Yesterday I heard Jim Wallis and two others (one being a rabbi) talk about religion and society's problems, including politics. They discussed how we need to work for the common good.
Jim Wallis, author of the recent book On God's Side, reminded us that Lincoln was more concerned about discerning what God was doing and being on His side, than with invoking God to be on our side. At the end one of the other panelists promised that when we stand up for justice, God's light will shine and we'll be victorious. He cited a recent example where a voter ID law was defeated. However, he didn't mention that, in the same state, a marriage amendment was defeated that would have defined it as between a man and a woman, despite a large outcry from the religious community.
I think Jim Wallis has provided the right exhortation. We need to find where God's light is shining and go stand in it. Instead we stand on our issues and ask God's light and power to illuminate our efforts. Are we on God's side or are we asking Him to be on our side? We need to walk humbly with our God, and make sure we know His heart and His thoughts rather than project onto Him our thoughts and our feelings.
Saturday, October 19, 2013
Monday, October 14, 2013
Do We Know...?
Quite a few years ago, Group (the creators of teen curriculum) challenged youth leaders and youth with a response to WWJD: "DWKJWETKWHWD?"*
I was reminded of this recently when I read Proverbs 6 and the six things God hates, no seven things He detests? Can you guess what they are? Take a minute to list what you think they are based on what you know of scripture and what you've read in the popular religious press.**
At the same time, our men's group was challenged by the book we're reading. We had to think about whether we knew God like He knows us. There are many times when God surprises us in life and in scripture. Like where did Jonah get the idea that God would be merciful toward other people outside of Israel? How do we reconcile Christ's words that we should hate our parents, our wives and children and everyone else (Luke 14.26ff) with the chastisement of religious leaders who allowed payments to the Temple that should have gone to help aging parents, and such legal transgressions should be punishable by death (Matthew 15.3-9)? Are there deeper thoughts and a deeper sense of God's heart that we have trouble understanding so we rely on the simplistic and complex rules because we have trouble discerning the Spirit's guidance?
"We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to keep the Israelites from gazing at it while the radiance was fading away. But their minds were made dull...only in Christ is it taken away. Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit...And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory..." (2 Corinthian 4.13-18 NIV). Through the Spirit we have a chance to know the heart and thoughts of God.
Psalm 139 reversed and paraphrased
O Lord, I have searched for You
And I know You.
I know when You are still and when You are taking action.
I perceive Your thoughts.
I discern when You are moving forward and I need to follow
And when You are resting, and I should be still.
I am familiar with all Your ways,
And I know when good things and good words are coming from You and not from our own desires.
Before You speak, I know what You're going to say to me and others, O Lord.
Oh, that I would see when You make the path before me
And I would see how You've cleaned up the mess behind me.
I can feel Your hand of blessing on me
When I'm not creating You in my own image
By focusing on my desires, demands, judgments and vengeance.
You surprise me with creative and differing responses to situations that seem the same.
Oh, that I would stay in touch with Your Spirit.
You can be known when I'm on a spiritual retreat, and when I'm in work doldrums.
You can be known when I'm in my comfortable home
And when I'm in unfamiliar neighborhoods and lands.
When I stop blabbing on about my needs, and others' too, I listen and receive Your guidance.
I receive Your strength throughout the day so I don't weary.
Even in the darkest troubles and among the most unloved people, I see Your light.
No one made You and we cannot understand everything about You.
Yet we are called to know You and become like You, holy and perfect.
We are called to love as you love the weak, marginalized...the least, last and lost...
Every moment we are to reflect Your image.
If I don't love, You will find someone to reach out a caring hand, a soft word, a correcting nudge.
How precious are Your thoughts and Your heart!
They are too numerous to count and too wonderful to figure out logically.
I search for You, O God, to know Your heart and know Your thoughts.
Point out where I've gotten it wrong, but gently correct me,
And put me on the right path of following You and being like You.
*Do We Know Jesus Well Enough To Know What He Would Do?
** pride, lying to others, injustice and legal theft (see Dt. 19.10 and Jas. 5.1-6), wanting to take revenge, lack of self-control, gossip and slander, creating division among the faithful community.
I was reminded of this recently when I read Proverbs 6 and the six things God hates, no seven things He detests? Can you guess what they are? Take a minute to list what you think they are based on what you know of scripture and what you've read in the popular religious press.**
At the same time, our men's group was challenged by the book we're reading. We had to think about whether we knew God like He knows us. There are many times when God surprises us in life and in scripture. Like where did Jonah get the idea that God would be merciful toward other people outside of Israel? How do we reconcile Christ's words that we should hate our parents, our wives and children and everyone else (Luke 14.26ff) with the chastisement of religious leaders who allowed payments to the Temple that should have gone to help aging parents, and such legal transgressions should be punishable by death (Matthew 15.3-9)? Are there deeper thoughts and a deeper sense of God's heart that we have trouble understanding so we rely on the simplistic and complex rules because we have trouble discerning the Spirit's guidance?
"We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to keep the Israelites from gazing at it while the radiance was fading away. But their minds were made dull...only in Christ is it taken away. Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit...And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory..." (2 Corinthian 4.13-18 NIV). Through the Spirit we have a chance to know the heart and thoughts of God.
Psalm 139 reversed and paraphrased
O Lord, I have searched for You
And I know You.
I know when You are still and when You are taking action.
I perceive Your thoughts.
I discern when You are moving forward and I need to follow
And when You are resting, and I should be still.
I am familiar with all Your ways,
And I know when good things and good words are coming from You and not from our own desires.
Before You speak, I know what You're going to say to me and others, O Lord.
Oh, that I would see when You make the path before me
And I would see how You've cleaned up the mess behind me.
I can feel Your hand of blessing on me
When I'm not creating You in my own image
By focusing on my desires, demands, judgments and vengeance.
You surprise me with creative and differing responses to situations that seem the same.
Oh, that I would stay in touch with Your Spirit.
You can be known when I'm on a spiritual retreat, and when I'm in work doldrums.
You can be known when I'm in my comfortable home
And when I'm in unfamiliar neighborhoods and lands.
When I stop blabbing on about my needs, and others' too, I listen and receive Your guidance.
I receive Your strength throughout the day so I don't weary.
Even in the darkest troubles and among the most unloved people, I see Your light.
No one made You and we cannot understand everything about You.
Yet we are called to know You and become like You, holy and perfect.
We are called to love as you love the weak, marginalized...the least, last and lost...
Every moment we are to reflect Your image.
If I don't love, You will find someone to reach out a caring hand, a soft word, a correcting nudge.
How precious are Your thoughts and Your heart!
They are too numerous to count and too wonderful to figure out logically.
I search for You, O God, to know Your heart and know Your thoughts.
Point out where I've gotten it wrong, but gently correct me,
And put me on the right path of following You and being like You.
*Do We Know Jesus Well Enough To Know What He Would Do?
** pride, lying to others, injustice and legal theft (see Dt. 19.10 and Jas. 5.1-6), wanting to take revenge, lack of self-control, gossip and slander, creating division among the faithful community.
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