Life in the Way

A Covenant Prayer.

In John Wesley’s Covenant Prayer we pray:

I am no longer my own, but thine.

Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt.

Put me to doing, put me to suffering.

Let me be employed for thee or laid aside for thee,

exalted for thee or brought low for thee.

Let me be full, let me be empty.

Let me have all things, let me have nothing.

I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal.

And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,

thou art mine, and I am thine.

So be it.

And the covenant which I have made on earth,

let it be ratified in heaven.

Amen.

I love the "So be it."

Have a great and bless day!

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Forgiveness: Part 2: When Does God Forgive Too Much?

How do you find support for yourself to move forward through life in your sinful state? What are the things you do to keep moving forward?

How do you offer support to others in their sinful state without becoming judgmental?

How do you suppose the father in the prodigal son parable continued to help both of his sons through their own issues and sins day after day without becoming cynical, judgmental, gossipy, hopeless, or co-dependent?

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When Does God Forgive Too Much?

When I was at seminary there were several discussions about cheap grace.  Throughout history Christians debated how far God will go to forgive an individual, but the conversations and debates always seemed to leave me feeling a little unresolved.  Cheap grace can be defined as the expectation that regardless of the sin or amount of repeat sins, God’s grace is enough to cover it.  While I believe that, as one continues to repeat the same sin(s) day in and day out with prayers forgiveness, one begins to wonder does God continue to forgive the sin.  In the case of a life long alcoholic, how does God handle the bondage that continues to hold the person captive to sin(s).

When one prays for forgiveness and change that doesn’t come expediently or at all, who is to blame? God, society, family, the individual.  I feel that blame (or diagnosing the cause) is important because recognition of the core issue is necessary to address in regards to reconciliation.  What are your thoughts on perennial sin?  What is the extent of God’s grace?

Personally, I like the parental nurture and rearing model of God’s love, but I realize that everyone concept of parenting is a little skewed towards their own experience.  The problem for me, in regards to growing spiritually and sin is the prodigal son story once the prodigal comes home  (Luke 15:11-32).  Jesus tells this parable only to the point of the celebration.

I had a seminary professor that asked his class the question about what the breakfast table looked like the next morning, and the morning after that, and the morning after that…  I think his point begin that the prodigal might come home and stay home and change, but the prodigal is still the prodigal - just safe under the auspices of the father’s house.  Was there anything that changed in him?  what was it?  was it his status from being dead to the family to being restored to life?  was it his personality?  was it his loyalty?  was it his spirit?  was it a combination of many things?  was it nothing?

So, what if we continue in sinful behavior wanting to change, repenting, yet continuing?  Some would say that you really don’t want the change enough or to stop enough, so God honor’s your will, knows where you are and the causes behind your lack of desire and continues offering grace.  Others might argue that we are just inextricably stuck in sin both socially and personally.  And others, well -

what do you think about the striving for perfection (righteousness) with a lifetime of sins behind and the probability of sins in front?  How many times can the prodigal leave home and still be welcomed back?  How many times can the same sheep take off into the wilderness before it becomes dinner?  How deep is God’s grace?

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Text Message Devotions.

I have recently found out that I could have devotional reminders and even scripture sent to me via text message on my phone.  With the added convenience, I find it helping me to stop what I am doing to pray and engage with more than a glance.  Just about everyone I know receives texts and will casually pause from a conversation (or whatever they are engaged in) to glance at the scores or market update or a note from a friend - why not set-up an account that zips a scripture to your phone 4 or 5 times a day to offer an opportunity to refocus or pause and reflect.

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Devotions in a word - Time.

I was thinking this morning about devotions and the meaning that they have in my life. When I think about stopping what I am doing to just sit or read or pray or something that will deepen my relationship with God, I often find myself saying why can’t the devotion just be a word that I can consume and meditate on for the day that speaks to my soul because I don’t have time for much more.

But as I reflected on my thoughts I realized that my intent might not seem to be right in regards to relationships. Relationships, for the most part, have centered on a common goal, thus making them practical in the sense of accomplishing something.

Yet, what is a relationship for the intent of relationship? Does knowing someone deeply mean there needs to be a purpose or a goal? When I go to God in devotion, am I searching for something that just isn’t because I am looking for a purpose or goal? How about my wife and children? (I find it easier for me to be goal driven with my children because I have to raise them to be successful, but with my wife… I love my wife.) She is all that I could hope for, but what does it mean to grow with her in relationship after 11 years of marriage and three children? Taking time to listen to her; or just being with her; or something else. There is no purpose to be seen - like when I was dating the purpose was to find the right person to be married to, and once married it was to set up a household for children, and now that the children have come it seems to be making ends meat. What happened to growing in relationship with her? What does that mean anyway?

Relationship I would like to surmise is spending time with someone to know them and love them for who they are. Not to change them or meet any specific goals because that in and of itself is driven by a task at hand. Goals are important, but as I grow I am noticing that goals for accomplishing things are not about growing relationships. In light of a goal, purpose, or intent a relationship is the glue that holds a couple or a team together because there is a genuine love for the other person that you are partnering with to achieve a specific goal.

So, for me as I think about devotions in a word, I find myself mediating on “time.” Time to get to know God deeper, as well as, those people around me (like my wife) without any goals other than knowing the other. As I walk through life, I know that God knows me perfectly, but find the challenge in myself. Am I willing to carve out time in my agenda driven life to take the time I need to know God for who God is? or my wife? How about you? What is relationship with God for you? or spouse?

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Daily Devotional Online - Upper Room

This is a link to the Upper Room online. It is a 2-5 minute daily reflection. I will link the RSS feed in the column to the right. I believe that you can sign up for the reflection to be email to you daily, plus at church we have little bi-monthly copies in both regular and large print editions.

http://www.upperroom.org/daily/

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I want Joe The Plumber and Joe Six Pack.

Joe the Plumber and Joe Six Pack, let me talk straight with you because I have something you need to know - Jesus loves you! Regardless of who the next president is and how high your taxes are, there is a God out there who is such a maverick that sent his only begotten son for the sake of your errors (even on your tax returns) and will offer you perfect forgiveness (without any jail time). I know that the economy and taxes are on your mind, Joe and Joe, but they are only minor to the kind of security that God has for you and your loved one’s in Jesus. I see hockey-mom’s and soccer dad’s each week getting real with Jesus. Yeah, I know you can’t see him, but you can feel him. Jesus is not about what you might think he is. Like, this week if you come to church you will hear a great story about a down-to-earth Jesus who is verbally atacked by the rich, smart, elite about how he should be paying taxes. They were really nasty and wanted to keep Jesus down. But the cool thing about God and Jesus is that they give you the power of the Holy Spirit - who can do all things. Taxes really don’t matter. A life lived for God will be provided for perfectly. God will care for you. God knows your gross worth, your net worth, and your eternal worth - and it is a lot. So Joe the Plumber and Joe Six Pack - get you butt (crack and all) and your families butts back to church! You betcha!

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A Place To Be.

Sunday morning as I finished the four week series of Finding The Joy of a Suffering Servant, I came to a point in my own faith journey that pushed me beyond the standard faith practices and encouraged me to find a deeper peace - a peace that surpasses all understanding.  I found new resolve to encounter God in new and renewed way throught works of piety and works of mercy.  My prayer to God is, "what specific disciplines or works should I engage in to deepen my spiritual fortitude?"

Help me out.  What are you doing to connect with God?  I am contemplative, but also find Christian community to be very deepening.

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Natural Wood Floors

The Methodist Church was founded by John Wesley, an Anglican Minister. Following a difficult and discouraging mission trip to America, he questioned his faith. In 1738, at the age of 34, John Wesley attended an evening worship service in London which moved him deeply. In his journal, Wesley described his "Aldersgate experience:"

In the evening I went very unwillingly to a society in Aldersgate Street, where one was reading Luther’s preface to the Epistle to the Romans. About a quarter before nine, while the leader was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ alone for salvation; and an assurance was given me that He had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.

Well, this morning I experienced something that might not qualify as an Aldersgate experience, but my heart was strangely warmed. This is my experience…

I was sitting during devotion time early this morning and I thought about how my feet were feeling the hard wood floor. I looked at the floor and saw the grain in the wood. My mind became very aware of my feet. I became profoundly thankful for the wood that God created and the years of time it took for the tree to grow. Not that the wood was created for me, but the profundity that I was walking upon wood that took years to grow; that grew out of the ground; that drank from the rain and grew from sunlight; and that God created and now the wood from that tree (which probably started growing well over a hundred years ago in a place that I will never know, each board possibly from a separate tree - maybe a hundred or so) in my house under my feet flat, smooth, and beautiful.

Thanks be to God for all that we are given! May we use it wisely!

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Schedules.

Just a quick personal note that since school started this year, we have been on a new schedule and it seems to be working really well for me.  I am finding steady devotional time, great focused work time (with the exception of church conference paperwork - nightmare), and great family time.  It all seems to be working really well.  The challenge I find in the wellness is trying to stay on track.  I have gotten laxisdazical a couple of times and wham! chaos and craziness starts.  It seems that it sets everything off kilter.

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