T.V. shows

Thinking through life, as I sit watching one of my favorite t.v. shows on my iPhone through my headphones.  Is this what I was meant to do with my life?  Answer: nope.
I tried to justify this unproductive habit by saying that it is a means of escape from the busyness that surrounds me.  It's a chance for me to relax and focus on something that I can watch, then think about, maybe even have a conversation about with friends, then move on to tackle another task.
But, in the midst of this seemingly happy bliss of escaping from the busyness, I asked myself the question, 'Would I want God to take a break to escape the busyness to watch a t.v. show alone?'.
God created a day of rest, and I believe that rest is beneficial.  We need to know how to rest though in a way that is truly restful, and remember that in order to rest and get the most out of that rest, we need to work (I would encourage you to look up John 14:12 to catch a glimpse of what God has intended for us to be doing as work).
Am I saying that you should never watch another t.v. show again?  No, even I will watch t.v. shows again.  They do serve a purpose of connecting us to each other (for example my room-mate and I both share a common interest in Dr. Who, which has bound us together).  It is my hope, thought, that the next time that I or you go to turn on another t.v. show, movie, or youtube video, that we would take the time to think if this is serving a purpose or if we are just filling ourselves with entertainment as a substitute for another, deeper rest that is only found in God.

Waiting to be healed

The other night I was listening in on a conversation which involved the family member of a young child battling cancer.  The family member expressed the sentiment that it is God's will to heal this child, it's just a matter of whether He does it instantaneously or over the long-term.  I didn't speak up at the time, which I still don't know if I should have given the situation, but I believe that this is an incredibly dangerous view for several reasons.
The first has to deal with God's will.  I do strongly believe that some Christians can sense God's will and that it is our joy and duty to strive after it.  From what I heard in the conversation, however, the family member of the sick child was basing this sense off of the idea that God did not create cancer.  It was not what He wanted and thus He would fix the problem.  To this, I would simply respond that God did not want death to ever occur to anybody.  Yet as we all know, death does occur in this world, even to Christians who have prayed for healing.  Sometimes, focusing on what we think is God's will can cause us to lose our sight on what He is doing in and through the situation.
A few weeks ago, my pastor expressed that death is not the worst thing that can happen to your child.  Death is not the worst thing that can happen to any Christian, losing our faith and relationship with God completely is.
What happens then, when we hope and pray for healing, wait for it, and death sometimes occurs?  If we hold to the examples of Jesus healing, and of other miraculous healings since then, and hold onto those while forsaking those who were not healed in this world what then?
Let us remember that the Lord has given, and the Lord takes away.
Our death on earth is not the end of our story by any means.

The Love of God

I dropped out of a Christian, non-profit choir several years ago in order to pursue debate.  The lyrics of some of the songs that we sang still pop into my mind from time to time.  Last night was one of those times.  I remembered a line from a song called 'The Love of God'.

"The love of God is greater far than tongue or pen could ever tell.  It goes beyond the highest star and reaches to the lowest hell."

As I reflected on these lines, it occurred to me that the love of God is greater than what writing or speech can convey because it requires action.  It goes beyond just telling the high end business leader and the homeless person on the street that God loves them.  God's love is manifested in action.
Are we telling about God's love, or are we showing God's love?

One out of many

Today the e-mails have started rolling in.  Along with other pursuits, I am trying to sell some of my photos online this year.  One of the sites that I spent hours loading onto the other day is finally getting back to me, however it is rejecting the high majority of my photos.
What I find strange, is that the photos I think have a high chance of making it in usually don't.  For example, I had two very similar pictures, between which I had a definite preference.  This one photo site said no to the one I loved but yes to the other.
Yet again, another photo website has accepted photos that the other would not (both a a screening process).
Different people see potential in different things.
For example, I can see some areas for potential in my own life from time to time, while my mom is able to point out different areas of potential that I hadn't even thought about before.
Having others give input to where we can grow can be painful because it means that they don't see us as being perfect.  But, as we all know, none of us are perfect.
Take input with a grain of salt, keep looking, keeping asking for advice, and keep yourself in line with God's will.  You never know when something that has been rejected in one area may be accepted in another (like my photos).  All it takes is different perspectives.
This is why I believe that having a church community is important.  We will not all see God working in the same way in the same place.  It does take testimonies and another set of eyes to see God at work sometimes.

Reflections on the Bible: Human Word and Word of God

The title of this post is the title of the book by Dietrich Bonhoeffer I just finished reading (my copy was only 112 pages).
While it is a short book, it is packed with advice on how we should read the Bible and where theology is useful in the church.  Bonhoeffer encourages reading the Bible little by little, taking time to really dig into certain passages.  One thing that he pointed out is that we have gotten to the point where we are reading the Bible for us and not as being against us (which is not necessarily a good thing).  We need to be willing to ask questions, admit that we don't know everything, and seek God's help in understanding His word.
I was talking with a friend in church the other day who mentioned that it is tough to have friends who are always questioning some of the core beliefs of Christianity.  I have found, however, that it is much more unfruitful when friends stop questioning what Christianity and the Bible present and take up a passive attitude.  Through questioning comes growth, both for the person exploring Christianity and the person who considers themselves to be in a close relationship with God.
I would encourage you to pick up a copy of this book if you can find it.  It is a quick read but has tons of great quotes and interesting thoughts.

Planning

As I entered college, I had my path set.  I would complete my two bachelor degrees and get a minor in leadership.  I would then go on to do a two year program which would give me my masters degree in Oxford (then hopefully pursue a doctorate).
That perfect plan was messed up.
I am still working towards getting two bachelor degrees (Theology and Speech Communications), but dropped the leadership minor in order to pursue Honors.  Partway through my freshman year, the opportunity came up that I could possibly go to Oxford on a study abroad later in undergrad years.  I got excited about this opportunity and was full force ahead in pursuing it thinking it would give me a great chance to see whether or not I would really want to do a masters in Oxford.
Then came a little e-mail.  The e-mail, sent to all Theology students, recommended taking Greek in our undergrad years.  After discussing the idea along with further life goals with a wide variety of people, I decided that I would take Greek (starting in the fall)(at the cost of giving up the possibility of study abroad in Oxford (during undergrad)), and should start looking more into several seminaries that offer a masters in Divinity (which would get me further than a master in Theology which Oxford offered).
It took me several days to come up with the solid decision.  After having it solidified (or so I currently think), I felt a sense of relief.  Yes, my life was no longer sticking to what I thought was a great plan but had switched into an equally intriguing one.
That brings my to tonight.  Fiddling around on my computer, I took another glance at the organization which runs the two year program in Oxford.  I didn't find the two year program.
God knows what is in the future for me.  Sometimes plans take an unexpected turn, but then again, that unexpected turn can lead us away from dead ends and towards a path that God has intended for our lives.

Simplicity

Today at the day camp I am volunteering at, they did a brief skit to illustrate what Jesus did for us.
They started out by having somebody stand by a throne where there was a crown symbolizing a perfect relationship with God.  Slowly, as narration told the story, the person took the crown off the throne and carried it off, soon to crown themselves as king.  By the time the place the crown on their own head, they are across the room from where the throne remains and finally realize what they had done.
'Jesus' then comes into the room bearing a cross and positions himself as if he were hanging from it.  Then, after symbolizing that he had died and rose from the dead, he embraced the person who had taken the crown away from the throne (the person then gives back the crown and enjoys being in relationship with God again).
Sometimes, it is the simple illustration that we need to remember the importance of what Jesus did for us.  You can always come up with complex terms and focus on one of many aspects of the story, but until we are able to embrace the importance of it as a whole, how we live our lives will be dramatically different.

The other side of the fence

I found myself talking to incoming freshmen tonight.  One year ago, I was the incoming freshman.  It is surprising how quickly we shift from one side of the fence to the other.  We take a few turns back as we surge forward and are shocked by how much has past.
Throughout my life, I have had many conversations with adults when I would just listen to their life experiences in hopes that mine would gain something from knowing what theirs was like.
Recently, as I continue to look for adults to speak wisdom into my life, I have turned and realized that there are children who are able to also teach me about what life is like (most of the time they are unaware that they are teaching me about life).
Adults, children, Bible characters, Christians throughout history, and even people who are/were non-Christians or even against Christianity, have something to teach all of us about life.
We need to remember to not only look forward for advice, but also take into consideration the stories and advice of those who may be younger, may have different beliefs, etc..
When have you found wisdom by looking over fences?

God in the Dock and Burnt (Part 2)

After writing the post last night, I decided to read a few more essays out of C.S. Lewis' God in the Dock.  One of the essays I read is entitled Man or Rabbit?  Lewis focuses the essay around answering the question, 'Can't you lead a good life without believing in Christianity?'.  I won't delve into his answers here, but if you can get a hold of the book, read it along with the other essays (I have been surprised at how the questions he asks are the exact same ones my friends have asked me (though he does a much better job answering)).
Towards the end of that essay, Lewis had a quote which I found to be extremely relevant to last nights post:
"Morality is indispensable: but the Divine Life, which gives itself to us and which calls us to be gods, intends for us something in which morality will be swallowed up.  We are to be re-made.  All the rabbit in us is to disappear - the worried, conscientious, ethical rabbit as well as the cowardly and sensual rabbit.  We shall bleed and squeal as the handfuls of fur come out; and then, surprisingly, we shall find underneath it all a thing we have never yet imagined: a real Man, an ageless god, a son of God, strong, radiant, wise, beautiful, and drenched in joy."
See how that ties in with the post about being burnt?

Side-note:
This blog has turned into an outlet for me to describe my ideas when it comes to faith.  Not all of these ideas have been thoroughly thought out.  That is where I would love for you to comment about whether you agree, disagree, or any other thoughts you have on what I have posted.
When I can, I will tie in some of my photos.

Burnt

Today I attended a Scottish Highland Games because my brother happens to play the bagpipes (I still have the sound of bagpipes ringing in my ears).  It was a warm day, but not supposed to be a hot one (meaning it was around 75˚).  I spent the entire day in the sun and now I can safely say that I look like a pale lobster.  My mother offered me sunscreen several times during the day.  At first, I claimed that I didn't need the sunscreen because it wasn't hot out.  Towards the end of our time there, I switched and started using the excuse that putting sunscreen on would do little good (I had made it that long, I could make it a bit longer).  I hope that I have learned my lesson and will remember in the future that it is never too late to put sunscreen on.
I didn't think I needed the help and protection of sunscreen today.  How many days do I deny God's help too?  How often do I push forward towards reaching my goals thinking that I am near the end and have made it this far on my own (from what I can perceive)?
I think there are many suns in our lives that we perceive.  Some of which we see, ignore God, and get burnt.  People may claim that they have sought God's help when they see suns and are terrified of being burnt, but God didn't provide them protection from that sun.  Sometime, I believe, in order to help us become more intimate with God, we need to have the outer layers burnt away.
It is like that scene in C.S. Lewis' The Dawn Treader.  Eustace gets turned into a dragon by his own greed.  Eustace soon wishes that he were once again a boy instead of a dragon.  It takes Aslan (God) to come and scrape the scales off for Eustace to be a boy again.  Did it hurt like having our skin burnt?
Absolutely, but through that experience, Eustace grew closer to Aslan and he, as a boy, was reformed (read the book to see exactly how).
We can go to God to prevent being burnt from a variety of suns that we see as dangerous.  While I believe He will protect us from some, He may not protect us from all.  If God's will is to let us be burnt by the sun, He has a particular plan in mind and is peeling the outer layers off of us to reform us and draw us closer to Him.

(Please do remember to always wear sunscreen though on naturally sunny days)

God in the Dock (Part 1)

I picked up the next book in my seemingly overly tall pile of books from the local library.  I have a method of taking notes when I am reading where I read the book and type my favorite quotes into my iPhone.  I haven't even read two full pages in the book God in the Dock (by C.S. Lewis) and I already bothered to type in two quotes to my phone!  You can rightly presume that I am already loving the book.

In 1941, Lewis responded to an article in which he addressed the growing concern of what was happening in the world.  He reflects briefly back the the Victorian era which he called the happiest era. Now, with Britain well into World War II, Lewis seems to sense that there is a growing longing to return to what is normal for the world.  Lewis however, takes a brief look back through history and points out that being on the brink of destruction is indeed normal.  He ends his thought with the quote, "The present state of the world is normal; it was the last century that was the abnormality."

Would you say that we are currently in a state of what Lewis would call normal?

I think I would.

What are we expecting?

Tonight I finished reading the book "Has Christianity Failed You?" by Ravi Zacharias.  I originally picked it up off of the library shelf thinking I could pick up some arguments that I could use in debates with my friends who view Christianity critically.  The book did give me ideas to spark deeper conversation with my friends about how the nature of Christianity and also surprised me by challenging  me to consider why I am a Christian and what that means.

My major takeaway from the book is that before making the claim '_______ has failed me', I need to understand what the ____________ is and encompasses.  (I used _______ instead of the word Christianity because I believe this formula could be used for many religions/companies/ideas/etc.)

Sometimes, I think we miss seeing the big picture.  In the animated movie 'Meet the Robinsons' Lewis, an intelligent boy who was left at an orphanage as a baby, creates a machine that would allow him to look back in his past at the night his mother dropped him off on the doorstep.  He completes the machine just in time for his school science fair.  At the school science fair, however, he plummets into despair when his machine fails to work.  It is not until much later in the story (spoiler alert) that Lewis finds out that the evil hat had interfered and kept his machine from working properly.  The machine, does in fact work just as Lewis had planned it to, he just failed to see the big picture at the time.  The big picture, in the movie, also involved realizing it wasn't crucial for his life to understand who his biological family was (thus opening him up to love those around him rather than seeking something less crucial).

Lewis hopes and dreams failed as he originally planned them.  Yet, through the failure of those plans, he was exposed to the bigger plan for his life.

I don't believe that God ever fails and leaves us completely abandoned.  When prayers go unanswered, when the spiritual fire within isn't roaring up, when God doesn't seem to be active in the everyday life, it can feel like God has failed.  In the big picture, however, we need to realize who He is and that by His nature, He will listen to every prayer but not answer all with a resounding 'yes'.  It is only when God has disconnected us from our beliefs about what Christianity can give us that we can embrace God's bigger picture on what being a Christian is, loving God and loving others.  It is not about being prosperous, though sometimes God blesses us with prosperity.  It's not about getting a better place in heaven, but continuing to love God and through loving Him, love others.

Has Christianity or God failed you?  Or are we holding false presumptions about what Christianity is and who God is while failing to continue to pursue finding more about who and what this is all about?

Judging Yourself?

Recently in a small group, somebody mentioned how they felt like they need to keep doing good things to even out the bad things they had done, especially before becoming serious about the faith.  Somebody else in the group pointed out that by judging themselves, they were putting themselves above God.  If God is our judge then who are we to say that we have or have not done enough to achieve salvation?  

I believe that we need to judge ourselves at the beginning to realize that we are sinful and in need in Jesus for salvation.  After that, however, who are we to say we have done enough?  Is that not promoting self-righteousness? 

Don't get me wrong, I strongly believe that we are called to do good works, but those good works spring out of the source of love that God has given us to share with others.  They are not meant to be a measuring device with which we judge or promote ourselves.

"Why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God's judgement seat."-Romans 14:10