How It All Began

Genesis 1 from The Message Bible

There's so much talk these days about origin of life, creation vs. evolution, intelligent design. I'm into that discussion, but sometimes it's good to just read it from the Bible again.

Heaven and Earth

 ^1-2First this: God created the Heavens and Earth—all you see, all you don't see. Earth was a soup of nothingness, a bottomless emptiness, an inky blackness. God's Spirit brooded like a bird above the watery abyss.



 ^3-5 God spoke: "Light!"
      And light appeared.
   God saw that light was good
      and separated light from dark.
   God named the light Day,
      he named the dark Night.
   It was evening, it was morning—
   Day One.

 ^6-8 God spoke: "Sky! In the middle of the waters;
      separate water from water!"
   God made sky.
   He separated the water under sky
      from the water above sky.
   And there it was:
      he named sky the Heavens;
   It was evening, it was morning—
   Day Two.

 ^9-10 God spoke: "Separate!
      Water-beneath-Heaven, gather into one place;
   Land, appear!"
      And there it was.
   God named the land Earth.
      He named the pooled water Ocean.
   God saw that it was good.

 ^11-13 God spoke: "Earth, green up! Grow all varieties
      of seed-bearing plants,
   Every sort of fruit-bearing tree."
      And there it was.
   Earth produced green seed-bearing plants,
      all varieties,
   And fruit-bearing trees of all sorts.
      God saw that it was good.
   It was evening, it was morning—
   Day Three.

 ^14-15 God spoke: "Lights! Come out!
      Shine in Heaven's sky!
   Separate Day from Night.
      Mark seasons and days and years,
   Lights in Heaven's sky to give light to Earth."
      And there it was.

 ^16-19 God made two big lights, the larger
      to take charge of Day,
   The smaller to be in charge of Night;
      and he made the stars.
   God placed them in the heavenly sky
      to light up Earth
   And oversee Day and Night,
      to separate light and dark.
   God saw that it was good.
   It was evening, it was morning—
   Day Four.

 ^20-23 God spoke: "Swarm, Ocean, with fish and all sea life!
      Birds, fly through the sky over Earth!"
   God created the huge whales,
      all the swarm of life in the waters,
   And every kind and species of flying birds.
      God saw that it was good.
   God blessed them: "Prosper! Reproduce! Fill Ocean!
      Birds, reproduce on Earth!"
   It was evening, it was morning—
   Day Five.

 ^24-25 God spoke: "Earth, generate life! Every sort and kind:
      cattle and reptiles and wild animals—all kinds."
   And there it was:
      wild animals of every kind,
   Cattle of all kinds, every sort of reptile and bug.
      God saw that it was good.

 ^26-28 God spoke: "Let us make human beings in our image, make them
      reflecting our nature
   So they can be responsible for the fish in the sea,
      the birds in the air, the cattle,
   And, yes, Earth itself,
      and every animal that moves on the face of Earth."
   God created human beings;
      he created them godlike,
   Reflecting God's nature.
      He created them male and female.
   God blessed them:
      "Prosper! Reproduce! Fill Earth! Take charge!
   Be responsible for fish in the sea and birds in the air,
      for every living thing that moves on the face of Earth."

 ^29-30 Then God said, "I've given you
      every sort of seed-bearing plant on Earth
   And every kind of fruit-bearing tree,
      given them to you for food.
   To all animals and all birds,
      everything that moves and breathes,
   I give whatever grows out of the ground for food."
      And there it was.

 ³¹ God looked over everything he had made;
      it was so good, so very good!
   It was evening, it was morning—
   Day Six.

David and Jonathan, Pt 4

Lessons in Friendship from David and Jonathan, Devotional #4

David kept his commitment by lamenting his loss.

To David’s credit, his memory of Jonathan’s faithful friendship was not diminished following Jonathan’s death in a battle against the Philistines on Mount Gilboa. David sang a moving lament over Saul and Jonathan. It begins and ends with a familiar exclamation: "How the mighty have fallen!" (2 Sam. 1:19, 27).

Mt Gilboa

David also kept his commitment by honoring Jonathan’s heir.

Two final episodes in 2 Samuel underscore the ties that continued to bind Jonathan to David, even after death.

• Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth, lame from a young age (4:4), was his only surviving heir. To fulfill his promise to his friend, David was determined to show covenant "kindness," like that of God himself, to Mephibosheth (9:1, 3, 7). He therefore told Mephibosheth, "I will restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table" (v. 7).
• And that’s how it happened. Though David had not felt welcome at the table of Jonathan’s father (1 Sam. 20:29), Jonathan’s son would always be welcome at David’s table (2 Sam. 9:11, 13).

The final event concerns the disposal of the remains of Saul and Jonathan.

• David retrieved their bones from the citizens of Jabesh Gilead and had them buried in the tomb of Saul’s father, Kish, in the land of Benjamin (21:12-14). Thus David’s final, tender act of covenant friendship toward the man who was closest to him was to ensure that he received an honorable burial.

Conclusion

Do you feel the richness of this? As I have poured over these passages this week, I have been stirred by the fact that this story of friendship is MY HERITAGE, and I choose to make it a part of me!

A lot has happened since 1000 BC: there’s the understatement of the day! There has been revealed a friendship that goes far beyond that of David and Jonathan. Jesus left the safety of heaven to walk with us here and show us a new level of love and self-sacrifice. He told the disciples in the upper room, "The greatest love a person can have for his friends is to give his life for them." (Jn 15.13).

Jesus’ friendship brings forgiveness and a new start. He can help you become the kind of friend to others that you really want to be.

[Amy Grant, Love of Another Kind, from Unguarded]

They say love is cruel

They say love is rather fragile

But I've found in You

A love of another kind.

They say love brings hurt

I say love brings healing

Understanding first

It's a love of another kind.

The love I know

Is a love so few discover

They need to know

Jesus' love is like no other.

They save love won't last

I say love is neverending

Cause in You I have

A love of another kind.

They would change their tune

They would add another measure

If they only knew

This love of another kind.

The love I know

Is a love so few discover

They need to know

Jesus' love is like no other.

David and Jonathan, Pt 3

Lessons in Friendship from David and Jonathan, Devotional #3

Keeping His Commitment

So the friendship of David and Jonathan begins rather dramatically and with strong words, but how does it play out?

Jonathan kept his commitment by protecting David.

David’s early successes on the battlefield prompted Saul to promote him (18:5), but Saul eventually became jealous and tried to kill David. Jonathan, however, "was very fond of David and warned him" (19:1-2). Putting aside any personal goals and ambitions, he did all he could to rescue David from Saul’s increasing paranoia.

He spoke well of David to his father, reminded Saul that David had risked his life for him, berated Saul’s murderous intent toward David, and kept David informed about Saul’s words and actions (vv. 3-7).

True friends protect when others are throwing spears.

Jonathan kept his commitment by affirming David.

Jonathan and David reasserted their mutual friendship with a series of solemn oaths, often taken in the Lord’s name (20:2-3, 9, 12-17, 21, 42). Each of the two main sections of chapter 20 ends with Jonathan’s heartfelt declaration: "The Lord is witness between you and me … forever" (vv. 23, 42).

Covenant terminology is everywhere present throughout the first half of 1 Samuel 20, especially in verses 8-17:

"brought him into a covenant,"

"do not ever cut off your kindness,"

"made a covenant,"

"reaffirm his oath,"

"love/loved."

David asks Jonathan to demonstrate covenant faithfulness to him ("show kindness to your servant," v. 8), and Jonathan responds in the same way (v. 14).

The Hebrew word for kindness is hesed, often called the most profound theological term in the Old Testament. The "kindness" they wanted is the loving, steadfast loyalty that is expected only when the parties are serious about what they have agreed to do for each other. That’s some pretty intense friendship.

The strange thing is that our social life is sometimes the thing that keeps us from having true friendships. Sometimes we spend so much time with people that we don’t have time to just be with a friend.

It goes both ways.

• You don’t see David and Jonathan isolated from the world and caught up in their little clique.
• But they were committed to getting past the shallowness.

Doesn’t it seem that we have a hard time striking a balance here? We have seasons of complete isolation from society and then seasons of complete absorption into society. Jesus was a great example of balance: time with the crowds, time with the disciples, time with friends, time alone.

David and Jonathan, Pt 2

Lessons in Friendship from David and Jonathan, Devotional #2

Submitting to God’s Choice

So this covenant between David and Jonathan became the foundation for the richness of that friendship. In ancient times, covenants were solemn agreements between two people who promised mutual kindness and eternal loyalty to one another. The covenant that Jonathan makes with David is only the first of a series of new or reaffirmed agreements between the two men over a long period of time (see 1 Sam. 20:16-17; 23:18). They came back to it and affirmed it a couple more times in chapters 20 and 23.

To demonstrate how serious he was about his covenant commitment, Jonathan "took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, and even his sword, his bow and his belt" (18:4).

• As King Saul’s firstborn son, Jonathan was the heir apparent to Israel’s throne.
• By giving his robe (a symbol of the kingdom) to David, he was submitting to God’s will by affirming the Lord’s choice of David to become the next king (see 15:27-28).

One of the greatest obstacles to covenant friendships is the idea of fairness. You can go right back to toddlers and toys and you better believe that fairness and friendship are related. It takes a great deal of maturity in adults to be able to hang out comfortably with someone on a different socioeconomic level: richer or poorer.

But it’s more than just money. When you have a strong idea that someone else has received some sort of preferential treatment or you have been overlooked, it’s tough to not feel jilted.

…it’s just about impossible.

How would you like to spend your life being groomed to be the next king and then have that taken away?! But then Jonathan goes the step farther and willingly submits to the Lord’s plan, and offers lifelong friendship to the usurper. But it wasn’t usurping or manipulating at all. It was just God getting the right people in the right places.

You’re going to have opportunity after opportunity in life to be the victim. The moment you believe it is the moment it happens. You can be so easily hurt. But to refuse to ever go there is to become great friend material. The Holy Spirit will help you work through that stuff. Get some prayer and some healing so you can move on!

David and Jonathan, Pt 1

Lessons in Friendship from David and Jonathan, Devotional #1

There are many friendships manifested in Tolkien’s trilogy “The Lord of the Rings”, and the friendship between Frodo and Sam is put to the test over and over again. At the climax of the story, Sam picks up his exhausted friend in his arms and says, “I may not be able to carry the ring, but I can carry you.”

It’s interesting that the gentleness of their friendship and the harshness of their task is similar in many ways to a friendship that took place just east of the Mediterranean Sea about 3000 years ago. If Jonathan could steal a line from Return of the King, he might say to David “I may not be able to carry the crown, but I can carry you!”

Background

Jonathan was the firstborn son of Saul, the first king of Israel. Saul had walked away from the anointing and blessing of God, and young David had already been anointed as the next king of Israel by the prophet Samuel. All of this took place right about 1000 BC, so we’re right in the heart of the historical books of the Old Testament.

Jonathan first appears in 1 Samuel 13:2-3 as the capable leader of a third of the troops in King Saul’s army. Prince Jonathan was a powerful warrior, not pathetic, spoiled royalty.

1 Sam 14 – Jonathan’s greatest exploit, with armorbearer

His greatest military exploit comes in 1 Samuel 14 in a time when the Israelite army was being oppressed and ridiculed by the Philistines.

Before David ever had the chance to take a shot at Goliath, the Philistine giant, Jonathan took a shot of his own. Without telling anyone, Jonathan proposed to his young armor-bearer that they attack a Philistine outpost (14:1, 6). Jonathan showed his faith as he told his armor-bearer in v. 6 : "Perhaps the Lord will act in our behalf. Nothing can hinder the Lord from saving, whether by many or by few”. After receiving a clear sign from God, the two men climbed a cliff and engaged the Philistines in battle. Although outnumbered ten to one, Jonathan and his armor-bearer annihilated their enemies in this legendary battle (vv. 11-14).

David’s unremarkable entrance to the story comes when he delivers food to his brothers at the frontlines of the battle with the Philistines. His bravery also came to the forefront very quickly and soon he had killed the giant and won the day for Israel.

1 Samuel 17:57-58; 18:1-4

As soon as David returned from killing the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him before Saul, with David still holding the Philistine's head.
   "Whose son are you, young man?" Saul asked him.
   David said, "I am the son of your servant Jesse of Bethlehem."

After David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself.  From that day Saul kept David with him and did not let him return to his father's house. And Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself.  Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, and even his sword, his bow and his belt.

We aren’t told exactly what triggered their friendship. The transition from chapter 17 to chapter 18 is pretty stark. But when we compare Jonathan’s heroics with David’s heroics and then look at these opening moments of their friendship, the clues are pretty strong.

God had put in Jonathan a heart that listened for God’s direction and a wild abandon to embrace God’s purposes.  That is EXACTLY the spirit that we see in David as he approaches the frontlines and Goliath. They recognized that God had put something unique in each of them. It resonated within them like a like a low E on an acoustic bass when they came to the same place. It was godly humility and spiritual royalty converging on that day. They both submitted to God’s purposes and began a loyal friendship that would stand the test of time.

Let me ask you something. If they had found their common ground in secretly stealing palace treasures and hawking them on Ebay, do you really think the whole friendship would have been something special? You can find friends in a lot of places, and good for YOU! Hey, a friend’s a friend.

But if you really want something special, start by listening carefully to the heart of God, responding as he calls you, and just see what comes of that.

• He’ll build your character and give you a calling.
• He’ll build your maturity and give you a ministry.
• And THEN, you just watch how you resonate when that friend comes along.

Do you really think that if David had skipped the whole Goliath thing, these guys would have had this sort of friendship? I don’t think so. I think we’ll reap the same kind of benefits when we go with God’s leading in our lives.

More Than Ever - Vineyard Music

OK, another Dwell tune tonight. This is Jason's favorite (my seven year old). One of our favorite activities is to push the furniture back and watch Jason rock out to this song with a mixture of dance moves and Les Parkour. Good times!

(To listen along: right click this link and click "Open link in new tab/window")


More Than Ever

It's Your love, it's Your kindness

It's Your faithfulness and Your guidance

You bring me to my knees

I'll give You everything

I want You, I need You

I love You more than ever

I want You, I need You

I love You more than ever

It's Your peace, it's Your goodness

It's Your gentleness and Your patience

All in all, Jason has the right idea. This song is an outright celebration of the goodness of God and the clarity of our desire to know him! Maush-worthy!

Some lament the lack of depth in modern worship choruses. Point taken. But we can also wade chest-deep in depth and never feel the all-out passion of God's presence...and how fun it is to share that an elbow-poke away from our chums.

And sometimes I take my personal aside and just sit and think or feel whatever's resonating in my spirit at the moment. Holy Spirit has a way of making it unique and relevant over and over. Here's to depth and to expression, under small roofs and big ones!

John Lennon - Imagine

"Can He love me?" the former Beatle asked Oral Roberts. "I want out of hell."
An excerpt from The Gospel According to the Beatles by Steve Turner | posted 1/03/2007
Referenced here.

John Lennon's Imagine is an anthem of religion-free utopia. Funny, but in a strange way it almost feels irreverent to take it apart and think it through. Lennon's philosophy lifted him to a sort of messianic level in his own right, martyrdom and all.

That said, I have very mixed feelings when I listen to this song. You can start it if you want...we'll chat along the way...

(To listen while reading, right click on the song title below and click "Open link in new tab/window.")

Imagine

Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today...

The article referenced above talks about a season of Lennon's life where he reached out to faith and Jesus and preachers, much to the chagrin of Yoko Ono (his wife). He had a deep seated fear of hell that he had to act on by reaching out to spiritual mentors. Lennon's "born again" period only lasted a season, though, and then he became pretty antagonistic to things of faith and church.

I see this opening verse coming from that place of fear. If that's true, the whole thing becomes fairly pathetic. A grown man trying to imagine away the fate he fears after death. I'm not mocking John though. He's writing honestly. Maybe if the whole world would embrace this "living for today" idea, it would validate his rejection of faith.

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace...

Verse 2 takes aim at countries as well as religion. "Lennon commented that Imagine was an 'anti-religious, anti-nationalistic, anti-conventional, anti-capitalistic [song], but because it's sugar-coated, it's accepted.'" (here) Yes! The sugar coating is the kum-ba-yah quality of the song that makes everyone who hears it pine for utopia. Everyone becomes "dreamers" like John talks about in the chorus next.


But, as he says in the quote, Lennon is taking aim at religion, nationalism, convention and capitalism in a very direct, confrontational manner! This song is intense! It sugar coats with peace the aggressive overthrow of the global institutions of humanity! And is there merit?

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one


Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world...

One of the intriguing aspects of the song here is that John is appealing to the noblest desires in all of humanity...to care for one another and share selflessly. But, by his own words, he has coupled that desire with a very specific set of religious and political beliefs, really just because he wants to. He's saying, in effect, "If you believe in Jesus and America, you're causing the pain and violence in the world." I just can't disagree more!

First of all, separate "religion" from genuine faith. The world is full of religions that are sets of rules that do tend to separate people like John sings about. So I'm with him on that, and honestly, that could explain the rest of the song! Jesus' greatest anger came out against the religious people of his day! So I'm with JL there. But to reject genuine faith is to throw the Baby Jesus out with the bath water.

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one

For anyone sitting on a barstool and mad at the world because you've been burned by "God-lovin' Americans", I'm sorry. I really am. I've been burned a couple of times myself, but I see a very clear difference between the archaic relgiosity in the system and the vibrant, compassionate faith that I believe comes from God's heart.

My challenge is this, seek out genuine faith. Maybe even ask God to show you where it exists and who you can hang out with to experience it. Then ask yourself, "Is this person (or are these people) the cause of the pain and suffering in the world?" My take is that there will always be evil, but that genuine faith in Jesus brings hope and life into very dark places.

My take, also, is that the dark spiritual things are real but do not need to be imagined away. In Jesus, the power of God comes and brings a sound mind that doesn't need to be numbed and medicated to make the pain and fear go away. From the sincerest place in my heart, I know that to be true.

Dwell - Vineyard Music

If you've never experienced the Dwell worship project, I encourage you to check it out here. This track is pretty slow and intense, but it's not your mom's church music (so to speak...I guess some of your moms would like it).

It's a long, sort of British-produced sample intro, moving into hand percussion and a digital delay guitar riff. Lots of vocalizing and no one's in a hurry...

(Remember to right click on the title link and click "Open in new tab/window" if you want to listen while reading.)

Dwell

Dwell in the midst of us

Come and dwell in this place

Dwell in the midst of us

Come and have Your way

Dwell in the midst of us

Wipe all the tears from our faces

Dwell in the midst of us

You can have Your way

Not our will, but Yours be done

Come and change us

Not our will, but Yours be done

Come sustain us

I've led worship with this song, as well as singing it with all sorts of groups. Usually what gets me most with it is the whole idea of God being with us, calling him to not leave us alone here. That's certainly appropriate on the tail end of the Christmas season. God broke from the eternal timelessness of heaven into the limitations of a time-bound, helpless infant in the care of faithful parents. And in the whole enterprise of his sinless life and passionate self-sacrifice for our forgiveness and passage to heaven, his Spirit was at work and continues at work in the hearts of men today. Awesome!

But that's not what's poignant to me tonight. "Not our will but yours be done." This is right out of the Lord's Prayer..."your kingdom come, your will be done." This is how I enthrone God in my life, through obedience, through bowing in recognition of his awesome worthiness as Creator, Forgiver, King. His gentlemanliness in allowing me to choose or reject him is what allows me to truly love him as child and friend, not as shackled, subservient slave.

And the truth of this moment, where my knee is bowed in reverence, sets everything right in my world. All of the confusion about right and wrong, priorities, purpose, fulfilment...all of those questions are answered here. Details remain to be worked out, and the Holy Spirit dwells and stays to help with all of that.

And I say "You can have your way," and I'm set free in a way that is foolish to some, incomprehensible.

Have your way, Jesus. Your will be done, your kingdom come in my heart. Please stay with me tonight.

Lord, Be Glorified

I've got an old worship song going through my head tonight. Wish I had a recording of it, but the version in my head is pretty good. I'm remembering the chapel back at North Central University, and the band laying down a very tight rock groove, straight 4 with the descending bass pattern locked in with the kick. Larry Bach pulls a thousand faces from prayer to song with a quiet piano intro and some encouraging words. Three part BGV's are ready at the mic as hands and passion shoot to the sky.

Lord, be glorified in the life of your servant

I am your child, teach me to walk in your ways

May my sacrifice be a sweet smelling savor

Lord of my life, teach me how to praise

And the praise goes improv as the band vamps it once on our own. (I'm on bass by the way. Right in that side door corner at the bottom of the stairs.)

One Accord 1988, North Central Bible College Chapel

Lord, Be Glorified

I've got an old worship song going through my head tonight. Wish I had a recording of it, but the version in my head is pretty good. I'm remembering the chapel back at North Central University, and the band laying down a very tight rock groove, straight 4 with the descending bass pattern locked in with the kick. Larry Bach pulls a thousand faces from prayer to song with a quiet piano intro and some encouraging words. Three part BGV's are ready at the mic as hands and passion shoot to the sky.

Lord, be glorified in the life of your servant
I am your child, teach me to walk in your ways
May my sacrifice be a sweet smelling savor
Lord of my life, teach me how to praise

And the praise goes improv as the band vamps it once on our own. (I'm on bass by the way. Right in that side door corner at the bottom of the stairs.)

One Accord 1988, North Central Bible College Chapel

The music wasn't about the style, although we loved that. The style just meant that the praise was coming from  us, from who we were. And jocks and brains and profs and babes, mostly we were all into it. Chapel was an amazing privilege. And God met us there over and over. And we were becoming men and women, servant leaders from kids.

Lord, be glorified in me still today. Let my life be a sweet smelling savor still today. Still teach me how to walk and how to praise.

Lead Me to the Rock

Psalm 61

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. Of David.

 ¹ Hear my cry, O God;
       listen to my prayer. ² From the ends of the earth I call to you,
       I call as my heart grows faint;
       lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

 ³ For you have been my refuge,
       a strong tower against the foe.
 ⁴ I long to dwell in your tent forever
       and take refuge in the shelter of your wings.
       Selah
 ⁵ For you have heard my vows, O God;
       you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.
 ⁶ Increase the days of the king's life,
       his years for many generations.
 ⁷ May he be enthroned in God's presence forever;
       appoint your love and faithfulness to protect him.
 ⁸ Then will I ever sing praise to your name
       and fulfill my vows day after day.

Welcome to Our World

We had the kids Christmas musical at church this morning. Jason hasn't been able to be part of it this year, but he said he enjoyed watching it just as well. The highlight of the morning was a song that gets me every time: Welcome to Our World, sung by Michael W Smith, written by Chris Rice.

(right click on the above link and click "open link in new tab/window" to listen while reading)

Northwoods Vineyard Church, Tomahawk, WI

I'll be honest, the impact of the song was mainly the memory of waiting for Jason to be born. We were preparing for the annual Christmas production down at Racine Assembly and Bekah Mokry was hanging out at the church quite a bit to rehearse the song. I had never even heard Michael W sing it, so it was Bekah's song all the way.

Lord You're Near - Vineyard Music

Let's go with a song link tonight. I love our church band rendition of this song, and the original by the Vineyard UK is really great. Right click on this link and click "open link in new page/tab" to have it play along.

Lord You're Near

Lord You're near to those who are discouraged
You save those who have lost all hope
You've taken my sorrow and surrounded me with joy
You're here with me, Your touch gives me life

To You, oh Lord,
Must the glory be given [repeat 4x]

Lord, You're near, I feel secure, nothing can take me
I know Your love will be with me for all time
Oh Lord You know what I long for
You're all I want in this life, don't leave me


Praise Him, praise Him, praise Him,
Praise Him, praise Him, praise Him
Praise Him, praise Him, praise Him,
Praise Him, praise Him


I look in the eyes of broken people every day. Financially broken, physically broken, socially broken, relationally broken, spiritually broken...we all carry a degree of brokenness, and usually much greater than we're willing to admit. And rightfully so. Just because we don't unload our problems on every person who walks through our door, doesn't mean we're hypocrites! There's definitely a line out to be drawn between being authentic and being inappropriate.


That said, there's plenty of brokenness in our path most everyday. And God is near. God is near the discouraged. He brings hope and healing and joy. And those are just words until you've felt suffocating despair, crippling illness or devastating loss.


It's stunning to me that God would come here! That he'd come here as a helpless baby, into a world presenting more danger than rush hour traffic to a runaway stroller. And his reputation was not at risk, it was a guaranteed loss.


My favorite name for God is Emmanuel, meaning God with us. When I was young I liked it because it started with an E, like Evan. It has the same feeling today but for different reasons. God is the near one. And Christmas means that the creator of the universe has broken in and shown up! He's near.


He's near when you're alone. He's near when you're bankrupt, or homeless. He's near when you have everything, but you have no fulfillment. And he surprises us with good things.


To you, oh Lord, must the glory be given!

Jimmy Buffet - Margaritaville

OK, to listen to the song while reading the post, just right-click on the link below and click "open link in new tab" or "open in new window". The music should magically play whilst you read. Make sure your sound is on...groovy!

Jimmy Buffet - Margaritaville

So if Jesus showed up on the beach with Jimmy and gang, what we he say?

Nibblin' on sponge cake

Watchin' the sun bake

All of those tourists covered with oil

Strummin' my six-string

On my front porch swing

Smell those shrimp they're beginnin' to boil

Chorus:

Wastin' away again in Margaritaville

Searching for my lost shaker of salt

Some people claim that there's a woman to blame

But I know it's nobody's fault

Yep, let's start here. Wastin' away isn't really Jesus' style, but he never seemed to hammer people who were wasted...or on the way. "Wastin" has the idea that there was something really great and worthwhile here and now it's broken or missing. And it seems like there's a relationship gone bad, whoever's to blame. So this is pretty much why Jesus even showed up on earth.

I don't know the reason
I stayed here all season
Nothin' to show but this brand new tattoo
But it's a real beauty
A Mexican cutie
How it got here I haven't a clue


Goofiness. My life stinks so who cares if I end up with a little chickie permanently stamped on my body by mistake. It's meaningless.

Wastin' away again in Margaritaville
Searchin' for my lost shaker of salt
Some people claim that there's a woman to blame
Now I think
Hell, it could be my fault

Pretty interesting that the realization is dawning that dude in the story might have actually contributed to the problem.

I blew out my flip-flop

Stepped on a pop-top

Cut my heel had to cruise on back home

But there's booze in the blender

And soon it will render

That frozen concoction that helps me hang on

Stupid as it sounds, I can relate to this...life is about half an inch deep when you're talking about flip-flops and pop-tops. And the booze (or insert whatever medication or addiction here) helps you just get to another day, which beats the alternative. And in a way the hopelessness has hope to it, because he's hanging for something...for the possibility of a turn for the better.

Wastin' away again in Margaritaville

Searching for my lost shaker of salt

Some people claim that there's a woman to blame

But I know it's my own damn fault

Yes and some people claim that there's a woman to blame

And I know it's my own damn fault

To the wastin' away, Jesus says "I've got a plan and purpose for you that's so much more than this." To the relationship that went bad, Jesus says "Hang out with me and we'll find a way to do relationships without all the drama." To the "it's my own damn fault", Jesus says, "So what if it is?! The only perfection comes with forgiveness and fresh starts."

Jesus said in Matthew's Gospel (11:28) "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." He brings forgiveness, healing, purpose, strength...

Jesus loves us enough to find us in Margaritaville and help us start over with him in the real world, with real life.

And why not go back to the tropics with someone you care about and try a different approach!

Oswald Chambers: Test of Faithfulness

Thoughts from Oswald Chambers' My Utmost for His Highest:

We know that all things work together for good to those who love God . . . —Romans 8:28

Being faithful to Jesus Christ is the most difficult thing we try to do today. We will be faithful to our work, to serving others, or to anything else; just don’t ask us to be faithful to Jesus Christ. Many Christians become very impatient when we talk about faithfulness to Jesus. Our Lord is dethroned more deliberately by Christian workers than by the world. We treat God as if He were a machine designed only to bless us, and we think of Jesus as just another one of the workers.

The goal of faithfulness is not that we will do work for God, but that He will be free to do His work through us. God calls us to His service and places tremendous responsibilities on us. He expects no complaining on our part and offers no explanation on His part. God wants to use us as He used His own Son.

I don't want to be a loser or failure in any sense of the word, but I've got to pick my loyalties and stick to my guns! To try to be a "winner" in every aspect of my life only means sacrificing priorities and principles. That's true in many places, and certainly true of being a Jesus-follower.

"All things" working for the good requires a long view of life, and patience. And Hebrews 11 says that some of the faithful never saw the fruit of their sacrifice...on this side. I love when we see awesome God stuff, and I think "suffering well" is only one part of a much bigger picture.

But it's definitely part of it. God help me to be faithful!