babies

I have a hilarious niece and nephew (sorry Heidi, you're almost there). Every time I get the privilege of being with them I enjoy myself. While their parents get to interact with their less-than wonderful sides, even they will be quick to acknowledge the fun to be had.

Along with the fun, I find myself learning lessons from these two extremely young persons. They don't know they are teaching me, and I doubt they have any intentions of doing it either.

Take my nephew. Two weeks ago we made a short visit to my brother's house to see my sister-in-law and nephew who were unable to attend a family wedding. Besides being extremely excited, my nephew ran around the house showing off all his tricks and toys. He had no idea what to do with himself he was so excited.

Then there is my niece. Last night we paid a short visit to celebrate her daddy's birthday. She received a present as well which was followed by a "so pretty" comment. Later, I was playing with her elephant costume and using the trunk to give "elephant kisses" to which she responded, "oh hello Mr. elephant!" On top of that, she would also run around bubbling over all the wonderful toys in her possession, both the simple and extravagant.

This morning I was reminded of two things as I reflected on my niece and nephew. First, I thought of Ephesians 1:3, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. While they may not understand the full value of the blessings they receive, neither one of them shies away from being excited and grateful for them. Whether it's a pink elephant balloon or an unused dog leash, they are thankful for it. I wish I had an similar attitude when I think of all the blessings I have been given.

I also thought of 1 Thessalonians 5:16 & 18, Rejoice always...give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. This is similar to the previous thought. These two little ones not only give thanks through their words, but through the way they receive and enjoy their blessings. They share their gifts with others as well as their enthusiasm. It's a great reminder how I should be using the gifts I have been given. If they can rejoice always, why can't I?

Kids are cute. They are wonderful to be around. And if we pay attention, they are capable teachers.

pursued by God's Word

It seems to me that I am in the midst of a week-and-a-half long chase. I don't know why I am involved in a chase. I was not even aware of it until this morning. As such, I am clearly not the one doing the chasing. I seem to be the one running, but I still don't necessarily understand where I am running to. However, I clearly see it is God's Word which is hunting me down.

Last week I engaged in a conversation with a friend about the nature of preaching. We did not exactly see eye-to-eye on its necessity. Without embarking upon a wild tangent, my friend experiences little tangible growth because of preaching, and therefore he views it as less significant for the believer's sanctification. My basic argument was Isaiah 55:11 where God says, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. I added other things as well, but I rested most of my case upon what God's Word says about itself.

On Saturday, I was asked if I would read a passage during our men's breakfast at church. The reading did not directly correlate to the devotional, but it was integrated in the middle of our short time of worship. As God saw fit, the brother requested that I read all of Isaiah 55. I didn't think much of it as I was reading until I got closer to the passage I had used with my friend. I made a mental note to do some more inquiry later on.

Unfortunately, my schedule picked up again, and I forgot about my mental note. And then I went to chapel this morning. Monday chapels are student-led. We sing more songs before wrapping up with a short devotional. Before singing, the student leading read from Isaiah 55:1-2, Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. And since God doesn't work through coincidences, I decided to bring back that mental note from Saturday.

On my ride home, I started to understood I was the target of an on-going chase. Why? At first I wasn't sure. I didn't feel like I was running, but then again maybe I was being told I need to start. Either way, two things quickly became apparent to me. First, I still chase after things which do not satisfy. Seminary does not cure me. It can actually add to the things I am chasing. Second, as of late, my time in God's Word has been lacking at best. I haven't pursued it except when my classes required it or some other circumstance came about. It was far from the top of my priorities.

I still need to pour into this passage as though my life depended on (maybe that's because. to an extent, it does). But I am thankful that God's Word pursues me even when I am not pursuing it. And for all I know, the purpose of the chase was to chase me back into the arms of my God who I am in always desperate need of.

short notes

I attend a Presbyterian seminary. I, myself, am not a Presbyterian. I have nothing against Presbyterians. There are some points where we might see things differently, but I am not ready to fight over them. I think Presbyterians are wonderful people. They make up parts my family and friends, as a result of the last two months. They love Jesus, love God's Word, love His people, and desire to see more follow Him. And it's hard to argue against that.

I like to attend chapel as often as I can. It's only thirty or so minutes, and I am usually already on campus each day around that time. It provides me with a necessary reminder of why I am attending seminary, and where my focus should be. The days differ, but Wednesday is when chapel runs like a shortened Presbyterian service (basically no communion, two songs, and no creeds). I have attended a number of such services before, but three things have stood out to me over recent weeks. I have found them more than refreshing.

First, they sing the deeply theological hymns and songs many churches have pushed aside. They sing of atonement, justification, sanctification, redemption, and all the other words which end in "tion." It's nearly impossible to sing and not come away with an overwhelming sense of what it is we exactly believe. What is preached is synonymous with what is sung. I use the RUF when I am fiddling with my guitar. Many of these songs are the ones we sing. And it is wonderful!

Second, the Word of God is read as a collective group. When I was a kid, I hated "responsive readings." I thought they were boring and just another time consuming activity in the service. Thankfully God does not operate according to my standards. There is something beautiful when God's Word is read by His people in one voice. It's a unified declaration of who God is and what His Word tells us. Plus, it is never a bad idea to have God's Word read again. The more the merrier!

Finally, prayer is offered by the entire body. There are times when one person prays for the entire body, which is also good. And while I am not the biggest fan of pre-written prayers, I think they have their place for the corporate body. Too often the praying is done by the leaders (which should happen), while the people observe. The set aside time of repeating a prayer together reminds me of the unity that exists within the body of Christ.

Sometimes we like to pick at the diversity within the body of Christ. While certain times call for picking, it's a great blessing when the diversity leads to the glory of God.

when money blinds

Athletes get paid far too much money. Even an avid sports fan such as myself must admit it. The contract numbers of athletes around the world are preposterous. Baseball players receive contracts with a sum of hundreds of millions of dollars. This year's football rookie class is considered unfortunate because their contracts get maxed out in the twenty million dollar range (signing bonuses not included). Even cricket players make their millions! Throw on the extra millions for advertisements, and the numbers keep growing. I have engaged in many discussions about the money athletes make which usually ends with a demands/market conclusion. Athletes get paid what they do because there exists a demand for their skills and a market where people will competitively pay for them. (And that's as much our fault as anyone else's, but that's a topic for another day)

As a result of all this we have problems. In this year alone, the NFL wrestled for months over contract disputes before settling. Now, the NBA is in a similar stare-down with the NHL murmuring in the shadows (or at least those are the rumblings).  You can look back over the history of sports and document plenty of examples where the issue of money created chaos.

Today I read an article about the current NBA lockout. It's more about the effect the lockout will have on fans, but the first two paragraphs grabbed my attention immediately.

The bond market indicator that has predicted every recession since 1970 is forecasting a 60 percent chance of the economy having another contraction within the next 12 months. Moody's Analytics says there's a 40 percent chance the U.S. will tumble back into the depths of a recession within the next six months. The unemployment rate, some analysts say, is likely to remain above 6 percent until 2015. The hourly pay of people who are employed can't keep pace with inflation. The most recent drop in household income is the largest in several decades and, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, has caused a "significant reduction in the American standard of living."

So with that as the economic backdrop, the NBA has decided to sit it out for a while because the owners and players can't agree on how to split up $4.3 billion. It's difficult to imagine that folks who live in constant fear of losing their jobs, of not being able to make their mortgage payments or pay their kids' tuition or do anything with their money beyond what is absolutely necessary have the stomach for this self-indulgent behavior. The country is in no mood for the NBA's stupid dispute.

The first paragraph alone is a doozie. I am idiot when it comes to economics so I won't even begin to address that issue. What I do know is that God is sovereign and promises to care for the needs of His people according to His good pleasure. This isn't always easily to place our complete faith in, but God's Spirit helps us when we are weak.

As to the basketball issue, it goes to show how money can be blinding. The Bible is filled with passages warning us of the dangers of loving money (Prov. 23:4; Eccl. 5:10; Luke 16:13; 1 Tim. 6:10; Heb. 13:5 to name a few). And the issues between owners and players comes down to two parties wanting more of what they love than the other guys. Yes, both sides have some legitimacy to what their arguing points are, but it really boils down to the love of money. Worse yet, they are doing it on the grand stage in the midst of one of the worst economic crises in our nation's short history.

More than the common person, I want basketball back. I do enjoy watching it. I'll even DVR a game so I can watch it at another point in time (shocking, I know). But the current dispute (and I felt the same way with the NFL over the summer) is embarrassing. It's embarrassing to both the owners and the players in particular. For all their claims of caring for the fans, their actions work contrary to their words. What's worse is their lack of care for the real people who will be affected by their lust for more money: those who make a living by working at sporting venues. These two groups of grown men are fighting over billions of dollars while thousands of individuals are having trouble making enough to provide for their families. Greed for more money, regardless of any justified reasons they have for needing that money, has blinded them to reality.

I like to defend sports as the truest and most entertaining form of reality television. The truth of the matter is sports aren't reality either. At the end of the day, they are merely games. Unfortunately, these games get elevated (at least in my own life). And this elevation coupled with the unfolding of yet another professional sports labor dispute only proves the growing gulf between sports and reality.

pride in calling

On Friday, I conversed with one of my classmates about the slate of material confronting us. Aside from class differences, the two of us hold the same schedules. As we continued on, our conversation evolved into which classes provided us with the most "nuggets" one month into the semester. It was a very pleasant conversation. Our different responses indicated the passions, desires, and movements of our hearts. At times we agreed upon certain classes, but a confused "really?" was also fairly common.

While all my classes have had their moments, I have been surprised by my more joyful response to formation of ministry (I know, the title alone sounds like a real sleeper). Particularly, I have found the readings to be a pleasant treat. They rarely deal with the high and lofty theological arguments (which definitely have their place), but the practical life of ministry. They expose the blessings, struggles, dangers, and everything else involved with ministry. As a person who likes reading for the challenges contained, I have found myself challenged more than once.

This week I had to read Os Guinness' The Call. It definitely targets people involved in full-time ministry, but it doesn't not ignore all Christians because we are called to ministry in one form or another. As a fallen human (stumbling block #1) of the male variety (stumbling block #2) with my heart, mind, and will (stumbling block #3) the chapter on pride effectively did a number.

The devilish strategy of Pride is that it attacks us, not in our weakest points, but in our strongest. It is preeminently the sin of noble mind.


Pride doesn't come through my weakness. I don't push for my own way in things I don't feel strong in. I'll happily give way to other people. However, when it comes to those places I consider myself strong (or even gifted) in my pride is far more likely to come shining through. It's not when things are going poorly that I am more likely to give into my pride (though it's still a threat), but when all seems to be going swimmingly. When it appears as though my strengths are the catalysts, I am in danger. And I love the reminder Mr. Guinness ends this chapter with.

Do we feel the wonder of being called? It is all a gift and all of grace.

Whereas my human tendency is to place pride in my calling (both daily and life), God's purpose in calling is to humble me. He wants to show me how inadequate I truly am, especially in my areas of strengths. He wants me to see His calling as a call to humility as I receive His wonderful grace. My strengths are not what has achieved His grace or brought on my calling. Both have come in spite of my strengths. And therein lies the reality that my calling is wrapped in humility, removing all room for pride.

others are noticing

I feel like I am posting articles a lot. It's probably because I don't have loads of time with which to right more of my own thoughts. However, I think there is value is reading what the news-folk are saying about everything and anything. Anyways, I read an article about men this morning during a class break. The author might be the same Bill Bennett who can be heard on the radio (at least that's where I have heard his name before). I don't listen to him, but maybe with thoughts like these I should.

Without over-doing it, I came away discouraged because what he talks about in the article is a sad reality. Men are hard to find, but boys are running around like crazy. You can see it in college dorms, bars, churches, and almost everywhere else. Besides painting men in a bad light (we don't need help in that department), men such as these destroy women and families. As Christians, we should read these articles and embrace the challenge of seeking boys and turning them into men by the power of God's Word and Spirit.

And we might even need to be forceful about it. After reading this article, God's call to Job kept coming back to me because it's a call all males need to hear, whether men or boys.

Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind and said:
"Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Dress for action like a man;
I will question you, and you make it known to me.  Job 38:1-2 (emphasis mine)