This past week in The Bridge we started off our series called "Recharge: Filling up our Spiritual Batteries." This series is designed to teach people, inspire people and help them understand that Sunday is truly the climax of the week that we get ready for...as well as being the kick off to the week that fills us up. I do wonder what worship would be like if we spent all week getting ready for the main event.
This past week the theme was "prayer." If you know The Bridge, you know that we don't do things normally, we like to let the congregation experience the theme, rather than hear about it. So after we let the prophet/poet Robert Morris inspire us with prayer through poetry and listening to God we had the chance to experience "listening" with a silent video that was 6 minutes long. It was really interesting as you could hear many feet start to tap, many chairs start to scoot around, and people were obviously uncomfortable with the quiet place we created.
It got me to thinking, what would life be like with more silence in our life? Many people commented on how awesome worship was, not only in a powerful sense, but in a restful, redeeming sense.
I truly think we have sinned too long in tricking our own minds that we need to be stimulated at all times. We have become afraid of low test scores and blamed understimulation in schools and not enough time studying. We have pushed young kids in athletics starting at age 4, in hopes that they will get the most posh job in the world, professional sports...also the most idolistic. But what is we let our souls be stimulated by God in the silence?
I know that God can speak through music, sermons, conversations and any way that God is revealed, but there is something organic in silence that is natural and relaxing. There is a strange eerieness that something is there, but it's not obvious. That is God. I truly believe that God is always present, and is most present when it's the least obvious. These are the times that hit us 10 minutes, an hour, a day, a week later and blow us away, leaving a smile on our hearts and a joyful spirit in our souls.
I've been doing my best to take more time away from the office this week, even eating by myself in silence, or coming home to relax a little more in silence...simply to reconnect to life without all the things we think we need, but don't. And I have found that the silence has helped me in conversation with my wife, church staff and friends because now I have listened and know how to listen to them. I also am not overstimulated and wishing they would stop talking. Instead I hlove their conversation.
When God's voice is the only one present...it is restful, not bothersome. It is inspirational and sometimes kicks your butt. When God's voice is the only one present in the silence, it is unsettling, but invigorating.
I encourage you to take more time for silence and solitude. Train yourself to turn off the TV, the radio, your cell phone, the ipod you can't live without. Sit, lay, walk, run, stand in silence. Start with 4 minutes and add a minute each day for a week. Then on the next week start at 10 minutes and add a minute each day. Work your way towards 30 minutes a day, and maybe more after that. Make your schedule look like someone who wants to hear God's voice.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
When Celebrities Give Credit to God
I remember sitting around the TV for several nights with my new friends in Atlanta, as we bonded around the stunning comeback of the Boston Red Sox over the New York Yankees in the ALCS, and then marveled as the most storied "cursed" team in the Red Sox prevailed in the World Series, their first since 1908.
The curse was broken, it was amazing! And even more amazing was the list of "reasons" why the curse was lifted, and why the Red Sox were able to win the game. Personally, I think having a 100 million + payroll helps, as well as a short fence in right and a short distance to left field for their big hitters...and the best pitching money can buy...I think these all help.
But another reason came right after the last game of the World Series, in the infamous "bloody sock game". In this game Curt Schilling had stitches come undone from an ankle surgery, but still managed to pitch up to his high level, it was a heroic performance. Of course, he was the interview target after the game and my seminary friends and I were left a little more stunned at Mr. Schilling's response to a question about how the Red Sox won.
"I want to give thanks to God for this victory, because God really favored us today and gave me the strength to go out and pitch this team to victory."
It wasn't that exact quote, I can't find the exact quote, but this is similar to just about every other athlete, actor or musician giving thanks to God for the victory. "God gave me the strength, God helped our team to victory."
Really? Don't get me wrong, I am happy that God is getting recognized nationally and that these celebrities have a relationship with God, but I'm not sure I'm happy with God choosing sides in a sporting event or an oscar ceremony. Do I think God cares about these things? Absolutely. God cares about all things, God is everywhere and ought to be recognized in everything.
But does God change the wind so a kicker can kick a field goal just a little further? Does God cause other batters to miss the ball on purpose so one team can win? Does God influence the voting on American Idol?
I hate to say it, but I don't think so. I don't think God influences the events in our lives in a definite sense. I don't think that God causes one team to win, one singer to win or one actor to win because God favors that person more than the others, or wants to smite the other people for something they did. I don't think God works like that.
Instead, I definitely think that God blessed the musician with the talent, dexterity and creativity it takes to be appreciated by the Grammy's. I definitely think that God calls people to powerful roles in films that speak to people (not many Oscar's go to "Dude, Where's my Car?"), and I think that God blesses some with athletic ability...although possibly not for sports...those are our creation, as is acting.
God allows us to get in line with God's plan, God doesn't force it upon anyone. Yes, sometimes think work out when they shouldn't, and sometimes things just flow together so perfectly that I think God was very convincing in those moments...but in the course of our lives, God is not forcing us to win or lose. God is not forcing us to spend beyond our means or divorce our spouses. God is not forcing us to love people or give to charity. God gives us the opportunity to live up to the greatest ideals possible for a person with our gifts and talents, and it is up to us to respond. It is when we respond that we are choosing to love God fully, and God will fully sanctify us in our response.
There was a celebrity recently that I really appreciated. I was watching the Today Show with my wife and Jennifer Hudson was singing. I love her voice and style, although I'm not what you would call a massive fan, but the question came..."how can you get up here and sing like this after what you suffered with your family situation?" (Her family had been killed recently)
Her answer was one of the best I'd ever heard on national television.
She unasbashedly answered, "It's all about forgiveness, I had to let myself forgive and realize that situation is in God's hands, and those people are in God's hands...but me, I just have to focus on forgivness."
God didn't kill her family, but God will ultimately be with her family and the killers. God didn't give her a super-power of courage to get up on stage again. Instead, God gave her a peace of forgiveness and humility...and through that she found joy again in singing.
That is how God enters the world. Through Jesus Christ and the way that we react to the love and grace that is offered to us through Jesus Christ. Amen.
The curse was broken, it was amazing! And even more amazing was the list of "reasons" why the curse was lifted, and why the Red Sox were able to win the game. Personally, I think having a 100 million + payroll helps, as well as a short fence in right and a short distance to left field for their big hitters...and the best pitching money can buy...I think these all help.
But another reason came right after the last game of the World Series, in the infamous "bloody sock game". In this game Curt Schilling had stitches come undone from an ankle surgery, but still managed to pitch up to his high level, it was a heroic performance. Of course, he was the interview target after the game and my seminary friends and I were left a little more stunned at Mr. Schilling's response to a question about how the Red Sox won.
"I want to give thanks to God for this victory, because God really favored us today and gave me the strength to go out and pitch this team to victory."
It wasn't that exact quote, I can't find the exact quote, but this is similar to just about every other athlete, actor or musician giving thanks to God for the victory. "God gave me the strength, God helped our team to victory."
Really? Don't get me wrong, I am happy that God is getting recognized nationally and that these celebrities have a relationship with God, but I'm not sure I'm happy with God choosing sides in a sporting event or an oscar ceremony. Do I think God cares about these things? Absolutely. God cares about all things, God is everywhere and ought to be recognized in everything.
But does God change the wind so a kicker can kick a field goal just a little further? Does God cause other batters to miss the ball on purpose so one team can win? Does God influence the voting on American Idol?
I hate to say it, but I don't think so. I don't think God influences the events in our lives in a definite sense. I don't think that God causes one team to win, one singer to win or one actor to win because God favors that person more than the others, or wants to smite the other people for something they did. I don't think God works like that.
Instead, I definitely think that God blessed the musician with the talent, dexterity and creativity it takes to be appreciated by the Grammy's. I definitely think that God calls people to powerful roles in films that speak to people (not many Oscar's go to "Dude, Where's my Car?"), and I think that God blesses some with athletic ability...although possibly not for sports...those are our creation, as is acting.
God allows us to get in line with God's plan, God doesn't force it upon anyone. Yes, sometimes think work out when they shouldn't, and sometimes things just flow together so perfectly that I think God was very convincing in those moments...but in the course of our lives, God is not forcing us to win or lose. God is not forcing us to spend beyond our means or divorce our spouses. God is not forcing us to love people or give to charity. God gives us the opportunity to live up to the greatest ideals possible for a person with our gifts and talents, and it is up to us to respond. It is when we respond that we are choosing to love God fully, and God will fully sanctify us in our response.
There was a celebrity recently that I really appreciated. I was watching the Today Show with my wife and Jennifer Hudson was singing. I love her voice and style, although I'm not what you would call a massive fan, but the question came..."how can you get up here and sing like this after what you suffered with your family situation?" (Her family had been killed recently)
Her answer was one of the best I'd ever heard on national television.
She unasbashedly answered, "It's all about forgiveness, I had to let myself forgive and realize that situation is in God's hands, and those people are in God's hands...but me, I just have to focus on forgivness."
God didn't kill her family, but God will ultimately be with her family and the killers. God didn't give her a super-power of courage to get up on stage again. Instead, God gave her a peace of forgiveness and humility...and through that she found joy again in singing.
That is how God enters the world. Through Jesus Christ and the way that we react to the love and grace that is offered to us through Jesus Christ. Amen.
Monday, May 11, 2009
A Special Baptism
Every Baptism is special for me, but yesterday I had the priviledge to baptize a baby that I visited and held only hours after it was born. It was a surreal experience, and I remembered a great professor I had at TCU telling the class that the pastor has the best change outside of the parents of being there at birth, at confirmation, at weddings, and at funerals, and what an honor it is to be at things like these throughout someone's life.
As this blog was intended to be, I thought I should share a little about United Methodist belief about baptism. There is a catch-phrase we use, "an outward expression of an inward grace" to describe our sacraments, and this applies to baptism. We feel that God's grace has already begun to work on every one of us, from life to death, and baptism is the recognition that God's grace is with us. It is not different from a child to an adult, with the exception that a child is being recognized for, and the parents are promissing to raise the child in this knowledge until confirmation, when the child can decide for themselves. For an adult, it is the self-recognition of God's grace that changes us.
Baptism is not the wiping away of sins in one act, but is the initiation into the body of Christians who believe their sins were wiped away by God through Jesus Christ, and the recognition of this fact...essentially what we are to accept for salvation.
What is funny though is that it doesn't matter who the pastor is, who the parents are, or where it happens for baptism to take effect...it simply matters that God's grace is upon us and recognized.
So it's hard for me to not feel special in times like yesterday, but as I placed my hand upon the child's head with the blessed water, and felt the hands of the family on mine, it was a surreal experience, one that I've experienced 2 other times, of grace not only flowing through me, but in to me. Through the baptism experience I feel renewal of spirit and covenant, a renewal of hope that my sins are forgiven and I too can be worthy of following Christ. It is a cleansing feeling of knowing that in fact, everything will be alright.
I think it was special for me as I preached about the warmth of mothers and the warmth of God...and that feeling of knowing...yes, everything will be alright. And as I paraded the baby around, I knew the church would raise her alongside the family. And I knew that this child would not only know human love...but would feel the divine love of God upon her. Glory be to God.
As this blog was intended to be, I thought I should share a little about United Methodist belief about baptism. There is a catch-phrase we use, "an outward expression of an inward grace" to describe our sacraments, and this applies to baptism. We feel that God's grace has already begun to work on every one of us, from life to death, and baptism is the recognition that God's grace is with us. It is not different from a child to an adult, with the exception that a child is being recognized for, and the parents are promissing to raise the child in this knowledge until confirmation, when the child can decide for themselves. For an adult, it is the self-recognition of God's grace that changes us.
Baptism is not the wiping away of sins in one act, but is the initiation into the body of Christians who believe their sins were wiped away by God through Jesus Christ, and the recognition of this fact...essentially what we are to accept for salvation.
What is funny though is that it doesn't matter who the pastor is, who the parents are, or where it happens for baptism to take effect...it simply matters that God's grace is upon us and recognized.
So it's hard for me to not feel special in times like yesterday, but as I placed my hand upon the child's head with the blessed water, and felt the hands of the family on mine, it was a surreal experience, one that I've experienced 2 other times, of grace not only flowing through me, but in to me. Through the baptism experience I feel renewal of spirit and covenant, a renewal of hope that my sins are forgiven and I too can be worthy of following Christ. It is a cleansing feeling of knowing that in fact, everything will be alright.
I think it was special for me as I preached about the warmth of mothers and the warmth of God...and that feeling of knowing...yes, everything will be alright. And as I paraded the baby around, I knew the church would raise her alongside the family. And I knew that this child would not only know human love...but would feel the divine love of God upon her. Glory be to God.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
