Perhaps you have heard of the young woman named Brittany Maynard who was diagnosed with terminal cancer and has decided to end her own life. If you have not heard about this, you can read the story here: http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/woman-brain-cancer-advocates-law-kill-article-1.1964843
Obviously this is a controversial decision. Both sides of the issue have weighed in. What makes this especially hard is the question, "Is this considered suicide?" Some may say that it is considered suicide while others, like Brittany, would absolutely refute that idea.
From a Christian perspective, is it ever okay with God to willing end your life? Now, I am not talking about giving into depression or mental illness. That is a different topic altogether that I dealt with in a blog about Robin Williams. You can read that one here: https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4546903407907944360#editor/target=post;postID=3413520863858777831;onPublishedMenu=allposts;onClosedMenu=allposts;postNum=3;src=postname
I know that God is a merciful God and does not like to see people suffer. My mom grew up as a nurse and would try to advocate on patients' behalves to their families to let their loved ones go if there was no medical hope for them. Does Brittany's situation fall under the same category? Psalm 139:16, a psalm of David, says, "...your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." God knows how long we will live and when we will die. But, does that mean that life and death are in our hands? Or does God control life and death?
If you were a Christian in Brittany's situation, what would you do? Would you want to end it all to avoid the certain horrible, painful death you would face? Or would you put your hope and trust and God?
Brittany's situation is a very tough one. I feel for her and her family. Her situation does bring up an interesting discussion about how we should respond to situations like this, especially as followers of Christ.
Friday, October 17, 2014
Thursday, October 9, 2014
Let's leave it behind
I remember when the Left Behind books came out. I didn't start reading them at first. Honestly, I was not sure what they were. But, when the third or fourth book came out (I can't exactly remember), the hype about the books compelled me to pick them up and start reading them. As soon as I read the first one, I had to get the second one and every other one that was available. I was hooked. I became invested in the story and the characters. And, not only that, I became invested in the Tim Lahaye and Jerry Jenkins' vision of Revelation and what would happen in the end times. I even went to an end-times conference in Florida where Tim Lahaye was the primary speaker. I couldn't get enough of end-times prophecy. I was excited about the fact that I could understand Revelation, at least to some extent.
Left Behind is getting hype once again with the new movie starring Nicolas Cage. This is the first time (at least in a long time) that a high-profile actor has starred in a Christian movie. This movie is a reboot of the Left Behind movies that starred Kirk Cameron back in 2000. The premise is based on the Left Behind books by Tim Lahaye and Jerry Jenkins. If you know nothing about the books or the movies, the basic idea is that an event known as the Rapture occurs where the followers of Jesus disappear in a flash and those who are not believers are left behind to pick up the pieces. Mass destruction and chaos ensues because people disappear while driving cars, flying planes, teaching class, etc. The Rapture kicks off the seven year tribulation where the world is judged by God and the antiChrist rises to power.
As you can probably guess, social media has been all over Left Behind. Reviews of the movie have been posted and articles written and shared about this belief about how the world will end. Like I said above, I believed in the rapture. I believed that those of us who believe in Jesus now would disappear and the rest would undergo chaos and judgment for seven years until Christ actually returned. But, notice I said I believed, past tense. Times have changed since I've read those books and my view of Revelation has changed too.
Christians become obsessed with the end-times. We want to know what's going to happen and we try with all of our might to figure it out. But, should that be our main focus? We want to promote movies starring actors like Nicholas Cage because we think that will proclaim the good news of Jesus. But, should we promote a movie like this? Should we promote a movie that promotes a view of chaos and judgment especially when we live in a culture that rejects the church because they see the church as too judgmental?
I don't believe in the rapture or Left Behind anymore. The rapture is not biblically sound. There are some verses in Thessalonians that speak vaguely of being caught up in the air with Christ. But, those verses do not imply that Jesus never set foot on this earth after his people were caught up with him in the clouds. The rapture is an idea that originated in 1590 with a Catholic Jesuit named Francisco Ribera. It gained popularity in the late 1700s and the mid 1800s. Prior to these, there is no mention of a rapture and the early Christian church as well as the Catholic Church and Protestant Calvinists rejected the idea.
Today we hold onto the idea of the rapture like it is Gospel truth. Honestly, I don't know how Revelation will play out, but the one thing I do know is that Christ is coming back. Since the Left Behind series, the Church in this country has put the rapture and the end-times at the forefront of its teaching. We want to focus on it. We write books about it. Anything that happens in the middle east is a sign that the end times are upon us. My question is, "Shouldn't we focus more on the life-changing message of the Gospel rather than a belief that may not be true or accurate?"
Time is ticking down. We are closer to the end than the apostles were. But, that does not mean we need to preach the end. We need to preach Christ like the apostles did. We need to preach the grace and love of God. We need to leave Left Behind in the past and move forward. We need to stop looking for temples to be reconstructed and blood moons. We need to start looking for ways we can reach people with the Gospel.
The God I read about in the Bible is a loving and gracious God. He is a God of judgment, but those judgments have their appointed times. He will judge those who do not follow Him, but I don't think those of us who follow him will be raptured before a great tribulation. And, I don't want to be. I want to be here when it comes to tell as many people as I can that my King is returning to make all things new. I want to follow in the footsteps of my King who was crucified for what he believed and taught. I want to find comfort in His words when he said, "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).
Do I think that God's people will be raptured? No. Do I think Christ will come back to make all things new? Yes. Do I fear the end times? No because my King has overcome the world. Do I want to teach people a belief that will instill fear in them? No. I would rather teach grace.
Left Behind has run its course. Let's leave it in the past and let's move forward as we await the glorious return of our King.
Left Behind is getting hype once again with the new movie starring Nicolas Cage. This is the first time (at least in a long time) that a high-profile actor has starred in a Christian movie. This movie is a reboot of the Left Behind movies that starred Kirk Cameron back in 2000. The premise is based on the Left Behind books by Tim Lahaye and Jerry Jenkins. If you know nothing about the books or the movies, the basic idea is that an event known as the Rapture occurs where the followers of Jesus disappear in a flash and those who are not believers are left behind to pick up the pieces. Mass destruction and chaos ensues because people disappear while driving cars, flying planes, teaching class, etc. The Rapture kicks off the seven year tribulation where the world is judged by God and the antiChrist rises to power.
As you can probably guess, social media has been all over Left Behind. Reviews of the movie have been posted and articles written and shared about this belief about how the world will end. Like I said above, I believed in the rapture. I believed that those of us who believe in Jesus now would disappear and the rest would undergo chaos and judgment for seven years until Christ actually returned. But, notice I said I believed, past tense. Times have changed since I've read those books and my view of Revelation has changed too.
Christians become obsessed with the end-times. We want to know what's going to happen and we try with all of our might to figure it out. But, should that be our main focus? We want to promote movies starring actors like Nicholas Cage because we think that will proclaim the good news of Jesus. But, should we promote a movie like this? Should we promote a movie that promotes a view of chaos and judgment especially when we live in a culture that rejects the church because they see the church as too judgmental?
I don't believe in the rapture or Left Behind anymore. The rapture is not biblically sound. There are some verses in Thessalonians that speak vaguely of being caught up in the air with Christ. But, those verses do not imply that Jesus never set foot on this earth after his people were caught up with him in the clouds. The rapture is an idea that originated in 1590 with a Catholic Jesuit named Francisco Ribera. It gained popularity in the late 1700s and the mid 1800s. Prior to these, there is no mention of a rapture and the early Christian church as well as the Catholic Church and Protestant Calvinists rejected the idea.
Today we hold onto the idea of the rapture like it is Gospel truth. Honestly, I don't know how Revelation will play out, but the one thing I do know is that Christ is coming back. Since the Left Behind series, the Church in this country has put the rapture and the end-times at the forefront of its teaching. We want to focus on it. We write books about it. Anything that happens in the middle east is a sign that the end times are upon us. My question is, "Shouldn't we focus more on the life-changing message of the Gospel rather than a belief that may not be true or accurate?"
Time is ticking down. We are closer to the end than the apostles were. But, that does not mean we need to preach the end. We need to preach Christ like the apostles did. We need to preach the grace and love of God. We need to leave Left Behind in the past and move forward. We need to stop looking for temples to be reconstructed and blood moons. We need to start looking for ways we can reach people with the Gospel.
The God I read about in the Bible is a loving and gracious God. He is a God of judgment, but those judgments have their appointed times. He will judge those who do not follow Him, but I don't think those of us who follow him will be raptured before a great tribulation. And, I don't want to be. I want to be here when it comes to tell as many people as I can that my King is returning to make all things new. I want to follow in the footsteps of my King who was crucified for what he believed and taught. I want to find comfort in His words when he said, "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).
Do I think that God's people will be raptured? No. Do I think Christ will come back to make all things new? Yes. Do I fear the end times? No because my King has overcome the world. Do I want to teach people a belief that will instill fear in them? No. I would rather teach grace.
Left Behind has run its course. Let's leave it in the past and let's move forward as we await the glorious return of our King.
Wednesday, August 13, 2014
Suicide and Hell
I will miss Robin Williams. I still remember watching Mork and Mindy when I was young. I loved Mork from Ork. He made me laugh even if I didn't quite get all of his jokes. I remember watching him as Popeye and it was one of my favorites when I was a kid. I would watch it whenever it was on. I have never seen a comic genius like him and I don't know if we will see one after him.
It saddened me when I heard that a man who could make so many laugh struggled to find happiness and joy in his own life. My heart goes out to those affected by suicide. I am not one who claims that depression is a state of mind that can be overcome. I know that it is a terrible disease and one that I have struggled with on some level off and on for most of my adult life. But, this blog is not about depression or Robin Williams. This blog is being written to address the question that I have been asked for a long time: Do those who commit suicide go to hell?
For centuries different branches of the church have taught that suicide would send someone directly to hell. To early church fathers like Clement of Alexandria and St. Augustine, suicide was an unforgivable sin. Grace was not available to those who took their own life because it was considered self-murder, a violation of the sixth commandment. But, is that the correct view of suicide?
Suicide is a grave situation and it would appear to be one of those sins that is unforgivable. However, to see suicide as a sin that is unforgivable is having a small view of grace. I hold to a big view of grace. My view of grace is that God's grace is more than enough to cover all my sin. One of the greatest verses in the Bible is Romans 5:20: "The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more." The law was given to us so that we would know what sin was; it was never meant to save us. Grace is the thing that was meant to save us. To hold a view that a sin like suicide can condemn followers of Christ to hell is to believe that God's grace is not big enough to cover the sins I commit at the moment of my death. That is a belief system centered around fear and paranoia. That is a belief system that is based on law not on grace. Grace is what covers the sins of those who have given their life to Christ as Lord and Savior. That grace is powerful. That grace is so powerful that it can cover all of our sins, past, present and future.
A few months ago, Pastor Rick Warren's son committed suicide after many years of battling mental illness. Rick Warren is a godly man and insisted that his son was the same. He defended his son's Christianity despite his suicide. Rick Warren believes that he will see his son again in eternity with Jesus because Rick Warren has a big view of grace.
I don't know what Robin Williams believed. If he believed in Christ as his Savior, then I believe I will see him in eternity with Jesus. If he didn't believe, then suicide will not be what will condemn him; it will be rejection of God and His grace. That is the unforgivable sin because it means we have rejected the one thing that could cover our sin and save us, grace. And, it's not a one-time rejection; it is a lifetime spent rejecting the Gospel message.
Suicide is an unfortunate result of mental illness, but as Christians I think it's time to stop teaching that believers automatically go to hell because of it. There is no biblical evidence for it. Only two people in the Bible committed suicide and neither showed evidence of following God when they did it. There are passionate believers in Christ who struggle with depression and there are some who give into the temptation to end it all. We need to stop throwing out God's judgment and be there for the families of those affected. We need to have a bigger view of grace.
It saddened me when I heard that a man who could make so many laugh struggled to find happiness and joy in his own life. My heart goes out to those affected by suicide. I am not one who claims that depression is a state of mind that can be overcome. I know that it is a terrible disease and one that I have struggled with on some level off and on for most of my adult life. But, this blog is not about depression or Robin Williams. This blog is being written to address the question that I have been asked for a long time: Do those who commit suicide go to hell?
For centuries different branches of the church have taught that suicide would send someone directly to hell. To early church fathers like Clement of Alexandria and St. Augustine, suicide was an unforgivable sin. Grace was not available to those who took their own life because it was considered self-murder, a violation of the sixth commandment. But, is that the correct view of suicide?
Suicide is a grave situation and it would appear to be one of those sins that is unforgivable. However, to see suicide as a sin that is unforgivable is having a small view of grace. I hold to a big view of grace. My view of grace is that God's grace is more than enough to cover all my sin. One of the greatest verses in the Bible is Romans 5:20: "The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more." The law was given to us so that we would know what sin was; it was never meant to save us. Grace is the thing that was meant to save us. To hold a view that a sin like suicide can condemn followers of Christ to hell is to believe that God's grace is not big enough to cover the sins I commit at the moment of my death. That is a belief system centered around fear and paranoia. That is a belief system that is based on law not on grace. Grace is what covers the sins of those who have given their life to Christ as Lord and Savior. That grace is powerful. That grace is so powerful that it can cover all of our sins, past, present and future.
A few months ago, Pastor Rick Warren's son committed suicide after many years of battling mental illness. Rick Warren is a godly man and insisted that his son was the same. He defended his son's Christianity despite his suicide. Rick Warren believes that he will see his son again in eternity with Jesus because Rick Warren has a big view of grace.
I don't know what Robin Williams believed. If he believed in Christ as his Savior, then I believe I will see him in eternity with Jesus. If he didn't believe, then suicide will not be what will condemn him; it will be rejection of God and His grace. That is the unforgivable sin because it means we have rejected the one thing that could cover our sin and save us, grace. And, it's not a one-time rejection; it is a lifetime spent rejecting the Gospel message.
Suicide is an unfortunate result of mental illness, but as Christians I think it's time to stop teaching that believers automatically go to hell because of it. There is no biblical evidence for it. Only two people in the Bible committed suicide and neither showed evidence of following God when they did it. There are passionate believers in Christ who struggle with depression and there are some who give into the temptation to end it all. We need to stop throwing out God's judgment and be there for the families of those affected. We need to have a bigger view of grace.
Saturday, August 9, 2014
A different perspective is needed
This is my first post in a while because of a few reasons: 1) it's been a busy summer; 2) I had to finish my masters (woohoo!); and 3) I didn't have anything worthwhile to write about. But, that last reason has changed.
Iraq is a mess of evil right now. Unless you live in a cave, you should know what I'm talking about. Christians are being persecuted very heavily as I write this. They are being driven from their homes by radical Muslims. They are not the only groups that are suffering. There are other groups that are being forced to convert or die. And, how many of us Christians in this country are hurting for our brothers and sisters in Iraq? How many of us are praying for them?
Our perspective in this country needs to change. We can become so focused on our own agendas. We like to focus more on God's favor for us or how our church can grow or what mega church pastor is being asked to step down rather than on those who are suffering for Christ.
In this country we tend to see things through rose-colored glasses. We keep those same glasses on when it comes to church too. We like to think about God showing us His favor. We teach and encourage one another to declare God's favor in our lives, but would we say the same thing if we were running for our lives? Would we tell an Iraqi Christian who has suffered for the sake of Christ to declare God's favor over their lives? Certainly God wants to bless His children like any loving father would, but isn't Jesus enough of a blessing for us? Everything else is a bonus. Everything else is the cherry on top.
Recently I was talking with my sister in law about verses in the Bible that I think we need a different perspective on. Jeremiah 29:11 and Romans 8:28 are verses that we love to use in our country. Jeremiah 29:11 is often used for graduation gifts or used to give us encouragement during a difficult time. We like to say to someone who is struggling, "God will not give you more than you can handle. And he has a great plan for you. Remember Jeremiah 29:11!" The sentiment is good, but the problem is that Jeremiah 29:11 was written in the midst of total destruction. God was speaking to His people after Babylon had completely ransacked Jerusalem. And, this was all brought on because of Israel's constant sin against God. So, this verse was spoken after judgment had come upon God's people. This was not a happy time for them. This was spoken to give them hope that God would restore them. And, what was that restoration going to look like? Jesus. Jesus was the restoration that God was promising.
And, this brings us to Romans 8:28: "And God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to His purpose." This verse is used to teach that God is going to work everything in our lives out for our good. No matter what may come, it's all going to come out lilacs and roses. God is even going to bless us abundantly because Jesus promised his followers the abundant life. However, if you read the entire context that this verse is found in, you find a different interpretation. God has already worked out good for those who love him. That good is Jesus. Romans 8 starts with, "Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus..." No condemnation for those in Christ! How can it get any better than that?
Our problem in America is that we like to add to the Gospel because somewhere inside of us we don't think it's good enough. We want to look at God as the great being in the sky who will bless us abundantly if we declare His promises over our lives. We look at God as our CEO running our Fortune 500 company. We look at God in many different lights so that He can fit in the box we have made for him. The problem with all of that is that God ceases to be God and becomes an idol. Our brothers and sisters in Iraq see God as their only treasure. Jesus is enough for them. That is why they refuse to deny their faith. That is why they will radically love and forgive those who do this to them. That is why they will never abandon Jesus because Jesus has given them everything they could want or need.
Our Jesus in this country is much too small. That is why we have to add to the Gospel. We are satisfied with that Jesus because when anything bad happens, that Jesus doesn't get us through. We need to have a different perspective. We need the Holy Spirit to open our eyes so that we can see just how great and awesome Jesus is. Then will we become truly enamored by him. We will become passionate about him. Then will we become compelled to preach the true Gospel not some watered down version that we have to add to because it's not quite good enough.
Shall we cling to the old rugged cross where our great Savior died for us? Or are we going to keep making Jesus into our image?
Iraq is a mess of evil right now. Unless you live in a cave, you should know what I'm talking about. Christians are being persecuted very heavily as I write this. They are being driven from their homes by radical Muslims. They are not the only groups that are suffering. There are other groups that are being forced to convert or die. And, how many of us Christians in this country are hurting for our brothers and sisters in Iraq? How many of us are praying for them?
Our perspective in this country needs to change. We can become so focused on our own agendas. We like to focus more on God's favor for us or how our church can grow or what mega church pastor is being asked to step down rather than on those who are suffering for Christ.
In this country we tend to see things through rose-colored glasses. We keep those same glasses on when it comes to church too. We like to think about God showing us His favor. We teach and encourage one another to declare God's favor in our lives, but would we say the same thing if we were running for our lives? Would we tell an Iraqi Christian who has suffered for the sake of Christ to declare God's favor over their lives? Certainly God wants to bless His children like any loving father would, but isn't Jesus enough of a blessing for us? Everything else is a bonus. Everything else is the cherry on top.
Recently I was talking with my sister in law about verses in the Bible that I think we need a different perspective on. Jeremiah 29:11 and Romans 8:28 are verses that we love to use in our country. Jeremiah 29:11 is often used for graduation gifts or used to give us encouragement during a difficult time. We like to say to someone who is struggling, "God will not give you more than you can handle. And he has a great plan for you. Remember Jeremiah 29:11!" The sentiment is good, but the problem is that Jeremiah 29:11 was written in the midst of total destruction. God was speaking to His people after Babylon had completely ransacked Jerusalem. And, this was all brought on because of Israel's constant sin against God. So, this verse was spoken after judgment had come upon God's people. This was not a happy time for them. This was spoken to give them hope that God would restore them. And, what was that restoration going to look like? Jesus. Jesus was the restoration that God was promising.
And, this brings us to Romans 8:28: "And God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to His purpose." This verse is used to teach that God is going to work everything in our lives out for our good. No matter what may come, it's all going to come out lilacs and roses. God is even going to bless us abundantly because Jesus promised his followers the abundant life. However, if you read the entire context that this verse is found in, you find a different interpretation. God has already worked out good for those who love him. That good is Jesus. Romans 8 starts with, "Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus..." No condemnation for those in Christ! How can it get any better than that?
Our problem in America is that we like to add to the Gospel because somewhere inside of us we don't think it's good enough. We want to look at God as the great being in the sky who will bless us abundantly if we declare His promises over our lives. We look at God as our CEO running our Fortune 500 company. We look at God in many different lights so that He can fit in the box we have made for him. The problem with all of that is that God ceases to be God and becomes an idol. Our brothers and sisters in Iraq see God as their only treasure. Jesus is enough for them. That is why they refuse to deny their faith. That is why they will radically love and forgive those who do this to them. That is why they will never abandon Jesus because Jesus has given them everything they could want or need.
Our Jesus in this country is much too small. That is why we have to add to the Gospel. We are satisfied with that Jesus because when anything bad happens, that Jesus doesn't get us through. We need to have a different perspective. We need the Holy Spirit to open our eyes so that we can see just how great and awesome Jesus is. Then will we become truly enamored by him. We will become passionate about him. Then will we become compelled to preach the true Gospel not some watered down version that we have to add to because it's not quite good enough.
Shall we cling to the old rugged cross where our great Savior died for us? Or are we going to keep making Jesus into our image?
Friday, February 14, 2014
My Valentine
This post is dedicated to my awesome valentine of almost 11 years, Allie Reveley.
My Valentine
You don't know what you do to me
You don't know how you still knock me off of my feet
You light up the room when you walk in, but you don't see it
My heart still skips a beat when I look at you
Our boys look at you like you are the best thing ever created
They take after their daddy
I know there are days when I fail
There are days when the world is only spinning around me
Those are the days I regret
Because I made a promise that my world would spin around you
I promised to love and serve you
That is still my promise today
I still promise to love you with all of me that's inside me
I still promise to serve you to my dying breath
I still promise to look at you the same as I always have
With admiration, love, and a sense of wonder
To me you are the wonder of my world my Valentine
And you always will be.
My Valentine
You don't know what you do to me
You don't know how you still knock me off of my feet
You light up the room when you walk in, but you don't see it
My heart still skips a beat when I look at you
Our boys look at you like you are the best thing ever created
They take after their daddy
I know there are days when I fail
There are days when the world is only spinning around me
Those are the days I regret
Because I made a promise that my world would spin around you
I promised to love and serve you
That is still my promise today
I still promise to love you with all of me that's inside me
I still promise to serve you to my dying breath
I still promise to look at you the same as I always have
With admiration, love, and a sense of wonder
To me you are the wonder of my world my Valentine
And you always will be.
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
Tarnished, Broken People
Do you remember the REM song "Shiny, Happy People"? If you don't, here is a link to it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCQ0vDAbF7s.
It is a very catchy song and I remember listening to it many times when I was younger. It's one of those songs that gets you in a good mood. I thought about this song today in light of the recent death of actor Phillip Seymore Hoffman. He was a great actor who died before his time. Last week social media was full of people saying their goodbyes to the actor who definitely stood out as one of the finest of his time.
My one question as I heard the news of his death was this: What is it about celebrities' deaths that affects us so much? When a celebrity dies, people on Facebook and Twitter are affected by this person's death, regardless of whether they knew them or not (most likely not). The same happened earlier this year when Paul Walker died tragically in a car accident.
The thing that struck me about Phillip Seymore Hoffman was not that he died too young, but that he died shooting heroine. We look up to these celebrities because they are on television or in movies and we forget that they are broken people like we are. They have their struggles and their issues. We have seen this with young celebrities too like Miley Cyrus, Justin Beiber, and Selena Gomez. These are people who are supposed to have it all together. They are the ones we can watch in order to escape our own problems and stress. These are the ones who are supposed to give us hope that everything will work out in the end. But, those ideas are proven false time and time again.
The most heartbreaking aspect of all this for me is that these celebrities are seeking fulfillment in all the wrong places. They are putting on the happy face in front of the cameras to give the illusion that they are all shiny happy people. If they do fall from grace, they are cast off. They are thrown to the wolves to be torn apart. The pressure must be tremendous to keep up appearances so that their career will continue to grow and they will not be forgotten.
When I was younger I grew up reading Sherlock Holmes (let's be honest, I still read Sherlock Holmes!). Sherlock Holmes was one of the greatest minds to have ever graced the pages of fiction. But, he was not perfect. He made mistakes and one of his biggest mistakes was that he was a drug addict. Whenever he was not on a case, he needed to have his brain stimulated or else he would fall into depression. Therefore, he would use opiates in order to recreate the rush he received while hunting down the latest criminal. He constantly needed to be filled to keep from feeling empty inside.
I can't help but see this same pattern in the lives of celebrities and people everywhere. We perceive celebrities as having it all together, but they are all broken people like we are. They have their faults. The biggest mistake we make as human beings is trying to fill ourselves with everything else that is not named Jesus. The only one who can truly fill us is Jesus.
Jesus and a Samaritan woman had a conversation in John 4. This woman was a social outcast because she was an adulterous. She would probably considered a whore or slut in her time. But, Jesus took the time to talk with her, which was very taboo. In John 4:13-14, Jesus says to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." Jesus wanted the woman to see that she was searching in all the wrong places to find fulfillment. She was drinking water that would never satisfy her. Jesus was offering her water that would forever satisfy her.
Here was a woman who society had written off. No one wanted to be a part of her life. She went to draw water by herself because she probably couldn't draw water with everyone else. And, here is the Son of God who wanted to have a conversation with her. Not only that, he wanted to lead her to the water that would give her life.
I have three boys and I want my three boys to know where true fulfillment comes from. I don't want them to think they have to be perfect in order to come to God. I want them to understand that they should come to God in their brokenness and that is really the only way to come to Him. I want them to know that He is the One that can and will fix their brokenness if they will turn to Him. He is the One that cares for them so much that He gave everything for them.
There are so many people who are looking for their place in this world. They are putting on a brave face to hide the inner pain they deal with on a regular basis. This even happens in the church and the church has become a place that broken people can't go to because the impression they get is that church is for the perfect. They think the church is for those who have it all together. It would be too much work to show up on a regular basis and hide their brokenness behind a fake smile. Isn't it time that the followers of Christ start showing these broken people that Jesus is in the renewing business. He doesn't want to just repair us; He wants to make us new. Let's stop trying to be shiny, happy people holding hands and let's start being tarnished, broken people in love with a Savior.
It is a very catchy song and I remember listening to it many times when I was younger. It's one of those songs that gets you in a good mood. I thought about this song today in light of the recent death of actor Phillip Seymore Hoffman. He was a great actor who died before his time. Last week social media was full of people saying their goodbyes to the actor who definitely stood out as one of the finest of his time.
My one question as I heard the news of his death was this: What is it about celebrities' deaths that affects us so much? When a celebrity dies, people on Facebook and Twitter are affected by this person's death, regardless of whether they knew them or not (most likely not). The same happened earlier this year when Paul Walker died tragically in a car accident.
The thing that struck me about Phillip Seymore Hoffman was not that he died too young, but that he died shooting heroine. We look up to these celebrities because they are on television or in movies and we forget that they are broken people like we are. They have their struggles and their issues. We have seen this with young celebrities too like Miley Cyrus, Justin Beiber, and Selena Gomez. These are people who are supposed to have it all together. They are the ones we can watch in order to escape our own problems and stress. These are the ones who are supposed to give us hope that everything will work out in the end. But, those ideas are proven false time and time again.
The most heartbreaking aspect of all this for me is that these celebrities are seeking fulfillment in all the wrong places. They are putting on the happy face in front of the cameras to give the illusion that they are all shiny happy people. If they do fall from grace, they are cast off. They are thrown to the wolves to be torn apart. The pressure must be tremendous to keep up appearances so that their career will continue to grow and they will not be forgotten.
When I was younger I grew up reading Sherlock Holmes (let's be honest, I still read Sherlock Holmes!). Sherlock Holmes was one of the greatest minds to have ever graced the pages of fiction. But, he was not perfect. He made mistakes and one of his biggest mistakes was that he was a drug addict. Whenever he was not on a case, he needed to have his brain stimulated or else he would fall into depression. Therefore, he would use opiates in order to recreate the rush he received while hunting down the latest criminal. He constantly needed to be filled to keep from feeling empty inside.
I can't help but see this same pattern in the lives of celebrities and people everywhere. We perceive celebrities as having it all together, but they are all broken people like we are. They have their faults. The biggest mistake we make as human beings is trying to fill ourselves with everything else that is not named Jesus. The only one who can truly fill us is Jesus.
Jesus and a Samaritan woman had a conversation in John 4. This woman was a social outcast because she was an adulterous. She would probably considered a whore or slut in her time. But, Jesus took the time to talk with her, which was very taboo. In John 4:13-14, Jesus says to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." Jesus wanted the woman to see that she was searching in all the wrong places to find fulfillment. She was drinking water that would never satisfy her. Jesus was offering her water that would forever satisfy her.
Here was a woman who society had written off. No one wanted to be a part of her life. She went to draw water by herself because she probably couldn't draw water with everyone else. And, here is the Son of God who wanted to have a conversation with her. Not only that, he wanted to lead her to the water that would give her life.
I have three boys and I want my three boys to know where true fulfillment comes from. I don't want them to think they have to be perfect in order to come to God. I want them to understand that they should come to God in their brokenness and that is really the only way to come to Him. I want them to know that He is the One that can and will fix their brokenness if they will turn to Him. He is the One that cares for them so much that He gave everything for them.
There are so many people who are looking for their place in this world. They are putting on a brave face to hide the inner pain they deal with on a regular basis. This even happens in the church and the church has become a place that broken people can't go to because the impression they get is that church is for the perfect. They think the church is for those who have it all together. It would be too much work to show up on a regular basis and hide their brokenness behind a fake smile. Isn't it time that the followers of Christ start showing these broken people that Jesus is in the renewing business. He doesn't want to just repair us; He wants to make us new. Let's stop trying to be shiny, happy people holding hands and let's start being tarnished, broken people in love with a Savior.
Monday, January 13, 2014
Beauty in the secular
Last night my wife and I went into Boston to see the show "Once." It's a love story about two people who fall in love through the guy's music. It was a great show full of great modern Irish music. As I'm sitting in the Boston Opera House, I could not help but be overwhelmed by the beauty of this place. The architecture and the details were amazing. I am always enamored by very detailed craftsmanship, especially craftsmanship that has been around for a while. As I'm gazing around at the fine work of art that the opera house is, I thanked God for the beauty of His creation. I know that He did not create the opera house himself, but he created the people who did. Then as I'm watching the show progress, I was amazed by the amount of talent that was on that stage. There were so many musicians who were so talented and it stirred my soul again towards the beauty of God's handiwork.
For so long, Christians have been the ones to define what true beauty is and where it is found. We have said that true beauty only lies within the walls of the church. The outside world is full of filth and corruption and there is no way beauty can exist out there. Granted, we have appreciated the work of creation, but when it comes to finding beauty within our cultures and societies, we have turned a blind eye while culture and society continues to move past us, leaving us in the dust of irrelevance. As the Church, we have to start seeing the beauty that is around us. We have to start celebrating the beauty of God's creation and not just things like the universe and the Grand Canyon. There are so many things in this world that are beautiful and there are so many things that give glory to God that we miss on a daily basis.
When I was younger, I had a huge cd case full of cds that I would listen to constantly. My favorite band at the time was Smashing Pumpkins. I loved their sound and their lyrics made you think about what they were trying to say through their songs. But, as I got serious about following Jesus, there was pressure to get rid of anything that was "secular." That meant my cds had to go, especially if I was going into ministry. So, I got rid of all my CDs. I still miss them sometimes when I look back on it. I miss listening to some of that music because it was good music. It took me a long time to buy a "secular" song or album again because I had been indoctrinated into the idea that "secular" was bad and "sacred" was good and could only be found inside the walls of the church.
Now, don't get me wrong, there are some things that should not be listened to or watched. There are some things that as Christians we should not involve ourselves in. But, we should not go overboard. I am definitely not a Lady Gaga fan, but I do like music that is not "Christian." And, honestly, there is some Christian music that is plain bad.
In order to be Jesus to the world around us and to keep up with a culture that is constantly changing, we need to open our eyes to the beauty that can be found in the secular. We need to stop always drawing the line between sacred and secular. We need to encourage young Christians to allow God to speak to them and not discourage them from following their dreams. We need to encourage people to do what God has designed them to do and be a light for him there. If a young person in a church wants to go into theater, we should encourage them to follow their dreams and teach them to see that as their mission field.
Jesus died for us so that we could lead others to him. If we don't know how to speak the language (without being influenced by the language), then we are going to sit behind our four walls, sing our songs to Jesus, and fade away into irrelevance without being an influence on the world around us.
For so long, Christians have been the ones to define what true beauty is and where it is found. We have said that true beauty only lies within the walls of the church. The outside world is full of filth and corruption and there is no way beauty can exist out there. Granted, we have appreciated the work of creation, but when it comes to finding beauty within our cultures and societies, we have turned a blind eye while culture and society continues to move past us, leaving us in the dust of irrelevance. As the Church, we have to start seeing the beauty that is around us. We have to start celebrating the beauty of God's creation and not just things like the universe and the Grand Canyon. There are so many things in this world that are beautiful and there are so many things that give glory to God that we miss on a daily basis.
When I was younger, I had a huge cd case full of cds that I would listen to constantly. My favorite band at the time was Smashing Pumpkins. I loved their sound and their lyrics made you think about what they were trying to say through their songs. But, as I got serious about following Jesus, there was pressure to get rid of anything that was "secular." That meant my cds had to go, especially if I was going into ministry. So, I got rid of all my CDs. I still miss them sometimes when I look back on it. I miss listening to some of that music because it was good music. It took me a long time to buy a "secular" song or album again because I had been indoctrinated into the idea that "secular" was bad and "sacred" was good and could only be found inside the walls of the church.
Now, don't get me wrong, there are some things that should not be listened to or watched. There are some things that as Christians we should not involve ourselves in. But, we should not go overboard. I am definitely not a Lady Gaga fan, but I do like music that is not "Christian." And, honestly, there is some Christian music that is plain bad.
In order to be Jesus to the world around us and to keep up with a culture that is constantly changing, we need to open our eyes to the beauty that can be found in the secular. We need to stop always drawing the line between sacred and secular. We need to encourage young Christians to allow God to speak to them and not discourage them from following their dreams. We need to encourage people to do what God has designed them to do and be a light for him there. If a young person in a church wants to go into theater, we should encourage them to follow their dreams and teach them to see that as their mission field.
Jesus died for us so that we could lead others to him. If we don't know how to speak the language (without being influenced by the language), then we are going to sit behind our four walls, sing our songs to Jesus, and fade away into irrelevance without being an influence on the world around us.
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