Monthly Archives: May 2020
“So Frail a Dwelling”
Sometimes, when our children were little, I would go into their room when they were asleep. Of course, the toys had not been put away, despite my repeated admonition to do so. However, they looked so peaceful that I just stood still, thinking of how grateful I was for them. They probably never knew, nor will they probably ever know.
A story is told of the founder of the Jewish Hasidic Movement, who was usually referred to as “the Great Maggid” (“the Great Preacher). The Great Maggid sometimes went into his disciples’ room as they were sleeping, and looked at them in love. Once, when he looked at one of his disciples, Rabbi Zalman, the Great Maggid said to himself, “Miracle of miracles that so great a God lives in so frail a dwelling.”
Paul, who often spoke us of being “in” Christ, or of Christ being “in” us, made a similar point. “But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us” (2 Corinthians 4:7).
All we see is the frail dwelling, the jars of clay. But God sees more. And God not only sees. God inhabits us. We are possessed, but not in the negative way that this word is usually used.
Yes, the dwelling is frail. As if I needed another reminder, I have a blood clot causing me problems right now. Frail indeed!
But wherever the King is, there is a palace, no matter how frail the superstructure may be.
“Is God Thankful?”
Is God thankful? I had probably never thought of the question before today, because I never thought of God as needing anything. And perhaps it is true, as many theologians have said, that God does not really “need” anything.
However, I have noticed something about thankful people: They are thankful, even when they do not need a thing. Their response to an offer to help is, “No, I’m good, but thank you so much for offering!” And for grateful people, this is not simply a matter of being courteous. They mean it.
Admittedly, there are not any Scripture passages that say, point blank, that God thanks anyone for anything. However, there are passages that might suggest that God is, in fact, grateful for certain things.
Take, for example, this story from Jesus:
Matt. 25:31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’” (Matthew 25:31-40, English Standard Version)
The words “thanks” or “gratitude” do not occur in Matthew 25:31-40. Yet it seems to me that there is a wonderful atmosphere of gratitude in the King’s words to those who had shown kindness to “the least of his brothers.”
Then, there is a verse in Paul’s Letter to the Romans. “But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God” (Romans 2:29). Paul is talking about how God expects faith and obedience from the Gentile and from the Jew, without any partiality.
It is often noted that the name “Judah” (from which we get the word “Jew”) is a Hebrew word that suggests the idea of “praise.” Indeed, in Genesis 29:35, speaks of Leah praising God as the result of the birth of Judah. In Genesis 49:8, the Scriptures speak of Judah’s brothers praising him.
But I think there is more than just a word play going on here. Notice how Paul speaks of the one who belongs to God as receiving praise from God. What?! I thought that humans were supposed to praise God, not the other way around! However, Paul is clear at this point. He is speaking here of God praising believers, rather than the other way around. (In John 5:44 Jesus speaks of “receiving glory from God.” This also sounds a bit like God thanking us.)
Perhaps there is a broader argument for thinking of God as being thankful. Most of us would, I think, acknowledge the fact that gratitude is a good thing for humans. Why, then, would it not be a good thing for God as well?
Why not indeed? A grateful God is much more appealing than a god who never says, “Thanks!” to anyone.
“Bullied by a Gang of Thoughts”
I am just starting my “3-Minute Retreat” from Loyola Publishing. Today, as with many days, the retreat starts out with an admonition to let go of any distracting thoughts. I am not sure if I am holding on to such thoughts or if they are holding on to me. I have a lot of clingy thoughts.
Well, I should be mature enough to do this. I am in charge of my thoughts. I am bigger and meaner and more determined than they are. I refuse to be bullied by a gang of nasty, useless thoughts!
And what are the names of these gang members? Regret, Resentment, Guilt, Fear, A-Sense-Of-Worthlessness, Desire-For-More (and his twin brother Discontent).
So, I decide that, today, I’m going to stand up to these bullies. I say, to Regret (who seems to be their spokesman), “You little boys, run along. I’m moving forward, and if you try to stop me or follow me, I will hurt you.”
And so, I walk on. I look around and they are gone.
Huh! It works! I think I’ll get on with my day. Maybe you could too.
Three practical suggestions:
- Name the thoughts that are bullying you.
- Tell them to shove off.
- Walk in the direction of the next right thing to do.
“No Quick and Easy Spell”
(Here is a post I did a couple of years ago. It was good that I thought I would reprise it. I won’t say, “Enjoy!” since it is pretty brutal.)
I was sending my report and affirmation to my sponsor this morning. Here is my affirmation:
“Today, by God’s grace, I am taking good care of myself. This way, I will honor God and act caringly toward others.”
The word “caringly” was flagged on my spell checker. I thought this was the correct way to spell it, but figured that I had better check. So, I googled “spell caringly.”
Here is the first hit that appeared on my screen.
“Magic Spells for 2018 – Spells for Any & Every Need
Don’t Settle for the Ordinary: Order a Spell & Change Your Life. So Fast & Easy!
Service catalog: Love/Relationship Spells, Money Spells, Luck Spells
Absolutely guaranteed, or your money back!”
I was not prepared for that!
I rather liked the advertisement, although I did not go to the site. I liked the advert for a very simple reason: It encapsulates precisely what I would like to believe.
I would like to believe that there are simple and easy solutions to complex problems.
I would like to believe that, if I simply say the right things in the right order, accompanied by the right rituals, everything will go my way.
I really want to believe this! However, it is really difficult to make yourself believe something you don’t, even when you want to.
Well, no, on second thought, it’s not really that difficult to make myself believe in the fast and easy way. In fact, I do it all the time.
I want muscles without workouts, character without self-discipline, and good relationships without commitment. I want to be good at everything I do, without doing anything to actually become better.
And, of course, I want a money-back guarantee for everything—including life itself. I don’t need to go to a website to desire “fast and easy.” I am already there.
It’s not just me. As a society, we are addicted to speed, perhaps not the drug speed, but getting things quickly for sure. We are a microwave-loving people.
What is the remedy? I don’t know. But I do know this: There is no fast and easy solution to wanting fast and easy solutions.
Christians, above all, shouldn’t fall for fast-and-easy solutions, but often we do. We turn the cross of Christ into a fast and easy solution to our sin and guilt—past, present, and future. We fall into the trap of what Dietrich Bonhoeffer called “cheap grace.” We forget that Jesus not only bore the cross himself. He also called us to do so. “Then he said to them all: ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me’” (Luke 9:23, NIV).
It’s that “daily” part that usually gets me. I don’t want to take the slow and painful way, the cross, daily. I want to take it when I get around to it. But the truth is that I can either bear the cross now, today, or I can procrastinate until something fast and easy comes along. It won’t.
My choice! Yours too! But I really don’t want to “. . . settle for the ordinary”. Do you?
“Redefining Par”
Dean Furness gave his TED talk from a wheelchair. He is paralyzed from the waist down. He had a fundamentally simple point: “Don’t compare yourself to others.”[1]
And yet, nearly every commercial or advertisement you’ve ever seen or heard has the opposite message. “Do compare yourself to others, and you don’t come off well in the comparison. So, you need our service or product!”
“Comparison Syndrome” may not be anybody’s official diagnosis, but it is real. And it is really deadly.
A friend of mine who trains athletes says that, when he goes out to play golf with a young person, he encourages them to decide on what is par for them for a given hole or a course. (If I did that, most par threes would be par fives.) Then, my friend encourages them to try to gradually improve and lower their score.
There is a wonderful story in John’s Gospel that speaks of a meeting between the resurrected Jesus and his disciple Peter. Simon Peter had denied three times that he even knew Jesus. According to John 21, Jesus gave Peter the opportunity to reaffirm his love for Jesus three times.
However, Jesus also warned Peter that following Jesus meant suffering and a loss of freedom. Jesus never sugarcoated anything. And, like most of us who have had an unsettling conversation with someone we have loved and betrayed, Peter tried a very simple tactic: Change the subject! In this case, changing the subject meant comparing himself to another disciple.
“John 21:20 Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them, the one who also had leaned back against him during the supper and had said, “Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?” 21 When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?” 22 Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!” 23 So the saying spread abroad among the brothers that this disciple was not to die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he was not to die, but, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?”
Basically, Jesus is saying, “What happens to this other disciple is none of your business! You, follow me!”
Par is different for every disciple. We need to stop comparing and start following Jesus. That will cut down on our frustration, and it will help us to play the serious game of discipleship a lot better.
[1]You can access Dean’s TED talk at:
“Deeds and Plans Done in Serenity”
“Commit your work to the LORD,
and your plans will be established.” (Proverbs 16:3, English Standard Version)
“Our activities and plans . . . will be no less our own for being his: only less burdensome . . . and better made.” (Derek Kidner, commenting on Proverbs 16:3)
Do you ever feel frantic in your work? Or, do you feel as if there is no plan, and that your work is random and without real significance?
Welcome to everybody’s world! Many of us struggle with these kinds of fears most of the time. All of us, I suspect, have times when the weight of our own scattered doings and plans is very heavy indeed.
Apparently, the writer of Proverbs 16:3 felt it necessary to warn his readers (or hearers) about this very danger. He writes a prescription for this dis-ease, but it is a bitter pill to swallow: “Commit (literally, “roll”) your work to the LORD, and your plans will be established.”
However, most of us like to handle things ourselves, even if we are mishandling them. From the time we are little, we are taught to take care of ourselves.
“You’re a big boy now. You should be able to go to the bathroom by yourself.”
“You’re able to do your own laundry and put it away.”
“You need to take responsibility, to stand on your own two feet.”
These messages are not wrong. We do need to learn to take care of ourselves, as much as we can.
But there are other lessons to be learned as well. We need to learn how to care for others. A person who takes care of only themselves isn’t even taking good care of themselves. If this covid-19 crisis teaches us anything, it is teaching us that we really do need one another. Yes, even those who make yeast and toilet paper!
There is one other lesson that I believe we need to learn. And frankly, most of us struggle with this lesson most of all. It is the lesson about trusting God with our doings and our plans.
Now, I am not talking about this lesson being difficult for people who do not believe in God. Of course, if you don’t believe in God, it is difficult—indeed contradictory—to speak of trusting God. But I am talking about the difficulty of trusting God, even those who call ourselves “believers.”
Oh, we’re pretty good about trusting God in general. It is only when we come down to the nitty-gritty, everyday plans and deeds that we struggle. On the other hand, if we only trust God “in general,” do we really trust God at all? I have my doubts about the worth and genuineness of that kind of generalized faith.
So, I need to commit my works to the LORD. Well, how do I do that?
I wish that I knew. Sorry to disappoint. Were you expecting some helpful, practical suggestions?
Well, perhaps one practical suggestion would be in order. It seems to help when I actually do it. Here it is! Just say to God something like this: “This isn’t really my work. It is yours, or at least, I hope that it is yours. Help me to do the work and make the plans, but help me not think of the plans or the work as mine. If planning and working is up to me, I’ll make an inadequate plan, and I won’t work as effectively as I would like.”
Such an attitude, when fiercely cultivated, helps me to relax, plan better, and work better. Give it a whirl, and see what happens. You might be surprised.
“Take Care!”
“Take care!”
It’s a common expression. But what (or who) are we supposed to care of?Are we supposed to take care of ourselves? Business? Others? The world?
According to a good friend of mine, the answer is, “Yes!” In fact, he suggested to me that we don’t necessarily need to choose between these forms of taking care of. One of us proposed that we simply say, “Take care!”
Of course, there are problems with taking care. Sometimes, it shades off into becoming care-takers in an unhealthy, co-dependent way. As with anything, when it is taken to its logical extreme, “care” becomes just plain extreme. All logic (and indeed all sanity) gets thrown right out of the window when “care” becomes a codeword for slavery.
But care, when it is healthy, is always a good thing. And it is all of one piece. How can I take care of someone else or the world when I am not taking care of myself? And if I am only caring for myself, I become isolated and self-involved. I become a person all wrapped up in myself. And, as someone has said, “A man who is all wrapped up in himself becomes a very small package.”
A great Jewish teacher, Hillel the Elder, said,
“If I am not for myself, who will be for me?
And if I am only for myself, what am I?
And if not now, when?”
So, just for today, my wish for you and for myself is one and the same:
Take care!
“Letting Myself Be Loved”
I did not sleep long enough last night (in my opinion). However, what do I know?! In any case, here I am!
God, in terms of step 11, if your will is that I go back to bed and sleep a while longer, I wouldn’t be opposed to such a thing. Four hours or so of sleep doesn’t feel like enough.
My wife and I got quite a bit of our garden worked up and planted yesterday. It was great fun playing in the mud with my lovely lady. I felt as if we were back in the Garden of Eden. Despite the thorns and thistles, we are still commissioned to work the soil.
Here is a wonderful epigraph from one of my 12-step readings this morning: “What is moral is what you feel good after.”
—Ernest Hemingway
Sounds about right to me!
. . .
Listening to “Bali Run” and “Jean” on loop, at three in the morning, while eating almonds and drinking chocolate milk—nothing like it!
. . .
And God said, “Just sit there, and let me love you.” So, I did!
Not anxious, not criticized, not expected to do anything. Just loved.
Sometimes, God doesn’t want anything at all from us, except for us to sit there and be loved. And blessed are those who allow God to do that!
A wonderful cool breeze ruffles the papers on my desk. No mighty rushing wind, no tongues of fire, just a wonderful cool breeze. It is enough, and more than enough.
“Making Room for Who Matters”
My morning retreat (courtesy of Loyola Publishing) asked a wonderful question today: “When have I had to make room for Jesus in my thoughts, words, or deeds?” (“3-Minute Retreat”)
But my life is too full for Jesus right now. Even in the midst of the covid-19 pandemic, there are blog posts to write, working on publishing my PhD dissertation, planting the garden, weeding the flower beds, and taking the dog on walks and to do her business.
Then, there are other important matters such as:
- Trying to beat my wife at Scrabble.
- Watching reruns of Adam-12 on MeTV.
- Trying to get past level 16 in Word Wipe.
- Reading political and economic news that depresses me and that I can’t do much about.
- Worrying about catching the coronavirus.
So, as you can see, I have no room for Jesus. Making room in my thoughts and words would be difficult enough. But you’re asking me to make room for Jesus in my deeds too?! Really?!?
No, I’m afraid not. Maybe later. Maybe after this pandemic is over. Maybe after the garden work is finished. Maybe after I’m retired.
Oh, wait! I am retired! Well, maybe after I’ve been retired a little longer.
There is an old hymn, often used in churches that gave old-fashioned invitations. It went something like this:
“Room for pleasure, room for business,
But for Christ the Crucified,
Not a place that He can enter,
In the heart for which He died?”
Perhaps I should clear me calendar.
“Jesus Answering His Own Questions”
“Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. 42 And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom. 43 And when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it, 44 but supposing him to be in the group they went a day’s journey, but then they began to search for him among their relatives and acquaintances, 45 and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for him. 46 After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48 And when his parents saw him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress.” 49 And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” 50 And they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them. 51 And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart.”
My wife is the de facto writer of this post. (Okay, I wrote it, but I’m just channeling her. If there are any spelling or grammar errors, those are mine.)
We were preparing for a small-group Bible study we are attending virtually, and were looking at Luke 2:41-52. It is the story about Jesus staying behind in the temple in Jerusalem after his parents had headed home. I don’t think that I had ever noticed before the precise wording of verses of verses 46 and 47, and what strange friends they are. Verse 46 says that Jesus was asking questions of the teachers in the temple, but verse 47 says that everyone who heard this twelve-year-old boy were amazed at his answers.
What?! How could the people have been amazed with Jesus’ answers, when he was asking questions?!?
My wife came up with a very interesting idea. Perhaps the teachers couldn’t answer the questions, so Jesus answered them himself!
I don’t know if my sweetheart is right—though she may well be—but one thing is for sure in my own life: Jesus can ask me questions to which I flat out do not know the answers. Sometimes, it is because I don’t want to know. At other times, I simply don’t know.
At this point, when I have finally decided to quit pretending to know more than I do, I can to Jesus, “Well, what do you think?” And then, if I shut up and listen, I am amazed that Jesus actually has some pretty good answers.
I believe that Jesus came to reveal who God is and what God is like. Jesus did this in many ways. One of those ways is to reveal what prayer is supposed to be. Prayer is not just talking with God. It is not primarily asking God for stuff, even for good stuff. Prayer is a conversation with God. Like any good conversation (and some not-so-good conversations), questions are part of the mix. We can and should ask lots of questions. Hopefully, they are good questions. But God’s responses may be the really amazing thing. God’s response may well not be the one we had hoped for, but it will be the one we need.
Today, oh God, may I be amazed at the answers you give to the questions you are asking me.
DOWN TO EARTH BELIEVER
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- “The Process in Miracles and the Miracle of Process” March 11, 2024“2 Kings 5:1 Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master and in high favor, because by him the LORD had given victory to Syria. He was a mighty man of valor, but he was a leper. 2 Now the Syrians on one of their raids […]
- “The Power of Encouragement—Even for Old People” March 10, 2024“But encourage each other every day while it is ‘today.’ Help each other so none of you will become hardened because sin has tricked you.” (Hebrews 3:13, New Century Version) Yesterday, I was walking at a nearby park. There was a large group of young people some of whom were running while other young people […]
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- “Delighting in Being Told What to Do?!?” February 23, 2024“Psa. 112:1 Praise the LORD! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in his commandments! 2 His offspring will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed. 3 Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures […]
- “Character is the Real Lesson” January 19, 2024I am often confused about what lesson I’m really supposed to be learning. For example, this morning I was trying to knock out several Spanish lessons. My intentions were a lot better than my internet connection. I’ve done three lessons. Or rather, I’ve done two lessons. One of them I did twice because the internet […]
- “The Year of Becoming Un-Planked” January 1, 2024Each year, I try to come up with one word or a short phrase for what I intend to work on in the upcoming year. 2024 is “The Year of Becoming Un-Planked”. What?!! What does that even mean? So glad that you asked! Jesus said to his disciples, “Why do you look at the speck […]
- “Searching for the Noble One” December 26, 2023My wife and I were reading Luke, chapter 2 on Christmas Day. Luke 2 talks about the shepherds being told to look for this very special child—in fact, this King—in a stable. I prefer the word “barn”. I grew up on a farm. I know what a barn is. A stable is entirely too biblical […]
- “That Don’t Impress God Much” December 14, 2023DTEB, “That Don’t Impress God Much” “That Don’t Impress Me Much” (Song by Robert John Lange and Shania Twain) Micah 6:8 (MSG) “But he’s already made it plain how to live, what to do, what God is looking for in men and women. It’s quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor, be […]
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