allergies

My quest to write more has already staggered a bit with only one post in two weeks. Thankfully, I am not officially keeping track of my progress.

This week I began a one-week class on prayer. The actual title of the course is "Prayer in Gospel Ministry." I took it for two reasons. One, I lead our church's monthly prayer services and thought taking a class on prayer would provide me with practical things I could apply immediately. Two, the one credit now allows me to trade two 2-credit classes for one 3-credit class either next fall or spring. And with being married next year, I thought one less class would allow for more time at home (or least I hope).

On just the first day, I realized this class came with an added bonus for my personal prayer life, or lack there of. I would be forced to pray. I would have to do that which I complain I do not have enough time for. Both in class and out of class, some of my time would need to be spent praying.

And this is exactly what I need for reasons far beyond the busy schedule about to kick into full gear come the first Monday in February. I need reminding of my dependence upon God. I need focused time of intimacy with my Father. I need my allow submitted to the will of God.

I hope to post a number of these over the next few days, but a quote from our "textbook," A Praying Life (Paul Miller) in the first few pages put this very concept of dependence in front of my face.

We have an allergic reaction to dependency, but this is the state of the heart most necessary for a praying life. A needy heart is a praying heart. Dependency is the heartbeat of prayer.

Clearly I have needs. Not so clear is my inability to meet my own needs. I want to believe I am capable of doing anything and everything on my own. This is why I fail to pray.

It has nothing to do with time. It has nothing to do with the busyness of life. It has nothing to do with exhaustion. It has everything to do with my pride and self-confidence.

Until I realize how helpless I am, I will not cry out "Abba, Father!" And my helplessness is not simply in the moments when I've reached the end of my rope. It's also in the moments when I feel strongest. I am helpless at every moment of every day. I am needy each and every hour.

Once this reality takes root in my heart, I will find the joy, blessing, and gift that prayer actually is for a child of God.

A New Year's Resolution?

2013 saw me write the least of any year in my blog's four-year history (I'm not including the inaugural 2009 year which actually commenced in August). This caused me to seriously consider calling it quits. I rarely felt like writing. School and life already captivate the little time I had. Even when I found the urge, I avoided it. The things I wanted to say seemed to be more "soap-box" oriented than holding any sort of value. I simply wanted people to hear my voice. And personally, the blogosphere does not need one more voice screaming "listen to me!"

However, part of me could not give up blogging entirely. It has proven a valuable outlet in the midst of all my learning (both in seminary and life in general). I would come back to things I read for class which did not exactly pertain to my education. I would process things going on both in my small context as well as the world at large. And as the name suggests, writing here allowed me to wrestle either with my beliefs and convictions or my circumstances.

I do not make resolutions for the New Year. They are typically shallow and quickly abandoned. Without providing a number, I will say my desire is to write more. 2014 will be a busy year for me. This does not include all the unplanned-for things that will certainly come my way. Writing will (hopefully) help me to process, keep perspective, and grow over the course of this year. And as I have written before, my goal is not to gain attention or increase my list of readers (I do appreciate those who read and pray my writing serves you well). If I increase or decrease, it is no skin off my back. Instead I write for the same reason I engage in anything,

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31)

And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Colossians 3:17)

an album suggestion

Thanksgiving is over, which means the Christmas season is upon us. 

[Soapbox moment] I do nothing Christmas oriented until after Thanksgiving. I do not listen to Christmas music, decorate, or shop. I refuse to rob Thanksgiving of its significance. I hate Black Friday, and whatever they are calling the horrific Thursday night shopping excursion. Thanksgiving deserves the full day for time of thankfulness and time with loved ones. [End soapbox moment]

I do thoroughly enjoy Christmas music. When the Christmas season begins, I finally get to play my "Christmas" playlist or tune to my "Holiday" stations on Pandora. I love the hymns. I love the carols. I love the festive songs. I love the sappy, sentimental ballads. I love humorous jingles.

What is my favorite Christmas album? I do enjoy my Home Alone soundtrack. I am proud to admit I listen to the Christmas albums of both 98 Degrees and 'N Sync. And who can say no to some Trans Siberian Orchestra? While wonderful, none of those quite make it to the top.

That honor is claimed by the underrated (and probably unheard) Behold the Lamb of God by Andrew Peterson.

 (I must give props to my older sister for introducing me to this album seeing as she is probably one of its biggest fans)

Why this album? It captures the beauty of the message of Christmas, the Incarnation of God Himself, by tracing it's promise through the witness of Scripture. And Peterson does not start with the prophets. No, he goes all the way back to the Israelites enslaved in Egypt and proceeds from there.

Here's the song list:

1. Gather 'Round Ye Children, Come (an invitation to hear the grand story)

2. Passover Us (points to the Passover as the picture pointing to the death of Christ and salvation)

3. So Long, Moses (tracing the longing of the Lord's Anointed from Moses to David to the Prophets)

4. Deliver Us (the cry of Israel to send the Redeemer to carry them out of exile)

5. O Come, O Come, Emmanuel (a nice instrumental break with a great Christmas hymn)

6. Matthew Begats (anyone who can successfully put the genealogy of Jesus into song is worth my ear)

7. It Came to Pass (how the birth of Christ fulfilled promise and prophesies)

8. Labor of Love (interpretation of Mary and Joseph's experience on the night of Christ's birth)

9. The Holly and the Ivy (one more pleasant instrumental)

10. While Shepherds Their Flocks (the response of the Shepherds to the angels announcement

11. Behold the Lamb of God (detailing Christ's role as the Lamb of God come to take away sin)

12. The Theme of My Song/Reprise (wrapping it all up with a blending of many of the earlier songs)

If I can encourage you, either get your hands on this album or give it a listen at some point this Christmas season. You will not regret it.

the season

Considered it: every person you have ever met, every person you will pass in the street today, is going to die. Living long enough, each will suffer loss of his friends and family. All are going to lose everything they love in this world. Why would one want to be anything but kind to them in the meantime? 

Who said it? A theological "heavyweight?" A saint? A pastor?

Try Sam Harris, a leading "new atheist," in his book End of Faith: Religion, Terror, and the Future of Reason (page 226). I wrote a paper on new atheism for one of my classes, and this quote stood out.

Why?

First, it is the Christmas season which means new atheism will be aggressive in their advertisements. They will be downright offensive in their attempts to deny the Incarnation and diminish the Christian celebration of Christmas.

In light of this, new atheists are not the most wretched of people. God's common grace is still at work in them. Their active rebellion against their Creator does not negate His grace. The above quote is respectable. We should be kind to one another given the brevity of this life and the sufferings it brings. For Christians, this includes those who may be the most antagonistic towards us. Instead of responding with disgust and anger, maybe we should be moved to pray for these hearts of stone to be replaced with hearts of flesh.

Second, this quote serves as a valuable critique of Christians. We are not the only people on the face of the earth who care for other people. There are innumerable people outside of the Christian faith passionate for the hungry, poor, and needy. One local radio station's notoriously raunchy and inappropriate morning show just held a massive food drive to feed the homeless in the city. The amount of food and money they brought it was incredible. Christians think simply doing good deeds will preach the Gospel. We even use the quote (not sure who first said it); "preach the Gospel. When necessary, use words." Good works are important, but they are not enough.

The gloom revealed in Harris' quote should motivate Christians unlike any other individual or religious group. We understanding the brevity of life. We understanding it includes suffering and loss. However, we know their is a solution and a hope. Being kind will not solve the problem. Jesus Christ, God who became man to die for sin and rise again, has solved it once and for all.

In the midst of all our good deeds, He is the One we need to proclaim. He is the One we need to acknowledge as the motivation for our compassion and care. He is One who makes all our endeavors meaningful and holding eternal significance.

Happy Thanksgiving

Three things I am thankful for in no particular order:

1. This semester's paper-writing season is finally over. The last month is always a crazy rush to write grade-determining papers while attending class, working, keeping up with readings, and enjoying relationships with human beings. This month was one more example. After sixty one pages, thousands of words, and multiple late nights I can breathe once again.

2. Jesus, the friend of sinners such as myself. I will use the modern hymn, His Forever, to summarize this point,

Jesus, friend of sinners
Loved me ’ere I knew Him
Drew me with His cords of love
Tightly bound me to Him
’Round my heart still closely twined
The ties that none can sever
For I am His and He is mine
Forever and forever

Jesus, friend of sinners
A crown of thorns You wore for me
Bruised for my transgressions
Pierced for my iniquities
The wrath of God that I deserved
Was poured out on the Innocent
He took my place, my soul to save
Now I am His forever

Jesus, friend of sinners
I love to tell the story
Redeeming love has been my theme
And will be when in glory
Not death nor life nor anything
Can ever separate me
O love that will not let me go
Yes, I am His forever

3. This gal, my bride-to-be

(We like to stand in the way of trains)

Happy Reformation Day!

I know it's Halloween. Everyone is excited about costumes, candy, and parties. But there is something far greater to celebrate than the sugar rushes and belly aches just waiting to be unleashed.

On this day in 1517 (almost 500 years ago), Martin Luther nailed the 95 Theses on the church door in Wittenberg, Germany. While his desire was not to start an official movement or even split from the church, this sparked the 16th century Protestant Reformation.

In addition to preaching justification by faith, the Protestant Reformation also sought to transform worship. For those of us who enjoy congregational singing (hopefully all of us), we have the 16th century to thank. Men like Martin Luther and John Calvin begin putting psalms to music and writing hymns. Through these, important doctrines could be heard, understood, and spread throughout the church. Luther described music as "the handmaiden to theology." It was complementary to the gospel preaching of the Word each and every Sunday.

In the spirit of Reformation Day, I figure it would be fitting to include a hymn from that time period. I could have gone with Martin Luther's "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God." It is a fantastic hymn. Instead, I have chosen a potentially unfamiliar hymn with a very familiar tune. It is from the Genevan Psalter, which John Calvin implemented in the church in Geneva. It is entitled "All People That on Earth Do Dwell" which carries to the tune of the doxology.

All people that on earth do dwell,
Sing to the Lord with cheerful voice;
Him serve with fear, His praise forth tell,
Come ye before Him and rejoice.

The Lord, ye know, is God in deed;
Without our aid He did us make;
We are His flock, He doth us feed,
And for His sheep He doth us take.

O enter then His gates with praise,
Approach with joy His courts unto;
Praise, laud, and bless His name always,
For it is seemly so to do.

For why? The Lord our God is good,
His mercy is forever sure;
His truth at all times firmly stood,
And shall from age to age endure.

To Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,
The God whom heaven and earth adore,
From earth and from the angel host
Be praise and glory evermore 

Happy Reformation Day!

a true child

To Timothy, my true child in the faith...

The second verse of Paul's first letter to Timothy is easy to read over. On the surface it appears as nothing more than Paul identifying who his intended audience, in this case Timothy.

While this certainly is the case, Paul's description of Timothy is worth noting. Timothy was a Gentile with a heritage of faith passed on from his grandmother and mother. Paul was Timothy's father in regards to the faith. He took a vested interest in Timothy. Timothy accompanied Paul on a number his journeys. Paul intimately trained Timothy as a teacher and leader. Paul sent Timothy in his stead to visit the various churches he planted. Paul poured himself into Timothy.

I say this introduction is of note because how many of us can utter the same words as Paul? Can any of us proudly call someone else a true child in the faith? I would hope and pray each and every Christ-proclaiming parent could join Paul. I personally am thankful for my father and mother who raised me both physically and in the faith. And I am even more thankful as I recognize how rare this reality is in our day and age.

Christianity in Western culture has grown more and more individualistic. All that matters is "me and Jesus." We show up to church, read our Bible, pray, and live out our faith (all of which are good and commanded). However, we do not invest in other people. We do not take the time to do with others what Paul did with Timothy. We cringe at the notion of discipleship. Instead we would rather complain about the failings of the generations before and after us.

What if we started to adopt Paul's approach? What if older men took on the role of spiritual fathers for younger men. What if younger men desired and sought out such relationships? What if older women took on the role of spiritual mothers for younger women? What if younger women desired and sought out such relationships?

The reality is this is the picture and call of the church. Paul will explain this later in 1 Timothy as well as the book of Titus. The gospel frees us from the obsession of self for it frees us from trying to earn what has already been giving to us in Christ. This freedom enables us to turn outward to those in the body who need to grow and mature into the image of Christ.

It frees us to be father, mothers, sons, daughter, brothers, and sisters.