Intelligent Design

If you're like me, you really like clever design and something that functions perfect towards its original intent.  In fact, you might even become interested in reading up on its creator/inventor, the clever one who engineered the 'something' you think is so cool.  Clear creativity is fascinating, as often the inspiration is a mystery, but the outcome is so impacting in its outworking to make life easier, enjoyable, efficient, etc.  Usually a few men or women emerge from their generation to lead the way in creative expression, and the ripple effects of their work changes the way society operates.  Our generation had Steve Jobs, who certainly has his share of 'successful gadgets and products' that would certainly draw admiration for intelligent design.  Why then, if the earth and the heavens, which vibrate with intelligent design and balance, cause intellectuals to come up with terribly unintelligent ways to discredit the Intelligent One who deserves admiration for His work?  It was a 'Big Bang'?  It was space aliens?  It was evolutionary probability?  What did God do to earn such disregard for His handiwork?  If I see a ton of evidence (and there is a ton) that Intelligent Design is in place, then it makes perfect logical sense to hypothesis that an Intelligent One exists.  He is higher in the order of things, above His creation, and able to reveal Himself as He chooses, on His terms.  Why is that so hard to give up?  Is human pride so rock solid, that logic is tossed out and we can never reach the right conclusion, or maybe even reach out to know Him better?  Amazingly enough, as hard as we have worked to marginalize God, He still reaches out to reconcile with us and re-establish a very broken cord of relationship.  I guess even the most ardent thinker will have to continue to bash his wits against that simple truth: God is, and when you are ready to climb up the mountain of evidence that makes it obvious, He will meet with you. 

Los Angeles

Looking out from Jayne's Echo Park apartment, you can see the city of Los Angeles' skyline, and it just calls out to me for an adventure each time.  I stay here on business trips periodically and this time, I decided to jog the 4 miles down to the Staples Center where the LA Lakers play and other teams represent the city, and was not disappointed with what I got see on my way.  I have a little bit of Bilbo Baggins in me that hankers for a new adventure, with new sites and smells and people living a completely different existence than mine.  LA, block by block changes in an instant, from the business district down Figueroa St, to the homeless sleeping under overpasses, to the decaying neighborhoods two short blocks away.  As I ran, I asked God what he thinks about LA, and was His outlook and mood as gloomy as mine, as my thoughts helplessly run to the multi-layers of sin expressed in greed, pride, immorality, violence, etc.  I asked Him if He still delights in this city, invests any hope for restoration and redemption, or will wicked men just rule it like kings till the end.  I felt His delight for the people in all the different layers, His mood much brighter than my skepticism, and compassion far hotter than my cold assessing calculations.  God hopes all things, believes all things, and enjoys Himself, as He fully invests in redemption at every stage of sin's dark advance.  What shocks me and brings a skeptics doubt, sets Him back not at all.  I enjoyed my 8 mile adventure through downtown LA (There and Back Again, by Eric Baggins), but more enjoyed being with Him who is any crowded city's true light and joy.  Oh, if those who don't know Him like that could just taste and see, that the Lord is good, full of goodness and slow to anger, LA would be washed clean. I love this city!

It's Getting Away from Us

Recently I have become very aware of how many different 'pursuits' to self-discovery people in this generation give themselves wholly too.  There are too many to list here, and I know we could come up with a few more.  Whilst I think having interests and hobbies and pursuits is a God thing, what that 'pursuit' does to shape your destiny can often be a path to disappointment.  There is probably some real value in realistic expectations towards most of what we place high priority on, and view it as 'striving after the wind'.  Should we look at this life and say that there is nothing worth putting effort into, or setting some goals and expectations?  Certainly not, that would be depressing.  However, for a follower of Christ, a heart set on eternity, where 'pursuits' have eternal significance, maybe it is good to do an inventory of what we have wrapped our hearts around.  Maybe look at what we spend our money on, invest in and try to maintain?  How much do Americans spend on looking forever young?  How much time should we spend on things that are destined for decay, and have no eternal value?   Unbelievers I observe have an insatiable desire to maintain self-satisfaction or 'Live the Dream!'  The destructive path they leave is unmistakeable and heart-breaking to see how many people had to suffer neglect or abuse to keep those dream wheels turning.  I have to say with some sadness that I see some believers caught up in the same rat race.  I find myself tempted daily to kick off restraint and start looking out for me and getting mine!  I hope I never stop getting disgusted with that thought, like the blended McDonald's Happy Meal Riley's friends made him drink last night!  The key to freedom in life is a detachment from selfishness that only God can accomplish.  When we reach the end of ourselves and embrace Jesus with a whole-hearted pursuit, it's like breathing fresh air for the first time.  It still hurts to see friends, co-workers caught in the vice of a self-driven pursuit, especially when you have already been down that road.  You can only pray they come to their senses, and exchange temporary futility for a eternal satisfaction in Christ.

Blank Pages and Uncomfortable Lenses

I find a lot of richness in the storybook metaphor when describing turns in life's journey.  Clear descriptive pictures come easily to mind when I need to define a new 'chapter' or turning of the 'page.'  One picture that is helpful, but can cause some anxiety is the blank page, however.  When someone who brought so much color to your story passes away, sometimes the thought of "what now?" can creep in.  It's amazing how different a distinct new chapter feels, and how desperately you need a fresh set of lenses to view life on a fresh page.  You really can't hold onto paradigms or ways of thinking that are clearly no longer relevant to the road ahead.  It's helpful to delicately strike a balance between holding onto your roots and heritage, and letting go of superfluous baggage that weighs you down in search of fresh vision/creativity.  God never intended for us to read through our story with the same set of lenses that shaped our world view (paradigm) in the past.  He gives us, albeit uncomfortable at times, new spectacles that pick up new colors and texture, and bring along plots and subplots that make life adventurous and edgy.  I have come to a place of dependence on God to make life interesting and engaging again, and realizing that previous chapters had me gripping the pen to tight, as I attempted to scribe a novel to my liking.  How exciting and terrifying to know that only He can breathe new life into this next story line.  Such anticipation builds to see who will get written into the script as we cross paths in ways only He can orchestrate.

Fathers

As I sit in Starbucks sipping go-go juice I am reminded of what a spiritual father in our church said last night to us at a prayer gathering.  "Fatherlessness is rampant in our world, and the church provides an answer..." (paraphrased)  This week our family said goodbye to a father in our house in Dave Wood.  He provided an often fragile clan the comfort and direction we needed time and time again.  There should be a sense of anxiety toward an uncertain future, a fear that creeps in that Dave's role is just to big to fill.  But in the exact opposite spirit, there is a fresh sense of hope, a security that a good foundation has been laid.
  Dave was a fully devoted follower of Christ, so there are so many patterns and practices that can be mirrored going forward for us making important decisions.  There will be times when God asks us like Isaac to not mimic the actions of the fathers who have gone before, but to find fresh faith for our own journey.  There are so many things I want to honor and remember that Dave taught me in leadership, but I know he would as a good father say, "You must now find your way in God."  I realize now that so much of what Dave modeled to us was for such a time as this, when he is no longer with us.  Something of the call from Chris Wienand to provide fathering in the sea of fatherlessness rings clearer now.  How many people would have fresh faith and courage for their uncertain future if they had a father like Dave to spend time with?    I look forward to the years ahead, when a legacy can be passed on, and new paths can be opened to us as a family.

Thoughts on Romans 6

What are we to think of Christians who keep on sinning? What are we to think of our own perpetuating struggles and sinful habits? After reading Romans 6, I think importance of sound teaching rises to the forefront in the quest for understanding. Verse 17-18 says, "But thanks be to God , that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness." Without any pride for what we have attained to, it is really helpful to instead be thankful for the 'standard of teaching' we have received from those who faithfully taught the whole counsel of God to us. You and I can easily see why those who accurately teach the word of God are worthy of 'double honor.' It is just as easy to see why those who do not accurately teach the Word of God incur a 'stricter judgment.' The battlefield of the mind, where righteous thinking wars with wicked thoughts, has a critical result which depends on the individuals exposure to helpful teaching or rotten misdirection. Human opinion, though not always unhelpful, mingles with Divine inspiration to water down the most essential need we have: A renewing of our minds. If we study Romans 6 closely, we see that a massive shift happened in our spirits when we are 'baptized into Christ and thus baptized into His death." We were once dead to God spiritually, and sin reigned over us. But when we believed in Christ, that shift in the spirit transformed our dead/slave state to one of pure life towards God. Our flesh is the only remnant that remains of our former self, and it to is slowly waiting for redemption. The mind must be taught anew, to come into line with this radical shift in the spiritual realm. Faith must grow with every solid stepping stone of good teaching laid by experts in the Word of God. The more we hear and apply the truth, the more convinced we are who God says we are. In essence, we hear it, apply it, and become it as we should. Many people say, "Well I still have evil desires that pull me into sin." I say your right since your flesh isn't dead yet, and welcome to the war between the spirit and flesh that scripture clearly outlines. But Romans 6 is clearly highlighting that the battlefield is the mind. Verse 11 says, "So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus." Where does 'considering' take place? Right thinking is the key to right behavior, and it is clearly a discipline that God requires every believer to submit to. Right thinking comes from a right understanding of the truth, namely the Word of God. Make no mistake, sin wants a second chance to reign over you, to 'have you' as it were. It gets no such chance in those who are committed to sound teaching, from wise leaders who under the inspiration of the Spirit accurately divide the Word of truth. Now go give those who have made rich deposits of God's Word in you a big hug and thanks!

Don't Leave

John 6:66-67 says, "From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. 'You do not want to leave too, do you?' Jesus asked the Twelve." In this turning point moment Jesus is appealing to the twelve who have stuck with Him thus far, to search their doubting hearts and find what they truly believe about him. Each of us Christians who come to the same moments of decision have to ask ourselves: Do I leave and find a better alternative or do I stay the course and trust solely in Jesus. The gospel demands total commitment and resolve, regardless if our understanding of its path is totally clear. Jesus promises those who are 'faithful till the end,' a crown of life for the testing they must surely endure. People who choose to leave may be the 'cowards' Jesus refers to in Revelation, where the fear of risk and loss just became too much to overcome for some. I am personally learning the grittiness of the gospel as well as its matchless perfection and beauty, and I have seen close friends decide not to 'stay.' The gospel is foolishness to so many, certainly not the 'sexy' trend of the day, the shiny attractive philosophy that so many in this world covet. But for those of us who stay, it is the power of God for our salvation, and the end of the struggle seems nearer than ever. Its not always that easy to stay encouraged and keep your eye on the prize, especially when so many around are finding more simple and highly pragmatic solutions. Jesus values gritty faith, as He certainly modeled its worth throughout His life and ministry. He calls us to the same tenacity and fire in the face of such opposition and alternatives. I am forever grateful that God called me and wrapped my life's purpose around His gospel, yet I am sobered by the narrow and sometimes lonely path it calls me to. So lets fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, and never seriously consider leaving. Once in our eternal home, the cost of discipleship will pale in comparison to the surpassing glory and reward that is ours as we stay faithful till the end.