Obedience

"The most remarkable thing about the mastership of Jesus Christ is that He never insists on being Master. WE often feel that if only He would insist, we would obey Him. Obedience to Jesus Christ is essential, but never compulsory; He will never take means to make me obey Him. Jesus Chris will always make up for my deficiencies; He always forgives my disobedience; but if I am going to be a disciple, it is essential for me to obey Him.

Oswald Chambers , The Place of Help

Purple, Blue, Green

I picked up Katie from school today. She's so cute. As we are walking along she mentioned that her friends Donald and Andre had a difficult day today. I asked in what way, curious as to how little kindergartners gauge difficult days, what makes their day so difficult. She then mentioned that they both went down to green today. I asked her what color she was on today. "Purple" she replied. Feeling like a bad mommy for not knowing the color key, I asked what was the best color to be at. She informed me that purple is the best, then blue, green and the other colors were really bad. (like go to the principal/time out bad)

I patted her on the head and praised her for being such a good girl, and asked why her two friends got in trouble.

"Oh, well, Andre got in trouble for complaining about the work he had to do. He kept complaining and complaining. Donald got in trouble for chatting. Do you know what chatting means? It means talking."

I tried so hard to suppress a laugh and wondered if maybe I should institute a color code system at home. Clearly it was working in her classroom.

James

First, an explanation of my photo:

Both diet coke cans are mine. I started bringing 2 or 3 diet cokes with me so I'd be able to share them.

No one wanted them, so I'd wind up drinking all three.

First, because it was unexpected, memorable and rather shocking. Secondly because it simply gave me something to do. I wasn't all that comfortable and drinking cokes gave me a purpose.

Also in the photo is my workbook and my ESV Study Bible. It is a BIG Bible and I must say I love it. Even better is that it came with access to a free ESV Study Bible online software. I never thought I'd use it but it turns out, I find it invaluable. I still enjoy the feel of a "real" Bible but for looking a lot of verses it and some commentary on it, I love the online version.

My James Study ended last week and the group had a potluck and ending session at the Leader's home. I almost did not attend because I wasn't able to come for most of the 18 week session. Still, I was invited and so I went. It wasn't easy. Usually I don't love large groups. Usually if I'm going to be late somewhere I'd just not go.

I attended anyway; so glad I did! However, I realized that I missed so much by not making attending Bible Study a priority. Before you think I'm a "heathen" let me say that I also attend a Thursday study on Colossians. I'm not lacking in Bible study. What I am lacking is community.

I chose to distance myself from these women; convinced that I wasn't like them or a part of them or had any sense of belonging or common ground with them.

Why? Because I'm not really a "girly girl" and many of these women I viewed that way. Or some other excuse.

Yet, that closing session, I was able to see that we have so much common ground! A huge commonality: Christ. Church. Love and faith.

I don't know why it finally hit me..... was it being in a warm, comfortable home with a fire in the fireplace? Was it the ease and hospitality of the leader/host and the others? Was it the yummy food and dessert?

Not sure but as I sat there, listening to the others share how much studying James in this group was, I realized how special they are all. I realized that I belong. I'm accepted and might actually fit in.

Just Might.

Once Upon a Time....

A long, long time ago (1989) I graduated from high school. Not a prestigious high school, just an ordinary, unremarkable school, but I enjoyed it and did well. (except in math but that is another story) I loved drama, band, even joined the swim team for a few weeks and I hung out for my first two years with jr. and sr. geeks who were very smart and were Presidents of the chess and math club. We'd even hang out in a math classroom during lunch (a no-no) and I'd consume a lunch consisting of a diet coke and a package of Hostess Ho-Hos. I was the "baby" of the group yet they accepted and loved me.

Despite my algebra struggles, I was actually a good student in everything else and enrolled in college prep and honors courses.

In one of those higher placement English classes, a list was handed out to us all. It was a list of all the books that were required/recommended we read if we were going to attend college. A knowledge of the classic great literature is indispensable in culture.

If you think about it, my teacher was right: What do you automatically think of if I were to say "Scarlet Letter A"? There are many other things in culture and life that one would miss if they did not have a firm grasp on the classics.

So, among Chaucer, Hawthorne, Milton and Dickens, the list of 100 great works of literature that was required/recommended to more fully prepare for college, the very top of the list was The Bible.

A friend of mine was surprised that, even in '89, that was "allowed" to be on a list in a public school. It made sense to me, because even while discussing books, we'd talk about the allusions to Scripture in many books. I can recall reading Steinbeck's Grapes of Wrath and having to point out all the Biblical references and allusions. A Biblical/history lesson right there in public school! Not to mention the issues of morality that comes up.

I have no idea if high schoolers still discuss the Biblical allusions in literature. I have no idea if they still read Hawthorne or Steinbeck, but I do know that we as the American Culture are still expected to know our Bible stories.

Why do I say that? Because I'm watching 24.

Tonight my daughter wanted me to read her a chapter in her Jesus Storybook Bible. It comes with a CD so she listens to the Voice tell all the stories, yet somehow she always prefers David or I to read to her too. (and I can tell you right now, the Voice in the CD is amazing to listen to and does a much better job than I do!) Tonight she specifically requested the chapter called The Terrible Lie. It was the story of Adam and Eve; The Fall of Man. I was curious why this story, yet read it as well as the following chapter on Noah's Ark.

Of course, I want my children to know their Bible stories because it is important to our faith, but I do think that everyone would benefit from this type of knowledge, even in a superficial manner for literary purposes, plus, even though our Culture is no longer "christianized" and we can expect a base layer of Christianity and Christian thought, I look at culture today and see this in books, movies, songs, art and even TV shows. The blog world is abuzz with the references and allusions to the Bible in the show Lost, going as far as staging the cast in such a way that mimics da Vinci's Last Supper.

But back to 24. As I sit here watching this, Chloe was just informed that she was now in charge of CTU. She protested that the failure that occurred was not Mr. Hastings fault. She goes, apologetically, into his office, saying she knows he's not at fault, yet he takes full responsibility, and uses this line," I let the snake into the garden. in referencing his recruitment of Dana Wash, an employee who turned out to be a Very Bad Person.

As I mentioned before, Katie asked me to read about The Fall in her storybook. I wondered what the appeal was to her, because, at least in my view, it is not a happy story, and I get caught up in a lot of questions.

So I read her the story. The more I read from The Jesus Storybook Bible the more I'm amazed, and delighted. Sometimes even brought to tears as I ponder how can a Child's storybook reveal such truth? It's not "watered down" just presented in a beautiful way..... the main point is still the main point. It all points to Jesus. Every story..... Jesus.

Here is how The Terrible Lie chapter concludes:

"You see, no matter what, in spite of everything, God would love his children - with a Never Stopping, Never Giving Up, Unbreaking, Always and Forever Love. And though they would forget him, and run from him, deep in their hearts, God's children would miss him, always, and long for him - lost children yearning for their home.
Before they left the garden, God whispered a promise to Adam and Eve: "It will not always be so! I will come to rescue you! And when I do, I'm going to do battle against the snake. I'll get rid of the sin and the dark and the sadness you let in here. I'm coming back for you! "

Character of a Christian

This morning at church my pastor said a phrase I've heard quite a bit growing up: Character is who you are when no one is watching." He also said a lot of other stuff, about our identify, being hidden in Christ, justification, sanctification, etc. And a basic overview of the Corinthian church, sophists, Paul, etc. etc. I guess he really covered a lot in such a short amount of time.

Tonight I have been musing about justification, the concept of what Christ has already done to declare us righteous, and sanctification, which somehow is a process; the whole idea of being already complete in Christ yet working out our salvation.

It fills me with questions. So I do try to figure out answers.

I haven't yet but I did come across something I found interesting that at least takes my mind off the aforementioned questions. This is from D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones Safe in the World

"The first thing that is true about the Christian is that he does not belong in the world.
In light of this, it is vital that we should ask ourselves the question, am I of the world or am I not? That is the fundamental distinction that runs through the Bible from beginning to end. There are only two groups of people in the world today - those who are of the world and those who belong to Christ. In the last analysis there is no other division or distinction that has the slightest importance or relevance. That is why most of us are defeated by life in this world - we recognize other distinctions that are quite unimportant. But when we all come to die, does it make the slightest difference which political party we belong to? Does it matter whether we are rich or poor, learned or otherwise? There is only one fundamental distinction, and that is whether we belong to the world or to Christ."

Caged Bear

"It is very pretty, is it not, to read of Luther and his brave deeds? Of course, everybody admires Luther! Yes, yes; but you do not want any one else to do the same to-day. When you go to the [zoo] you all admire the bear; but how would you like a bear at home, or a bear wandering loose about the street? You tell me that it would be unbearable, and no doubt you are right.

So, we admire a man who was firm in the faith, say four hundred years ago; the past ages are a sort of bear-pit or iron cage for him; but such a man to-day is a nuisance, and must be put down. Call him a narrow-minded bigot, or give him a worse name if you can think of one. Yet imagine [if] in those ages past, Luther, Zwingle, Calvin, and their compeers had said, "The world is out of order; but if we try to set it right we shall only make a great row, and get ourselves into disgrace. Let us go to our chambers, put on our night-caps, and sleep over the bad times, and perhaps when we wake up things will have grown better." Such conduct on their part would have entailed upon us a heritage of error. Age after age would have gone down into the infernal deeps, and the pestiferous bogs of error would have swallowed all. These men loved the faith and the name of Jesus too well to see them trampled on."

Charles H. Spurgeon

Bonhoeffer

Many months ago my pastor mentioned Dietrich Bonhoeffer in his message during church. He mentioned who Bonhoeffer was, what he did and how he did not take the comfortable road. He could have; he was a German who was in the United States of America during a part of the war, yet felt convinced that he could not remain in safety while his fellow kinsmen were enduring such turmoil and suffering..... and even death.

So he returned to Germany, eventually was arrested and imprisoned. I knew the outline of this story of Bonhoeffer; ironically I had read a brief account of it just a week prior to my pastor's sermon. I believe my pastor quoted this from Bonhoeffer:

"I have come to the conclusion that I made a mistake in coming to America. I must live through this difficult period in our national history with the people of Germany. I will have no right to participate in the reconstruction of Christian life in Germany after the war if I do not share the trials of this time with my people... Christians in Germany will have to face the terrible alternative of either willing the defeat of their nation in order that Christian civilization may survive or willing the victory of their nation and thereby destroying civilization. I know which of these alternatives I must choose but I cannot make that choice from security."

I was waiting for my Pastor to reveal the cost of Bonhoeffer's decision; that it wasn't a wonderful, happily-ever-after story that we Christians love to take comfort in: Trust God and he will protect you."

My pastor, to my recollection, never stated what happened to Bonhoeffer. He left it with that quote and it baffled me, because Bonhoeffer's decision came with a huge price.

I remember thinking that I thought Bonhoeffer was "of more use" safely in America where he was teaching others, where he was writing and sharing his brilliant mind and thoughts.

Yet he did not think of it that way. He had to go back to Germany.

The saddest part to me is that a mere three weeks after Bonhoeffer was stripped naked and hanged to death in a concentration camp, Hitler committed suicide. Three months later the war would effectually be over in Germany.

A part of me still views it an senseless.

Which is the reason I'm still very much fascinated by Bonhoeffer's story and desire to read a more in depth account of his life. The most recent biography of Dietrich Bonhoeffer was just released by Thomas Nelson this month. It is a nearly 600 page book by Eric Metaxas simply called, Bonhoeffer: A Biography. I do hope I can gain more insight and appreciation of Bonhoeffer.

I'm writing this to post on April 9th because it is 65 years ago that Bonhoeffer was killed by hanging; a brutal death. It is my hope that I remember his life and conviction of not choosing to make a decision based on security; even though that decision cost him his life. I think so often as Christians we feel almost like if we are doing the right things for God then he will bless us. I have no doubt that He will bless us but I often wonder if our idea of blessing and His are the same.