Reason and Revelation

Daniel 4:33 Immediately the word was fulfilled against Nebuchadnezzar. He was driven from among men and ate grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair grew as long as eagles' feathers, and his nails were like birds' claws. 34 At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion,and his kingdom endures from generation to generation;...
36 At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and splendor returned to me. ... and those who walk in pride [God] is able to humble.
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The tension maintained between reason and faith comes down to this. Reason rests on the divine ordering of all things by God himself. This fact must be taken on faith, but is an essential given to "believe" in reason itself.

If God exists, it is reasonable to believe in God.
If God does not exist, it is not reasonable to believe in Reason.
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In the beginning was the logos [Reason]...John 1:1

Intrinsic and Instrumental Goods

Romans 6:12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. 13 Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. 14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.
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I recently had the opportunity to hear Professor Robert George of Princeton University give an address entitled, "Natural Law, Human Rights and God". One of the things he asserted was that any serious discussion of natural law needed to be predicated on an acceptance of certain intrinsic goods. Things like friendship or free will are certainly instrumental to achieve something, but they are also good in and of themselves. Without finding intrinsic goodness in an array of things, one has a very difficult time asserting natural law exists. In the passage above Paul describes our bodies as being instrumental either for death or life. I think he would probably agree that the human being, as a creation of God, has a certain intrinsic goodness in it - in the sense that we are "fearfully and wonderfully made" but that we are also instrumental for something, either good or evil. It seems that our free will allows us to become more or less intrinsically good by choosing to be instrumental to the Great Intrinsic Good. In as much as we are instrumental to righteousness, we are filled with the goodness of God and sanctified.

A Deeper Healing

Acts 28:24 And some were convinced by what he said, but others disbelieved. 25 And disagreeing among themselves, they departed after Paul had made one statement: “The Holy Spirit was right in saying to your fathers through Isaiah the prophet: 26 “‘Go to this people, and say, You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive. 27 For this people's heart has grown dull,and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed; lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’ 28 Therefore let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen.”
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I know I've written about it before, but in this passage I am struck again by the reality of our condition. We are blind, deaf and lame. Our spiritual infirmaties are much more serious and permanant than physical maladies. So when Jesus forgave sins, he was healing on a much deeper level. The physical healing was a natural follow on step, showing God's sensitivity to the immediate as well as the eternal condition of mankind. But some people, including myself much of the time, are resistant to that kind of love. We are slow to listen to God, slow to see him and powerless to obey - or so it seems sometimes. Paul is so hopeful for the Gentiles though. I find him to be incredibly generous, as a Jewish leader, to dedicate his life for the spreading of the good news to the gentiles. Without that love and obedience, I would not have the explicit, written words of Paul inviting me into God's kingdom.

Justice, Light & Heat

Isaiah 30:18 Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you,and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him.
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Isaiah 30:26 Moreover, the light of the moon will be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun will be sevenfold, as the light of seven days, in the day when the Lord binds up the brokenness of his people, and heals the wounds inflicted by his blow.
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Isaiah 30:33 For a burning place [7] has long been prepared; indeed, for the king it is made ready, its pyre made deep and wide, with fire and wood in abundance; the breath of the Lord, like a stream of sulfur, kindles it.
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It seems that the justice of God, like a furnace, has different effects on differing materials. Whatever parts have been submitted to Him and redeemed, are turned to Gold and made part of an eternal reward. Whatever parts are horded away, whether physical resources or natural abilities, will be lost if not invested/redeemed. The same holy heat that purifies and sanctifies our lives is the heat that judges us for misusing and selfishly squandering our means. Where, under this light is there a place to hide? There is only one place to hide from you, and it is in you. The only protection from the heat of your justice is the shelter of your grace.

Home Away From Home

Psalm 84:3 Even the sparrow finds a home,and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young at your altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God. 4 Blessed are those who dwell in your house, ever singing your praise! Selah
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Matthew 10:31 Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.
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Luke 9:58 And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.”
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My first point is that the Psalmist claims animals make their homes as an act of worship to God. He declares a blessing over those people who would live their lives and make their "homes" in the same fashion, under the authority and protection of God's "house". My second point is to point out the rather funny syllogism which Jesus offers - God values us even more than sparrows (and he does value sparrows). It is funny because it should be obvious, but it isn't. The problem of pain and evil in the world causes us to doubt God's goodness and His power to bring about justice. The world is wild. It isn't easy to find the kind of peace a sparrow seems to have at home in a nest made from twigs, leaves and feathers. Third point: God inserted himself into our displaced situation, making himself "homeless" like one of us and then going back to His Father to prepare a place for us.
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2 Corinthians 5:1 For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

The Mystery of Life

Ecclesiastes 11:5 As you do not know the way the spirit comes to the bones in the womb [4] of a woman with child, so you do not know the work of God who makes everything.
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I am increasingly aware, as a father of four, of the miracle of life. Cliche, sure, but true. To be aware of a miracle is to be knowledgeable about our lack of knowledge. How does the human spirit become attached to the physical body in the womb? When? That's the politically charged question, and one that is certainly mysterious (although, if I dare, still within our pay grade to discuss). It might be easier to deny the existence of the human spirit entirely, or to redefine it as the chemical byproducts of the brain, but I reject those beliefs as the antithesis to my personal experience. Human life is a mystery and a miracle, but it most certainly IS human life, which is distinct from animals and vegetables. Human life is essentially spiritual, even before it is physical. Our bodies are mere shells. They are not us. Nowhere is this more obvious than at a birth or funeral. Seeing the face of a newborn child, knowing that this person is experiencing life, just as we have, is a shock to our senses and sensibilities. Where did he/she come from exactly? Conversely, observing the dead body of a person who once walked and talked with us we become acutely aware of the absence of the spirit. Where did he/she go exactly? These are mysteries that should humble us and cause us to approach God with reverence. He is the giver of life and the author of our story, and yet we have a hand in the subplot too. What does it mean to be human? That's the question that we all pose with our daily efforts to live a meaningful autobiography.

The Miracle of Forgiveness

John 20:19 On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”
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One of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to this passage, seems to be the ability to declare the forgiveness of sins. If you recall, on multiple occasions Jesus demonstrated how this miracle, the miracle of forgiveness, was much more profound and powerful than physical healing. Physical healing, although wonderful and certainly indicative of God's goodness, is not lasting because our current bodies are mortal. Forgiveness which comes from the Holy Spirit is the ultimate act of healing, in a sense cleansing us of our permanent, spiritual leprosy. When was the last time you told someone that their sins were forgiven by God? Do you believe that God has breathed His Holy Spirit into you and that you have the authority to do what Jesus empowered the disciples to do? I believe that the miracle of forgiveness is essential to building authentic community. Jesus, as our King, has invited us into a loving Kingdom, a Kingdom community where all are forgiven and free. We are his agents of forgiveness in the world, welcoming people into that safe place.

Broken Beyond Healing

Proverbs 29:1 He who is often reproved, yet stiffens his neck,will suddenly be broken beyond healing.
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It seems to me that we often only learn the things we are willing to learn. Obvious? Perhaps. But here is the thing which captures my attention right now: the intersention between the will and the heart, or the will and the mind. Jesus said that the greatest commandment was/is to love the Lord with all of our heart, mind and strength. Loosely (because I am not taking the time to do a word study just yet) I read this to be love which requires the mind, the emotions and the will, in unison. In other words - everything about us which is human must be turned towards God in an act of love. This is what we were created to enjoy. This is who we were created to be. It is our highest calling and greatest mode of existence - Love. One of the things which Love does in our lives is make us capable of being corrected, by God and by others. When we know we are loved, we are able to open ourselves to honest input. When we know we are safe in a loving community, we are able to be more truly ourselves. But love is also hard on us in the sense that it won't alloow us to be lazy. God's love is rigorous and inspires others to live rigorously. I am praying that my local community would be so full of love that we would be able to open up to eachother and at the same time, spur eachother on to do awesome stuff. The alternative is really not pleasant. If we neglect to live lives of love and close ourselves off to the possibility of honest community, we will eventually be broken. And yet, if you are reading this and you feel broken, I suspect that there is still healing waiting for you. I think the crux of the Proverb here is that those who refuse healing will not be healed. Sad, but true.

Perception is not Reality

John 7:1 After this Jesus went about in Galilee. He would not go about in Judea, because the Jews [6] were seeking to kill him. 2 Now the Jews' Feast of Booths was at hand. 3 So his brothers [7] said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea, that your disciples also may see the works you are doing. 4 For no one works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world.” 5 For not even his brothers believed in him. 6 Jesus said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always here. 7 The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it that its works are evil. 8 You go up to the feast. I am not [8] going up to this feast, for my time has not yet fully come.” 9 After saying this, he remained in Galilee. 10 But after his brothers had gone up to the feast, then he also went up, not publicly but in private. 11 The Jews were looking for him at the feast, and saying, “Where is he?” 12 And there was much muttering about him among the people. While some said, “He is a good man,” others said, “No, he is leading the people astray.” 13 Yet for fear of the Jews no one spoke openly of him. 14 About the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and began teaching. 15 The Jews therefore marveled, saying, “How is it that this man has learning, [9] when he has never studied?” 16 So Jesus answered them, “My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me. 17 If anyone's will is to do God's [10] will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority. 18 The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood. 19 Has not Moses given you the law? Yet none of you keeps the law. Why do you seek to kill me?” 20 The crowd answered, “You have a demon! Who is seeking to kill you?” ... 24 Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.”
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I love the fact that Jesus came from a town that no one thought was good enough. It is as though the Son of God was born in Intercourse, Pennsylvania or something and then everybody who considers themselves intellectual says, "surely not!" But God is God and he can have his son born in any place he chooses. Same thing with the Jews. Why did He pick the Jews as his chosen people rather than the Canaanites or Philistines? He can do whatever he wants! I think he could have chosen any group, birth place or design he wanted, and he went with this one for many wonderful reasons beyond my comprehension. Here Jesus underlines the point that part of his plan is to weed out those who judge only by appearance. He teaches that there is a way of knowing the truth through the will to do God's will. This is echoed in Matthew 6 when we are told that our quest for God will be answered in time. In a sense, all people will find what they are ultimately looking for.

Truth in Private

Luke 23:3 And Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” And he answered him, “You have said so.” 4 Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no guilt in this man.”
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So Pilate asks Jesus for a declaration of his identity, but as I read it, Jesus knows that Pilate has already referred to him as "the King of the Jews" behind closed doors. By showing Pilate that he knows this, he is demonstrating supernatural power and showing that his kingship is not of this world. Pilate gets it. He understands what Jesus is not. Unfortunately, understanding what Jesus is not is only part way to realizing who he is.

The Hidden God

Job 23:8 “Behold, I go forward, but he is not there,and backward, but I do not perceive him;9 on the left hand when he is working, I do not behold him;he turns to the right hand, but I do not see him.
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Luke 17:20 Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, “The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed, 21 nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.” [15] 22 And he said to the disciples, “The days are coming when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it. 23 And they will say to you, ‘Look, there!’ or ‘Look, here!’ Do not go out or follow them. 24 For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day. [16]
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It seems that Job experienced something that has, according to some, been common to our era - a hidden God. Certainly the end of his story is full of divine revelation, but in the thick of his trials, God feels a bit distant. Jesus predicted this same feeling for the age that would come after him. The disciples had the luxury and the responsibility of knowing him in the flesh, but we believe without seeing. Thanks to doubting Thomas, we even get an extra blessing for believing without seeing. Nevertheless, we long to see, sing songs about seeing Him, and look forward to seeing Him just as we are fully seen.
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Jesus describes "his day" as though he will shift from being a man to something more like how I understand the Holy Spirit to operate. He will not be confined by conventional rules of time and space. This is not to say that Jesus will cease to be a man - I believe this is His eternal form, but it seems, from his own description, that we will expect and desire him in a way that he will not come. How exciting!

Just a Passin Through

Psalm 39:4 “O Lord, make me know my endand what is the measure of my days;let me know how fleeting I am!5 Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths,and my lifetime is as nothing before you.Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath! Selah6 Surely a man goes about as a shadow!Surely for nothing [4] they are in turmoil;man heaps up wealth and does not know who will gather! 7 “And now, O Lord, for what do I wait?My hope is in you.8 Deliver me from all my transgressions. ... 11 When you discipline a manwith rebukes for sin,you consume like a moth what is dear to him;surely all mankind is a mere breath! Selah 12 “Hear my prayer, O Lord,and give ear to my cry;hold not your peace at my tears!For I am a sojourner with you,a guest, like all my fathers.
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When we were kids we used to sing a hymn, "The world is not my home, I'm just a passin through. My treasures are laid up, somewhere beyond the blue." I think of that hymn as a read this psalm and I meditate with a certain sense of awe today because my fourth child was just born a few hours ago. My son, a mortal creation like myself, has started the adventure of this short life. For a few years we will suffer together under the various afflictions of our current human condition, and then, eventually, we may both enjoy eternal love and fellowship beyond this world. This side of life is short but feels long sometimes - the other side, in God's Kingdom, is forever-long and I'm sure it flies by like to grandest of days.

Tday was a grand day and it certainly did fly by. I am so thankful for today and I see the nature of God shining through today. I love Him.

Stay Awake

Mark 13:5 And Jesus began to say to them, “See that no one leads you astray. 6 Many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and they will lead many astray. 7 And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. This must take place, but the end is not yet. 8 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. These are but the beginning of the birth pains. 9 “But be on your guard. For they will deliver you over to councils, and you will be beaten in synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them. 10 And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all nations. 11 And when they bring you to trial and deliver you over, do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. 12 And brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death. 13 And you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 14 “But when you see the abomination of desolation standing where he ought not to be (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 15 Let the one who is on the housetop not go down, nor enter his house, to take anything out, 16 and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak. 17 And alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! 18 Pray that it may not happen in winter. 19 For in those days there will be such tribulation as has not been from the beginning of the creation that God created until now, and never will be. 20 And if the Lord had not cut short the days, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, whom he chose, he shortened the days. 21 And then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘Look, there he is!’ do not believe it. 22 For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, the elect. 23 But be on guard; I have told you all things beforehand. 24 “But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, 25 and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. 26 And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. 27 And then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven. 28 “From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. 29 So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. 30 Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. 31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. 32 “But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Be on guard, keep awake. [10] For you do not know when the time will come. 34 It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants [11] in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to stay awake. 35 Therefore stay awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, [12] or in the morning— 36 lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. 37 And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake.”
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On one hand it seems like an impossible task to be watchful in an age of so much information streaming in from all sides. And anyway, we are so tuned and trained to watch the things with please us, it hardly seems natural or good to be on the watch for something as unpleasant as the end times. I didn't grow up studying eschatology or even the book of Revelation really. Its all relatively new to me, but certainly fascinating. But I think our generation will see a day, and perhaps that day is already upon us, when the ends times prophecies are the headlines of the TV. Ironically, the medium of our entertainment and the focal point for our spiritual vigil will collide as world events intertwine on the media's stage in Hollywood and in the news. But that actually isn't a change. God's Kingdom has always been emergent, growing roots in the midst of our subterranean world. He is challenging us to stay awake and stay focused on something which is happening right in front of us. Yesterday I imagined getting to heaven and having God ask why I didn't pray more often. I heard myself respond, "well, I couldn't see you, so it was hard." And he replied with a question, "Why do you need to see in order to listen or to speak?" And this question left me truly speechless. It seems that a similar question emerges as we attempt to perceive the end times. We don't know the exact hour, but we still have ways of knowing we are near to it.

Intermarriage

Ezra 10:10 The land that you are entering, to take possession of it, is a land impure with the impurity of the peoples of the lands, with their abominations that have filled it from end to end with their uncleanness. 12 Therefore do not give your daughters to their sons, neither take their daughters for your sons, and never seek their peace or prosperity, that you may be strong and eat the good of the land and leave it for an inheritance to your children forever.’ ...18 Now there were found some of the sons of the priests who had married foreign women...19 They pledged themselves to put away their wives
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On one hand I understand that God is giving the Jews practical instuction on how to avoid mixing with a bad crowd. On the other hand, it seems uncharacteristic of Him to condone the abandonment of the foreign wives and children once they have been grafted into the family. I struggle with this passage both in implication and application. Should I read it symbolically for my own life, looking for parallels for pure living, or would the equivelant be marrying a non-Christian? On one hand, the laws of the Old Testament were much more lenient on divorce than Jesus. At the same time, the New Testament teachings seem to be much for graceful to those outside the family DNA, so to speak. Wouldn't God want these foreign wives and children to be loved? Perhaps it would have been better, rather than putting their wives and children out, to lay themselves before the Lord and repent, asking for a way to sacrifice themselves on behalf of their families. It seems to me that this is what Jesus did and therefore what they could have done.

Kingdom Theology in a Nutshell

Mark 4:30 And he said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it? 31 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown on the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth, 32 yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and puts out large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.” 33 With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it. 34 He did not speak to them without a parable, but privately to his own disciples he explained everything.
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It is interesting that birds and squirrels play a part in the distribution of seeds across the earth. Some seeds even have to be eaten and digested before they can germinate. There's quite a bit of symbolism there, but the image I'd like to zoom in on is of the mustard seed - let's call it an acorn instead. Set aside for a moment the obvious truth that the Kingdom of God is something we like to call heaven. What does Jesus mean when he says that His Kingdom is like an acorn, starting so small and growing so big? Why is it important for him to preach this message? Why doesn't he just focus on the same message that John the Baptist preached - 'repent'? Why does he insist on describing it to them? Is this functional knowledge or just a nice-to-know-fact? This last question is key because for many of us, its easier to think of God's Kingdom as though it were a country club - you're either in or you are out. But here God is talking about His Kingdom as though it were a living thing in an of itself - something which starts small, has roots in the earth, grows large into the heavens and provides shelter for all kinds of creatures. This image of the Kingdom is a bit strange, as though Heaven itself might have roots planted in our current reality. And this is exactly what Jesus is preaching. He comes from the root of Jesse, and lineage of David, but Jesus is the Root from which the Kingdom grows, or perhaps the acorn, to follow our analogy. He is the vine and we are the branches . He is the tree who provides our shelter and our way to transcend the world, but his roots in the world allow him to remain connected with us.The Kingdom of God here and now is like an acorn which has taken root and grown into a strong young tree, but there is much more growing to do. This is functional knowledge because in knowing the Kingdom of God is rooted in our midst and growing into full fruition, we can't sit idly by and wait. We must participate in the growing. We cannot force it to grow the way we would like or at the speed that we would like, but we can certainly be productive by doing the types of things Jesus did - loving the outcast, healing the sick, speaking the truth in love... His Kingdom advances when we invite people into the promise of a heavenly afterlife, but also into the promise of heaven taking root in the earth here and now. The already and the not yet - the Kingdom is coming and the Kingdom is at hand.

Kingdom Community

Mark 3: 31 And his mother and his brothers came, and standing outside they sent to him and called him. 32 And a crowd was sitting around him, and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers [11] are outside, seeking you.” 33 And he answered them, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” 34 And looking about at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 35 For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.”
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Of course Jesus loved his mother and his brothers, but he also had a radical commitment to live in brotherhood with all mankind. I'm sure this was hard at times. When he hung on the cross and asked Peter to take his place as son to his mother, Mary, I'm sure there was intense emotional anguish. Was it worth it? For those of us who have been fortunate to experience the safety and love of a healthy family, it is hard to imagine giving it up for anything. But God calls us to lay this down, at the proper time, in order to open our families to the rest of the world. In order to do this I have to be willing to live a fairly transparent life, not always having to have it all together. But the the front doors of our homes are the side doors to the church. And conversely, the disconnected church goer has the opportunity to become reconnected to the body through home groups and intentional hospitality.

The Blood of the Lamb

Matthew 27:24 So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man's blood; [10] see to it yourselves.” 25 And all the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!” 26 Then he released for them Barabbas, and having scourged [11] Jesus, delivered him to be crucified.
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Long before this day, during the time of the Israelites' enslavement in Egypt, God delivered them through a sacrifice of firstborn children. Anyone who had the blood of the lamb on their doorpost was saved from the plague and their children were spared. Here we see that God is again delivering his people by putting his own firstborn to death. The people, not knowing what they are doing, ask for Jesus' blood to be on them and their children. What an amazing fulfilment of the passover! Later, on the cross, Jesus prays for them, saying that they don't know what they are doing. Contrast this with Pilate, who seems to know what he is doing and wash himself of the guilt. In both cases, Jesus is the only one entitled to grant forgiveness. He is innocent and yet held accountable for sin. This answers the ancient word given by God in Genesis 9:
5 And for your lifeblood I will require a reckoning: from every beast I will require it and from man. From his fellow man I will require a reckoning for the life of man. 6 “Whoever sheds the blood of man,by man shall his blood be shed,for God made man in his own image. There is an ancient rule of justice knit into the fabric of the world and Jesus had to die in order to "reckon" for our sin because the wages of sin is death. So now we are like the Israelites who have just been told by Pharaoh that we may leave Egypt. There is still a desert ahead before we get to Canaan, but the Promised Land is still promised, and our Deliverer is leading the way.

Humility

II Chronicles 7:12 Then the Lord appeared to Solomon in the night and said to him: “I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a house of sacrifice. 13 When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command the locust to devour the land, or send pestilence among my people, 14 if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. 15 Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayer that is made in this place. 16 For now I have chosen and consecrated this house that my name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will be there for all time.
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God doesn't ask us to come to him with everything perfect already. He just asks us to humble ourselves and come as we are. I have often thought that humility is much closer to courage than to weakness. In humility, we recognize our weaknesses and ask for help. This requires courage. How much easier would it be to hide our sin and shame? It can be so difficult and dangerous to confess sin! The Kingdom of God is a safe place for us...but not for our sin. When we confess our sin in the Kingdom of God, it is put to death, but we are made new. God says that if we, who are called by his name, humble ourselves and seek his face, he will heal our land. What does this mean right now and here? Does this promise apply to our local community and our generation? I am praying to God right now and believing that he will bless this community and this generation with His Love. I want to see everyone come to know what a great and loving God he is. I want to worship him with abandon this year. I want to be a better man this year because of the Holy Spirit's fruit in my life. If you were like Solomon and God said you could ask for anything, what would you ask for?

Kyrie Eleison, Lord Have Mercy

Matthew 20:29 And as they went out of Jericho, a great crowd followed him. 30 And behold, there were two blind men sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was passing by, they cried out, “Lord, [11] have mercy on us, Son of David!” 31 The crowd rebuked them, telling them to be silent, but they cried out all the more, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!” 32 And stopping, Jesus called them and said, “What do you want me to do for you?” 33 They said to him, “Lord, let our eyes be opened.” 34 And Jesus in pity touched their eyes, and immediately they recovered their sight and followed him.
***
Kyrie Eleison, which means, "Lord, have mercy" is a cry that God will not deny. His heart of love for those who hurt is ready and willing to respond. Why did he heal these two but not others? How did he have the power to heal and yet allow people to get sick in the first place? The question is very difficult, perhaps impossible, to answer. The problem of pain is not simple, especially within the context of an innocent person's life. But I imagine that things must get much harder before they get better [notice I didn't say before they get easier]. I imagine that God allows suffering to work on us in two ways. If it is not part of our punishment, and not specifically a test, then it could be the simple fall-out from sin in out communities. But if we bear up under the suffering, trusting in the God who bore crucifixion for us, we can grow through it. And if the suffering is unjust, he will set things right eventually. Why not now? Why not right away? I believe he has a good reason even though it often feels as though he could not possibly. We will see, won't we?

Childlikeness and Childishness

Matthew 19:13 Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked the people, 14 but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” 15 And he laid his hands on them and went away.
***
Luke 7:31 “To what then shall I compare the people of this generation, and what are they like? 32 They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to one another,
“‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;we sang a dirge, and you did not weep.’
***
1 Corinthians 13:11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.
***
I had a college English Professor once who make a point I will never forget. He taught us that there is a big difference between child-likeness and childishness. The different senses are captured in the above mentioned verses. Jesus says that we must become like children, having faith like them and drawing close to Jesus in the same way, intuitively, humbly, trusting in His love. But we all know that children can be rascals. Jesus described his generation as a bunch of big babies, trying to manipulate him to do things that they wanted. He said, in effect, that they were being childish. Paul addresses the child-adult paradigm by explaining that he has given up "childish ways" but he still admits that life is pretty mysterious, as if looking into a dim mirror. In effect, he is humbling himself so that he rests on child-like faith.

Faith Like Jesus

Matthew 17:14 And when they came to the crowd, a man came up to him and, kneeling before him, 15 said, “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and he suffers terribly. For often he falls into the fire, and often into the water. 16 And I brought him to your disciples, and they could not heal him.” 17 And Jesus answered, “O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to me.” 18 And Jesus rebuked the demon, [15] and it [16] came out of him, and the boy was healed instantly. [17] 19 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” 20 He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.” [18]
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I wonder if Jesus' faith was related to his righteousness. Faith seems to me to be related to what one knows. Righteousness is related to what one does. The two are of course inseperable, faith and works, orthodoxy and orthopraxy, right thinking and right action. The temptation with this passage is of course to convince ourselves that a mere mustering of the thought of the mountain in motion might be enough. Jesus lived a sinless life. I think there is power in that. I am not saying that his grace isn't great enough to make our faith powerful, but it seems reasonable to me that God would be more willing to work with people who were doing the stuff of Christ on a regular basis. So goal #1 is to walk in his footsteps and not become legalistic. Then, believing and obeying, we should ask for the great big things that would bless God.

I am a Dog

Matthew 15:21 And Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon. 22 And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.” 23 But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us.” 24 He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” 25 But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” 26 And he answered, “It is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs.” 27 She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table.” 28 Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly. [11]
***
I have really had a hard time with this account of Jesus. It seems as though his love for the chosen people, Israel, is greater than his love for us "dogs". In this account it would seem that they are his children and we, the gentiles, are an afterthought. Surely this can't be the same Jesus that died for the whole world? Why would the man who welcomed little children, touched social pariahs and ate with sinners treat this woman this way? Was it because the Canaanites had been treating the Jews like dogs? Was it because this woman had treated someone in her life like a dog? In other words, was Jesus disciplining her for something, or testing her, kind of like with the rich young ruler or others who had baggage? I hope so because I cannot conceive of Jesus actually viewing this woman as less than human. And yet, when I read the passage it opens up all kinds of insecurity in me, fears that God might not love me or want me. Where does this come from? Is this fear justified? The Psalms tell us that the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. But that is only the beginning. As we get to know God, we learn his love, because perfect love casts out fear. So is my insecurity about this passage related to an insufficient knowledge of God's love? I think yes. And I bear witness to this, that as I have wrestled with this passage and with God, like Jacob, seeking his blessing, He has taught me these two things. He loves me too much to let me go through this life without growing, and in order for anything to grow, it must be intentionally and skillfully broken down. I am a dog and God's love will make me a man.

Ears to Hear

Matthew 13:3 And he told them many things in parables, saying . . . 9 He who has ears, [7] let him hear.” 10 Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” 11 And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given." . . . 13 This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. . . .15 For this people's heart has grown dull,and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’
***
I think Jesus' explanation of his use of parables is extremely troublesome. If the people are not supposed to understand him, why does he persist in telling the parables? The question treads heavily in the territory of sovereignty, but without getting too wordy, this is what I think is happening - I see Jesus telling stories. Stories are like Trojan horses. Common people, without much education or experience, still love a good story. It's why we flock to the movies. It's only human, to want to hear a story about other humans, dealing with human problems and beauties. Jesus knew this about us because he helped to create us. He told stories rather than straight up teaching because he knew that the stories would penetrate to the heart, like seeds. What was he planting? The Kingdom of God! Stories bypass the mind and go straight to the heart, unless of course you are engaged in the act of "criticism". The Pharisees were into that. But for us normal people, who enjoy a good story just for the humanity of it, Jesus was right on target. He would tell these little stories and then at the end he would say this funny sentence, "for those that have ears, hear". I think this is more than just a verily, verily, or 'pay attention guys' kind of moment. I think he is doing something in the spirit. It has the ring of a prayer actually. Consider his handling of a demonized man in the book of Luke. Jesus instruction to the demon was, “Be silent and come out of him!” I detect the same tone when he says, "For those who have ears, hear!" It's as if he has planted the parable seed in their hearts, and then, like creation, he commands them to grow. I still find it incredibly mysterious.

Heman Worship

1 Chronicles 15:16 David also commanded the chiefs of the Levites to appoint their brothers as the singers who should play loudly on musical instruments, on harps and lyres and cymbals, to raise sounds of joy. 17 So the Levites appointed Heman the son of Joel;. . .[who was] to sound bronze cymbals; 20 [Some] were to play harps according to Alamoth; 21 [some] were to lead with lyres according to the Sheminith. . . . 24 [and others] should blow the trumpets before the ark of God. . . . 28 So all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the Lord with shouting, to the sound of the horn, trumpets, and cymbals, and made loud music on harps and lyres. 29 And as the ark of the covenant of the Lord came to the city of David, Michal the daughter of Saul looked out of the window and saw King David dancing and rejoicing. . .
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Nehemiah 12:27 And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites . . . to celebrate the . . . with cymbals, harps, and lyres. 28 And the sons of the singers gathered together . . . 31 Then I brought the leaders of Judah up onto the wall and appointed two great choirs that gave thanks. One went to the south . . . 38 The other choir of those who gave thanks went to the north . . . and they came to a halt at the Gate of the Guard. 40 So both choirs of those who gave thanks stood in the house of God . . . 41 And the singers sang with Jezrahiah as their leader. 43 And they . . . rejoiced, for God had made them rejoice with great joy; the women and children also rejoiced. And the joy of Jerusalem was heard far away.
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I think its funny and wonderful that one of the worship leaders in David's kingdom was named Heman. The over the top masculinity of the 80's action figure is a comical, but not entirely innapropriate representative of the Old Testament singers who were warriors in their own right. For, worship is sometimes warfare. He-Man, apparently "the most powerful man in the universe" is of course a kind of archetypal hero. In the book of Nehemiah, one of my favorite stories is how they sent choirs up onto the wall to worship after they had completed contruction. The "joy of Jerusalem was heard far away". This is amazing, especially when you consider our own paradigm for worship, which is often timid and introverted. God forbid [ironically] if we should sing too loud and wake somebody up on a Sunday morning! My kids like to sing a song as prayer before meals: "Lord we thank thee, Lord we thank thee, Lord in heaven we thank thee." And then sometimes they will feel inspired to shout at the top of their lungs, "Praise Jesus!" as the grand finale. They did that in a restaurant once. It was awesome. Ransom, my son, was like He-Man on Nehemiah's wall. How's that for a strange quote!

God in a Box

I Chronicles 13:9 And when they came to the threshing floor of Chidon, Uzzah put out his hand to take hold of the ark, for the oxen stumbled. 10 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah, and he struck him down because he put out his hand to the ark, and he died there before God. 11 And David was angry because the Lord had broken out against Uzzah. And that place is called Perez-uzza [7] to this day. 12 And David was afraid of God that day, and he said, “How can I bring the ark of God home to me?” 13 So David did not take the ark home into the city of David, but took it aside to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. 14 And the ark of God remained with the household of Obed-edom in his house three months. And the Lord blessed the household of Obed-edom and all that he had.
***
So this God that I believe in seems completely weird to me sometimes, and I think David feels the same way here. Uzzah is walking along beside the ark. The oxen stumble. Uzzah reaches out to keep it from falling [we assume that's why he touched it]. God strikes him dead. David is angry [with God or with Ussah, I'm not sure]. And then, this dangerous God-box is brought to Obed-edom's house and he is totally blessed. - I don't get it. The irony is that you cannot put God in a box!

Heroes Unlimited

1 Chronicles 11:10 Now these are the chiefs of David's mighty men... 11 Jashobeam, a Hachmonite, ... wielded his spear against 300 whom he killed at one time....22 Benaiah ... struck down a lion in a pit on a day when snow had fallen. 23 And he struck down an Egyptian, a man of great stature, five cubits [7] tall. The Egyptian had in his hand a spear like a weaver's beam, but Benaiah went down to him with a staff and snatched the spear out of the Egyptian's hand and killed him with his own spear.
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Matthew 10:1 And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction. 2 The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; [12] 4 Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
***
It is interesting that David is a Christ-like messiah. His chiefs, valiant in battle are prophetic figures of Jesus' spiritual army. We read in Matthew about Jesus empowering the disciples to heal every disease and affliction and yet in the next chapter we are told that, "From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, [1] and the violent take it by force." (Matthew 11:12) Why? What is it about his kingdom that would invite violence? What is the nature of this violence? Is it physical violence or a metaphor? Or both? Well David and his men certainly encountered violence in a very physical way, and so did Jesus, but the verse seems to point to a much more epic battle field. Jesus' sweat, like drops of blood, in the Garden of Gethsemane, indicate an engagement with violent forces much more powerful than our natural eyes can see. The decisive victory of that war has already been won, but we continue to ride out the final battles and rescue the prisoners of war. The healing that Jesus has commissioned us to do is not just physical either, although physical healing is an integral part of the blessing that He often imparted. There are many deep layers of the human life that are damaged and needing help. It almost seems trite to say that one can have everything healthy on the outside but still have a wounded heart, but its true. He is sending us to be heart healers. The greatest good that we can do is then to engage in the epic war as holy paramedics. The greatest violence that can be done against Satan and his crew is an act of healing.

Laborers

Matthew 9:35 And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
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God, make me a laborer for Your kingdom!

A Good God & Sea Glass

Psalm 5:3 O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you [5] and watch. 4 For you are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil may not dwell with you.
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Most of us, if asked, would say that we would prefer a good God over an evil God. Plenty of people have openly worshipped evil gods, but that is not really very practical. Logic would follow then that most of us would also prefer a God that delights in goodness rather than evil. However, most of us also do a lot of things that aren't good and hope that God will let us get away with it . So can we have it both ways? We know, deep inside, that a good God is better than a bad god, and yet we often live our lives as though ruled by a bad god. Assuming that God exists and that our desires have no control over that fact, we have to contend with the difficult reality that we are not always calibrated to worship God in his goodness. In fact, as we draw close to His goodness, we often shy away, like those attempting to look directly into the sun. His glory and righteousness are too bright... and yet... we were created in his image, from the beginning intended to shine like stars, or like lamps on a stand. How is that possible when the goodness of God terrifies me? His goodness is so good that it almost seems bad to me by comparison. And this is what one might call the fear of God which leads to wisdom. But we know that perfect love casts out fear and that God, in his goodness, is the essence of Love. His Love is able to overcome the danger of death. He has so much Love for me that His goodness can shine through my dim sea glass of a life and make it bright.
***
My life is in fact like sea glass. Esther loves sea glass.

The 9 People You Meet in Heaven

Matthew 5:1 Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.
2 And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons [4] of God.
10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
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I get the sense that these people are the kind of people who would be able to appreciate God's blessing, even in the midst of suffering. It almost seems as if God's Kingdom, which is really what is being described here, is open to all who would enjoy this kind of life - a life of purity, mercy, humility and of course Love. Last week I had a thought about the end times. I'm not really someone who studies apocalyptic theology much, but I was just thinking about God and what it might be like in the end. I imagined that Jesus returned and offered everyone the option of going to heaven or staying here on earth. He made it clear that He was Love and that after he left, there would be no Love left in the world. Many were incredulous about this. They assured him that they were quite capable of love without his help. He explained to them that their love was selfish and destructive and that up til this point they had survived off of the residual love of an invisible community of saints. They were still incredulous, assuring him that there was work to be done to save the earth and heal mankind of its trouble. Jesus reiterated that all creation was welcome to come with him and be made new in His kingdom of love. Finally, he gathered up the volunteers and left. The world changed immediately. There were no more acts of charity on the face of the earth. The impulse to act generously and heroically no longer existed in mankind. A few tried vainly to save the earth from its march towards global warming, but there seemed to be little in it for the individual, so no one wanted to invest time, money or effort. The downward spiral towards chaos and misery happened quickly culminating with the eventual uninhabitability of the earth. All died and then the earth was wiped out by the implosion of the sun.... Meanwhile, in heaven, all were offered luxurious accommodations in a beach side hotel, but no one wanted to take a room. They all just wanted to be together in the lobby or on the beach, and they all continued to share anything they were given with the others. The more luxury they were offered, the more they would try to give it away. Jesus played host, walking around from person to person, announcing this gift or that, and he didn't need to say what they already knew, which was that the greatest gift was living in the Kingdom of Love together with those who knew the value of Love.

Desire

Revelations 18:1 After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was made bright with his glory. 2 And he called out with a mighty voice,
“Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a dwelling place for demons, a haunt for every unclean spirit...3 For all nations have drunk [3]the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality,and the kings of the earth have committed immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have grown rich from the power of her luxurious living.
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14 The fruit for which your soul longed has gone from you, and all your delicacies and your splendors are lost to you, never to be found again!”
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It is on verse 14 that I would like to meditate for a moment. For those who fall in with Babylon, basically buying into the lie that this present life, with its physical pleasures, is the be all and end all; they will find out in the end that their desires - the fruit for which their souls longed - are lost to them. C.S. Lewis argues in The Weight of Glory that our desires may be a clue to certain supernatural objects for which we were designed. The Persian mystic, Rumi, wrote of this aspect of human nature when he said that like a reed cut from a river bank, "Who's from his home snatched far away, Longs to return some future day." Pascal, interestingly, referred to us as reeds as well: “Man is but a reed, the most feeble thing in nature, but he is a thinking reed”

And in his Pensees described us thus:

"What else does this craving, and this helplessness, proclaim but that there was once in man a true happiness, of which all that now remains is the empty print and trace? This he tries in vain to fill with everything around him, seeking in things that are not there the help he cannot find in those that are, though none can help, since this infinite abyss can be filled only with an infinite and immutable object; in other words by God himself."

Our longing points us to God, but many will perish because they settle for less.

Good Kings

2 Kings 18:1 In the third year of Hoshea son of Elah, king of Israel, Hezekiah the son of Ahaz, king of Judah, began to reign. ... 3 And he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, according to all that David his father had done. 4 He removed the high places and broke the pillars and cut down the Asherah. And he broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for until those days the people of Israel had made offerings to it (it was called Nehushtan). [1] 5 He trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel, so that there was none like him among all the kings of Judah after him, nor among those who were before him. 6 For he held fast to the Lord. He did not depart from following him, but kept the commandments that the Lord commanded Moses. 7 And the Lord was with him; wherever he went out, he prospered.
***
From looking at the kings it seems that the true test of godly leadership is whether one removes the high places. That means doing a thorough search of one's kingdom for competing gods and removing all idols. This has an obvious application for our own lives, for our hearts are like kingdoms which we have a bit of leadership over. We do well when we search our hearts and actively "remove the high places" - the various things that crop up as more important than our love for God and others. The best, and really the only, way to do this is to lay down your crown and let Jesus be king of your heart!

Activists and Politicians

1 Peter 3:13 Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, 15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, 16 having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. 17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil.
***
I think the hardest thing for anyone to do is hold fast to righteousness when the tide floods against us. I admire those idealistic souls, like Don Quixote, who pursue the highest good despite the world's claim that they are a bit impractical. I've been accused of that. There are politicians and then there are activists. This is not to say that all politicians are corrupt. Jesus ate with tax collectors and prostitutes. His cousin John, on the other hand, sequestered himself to the desert like a monk. Which was more righteous - well Jesus of course! So what does activism do for you with regards to righteousness, or perhaps the better question is, is it possible to be an activist in a thousand different ways? Is it possible to live in a bureaucracy and remain an optimist? It is a tall order, but I think possible with the hope that God gives us.

Faith, Fear of Man and the Journey Ahead

I Kings 19:1 Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. 2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So may the gods do to me and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by this time tomorrow.” 3 Then he was afraid, and he arose and ran for his life and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there. 4 But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he asked that he might die, saying, “It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers.” 5 And he lay down and slept under a broom tree. And behold, an angel touched him and said to him, “Arise and eat.” 6 And he looked, and behold, there was at his head a cake baked on hot stones and a jar of water. And he ate and drank and lay down again. 7 And the angel of the Lord came again a second time and touched him and said, “Arise and eat, for the journey is too great for you.” 8 And he arose and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mount of God.
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If you recall, Elijah has just finished the whole contest with the prophets of Baal and proven God's power in a profound way. Who could deny God after that? Surely after that great sign Elijah could have no doubt of God's will! But Elijah is human, like John the Baptist, his antecedent, and he confesses to God that he is no better than his fathers (or those after him).
He his weak in his faith for the moment, but he is humble about it. What does God do? He sends an angel with some food and drink. In other words, he sends a spiritual messanger with physical "daily bread". Interesting, eh?

Faith and Knowledge: The Epistemalogical Continuum

Hebrews11:1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2 For by it the people of old received their commendation. 3 By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.
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6 And without faith it is impossible to please [God], for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
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9 By [Abraham] he went to live in the land of promise, ... 10 For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. ...
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13 These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. 14 For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. ...16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.

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Pascal's Pensees #72

"For, in fact, what is man in nature? A Nothing in comparison with the Infinite, an All in comparison with the Nothing, a mean between nothing and everything. Since he is infinitely removed from comprehending the extremes, the end of things and their beginning are hopelessly hidden from him in an impenetrable secret; he is equally incapable of seeing the Nothing from which he was made, and the Infinite in which he is swallowed up. What will he do then, but perceive the appearance of the middle of things, in an eternal despair of knowing either their beginning or their end. All things proceed from the Nothing, and are borne towards the Infinite. Who will follow these marvelous processes? The Author of these wonders understands them. None other can do so." - Blaise Pascal

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In my own mediations regarding the relationship between what is known scientifically and what is known through faith, I have arrived at a similar, albeit less profound, concept. I call it the Epistemological Continuum and i am sure that serious philosophers and theologians would scoff at me for taking myself so seriously. But I don't really. Anyway, here it is.

In our pursuit of truth we find ourselves somehow inserted in the middle of things. As Pascal says, between the nothing and the infinite. What can we know from this position. Science relies on a number of basic assumptions in order to prove new things. Scientists like to think that they have proven something empirically, but this is ultimately impossible because every fact is somehow dependent on another fact in an eternal regression until you get to something for which we have to just believe. That's why all science is based in scientific theory. Philosophy, on the other hand, often examines premises ad nauseum never believing that it has found an adequate definition for anything. The two modes of truth testing have their own bear traps to fall into. Convine yourself that everything is provable, definable and under your control and you may find you've summited the tower of Babel only to be humbled. Scientism in my opinion, may lead to egocentrism. On the other hand, philosophy which completely unravels every basic assumption will, in the end, cause despair and perhaps nihilism. The best way of pursuing truth then, in my opinion, is humbly, from the middle, testing some assumptions and trying to push forward using the scientific method within reason. But human reason has its limits and those limits fall short of the reality of truth. Knowing this, in fact, having faith in this nature of Truth [read: God], we trust, like all the saints, that our knowledge is good enough (if we are healthy in the head) for whatever God wants from us. We can then test and approve his will is good.

Leadership & Love

1 Kings 12:4 “Your father made our yoke heavy. Now therefore lighten the hard service of your father and his heavy yoke on us, and we will serve you.” 5 He said to them, “Go away for three days, then come again to me.” So the people went away. 6 Then King Rehoboam took counsel with the old men, who had stood before Solomon his father while he was yet alive, saying, “How do you advise me to answer this people?” 7 And they said to him, “If you will be a servant to this people today and serve them, and speak good words to them when you answer them, then they will be your servants forever.” 8 But he abandoned the counsel that the old men gave him and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him and stood before him. 9 And he said to them, “What do you advise that we answer this people who have said to me, ‘Lighten the yoke that your father put on us’?” 10 And the young men who had grown up with him said to him, “Thus shall you speak to this people who said to you, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but you lighten it for us,’ thus shall you say to them, ‘My little finger is thicker than my father's thighs. 11 And now, whereas my father laid on you a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke. My father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.’”
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Solomon, at the beginning of his reign, seems to engage in some rather Machiavellian acts, killing those who oppose his rule quickly and violently. Later acocunts of his great wealth and wisdom seem to obscure the fact that many men were required to do the work for such great success. Rehoboam, assuming his father's throne, has an opportunity to learn from his father's example. His willingness to seek council is a step in the right direction. Unfortunately, everything goes downhill from there. The advice of the old men to Rehoboam, to be a servant leader and to, in a sense, love the people more than himself, is an encouragement towards Christ-like leadership. The young men, on the other hand, encourage a secular leadership style which would, in many situation, help a dictator maintain power, but may over time embitter the people and cause destruction. Machiavelli didn't believe in love and certainly didn't see love as an essential virtue for princes of states. What he didn't know/believe is what the old men of Rehoboam's kingdom knew: that's God's Kingdom is not of this world, and earthly, political stability is not the be-all-end-all of [P]eace. A King who loves and serves his people is a better king, even if it weakens the country because eventually we all return to dust and when we do, we will have to account for the way we lived.

Copies of the True Things

Hebrews 9:23 Thus it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. 25 Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, 26 for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, 28 so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.
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"Copies of the true things" calls to mind C.S. Lewis' Great Divorce, in which heaven is depicted as a world of truer nature. Everything there is denser, harder, more vivid and real. By comparison, we are the ghosts. This is an interesting paradigm to have in mind when reflecting on Jesus' resurrected miracles. He walked through walls, and yet also ate fish! What kind of body did he have? Perhaps he could do whatever he wanted because - He is God. But perhaps these are clues to how the copies of true things relate to the things themselves. While I don't really know what it wouold mean to say that Jesus was a copy of God, I think I do understand and affirm the idea that if Jesus was something like God's zerox, he was different from our sense of what that would mean. We are imperfect copies of a perfect idea - the ideal person you or I was created to be. Jesus, on the other hand, is the perfect representation of his father even though he is in the shape of imperfect man. We imitate him in this aspect so that we might enter into a great likness of God, and therefore of our truer selves.

The Order of Melchizedek

Hebrews 5:5 So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him,

“You are my Son, today I have begotten you”;
6 as he says also in another place,
“You are a priest forever,after the order of Melchizedek.”

7 In the days of his flesh, Jesus [6] offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. 8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. 9 And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, 10 being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.
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There is something quite mystical about the link between Jesus and Melchizedek. I wonder how Melchizedek came into an undertanding of his identity as priest so long before the recorded establishment of the priesthood system in Isreal. Perhaps he knew he was a priest in the same way that Jesus knew he was God. I think many of us would like to have that kind of life, infused with purpose. But there are many for whom this type of calling might seem restrictive and limiting on personal freedoms. Did Jesus have free will? It certainly seems so at Gethsemane when he actively submitted his will to his father's. A Call sets us on a path which rescues us from selfish acts of the will, allowing us to saddle our wills in the holy chariot race. We are freer with God's bridle than ever before because we run the fastest and for the most gain. All other freedom is short lived and nonproductive. I pray that you would all find your call and know the joy of that life as I do.

The Form and the Power

2 Timothy 3:1 ...in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. 6 For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, 7 always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.
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The part from this passage that I frequently return to is the idea of assuming the appearance of godliness while denying its power. What is the power of godliness other than the resurection power, and are we not all guilty of denying that power in our own lives? Are we not all guilty of having faith much smaller than a mustard seed? Are we not all guilty of the litany of sins listed above? I am wary that I may be always learning, in an attempt to know and better myself, only with the effect of avoiding the truth. Jesus is the truth and everything else is just details.
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16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God [8] may be competent, equipped for every good work.
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I would love to do a word study on the word "scripture" and see what we are referring to here. It seems that the word of God in John is Jesus himself. It seems that the 'sword of the scripture' is the Old Testament and portions of the New Testament as they were canonized at the time of writing. It seems as though the early church had faith that the portions that selected to be in the biblical canon was in fact the word of God. And it seems that there are many gnostic works which claim, but are not the word of God. So what is the "scripture" in this verse? I have heard teachings on the Rameh and the Logos, but don't have time to dig back into that wonderful distinction at this moment. Maybe I'll return to it a bit later.
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4:1 I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. 3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound [9] teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. 5 As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
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6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.
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More good stuff....need more time to chew on it...

Love & Knowledge

1 Timothy 1:5 The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. 6 Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered away into vain discussion, 7 desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions.
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Acquired knowledge, with all of its benefits, also conveys pride. In contrast to the cosmic library, our encyclopedic minds are relatively small. Mine is certainly small.
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1 Corinthians 8:1 Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that we all possess knowledge.[a] Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. 2The man who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know. 3But the man who loves God is known by God.
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Love should be the backbone and spine connected to the mind. Then we would feel, will and stand strong in the knowledge of God's love.

It's Spring! Time for Battle!

2 Samuel 11:1 In the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle, David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel. And they ravaged the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem.
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David stayed home. He got lazy, complacent and then lustful. His gift and his calling was leadership in war. It was the season for war and yet he stayed back. Contrast this with Bathsheeba's good husband who, when invited home from the battle fields, refuses to accept the luxuries of his marraige bed. What a stark contrast! What a shocking reversal for David!
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I find myself in a similar situation in every spring of my life. Spring is that time when the air begins to smell of freedom and our bodies thrill at the thought of indulging the senses. But where does this lead? Childhood memories, nostalgia of late summer nights, conjure feelings of happiness which, in turn, stir up discontent. We try to recapture some lost happiness, some thrill of spring, but it is allusive. What did David think would happen after he satisfied his urge to have Bathsheeba? Did he think the happiness would last forever? Did he think there would be no consequences? He didn't think...he felt, and wrongly.
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Spring - the season for war and fasting. Winter is over and the world falls in love again with life, but we are not yet to the end of our winter as humans. There is still frost that must thaw before our eternal spring.

The Divine Mystery - Love for All

Ephesians 3:6 This mystery is [9] that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
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17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
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20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
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As unlikely as it may sound, I believe that I am a spiritual heir to the Jewish covenant and tradition. Ashamedly I don't know much about Judeism or even Catholicism, and I certainly think it would be good to learn more. But knowing all of the cultural nuances of this heritage isn't a prerequisite to receive the Love of God, which is the essence of the inheritance itself.
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God is love. If I must say anything else in explanation, it is only to ward off those dangerous perversions of love that you may assume are associated. God-love, or agape, is better than best friend love, better than lover love, better than homesick love, better than selfish pride. God-love is like all of those loves refined in a furnace, melted down, stripped of hidden bitterness and secret injustice. God's lavish love gushes, covering everything shameful, securing everything once wracked by fear, attending expertly to every wound. This is good news that God is like this, and yet it is so different from what many others say about God. We llok at the world and assume that God is like the world and that through the world we can understand God. God has attempted to tell us that the world has not and cannot, for the most part, understand Him. How could we possibly use the world, which is finite, to draw conclusions about an infinite God. He is mysterious.