December 15, 2008 12:06 p.m.
Last Monday morning, my 7 year-old Katy and I were trying to determine what the symbol was on the chocolate she was about to eat for breakfast from her “Hannah Montana 32 days of Chocolate - Christmas and New Year Countdown Calendar. (breathe) It was either a cross, or a sword, or a tulip, or a guitar, or a microphone. Katy ate it before we were able to draw out any deep Christmas sentiment.
As believers decorate their houses with Christmas decorations (especially those anatomically incorrect angels) let’s consider a couple of things, to more thoughtfully celebrate the incarnation.
Eph 5:10 Carefully determine what pleases the Lord.
Eph 5:17 Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.
These verses are moral in focus, but we see in the symbols and celebration of Passover, (Ex 12) the life and death, moral importance of attention to detail. God had proved with the blood on the doorframes that symbols matter and are meant to invoke questions.
Ex 12:26 Then your children will ask, ‘What does this ceremony mean?'
27 And you will reply, ‘It is the Passover sacrifice to the LORD, for he passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt. And though he struck the Egyptians, he spared our families.'”
Ex 13:8 “On the seventh day you must explain to your children, ‘I am celebrating what the LORD did for me when I left Egypt.’
Ex 13:14 “And in the future, your children will ask you, ‘What does all this mean?’ Then you will tell them, ‘With the power of his mighty hand, the LORD brought us out of Egypt, the place of our slavery.
The symbols and celebration of Passover, in fact, point us to Christ.
1Co 5:7 Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.
As we celebrate the birth of Christ, at an arbitrary time of year, with capricious and pagan symbols and rituals, with inaccurate portrayals of timelines etc., I can’t help but wonder if the freedom to make up our own celebration has been a bane or blessing.
Sometimes I wonder what it would be like if revived evangelicals really looked closely at our traditions and tried to be more accurate and thoughtful in our celebration. What if we just changed one thing each year, like putting Gabriel (Lu 1:29 Mary was greatly troubled at *his* words…) on top of the tree instead of a winged “Barbie”.
Perhaps in time we might even make our own Exodus from a date that has been all but swallowed up by consumerism and aim at something a little more scientifically verifiable like September. (?)
But before we get completely crazy, maybe one of us will come up with a good idea that catches on and begins to reform our Christian tradition just a little. So I’m challenging you to experiment. Read Exodus 12. Consider the importance of symbol and celebration. Think about the questions you want your children to ask and the answers you will give them and shape your Christmas accordingly.
I would be interested to know how you make out
Monday, December 15, 2008
Monday, December 8, 2008
Dec 8, 08
I have experimented with two types of spiritual retreat. One is very much agenda driven with specific goals and timelines, the other is completely unstructured fellowship with Jesus and seeking to listen to him. Last summer I spent three days camping at Long-Point with my dog, “Max” and a bunch of books and a journal and God.
After adjusting to the loneliness and recognizing my relational “thirst” I directed it towards God and spent the mornings in devotional reading and writing and prayer.
The area of my life that the finger of mercy and grace pointed to specifically was anger.
Jas 1:20 for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.
My expression of anger has, by default, been patterned after my dad’s. And although he has been with the lord for 14 years now, I don’t think I have ever buried him as my prime discipliner/example in this regard.
Biblically, that function belongs to an earthly father “for a little while” Heb 12:10 and intentionality is required, I discovered, to divert ones gaze in this respect.
I think this is what Jesus was doing in that strange little story, the only story from his childhood, after which Joseph seems to disappear from the pages of scripture.
Lu 2:42 When he was twelve years old, they went up to the Feast, according to the custom.
And as the story goes, Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem until his parents returned and found him, days later, an eternity in the hearts of parents. Jesus response was this,
Lu 2:49 "Why were you searching for me? Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?"
It is as though Jesus made the leap from the jurisdiction of one discipliner/example to another, something perhaps we must all do intentionally.
Eph 5:1 Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Heb 12:6 because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son."
Whether we have had good fathers or not, they are never perfect. As a child reaches the age of idealism (12 or so) he or she will be able to see those imperfections quite clearly.
Perhaps this is our cue as parents to begin pointing our children more intentionally towards the example we are imperfectly following ourselves, as we replace what our parents modeled to us with what God displays to us everyday.
Ro 5:8 But God demonstrates (present tense) his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
La 3:22 Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. 23 They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
On Nov 13 08 I came across a note in my day-timer referring to this new discipline I had sought to put in place on that trip. The note read, “Am I more patient, loving?” Months after putting this new thought in place, I was able to register some internal victory.
I need to make more progress here, but there are measurable results and a sense of encouragement that still flows from this unstructured time away. God is my example and provides discipline in a way that I want to model to my kids. He reminds me how I should respond when anger tempts me to simply fall in to old patterns. He points out where I need to apologize at home.
Next up: Let’s experiment with Christmas a little.
I have experimented with two types of spiritual retreat. One is very much agenda driven with specific goals and timelines, the other is completely unstructured fellowship with Jesus and seeking to listen to him. Last summer I spent three days camping at Long-Point with my dog, “Max” and a bunch of books and a journal and God.
After adjusting to the loneliness and recognizing my relational “thirst” I directed it towards God and spent the mornings in devotional reading and writing and prayer.
The area of my life that the finger of mercy and grace pointed to specifically was anger.
Jas 1:20 for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.
My expression of anger has, by default, been patterned after my dad’s. And although he has been with the lord for 14 years now, I don’t think I have ever buried him as my prime discipliner/example in this regard.
Biblically, that function belongs to an earthly father “for a little while” Heb 12:10 and intentionality is required, I discovered, to divert ones gaze in this respect.
I think this is what Jesus was doing in that strange little story, the only story from his childhood, after which Joseph seems to disappear from the pages of scripture.
Lu 2:42 When he was twelve years old, they went up to the Feast, according to the custom.
And as the story goes, Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem until his parents returned and found him, days later, an eternity in the hearts of parents. Jesus response was this,
Lu 2:49 "Why were you searching for me? Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?"
It is as though Jesus made the leap from the jurisdiction of one discipliner/example to another, something perhaps we must all do intentionally.
Eph 5:1 Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Heb 12:6 because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son."
Whether we have had good fathers or not, they are never perfect. As a child reaches the age of idealism (12 or so) he or she will be able to see those imperfections quite clearly.
Perhaps this is our cue as parents to begin pointing our children more intentionally towards the example we are imperfectly following ourselves, as we replace what our parents modeled to us with what God displays to us everyday.
Ro 5:8 But God demonstrates (present tense) his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
La 3:22 Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. 23 They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
On Nov 13 08 I came across a note in my day-timer referring to this new discipline I had sought to put in place on that trip. The note read, “Am I more patient, loving?” Months after putting this new thought in place, I was able to register some internal victory.
I need to make more progress here, but there are measurable results and a sense of encouragement that still flows from this unstructured time away. God is my example and provides discipline in a way that I want to model to my kids. He reminds me how I should respond when anger tempts me to simply fall in to old patterns. He points out where I need to apologize at home.
Next up: Let’s experiment with Christmas a little.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Dec 2, 08
Ps 34:8 Taste and see that the LORD is good.
Typically, any intentional tasting that we do involves a clean and discerning palate. The picture of someone seeking to appreciate a new wine, while at the same time chewing gum, is meant to be farcical.
Any desire to experience the lord, to know him better, will require laying aside some competing happiness, whether the pleasure of sin, or some legitimate satisfaction like sleep, or food, or sex, or the company of people.
We may experience lack in these areas for some other reason and bemoan our situation, or brag about it, but when they are laid aside for the sake of meeting with God, experiencing him, seeing more of him, gaining insight and wisdom and joy in holy companionship with him, he sees and honors in ways we might not have imagined.
The thrice repeated guarantee from Mt 6, when you give, pray and fast, in secret, is this, “Your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” “Reward” is not mentioned as a mere possibility. This is an underscored promise. There will be something to seek and find and keep.
Once you have tasted and found something good, it is expected that you would add it to your diet, a new discipline, a new insight, becomes part of the new normal. This is one way God grants new desires and along with them, new fulfillment and satisfaction and spiritual growth and happiness in him.
Gaining increased contentment with God by means of any intentional self-deprivation will include trial and error. It takes practice and tweaking like anything else.
The aim is always to divert the natural impulse to reliance on Christ, seeking after Christ, listening, waiting, recording our lessons and prayers to draw on when we don’t have the emotions or the words that would naturally attract us to him.
This past summer, I took 3 days camping alone with no agenda other than to listen. What I learned, I am still, as of yesterday, seeking to apply. And I am finding success because of the experience at Long-Point. I’ll talk more about this next time.
Ps 34:8 Taste and see that the LORD is good.
Typically, any intentional tasting that we do involves a clean and discerning palate. The picture of someone seeking to appreciate a new wine, while at the same time chewing gum, is meant to be farcical.
Any desire to experience the lord, to know him better, will require laying aside some competing happiness, whether the pleasure of sin, or some legitimate satisfaction like sleep, or food, or sex, or the company of people.
We may experience lack in these areas for some other reason and bemoan our situation, or brag about it, but when they are laid aside for the sake of meeting with God, experiencing him, seeing more of him, gaining insight and wisdom and joy in holy companionship with him, he sees and honors in ways we might not have imagined.
The thrice repeated guarantee from Mt 6, when you give, pray and fast, in secret, is this, “Your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” “Reward” is not mentioned as a mere possibility. This is an underscored promise. There will be something to seek and find and keep.
Once you have tasted and found something good, it is expected that you would add it to your diet, a new discipline, a new insight, becomes part of the new normal. This is one way God grants new desires and along with them, new fulfillment and satisfaction and spiritual growth and happiness in him.
Gaining increased contentment with God by means of any intentional self-deprivation will include trial and error. It takes practice and tweaking like anything else.
The aim is always to divert the natural impulse to reliance on Christ, seeking after Christ, listening, waiting, recording our lessons and prayers to draw on when we don’t have the emotions or the words that would naturally attract us to him.
This past summer, I took 3 days camping alone with no agenda other than to listen. What I learned, I am still, as of yesterday, seeking to apply. And I am finding success because of the experience at Long-Point. I’ll talk more about this next time.
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