Notes from the Blogosphere

I thought I'd share a couple other blog articles with you today. First off, let me remind you of my post last month, Why Do I Blog? Another post about blogging caught my eye this week: Blogging is Not a Four-Letter Word.

One very short blog article was an awesome quote from 2nd century Christian apologist Irenaeus. Read it here.

Enjoy, and have a blessed week!

The God Who Sees Me

Last week I wrote about a girl named Amisi in An Egyptian Flower. If you read Genesis 16 you’ll find more of Amisi’s story, which we addressed in our Sunday Celebration.

But why Amisi? Genesis 16 is the story of Hagar, servant to Sarah (Abraham’s wife), not someone named Amisi. Genesis 12:10-20 tells about Abraham and Sarah living for a time in Egypt, no doubt when Abraham procured Hagar for his wife. But Hagar is not an Egyptian name; it’s Hebrew, and means forsaken. What father would name his precious daughter Forsaken? Amisi's Hebrew name, most likely given by her mistress, makes her story all the more fascinating.

After Hagar got pregnant with Abraham’s child, she despised Sarah and in return Sarah started mistreating her, apparently provoked by feelings of jealousy. When Hagar (Forsaken) could take it no more, she ran away into the most forsaken place she could find, the desert. There she had an encounter with God, who assured her that her cries had been heard.

Hagar was a woman, a foreigner and a slave. She had absolutely no standing in society, and yet the God of all the universe found her in the wilderness, met with her and comforted her there. The Egyptian flower Amisi had received a new name, Hagar (Forsaken), but here in the most lonely place on earth she gave God a new name: You are the God who sees me. Can't you almost hear her? Even though I am forsaken, you are the God who does not forsake me. Even though I am rejected, you are the God who does not reject me. Even though I am unseen, you are the God who sees me.

We all feel forsaken and invisible from time to time. No matter how we feel, it is good to know that God hears and God sees. We are not forsaken, we are not rejected, and we are not unseen.

A Phone Call from God

I had one of those experiences this week that makes me even more appreciative that I belong to a God who loves me. On Monday I enjoyed a wonderfully intimate time of prayer. It was precious, and made me look forward to the next time. Come Tuesday morning I hurried back to our sanctuary to take up where I left off. It was sort of like trying to go back to sleep hoping to re-engage a really wonderful dream. And like trying to re-engage a dream, it didn't work.

It was one of those times when it seemed I couldn't connect. After about twenty minutes I headed back to my office and my teaching preparation. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I formed the thought: I was here; where were you?

After about ten or fifteen minutes at my desk the phone rang. A dear friend and valued member of our congregation was on the line. Her words: Oh, Pastor, you answering the phone confirms what God told me to do. He told me to call you and read you this...

What she read was just for me, so I'm not going to share it just now. I could just imagine God saying, You couldn't hear me speaking to you, so I decided to use the phone. Reminds me of the line from the original Back to the Future movie, where Biff knocks on George McFly's head and demands: Hello, is anyone home?

I remember someone once telling me, I don't believe in a personal interventionist God. Maybe he had taken one too many college philosophy classes.

It is totally overwhelming to me (in a good way) that God cares enough about me to not only speak to my heart, but even goes so far as to impress other Spirit-sensitive believers to speak to me, or care for me, on his behalf. That's my God.

An Egyptian Flower

Amisi was the daughter of a peasant. Her name meant flower in her native Egytian language. She was a beautiful girl with a beautiful name. Her family never had much, but they got by... that is, until the drought. Amisi's father borrowed against a harvest that never came, and when payment came due, the only thing of value he had was his daughter. Lots of daughters were sold as servants that year. Amisi was lucky to be sold to a decent family, wealthy foreigners. They were older and had no children. They had lots of servants, but her duties were to attend to the wife. She spent most of her time cooking, cleaning, and going to the marketplace. There were times she even got to see her parents there on shopping days.

Then came the news she never expected. Her master had decided it was time to go home... his home, somewhere far to the north. Long after she walked out of town she could still hear her mother wailing somewhere behind her. She walked and walked dazed at the prospect of never seeing her parents again.

They settled near a place called Hebron. Amisi missed her home immensely, but life went on. It seemed like her master and mistress spent a lot of time fighting. Her mistress was angry that her husband's god had never seen fit to give her a child. Then something happened she never considered. Her mistress came into her tent and instructed her: Tonight you will present yourself to my husband. If God will not give me a child, then you will.

That night was a blur of confusion and emotions. She did her best to forget, until a few weeks later when she knew she was pregnant. This brought a whole new flood of feelings she had never before experienced. As her belly began to swell, she was embarrassed until her embarassment gradually gave way to pride. She saw how her mistress's husband looked at her. She started thinking that since she was pregnant by him, perhaps he would make her his wife. Instead of being a servant, she fantasized about having her own servants. And besides, her mistress was old. Surely her master could see that Amisi would make him a much better wife and give him many children...

Join us for this week's Sunday celebration to hear the rest of this story of broken dreams, broken relationships, rejection... and hope.

Kennywood

Will's PAVCS (PA Virtual Charter School) class got discount tickets for Kennywood. Even though we were not able to go the day the rest of the class did, we were able to go another day for the same discounted rate. Cool!

The top picture is the Swing Shot. Ben and his girlfrend Stacy are in the 3rd and 4th seats from the right. I had to lean back and take this picture straight up. Stacy's family was able to join us for the day. I think her mom rode more rides than anyone else!

Next is the Pitt Fall. You guessed it. Ben, Stacy and Marcy (Stacy's mom) are in the car on this side of the tower and it's just beginning to fall in this picture. My conclusion is that they're all nuts!

I had to take this picture of Ben and Stacy. They had a great day together. She's a sweetheart.

While I enjoyed the fountains, food, and scenery, I also rode a couple rides: The Exterminator (an indoor runaway car type rollercoaster - the cars spin around backwards and sideways, too) and the Pittsburgh Plunge (a log flume type ride after which I was soaking wet for a couple hours - glad I had Steve - Stacy's dad - hold my cell phone and book). Okay, if the definition of a NERD is someone who takes a book to an amusement park, I'm in.

The Phantom's Revenge is a great coaster that Will rode six times with his friend Andrew (bottom picture). Andrew is a good friend we love his family, and we're glad he could spend the day with us.

Janelle and I had mixed feelings over the fact that our kids are growing up. On the one hand, we didn't have to accompany them on every ride, but on the other hand, they were happy and getting along fine without us. What's up with that? Ben had Stacy and Will had Andrew. Ah, but what they don't know is that Janelle and I had a great day, enjoying more time to talk than we usually do in a week, and finding shady places to enjoy a cool drink and catch up on our reading.

Of course, today I'm having a little pain. My calves are in knots, and my shoulders and upper arms are sore. Was I really holding on to the safety bar that tight? And who was that screaming like a little girl? Oh,... never mind.

I Was in Prison and You Visited Me

A letter came into the office today. The postage meter banner identified it as inmate mail from a nearby prison. His is not my story to share, but let me just say he is not eligible for parole until 2014. Since his incarceration he has accepted Christ and gotten clean of drugs and alcohol. As with other inmates I have communicated with, one of his deepest hungers is for contact with people on the outside: I have written to so many Pen-Pal services in the past 4 1/2 years it's really amazing that my name and address hasn't been posted on the Internet as the loneliest man in the country.

According to his letter, his inquiries to Pen-Pal services have only gotten him on an endless waiting list, and his letters to churches have never once been answered. Read Matthew 25:31-45.

I'm not naive, and I know inmates try all sorts of scams to engage people on the outside for whatever reason. The letter we received may be one of hundreds of letters, which are no more than hooks in the water waiting for some unwary and well-meaning fish to take a bite. When we were in Georgia and my wife was in Real Estate, she got a letter from an Alabama inmate complete with her picture torn out of a newspaper advertisement. He just wanted friendship. And I've got swamp land in Florida I'd like to sell you. She didn't reply.

It's like the guy with the Will Work for Food sign. Even though Proverbs 19:17 says God will repay our gifts to the poor, our first response is usually, He'll use the money for drugs or alcohol. Let's face it; experience has trained us to be skeptics. Maybe that's why Jesus said we must be childlike to enter the kingdom. Growing in Christ involves learning a lot of things, but it also involves unlearning some things, too.

I guess I have some corresponsdence to answer.

Expect Nothing in Return

Nuggets of truth can come from some of the most unlikely places. Heartland is a new series on the TNT television network starring Treat Williams as the Chief of Transplant Surgery at Pittsburgh's St. Jude's Medical Center. Kari Matchett (you may have seen her as Chief of Staff to Vice President Noah Daniels on Fox's 24) plays Organ Procurement Coordinator Kate Armstrong.

In Episode 3 Kate lectures a prison inmate (who is considering giving his estranged sister part of his liver as a living donor) about the necessity that his gift be given without hope of getting anything back. Her counsel: Only give if you can give unselfishly; otherwise you'll never get back what you think you deserve.

I think we all need to hear that. This applies not only to organ donation, but to charitable giving, tithing, volunteering at church, or even the guy on the corner with the Will Work for Food sign. Proverbs 19:17 reads: Mercy to the needy is a loan to God, and God pays back those loans in full. (The Message) 2 Corinthians 9:7 states: Each [person] should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. (NIV)

That TV quote is worth repeating: Only give if you can give unselfishly; otherwise you'll never get back what you think you deserve.

My Kind of Day Off

Today was my day off, and it was a good day. It was the kind of day that left me tired and ready for bed, but I don’t want the day to end. My day began golfing with my youngest son Will (almost 12). I chose a three-par course since this was Will’s first time out. He did okay, and actually chipped one in from about 15 yards off the green. We grabbed lunch at McDonald’s on the way home. It was a veritable Hallmark Cards kind of father-son experience.

After we finished lunch, my golfing buddy Donny Clark picked me up, and we headed out for nine more holes. We tried a course that was brand new to me (Duck Hollow in Uniontown), and I really liked it… probably because I was hitting the ball fairly well. Hole #7 is a 165-yard three-par over a lake. I had a good drive and placed my ball nicely on the green. Donny hit his ball into the lake… no, wait; it skipped off the pond and onto the apron of the green! He might not walk on water, but he can bounce a golf ball off a pond! We laughed over that one. I had one of my best rounds ever going until the ninth hole, when it all went south. Sliced my drive putting a grove of trees between me and the green. Decided to go for it anyway. No guts, no glory. After hitting a tree, I asked God why I was blessed with guts instead of brains. By the time I hit another tree, then hit my ball way over the green AND three-putted, I ended up with a nine. It’s a wonderful thing to finish that bad and be able to laugh about it.

We were invited to spend the evening with Larry and Jane Ottenberg, some dear friends of ours from church. We cooked hot dogs and brauts over the fire, and had home made ice cream for dessert. Ben and Will got to ride a go-kart belonging to Larry and Jane’s grandson, and then we played a cutthroat game of croquet. Yes, we live on the wild side.

We got home and sat down as a family to watch the season finale of ABC’s Traveler (recorded on our DVR from a couple nights ago). It’s a show that all four of us really enjoy. Traveler was a mid-season replacement and it only had eight episodes. The finale tied up some loose ends, unveiled some surprises, and ended with a bang.

Hey, today was a great day. After reading Mark Driscoll’s Death by Ministry, a day like today was just what I needed.

365: Proverbs 22, 23 and 24 (Day 199)

I love Proverbs. There are a few I want to highlight from today’s 365 reading: 22:13, 23:31-32, 24:10 and 24:27.

This is my absolute favorite proverb. Proverbs 22:13 reads: The sluggard says, “There is a lion outside!” or, “I will be murdered in the streets.” (NIV)

This proverb illustrates one character flaw common to many of us. We’re good at making excuses. I golfed with a pastor in Washington state who made an excuse for every bad shot… and he hit a lot of bad shots. I hit a lot of bad shots when I’m golfing, too. Do you know why? Because I’m not a very good golfer. My pastor friend was making excuses for trying and failing. Notice the lazy person from the proverb is making excuses for not even trying! If I go out in the streets I may get mauled by a lion! Maybe I better just stay in bed with the covers pulled up over my head. Better safe than sorry.

That’s just sad. But I’ve done it, and I bet you have too. I know this is the right direction for the church, but it might offend someone. Somebody might gripe, or even leave the church over it. Let’s just remain dysfunctional, declining and ineffective. [1] Better safe than sorry.

In Jesus’ words this is tantamount to wrapping our talent in a cloth and burying it in the backyard. Read this. In the 70s when I was in college (the first time), there was a popular poster that pictured a sailing ship on the ocean racing in front of a storm. The caption read: A ship in a harbor is safe, but that’s not what ships are built for.

What were you made for?

Proverbs 23:31-32 says: Don’t judge wine by its label, or its bouquet, or its full-bodied flavor. Judge it rather by the hangover it leaves you with—the splitting headache, the queasy stomach. (The Message)

Here the writer could be talking about alcohol, and alcohol alone, but I think the lesson applies to all of life. If things didn’t look good going in, they wouldn’t be any temptation, and because we get so wrapped up in our desire for instant gratification, we forget to consider how things may affect our lives and the lives of those we love. Andy Stanley writes: In light of my past experiences, my current responsibilities, and my future hopes and dreams, what is the [wise thing to do]? [2] Too often we ask, Is it wrong?, when we should be asking, Is it best? The only way we can answer that question is to look down the road and consider the consequences.

Proverbs 24:10 says: If you falter in times of trouble, how small is your strength. (NIV) Or: If you fall to pieces in a crisis, there wasn’t much to you in the first place. (The Message) When I was in Paramedic School I took the toughest class I’ve ever had to take (most persons didn’t pass it the first time—I considered myself lucky to walk away with a “C”). It was Paramedic Pharmacology. One class session early in the term we were computing dosages based on the patient’s weight. We had to take the patient’s weight in pounds, convert it to kilograms, determine the correct dosage per kilogram, and then calculate the needed IV drip rate. A few of us were working a problem at the whiteboard, when the instructor tapped me on the shoulder and challenged, You better take another stab at that. I went through the calculations again and came up with the same answer (in front of the entire class, I might add). The other two students came up with different answers than I did. The instructor started at the other end of the board and went through each calculation, showing my classmates where they went wrong, leaving them to walk away in shame. He got to me, and said, Tell us how you came up with this answer. I went through the process, step by step, and he said, Good work. The next time you know you’re right and I tell you you’re wrong, you tell me I’m full of…

Pastors take to heart what Paul wrote in Romans 12:18. Sometimes we repress what we know to be right in order avoid rocking the boat with those who oppose us. Most of the time our intent is to avoid pain or discomfort. Again, according to Borden: Too many congregations are led by people whose main motivation is not losing people. [3] Leith Anderson writes: The best leaders are those willing to inflict the necessary hurt without doing harm. [4] I could easily add, The best leaders are those willing to endure hurts without turning tail and running.

Last proverb for today: Proverbs 24:27. First plant your fields; then build your barn. (The Message) 1 Kings 20 narrates an attack upon Israel by Ben-Hadad king of Aram. Ben-Hadad presented Ahab with reasonable terms, and when Ahab agreed, the king of Aram reneged and called for unconditional surrender. This Ahab could not agree to. When Ben-Hadad taunted Ahab about his sure defeat, Ahab replied: One who puts on his armor should not boast like one who takes it off. (20:11 NIV) An early American parallel to this axiom would be: Don’t count your chickens before they’re hatched. In the business or church world a parallel would be You cannot build a reputation on what you intend to do.

It’s easy to boast ahead of time. Accountability means being responsible for your actions and your success or lack of it.


[1] Paul C. Borden, Direct Hit (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2006), 92.
[2] Andy Stanley, The Best Question Ever (Sisters, OR: Multnomah Publishing, 2004), 67. I highly, highly recommend this book.
[3] Borden, 21.
[4] Leith Anderson, Dying for Change (Minneapolis: Bethany House, 1990), 118.

Pink Traffic Lights

I want to review what we talked about Sunday morning during worship.

Have you ever seen a pink traffic light? That’s when it’s no longer yellow, but it’s not really red yet. It’s those lights we drive through a little later than we should. Maybe we should have stopped but, let’s face it,... we didn’t want to. Do you know what the first thing is that I do after driving through a pink light? I look around. I’m looking for two things: 1) Are there any police officers nearby that might have witnessed my infraction? 2) Did anyone else go through the light after me?

The first question is easy to understand. I would probably say that driving through that reddish light didn’t bother my conscience too much, but by my fear of punishment I acknowledge that I know it was the wrong thing to do. The second question is a little different. If someone else went through the light after me, I feel better about myself because at least I wasn’t as flagrant a lawbreaker as that guy.

This is the same way too many of us think about our standing with God. Rather than Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect (Matthew 5:48), we read Be a hair better than the next person in line. Thinking I’m good enough for eternity with Christ because I don’t use as much foul language as the next person, or don’t cheat on my spouse as much as someone else is completely ludicrous! It’s like trying to jump and reach the moon. You can probably jump higher than I can, but I doubt very much you can break the bonds of earth’s gravity and reach the moon. If the goal is the moon, what difference does it make if you can jump six inches higher than me? You still can’t reach the moon. You might be a little better than me in your behavior, but you still cannot achieve God’s standard of perfection under your own steam.

That’s why you need Jesus. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21) What we cannot do for ourselves, Christ did for us.

It's an awesome thing to be loved by our Creator and Redeemer God.

This Sunday - Why You Need Jesus

In Mere Christianity, C. S. Lewis writes of a natural law which guides our behavior. He contrasts this natural law with scientific laws such as gravity. Gravity is verifiable by observation. It does not describe how things should behave, but how they do behave. No matter how determined I may be, I cannot jump off a cliff and decide to fall up. On the other hand, Lewis's natural law does not describe how persons do act, but how they should act. [1] In fact, scientific observation could only determine there is no such natural law guiding humanity's behavior, because we break the law so consistently. [2] However, the fact that we acknowledge such a law is evidenced in the excuses we make for breaking it. When our behavior is congruent with the natural law, we pat ourselves on the back thinking we are very fine human beings, indeed, but when our behavior violates this law it is because we had a bad day, or we were extra tired. [3]

Romans 3:20 reads: Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin. (NIV) In another place Paul writes: I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing. (Galatians 2:21 NIV) Too often we read the Romans passage and acknowledge that it is the law that identifies sin, as in, That's a sin; that's not. That's not what Paul is saying. His point is that the law reveals our sinfulness in that we know right from wrong, but cannot do what we know we should do. To bring this point home, Lewis writes: No man knows how bad he is till he has tried very hard to be good. [4]

That's why we need Jesus. Read this. We'll unpack this some more Sunday morning. Hope to see you then.

[1] C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity rev. ed. (San Francisco: Harper, 1980), 17.

[2] Ibid., 24.

[3] Ibid., 8.

[4] Ibid., 142.

Heat Exhaustion

I actually got to golf with my league yesterday afternoon. Once in awhile, the league has a meal following the round of golf. Yesterday, we ate at the restaurant across the highway from the course, and they really put on a good spread of food. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to enjoy it.
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I was really hot while golfing (I'm not saying I was playing well; it's just that the temperature was in the mid 90s), but I made it through the round okay--if you count scoring one of the worst rounds of my life okay. While we were sitting in the restaurant waiting for our fellow golfers to show up, I started getting dizzy. After a few minutes I had to lie down on the restaurant floor. (Luckily, our league had a private room, so there weren't too many people around to witness my discomfort.) Our server provided me with a cold rag for my head and, after a few minutes, I felt somewhat better and returned to my table.

I drank some water and some Sierra Mist (I'd drank two bottles of water during my 9 holes), but by the time we were invited to the buffet line, my returning dizziness forced me back on the floor. There were guys offering to call 911, and others rehearsing their CPR training just in case. Personally, I think they were a little too prepared, if you know what I mean. I encouraged the rest of my foursome to finish their meal, and when they were done, we headed for home. My dizziness had passed, but I still felt weak. I got home about 8 p.m., and headed for my recliner, where I fell asleep. After a couple hours, I moved to the bedroom, where I slept through the night.

Today, I feel much better, but still have a nagging sick headache. I know it's left over from yesterday's heat. I have to admit I'm embarrassed by the whole affair. What frustrates me is 5 years of ministry in Tennessee, and 6 years of ministry in Georgia, and I have to come to Pennsylvania to experience heat exhaustion. What's up with that?
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Hey! I'm hoping to write something more substantive this week, but I've been having trouble carving out the time for a few days. I'm looking forward to reporting on the best church growth book I've ever read: Direct Hit by Paul Borden. I'm reading it in conjunction with our state's Church Health Team, of which I'm a member. One of the reasons I haven't blogged more than I have in recent days is that I'm trying to push through this book. I'm taking careful notes, which helps me retain more, but also takes longer. Borden has helped me refocus on what's important, and that is already being reflected in my preaching. More on that another day.

365: Psalm 119 (Day 184)

My son Will (almost 12) asked me Tuesday why God doesn't answer every prayer. I know the cliche answer that says he does, and that his answer is always, "Yes," "No," or "Wait." Those answers really mean a lot to someone who is suffering (it would be appropriate to roll your eyes here). I also think that sometimes we ask him to do something in our lives, and he answers, "You do it." But that's another post altogether.

Will has been suffering with pain for the last three months. He was born prematurely, weighing in at 3 lbs., 14 oz., and I know babies thrive who are born smaller than that, but this is my son; understand? Oftentimes premature boys are born with inguinal hernias. Will had surgery at the age of 6 weeks for his first bilateral hernia repair. When he was 4 we had to have the surgery repeated. Naming his hernia Ernie the Hernia only put off the inevitable for a little while. While in the hospital, Will had lots of visitors and lots of attention; the nurses brought him a popsicle any time he asked; and he got plenty of gifts, too. He asked if he could come back to the hospital on his birthday because it was better than Chuck E. Cheese!

When Will started complaining of groin pain this spring, we all naturally assumed his hernias were back. This was mistakenly confirmed by an ER doc (of course, Will would experience his worst pain the day our family doctor was closed). We found a surgeon at Children's Hospital, who could not feel a hernia, but sent Will for a CAT-scan. No obvious hernia; no cats. Next was an ultrasound, which also showed nothing, while all the time, the pain persisted. Next, Janelle and I made the painful decision to okay an exploratory laparotomy. Again, the doctor didn't find anything definitive, but removed Will's appendix (after all, if you're already in there, you might as well cut something out). He said the appendix was unusual, but didn't appear inflamed. Then we had to wait for the surgery pain to go away to see if there was any relief from the original pain. We're at the place now where we can say with assurance, he's still got that original pain.

That's what prompted Will's question about prayer. Will has been prayed for, and annointed according to James 5:13-16. When Will asked why God wasn't answering prayer in his behalf, I was so desperate to not fall back on another cliche answer, that I think my answer, when it finally came, was something like, "I don't know." I did share with Will that I don't believe God is causing his pain for some cosmic purpose. I know God's ways are higher than my ways, his understanding higher than my understanding, but it doesn't take a rocket scientist to know it's unethical to force suffering upon a child just to see how he's going to respond. God's no Dr. Mengele, experimenting with how much pain it takes to make a person a better human being.

But I also told Will that he has a decision to make about how he's going to respond to this time of suffering. Pain can either make us bitter or it can make us better (okay; I know that's a cliche)--I don't know who originally said it, but it was a favorite expression of one of my first Senior Pastors. I told Will that he would choose his own course, but that I hoped he would choose, "No matter what happens, I'm sticking with Jesus." Read Job 13:15.

Psalm 119:71-72 reads: It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees. The law from your mouth is more precious to me than thousands of pieces of silver and gold. (NIV) Peterson paraphrases it like this: My troubles turned out all for the best--they forced me to learn from your textbook. Truth from your mouth means more to me than striking it rich in a gold mine. (The Message)

Some Christians read Romans 8:28 and get the idea that everything that happens to a Christian is supposed to be good, but that's not what it says. It says that God is working for the good of his people no matter what happens. Every once in awhile we hear about a teenager getting killed or injured because he/she was driving drunk. Someone is bound to say, "God must have had a purpose for all this." What?! God didn't do this! The kid made a bad decision and there were tragic consequences!

What I do believe is that God's plan as outlined in Jeremiah 29:11 was intended especially for the hardest, most tragic things of life. This was God's promise to Judah through the prophet Jeremiah, on the eve of Babylonian exile, a time that would change not only the theology, but the very fiber of the Jewish people. God wants to take what we're going through and work for our good; God wants to offer us hope that our future holds not harm, but good. Whether God can do that or not is determined by our decision of whether to remain faithful, or turn and walk away.

If, like the Psalmist, we allow our troubles to direct us to God's textbook. Then we're on the path to good things. Will is going to have to make his own choice, as do we all.

365: Psalms 113 and 115 (Day 183)

Psalm 113:1b reads: praise the name of the Lord. (NIV) An alternate reading is this: Just to speak his name is praise! (The Message) I've never been a big Gaither fan, but this verse cannot help but bring to mind, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus; there's just something about that name. One of my favorite Psalms is 18. Verse 3 reads: I call to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies. (NIV) Whether we speak God's name purposefully to praise him, or as a prayer for deliverance from an enemy, it's all good.

Another of my favorites is 115. I'll address it in two parts: 1) 115:3 reads: Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him. (NIV) The Message is closer to my own paraphrase. First, the Message: Our God is in heaven doing whatever he wants to do. (The Message) Second, my paraphrase: Our God is in heaven, and he does whatever he wants. (Pastor's Paraphrase) In The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe C. S. Lewis writes of Aslan (his allegorical Christ-figure), He is not a tame lion. Too often, we try to fit God in the box of our own expectations. Everyone has his/her own theology, or understanding of God--the problem is that we think our theology is God, rather than understanding that our theology is too small... to limited. But let's go on.

2) 115:4-8 continues: But their idols are silver and gold, made by the hands of men. They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but they cannot see; they have ears, but cannot hear, noses, but they cannot smell; they have hands, but cannot feel, feet, but they cannot walk; nor can they utter a sound with their throats. And then comes the hammer between the eyes: Those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them.

When speaking of God, we categorize God's characteristics into two broad groups, those describing his transcendence, and those describing his immanence. Vastly oversimplified, God's transcendence refers to characteristcs of power and majesty, while God's immanence refers to characteristics of love and intimacy. Immanence, however, should not be confused with smallness.

The words of the Psalmist teach us an important lesson. The God (or god) we serve determines the person we become. We can either make a god in our own image, or we can be made in the image of God.

365: Psalms 105 and 106 (Day 181)

This year I'm reading through the Bible in Eugene Peterson's The Message. I normally study from the NIV, and both my undergrad and seminary programs called for using the NRSV. My practice is to read through the NIV every other year choosing another translation on the alternate years. I will admit, though, that while I was in school I found only the time and energy to do my Bible reading for classwork and sermon prep. Reading The Message has really given me a fresh perspective on the Scriptures.

Psalm 105:1a reads: Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name;... (NIV) Try this: Thank God! Pray to him by name! (The Message) In many cultures a name is more than just a label. In Hebrew one's name describes and defines one's character/nature. When Hagar, slave to Abraham's wife, was running from her mistress to avoid Sarah's abuse, she was astounded that the God of the universe would take notice of her, a woman and a slave. She cried out: You are the God who sees me. What a wonderful blessing for those times when we feel like nobody knows the trouble I've seen. God sees, and God knows.

In 106:13-15 the Psalmist speaks about the Israelite refugees and how unappreciative they were in response to God's goodness. So, according to verse 15, [God] gave them what they asked for, but sent a wasting disease upon them. Peterson paraphrases it like this: He gave them exactly what they asked for--but along with it they got an empty heart. Wow! What a powerful lesson in giving God the credit and the thanks he deserves. This brings to mind Romans 1:21. For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.

Simply acknowledging where our blessings come from--giving God the credit he deserves--makes a world of difference in the condition of my heart.