Monday, May 30, 2011

Memorial Day 2011

“Thank you for your service”.  I have heard that line uttered by my wife every time we see a serviceman.  She will do it whether we are in an airport, on the street, or in a store.  Usually the reaction is one of shock.  Why would this lady who they had never met thank them?  I have to admit that the first few times that she did this, I kind of looked down or tried to distance myself from this situation.  It was kind of embarrassing.  But she was right and it is true. 

Our armed forces put their lives on the line to preserve our liberty every single day.  Many have died over the years as the ultimate sacrifice.  Dying to serve others reminds us of the ultimate sacrifice paid by Jesus Christ on the cross for our sins.  He paid the sacrifice so that we can be free just like our men and women paid the price so that we can be free.   Whether you agree with wars or not, you cannot argue that freedom comes with a price. 

As we celebrate this Memorial Day among friends and families, let’s remember these brave men and women who do serve us.  They are our heroes. 

Sunday, May 22, 2011

We Don’t Know Squat–Be Ready

“No one knows about that day or hour", not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father”  Matthew 24:26

I am blogging this on Sunday, May 22.  Obviously Harold Camping’s prophecies did not happen that the world as we really know it would end on May 21.  This is the latest of many predictions of the end of time.  It has happened countless times before, it will happen many more times to come. I am not about to mock Mr. Camping as a “quack”.  This article provides a balanced view. 

The prediction of doom apparently has led to some little cottage businesses.  According to the Wall Street Journal, the heightened interest in this event has spawned several cottage businesses.  One by a professed atheist promises to take care of pets of those that are raptured.  Another one captures e-mail messages that can be forwarded to loved ones in the event of the rapture. 

I absolutely believe that believers in Christ will be raptured out of this world in the “moment in the twinkling of an eye” (1 Cor 15:52): Those that are in Christ Jesus will be “saved from the hour of wrath” (1 Thess 5:9).  “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom 8:1).  However, it is a waste of time to try to determine when that is.  My words above I will repeat “We Don’t Know Squat”.  Think about it for a second if God gave certain people the “clues” to figure out the end of time, we would change our whole behavior in a negative way.  We wouldn’t be living, we would be forever preparing.  It is about living for Jesus and anticipating his imminent return.  These attitudes should mark the Christian living for Christ’s return.

Be ready – the parables of Jesus all talk about readiness.  Are we ready or will Christ come when we are not ready.  If Jesus were to come back tomorrow, what would he find you or me doing?

Be diligent – the end time should enlighten us to the depravity of our world and the limited opportunity to see others come to the kingdom.  Is there a sense of urgency?  

Be concerned – Do we have a love for the lost?  Do we have a passion to serve people?  Does your heart break knowing some have not made a decision for Christ. 

Be aware – End time events cast a shadow before the end times.  Jesus does tell us we will hear and see of increased natural disasters, wars, attitudes, that will come upon the earth.  These signs are listed in Matthew 24. 

I find myself calloused sometimes, lacking the urgency of someone who knows that times are limited.  One Christ may come again in my lifetime.  Two, I may not live another day.  I could get taken home tomorrow.  I want to live my life with that sense of urgency.  I can at least thank Mr. Camping for raising that awareness in all of us. 

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

An Imperfect King and a Loving Servant–Mephibosheth Part II

In my post from May 15, I talked about the grace Mephibosheth (or Fib as I called him) received from King David when at worst Fib should have been executed on the spot or at best spared.  Instead the king grants Fib not only life but the effective equivalent of an adopted son.  Fib is like us, deserving of nothing except judgment and wrath.  Instead, like Fib, we are granted the right to eat at the King’s table and to be part of His adopted family. 

We see Fib again in 2nd Samuel 16 and this time it is to expose an imperfect king.  As David is fleeing Absalom, he encounters Fib’s servant Ziba who tells this story of Fib’s betrayal of the king.  Problem was it wasn’t true.  The king does not make any attempt to find out if it is true (he assumes it is), and grants all of Fib’s land to Ziba.  In 2nd Samuel 19 David is restored as king of Israel after Absalom’s death, he encounters Fib who is disheveled and unkempt.  Fib completely denies any truth to the Ziba fabricated story.  In fact, Ziba had pulled a ruse by telling Fib he should stay home because he would slow the king down.  David tells Fib that he can split the land with Ziba.  Is that right?  Where is the justice in that decision? When our kids were young, they would fight over something and each would make her argument.  We had no way of knowing (and we really didn’t care) so we would just penalize both.  Far easier than trying to administer true justice.  The king didn’t want to deal with it.  He had bigger fish to fry. Like us, David was an imperfect king. 

On the other hand, Fib’s response is amazing.  He responds with complete resignation to what the king’s position is.  All Fib cared about was his relationship with the king.  He wasn’t in it for the money.  He was completely defrauded, yet he didn’t care.  All he cared about was his relationship to the king.   Our King is perfect and can administer perfect justice.  He can’t be defrauded or misled.  Further, He cares about what happens to us.  Fib represents the character of a devoted servant.  King David had given life and possessions.  So when possessions go bye-bye, should we care?  No, because we have life.  Think about that again – the servant is defrauded, but all he cares about is that the king is back.  He even goes on and says “Let him even take it all, since my lord the king has come safely to his own house.” (2 Sam 19:30). 

We have life and as a devoted servant,that is all that matters.  We love the perfect King, one who gives us life.  Instead of loving the King wholeheartedly and unashamedly, we put so much stock in our possessions.  Are we prepared to be defrauded out of everything like Fib?  How would we respond?  

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Portrait of Grace–Mephibosheth

In reading through the Old Testament, it is easy to get hung up and miss the forest for the trees.  There are so many pictures, so many lessons that are easy to miss.  I am making my way through 1st Chronicles and in the list after list, it is easy to miss for example that “God had indeed blessed Peullethai” (25:5) or that Zechariah was a “counselor with insight” (25:14).  There are so many portraits of grace hidden in the midst of strife, sin, and war.  You have to be attuned to these portraits.  Mephibosheth is one of them (my spell checker seems to really dislike that name).  I am going to call him Fib for short because I am getting tired of typing his name.

We are introduced to Fib in 2 Samuel 4 when we learn that he is King Saul’s son Jonathan’s son and he was crippled in both feet in a tragic accident while his nurse was trying to flee the threat of war.  Five chapters later in 2 Samuel 9, now King David learns of Fib when asking about King Saul’s family.  Now Fib would have every reason to expect a death warrant.  It was the norm that the new king would execute any remaining relatives of the predecessor king’s family.  So when Fib was summoned, his mind probably was resigned to his fate of death.  Further, Fib had absolutely nothing to offer the king.  As a servant, he had minimal value to David.  The very name Mephibosheth means “a shameful thing,” and he had lived for a number of years in Lo-debar, which means “the barren land” (lit., “no pasture”).  He prostrated himself before the king totally dependent on the king’s favor. 

The king amazingly not only let’s Fib live, but grants him the favor of eating at the king’s table and restoring to him all of the land of his grandfather Saul.  Fib’s reaction is one of being stunned; “What is your servant that you would regard a dead dog like me”.  It is nothing but grace.  It is grace and grace alone.  David brought this outcast to dine at his table as his own son and graciously granted him a magnificent inheritance to which he was no longer legally entitled.  God adopted us as His children giving us a right standing that we don’t deserve by birthright (Rom 8:15).

You know God doesn’t get much out of me without His favor.  Without the presence of Christ, I am as lame as Fib.  I have nothing, nothing to offer Him.  He elevates me to family solely based on His favor.  My motivation – out of complete love and gratitude for him, I desire to serve Him.  

There is more to this story than what we see here.  There is the sequel for the next post.

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Mothers And Generational Faith

For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois, and your mother Eunice, and I am sure that it is in you as well. 2 Tim 1:5

Today is Mother’s Day.  It is a day of celebration of the impact that our mothers have had on us.  While I had a challenging relationship with my mother growing up, I have learned to respect and appreciate her love for us, her children and her desired to see us succeed.  As a father, I can more deeply appreciate the challenges parenting can be and I know it was not easy to raise us.  I have three mothers – my father remarried Linda who took on an active role in getting to know us quirky Quiggs.  She is always willing to share her home and her life with us.  We love visiting them.  Then there is my mother-in-law, Jean (or Mimi) who has always been supporting and loving of her daughter and son-in-law.  Her real gift is service and as we speak she is hosting two of our daughters and Josh, my son-in-law for a big meal.   Not surprising at all given her love for serving others.

But the most important part of parenting is the legacy we leave our children.  In the passage cited above, there is a reference to a three generational family impact that deeply marked out Timothy as a man of “sincere faith”.  It started with grandmother Lois, and then proceeded to mom Eunice. There is no mention of the men in this story.  It is largely believed that Timothy’s father as a Greek was likely not a believer in Christ.  So the heritage of faith had to pass through the women.  In our culture, it is so sad that women have to take the mantle of leadership that the man is supposed to take.  However, godly women are constant examples throughout Scripture.  Hannah is mentioned as the one who devotes young Samuel to a life of service.  Mary, the mother of Jesus is there throughout His life and present at his death.  It is largely believed that Joseph had died sometime during Jesus’ young life. 

My wife has had a large impact in the lives of our three girls.  Her consistency of example, her devotion and consistent love to them, and her commitment to faith were instrumental to their upbringing.  Legacies are hard to pass on and so easy to break in our fallen world.  We cannot guarantee the success of our children.  I know many parents that I know are godly yet have children who rebelled.  We live in a fallen world.  There is much to trip up our kids and there is the issue of rebellious hearts.  It is a supernatural issue one that we leave prayerfully up to the delicate balance of God’s grace and man’s free will. 

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Bin Laden – A Reaction

Obviously the big news of this week is the killing of Osama Bin Laden.  I am not at all questioning the justice of this killing.  This is a man who was responsible for the killing of thousands of innocent people and left unchecked probably would have killed thousands more.   There is certainly justification for taking out someone like this.  There was no question as to his guilt.  It was there for all to see.  There is certainly such a thing as righteous anger in wanting to see justice done.

What I am troubled by is the reaction of many Christians to this man’s death.  They personalize it something like “Burn in hell Bin Laden”.  It makes my skin craw for two reasons.  One, we don’t realize how close each of us is to being a Bin Laden.  Maybe not doing exactly the same things, but certainly capable of murder and exhibiting a complete lack of respect for life.  Certainly capable of thinking that we can earn salvation through hideous acts.  In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells us there is only a small difference between anger and murder (Matthew 5:22).  Without God’s grace, this earth would certainly slip into anarchy and the bible says it will during the tribulation period.  

Secondly, it is reminder of how deprived man really is.  Death should bring a certain sadness to each one of us.  It has a sting (1 Cor 15:56) no matter who it is.  I don’t wish anyone to a sentence of hell and had Bin Laden come to Jesus Christ, I would have gladly welcomed him as a brother.  You see each one of us is guilty of that same hell.  My reaction to Bin Laden’s death was quiet sobriety that man’s sin leads him and others to physical and spiritual death.

But in this sad state, there is a reminder of how good God is and how marvelous His grace is.  Left to my own devices, I am certainly subject to eternal damnation.  I can’t compare myself to Bin Laden.  I need to compare myself to God’s righteous standard and by that standard, I fall hopelessly short.  But thanks be to God who offers victory through Christ.

Sunday, May 1, 2011

Meeting with the King

We are a royal priesthood, a people belonging to God that we may declare the praises of Him who brought us out of darkness into His marvelous light.  1 Peter 2:9

Everyone is fascinated by the marriage of Prince William to Kate Middleton.  Debbie got up at 4:00 AM to watch the nuptials this past week.  I think my quote to her was “Don’t let the door hit you in the butt on the way out”.  No way that I would get up that early for that event.  Does not fascinate me in the least.  I on the other hand was fascinated by the NFL draft.  Not sure why – I think it is the combination of strategy, the moving around, the players, thinking who the Browns might screw up on (I mean draft), etc.  Debbie could care less about the NFL draft.   At least it did not require me to get up at 4:00 AM.  People are fascinated by the royals.  I am not sure why – maybe it is the lives they lead.  Maybe it is the leadership they exercise.  Maybe it is the privilege they exact.  We in this country don’t much understand it because we are not steeped in that tradition.  But if you live in the UK, you completely understand it.  If you are in that country, it is part of who you are. 

But can we fathom that we are part of royalty ourselves if we believe in the King of Kings, the Lord Jesus Christ?  We reign with Him.  We are ambassadors on HIs behalf.  Further, I have a personal relationship with that King.  Most human kings would not approachable by the common laity.  This King is completely approachable.  He is even a sacrificial King.  How many human Kings would give their lives for their subjects?  Do I pledge my allegiance and devotion to that King?  Do I make my relationship with that King my top priority? 

Yesterday, I had a call from a mayor of major city close by here.  I had just finished a bike ride and was just sitting on the bed watching the Indians in my underwear before taking the shower when he called.  Good thing it was not a video phone!.  Even though I knew it was audio only, I felt completely underdressed for the call and felt like I should dress up a little more.  Or at least put on some clothes.  The God who knows us intimately sees us sitting there in our worst underwear and yet still gives us an audience, even a relationship.  Are we prepared to give Him our best as our King?  Many times, I just give lip service to the King, giving Him my leftovers.  When I get up in the morning, I need to eagerly anticipate meeting with my King.  I may be in my moral underwear, but He still meets me there.  It is a privilege to meet with the King.