This is worth 19 minutes of your time. Seriously.
Showing posts with label Sovereignty. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sovereignty. Show all posts
Monday, May 6, 2013
Friday, April 26, 2013
Celebrating Rejection
My church, Riverview Baptist, is in the midst of a search for a new youth and young adult minister. We posted a position description on three prominent websites about three weeks ago, and have since been receiving several resumes from prospective candidates. Just this week we paired down the candidates list, removing those who, for whatever reason, would not move on to the interview phase. I had the somewhat unhappy task today of sending out rejection letters to these candidates.I had never written a rejection letter before, so I did a little research on the internet to see what I was dealing with. I found some helpful advice, and even some templates, but all of these were written from a man-centered business philosophy. They were full of language like, "We appreciate your skill set, but..." or "You would make a great asset for a company, however..." And then the letter would go on to suggest that the person would be a great addition to another company, or that maybe they could apply for a different position in the same company, or maybe a similar position at a later date. The letters all concluded with apologetic language that made me feel sorry for the person being rejected.
I decided I didn't want to write a letter like that. Rather, I wanted to write a letter that I would want to read and be encouraged by if I were the one being rejected - one that communicates what needs to be communicated, but also points the reject (sorry for the term) toward the sovereignty of God in all things - even job applications. So here's what I came up with for the closing line of my rejection letter:
"We continue to pray that God will use you for great things in his kingdom as his plan for your life unfolds."
The Christian should be able to handle rejection, or the unexpected, or perhaps the undesirable way things turn out much better than the non-believer. As Christians, we believe that God sovereignly ordains all things, and that there are no accidents, and that everything that happens is God's will, and that his will is what is best for us - even when his will is somewhat difficult to accept.
There's a simple formula to remember when considering how we know what is God's will and what isn't. It's like this: if something happens, it was God's will; if something doesn't happen, it wasn't God's will. Seems simple, I know, and it is, but think about it: God always gets his way. God's will is always carried out. God doesn't ever end up frustrated because things didn't shake out the way he thought they would. No, everything that happens, happens precisely because it is exactly what God wanted to happen. So to those of us who have received a rejection letter in the past, and when we receive one in the future (because everyone does), take heart: it was not God's will that you have that job. How do I know that? Because if it was God's will, it would have happened.
(Note: there is a difference, however, between God's perfect will [what he righteously desires] and his permissive will [what he allows]. The two are not the same, and should not be confused, but an explanation of these differences is beyond the purview of this post. Either way, the point that Christians can celebrate - sometimes in tears, and sometimes in joy - whatever happens remains valid)
In this sense, the believer can celebrate rejection. Not that it feels particularly good to be rejected, but we can at least have some comfort in the fact that God is doing things, and for whatever reason, in his infinite wisdom, this wasn't one of them. We can also rejoice in the reality that God does what is always best for us, both now (in the rejection) and in the future, whatever it may hold.
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
God's Providence Over Circumstances
One of the great things about the Children Desiring God curriculum - at least the 6th grade curriculum I'm using for my class - is that it uses a lot of stories to teach concepts. Quite frequently I will tell the kids a story about Charles Spurgeon or some other hero of the Christian faith. Stories are a great way to communicate concepts, ideas, and most importantly, truth.
When I read the story scheduled for this week's Sunday School lesson, I was so blown away that I wanted to share it here. It's often said that "God moves in mysterious ways." While this is no doubt true, I would amend the phrase to state: "God moves moves in unfathomably mysterious ways that your puny, little finite mind can't even begin to comprehend," and this story illustrates it. The purpose of this week's is to show the kids that God works in and through all kinds of circumstances - even things that seem to be totally unrelated, or even things that seem to be accidents. In reality, God is sovereign over everything, and in his providence, he uses all circumstances to accomplish his plan and for his glory.
The story is below. But first, a disclaimer: I'm not sure about the copyright status of this story. As printed in the material, it's a re-telling of a published story, so I don't know what limitations, if any, are imposed on my reproducing it here. You can purchase a copy of the book the story came from here. If someone knows if I am in violation, please contact me and I will remove this post. Now on to the story.
Richard McLellan, an Autralian missionary to Ethiopia, and three Ethiopian evangelists made a trip into the thick forests of Ethiopia to preach in an area where no missionary had ever been. Near the village of Gifara, their destination, an old crippled man sitting by the side of the trail saw them approaching and yelled to them, "Do you have theword of life? Do you have the word of life?
Richard McLellan waved his Bible and shouted back, "Yes, I have the word of life!"
The crippled man became excited and bounced up and down while calling to them, "Come! Come!" The village of Gifara welcomed them with open arms, the people running toward the evangelists and asking them to tell the good news.
In the five days of preaching in the area, not only the old crippled man, Gwobazi, was saved, but also 29 other people.
Twenty years earlier, Richard McLellan and his wife, Vida, were missionaries in a village called Bako, many miles south of Gifara. Vida, a nurse, ran a small clinic in Bako.
One day, a very sick young man came to the clinic. Although Vida cared for him diligently, his condition got worse until the only hope for him was to send him to a hospital in Soddo many days away over the mountains. He was carried on a stretcher over trails for 50 miles and then placed in the back of an old truck for a two-week trip over the mountains. The young man, Kebeda, was operated on in the hospital but his condition was so bad, that the doctors were unable to help him. Because no one spoke Kebeda's language, no one could communicate with him or notify his people many miles away.
But the providence of God was at work and a few weeks later, a trader who only passed through the town of Soddo once a year was on his way to Gifara in the interior to buy coffee beans. About 20 miles outside of Soddo, God in his providence gave the trader a toohtache - the word he had ever had. He was in such agony, he thought he was going to die. He didn't know what to do but God caused someone to suggest that he go to the hospital. he was treated at the hospital and - providentially placed next to Kebeda. The trader with the toothache was the only one in the hospital who could talk to Kebeda.
At the same time the two men were in the hospital, a woman from Gospel Recordings, Joy Ridderhoff, "happened" to stop in at the hospital as she was traveling throughout Ethiopia. Two months earlier, she felt the Lord telling her to go to Ethiopia to produce recordings of the gospel. She met the trader and persuaded him to act as interpreter to Kebeda. Through the trader interpreter, she convinced Kebeda to record a simple gospel message in his native language. A few days later, both the trader and Joy left the hospital. But Kebeda never left the hospital - he died there.
The recording was made into records, but since no one could understand them, they were shoved into a cupboard where they laid for years. Eventually, the records were put on cassette, and twenty years after the recording was made Richard McLellan took the cassette with him on his trip to Gifara. So it was that when Gwobazi yelled, "Do you have the word of life?" Richard McLellan was able to play the tape of Kebeda's gospel recording.
Gwobazi was excited upon seeing the evangelists because years earlier, he had a dream of a man running down the train shouting, "The word of life is coming! Believe the word of life and live forever! Ever since he had the dream, Gwobazi would regularly pull his crippled body down to the trail to look for the man with the word of life.
Gwobazi heard the cassette tape and put his trust in Jesus. The tape touched Gwobazi's heart because the voice ont he tape was that of Kebeda - his son who left home many years before.
When I read the story scheduled for this week's Sunday School lesson, I was so blown away that I wanted to share it here. It's often said that "God moves in mysterious ways." While this is no doubt true, I would amend the phrase to state: "God moves moves in unfathomably mysterious ways that your puny, little finite mind can't even begin to comprehend," and this story illustrates it. The purpose of this week's is to show the kids that God works in and through all kinds of circumstances - even things that seem to be totally unrelated, or even things that seem to be accidents. In reality, God is sovereign over everything, and in his providence, he uses all circumstances to accomplish his plan and for his glory.
The story is below. But first, a disclaimer: I'm not sure about the copyright status of this story. As printed in the material, it's a re-telling of a published story, so I don't know what limitations, if any, are imposed on my reproducing it here. You can purchase a copy of the book the story came from here. If someone knows if I am in violation, please contact me and I will remove this post. Now on to the story.
Richard McLellan, an Autralian missionary to Ethiopia, and three Ethiopian evangelists made a trip into the thick forests of Ethiopia to preach in an area where no missionary had ever been. Near the village of Gifara, their destination, an old crippled man sitting by the side of the trail saw them approaching and yelled to them, "Do you have theword of life? Do you have the word of life?
Richard McLellan waved his Bible and shouted back, "Yes, I have the word of life!"
The crippled man became excited and bounced up and down while calling to them, "Come! Come!" The village of Gifara welcomed them with open arms, the people running toward the evangelists and asking them to tell the good news.
In the five days of preaching in the area, not only the old crippled man, Gwobazi, was saved, but also 29 other people.
Twenty years earlier, Richard McLellan and his wife, Vida, were missionaries in a village called Bako, many miles south of Gifara. Vida, a nurse, ran a small clinic in Bako.
One day, a very sick young man came to the clinic. Although Vida cared for him diligently, his condition got worse until the only hope for him was to send him to a hospital in Soddo many days away over the mountains. He was carried on a stretcher over trails for 50 miles and then placed in the back of an old truck for a two-week trip over the mountains. The young man, Kebeda, was operated on in the hospital but his condition was so bad, that the doctors were unable to help him. Because no one spoke Kebeda's language, no one could communicate with him or notify his people many miles away.
But the providence of God was at work and a few weeks later, a trader who only passed through the town of Soddo once a year was on his way to Gifara in the interior to buy coffee beans. About 20 miles outside of Soddo, God in his providence gave the trader a toohtache - the word he had ever had. He was in such agony, he thought he was going to die. He didn't know what to do but God caused someone to suggest that he go to the hospital. he was treated at the hospital and - providentially placed next to Kebeda. The trader with the toothache was the only one in the hospital who could talk to Kebeda.
At the same time the two men were in the hospital, a woman from Gospel Recordings, Joy Ridderhoff, "happened" to stop in at the hospital as she was traveling throughout Ethiopia. Two months earlier, she felt the Lord telling her to go to Ethiopia to produce recordings of the gospel. She met the trader and persuaded him to act as interpreter to Kebeda. Through the trader interpreter, she convinced Kebeda to record a simple gospel message in his native language. A few days later, both the trader and Joy left the hospital. But Kebeda never left the hospital - he died there.
The recording was made into records, but since no one could understand them, they were shoved into a cupboard where they laid for years. Eventually, the records were put on cassette, and twenty years after the recording was made Richard McLellan took the cassette with him on his trip to Gifara. So it was that when Gwobazi yelled, "Do you have the word of life?" Richard McLellan was able to play the tape of Kebeda's gospel recording.
Gwobazi was excited upon seeing the evangelists because years earlier, he had a dream of a man running down the train shouting, "The word of life is coming! Believe the word of life and live forever! Ever since he had the dream, Gwobazi would regularly pull his crippled body down to the trail to look for the man with the word of life.
Gwobazi heard the cassette tape and put his trust in Jesus. The tape touched Gwobazi's heart because the voice ont he tape was that of Kebeda - his son who left home many years before.
Thursday, November 8, 2012
God's Good Design in Disability
I had the opportunity to lead some folks from Riverview to Desiring God's conference, "God's Good Design in Disability." That's a strange title, you might think to yourself. How can disability be good? The word alone implies that something is broken or off: dis-ability. Four speakers, however, provided what I thought was a convincing, biblical case for why disabilities are good things.
The first thing you will need to believe in order to accept that disabilities can be and are blessings from God is the general idea of God's sovereignty. The Bible says over and over again that God is the main "mover and shaker" in the universe. That is, nothing happens outside of God's purview. He controls everything, either by directly causing things to happen, or allowing things to happen. The point is, that nothing happens without his direct stamp of approval. There are no accidents - there are no tragedies, even - that he is not directly involved in, including disabilities.
How can we say that, though? How can a good, kind, and loving God cause people to have disabilities? Well, in one sense, the question is flawed. We inherently assume that disabilities are necessarily a bad thing, and we form this opinion based on our observations of the effects they have on the people who have them. We see cognitive abilities diminished; we see physical capacities hindered, and we automatically form a judgment that says these conditions are inherently bad or evil. And if we affirm that God is indeed sovereign, and that he designs and distributes disabilities to whom he will, we then have a problem: how does God remain good and yet assign certain disabilities to people? But if we look to scripture a bit first, I think we get a different outlook.
Scripture affirms over and over that everything God does is good and right (Psalm 145.17). God is never wrong in his judgments, nor does he ever do anything that is sinful, unfair, or unjust. This means that everything that happens to us in life that might look difficult, trying, or hard, is actually good. After all, if it is from God, it is good, regardless of whether or not we view the circumstances as being positive or negative. Anything from God is good, precisely because it is God who has caused it to happen.
Moreover, scripture also teaches that everything God does to us and for us is for our good (Romans 8.28). He does not vindictively smite us or cause us unnecessary harm or difficulty. God always does that which is good, and good for us. Does this mean life isn't hard? Does this mean tragedies don't happen? Does this mean that suffering from a disability isn't heart-breaking? Certainly not, in any of these cases! But it does mean that, even if difficult, those things God brings into our lives (such as a disability) is ultimately good because it is from God.
So in the most basic sense, we have a perspective problem: we are viewing life through a temporal set of lenses that limits our understanding of how certain pieces of life contribute to an eternal whole. Our lenses only let us see the past and the present - we have no knowledge of the future, nor how the past and present will effect the future. God does see the future, of course, and so the things that he puts into our lives are their to accomplish his good purposes for us and for his glory.
This is a hard concept to "get" to be sure, but it is one that essential. And, of course, the notion of God's sovereignty is not limited to disabilities, but to all aspects of life. When we face difficulties and trials of many kinds, we can consider it pure joy, because God has given us those trials for our good: to develop in those who love him a steadfastness in the faith that would be unattainable had we not been afflicted (James 1.2-4). Does God have a good design in disability? Absolutely.
The four speakers also participated in a panel discussion in which they fielded questions on the topic of disability. Two questions were rather thought provoking:
1. How can people with sever cognitive disabilities that limit their understanding of the gospel be saved?
2. Will people with disabilities be rid of their disability in heaven?
The answer to the former question is based on what I've written above about God's goodness and sovereignty. In one sense, we cannot have a definite answer for whether or not people with cognitive disabilities that preclude them from believing the gospel are saved, or how they are, if indeed they are. But we can say this: God is always just, and his decisions are always right. In other words, God will never do anything that is wrong, including condemn those whom it would be unjust to condemn. If it would be wrong for God to condemn a person with a cognitive disability that limited his or her understanding or ability to believe the gospel, then we can be sure that God will do no such thing. The trick is that we can't know whether or not it is wrong - we simply trust God to be faithful to his word that says he always does that which is right and good. For me, this answer is a satisfying comfort.
The answer to the latter question was, I thought, fascinating, and is one that people who do not suffer from a physical or cognitive disability can probably not completely comprehend. The question was posed to Dr. Mark Talbot, who has been a paraplegic since the age of 17, after having broken his back. He explained that his disability has become so engrained in the very essence of his personhood, that he can't imagine life without being disabled. In a sense, he knows no other existence. For him to imagine a life in heaven without a disability, then, is something that is unfathomable. Furthermore, he explained how so much good has come from his disability, that he can't imagine that God would, by implication, pronounce the disability as something worthless and bad in heaven. This is a difficult thing to wrap your mind around, and I certainly wouldn't say that Dr. Talbot's opinion or anyone else's is definitive, but it's certainly something interesting to think about.
I find Dr. Talbot's answer to be interesting, because my own father has lived with a disability since he was seven years old. Indeed, my dad's disability has become a part of who he is - even in his identity as "father." I have no knowledge of what it's like to have a father who is not physically disabled. It's always been there, and it's something that has just become a part of who my dad is. Will he have a disability in heaven? If he does, it certainly won't be considered a dis-ability, but I'm not necessarily sure what else to call it. I almost can't fathom seeing my dad in heaven some day without a disability. It's an idea that's completely foreign to me.
Over all, it was good to be reminded today how God works in this world, and how he is always doing what is good for us, and for his own glory.
The first thing you will need to believe in order to accept that disabilities can be and are blessings from God is the general idea of God's sovereignty. The Bible says over and over again that God is the main "mover and shaker" in the universe. That is, nothing happens outside of God's purview. He controls everything, either by directly causing things to happen, or allowing things to happen. The point is, that nothing happens without his direct stamp of approval. There are no accidents - there are no tragedies, even - that he is not directly involved in, including disabilities.
How can we say that, though? How can a good, kind, and loving God cause people to have disabilities? Well, in one sense, the question is flawed. We inherently assume that disabilities are necessarily a bad thing, and we form this opinion based on our observations of the effects they have on the people who have them. We see cognitive abilities diminished; we see physical capacities hindered, and we automatically form a judgment that says these conditions are inherently bad or evil. And if we affirm that God is indeed sovereign, and that he designs and distributes disabilities to whom he will, we then have a problem: how does God remain good and yet assign certain disabilities to people? But if we look to scripture a bit first, I think we get a different outlook.
Scripture affirms over and over that everything God does is good and right (Psalm 145.17). God is never wrong in his judgments, nor does he ever do anything that is sinful, unfair, or unjust. This means that everything that happens to us in life that might look difficult, trying, or hard, is actually good. After all, if it is from God, it is good, regardless of whether or not we view the circumstances as being positive or negative. Anything from God is good, precisely because it is God who has caused it to happen.
Moreover, scripture also teaches that everything God does to us and for us is for our good (Romans 8.28). He does not vindictively smite us or cause us unnecessary harm or difficulty. God always does that which is good, and good for us. Does this mean life isn't hard? Does this mean tragedies don't happen? Does this mean that suffering from a disability isn't heart-breaking? Certainly not, in any of these cases! But it does mean that, even if difficult, those things God brings into our lives (such as a disability) is ultimately good because it is from God.
So in the most basic sense, we have a perspective problem: we are viewing life through a temporal set of lenses that limits our understanding of how certain pieces of life contribute to an eternal whole. Our lenses only let us see the past and the present - we have no knowledge of the future, nor how the past and present will effect the future. God does see the future, of course, and so the things that he puts into our lives are their to accomplish his good purposes for us and for his glory.
This is a hard concept to "get" to be sure, but it is one that essential. And, of course, the notion of God's sovereignty is not limited to disabilities, but to all aspects of life. When we face difficulties and trials of many kinds, we can consider it pure joy, because God has given us those trials for our good: to develop in those who love him a steadfastness in the faith that would be unattainable had we not been afflicted (James 1.2-4). Does God have a good design in disability? Absolutely.
The four speakers also participated in a panel discussion in which they fielded questions on the topic of disability. Two questions were rather thought provoking:
1. How can people with sever cognitive disabilities that limit their understanding of the gospel be saved?
2. Will people with disabilities be rid of their disability in heaven?
The answer to the former question is based on what I've written above about God's goodness and sovereignty. In one sense, we cannot have a definite answer for whether or not people with cognitive disabilities that preclude them from believing the gospel are saved, or how they are, if indeed they are. But we can say this: God is always just, and his decisions are always right. In other words, God will never do anything that is wrong, including condemn those whom it would be unjust to condemn. If it would be wrong for God to condemn a person with a cognitive disability that limited his or her understanding or ability to believe the gospel, then we can be sure that God will do no such thing. The trick is that we can't know whether or not it is wrong - we simply trust God to be faithful to his word that says he always does that which is right and good. For me, this answer is a satisfying comfort.
The answer to the latter question was, I thought, fascinating, and is one that people who do not suffer from a physical or cognitive disability can probably not completely comprehend. The question was posed to Dr. Mark Talbot, who has been a paraplegic since the age of 17, after having broken his back. He explained that his disability has become so engrained in the very essence of his personhood, that he can't imagine life without being disabled. In a sense, he knows no other existence. For him to imagine a life in heaven without a disability, then, is something that is unfathomable. Furthermore, he explained how so much good has come from his disability, that he can't imagine that God would, by implication, pronounce the disability as something worthless and bad in heaven. This is a difficult thing to wrap your mind around, and I certainly wouldn't say that Dr. Talbot's opinion or anyone else's is definitive, but it's certainly something interesting to think about.
I find Dr. Talbot's answer to be interesting, because my own father has lived with a disability since he was seven years old. Indeed, my dad's disability has become a part of who he is - even in his identity as "father." I have no knowledge of what it's like to have a father who is not physically disabled. It's always been there, and it's something that has just become a part of who my dad is. Will he have a disability in heaven? If he does, it certainly won't be considered a dis-ability, but I'm not necessarily sure what else to call it. I almost can't fathom seeing my dad in heaven some day without a disability. It's an idea that's completely foreign to me.
Over all, it was good to be reminded today how God works in this world, and how he is always doing what is good for us, and for his own glory.
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Facebook on the Election and Voting
Lots of people voting in this election, and lots of them are posting about their experience (and trying to sway others their way) on Facebook. Sometimes this is very good, and very encouraging - and not necessarily because these people are voting my way. Other times people are rude jerks. What follows is sentiment about the election and voting that I've seen today on Facebook from my friends. These folks spoke highly, and were appreciative of, their right obligation to vote. I don't particularly know how these people voted, but I respect the fact that they answered the call to fulfill their civic duty. On a sidenote, a lot of these people are from my church, and I was overjoyed to see the ways in which they were analyzing the election through spiritual lenses. Way to go, Riverview peeps!
Whoever wins, that’s my president. I have to pray for him and wish him well.
#voting #longlines #worthit
The truth that Jesus of Nazareth was who he claimed to be has
infinitely more impact on the world tomorrow than who gets elected tonight.
I did all that I could…it’s out of my hands now. It was always in God’s though, so it
will be alright regardless.
I am reminded today that this is not my home; I am destined for a
better place. Lord, guide me to
that end, and no matter what today brings, that is where my hope carries me.
Praying for MN today!
In line to vote. Too bad
it’s such a crummy morning…well worth the wait!
God be with me when I head to the polls and cast my vote. I pray that my choices will be
honorable in your sight.
I have been anxiously waiting for the opportunity to vote, and finally
I voted. I felt like I had done
something important, something that connects me with my fellow Americans,
something that may very well impact the future of the country itself. I do realize that I have contributed to
one of the most important political races in the world. Whoever will serve as the president, I
want to pray that only God’s purpose be fulfilled. God bless America. (posted by an immigrant who was recently
granted American citizenship)
Well, this is quite an important day for our country. I haven’t voted yet, but will in an
hour or two. I am praying that no
matter what the result I will remember, “This is the day that the Lord has
made, I will rejoice and be glad in it.”
I hope you can join me in that thought.
I went to vote today and got butterflies in my stomach. I am so thankful for this right,
thankful to the volunteers at the polling place for doing their jobs so well,
and thankful for my freedoms. God
bless America.
Two Election Day Thoughts
I wish I could say these quotes are mine, but they are actually from John Piper's most recent sermon this past Sunday. He says of the election:
"Let there be no man-exalting illusion as though mere human beings will be the decisive cause in any victory or loss. God alone will have that supreme role."
And of he who is to be our next president, Piper says:
"Whoever the next president is, he will not be sovereign. He will be governed. He will be ruled. And we should pray him, that he would know that. He will bow his neck under the sovereign hand of Jesus Christ, Lord of all.
"Let there be no man-exalting illusion as though mere human beings will be the decisive cause in any victory or loss. God alone will have that supreme role."
And of he who is to be our next president, Piper says:"Whoever the next president is, he will not be sovereign. He will be governed. He will be ruled. And we should pray him, that he would know that. He will bow his neck under the sovereign hand of Jesus Christ, Lord of all.
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Should Christians Vote?
Huh. I haven't posted in almost a week. Either I've been really busy or haven't had any thoughts worth sharing in a while. Probably a combination of both, actually. Well, at least I'm back to it.
I came back to it after reading this article by John Piper about whether or not he is planning to vote in this coming presidential election. I have several friends (and it's a rather popular nonconformist opinion amongst many right now) that have chosen not to vote in this election. Their reasons are many - from thinking that both candidates are bums, to thinking that a two-party system is flawed, to believing that voting is actually an immoral thing to do. I must confess that I have even felt some doubt about whether or not voting is a worth-while thing to do in this election. After all, my choices are between a totally pro-abortion universalist, or a somewhat pro-abortion Mormon. Not a great selection. How then should we vote? Should we vote at all?
In the article, Piper interestingly argues that not voting equals not having your voice heard, and that the effectiveness of not voting comes not in refraining to vote, but in talking about not voting. In other words, if you talk loudly about not voting, people will actually listen. Not voting, however, is heard by no one. Piper's solution: talk about how you don't want to vote and how voting has been cheapened, and how you don't like the two party system, but still have your voice heard by voting.
His rationale is that voting inherently effects the outcome of the election, and that even if both candidates are bad, one is certainly worse than the other. It is the Christian's responsibility, then, to exercise biblical wisdom and vote for what is essentially the lesser of two evils - the one that will do the most amount of good (even if it is small) and the least amount of evil.
Piper admits that this certainly isn't the ideal situation, but it is nonetheless the situation we find ourselves in. I think it's a convincing, albeit brutally realistic and somewhat pessimistic, rationale.
We also need to consider that the Bible commands Christians to pray for their leaders, and to submit to those in authority. This is hard to do if we loathe those in authority. And in our country, we have the power to be a part of the process that selects leaders. It would be hard for me to pray for people that disgust me so much that I want nothing to do with this process.
The Bible also tells us, however, that God determines kings, rulers, and authorities, and puts them in their place for his own purposes. Admittedly, this is difficult in a representative republic like ours, where we feel as though we have complete control over the election process. After all, we think, if we don't like someone, we'll just vote them out. We assume that we have the final word on who is elected for leadership. But do we? According to the Bible, we can at least say that we don't have all the control we sometimes think we do.
Why vote, then? If God has already determined who the next president of the United States will be, does he really need me to vote for the guy? The answer is no, but I think at the same time that the question is flawed. God does not call Christians to elect leaders. Rather, he calls them to be obedient to what he has called them to do in his word: to love and protect life in all its forms, to love justice, and deal fairly with everyone. This call should be reflected in the ways that we vote, whether or not the "right" man wins or not. I equate the idea of voting under the reign of a sovereign God much to that of my view of evangelism and God's sovereignty: the end results don't ultimately matter to me, since God is responsible to do as he purposes. The only thing that should matter to me is obedience to his word.
I came back to it after reading this article by John Piper about whether or not he is planning to vote in this coming presidential election. I have several friends (and it's a rather popular nonconformist opinion amongst many right now) that have chosen not to vote in this election. Their reasons are many - from thinking that both candidates are bums, to thinking that a two-party system is flawed, to believing that voting is actually an immoral thing to do. I must confess that I have even felt some doubt about whether or not voting is a worth-while thing to do in this election. After all, my choices are between a totally pro-abortion universalist, or a somewhat pro-abortion Mormon. Not a great selection. How then should we vote? Should we vote at all?
It's been said by many that voting for president is simply a matter of picking the lesser of two evils. And this has even been enough to persuade some to nix the idea of voting altogether. People want a genuine man with integrity that they can feel good about voting. The question, however, is whether or not having this kind of man running for the office is necessary to make voting a legitimate thing to do.
In the article, Piper interestingly argues that not voting equals not having your voice heard, and that the effectiveness of not voting comes not in refraining to vote, but in talking about not voting. In other words, if you talk loudly about not voting, people will actually listen. Not voting, however, is heard by no one. Piper's solution: talk about how you don't want to vote and how voting has been cheapened, and how you don't like the two party system, but still have your voice heard by voting.
His rationale is that voting inherently effects the outcome of the election, and that even if both candidates are bad, one is certainly worse than the other. It is the Christian's responsibility, then, to exercise biblical wisdom and vote for what is essentially the lesser of two evils - the one that will do the most amount of good (even if it is small) and the least amount of evil.
Piper admits that this certainly isn't the ideal situation, but it is nonetheless the situation we find ourselves in. I think it's a convincing, albeit brutally realistic and somewhat pessimistic, rationale.
We also need to consider that the Bible commands Christians to pray for their leaders, and to submit to those in authority. This is hard to do if we loathe those in authority. And in our country, we have the power to be a part of the process that selects leaders. It would be hard for me to pray for people that disgust me so much that I want nothing to do with this process.
The Bible also tells us, however, that God determines kings, rulers, and authorities, and puts them in their place for his own purposes. Admittedly, this is difficult in a representative republic like ours, where we feel as though we have complete control over the election process. After all, we think, if we don't like someone, we'll just vote them out. We assume that we have the final word on who is elected for leadership. But do we? According to the Bible, we can at least say that we don't have all the control we sometimes think we do.
Why vote, then? If God has already determined who the next president of the United States will be, does he really need me to vote for the guy? The answer is no, but I think at the same time that the question is flawed. God does not call Christians to elect leaders. Rather, he calls them to be obedient to what he has called them to do in his word: to love and protect life in all its forms, to love justice, and deal fairly with everyone. This call should be reflected in the ways that we vote, whether or not the "right" man wins or not. I equate the idea of voting under the reign of a sovereign God much to that of my view of evangelism and God's sovereignty: the end results don't ultimately matter to me, since God is responsible to do as he purposes. The only thing that should matter to me is obedience to his word.
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
The Only Sure Way to Maturity Is Through Pain
The title of this post is a quote from this video, the most recent update on Steve Saint's health following his life-changing accident. In it, Steve talks about the way God has grown him through the excruciating pain, agony, and challenges that have accompanied his accident. This man's story - not only his life story and incredible innovations for the mission field, but his story through this chapter of his life - are incredibly encouraging and edifying for believers. And it's not just in the sense that you feel sorry for him, appreciate your own health and blessings more, or anything like that, although that's certainly a part of it.
What is so encouraging to me from Steve's testimony is the way he is viewing his circumstances through the lens of God's sovereign goodness. It will definitely change the way you see accidents, tragedy, illness, and even death. God is good - all the time. He is always working for the good of those who love him and who have been called according to his purpose - even through a paralyzing injury. To be able to see that, and to see how God matures us through pain and difficulty is, in itself, a marker of maturity. This is a truth that this short article also talks about in a bit more detail.
You can watch all of the updates on Steve Saint below, starting with the first video right after the accident and concluding with the video that was released just today.
"The Next Chapter"
"Best Day Yet"
"I Stood a Mendicant of God"
"There's No Place Like Home"
What is so encouraging to me from Steve's testimony is the way he is viewing his circumstances through the lens of God's sovereign goodness. It will definitely change the way you see accidents, tragedy, illness, and even death. God is good - all the time. He is always working for the good of those who love him and who have been called according to his purpose - even through a paralyzing injury. To be able to see that, and to see how God matures us through pain and difficulty is, in itself, a marker of maturity. This is a truth that this short article also talks about in a bit more detail.
You can watch all of the updates on Steve Saint below, starting with the first video right after the accident and concluding with the video that was released just today.
"The Next Chapter"
"Best Day Yet"
"I Stood a Mendicant of God"
"There's No Place Like Home"
Monday, August 6, 2012
Psalm 139
I had the privilege of filling the Riverview pulpit this morning where it was my task to preach on Psalm 139. This psalm is considered by many to be the greatest of all of the psalms penned by David (although I can't guarantee the same for my sermon!). You can listen to the sermon on my Sermons Page.
This was a difficult text for me to preach. Not in the sense that it was difficult to exegete or interpret, but more in the sense that there is so much going on in this text it's difficult to have to decide what to material to include in the sermon and what to leave out. There was so much that I had to say but couldn't. In fact, I actually ended up writing to separate and unique sermons on this text. It wasn't until about 8:00 this morning that I decided which one to go with. This is the first time in my preaching career (having preached more than 100 original sermons) that I can remember having written to unique sermons on one text with the ability to only deliver one of them. I guess that's what blogs are for: you can post the sermon you didn't get to preach!
The sermon I decided not to preach was a bit less exegetical and had a bit more application to it. Why didn't I go with that one? I don't know, I guess I feel like exegesis is important. Anyway, I'm sharing the other sermon here (at least portions of it) so it won't go to "waste."
Psalm 139 is perhaps one of David's most famous psalms because it gives such a detailed and specific description of God's omniscience (meaning he is all-knowing) and his omnipresence (meaning he exists everywhere). There is a significant relation between the two concepts, in that God knows all things because he is everywhere. He can't help but know everything. He just does, because he exists in all places at the same time. Therefore he has a perfect platform from which to observe all events.
Psalm 139 makes this information about God personal, though, in that David applies God's knowledge and presence to his own personal being. What does God know about me? Answer: everything. David shows this by talking about how God knows the most mundane details of his life, all the way to the most specific things: God knows when he gets up and lies down, he knows the words he says before he says them, and God can even read his thoughts "from afar." In short, God knows all of the most intimate details of David's existence. Not only does he see David's actions, but he sees the purpose, desire, and will of David that inspires what he does, thinks, and says. That's pretty intimate.
I got to thinking about the implications of verse 1 of the psalm - what it means that God has "searched me and known me," and how that plays out in real life, and two very specific examples came to mind.
The first one I've blogged about before. It's a story about some friends of Betsy and me, and their search for a house to live in. They're kind of country folk, so they found a house way out in Northfield (about a 50 minute drive from their current location, one way). When they were thinking about the house, they knew that it would be challenging to maintain their current relationships and keep up with their church and small group participation, but they committed to staying in touch for the sake of their spiritual growth. Long story short, the house in Northfield fell through and the family ultimately found a place in South St. Paul (about 5 minutes from their current location). After they had a chance to reflect on the whole process, they became convinced that the house in Northfield fell through based upon God's knowledge of them - because God had "searched them and known them." Although they committed to continue to attend Riverview and stay connected with their small group relationships, they say that, upon further reflection they knew that those were commitments they would not be able to keep living so far away. They attribute the Northfield house falling through to the sovereignty of God so that they would stay in the immediate area, close to their church and their Christian friends. God saw their physical needs (verses 2-3), their emotional needs and desires (verse 2), and their spiritual needs (verses 23-24). Based on God's knowledge of all these things, he acted in his sovereignty by taking away one house and providing another - meeting their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs in one fell swoop. Pretty cool.
The second example comes in the way of an article I read just this weekend about God's involvement in creating children with disabilities. Psalm 139 has one of the greatest descriptions of God's involvement in the process of creating life in verses 13-16. If we affirm that God is involved in the creation of life, and that he "knits" children together in their mother's womb, then that must be true for babies who are born "normal" and healthy, and also for those children who are born with disabilities - God "knitted" children with disabilities together in their mother's womb as well. Why would God do that?
This question was leveled at Kempton Turner, a local youth minister who happens to have a son with Sturge-Weber syndrome, a blood condition that causes glaucoma, seizures, severe mental retardation, among other things. Turner was interviewed by a local radio station, and during the interview he insists that God not only allowed his son to be born with this condition, but in fact, he he designed him that way. Why would God "knit" a disability into a child in the womb? Rather than duplicate the entire interview here, I encourage you to read Kempton's response and reflections about how God is using his disabled son to draw him to himself. In short, Turner says one of the reasons God gave him a disabled son is because God has searched him and known him, and God knew that a child with a disability was what he needed.
What is most important, I think, about this knowledge that God has about me, is that it is indicative of the kind of Savior that God had to send in order to save me. That is, the only way God could fully save me from his own wrath toward my sin is to know the full and total picture of the depth of my depravity as a human being. God had to know just how sinful I truly am in order to send a Savior who's sacrifice could sufficiently atone for my sin. If God didn't know how sinful I am, then he wouldn't know what kind of Savior to send to save me. Praise God that he knows me better than I know myself, even if in that process he comes to know my utter depravity and sinfulness. It's worth it! In knowing me and my sin, God also knows with the exact proportion of grace and mercy that I need.
This was a difficult text for me to preach. Not in the sense that it was difficult to exegete or interpret, but more in the sense that there is so much going on in this text it's difficult to have to decide what to material to include in the sermon and what to leave out. There was so much that I had to say but couldn't. In fact, I actually ended up writing to separate and unique sermons on this text. It wasn't until about 8:00 this morning that I decided which one to go with. This is the first time in my preaching career (having preached more than 100 original sermons) that I can remember having written to unique sermons on one text with the ability to only deliver one of them. I guess that's what blogs are for: you can post the sermon you didn't get to preach!
The sermon I decided not to preach was a bit less exegetical and had a bit more application to it. Why didn't I go with that one? I don't know, I guess I feel like exegesis is important. Anyway, I'm sharing the other sermon here (at least portions of it) so it won't go to "waste."
Psalm 139 is perhaps one of David's most famous psalms because it gives such a detailed and specific description of God's omniscience (meaning he is all-knowing) and his omnipresence (meaning he exists everywhere). There is a significant relation between the two concepts, in that God knows all things because he is everywhere. He can't help but know everything. He just does, because he exists in all places at the same time. Therefore he has a perfect platform from which to observe all events.
Psalm 139 makes this information about God personal, though, in that David applies God's knowledge and presence to his own personal being. What does God know about me? Answer: everything. David shows this by talking about how God knows the most mundane details of his life, all the way to the most specific things: God knows when he gets up and lies down, he knows the words he says before he says them, and God can even read his thoughts "from afar." In short, God knows all of the most intimate details of David's existence. Not only does he see David's actions, but he sees the purpose, desire, and will of David that inspires what he does, thinks, and says. That's pretty intimate.
I got to thinking about the implications of verse 1 of the psalm - what it means that God has "searched me and known me," and how that plays out in real life, and two very specific examples came to mind.
The first one I've blogged about before. It's a story about some friends of Betsy and me, and their search for a house to live in. They're kind of country folk, so they found a house way out in Northfield (about a 50 minute drive from their current location, one way). When they were thinking about the house, they knew that it would be challenging to maintain their current relationships and keep up with their church and small group participation, but they committed to staying in touch for the sake of their spiritual growth. Long story short, the house in Northfield fell through and the family ultimately found a place in South St. Paul (about 5 minutes from their current location). After they had a chance to reflect on the whole process, they became convinced that the house in Northfield fell through based upon God's knowledge of them - because God had "searched them and known them." Although they committed to continue to attend Riverview and stay connected with their small group relationships, they say that, upon further reflection they knew that those were commitments they would not be able to keep living so far away. They attribute the Northfield house falling through to the sovereignty of God so that they would stay in the immediate area, close to their church and their Christian friends. God saw their physical needs (verses 2-3), their emotional needs and desires (verse 2), and their spiritual needs (verses 23-24). Based on God's knowledge of all these things, he acted in his sovereignty by taking away one house and providing another - meeting their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs in one fell swoop. Pretty cool.
The second example comes in the way of an article I read just this weekend about God's involvement in creating children with disabilities. Psalm 139 has one of the greatest descriptions of God's involvement in the process of creating life in verses 13-16. If we affirm that God is involved in the creation of life, and that he "knits" children together in their mother's womb, then that must be true for babies who are born "normal" and healthy, and also for those children who are born with disabilities - God "knitted" children with disabilities together in their mother's womb as well. Why would God do that?This question was leveled at Kempton Turner, a local youth minister who happens to have a son with Sturge-Weber syndrome, a blood condition that causes glaucoma, seizures, severe mental retardation, among other things. Turner was interviewed by a local radio station, and during the interview he insists that God not only allowed his son to be born with this condition, but in fact, he he designed him that way. Why would God "knit" a disability into a child in the womb? Rather than duplicate the entire interview here, I encourage you to read Kempton's response and reflections about how God is using his disabled son to draw him to himself. In short, Turner says one of the reasons God gave him a disabled son is because God has searched him and known him, and God knew that a child with a disability was what he needed.
What is most important, I think, about this knowledge that God has about me, is that it is indicative of the kind of Savior that God had to send in order to save me. That is, the only way God could fully save me from his own wrath toward my sin is to know the full and total picture of the depth of my depravity as a human being. God had to know just how sinful I truly am in order to send a Savior who's sacrifice could sufficiently atone for my sin. If God didn't know how sinful I am, then he wouldn't know what kind of Savior to send to save me. Praise God that he knows me better than I know myself, even if in that process he comes to know my utter depravity and sinfulness. It's worth it! In knowing me and my sin, God also knows with the exact proportion of grace and mercy that I need.
Friday, August 3, 2012
The Tolerant God
My last three posts have all been on the issue of tolerance, so I figured I might as well conclude the week with a fourth post on the same issue, except this time looking at it through a theological lens: what does the Bible say about tolerance? It says quite a bit about it when it comes to Christians interacting with each other and with the world, but as this piece from Desiring God points out, it may be most beneficial to realize that our God is a tolerant God.
When you think about all the things God has to tolerate in his creation, you can be humbled pretty quickly. The ultimate, infinite, perfect Being of the universe exists (albeit, transcendently) with a finite, fallen creation. Why would he bother? Because God is patiently waiting for his plan to come to fruition, and while he waits he has to tolerate all of the sin and corruption of the world. He is not bound to tolerate it - he could put an end to this whole thing any time he wants. But because he is merciful and longsuffering, he has graciously chosen to tolerate the pride and ignorance of human beings.
To get a better idea of what this must be like, try to imagine the incarnation: God becoming man. Jesus leaves the glories of heaven where everyone is worshipping him, to come to a place where people will despise and hate him; he leaves the feasts of heaven in order to come to earth and be perpetually hungry; he leaves the splendor of heaven to come to earth where he essentially lives as a homeless man; and the list goes on and on of how Jesus sacrificed elements of his divinity in order to come as a human being. Why would he do it? Only one answer: love. Why does God not just destroy the world and everyone/thing in it? Because he's loving and kind, and because he has a sovereign purpose that he's working out.
One thing the DG article doesn't bring out though, is God's intolerance. Yes, God is definitely tolerant, but he is also intolerant (I think it's important to acknowledge that these two characteristics can and must exist simultaneously - see below), although not in the way that we think of when we hear the word "intolerance" used in modern speech. God is intolerant toward any and everything that goes against his nature and character, or in other words, sin. God will not tolerate sin. Yes, he puts up with sin, but he will not ultimately tolerate it or allow it. In the end, he will judge and punish all sin(ners). One need not glance at the cross for too long to see God's utter hatred and intolerance for sin. All people will know God's intolerance toward sin by way of his wrath and judgment in one of two ways: either through the death of his Son on the cross, or by spending eternity in the lake of fire. One way or another, God's intolerance toward sin must be acknowledged and meted out.
I once heard Paul Washer say that someday he wanted to do some studying and develop a series of messages on the hatred of God. People balk at that idea - the hatred of God? God can't hate - God is love! As Paul Washer says, that's exactly right, and because God is love, therefore he must hate. Think about it: what do you love? If you love it purely, then you hate its opposite. If you love your kids, then you hate the thought of losing them; I love life, therefore I hate abortion. Love necessitates hatred. Tolerance necessitates intolerance (this is what's missing from the general public's understanding of these concepts - we can't all be tolerant).
As we've been talking about in our intergenerational Sunday School class this summer, God invites (commands) us to be like him. He wants us to conform to his character (with the aid of his Holy Spirit). Christians can and should be tolerant of other Christians and even toward those who hate God. We cannot, however, tolerate sin in our own lives. In this sense we have to be intolerant. God also wants us to be intolerant of those things he is intolerant of: injustice, oppression, evil, etc. - anything that goes against his nature and character (the way this intolerance manifests itself in our lives is another topic for discussion, however, beyond the scope of this post).
Praise God that, although he is well within his rights to do away with the entire universe, that he is longsuffering, tolerant, and faithful to his promises.
When you think about all the things God has to tolerate in his creation, you can be humbled pretty quickly. The ultimate, infinite, perfect Being of the universe exists (albeit, transcendently) with a finite, fallen creation. Why would he bother? Because God is patiently waiting for his plan to come to fruition, and while he waits he has to tolerate all of the sin and corruption of the world. He is not bound to tolerate it - he could put an end to this whole thing any time he wants. But because he is merciful and longsuffering, he has graciously chosen to tolerate the pride and ignorance of human beings.
To get a better idea of what this must be like, try to imagine the incarnation: God becoming man. Jesus leaves the glories of heaven where everyone is worshipping him, to come to a place where people will despise and hate him; he leaves the feasts of heaven in order to come to earth and be perpetually hungry; he leaves the splendor of heaven to come to earth where he essentially lives as a homeless man; and the list goes on and on of how Jesus sacrificed elements of his divinity in order to come as a human being. Why would he do it? Only one answer: love. Why does God not just destroy the world and everyone/thing in it? Because he's loving and kind, and because he has a sovereign purpose that he's working out.
One thing the DG article doesn't bring out though, is God's intolerance. Yes, God is definitely tolerant, but he is also intolerant (I think it's important to acknowledge that these two characteristics can and must exist simultaneously - see below), although not in the way that we think of when we hear the word "intolerance" used in modern speech. God is intolerant toward any and everything that goes against his nature and character, or in other words, sin. God will not tolerate sin. Yes, he puts up with sin, but he will not ultimately tolerate it or allow it. In the end, he will judge and punish all sin(ners). One need not glance at the cross for too long to see God's utter hatred and intolerance for sin. All people will know God's intolerance toward sin by way of his wrath and judgment in one of two ways: either through the death of his Son on the cross, or by spending eternity in the lake of fire. One way or another, God's intolerance toward sin must be acknowledged and meted out.
I once heard Paul Washer say that someday he wanted to do some studying and develop a series of messages on the hatred of God. People balk at that idea - the hatred of God? God can't hate - God is love! As Paul Washer says, that's exactly right, and because God is love, therefore he must hate. Think about it: what do you love? If you love it purely, then you hate its opposite. If you love your kids, then you hate the thought of losing them; I love life, therefore I hate abortion. Love necessitates hatred. Tolerance necessitates intolerance (this is what's missing from the general public's understanding of these concepts - we can't all be tolerant).
As we've been talking about in our intergenerational Sunday School class this summer, God invites (commands) us to be like him. He wants us to conform to his character (with the aid of his Holy Spirit). Christians can and should be tolerant of other Christians and even toward those who hate God. We cannot, however, tolerate sin in our own lives. In this sense we have to be intolerant. God also wants us to be intolerant of those things he is intolerant of: injustice, oppression, evil, etc. - anything that goes against his nature and character (the way this intolerance manifests itself in our lives is another topic for discussion, however, beyond the scope of this post).
Praise God that, although he is well within his rights to do away with the entire universe, that he is longsuffering, tolerant, and faithful to his promises.
Monday, July 16, 2012
I Stood a Mendicant of God
I posted a few weeks ago about Steve Saint and his bad accident that left him paralyzed from the neck down. He has since undergone surgery to relieve the pressure on his spinal cord and the paralysis has somewhat abated. Here you can see how he has begun to regain some of his movement and strength in his limbs.
I've also talked on this blog about how much I appreciate Steve Saint and his insatiable appetite to be an innovator for the mission field. The guy comes up with new inventions that help missionaries preach the gospel and do what they need to do on the mission field. We need more guys like Steve Saint holding the rope for those going down into the well. Actually, it's probably more accurate to say that Steve is not just holding the rope, but he's making a better rope.
Here's the latest update on Steve's recovery from his accident, produced by his company, I-tec. This man's resolve and attitude throughout this process is inspiring and encouraging. Rather than lamenting, or even learning to adapt to his new condition (let's face it: his life is forever changed; he's a 60+ year old guy who sustained a spinal cord injury - he won't ever be the same or be able to do those things he had done before the accident), he is instead looking for what God is doing in him through this accident. As you can see in the video, he's discovering things about himself and about God that he would have never known had he not been injured. In a sense, the injury has been a blessing to him. Watch this video. It's worth your six minutes.
The poem that Steve recites is as follows:
I've also talked on this blog about how much I appreciate Steve Saint and his insatiable appetite to be an innovator for the mission field. The guy comes up with new inventions that help missionaries preach the gospel and do what they need to do on the mission field. We need more guys like Steve Saint holding the rope for those going down into the well. Actually, it's probably more accurate to say that Steve is not just holding the rope, but he's making a better rope.
Here's the latest update on Steve's recovery from his accident, produced by his company, I-tec. This man's resolve and attitude throughout this process is inspiring and encouraging. Rather than lamenting, or even learning to adapt to his new condition (let's face it: his life is forever changed; he's a 60+ year old guy who sustained a spinal cord injury - he won't ever be the same or be able to do those things he had done before the accident), he is instead looking for what God is doing in him through this accident. As you can see in the video, he's discovering things about himself and about God that he would have never known had he not been injured. In a sense, the injury has been a blessing to him. Watch this video. It's worth your six minutes.
The poem that Steve recites is as follows:
I stood, a mendicant of God, before his royal throne
and begged him for one priceless gift, which I could call my own.
I took the gift from out his hand, but as I would depart I cried,
'But Lord, this is a thorn and it has pierced my heart.
This is a strange and hurtful gift which thou hast given me.'
He said, 'My child, I give good gifts. I gave my best to thee.'
I took it home, and though at first the cruel thorn hurt sore,
As long years passed I learned at last to love it more and more.
I learned he never gives a thorn without this added grace:
He takes the thorn to pin aside the veil which hides his face.
Friday, July 13, 2012
Six Degrees of Sovereignty
The title of this post refers to the so called "Six Degrees of Separation," whereby one can connect himself or herself to anyone by way of relationships with six other people. My post refers to the sovereignty of God, however, and not separation, or even Kevin Bacon. Actually I got to thinking about all of the things God must have planned and enacted in order for something to come about. God does things throughout history that have the exact ramifications he desires, even if it is just one small link in a chain that extends for centuries. In other words, God had this exact moment in mind when he did X, Y, and Z centuries ago. He knew exactly what would happen, and exactly what a particular decision or event would lead to. I've thought about this in a couple of different ways today, one of which is personal and another was shared by some friend's at tonight's Bible study meeting.
Exhibit 1: I got to thinking about this this morning at Norm Glewwe's funeral. Earlier this week I had been talking to my mom, who was particularly sad about Norm's passing. Norm and his wife Barb were some of my parent's first friends at Riverview when they started coming to the church almost 40 years ago. In fact, my mom said, they may not have even stayed at Riverview had it not been for their friendship with Norm and Barb. This got me to thinking about how many things were "riding on" the relationship that my parents had with the Glewwes when they first attended Riverview. Basically my whole life was influenced and formed by Norm Glewwe's faithfulness to befriend my parents and make them feel welcome at Riverview. Had he and Barb not befriended my parents almost 40 years ago they may have gone to another church, befriended other people, and my life's story would have unfolded in a completely different manner. This wasn't dependent upon Norm, though, but on God's sovereign choice.
It's easy to overlook these small details as coincidences or things that "just happen" (I mean, people hit it off and become friends, and as a result go to church together - what's the big deal about that?). That is, we can often think that small things like someone befriending someone else and their subsequent attendance at a particular church just happens. Not true. God had it planned that way. Speaking for my own life story, God intended that Norm and Barb befriend my parents, that they join Riverview, have kids, and that their third child grow up to become a minister in that very church. How many things did God have to nail down in order for that to happen? Certainly more than six. It must be an astronomical number of things that God orchestrated to bring me to where I am today. And God used Norm Glewwe in that process. Praise God for that.
I mean, if you look at the numbers, it gets pretty crazy pretty quickly. God had to give Norm the exact life experience he had in order to bring him to a place where he was at Riverview when my parents came, down to the mundane details of making sure Norm's alarm clock went off at the right time that morning, and that he drove a particular speed to get to church on time. God had to orchestrate my parents' lives in such a way as they came together, got married, and eventually visited Riverview, where they then met Norm and Barb. To think that God had a hand in the minute details of every little thing in the lives of those people, and in the lives of the people they interacted with, and in the lives of the people they interacted with, and so on, and so on, becomes a process that I can't wrap my mind around.
Exhibit 2: A couple in our Bible study have been trying to buy a house for some time now. They recently found one they liked in Northfield that was a bit out in the country. Northfield is a good distance from the church and the rest of their Bible study friends. When I first heard about their intentions I was a bit worried: would they continue to come to Riverview? To Bible study? I certainly didn't want to sever relations with them. They resolved to continue to attend Riverview and Bible study in spite of the distance they would have to travel.
Time went on and it turned out that the house deal in Northfield fell through, so this couple had to search elsewhere. They ended up buying a house in South St. Paul, very close to where they currently live. This also means that they're basically within five minutes of the church and their Bible study friends. Tonight at our small group meeting they shared that they wanted to praise God for his provision of a house for them, and that they have realized that their not getting their first choice of the house in Northfield was God's sovereign direction and blessing on their lives. They shared that, even though they resolved to continue attending Riverview and Bible study with people from the church, that they probably wouldn't have done so, just because of the challenge of traveling all that way. They saw this as God telling them they needed to be at Riverview and to continue with their small group. Also, by living in South St. Paul they'll be close to all their friends and family.
Two things here: first of all, how many things did God have to do to make that house in Northfield fall through to force the couple to look for another house? Imagine what he had to do, literally throughout history, in order to make this house not work out for this couple, thereby keeping them close to the people who care about them and who are in the process of growing with them. God must've been involved in the lives of the real estate agents, loan officers, other buyers, etc. All of this God did to bring this couple to where they are today. It's mind-boggling.
"Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand." Proverbs 19.21. There are so many reasons to praise God for his sovereignty, and I unfortunately miss many of them simply because I'm not looking.
Exhibit 1: I got to thinking about this this morning at Norm Glewwe's funeral. Earlier this week I had been talking to my mom, who was particularly sad about Norm's passing. Norm and his wife Barb were some of my parent's first friends at Riverview when they started coming to the church almost 40 years ago. In fact, my mom said, they may not have even stayed at Riverview had it not been for their friendship with Norm and Barb. This got me to thinking about how many things were "riding on" the relationship that my parents had with the Glewwes when they first attended Riverview. Basically my whole life was influenced and formed by Norm Glewwe's faithfulness to befriend my parents and make them feel welcome at Riverview. Had he and Barb not befriended my parents almost 40 years ago they may have gone to another church, befriended other people, and my life's story would have unfolded in a completely different manner. This wasn't dependent upon Norm, though, but on God's sovereign choice.
It's easy to overlook these small details as coincidences or things that "just happen" (I mean, people hit it off and become friends, and as a result go to church together - what's the big deal about that?). That is, we can often think that small things like someone befriending someone else and their subsequent attendance at a particular church just happens. Not true. God had it planned that way. Speaking for my own life story, God intended that Norm and Barb befriend my parents, that they join Riverview, have kids, and that their third child grow up to become a minister in that very church. How many things did God have to nail down in order for that to happen? Certainly more than six. It must be an astronomical number of things that God orchestrated to bring me to where I am today. And God used Norm Glewwe in that process. Praise God for that.
I mean, if you look at the numbers, it gets pretty crazy pretty quickly. God had to give Norm the exact life experience he had in order to bring him to a place where he was at Riverview when my parents came, down to the mundane details of making sure Norm's alarm clock went off at the right time that morning, and that he drove a particular speed to get to church on time. God had to orchestrate my parents' lives in such a way as they came together, got married, and eventually visited Riverview, where they then met Norm and Barb. To think that God had a hand in the minute details of every little thing in the lives of those people, and in the lives of the people they interacted with, and in the lives of the people they interacted with, and so on, and so on, becomes a process that I can't wrap my mind around.
Exhibit 2: A couple in our Bible study have been trying to buy a house for some time now. They recently found one they liked in Northfield that was a bit out in the country. Northfield is a good distance from the church and the rest of their Bible study friends. When I first heard about their intentions I was a bit worried: would they continue to come to Riverview? To Bible study? I certainly didn't want to sever relations with them. They resolved to continue to attend Riverview and Bible study in spite of the distance they would have to travel.
Time went on and it turned out that the house deal in Northfield fell through, so this couple had to search elsewhere. They ended up buying a house in South St. Paul, very close to where they currently live. This also means that they're basically within five minutes of the church and their Bible study friends. Tonight at our small group meeting they shared that they wanted to praise God for his provision of a house for them, and that they have realized that their not getting their first choice of the house in Northfield was God's sovereign direction and blessing on their lives. They shared that, even though they resolved to continue attending Riverview and Bible study with people from the church, that they probably wouldn't have done so, just because of the challenge of traveling all that way. They saw this as God telling them they needed to be at Riverview and to continue with their small group. Also, by living in South St. Paul they'll be close to all their friends and family.
Two things here: first of all, how many things did God have to do to make that house in Northfield fall through to force the couple to look for another house? Imagine what he had to do, literally throughout history, in order to make this house not work out for this couple, thereby keeping them close to the people who care about them and who are in the process of growing with them. God must've been involved in the lives of the real estate agents, loan officers, other buyers, etc. All of this God did to bring this couple to where they are today. It's mind-boggling.
"Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand." Proverbs 19.21. There are so many reasons to praise God for his sovereignty, and I unfortunately miss many of them simply because I'm not looking.
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