Interesting, isn't it, that he claims this passage for himself, basically claiming equality with God the Father? Recently I heard the renowned atheist, Christopher Hitchens, at a debate. He suggested that Jesus of Nazareth never claimed to be anything other than a regular man. It seems to me that a careful reading of the Palm Sunday events shows that Jesus clearly claimed to be a king, the Messiah, and equal with God himself.

As we approach Easter, let us give him the worship he deserves.