Poetic Musings

Poetry is a fun way to express some thoughts on current events and things I've been mulling over. Here is a response to some early thoughts about the presidential impeachment proceedings started in November.

Impeachment

Inopportune, it won’t go far,

Maniac or not, your method will only jar

Preying minds to feed on krill.

When there are bigger fish to grill,

Accelerate the hype,

Choke on tweets that come up ripe.

History has told this tale before,

May you survive the backlash roar.

Even while the death toll sounds,

Nemesis laughs and fires rounds.

Teach us all the folly of judgment.

And this nonet shares some observations I've made about aging from watching one close to me who is in the process:

Lonely. Nursing home blues, Fox News soothes

       His health took him away from her

         She mourns and misses, wishes

            Children always close by

              Helps bear the despair

                     of age's loss.

                  Musters thanks,

                        for life

                          now.

 

A Perspective on Being Blessed

Recently, my husband and I completed the Perspectives course, which is a 16 week class of learning about God's heart for the world and his plan for missions. It was a rigorous study with assigned readings from a text which seemed as thick and deep as our bedroom mattress.

But what an eye opener to God's heart, plan and desire for the world. I'll share here some of the highlights that impressed and convicted me, specifically as they relate to God's blessing.

We started with God's call to Abraham to bless him and his descendants and then uncovered the long term reason for that blessing.  Abraham was blessed to be a blessing to all peoples. God had the whole world in  mind when he established the nation of Israel. It was his desire to glorify his name and be made famous so more would get to know him. So instead of reading of the 3 Hebrew boys who escaped the fiery furnace and of Daniel in the lion's den as just lessons of how God cares for his own, we saw how God changed a pagan king's heart to worship him and the king called his nation to honor the God who did such wonders. God's heart for nations is evident in calling Jonah to preach to Nineveh. We are more familiar with how the gospel was opened up to the Gentiles through Peter's vision and subsequent visit to Cornelius in Acts 10. Revelation gives us a glimpse into the final result of God's global purpose.

"After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that  no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb.  They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: 'Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.'"  Revelation 7:9,10

So I am blessed as a Christ follower. Blessed: a popular saying today adopted by T-shirts, jewelry and wall art. What does that mean to me? After taking this course it is even more clear that I receive Christ's blessings in order to share them with people who don't know about Christ. The course also put a different perspective on John 3:16. The Father loves the world so much that he sent his son, but  an even greater love may be that he loves the son so much that he gives him to the world. So Christ followers are given the opportunity, no the mandate, to be part of his work to bring the world back to God by his son. So blessing isn't just about me and how my life goes, but I must share the blessing by becoming Christ's servant to help fulfill his global purpose.  See what I mean about this course being convicting?

Lord Jesus, you called me to work alongside you in drawing all people to you. You always equip those in your service. I have no excuse.  I offer myself to you anew for whatever you send me to do.  Make it clear, because I am distracted by my gadgets, I am selfish in pursuing personal pleasure and I just don't feel the urgency.  Keep changing my heart to love like you love and open my eyes to see what and how you see.  May I never be the same person from one day to the next, but transform me  every day into more of your purpose and love for the world.

God's Blessing

Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield. Ps. 5:12

What do you believe about God's favor?  Through the past years of my faith life, I was warmed and comforted by the fact that I was sheltered in God's favor because I belonged to him and he would take care of me.  I equated my feelings of being in his favor with how well I felt I was pleasing him-making sure I had confessed my sins, forgiving others, making sure I was doing Christian disciplines like Bible reading, prayer and going to church.  If all that was good, then God was good with me and could show his favor to me.

Favor meant blessing.  If I prayed for a parking space close to the building and one opened up, cha-ching!  He was blessing me. I was healthy all winter, my kids weren't brats at the restaurant, I was just in time to snatch up the last of the on-sale item, the red flashing lights of the car behind me held an officer who left me off the hook... Wasn't God good to me?  Uh hah, Come on now.  Let's give it up for God!

Farther into this acknowledging God's blessing thing, popular Christian thought was turning that kind of delight in little blessings into guilt for how childish, petty and selfish I was for taking joy in such rubbing-a-rabbit's-foot-like outcomes. My handy dandy parking spot may mean someone struggling with walking becomes overexerted for the day. Besides, walking farther is good exercise for me.

So which is it? Giving God credit for blessings I enjoy, or considering the easy things of life to be just a part of the natural rhythm of the ups and downs of life that all creatures experience? God does say we have been blessed and he does say his favor is on those who love him.

Here's the truth, God's favor is totally undeserved and unmerited.  There is nothing we can do to earn it more than we already have it through our status with him by faith in Jesus Christ. So while we walk in that favor we may experience unexpected gifts of good circumstances, extra wealth and good health. Unexpected because these aren't where our focus is placed.  If we do expect good outcomes always, we will be tempted to blame God when hardship and trouble sneak in. If then, our focus is on enjoying an intimate and ever increasing relationship with the One who calls us friends, then his favor and blessing will be our mutual delight in living a fulfilling and hope-filled life with him.

So we are thankful to God when things work out, giddy even. And we must give thanks when things occur that feel impossibly hard and evil. Not thankful for the ugly circumstances, but because our faith knows that God hasn't changed his mind about blessing us. He's not mad at us.  He delights in drawing even closer to us in those times and we know he's always up to something good. Yes, his ways aren't our ways and his methods can be mysterious, and that cliche "everything works out for a reason" doesn't always mean we'll know the reason, at least in our lifetime. But in those times we discover that his presence and delight in us is enough. He will never leave us or forsake us. He gives strength to the weary, and we know his kindness will prevail.

As Christ followers, we are surrounded by his blessing and favor, always!

Read the next post for more on being blessed by God.

Our Rights

Recently I read the 10 amendments of the Bill of Rights in the US constitution on factmonster.com. We are given the freedom to worship as we please and live without fear of "unreasonable search or seizure". No one can be punished without due process of law. People must be paid for property taken for public use. It bars excessive bail and fines and cruel and unusual punishment. These are a few from the list.

Further down the page is a version of the Rights of the Child adopted by the United Nations in 1989.

1. Every child has a right to life.
2. Every child has a right to a name at birth and a nationality.
3. Every child has the right to live with his or her parent unless it is against the child's best interests.
4. Special protection shall be given to refugee children.
5. Every child has the right to the highest standard of health and medical care possible.
6. The child has a right to education. The state is to ensure that primary education is free and compulsory.
7. No child shall be subjected to torture, cruel treatment, unlawful arrest, or deprivation of liberty.
8. Children under 15 shall not be recruited into the armed forces.

I am thankful for these rights; I also feel sad and pained for those who are not given these rights or allowed these protections. Much of our political disharmony and intense disagreements today center around some of these rights and many clamor for more laws to grant more rights.  Demanding rights is in vogue, and anger is the expected response when rights seem violated.

As a follower of Jesus Christ, how do I respond to the ager of others? What is a Christ-like attitude?  What do I believe about my rights?  What should my response be about rights that I know are being violated?

Jesus shows us the way to live justly and to be merciful.  He also shows the way to respond to suffering and death when we are mistreated and oppressed. We're living in very uncertain times.  As a society, we've moved away from disagreeing respectfully and helping each other process new ideas and change without judgment and, instead, with lots of grace and patience.  Demonstrating and angry threats may get quicker results on changing laws, but often the new laws bring new rights to some while taking away rights from others. 
 
I don't have the answers to my questions, but I want to live in step with the Holy Spirit and find out how he wants me to respond. I know prayer is always a right response.  I can pray while reading or watching the news. I can pray for those in authority, for God's Kingdom to come to earth, for his will to be done here as it is in heaven.

I pray also that God will lead me when it's time to act on behalf of others.  To have his heart of love for whoever I encounter.  I repent of attitudes that judge who is worthy of grace and justice and who is not. 

God also gives us opportunities to support others who are doing work we may not be equipped for or logistically can't get involved in.  This past week our church hosted Reggie Stutzman from New York City, where he pastors a church in the Bronx and in a community known for it's crime, drug lords and prostitutes.  Reggie told multiple stories of the people he ministers to.  How he showers the drunk who has soiled himself, searches the streets for the 13 to 14 year old prostitutes at early hours in the  morning, to invite them into his van to receive food and prayer, hosts a Thanksgiving meal with his church, to feed hundreds of people just to love them, and so many more heart-wrenching situations.  Reggie's heart is way ahead of mine in genuine love for the least of these and physically being the hands and feet of Jesus. I deeply want to have that kind of faith expressing itself through love.  Galatians 5:6 says that is the only thing that counts.

John 1:12 says, "Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God." 

This is the right that will never be taken away from me. In that right he has called me to work with him to bring heaven to earth. May I never forsake the pursuit of Jesus' heart of love.  May his passion ignite me and take me to places where his tenderness and gentleness break down barriers and send fear to flight. However that may look for me, it may be different for you.  He has gifted each of us for the places he will send us. Come and join me in this journey of learning what it means to love the broken.  Maybe call it social justice, maybe stand for the rights of others, but let's never turn our hearts away from pain or suffering, no matter the circumstances. 

The prayer of this old hymn seems fitting:

Lead on O King Eternal

1. Lead on, O King Eternal,
   The day of march has come;
   Henceforth in fields of conquest
   Thy tents shall be our home.
   Through days of preparation
   Thy grace has made us strong;
   And now, O King Eternal,
   We lift our battle song.


2. Lead on, O King Eternal,
   Till sin’s fierce war shall cease,
   And holiness shall whisper
   The sweet amen of peace.
   For not with swords’ loud clashing,
   Nor roll of stirring drums;
   With deeds of love and mercy
   The heav’nly kingdom comes.


3. Lead on, O King Eternal,
   We follow, not with fears,
   For gladness breaks like morning
   Where’er Thy face appears.
   Thy cross is lifted o’er us,
   We journey in its light;
   The crown awaits the conquest;
   Lead on, O God of might.

Ernest W. Shurtleff, 1888

Response to Mark

We finished our study in the book of Mark. I will carry away a greater appreciation for Christ's love to the world he came to save. He chose 12 to be eyewitnesses and continue his mission after he would leave. How he loved them and mentored them and kept trying to change their understanding of his purpose.  It would not be an overthrow of Roman oppression with promise of government position, but a cruel death that would only make sense after it had happened and they realized the prophecies of old were fulfilled, and that the new mission was far beyond earthly kingdoms.

They were slow of heart to believe it all, but along the way they heard and saw Jesus' compassion for the least of society and learned more about His Father's heart as they heard Jesus' words of truth and training.  They were even entrusted with trial runs at preaching the good news and healing the sick. I am encouraged to see how patient and persistent Jesus was in working with them.  In spite of self- promoting motives, mistaken priorities, irritations of this people-focused calling and ultimate cowardice when the Lord needed them most, He loved them to the end.  He could see the future, the joy set before Him and them.  He hid nothing from them.

I want my eyes opened to his purposes for me.  I want to hear his plans to heal and deliver the hurting around me.  I want to listen for his insights into the future and how I can be ready for whatever is next for me.  I am chosen, too, to go and tell.  He will patiently keep working in me and his love will never end.

Mark Reveals Jesus and My Heart Responds

You came knowing you would leave as suffering Victor.

You gave, knowing not all would receive.

You spoke truth, not afraid of the response
  -judgment to the blinded with warning that could be opportunities for change
  -freedom to anyone who embraced it

You did life so we could see how to live
  -compassion and care for the least of these
  -forgiveness and grace for sin and failure
  -submission to the Father (always and totally) even to death
  -received humanity with its suffering, death, prayers for strength and help, temptations,
    emotions of grief and joy, rejection from friend and foe

You tried to prepare those you had chosen for the future they did not expect.

You loved them to the end, even when all deserted you.

You tasted death so we can live through dying.
You died and we watch amazed
  -tremendous suffering
  -compassion continuing to rule as you cared for your mother, brought the criminal into your
   Kingdom
  -forgave those who killed you
  -refused any help from man to fulfill your final mission
You died and the lights went out.
  -the ground shook
  -the temple curtain split from top to bottom
  -a Roman centurion spoke his worship
You died and His-story was forever changed
You died and love prevailed
-in the hands that tenderly cared for your broken body
-in the tomb provided by an honorable man
-in the hearts of those who grieved

You arose and all is made new for all who believe
You arose and we see your glory
You arose and the future awaits
-with more glory and goodness that we can imagine

My heart is worshipping You!

Over or Still to Come?

Our Bible Study continues in the book of Mark.  Last week we discussed Mark 13 which was entitled the "End of the Age".  This chapter parallels Matthew 24 and the prophecies Jesus makes about the future.

In preparing for the summary talk on this lesson, I was amazed to discover some history of the Jewish temple and how many of Jesus' prophecies have been fulfilled in the destruction of Herod's temple in 70AD. I had always been taught that these passages were for the end times, like Revelation and Daniel passages, and would be fulfilled right before Jesus returns, maybe in the Rapture.  The words  were to be taken as metaphors to us, because we wouldn't be fleeing Judea or coming down from our rooftops or finding safety in the mountains. And like other things in the Bible we make applicable to our present world, this language was for the ones Jesus was talking to, and it would come true for the end times in a way that would be relevant to that present day culture.

Several sources online challenged that thinking as I did some researching.  I first  listened to a youtube sermon by Jonathan Welton on Matthew 24 and then downloaded his book Raptureless. In skimming through the book it was fascinating to discover how many of Jesus' words in Mark 13 were fulfilled in the total destruction of Jerusalem and the temple in 70 AD.   Josephus, a Jewish scholar who lived during this time period, recorded these events in the Wars of the Jews in 75 AD.  I had never read any of this before.

Just to point out a few prophecies that Jesus gave that were fulfilled in the destruction of the temple.

-not one stone will be left on another
Here's a paragraph from http://www.bibleresearch.org/articles/a11pws.htm:

"The magnificent Temple that Herod had built was completely destroyed as the fires raged inside and out. These fires were so hot that the gold fittings, and the gold gilding inside and on it's outside walls melted and ran into the cracks between and in the stones. During the pillaging of the Temple these stones were broken up to get at the gold."

-many false prophets would come, some claiming to be the Messiah

Several of the New Testament writers warn their churches about false prophets. Josephus mentions a "false prophet" trying to guide the people to safety during the temple burning, only to have those who followed trapped and destroyed.

-Jesus gives specific words about how to flee and where to flee (to the mountains) when the destruction would be imminent

Josephus and Eusebius, an ancient Church Historian, mention that very few Christians, if any, died in the destruction of Jerusalem. They had taken Jesus' words seriously and were prepared to leave quickly. 

-Jesus said in verse 30, ^"Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened".   

The temple was destroyed in 70AD.--  (Interesting fact that the day this occurred corresponded exactly to the day and month of the destruction of the first temple by Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon) which would have been about 40 years after Jesus spoke these words.  In the Bible, a generation was marked by 40 years passing.  How like our God of mercy, and not wanting anyone to perish, to wait until the very end of those years. 

These are just a few examples of the ways Jesus' words were fulfilled. Read Welton's book and Josephus to discover more interesting parallels. Not everyone agrees that Mark 13 was fulfilled and some who do, believe the prophecies could still be fulfilled in the future. 

My purpose isn't to convince readers that this is the right way to view end time prophecy.  But I am excited to consider how Jesus' warnings were meant to spare his listeners from destruction.  If this is so, how comforting to me to know the One who knows all things to come, is eager to share with us now whatever we need to live in these times and to be prepared for the future.  Jesus tells his disciples several times that he has told them things ahead of time so they will believe when it comes to pass. "So be on your guard; I have told you everything ahead of time". Mark 13:29

Jesus' words to watch, for we don’t know the day or hour, is a good word to live by all the time. He wants to partner with us in bringing His kingdom into our  everyday world.  He has jobs for us to do, people he wants us to reach with His love and the good news, and none of us knows the length of our days here on this earth.  I don’t want to miss what he has for me, tomorrow, next year, in the future.

Whatever the future holds and however it ends up, we know the Father has it perfectly planned.  

No eye has seen, no ear has heard, what God has planned for those who love him. Love Him well!