Five Minute Friday: Worship

30
Aug

English: An old Methodist church, a week after its last worship service, in Ceylon, Minnesota. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I haven’t been to a show in a few years. But when I’ve gone I’ve been surprised at the similiarities between a good concert and some of the music portions of church services (Evangelical, Protestant bigger size church services to be more specific).

Smoke machine – check.

Light show – check.

High decibel level – check.

Well-trained, talented musicians – check.

Depending on the church you go to, people may or may not have their hands in the air, but at the shows I’ve been to, you can believe they do and there will be boisterous singing along, responding to the music and the promptings of the band.

There are times when emotions run high at concerts, so much so that tears stream down people’s faces, for a myriad of reasons. That’s been known to happen in a few services as well, although it is more seldom at my church.

We are in Minnesota, after all, and some emotions are better left unexpressed. Well, most emotions.

That’s a stereotype, but there are times when I get frustrated at church because it seems like we don’t feel free to engage the music or the worship leaders or the One we’re there to worship in the first place. But you put a bunch of Minnesotans at First Ave (a famous concert venue up here) and they’ll rip up the place with their enthusiasm.

Where’s that passion on Sunday morning?

Not everyone worships the same way. I get that. Music isn’t everyone’s “thing” and that’s okay. But when people remain stoic and unresponsive for the entire.worship.service. then they ought to be sitting in a board meeting for all the passion they’re showing.

Because worship isn’t only tied to music.

It is in fellowship.

It is in the message.

It is in serving.

And if people remain unmoved and unresponsive to all these facets of worship, they miss out on an opportunity to interact with a God who is active, moving, responsive and engaged.

What ways of worship come most naturally to you? Are you part of a church and if so, what kind of worshipping body is it? Finally, been to any good concerts lately?

****

This is part of a linkup with LIsa-jo Baker and her Five Minute Friday. We get the word prompt, set the timer, and write for five minute. No editing. No perfectionism. Just write for the sheer joy and fun or writing. Anyone is invited so join in any time. Here’s her site: http://lisajobaker.com

Secret Ingredient Soup Part 1: What’s Your Soup?

22
Jul

If you’ve ever seen Kung Fu Panda, then you’ll get a sense of my type of humor. I will watch virtually anything (clean) Jack Black is in. Even if he does the voice of a cartoon character (as he does in Kung Fu Panda), I’ll watch it. Those eyebrows, that heart, that extreme bodaciousness (I think he’d approve of that term) brings me back for more. I’m pretty sure he and his family should come over and grill out with my family and I. We’d have a great time. I’d invite over some of our other famous friends as well, just ’cause I think they’d all get along: Katy Perry, Justin Timberlake and Jen Aniston. I’m sure there’s others who’d like to come, but scheduling for these guys is a BEAST these days.

Kung Fu Panda (Photo credit: niallkennedy)

I will now warn you that if you have plans to rent Kung Fu Panda, you should skip the next paragraph, then read the rest. How’s that for a spoiler alert? 😉

Not to tell you something you already know, but the storyline of Kung Fu Panda is that he loves kung fu and idolizes the kung fu masters, the Fantastic Five. He gets chosen as the Dragon Warrior, the one who will save the valley from the enemy, and he has to rise to meet the challenge. Except that he doesn’t know kung fu and…he’s a fat panda bear who works in a noodle restaurant that’s specialty is Secret Ingredient Soup, the recipe for which his dad won’t share.

The thing about most people is that they believe there is something lacking in themselves. They are too young, too old, too chubby, too slow or whatever the descriptor. There is some attribute which keeps them from whatever it is they deeply desire.

This same hang-up keeps us away from God as well. We might be willing to engage Him from a distance, but any closer and the same things pop up again.

I’ve screwed up too much.

I’ve been too big a jerk.

It’s been too long.

Moms feel their mothering inadequacy keenly. ‘Other parents seem to be able to keep it together,’ these moms think, ‘but I am just barely keeping all these dependent people alive and in clean diapers.’

Why can’t I get this kid to sleep at night?

Why won’t my child use the potty?

Why can’t I get my baby on a predictable schedule?

Why is this so hard for me?

We compare ourselves to others, and this is to our detriment, whether we measure up or not. We fall short = we feel crappy. We rise above = we feel smug, or we condescend or patronize that poor thing who just can’t get her act together (even if this is only said in our thoughts). Either way, we lack an even response and usually our perspective is skewed.

Gazpacho (Photo credit: texascooking)

We start to think there is something others have which we lack. We missed the memo. We were out sick when that was covered in class. Nobody will give us the recipe for Secret Ingredient Soup. Because of this we throw up our hands and resign ourselves to just accept whatever happens to us.

Whatever happens to us.

Happens to us.

The action comes towards us and we have to constantly react to it.

We are passive. We are acted upon, rather than active act-ors.

This can warp the way I see the panoramic view of my entire life. I am a powerless hunk of driftwood, tossed around on the waves of the ocean.

But it doesn’t have to be this way.

For right now, let’s just reflect on what areas of our lives we feel landlocked. Where are we stuck? When do we feel like other people have the advantage? What makes it feel this way? Is this just a feeling or is there actual evidence for it? Does your theology inform this approach to life and to God?

Not to get all kung fu-y on you, but that is enough for now, Grasshopper. Let’s just think about what thing in our lives is our own personal Secret Ingredient Soup. And come back later this week and we’ll talk some more about it. Until then…~blessings!

Would you be willing to share an area of your life where you feel stuck? Do you think your idea of God helps or hinders this stuck-ness? What do you think others have that you lack?

Collective Sorrow and Value of Empathy

17
Jul

[Note: This is a little bit all over the place today. Hope I don’t make too many people crazy. Thanks for reading.]

This post is a part of Creative Buzz, organized by T.A. Woods and Michelle Liew. You can find out more at: http://penpaperpad.com/ or http://gettingliteral.com/

***

Usually I try not to react too quickly to things in the news or online. It seems like there are many times when something that sounds horrible is proven false, or something happens to alleviate a situation, thus making any reaction from me superfluous.

Usually.

I don’t fool myself my thinking my little blog makes much difference in the scheme of things, but sometimes there are things that demand comment. Even so, I tend to percolate and weigh my words, trying to not say anything in case I can avoid wading into the shark-infested waters of internet conversation.

This is something, though, that continues to irkle me.

George Zimmerman’s verdict was a really sad day. I’m not personally invested in the case in any way, and have no personal ties to the people or the area. I’ve followed it casually but tried not to get too emotionally invested. However, I was paying attention, partly because I think people make a lot of unfair, sweeping, dismissive generalizations about teenagers, and because of the fact that an armed adult shot an unarmed teenager in a hoodie. It seemed like a no-brainer guilty verdict.

When the actual verdict came down, I saw something on Twitter that was very insensitive, especially considering the timing. After I read it, I looked at the brief bio of the author (someone I do not know), and I was even more disturbed: she claimed to be a Christian.The word Christian can mean all sorts of things to all sorts of people, but this woman took the time to point out that she’s a follower of Christ.

That changes things.

In her post she pointed out that abortion had killed millions more than George Zimmerman had (not a direct quote).

Wow.

Just…wow.

She and I are both probably wondering the same thing: where is the justice?

She chose to take her stand against abortion on a day when a great number of people were physically affected by their sorrow over this verdict and how our justice system could produce it. It was no accident that she posted on that day. Her activism against abortion must be a high propriety in her life, and she saw an opportunity to make a statement.

All that given to her, I must still ask, where is her sensitivity? Where is her attitude of “weep with those who weep?” Where is her empathy for the family of Treyvon Martin and the African-American community?

From MorgueFilehttp://mrg.bz/8SQnFa

It saddens me to think that her zeal for one issue will cloud her vision and affect “her witness” of being a follower of Christ.

Jesus didn’t sucker punch people when they were vulnerable.

You still have your pet political issues and still express sympathy for someone else’s loss. I question my own complicity in a system of discrimination because I have a position of privilege. I am a middle-class white female. Overall, I’ve got it pretty easy. What role do I have in this verdict or the system that seems to be happy to convict some people at a much higher percentage than others?

My faith gives me an express responsibility for the widow, the orphan and the alien. In our society, that means anyone who is marginalized. That responsibility lives out differently for everyone, but for me, today, it means speaking up.

Has the Treyvon Martin case affected you? Do you have certain causes that might cloud your vision to the validity of other causes? And I’m very curious to hear how you decide when to comment on things you see on the internet?

Fleas, Sin, and Jesus As Fog-Bomber

10
Jul

We came home from our extended Fourth of July weekend and discovered a problem. We thought the problem had been resolved, since we had admitted it before we left, addressed it head on, and followed up on it briefly afterwards.

But the problem came back.

Our dog had fleas.

He’s bashful because of the scarf…and the fleas.

I say “had” because I’m an optimist.

“Merely a fluke” is how I like to think of the one or two culprits we’ve found and destroyed each day after another round of treatment. If this indicates that we still have a full-fledged problem, please don’t tell me. I can hardly sleep these days for analyzing any little wiggle or itch, which is only exacerbated by the fact that we’ve all got lots of mosquito bites from an exceptionally buggy time away.

There is something in me that reacts to this problem by wanting to hide it.

My first instinct is to cover it up, both from outsiders and from my own little family. This leads me to tell white lies to the kids about why they can’t snuggle up to the dog or why I’m vacuuming like a fiend. I don’t necessarily think the kids need to know all the details about every little thing in our lives, but I don’t usually actively conceal things from them.

So I stopped.

Granted I didn’t tell them the bugs were fleas, since that doesn’t mean much to them, but I decided not to hide the trouble anymore. When I cancelled plans to have one of the kids’ friends over, I told the mom why we had to cancel. I asked for help from a knowledgeable dog doctor. And all this openness and willingness to invite help made the flea problem a collective problem, a shared gross-out round of communal heebie-jeebies rather than a dirty secret.

*******

Dealing with the flea problem made me think about the recent round of “I’m a terrible, slacker mom” posts and one author’s reaction to them. There is freedom is rejecting perfectionism, the unattainable goals it sets and the constant guilt it inflicts. But one article took this rejection of maintaining an image of perfection and made it into a statement about sin (see article here: http://www.christianitytoday.com/women/2013/july/very-worst-trend.html).

After laughing my way through the original blog posts, I don’t think that was the intended application of the original blog posts.

One commenter said the author was missing the point of those blogs, and I tend to agree. The posts she references are funny, disarming and a welcome relief when self-inflicted perfectionism starts to get the most of us, and this is acknowledged. But the article’s author also said that the blogs have theological implications, and I think that’s true: they imply that we don’t have our shit together, that’s okay because everyone falls short in some area. If you don’t think you fall short in any area, you just haven’t taken time to find out yet. And that’s okay. A good friend of mine told me she thinks God gives us one area to work on, then reveals another area as we become stronger in the first – that way we aren’t so crushed by how much growth there is to do.

My take on the theological implications of posts about “slacker moms” and the like is that they acknowledge our non-perfectness. It doesn’t mean we stay stagnant and content in our habitual shortcomings, that we throw up our hands and stop pressing in closer to Christ. But it does mean that if you missed your morning devos today (or for the past four years), that doesn’t mean tomorrow is a forgone conclusion for you. There is always another chance to begin again, because of God’s grace.

Here comes another moment to start over.

And another.

Now…

Now.

Beyond that, however, and aside from the Very Worst -whatever posts, sin and screwing up is real. And it is very much like fleas. They are pesky, resilient, gross things with disgusting habits and an ability to show up out of nowhere. You can think you’ve got a specific sin neatly squared away and then discover that without even thinking about it you’re asking just the right questions to get all the dirt on that person you’ve never really liked all that much, and you can hardly wait to go tell someone else about it. Gossip much? And that’s just one example. Take your pick – there are plenty out there. I have plenty in here.

Apostle Paul wrote, “Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?” And then he answers himself: “By no means!” So while we don’t go around looking for sins to commit just to stretch God’s grace further, we usually have no problem finding them. And once we’ve dealt with the big obvious stuff, we turn to find subtle sins laying around, much like fingerprints and scuffs on hallway walls that build up over time. We fail to notice them until getting the house ready to put up for sale, and then, Oh my word, how have we lived with all this grime and not noticed it?

think stencil art & graffiti cat (Photo credit: urbanartcore.eu)

The thing about sin is that we are usually tempted to keep it concealed (see what I did there?). We feel ashamed, embarrassed, less-than. So we keep it a secret or tell lies to explain it. Then we’ve got the sin and the lies to give us even more fuel for our shame. As long as we keep perpetuating the cycle, it continues.

Unless we do something differently it will just continue.

That’s the beauty of the Very Worst/Slacker Mom posts. They admit they don’t have it all together. They admit it is hard to be a parent. They admit their burnt dinners and slap-dash kid costumes (thanks for the word, Rachel Held Evans). And by admitting it, the rest of us can breathe a sigh of relief because they’ve poked a finger through the façade, the spell has been broken and no longer do we need to keep acting as if it isn’t work to drag three kids to the store to find the right color button-down shirt for the crazy end of the school year program.

That’s also the theological implication of the posts: we all screw up and when we admit that we are the so-called sinners that Jesus came here to save (He said it is not the healthy who need a doctor but the sick. I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.) we can stop pretending we’ve got it all figured out.

There’s freedom in admitting you’re not perfect.

There’s freedom in refusing to keep up appearances at the expense of authenticity.

Jesus comes with a fogging can and bombs our lives with his grace.

Yes, we should grow.

Yes, we should cultivate those habits that bring us closer to God.

Admitting our need for grace falls into both of those categories. Admitting my dog has fleas frees me from embarrassment, humiliation and shame.

Okay, I’m still a little embarrassed about it but we’re being truthful about it, we’ll treat everything we can, be diligent but also realize that it’s a longer process than we initially thought.

Isn’t that quite the same as dealing with sin?

In the process of coming clean about fleas (or sin), it allows others to share their wisdom with me, and makes it safe to admit they’ve been in my situation because the judgment piece is no longer a factor. If they haven’t been in my situation, maybe they’ve got preventative actions I could learn from. We’re in this together. We are all in this together, after all. We can either pretend we’re not and struggle alone under a burden of perfectionism and/or judgment and shame, or embrace it and support each other’s process of growth.

As for me, I’ll take the latter.

Now everyone out – I’m about to set off this flea bomb.

What is your take on those Very Worst Mom-type posts? Do you think they glorify wallowing in brokenness? And please, if you have any effective strategies to get rid of my dog’s fleas, please let me know!

Our Scars Are Our Testimony

17
Jun

Life-saver after work (Photo credit: CoCreatr)

I have an energetic, adorable young friend. Let’s call him Crash. Crash has had a number of thrills and spills, many of which have landed him in the emergency room. He is six and a half years old and has already broken both arms and each of his legs. He’s crazy like that. Actually, he’s not crazy — he’s just an active boy who happens to fall in very unfortunate ways. One of his falls was particularly dramatic. He was staying at his grandparents farm for the weekend. Mom and Dad were away. There was a rock pile that just screamed his name, and he had to climb. It was marvelous fun…until he descended and the boulder descended quickly after. It fell on him and crushed his foot. It could have been so bad. It could have done long-lasting, serious damage. It could have required reconstructive surgery on his ankle. In the worst case scenario, it could have been fatal. So although Crash had to wear a cast on his leg for most of the summer, his parents felt blessed. It was the way they communicated that blessing and awareness of God’s protection to Crash that impressed me. They taught Crash the concept of an “Ebenezer” from the Bible. In the Old Testament, people would pile up some rocks as a makeshift monument to God after a milestone experience. Then later, when people saw the pile of stones, it would call to mind God’s faithfulness in difficulty. An Ebenezer served as a testimony to the people who experienced the event that demonstrated God’s faithfulness, and those who heard about the event. My friends rejoice in the scar on Crash’s foot because it is in the perfect place. A little further up, he would have had serious damage to his ankle, which has a difficult and long recovery time. A little further down and his toes would have been jeopardized. The boulder fell on a soft spot of Crash’s foot, the perfect spot for a boulder to fall. They physically brought the boulder back from the grandparents house and placed it in their yard, calling to mind the protection Crash had from further injury. Crash can even articulate how God was watching over him and points to his ability to jump on one foot (the foot that was squashed) as proof of God’s goodness. ******

Plaster cast on forearm/wrist/hand. Picture ta...

Not a leg cast, but you get the idea.

This really got me to thinking. How often do we hide our emotional scars and see them as a sign of weakness, rather than celebrating the healing, recovery and humility they produced? Instead of showing off our scars and testifying to God’s power, we hide them as a source of shame. We messed up, we miscalculated, we didn’t think before acting, and something unwanted happened. We could be upfront with this, but usually our instinct is to conceal our screw ups. Somehow we think people have an image of us as infallible. We think will disappoint them if we even admit we are capable of mistakes; imagine how bad it would be if something actually happened. But if we are honest about our shortcomings, we discover that, like scar tissue, we are stronger in that area than we were before, more aware of the dangers or the growth we need. And our relationships are stronger and deeper because they are based on mutual honesty and understanding. [Brene Brown has a lot to say about this (http://www.brenebrown.com), and she’s written books and traveled the country talking about shame and vulnerability. I highly recommend learning more about her.] Too often Church is a beauty pageant, with people prettying themselves up before they arrive, hiding their hurts behind a smile and a handshake. Do we think we will let others down if we admit we are the sinners Christ came to redeem? Isn’t that supposed to be common knowledge? As we continue down the path with Jesus, we get a few things sorted out, but we are still human and still fallible. Sometimes we start to think we’re not. Maybe we even start to become more like the Pharisees from Jesus’ day, the ones who thought they had it all figured out and were quick to point out other people’s shortcomings. We must fight this, no matter how secure we feel in our faith and relationship with Jesus. Because as much as we want to deny it, we are still in need of further transformation. We can always become more fully liberated to be the best version of ourselves. When we get cocky and condescending, it is a hiccup in this process, whether we are aware of it or not. No matter how much we think we’ve got it figured out, there is always more growth we can do. Do you have scars you could celebrate rather than hide? What do you communicate to others about their mistakes? What relationships can you trust to make more authentic and how?

Five Minute Friday: Listen

14
Jun

http://mrg.bz/ZLEB05

Word prompt is “listen” so GET READY. GET SET. GO.

****

Wind chimes.

Breeze through the tops of pine trees.

The call of a cardinal. robin, warbler, finch.

These take time to hear. They are hard to hear if we’re focused on the louder noises around us – cars, radio, TV, yelling children.

At a park I sat with a group of adults who talked and talked while the kids played. Suddenly a bird song, clear and sweet, from the bushes behind us. Not one person stopped their conversation. Not one person even twitched to indicate they heard the joyful, wild song. They heard what they focused on – the conversation around them. This is a good thing, but how often do we miss the quieter sounds because we’re too busy making our own noise?

As a noisy person, someone who sings, hums, whistles and slams things (not even on purpose), it is a learned skill to turn down my volume for a few minutes and pay attention to the quieter things. I’m glad when I do. But how much do I miss because these are occasional moments rather than ones of habit?

I have to think this reflects the way God talks to us. When Elijah wanted to see God’s glory, God put him in the cleft of a mountain and passed by Elijah not in an earthquake, fire, or wind storm but in a gentle whisper. (I Kings 9:11-13).

A gentle whisper.

And if we’re not listening, we might miss it.

STOP

****

Do you have an easy or hard time with quiet, and why do you think that is? Have you experienced times when you’ve heard God’s voice, and if so, would you please tell us about it? And as always, thank you so much for stopping by!

This is part of a fun link up with Lisa-Jo Baker (lisajobaker.com). Set the timer for five minutes and write on a given word prompt. Then add your link to the list and check out all the other people who have done the same thing. The different takes on the prompts are amazing, and it is a great place to find encouragement.

Five Minute Friday: View

24
May

This blog post is part of a link up with Lisa-jo Baker. Anyone can be a part of it! Just check out Lisa-jo’s site (http://lisajobaker.com) for the word prompt and further instructions. The idea is to write for five minutes with out constantly editing or second guessing ourselves. It’s a supportive, positive community, and I’ve been blessed just by dabbling my toe into it.

Louie was a goofy friend of mine in seventh grade. He always wore a white baseball cap, most time paired with a turtleneck and a hockey jersey (I never did figure out why the turtlenecks). He was tall and gangly, with a fountain of brown bangs and a very prominent (read: big) nose.

Not the first hottie you’d notice.

But he was so funny.

He was generous and helpful. Louie was kindhearted.

When you’d known him more than a day you realized how handsome he was, how unique and athletic, how his brown eyes were warm, his height and stature comforting. Suddenly Louie was quite a looker.

I’ve started to wonder how other people look at me, not so much physically but how they view my dreams, my aspirations and quirks, probably because lately I’ve run into so many roadblocks and rejections.

Do they play along with my goals, no one willing to tell me I’m being unrealistic?

Do they pat me on the head and humor me so they won’t hurt my feelings?

Do I look different from the outside than I do to myself?

Does it matter what the view is, except that it comes from the One who made me who I am? The One in whom I am most fully myself?

It shouldn’t make any difference if I achieve “success” on earth if I have been faithful with what was given to me in the circumstances I’ve been placed. Sometimes, though, when I’m being really honest, the view from outside does matter to me.

It’s like the difference between current trend of ombre hair color and just being overdue for a trip to the salon so you have really bad roots. Or to use another hair analogy, it’s the difference between having beachy texture and a frizzy windblown mess. What if while I’m walking around thinking I’ve got it down and lookin’ good, everyone else can see that my dream is really a snarly hairdo in need of a comb and a dye job?

What are your dreams right now? How do you keep hope in a dream when it takes a long time to arrive? Most importantly, how do you maintain your focus on the One who made you?

Attractive waves or crazy mess? It’s a matter of opinion.

Five Minute Friday: Comfort

10
May

This week’s prompt is: Comfort.

***

Cinch tight the soft cotton blanket until all his flailing parts are swaddled and he feels pulled together again.

Hum quiet tune while running fingertips over spine, shoulder blade, rib bones until breathing slows, deepens, and he drifts off to sleep.

Walk into a familiar room and hear greetings of old friends who have become family.

Heave sobs into pillow and feel warm hand, aching heart soothed with words of peace and hope.

Feel the wash of comfort making subside the fear and clenching of throat and stomach.

Comfort: peace, security, calm, confidence, understanding, connection.

Such a blessing to have, such a gift to offer.

Another form of love, both Divine and earthly.

***

Sortof free-write-y today, huh? Well, that’s what I came up with in five minutes. 🙂

This is part of a link up with Lisa-Jo Baker (http://lisa-jobaker.com) that happens every Friday for anyone who wants to participate. You can read more about it at her website, and I really suggest checking it out — there’s lots of fun blogs to discover!

Can We Talk? Questions about the Bible

7
May

Bible Study 2 (Photo credit: DrGBB)

I’m starting a new occasional series called Can We Talk? The plan is to address questions that we often times don’t want to bring up because of the reaction we expect. This is a place to discuss those important (and probably some unimportant) issues that ruffle people’s feathers. Our first topic? The Bible.

May I ask you some honest questions about the Bible?

Would you be willing to actually entertain these questions, not just give an automatic rebuttal because you fear one question might lead to an undoing of a whole belief system?

I already know I’m supposed to accept some things on faith.

I already know His ways are not our ways.

I already know one day for us could be like a thousand years for Him.

Sometimes it seems that if a person is allowed to voice their observations about inconsistencies, bizzare-ities or just straight-up contradictions in the Bible, people feel threatened by it, as if the questions are a leaking contagion of unbelief that can spread with the faintest breathing of a question. It’s airborne, you know.

But can we admit that some of the stuff in the Bible is just plain weird?

For example, why would God send a plague of snakes to bite the Israelites, whom He had just brought out of Egypt, and the remedy? Look at a bronze snake on a stick. Does that not seem like He is asking them to make and worship an idol? But when they make a bronze calf of their own, He gets mightily mad and people get smote.

If that one’s not your cup of tea, how about the commandment against murder? I realize that you could argue what type of offense could equal murder (first degree, premeditated, etc.) but it seems to me that war is murder on a huge scale. God sends the Israelites to war lots of times, and the Bible is very matter of fact about how hard the Israelites won. Sometimes they won war huge.

“That’s all Old Testament stuff,” you object. “Nobody gets that stuff. Just focus on the New Testament.”

Is that fair?

I think it’s pretty typical of Christians. We focus on the Jesus stuff and ignore the messy, inconsistent and confusing stuff that comes before. Ignoring the entire first half of the Bible only gives part of the picture. (We also forget that Jesus was Jewish, but that’s something for another day.)

Please allow me to mention a concept that might make sense of the Old Testament if you’ve ever been tempted to pitch it in favor of a slimmed down, easy to pack, New-Testament-only Bible. I don’t know if it is a cop out or a perfect explanation.

Image from the Book of Kells, a 1200 year old book. Category:Illuminated manuscript images (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Progressive Revelation.

Don’t let it give you the heebie jeebies, folks. It doesn’t bite.

Is it intellectually tenable that God would reveal Himself in ways a society could comprehend, woo them by speaking their language and then, when they’ve acclimatized to the existence of God, reveal a little more about Himself, something that is a little different than what they’re used to? It’s not a bait and switch. It’s more like not revealing everything about yourself on a first date.

I’m sure some people would push this past the traditional cannon of the Bible and say that if it is allowed that progressive revelation is a possibility, that opens up future revelation, in that Christ is not the end game. Could someone else claim on this premise to be the next revelation of God? Probably, and some probably have (would Mormanism possibly fit this category?). Does that mean the principle is faulty? I don’t think so…but I’m still trying to figure out all the implications.

I’m not questioning Jesus’ death and resurrection, sacrifice and redemption of humankind, but I don’t think it automatically diminishes the Bible’s potency if some of it is metaphorical. Maybe we can agree that the Bible might not have to be taken literally in order to be just as valid, the principles just as important, the person of Christ just as redemptive.

What do you think? Do you think much about the Bible? Do you accept it as being completely literal? Do you pay much attention to the Old Testament?

Five Minute Friday: Brave

3
May

I’m loving these Five Minute Fridays. Each week, Lisa-Jo Baker (http://lisajobaker.com) chooses a word prompt and people write unedited for five minutes flat. The idea is for me to get out of my own way and just write without the burden of perfection. It’s been fun to meet other bloggers and see the different ways people go with the prompt. Anyone can be a part of the action, so maybe you want to try and link up sometime soon?

Five Minute Friday

Courage (Photo credit: Pete Reed)

Prompt: Brave

One of my friends, a curly-haired henna head, is a gifted artist and performer. She says and does things that other people would never dream of doing. For her, it is no big deal to get in front of people and say outrageous things that are both hilarious and inappropriate (maybe that’s why they are so funny?).

Another friend is quiet and reserved. She serves behind the scenes and avoids any extra attention. She’s thoughtful and considerate.

What might send my one friend thrills of excitement would send my other friend to the bathroom with dry heaves.

Here is a good general principle I’ve found: what is a brave step for one person is easily accomplished before breakfast for someone else. Courage comes when you push past fear to do the thing that scares you.

Putting the pen to paper may be a huge step of bravery for one person.

Saying aloud the question they’ve had in their minds may be that step for someone else.

Just opening a search for a new job may be a huge act of faith, regardless of whether an interview is ever secured.

For me, today, my act of bravery is to say aloud that as a Christian, I do not have all the answers. I’m starting to think that the Bible might not have something literal to say about every single aspect of the nuances of modern life.

I do not feel comfortable with the representation the loudest voices are making on my behalf.

I’m tired of hearing about “speaking the truth in love” to people with whom there is no relationship, which would give the slightest responsibility to speak that truth.

I’m tired of the Church being a force of marginalization, polarization and alienation.

I want to be a source of absurd grace, which I truly see in the example of Jesus. So why does it feel like an act of bravery to say that out loud? Maybe it is because the Church only lets grace apply to certain areas of life and not others. Maybe there is an unspoken understanding that there really is a hierarchy of sins, and that some acts are worse than others. So your act of homosexuality, abortion or being a female leader takes up more of the apparently exhaustible bounty of Christ’s grace than my selfishness, envy or gossip. Don’t bogart the grace, man. Is that really what we believe? Cause that’s what it looks like. God’s love is not a limited commodity.

Whew. Well, that came out of nowhere! Thanks for letting me share from the heart. Apparently this is what happens when I silence my inner editor/censor. Putting this out into the world really does scare me, but I am being brave today, hoping we can start a respectful conversation.

What is your reaction to this post? Do you have opinions or feelings about “absurd grace” or the idea of a hierarchy of sins? I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences. And as always, thanks for reading!