The Snowflake

Tonight I was sitting in the living room examining the Christmas tree. We have a lot of lights and ornaments. As many a variety of ornaments, I think, as a tree can hold. Our tree has hand made ornaments, fine glass ornaments, cheesy toy ornaments and even a spaceship or two (okay ten).

But, the ornament that caught my eye was a cheap plastic snowflake covered in glitter. There are many just like it on the tree. I am sure that many years ago my mom bought them in a pack of 10 or 20 for less than a buck.

As I sat looking at this ornament I was taken back to a simpler time, at least for me it was simpler. It was back when I was in grade school and I took one of those ornaments to school and taped it to my desk. I wanted to decorate my desk for Christmas and that ornament was one I could take without mom getting worried about it getting lost or broken.

For me it was a time before holiday performances and concerts to attend. Before the family was so busy that planning the Christmas gathering was an act of congress. And maybe I was shielded from it, but before saying “Merry Christmas” was something that you had to be concerned about offending someone.

I have been greatly bothered this year by how the “magic” of Christmas seems to have disappeared. I know that I have changed and my life has gotten more complicated. I have things in my life now that I have never had before. There are things I thank God for everyday and things that I ask God to help change everyday.

I wonder if I have changed so much that I no longer see the “magic” of Christmas as I saw as a child. I wonder if in all my studies, growing up and growing more cynical with life has changed me to the point that I am no longer able to experience Christmas as I did as a child.

As I was writing this I was reminded again of one of the most amazing newspaper columns ever written. Veteran newsman Francis Pharcellus Church wrote it for the September 21, 1897 edition of New York’s Sun publication. It has become known around the world as “Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.” I would encourage you to read the whole column, but I want to quote the part that means the most to me:

“Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world. You may tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, VIRGINIA, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.”

Christmas is all about the unseeable. Science tells us that each individual snowflake is different, but we cannot see that with the naked eye. God created each of us as individuals different from each other, just as He created each individual snowflake different from another.

I know that sometimes I have gotten so busy that I forget to notice the beauty of God’s creation. There is a great diversity that exists in all created things. But sometimes because of life it becomes unseeable. I forget why we do all the things we do at this time of year.

I wonder if maybe the “magic” of Christmas is lost on me because I have forgotten it. Maybe the “magic” of Christmas is nothing external but it is an internal unseeable thing. That maybe the most important thing about Christmas is not all the gifts, parties, concerts, church services and whatever else we find to cram into a few short weeks in December.

The most important thing about Christmas is remembering why we do all the crazy stuff. That in some far away land, a long time ago a baby was born. He was born in the most humble of circumstances and yet angels and a bright shining star announced His birth.

The heart of Christmas is that the most lowly and unlikely of places can become a holy space, that the most unlikely birth can change the world. That God who takes so much care to make no two snowflakes the same took time to save the world.

Advent - Week 4 : Peace

But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
Though you are little among the thousands of Judah,
Yet out of you shall come forth to Me
The One to be Ruler in Israel,
Whose goings forth are from of old,
From everlasting.”
Therefore He shall give them up,
Until the time that she who is in labor has given birth;
Then the remnant of His brethren
Shall return to the children of Israel.
And He shall stand and feed His flock
In the strength of the LORD,
In the majesty of the name of the LORD His God;
And they shall abide,
For now He shall be great
To the ends of the earth;
And this One shall be peace. -- Micah 5:2-5a

In this great Messianic prophecy we hear echoes of Isaiah. Micah tells us, “And this One shall be peace” and Isaiah tells us, “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6).

All throughout Scripture, God promises peace to His children. In Leviticus, God promises Israel that if they will keep His covenant “I will give peace in the land, and you shall lie down, and none will make you afraid; I will rid the land of evil beasts, and the sword will not go through your land“ (Leviticus 26:6).

Our God is the God of peace. He wants to bring peace to your life and mine. However, the thing that prevents that is what we do. More accurately, it is our sin. We sin everyday, willfully and unknowingly. God in His infinite love and mercy uses anything and everything He can to bring us to repentance and set our lives on the right path. In many cases this includes the lack of peace in our lives.

God wants to give us peace, and when we find that we are truly resting in Him, we have a peace that passes all understanding. And we also have the promise from His word that in the end, if we are faithful to Him, we will enter into His eternal rest and peace. We will live and reign with Him forever in paradise. That thought should bring us peace and hope now in the midst of all the chaos of this world.

As we begin the final week of our Advent journey, let us remember that everything God does is for us, that the hope we have in God, the love He freely gives and joy that trusting God brings should lead us to peace. Knowing that we serve the God of the Universe, who made the effort to save us and direct our lives, should inspire us to follow Him daily and in that effort find peace.

The following are promises and examples of peace from God’s Word. As you read each days passage, if you are not at peace, take time to ask God why. He will show you, as He desires to bring peace to your life.

Monday - John 16:32-33
Tuesday - Psalm 4:7-8
Wednesday - Hebrews 13:20-21
Thursday (Last day of the Season Advent) - Job 5:22-24
Friday (First day of the Season of Christmas) - Merry Christmas - Luke 2:1-20

Advent - Week 3 : Joy

Sing, O daughter of Zion!
Shout, O Israel!
Be glad and rejoice with all your heart,
O daughter of Jerusalem!
The LORD has taken away your judgments,
He has cast out your enemy.
The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst;
You shall see disaster no more.
In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem:

“ Do not fear;
Zion, let not your hands be weak.
The LORD your God in your midst,
The Mighty One, will save;
He will rejoice over you with gladness,
He will quiet you with His love,
He will rejoice over you with singing.”
“ I will gather those who sorrow over the appointed assembly,
Who are among you,
To whom its reproach is a burden.
Behold, at that time
I will deal with all who afflict you;
I will save the lame,
And gather those who were driven out;
I will appoint them for praise and fame
In every land where they were put to shame.
At that time I will bring you back,
Even at the time I gather you;
For I will give you fame and praise
Among all the peoples of the earth,
When I return your captives before your eyes,”
Says the LORD. -- Zephaniah 3:14-20

Something amazing happens in this passage of Scripture: “The LORD your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.” So often we rejoice over what the LORD has done for us, that we do not realize that He rejoices over us.

We forget that our sins grieve God, that He endured horrific torture and death in order to secure our salvation, so when we are restored He rejoices, which in turn should bring joy to our lives.

The God who created everything rejoices over us when we are restored to righteousness. We can see the joy of God in the story of the prodigal son. The father is so joyful the son has returned that he restores everything to the son. So it is with God--when we return He rejoices and restores everything to us, which should bring us joy.

As we continue this Advent journey together, let us never forget the joy we have in being restored to God and the joy He has in restoring us.

The following are examples from God’s Word in which we are given reasons to rejoice or in which God rejoices because of us. Read each day’s example, and let the hope that God brings and the love He pours out on us to bring us eternal joy.

Monday - 1 Peter 1:6-9
Tuesday - Psalm 5:11-12
Wednesday - Luke 2:9-11
Thursday - Jeremiah 33:8-9
Friday - Luke 15:8-10
Saturday - Isaiah 9:2-3

Advent - Week 2 : Love

“Behold, I send My messenger,
And he will prepare the way before Me.
And the Lord, whom you seek,
Will suddenly come to His temple,
Even the Messenger of the covenant,
In whom you delight.
Behold, He is coming,”
Says the LORD of hosts.
“ But who can endure the day of His coming?
And who can stand when He appears?
For He is like a refiner’s fire
And like launderers’ soap.
He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver;
He will purify the sons of Levi,
And purge them as gold and silver,
That they may offer to the LORD
An offering in righteousness.
“ Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem
Will be pleasant to the LORD,
As in the days of old,
As in former years. -- Malachi 3:1-4

What a strange way to start a week of focusing on God’s love. This is a message from the prophet Malachi on what it will be like when Messiah comes. It does not sound very enjoyable. He will come and purify so that we can offer an acceptable offering of righteousness to the LORD.

The process of purification is not always an enjoyable one. It involves removing things in our lives that separate us from God. Some of those things we may not want to admit we struggle with, or we like the sin in our lives and do not want to be purified of it.

But when the Messiah comes, we will be purified. We will be able to make the offering of righteousness that the LORD desires, and this will all be accomplished because of the love of God, a God who is “not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9b) is willing to send His Son to purify us so that we can be in relationship with Him.

As we continue this Advent journey together, let us remember that everything we have or ever will have comes from the hand of a loving God.

The following are examples of God’s love for us from God’s Word. Read each day’s example and take time to meditate on it and thank God for the love He bestows upon you.

Monday - Romans 5:6-11
Tuesday - Deuteronomy 7:11-13
Wednesday - John 3:16-17
Thursday - Psalm 42:5-8
Friday - 1 John 4:9-12
Saturday - Psalm 136

Advent - Week 1 : Hope

‘Behold, the days are coming,’ says the LORD, ‘that I will perform that good thing which I have promised to the house of Israel and to the house of Judah:
‘In those days and at that time
I will cause to grow up to David
A Branch of righteousness;
He shall execute judgment and righteousness in the earth.
In those days Judah will be saved,
And Jerusalem will dwell safely.
And this is the name by which she will be called:

THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. -- Jeremiah 33:14-16

A good definition of “hope” is to look forward to something with desire and have a reasonable confidence that it will happen.

The hope we have is something that the world does not understand. Where the world sees only death, poverty, war and disease, we can see the promise of God. We know that one day He will return and restore all things.

As Christians we know that what God has promised He will fulfill. We have God’s Word that states “that I will perform that good thing which I have promised to the house of Israel and to the house of Judah.” The Bible is filled with promises that God has fulfilled, and this one is no different. It has not been fulfilled yet, but we have the desire and reasonable confidence that it will happen. We have the hope of God’s promise, the promise that we will live and reign with Him forever, that all things will be restored, that there will be no sickness or death, and the entire world will be at peace.

As we travel this Advent journey together, let us remember that our hope is based on nothing less than the Word of God.

The following are promises of our hope from God’s Word. Read each day’s promise and take time to meditate on it, thanking God for the hope you have in Him.

Monday - Isaiah 2:1-5
Tuesday - Matthew 24:36-44
Wednesday - Micah 4:1-4
Thursday - James 5:7-10
Friday - Isaiah 35:1-10
Saturday - 1 John 5:1-12

Sorry

I wish to apologize for my lack of posting. I've been distracted by several events in my life.

1) I'm engaged
2) Started planning a wedding
3) Looking for a job

I had a job interview on Friday. I think it was a good one, please pray that if it's the right fit God would open the door for me.

Hopefully I will start posting again soon.

Josh

Play

Those of you who read my blog on a regular basis may notice a constant theme of balance in life. I spend quite a bit of time thinking about how to live a balanced and healthy life, asking myself questions like: What things in life are important? Is this a good activity? Am I getting enough rest, nutrition and exercise? This list could go on, but these few examples should give you the gist of what my thoughts often are and why I often blog on the subject.

Last month night I attended my first “Port and Pipe” night with some friends from college. They smoke pipes, drink port and attempt to play poker (for fun, not for money). The point is to have fun, socialize and play.

I have another group of friends that typically gets together once a week to play board and card games. Sometimes we do dinner, while other times we get together to celebrate holidays, birthdays and other life events. However, the main purpose of our gatherings is to relax, have fun and play.

I’ve been wondering the past few weeks if we play enough. We fill our lives with so many different things: church, work, school, weddings, funerals, and volunteering, to name a few. But do we include play in our list of things to do? In living a balanced life we try to include down time, alone time, resting time, but do we include playtime?

According to Dictionary.com, the verb “play” means “to exercise or employ oneself in diversion, amusement, or recreation.”

I’ll often joke that kindergarten was the best grade in school. When I went, it was for a half day. We would get to class, work on a project, have recess, listen to a story, do a craft, take a nap, do another project and go home. What could not have been great about that? We would play, relax, socialize and have a bit of learning all going on in the space of a few hours. I wonder if society needs to take another look at how kindergarten is structured and rethink some things.
As a society we seem to fill our lives with so many concerns, activities and responsibilities. Is it any wonder that we live stress-filled lives? The news constantly bombards us with reports on “Cheney: Obama Setting A 'Terrible Precedent',” “Severe H1N1 Warning” “Fired for Refusing Sex?” “Florida Man's Body Found Tangled in Bulldozer” and a plethora of other headlines. The human mind body and spirit can only take so much.

We desperately need time to play. We need to distract ourselves with amusement or recreation. As we all strive to live healthier lives I would encourage you to find time in your busy schedules to play.

Abraham

“Now the Lord said to Abram, go forth from your country, and from your relatives and from your father’s house, to the land which I will show you; and I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you….So Abram went forth as the Lord had spoken to him…” Genesis 12:1-2a; 4a

“By faith, Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going.” Hebrews 11:8

Something new and amazing is going on here. This is not just another man listening to the voice of God, stepping out in faith. This is Abram, the father of faith. The man who would later be renamed Abraham, the father of many nations; the man who would one day offer his son, Isaac, as a sacrifice to God. So many great things this man did, and the one thing he is remembered most for in the book of Hebrews is that when God called he went.

What was so special and so amazing about Abram going “forth as the Lord had spoken to him”? In Thomas Cahill’s book The Gift of the Jews we begin to see a picture of what was so special with this one act of faith.

From what we understand of the history of the region Abram came out of there are many things that make this such an extraordinary event. First, God was probably one of many gods Abram worshiped. Abram in all likelihood had no concept of one all sovereign God. And yet, at this strange command Abram goes. Second, Abram was coming out of a land where the status quo was more important than it is today. There really were no ‘dreamers’ or ‘optimists’. In their worldview history moved in cycles, seasons changed, you were born you died and the only reason to offer homage to the gods was to ensure a good harvest, so the cycle would continue. There was no concept of God directing history towards an ultimate goal (as the Christians and the Jews believe).

What was so amazing was that God was calling Abram out of everything he knew and believed: everything familiar, his home, his family, his entire view of the world and how things worked. God was calling Abram to a whole new way of thinking and living. And the most amazing thing is that Abram went. No questions asked, no excuses, he just went.

Confessions

The other night I was having a discussion with a friend about the topic of “confession,” specifically the differences between how the Catholic and Protestant churches handle confession. As a note of background, my friend is a Protestant, his wife is Catholic and I am a Protestant but have spent quite a bit of time studying the Catholic church and its practices.

In the Catholic church one goes to “confession.” In essence you go sit in a little booth, confess your sins to the priest, and he dispenses penance if necessary, then absolves you of your sins.

In the Protestant church one is admonished to confess one’s sins to God and if necessary share your “struggles” with a brother or sister in Christ, or your pastor for prayer and support.

These are two very different approaches.

The idea of confession comes from James 5:16: “Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.”

Confessing one’s sins is a very hard, personal thing. It is an admittance that one has failed in keeping God’s law. But, I think it does much more. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church # 1455:

“The confession (or disclosure) of sins, even from a simply human point of view, frees us and facilitates our reconciliation with others. Through such an admission man looks squarely at the sins he is guilty of, takes responsibility for them, and thereby opens himself again to God and to the communion of the Church in order to make a new future possible.”

I have heard many times throughout my life that someone who has a problem cannot deal with it until that person admits that there is a problem. What strength could one gain if one had the ability to go to someone, confess one’s sins, struggles and concerns and get prayer and support.

I have had people in my life that I have felt comfortable sharing some things with, but not everything. I have been around too many well-meaning Christians who share something that was told them in confidence because “this person needs prayer.” Then it gets around, and finally the person is very hurt (and in some cases leaves the church) because something they thought they were sharing in confidence was not kept in confidence.

Because of this, the past few years I have been considering the idea of how the Catholics handle confession. One goes to a booth anonymously confesses to a priest who has sworn a solemn vow of secrecy, and receives absolution.

While I do believe that only God can forgive sins, I am wondering if there is not some value in this. I know that if I had someplace to go confess, get prayer and know that 1) my confession was secret, and 2) my confession was anonymous, I would go quite frequently.

Maybe my issue is lack of trust rather than needing a place to confess, because I do have brothers and sisters in Christ I can go to with some things, but I do not feel comfortable sharing everything.

At times I have even thought about going to a Catholic church for confession and telling the priest that I am a Protestant and just need to unburden my soul and receive prayer.

However, I think the deeper need is the need to confess. I do not want to give someone a laundry list of my sins so that I can go out and keep sinning, but I want to confess in a way that is like the Catechism says: “Through such an admission man looks squarely at the sins he is guilty of, takes responsibility for them, and thereby opens himself again to God and to the communion of the Church in order to make a new future possible” which is another way to say what James says: “Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.”

Expect the Unexpected

This picture has become a reminder to me that sometimes the best things in life are unexpected.

This picture, I took September 2008 at the Portland Street of Dreams. I almost deleted it. I didn't like the lighting, it was out of focus, not really my best work. However, I kinda liked the shadows and kept it around as something I might reference later as an idea for another picture.

So as I usually do I posted this picture to my Flickr account to share with my friends. Something strange happened. This picture (as of today 6/15/09) has more comments on it from non-friends than any other picture I have. It is the only one of my pictures that has been invited to join a special group. 5 people call it one of their favorite shots and it has been viewed 110 times (more than any other picture on that account).

I was (and still am) highly baffled by this. I still do not think it is a great shot. I still criticize the same issues that I did after I took it. But, other people see beauty in it.

I think the same is true with life. We tend to get down on ourselves when things do not go as planned. My life certainly has not gone as planned.

I am currently unemployed, dating a wonderful girl - who lives three hours away and staying with my parents until I can find a new job.

On the one hand it is very easy for me to get depressed about this whole situation. I am not working and I wonder if I am ever going to find a job. My girlfriend lives three hours away. I love her very much but want to see her more often than I do - and being unemployed it makes it hard to move forward in the relationship or make a lot trips to see her. I am living with my parents - need I say more?

However, on the other hand I have an amazing life. Yes, I am unemployed but I have family and friends doing everything they can to help me find a job. Yes, my girlfriend lives three hours away, but she understand my situation. She helps me out where and when she can and is willing to do for me as much as I am for her. Sure, I am living with my parents, but at least I have a roof over my head and food to eat.

So like this picture, my life is not what I wanted or expected it to be. But it still has beauty in it. It is still blessed by God. I would not trade my life right now for anything. And as I look at this picture I remember that not everything is as I perceive it to be.

Pentecost

We are all familiar with the story of Pentecost from Acts chapter 2. The disciples were sitting together in the upper room praying and waiting as Jesus had instructed, when suddenly the Holy Spirit came down upon them and each one began to speak in “other tongues.”

Many times in church we get so caught up in the coming of the Holy Spirit and debating what “other tongues” means that we miss the true importance of the event.

Pentecost, 50 days after Easter, celebrates the birth of the Church. For the first time since creation, God created something new, not just another synagogue or temple for people who adhere to a specific set of beliefs. God created, using humans, the living Body of Christ.

Pentecost is a reminder to us that we are the Body of Christ. From Pentecost to rapture we are to be on this earth fulfilling the prophecy of Jesus in John 14:12, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.”

Pentecost is a reminder that we are the Body of Christ. We are Christ’s representatives on this earth. How we act is how people perceive Christ in the real world.

Are you fulfilling the prophecy of Jesus? Are you living your life as Christ’s representative?

Suffering

One of the most poignant questions that a person of faith can ask is, “How can a good, all-powerful God allow his creation to suffer?” Whether or not a person realizes it, there are three questions embedded within the original question of suffering. What is suffering? What is its purpose? What should be a Christian’s response to suffering? Without exploring these three questions it is difficult to gain a complete picture of suffering and why God allows it.^[i]

According to the American Heritage Dictionary, to suffer is “to feel pain or distress; sustain loss, injury, harm, or punishment.”^[ii] That is probably the most concise definition of suffering that can be written. However, as anyone who has experienced suffering will testify, true suffering cannot be described in words.

When looking at suffering it is important to look at its three main causes: nature (or natural forces), humanity, and supernatural forces^[iii].

Natural forces that cause suffering include anything from a tornado destroying a home to cancer destroying a life. One feels completely helpless at the mercy of forces that cannot be controlled. This can be the most torturous form of suffering because there appears to be no purpose or even a rational (or irrational) cause.

Some would say that one person’s inhumanity towards another causes the greatest suffering in the world. One person inflicts harm upon another, motivated by desperation or uncontrollable urges to selfishness or vengeance. This form of suffering taints human history going back to the time when Cain committed the first murder.^[iv]

The third cause of suffering--supernatural forces--includes God, Satan, angels and demons. The plagues that God brought down on Egypt^[v] caused suffering for a great number of Egyptians.^[vi] Satan, by deceiving Eve and causing her to lead Adam to sin, is the instigator of all suffering in human existence. The angels and demons merely carry out the commands of God or Satan respectively.

When looking at what suffering is, it is also necessary to understand where it originated. As previously mentioned, suffering exists as a result of sin entering into the world, which is seen in God’s judgment of Adam and Eve.

To the woman He said:
"I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception;
In pain you shall bring forth children;
Your desire shall be for your husband,
And he shall rule over you.”

Then to Adam He said, “Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it’:

“Cursed is the ground for your sake;
In toil you shall eat of it
All the days of your life.
Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you,
And you shall eat the herb of the field.
In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread
Till you return to the ground,
For out of it you were taken;
For dust you are,
And to dust you shall return.”^[vii]

It is clear that life was very different for Adam and Eve before sin entered into the world. Childbearing was not painful, but after they sinned, the woman was told that childbearing would be painful. The garden provided food for Adam and Eve, and they did not have to work for it, but after they sinned, God pronounced that they would have to work for their food.

If all suffering could be attributed to punishment for sin, we would never ask the “why” question. But, since suffering is so widespread and renders harm to innocents, it is hard to believe that it is only a punishment for sin.

The only way to respond to the “why” of suffering is to assume that God allows it because it serves a legitimate purpose in God’s eternal plan.^[viii] One can also infer that if suffering is allowed it serves a purpose beyond the pain it causes.

Some suffering can only be explained as a result of, or punishment for, sin. However, there are some positive explanations for the rest.

A certain amount of suffering can serve as a warning. Physical pain can be a sign of great warning. For example, if someone hits his or her thumb with a hammer, that person may keep hammering and cause horrific damage, if it were not for the physical pain caused by the first hit. Pain, while unpleasant, can serve as a warning of even more pain and suffering.

Suffering also serves as a warning against spiritual harm. In the Book of Joel we read of a locust plague that covered Judah and caused great devastation. God gave a message to Judah through the prophet Joel, saying that the coming Day of the Lord would cause the locust plague to seem as nothing, but if the people turned from their ways and returned to the Lord, he would bless them and not destroy them.^[ix]

James and Paul write that suffering also produces personal growth. James tells us to “count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.”^[x] Later he writes, “Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.”^[xi] In the same manner Paul tells us, “We also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.”^[xii] According to both of these great men of the Bible, suffering is a positive thing, producing positive character attributes worthy of the Christian lifestyle. Enduring suffering is a way to draw closer to God.

Finally, some suffering serves to accomplish a divine purpose. John tells the story of a blind man whom Jesus healed. When Jesus is asked why this man was born blind, he replies, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.”^[xiii] Suffering, in this instance, was used to bring glory to God.

In the Book of Job we see a vision of the heavens when Satan comes before God to accuse Job. He questions God, saying, “Does Job fear God for nothing? Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land.”^[xiv]> God then allows Satan to cause a great deal of suffering in Job’s life to prove that Job serves God for more than just the blessings that God has given him. In the end, Job’s continued obedience to God defeats Satan and vindicates God’s righteousness.

Having explored what suffering is, where it came from and what the causes are, it is necessary to explore the final question: What should be a Christian’s response to suffering? A Christian’s response to suffering should always be to turn to God. As the author of Hebrews tells us, “Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.”^[xv]

and later,

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.^[xvi]

We are told to go to God--not a distant uncaring God, but one who has suffered as we do, one who understands what it means to suffer, one who will give us mercy and grace to help in our time of need.

In conclusion, the answer to the original question, “How can a good, all powerful God allow his creation to suffer?” may be best stated, “God allows suffering in order to change people (groups or individuals) in their relationship with Him.” We may not ever understand why we had to endure what we had to endure. We may never see the benefit. But, we can take comfort in the fact that God allowed it for a reason: either to change ourselves or to change those around us.

______________________

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[i] I am not saying the topic of suffering is easy even with these questions. I am merely stating that these questions may help the individual to explore the topic.

[ii] suffering. (n.d.). The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Retrieved November 04, 2008, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/suffering

[iii] I concede that there may be some forms of suffering that may not fit into any category listed here. However, I feel that these three categories provide a “blanket” under which everything can at least tenuously be placed under one of the headings for the sake of this paper, especially when we do not fully understand the causes of certain forms of suffering.

[iv] Genesis 4

[v] Exodus 9 - 11

[vi] I am only commenting here that God was the instigator of the suffering. I am not commenting on God’s motives to inflict such suffering on the Egyptians.

[vii] Genesis 3:16-19 (NKJV)

[viii] The following is developed primarily from a course outline provided for Theology 507 at Multnomah Biblical Seminary, Fall 2005 by Dr. Daniel R. Lockwood.

[ix] Joel 2

[x] James 1:2-3

[xi] James 1:12

[xii] Romans 5:3-4

[xiii] John 9:3

[xiv] Job 1:9-10

[xv] Hebrews 2:18

[xvi] Hebrews 4:14-16

Palm Sunday

When we celebrate Palm Sunday, what are we truly celebrating?

In part we are not celebrating anything. Palm Sunday represents the beginning of the end for Jesus’s earthly ministry. Less than a week later he will be crucified and buried. He enters Jerusalem with celebration and excitement. The people are declaring Jesus to be their king and Messiah, the one who will deliver them and bring peace to Jerusalem. The entire city wonders who this man is and what is happening at the gate. The Pharisees know and do not like it, so they concoct a plan and set it in motion and Jesus is arrested, tried, falsely convicted and killed. He enters the city in victory and leaves in what appears to be utter tragedy. But that is not the end.

He rose from the dead and is in heaven interceding with the Father for us. And we are celebrating a future “Palm Sunday.” We are celebrating a day that will come when Jesus will once again enter Jerusalem in victory. Only this time it will not end in tragedy; it will result in Jesus setting up His eternal Kingdom, in which we will live and reign with Him forever.

Fifth Sunday in Lent

As we enter the last weeks of Lent we should look back and remember why we started this Lenten journey.

We started a 40 day fast because Jesus fasted. One of the goals of the Christian life is to be imitators of Christ, and we have a yearly fast as one way to help us accomplish this goal.

We started the fast because at various times throughout Scripture God calls his people to fast and pray. God called his people to step out of the normal routine of life for the purpose of removing sin from their lives and to draw them closer to Him.

This is the most important reason we fast, to allow God a chance to shake up our lives, to draw out of us the “sin that so easily ensnares” and to lead us into a fuller richer life with Him.

As we come close to the end of our Lenten journey and prepare for coming celebration of Easter, remember why you began the fast and be sure to finish it with the same purpose as you started.

Fourth Sunday in Lent

What a difference a week makes. Last week we were struggling with maintaining our fast and not wavering. This week it seems that the struggle is not so much maintaining our fast, but remembering that it is only temporary.

It has been long enough that now what was once a struggle may be becoming part of everyday life. Something that is not out of the ordinary. Which is more dangerous than struggling with keeping our fast.

Struggling to keep our fast means that we still feel like we are giving something up for God, that we are working to maintain the commitment we made. Now, if it becomes something not out of the ordinary, we may forget why we are fasting, why what we are doing is important.

As we continue on our Lenten journey, remember that you are fasting for a purpose. Do not let your fast become so commonplace that it loses its meaning.

Third Sunday in Lent

As we begin the third week of Lent, it might be tempting to let your fast slip.

Nothing permanent--just indulge this once. Break the fast because it is getting hard.

You may be saying to yourself: God will understand. After all, He created me. He knows I am not perfect. But, He also knows that you made the commitment to a Lenten fast.

Remember Jesus’s fasting and testing in the wilderness. He was in the scorching desert without food or water. He was tested to break His fast by none other than Satan. Imagine the pressure that Satan would put on the Son of God to sin, then compare that to the pressure you are feeling to break your fast.

Take strength and courage from the fact that Jesus did not break under the kind of pressure that we cannot imagine. Take comfort in the fact that He, according to the Book of Hebrews, is in heaven right now, interceding for you as one who has suffered and endured.

Second Sunday in Lent

This year as we continue our Lenten fast it is beneficial that we remember Jesus’s teaching on fasting. Matthew’s gospel tells us:

“Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.”

Fasting is a private act between you and God, to be seen only by God. Remember that you are fasting not to earn the respect and favor of the other Christians around you. You are fasting to draw closer to God. It is a private act to show God how important He is to you, and as Jesus told us, God will see your devotion and reward you for it.

First Sunday in Lent

Lent is a season of fasting and repentance. One of the most commonly asked questions is “Why do we fast at Lent?”

We fast at Lent first and foremost because Jesus fasted. He went into the wilderness for 40 days to fast and be tested by Satan. Lent is 40 days of fasting because of Jesus’s 40 days in the wilderness.

We also fast at Lent because God, throughout the Old Testament, called His children to a holy fast. One of the most poignant instances of this is found in the book Joel.

“Now, therefore,” says the LORD,

“Turn to Me with all your heart,

With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.”

So rend your heart, and not your garments;

Return to the LORD your God,

For He is gracious and merciful,

Slow to anger, and of great kindness;

And He relents from doing harm.

Who knows if He will turn and relent,

And leave a blessing behind Him—

Most importantly, we fast as a way to draw closer to God. We actively remove something from our daily lives and replace it with prayer. We make the conscious effort to say to God, “You are more important than anything in my life. Please show me the areas in my life that I need to improve so that I can draw closer to you.”

Ash Wednesday

“Almighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing you have made and forgive the sins of all who are penitent:  Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledge our wretchedness may obtain of you, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever.  Amen.”  The Book of Common Prayer 

Thus begins the liturgical Ash Wednesday Service.  A service designed to remind us that we are sinners and are in need of repentance.  It reminds us that we are made from the dust of the ground and that one day we will return to that dust.  Ash Wednesday puts our lives in perspective with the universe.  But, it also gives us hope that God, who is all-powerful, will forgive us if we truly repent.

Ash Wednesday also marks the beginning of Lent, a season of repentance and fasting.  It is a period of time for Christians to pause and take stock of their lives before the tragedy of Holy Week and the triumphant celebration of Easter.  Lent is 40 days, modeled after Jesus’ 40 days of fasting in the wilderness in preparation of His earthly ministry.

Wednesday February 25, 2009 is the first day of Lent.  I would encourage you to find and attend an Ash Wednesday service.  Let the ash that is placed on your forehead serve as a reminder of the dust that we are made of.  Allow God to speak to you and direct your fast, so that it will challenge and change your life.

Struggling With Prayer

For Christmas I received as a present a hand held labyrinth.   I have been a fan of the labyrinth for years.  Walking the path almost takes one out of the real world and into a place of walking solely with God.

To the uninitiated a labyrinth may seem a bit strange.  Just walking around a maze that has no exit.  The experience is so much more than that.

According to Wikipedia “Labyrinths can be thought of as symbolic forms of pilgrimage; people can walk the path, ascending toward salvation or enlightenment. Many people could not afford to travel to holy sites and lands, so labyrinths and prayer substituted for such travel.  Many newly made labyrinths exist today, in churches and parks. Labyrinths are used by modern mystics to help achieve a contemplative state. Walking among the turnings, one loses track of direction and of the outside world, and thus quiets his mind.”

I use it as a way to calm my mind enter the presence of God without distraction.  Using the stylus and tracing the pattern I am able to block all the distractions from around me and focus on God.  It has become almost a daily ritual as I seek God.

It has become a journey to me.  I enter the labyrinth with God, and as we walk towards the center, we talk about general things, leaving the world behind.  When we reach the center, we stop as far away from the world as we can get and discuss the serious matters we need to discuss.  Once we finish we walk back out from the center and conclude our discussion as we reach the world once again.

I realize this may sound very mystical, but I am a very visual person.  It helps me in my prayer life to visualize God with me, walking and talking.

I do not know what works for you.  But I would encourage you, that if you are having a struggle in your prayer life, try the labyrinth.  It helped me refocus my prayer life, it may help you.