I’ve been pondering a thought lately. Sometimes using a new or different translation of the Bible can make words really jump off the page at you. The other day, I was reading Ephesians 5 in the New Living Translation and I came across this phrase, “Try and find out what pleases the Lord.” In the midst of some wise words on how to avoid being an evil fool (and who wants to be an evil fool, right?) Paul tells his readers that the key is to do this- try and find out what pleases the Lord. The 2nd edition of the NLT gets even better- “carefully determine what please the Lord.”
What I find compelling, or ironic, about this phrase is that I don’t have to “try” at all to find out what please me. I am quite aware of that. From the moment I get up to the moment I go to bed again, I am completely aware of what I find pleasing. I am aware of when I get what I want and find pleasure in life. I am equally adept at knowing exactly what makes me unhappy, or what does NOT please me.
But Paul is telling me to spend time trying to figure out what pleases God. Not that I think it’s a mystery- I mean, after all, the Bible is filled with plenty of good ideas on the topic. But what this passage says to me is that living in a way that pleases God will not come easily. It will take work. Effort. I’ll have to harness the power of my brain (little though it may be) and actually puzzle out what actions will bring joy to God.
It’s a different way to live, if you think about. We are all geared to think about what pleases ourselves. And if we’re honest, if I’m honest, most if not all the trouble in my life can be linked back to these self-driven pursuits.
So, I’m trying to take these words to heart. Give them a try on your journey and see what happens.
Peace-
Nick
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Approval Ratings
We live in a world that is obsessed with approval.
I saw this morning that President Obama's approval numbers are slipping. No doubt his staff is scrambling to do some serious image adjustment in the weeks to come. If you watched the Master's golf tournament last weekend, you know how concerned Tiger Woods was about the reaction of the crowds and whether or not he would get their approval. If only he had been so concerned about keeping his wife's approval! Around the country, high school seniors are waiting for word of approval from their college or university of choice. They are asking the question- am I good enough for you?
In this culture of approval, we can easily transfer this question to God. We wonder- God, do you approve of me? There's a passage in the New Testament where God voices his unqualified approval of Jesus Christ. In Matthew 3, Jesus is baptized by John, and as they are coming up out of the water, God says, "This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy!" What an amazing declaration of God's affirmation towards his son.
What is interesting to note about this scene is how much Jesus had NOT done at this point in his life. As far as we know, Jesus had never preached a single message, never healed a single person, and he didn't have a single follower. It was just Him- a carpenter from Nazareth with nothing on his resume. AND YET, this is the very time when God expresses His approval of Jesus. God approved of Jesus not because of what He had done, but because of who he was. Simply put, God loved and approved of Jesus because he was God's son.
This has tremendous meaning for you and I. You see, the Bible says that when we follow Jesus, we become sons and daughters of God. It also says that Jesus calls us his brothers and sisters. We are so connected to Jesus that what can be said of God's heart towards him can also be said of us! Apart from anything we have (or haven't) ever done, before we accomplish anything of real significance or value, God looks at His children- at us- and says, "This is my son. This is my daughter. I love them dearly, and they bring me great joy."
Have you ever thought of that? You bring God great joy. Not because of how much you can do for Him, but simply because you belong to Him. And when we grasp this truth, it can change the way we live. No longer do we run into the world at a feverish pitch trying to get God to like us and approve of us. He already does. So we can move out intentionally into our world as people who are approved by God Himself. When we know that approval, we truly have something to offer the world around us.
Affirmation always precedes mission.
May you know God's approval on your journey today-
Nick
I saw this morning that President Obama's approval numbers are slipping. No doubt his staff is scrambling to do some serious image adjustment in the weeks to come. If you watched the Master's golf tournament last weekend, you know how concerned Tiger Woods was about the reaction of the crowds and whether or not he would get their approval. If only he had been so concerned about keeping his wife's approval! Around the country, high school seniors are waiting for word of approval from their college or university of choice. They are asking the question- am I good enough for you?
In this culture of approval, we can easily transfer this question to God. We wonder- God, do you approve of me? There's a passage in the New Testament where God voices his unqualified approval of Jesus Christ. In Matthew 3, Jesus is baptized by John, and as they are coming up out of the water, God says, "This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy!" What an amazing declaration of God's affirmation towards his son.
What is interesting to note about this scene is how much Jesus had NOT done at this point in his life. As far as we know, Jesus had never preached a single message, never healed a single person, and he didn't have a single follower. It was just Him- a carpenter from Nazareth with nothing on his resume. AND YET, this is the very time when God expresses His approval of Jesus. God approved of Jesus not because of what He had done, but because of who he was. Simply put, God loved and approved of Jesus because he was God's son.
This has tremendous meaning for you and I. You see, the Bible says that when we follow Jesus, we become sons and daughters of God. It also says that Jesus calls us his brothers and sisters. We are so connected to Jesus that what can be said of God's heart towards him can also be said of us! Apart from anything we have (or haven't) ever done, before we accomplish anything of real significance or value, God looks at His children- at us- and says, "This is my son. This is my daughter. I love them dearly, and they bring me great joy."
Have you ever thought of that? You bring God great joy. Not because of how much you can do for Him, but simply because you belong to Him. And when we grasp this truth, it can change the way we live. No longer do we run into the world at a feverish pitch trying to get God to like us and approve of us. He already does. So we can move out intentionally into our world as people who are approved by God Himself. When we know that approval, we truly have something to offer the world around us.
Affirmation always precedes mission.
May you know God's approval on your journey today-
Nick
Monday, April 05, 2010
The Rest of the Story
This weekend at our Easter Service, I shared the story of when I totaled a Montana State Highway Patrol Truck. If you'd like to hear how that happened, you can go and listen to the sermon on our website. It's a pretty good story!
But I had several people ask about how the story ended. So, here goes...
When our car came to a stop, I sat in the silence wondering what to do next. I didn't have to wonder long as I heard people shouting in our direction, "Don't move! Don't move!" I guess our car looked pretty bad and they were concerned about serious injury. One of the ambulances approaching the scene had stopped right near our car and the EMT's jumped out and began peppering me with questions about my name, age, etc. I made the mistake of complaining that my neck felt tight, and I was immediately put in a neck brace and escorted to the waiting ambulance for my first and only ride in one.
My sister had been sleeping in the back seat of the car, but the personnel on hand assumed that she had been thrown into that position. They ended up cutting off the entire roof of our car with jaws of life so that they could carefully lift her out and not further any damage she may have sustained. We were both taken to the hospital where we had multiple x-rays and tests run, which all came back negative. We were fine. We were sore, banged up and bruised, but okay.
Before I left the hospital (we were put up in a local hotel for the night until our parents could come and pick us up), I was informed that the state patrol was charging me with reckless driving. They didn't seem to care that another car had cut in front of me at 45 MPH- which was clearly the cause of the accident in my mind- or that the entire freeway in that section was nothing but black ice. They were more concerned with my speed (72 MPH) and the fact that I had totaled their precious truck. Did I mention that a post from the fence, which the truck went through, had gone up through the floorboard and ruined all the radio equipment? Yeah, they were not happy. About $25,000 in damages on that vehicle. I don't think my parents insurance company was very happy either.
My parents came and picked us up the next morning. They were grateful to have their children alive, and never once did my Dad make me feel guilty about wrecking his car. They were wonderful models of love and care that morning. We drove over together to look at the car- the mangled mess made me feel incredibly blessed to be walking upright that day.
So, minus a nice, reliable car and a few days of recuperation, the only lasting effects of the crash were a lot of memories and one great sermon illustration. Ten days later my sister and I were both in Florida playing for our college basketball teams. Life went on, but every time I reflect on that night, I am grateful for God's provision and care. He protected us, and all of the people standing around the first accident that night. I do not know why sometimes people die and other times they live, but I do know that on that night, God spared us. And for that, I will be eternally grateful.
And so, in the words of Paul Harvey, now you know the rest of the story.
Peace-
Nick
But I had several people ask about how the story ended. So, here goes...
When our car came to a stop, I sat in the silence wondering what to do next. I didn't have to wonder long as I heard people shouting in our direction, "Don't move! Don't move!" I guess our car looked pretty bad and they were concerned about serious injury. One of the ambulances approaching the scene had stopped right near our car and the EMT's jumped out and began peppering me with questions about my name, age, etc. I made the mistake of complaining that my neck felt tight, and I was immediately put in a neck brace and escorted to the waiting ambulance for my first and only ride in one.
My sister had been sleeping in the back seat of the car, but the personnel on hand assumed that she had been thrown into that position. They ended up cutting off the entire roof of our car with jaws of life so that they could carefully lift her out and not further any damage she may have sustained. We were both taken to the hospital where we had multiple x-rays and tests run, which all came back negative. We were fine. We were sore, banged up and bruised, but okay.
Before I left the hospital (we were put up in a local hotel for the night until our parents could come and pick us up), I was informed that the state patrol was charging me with reckless driving. They didn't seem to care that another car had cut in front of me at 45 MPH- which was clearly the cause of the accident in my mind- or that the entire freeway in that section was nothing but black ice. They were more concerned with my speed (72 MPH) and the fact that I had totaled their precious truck. Did I mention that a post from the fence, which the truck went through, had gone up through the floorboard and ruined all the radio equipment? Yeah, they were not happy. About $25,000 in damages on that vehicle. I don't think my parents insurance company was very happy either.
My parents came and picked us up the next morning. They were grateful to have their children alive, and never once did my Dad make me feel guilty about wrecking his car. They were wonderful models of love and care that morning. We drove over together to look at the car- the mangled mess made me feel incredibly blessed to be walking upright that day.
So, minus a nice, reliable car and a few days of recuperation, the only lasting effects of the crash were a lot of memories and one great sermon illustration. Ten days later my sister and I were both in Florida playing for our college basketball teams. Life went on, but every time I reflect on that night, I am grateful for God's provision and care. He protected us, and all of the people standing around the first accident that night. I do not know why sometimes people die and other times they live, but I do know that on that night, God spared us. And for that, I will be eternally grateful.
And so, in the words of Paul Harvey, now you know the rest of the story.
Peace-
Nick
Sunday, February 14, 2010
The God Who Risks
For the past week, I have been taking a class called "Perspectives on Evil and Suffering". The premise of the class was to ask the question, "If God is good and if God is powerful, then why is there so much evil and suffering in the world?" The reasoning behind this question is evident. If God is truly good, then He would want to keep us from experiencing evil and suffering. And if God is powerful, He would have the ability to do what was necessary to keep us from evil and suffering.
But we all know that evil and suffering exist, and not just in a general, non-specific kind of way. We know from very personal, painful experience that our world is filled with evil and suffering. This can cause us, as it has caused many generations before us, to conclude that either God is not good, or God is not powerful.
But what if it is something more? What if God created this world with incredible potential and possibility? And in creating a world that was truly free to choose its destiny, this included the risk that people would choose paths that led not to God, but to evil and suffering. Is this a risk worth taking? When we look at the pain our world has experienced- Hitler, genocide, child prostitution rings, the list could go on- we might ask, "Is it worth it?" Is it worth the risk for God to give us this potential, this freedom? Some might even go so far as to say that it would be better if God had not created at all, rather than to allow His creation to experience such devastating pain.
God's decision to create can be likened to the decision that young parents make to have children. In deciding to have a child, we KNOW that the child will suffer in some way, shape or form in this world. We know that no matter how we guide, guard, and protect, the cruelty of the human race will scar that child. And we also know that the experience of having a child will bring suffering to us- suffering in the pain of labor, suffering in struggle to raise a child, even pain in the pocketbook. And so, in a sense, we willingly bring more suffering into the world. Why? Because we believe that life, with all of its risks, is always preferable to the alternative.
When God created this world, He took a huge risk in making it free to choose for or against Him, knowing the pain and suffering that could result. Yet God took the risk because He believed, because He knew, that life filled with risk was better than no life at all. And so, God gives you freedom to choose Him, or not. He gives you a world that is filled with the possibilities of extreme pain and loss. But in this world of possibility, there is also beauty, grace and love. And when we find these, we find our way back to God.
No matter what you are walking through in this season of life, I pray that you know God's heart for you. That God believed life, your life, was worth the risk. And now He waits and hopes that in complete freedom, you will choose Him, the author and perfecter of our faith.
May you know Him on your journey today,
Nick
But we all know that evil and suffering exist, and not just in a general, non-specific kind of way. We know from very personal, painful experience that our world is filled with evil and suffering. This can cause us, as it has caused many generations before us, to conclude that either God is not good, or God is not powerful.
But what if it is something more? What if God created this world with incredible potential and possibility? And in creating a world that was truly free to choose its destiny, this included the risk that people would choose paths that led not to God, but to evil and suffering. Is this a risk worth taking? When we look at the pain our world has experienced- Hitler, genocide, child prostitution rings, the list could go on- we might ask, "Is it worth it?" Is it worth the risk for God to give us this potential, this freedom? Some might even go so far as to say that it would be better if God had not created at all, rather than to allow His creation to experience such devastating pain.
God's decision to create can be likened to the decision that young parents make to have children. In deciding to have a child, we KNOW that the child will suffer in some way, shape or form in this world. We know that no matter how we guide, guard, and protect, the cruelty of the human race will scar that child. And we also know that the experience of having a child will bring suffering to us- suffering in the pain of labor, suffering in struggle to raise a child, even pain in the pocketbook. And so, in a sense, we willingly bring more suffering into the world. Why? Because we believe that life, with all of its risks, is always preferable to the alternative.
When God created this world, He took a huge risk in making it free to choose for or against Him, knowing the pain and suffering that could result. Yet God took the risk because He believed, because He knew, that life filled with risk was better than no life at all. And so, God gives you freedom to choose Him, or not. He gives you a world that is filled with the possibilities of extreme pain and loss. But in this world of possibility, there is also beauty, grace and love. And when we find these, we find our way back to God.
No matter what you are walking through in this season of life, I pray that you know God's heart for you. That God believed life, your life, was worth the risk. And now He waits and hopes that in complete freedom, you will choose Him, the author and perfecter of our faith.
May you know Him on your journey today,
Nick
Friday, February 12, 2010
Knowing Why Is Never Enough
In class this week, we have dealt extensively with some of the classic responses to evil and suffering in our world. No one can deny that we face a wide of variety of trouble and pain in this world; it is the universal experience. Because we all experience a level of suffering and because we are all affected by evil in some way, we find ourselves asking the big question: WHY? Why am I in pain? Why did this happen? Why did God not do something?
Historical Christianity has offered two basic solutions that can be broadly categorized as the Arminian response and the Calvinistic response. From the Arminian view, evil and suffering come as a result of people who have complete free-will to do evil and inflict suffering on others. The universe itself operates, in a sense, “freely” as storms, earthquakes, and tsunamis occur according to natural laws. In this case, evil and suffering are due to a lack of God’s presence. From the Calvinist perspective, God has pre-ordained the events of this life. What happens to us, whether at the hands of others or as part of the natural order, come from the hand of God. He has in mind a greater good, and all things will work together for good. In this case, evil and suffering are from God, but for our good.
So, when people suffer, one of these broad systems is typically brought in to help explain why the person is experiencing their pain or trial. What I have found, however, is that knowing why, having an answer as to why we suffer, rarely helps alleviate any of the pain. Both systems have holes that leave us unsatisfied with the answer.
What is really needed in the midst of our pain and suffering is to know where is God when I suffer? Or put another way, how does God feel about suffering? And for me, this is the real beauty of the Bible. While the Bible provides only scant evidence about the source of evil and suffering, it offers extensive and conclusive answers to the question of how God feels about our suffering. The power of the Bible is in the revelation that God himself came, not only to suffer with us, but more importantly to suffer for us. Jesus Christ came as the full expression and revelation of God. And what did He do? He suffered and He died in order to proclaim to us how God feels about our suffering. When we look to the cross, we should see not only an incredible sacrifice, but the true heart of God; a God who loves us so much that He entered into our world to become like us. And like us, he experienced pain and suffering, but to the utmost degree.
So, if you, or someone you know, is experiencing pain or suffering, I want you to know that it’s okay to ask why. But in the asking, keep in mind that something greater is waiting to be discovered than an answer. What I pray you will discover is the One who came to be The Answer. In knowing Him, and experiencing his partnership with us in pain, we can find our way forward.
May you know The Answer on your journey today.
Peace,
Nick
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