Weekend Wanderings

The recent earthquake in Japan showed that good planning, and strong building codes can go a long way toward keeping a disaster from being much worse. It also showed that there is only so much that man can do when confronted with the power of nature. Please pray for the folks in Japan and other areas hit by the earthquake and tsunami.

Here are the links:

Here are some good Lenten reflections from Bert Montgomery.

I don't know. Do you think there might be a bit too many Christian conferences?

Andrea Krook has some art for Jesus.

The Bible, Thomas Jefferson, and Kansas Bob.

Truth in advertising for churches.

Does God accept our worship?

Jonathan Brink has a question to ponder.

Missional implications of political actions.

Ronnie McBrayer on servanthood.

The Bible's most frightening text?

Matthew Paul Turner has the bad Christian t-shirt of the day.

A self interview about Lent.

Following Jesus.

Reflections on Jesus' most difficult words.

The bigness of God.

This was written for the day before Ash Wednesday, but it's good for every day.

Damaris Zehner on the resurrection of hope.

Here is another iMonk classic.

I need to show this to the principal at my school (HT: iMonk).

Lent in Narnia (HT: iMonk).

Goop post from Eugene Cho (HT: Scot McKnight)

World Vision Wednesday

Last year in Romania, a group of brave teenagers put together an exhibition of photographs that they had taken, exposing the evil of human trafficking in that country. To read about their work and see some of the images visit this site.

Lent

The following is a repost of something I wrote last year, with some updates:

Tomorrow is the first day of Lent. Ash Wednesday is celebrated by Christians around the world with a service that includes the placing of ashes on the forehead of the worshippers. The ashes are to remind that we are made from dust, and to dust we will return. That is one part of the Lenten observance that I have not yet participated in, as I have only been observing Lent for the last four years. In the tradition in which I grew up, Lent (like most of the church calendar) was not even on our radar. We celebrated Christmas, Palm Sunday, and Easter. I had a vague notion that other days were observed in other traditions, but we were taught that those days were not important. So, I'm a bit new to the keeping of the church calendar, and still learning.

As I approach the Lenten period, I am struck by the fact that our bodies are formed from the dust of the ground, and to that dust they will return. Because of the brokenness of Creation, we face the inevitable decay of our physical selves. Anyone middle-aged man who has tried to compete in sports at the same level he did when he was in his twenties can attest to that. At some point our bodies will wear out and no longer be useful to us. When they are then placed in the ground, they will return to the dust from which they came. As we look around us, we see that decay in every part of our world. Ash Wednesday and Lent are good reminders that we are broken and in need of a savior.

Thankfully, that is not the end of the story. During this time, we take a good hard look at our humanity and our brokenness, but we also look ahead to the time when our Savior will return and will restore Creation. We look forward to the resurrection and the Kingdom of God coming in all its fullness. When I think about Ash Wednesday, and the symbolism of the ashes on the forehead, I think of the song, "Beauty Will Rise." In that song Steven Curtis Chapman sings,

"Out of these ashes... beauty will rise
and we will dance among the ruins
We will see Him with our own eyes
Out of these ashes...beauty will rise
For we know, joy is coming in the morning...
in the morning

...This is our hope.
This is the promise.
That it would take our breath away
to see the beauty that's been made
out of the ashes..."

As we go through this season of Lent, contemplating our sinfulness and our need of a redeemer, let us remember that we do have a Savior who has made us a new creation, and who will one day make all things new.

Peace

One morning a few years ago, the pastor of the church we used to be a part of was teaching from Isaiah. In chapter 2, verse 4 Isaiah speaks of a time when, "He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, now will they train for war anymore."

Now, I realize that the ultimate fulfillment of this will come when Jesus returns. But, the question I have is, "Why don't we who are the people of God strive to bring this about in this life, in this world that we live in? Obviously, because of mankind's sin, there will always be those who will steal, fight and kill to get what they want. But there has to be something that we can do to bring peace. If nothing else, we can be peacemakers in our communities and neighborhoods. We can take steps to support groups that minister to people in other nations and cultures. We can support government policies that promote the well being of others .

Jesus said that the peacemakers are blessed. Those of us who claim to belong to Christ should take a long look at how we go about our day-to-day lives. Are we trying to bring peace wherever we can, or are we letting our selfish desires rule us? What can we do to at least partially bring Isaiah 2:4 to fulfillment?

Weekend Wanderings

Spring is on its ways here in the sunny South. March came in like a lamb, the daffodils are blooming, and the trees are getting ready to leaf out. Softball has started, and even though the team I coach is not the most talented, it should be a enjoyable season.

I like each by itself, but together? I don't know. Who knew you could use your smartphone to beat a speeding ticket? Speaking of smartphones, here are some rather strange ways to use one. Jim Martin knows 10 things he doesn't have time for. I don't either (HT: Scot McKnight). Matt wants to be a universalist in his heart.

Do you consider yourself typical? Russ Masterson has written a theology of tears. Matthew Paul Turner puts Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 in his own words. Dan Edelen is rethinking evangelicalism's tropes. Donald Miller says the biggest temptation is self righteousness. Here is a question about form and function.

Jon Acuff tells a secret. Us-them theological battles. This is a pitiful display. The iMonk classics keep on coming. What the soul is in the body, Christians are in the world. Mark Galli tries to make sense out of the Rob Bell controversy (HT: iMonk). Why doubt isn't a dirty word.

Please pray for the folks who are still getting slammed by winter storms, and for those that will face flooding when all the snow melts. I hope what's left of your weekend is great.

World Vision Wednesday

Recently, the House of Representatives voted to cut spending in a number of areas. While I am normally in favor of less government and lower spending, I believe that some of the cuts should not have been made. According to World Vision president Richard Stearns, the budget "shrinks global AIDS, malaria, and hunger programs by 41 percent. It slashes funding for humanitarian emergencies by 67 percent. By comparison, other budget accounts are reduced by an average of just 8 percent. To put this in perspective, the existing U.S. budget for international humanitarian programs is only about one-half of 1 percent of the total federal budget."

There are undoubtedly many things that should be cut out of a bloated budget. Humanitarian aid should not be one of them. While I believe that the church should be the primary agent of humanitarian giving, there are some places where the need is so great that government aid is needed along with private aid.

If you agree that this spending should not be cut, please contact your senators and ask them to vote to restore the funds for this needed humanitarian aid. The vote is on Friday, so time is of the essence.

You Are More

In our gathering Sunday, we were discussing who we were in Christ. We were talking about how we often react to certain situations and people according to old scripts that tell us we are this or we are that. We listen to lies that people have told us, saying that we are worthless, that we are stupid, that we are unloved. Because we believe those scripts, we have a hard time believing that God really loves us, and we are not free to love ourselves or to love others as Jesus has loved us. One of our brothers played a song by the group Tenth Avenue North titled "You Are More."

Here are the lyrics:

There's a girl in the corner
With tear stains on her eyes
From the places she's wandered
And the shame she can't hide

She says, "How did I get here?
I'm not who I once was.
And I'm crippled by the fear
That I've fallen too far to love"

But don't you know who you are,
What's been done for you?
Yeah don't you know who you are?

You are more than the choices that you've made,
You are more than the sum of your past mistakes,
You are more than the problems you create,
You've been remade.

Well she tries to believe it
That she's been given new life
But she can't shake the feeling
That it's not true tonight

She knows all the answers
And she's rehearsed all the lines
And so she'll try to do better
But then she's too weak to try

But don't you know who you are?

You are more than the choices that you've made,
You are more than the sum of your past mistakes,
You are more than the problems you create,

You've been remade.

You are more than the choices that you've made,
You are more than the sum of your past mistakes,
You are more than the problems you create,
You've been remade.

'Cause this is not about what you've done,
But what's been done for you.
This is not about where you've been,
But where your brokenness brings you to

This is not about what you feel,
But what He felt to forgive you,
And what He felt to make you loved.

You are more than the choices that you've made,
You are more than the sum of your past mistakes,
You are more than the problems you create,
You've been remade.

You are more than the choices that you've made,
You are more than the sum of your past mistakes,
You are more than the problems you create,
You've been remade.

You've been remade
You've been remade.
You've been remade.
You've been remade.

You are more. More than what you have done, more than what has happened to you. You are more than what the old scripts tell you. You are a beloved child of the Creator, a co-heir with Christ. You are made in God's image, more than simply a "sinner saved by grace." You are free! Let me repeat. You. Are. Free! Free to love your Father with reckless abandon, knowing that he loves you the same way.

You are more. So much more.