Homework is boring

Have you every felt like "doing devotions" is more like homework that anything else? 
Yeah me too. 
For most of my life. 
Really until about 3 months ago my "daily devotions" felt mostly like something I had to do because I love Jesus. More like a chore than anything else. While spending time with God should be more like a date with my wife- just spending time with her, it tended to be more like unloading the dishwasher - which I do because I love her... but it's boring... and I don't really like it.

Here's the problem: spiritual development tends to get relegated to a one size fits all remedy for any spiritual trouble. We have a tendency to reduce our time with God to a script that stifles individuality and creativity. As a result many believers find themselves doing homework in order to earn a celestial grade instead of connecting with their creator in a beautiful, relational way. 

The reality of the relationship God seeks with us is that, as any relationship, it is individual and unique. There are basic actions and emotions that define every human relationship. Any two marriages will have varying levels of overlap in the way the man and woman interact. Conversely, any two marriages will have distinct differences that simply will not work if applied directly to another relationship. Unique individuals interact with each other in unique ways. This is true of marriage and it is true of following Christ. Each individual - though there are levels of overlap and foundational actions and emotions - connects with God in unique and personal ways. Rather than being an assembly line of uniformly made creatures we exist as a mosaic in which each distinct line and color adds beauty and interest to the whole. In Sacred Pathways, Gary Thomas identifies 9 distinct ways in which humans connect with God (Thomas, 2015). I don't want to recount the book to you. You should just buy or borrow it. What I do want to do is move you. 

I want you to get excited about the fact that God has made you as a unique individual and wants to connect with you as a unique individual. Then I want you to take that excitement and channel it into action. Do something about it. Figure out how God has uniquely made you to connect with him. Take a walk in the woods, hang out with a homeless person, read a theology book full of big words, attend a liturgical service somewhere, get really quiet and meditate on God's goodness. Try it. Figure it out. 
Read the book about it. Then, whatever way God has made you to connect with him, do that. And if it doesn't look like someone else's "daily devotions" who cares?! You shouldn't. As long as you have found a way to spend time with God every day so that you get to know him better, cool. Do that.

God is not a cosmic principle here to make sure you perform well in class. God is a Father-Savior-Comforter-Counselor-Friend who wants you to know him and spend time with him. 

In a Hurry

Modern, westernized people exist in a distinctly hurried culture. Driven by accomplishment and excellence, many spend their lives moving from one meeting, project, or commitment to the other with little thought for the things that do not seem urgent. Everything from school deadlines to time critical work assignments to sales that “end tonight” and “can not be missed” drive us to overlook and undervalue things that do not require attention or provide immediate value. In his book Addicted to Hurry, Kirk Byron Jones argues that this dependance on speed and achievement is more than just a cause of stress and anxiety in our culture. It is a spiritual problem. Jones compares it to idolatry in which something other than God gets our first fruits of time, attention, and energy. He goes on to say “Idolatry, no matter how innocent and unintended, leads to unnecessary losses and sacrifice (Jones, 2003).” This “addiction to hurry” is causing tension in every area of modern life. 

There are a lot of reasons we're driven to continual motion. Success has been equated with accomplishment. Personal value and identity has been equated with success. The ability to be happy and find fulfillment inevitably comes from knowing ones identity and believing in ones own value, therefore we hurry to accomplish and succeed for the sake of identity and value. Perhaps the most prevalent issue driving people to hurry is simply other people. Jim Rohn, author and motivational speaker, once said that a human being is the average of the five people with whom he or she spends the most time (Groth, 2012). According to scripture, people are created as relational beings in the image of a relational God. Humanity needs others for health and identity development. A culture that has grown to center on success by numbers, is a culture that shapes people into its image. If the five closest friends of any given person are those who reflect the culture then the person will do the same. We are driven to hurry by the culture we live in, through the people around us. Many millennials grew up in homes that strove for an idilic picture of success. Achievement has long been associated with more speaking engagements, more projects, more meetings, and more authority. Escaping from a culture of hurry, even for followers of Jesus who feel the dissonance between hurried culture and a God who speaks in the small and still voice, is a difficult and, often, painful process. It requires a community shift in which people, who inevitably shape each other, choose to embrace different values.  

The core premise of the Gospel is that God values people enough to sacrifice himself for them even though people have no value to add to him, no positive accomplishment, and, in fact, stand with red in the ledger because nothing they could accomplish would pay the balance of sin. To accept the Gospel of Jesus as true means to embrace a new set of values that stand counter to the never resting drive of culture. The tension comes in that many followers of Jesus have allowed his truth to transform their “do nots” but have not surrendered their “dos.” In other words, while much has changed in our lives in terms of big visible sin, we have not even considered that Jesus might want to change even the things we do that many consider to be good and healthy. The foundation to a life not enslaved by hurry is a life fully surrendered to Christ. Jones says that “Cultivating new understandings about things such as work, rest, and even your views on what God desires of you is key to breaking hurry addiction (Jones, 2003).” A life that holds nothing back from Christ will resist the urge to be defined by anything, good or bad, that is not from Christ. Living fully surrendered means refusing to allow anything to define our value and identity outside of the cross of Christ. Our worth comes from the value assigned to us on the cross. We do not need to accomplish anything or to succeed at anything to feel valuable. It is because God has decided our value that we can strive for accomplishment without fear of becoming a failure. Even if we fail our value will not be diminished. The identity we receive from Christ is what drives us to accomplish things that He has made us to accomplish. Therefore, unending accomplishment and constant motion will not have a foothold on a surrendered Christian’s identity if that Christian is willing to center every decision in prayer and listening. 

From the initial place of surrender to the new identity given by Christ, believers must then choose to embrace a different set of values. We must orient our lives around the things that fuel us, not the things that burn the fuel. If our identity and value comes from Christ, he must be given the first place in time and energy. Family and close relationships are responsibilities and blessings that must come second in priority. From there we must choose things that give us life and energy. If we are to have the energy and focus to accomplish the things God has purposed for us to accomplish we must take time to rest and energize in the essentials of life. 

      So the question for each of us is simple: what fuels you and how will you refuel every day? How will you connect with Christ to remind yourself of your intimate value? How will you surround yourself with people who shape you in his image? The idea of taking a new set of values is novel and interesting, but until we make a plan and put it into action it will just be an idea. 

Groth, A. (2012, July 24). You're The Average Of The Five People You Spend The Most Time With. Retrieved June 09, 2017, from http://www.businessinsider.com/jim-rohn-youre-the-average-of-the-five-people-you-spend-the-most-time-with-2012-7

Jones, K. B. (2003). Addicted to hurry: spiritual strategies for slowing down. Valley Forge, PA: Judson Press.

A Few Easy Ways to Choose Gratitude

Tis the season of gratitude... or at least the season with "thanks" in the title.
I usually find myself getting more annoyed and finding more things to complain about when we all get together to say thanks. It's like we as a culture say "here are all of the things you have to do to have a good holiday season! Don't screw it up or we'll all notice and stare. Oh! And try to relax and be happy!"

Yesterday I heard a powerful message about joy in the lives of followers of Jesus. Maybe the greatest example of Christ we can be this week is with genuine thanks and a grateful attitude. Here are a few ways to focus on gratitude this week.

1. Focus on what you have: It is obnoxiously easy to get obsessed with what I want or think I need. The reality is that if we are sitting inside eating turkey this Thursday we have it better than so many people suffering across the world and in our own cities. This week, every day, focus on what you have. Be thankful you have a job, even if it's no fun at all. Be thankful for your family, even if you don't get along very well. Be thankful for your home, even if it feels too small. Be thankful for your food, even if it's not your favorite. Fill your perspective with what you have, not what you lack.
2. Don't Complain: Just don't. Complaining is the worst way to fix a problem. Also, sarcasm is just a more fun way of complaining. Sarcastic posts on the internet are the same thing except it's harder to tell if you're kidding or just being mean.
Instead of "mom, why isn't there any pie?!" try this: "Mom, I know you're busy this week. How can I help you? Maybe we could make a pie together?" Instead of posting something political, even if it's witty and hilarious, try posting something encouraging, even if it encourages someone you don't really like.
Think of it like this. Choosing a bad attitude is like volunteering to swim in a pool of sadness. Complaining is like pushing someone else in and holding them under. Drastic analogy? Yes. But pretty accurate.
3. Choose to be Grateful: We usually cannot choose the way we feel. We can always choose the way we act. Your feelings, circumstances, or struggles are not your identity. Don't let them control you. In a world that is blown around by feelings like a kite in a hurricane, be different. Let your hope in Jesus decide your actions.

As I write this post I realize even more clearly that I need to do all this stuff as much, if not more, than anyone else.
I hope we can all choose gratitude, not just during the "thanks" time of the year. 

3 Things for Followers of Jesus to do Post Election

For the last year social media has been a violent place. Yesterday it got worse. For those of us in the USA who follow Jesus, we have the opportunity to stand for unity, hope, and love in an atmosphere looking for as reason to fight. Here are 3 simple things to do to show the love of Jesus in a hurricane of opinions.

1. Pray.
Pray for our neighbors, no matter who they voted for. Pray for our president, no matter who we voted for. Pray for our nation, no matter how we feel about it right now. Some feel that a victory has been won. Some feel that an enormous battle has been lost. The answer in both circumstances is to humbly pray. It's easy to pray what we want and do very little listening in times like these. Let us pray for God's will, let us repent of our own pride, and let us align ourselves with the heart of God by seeking him above all.

2. Be Positive.
I never thought I would say that I miss the "I can hazzz cookiezz" cat or the "share this or have bad luck for 13 generations" pictures, but I do. Christians have hope. In us breathes the Spirit of the living God. There is a time for mourning, yes. But through everything we should have joy in the Lord, hope in our Savior, and the ability to laugh. Think before you post. Then think again. Then have your wife or husband read it first. Then think again. Then maybe delete it and share a picture of your dog. Let's be the ones who quit cursing the other side for winning or bragging at the other side for losing. Let's bring hope.

3. Serve.
Here's the most controversial thing I will say: no matter how good or bad you feel a policy is, it is not the spiritual responsibility of a government to care for the poor, the outcast, the disenfranchised, the minority, the sick, or the oppressed. It is the spiritual responsibility of followers of Jesus to do this. No matter who you voted for we can see clearly that there are many people in our world who need hope and help. No government ever will fix that. Following Jesus means taking that responsibility on ourselves.

Lastly, In an effort to do my part
Here's a picture of our cat:


And if you don't comment or share this post you'll more than likely spill your coffee today.... or something....

The First Lie Ever

The first lie we were ever told was this:

who you are created to be isn't good enough.

That is the lie the reverberates throughout humanity.

It pushes us to greed, lust, envy, rage, violence, self-harm, identity crisis, divorce, hate, and all kinds of evil. We do anything in our power to become something better and if we can't achieve it we drown the feelings of inadequacy in whatever form of solace we can find - drink, drug, person, or career.

That is the lie that keeps us from accepting grace. It dresses up for different occasions. "You're not good enough to be loved." "You're too strong to ask for help." "Never admit weakness." "Do anything they ask to get their approval."

But the lie is always the same. "who you're created to be isn't good enough."

Satan, always crafty, told Adam and Eve (yeah Adam was there too, being a non-committal, buck-passing bum like so many of his progeny... myself included. Nothing like he was created to be.) "For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil (Genesis 3:5)." You don't need to settle for who God made you to be. You could be better. You could be just like him. 

Here's my challenge to you today: Don't believe the lie. 

God created you in his image. The true story of your life is that you have been made as a portrait of God, by God. Sin has gotten in the way. It has lied to you, told you things and told other people things that have hurt you. It has confused your identity. But God made you in his image, and He passionately desires to redeem you. He died for it. He rose again for it. 

God never lets bad things stay bad. 

No matter how many lies you have believed or how many mistakes you have made God can redeem you into the person He created you to be. He sent his Holy Spirit - the third person of the trinity - like a loving mother, to comfort you and guide you, to transform you. 

Don't believe the lies. Proclaim the true story over yourself. 

Who you were made to be is much better than good enough. It is a self-portrait of God being remade by the Holy Spirit in you. 

A Different Story: do not fear the struggle

Over the past few weeks the phrase "blessed are those who mourn" has taken on new life in my mind. Not because I have personally faced any sort of tragedy, but because of the incredible tragedy that has repeatedly besieged our nation and our world.

Fear is the antagonist in a story of despair and hate that repeats its morbidly captivating climax over again until we cannot look any more. Then, in fear, we hide our eyes. We sit in our churches, shop in our malls, watch our romantic comedies, and get out of town for the weekend to convince ourselves that it's really not that bad. We gather together on Sunday to proclaim the hope of Jesus, all while pretending not to notice the very reason we need the hope.

In some cases we.... I ....post sympathetic and pseudo-compassionate updates on social media to appease our conscience. We #prayfororlando and #kalamazoostrong or even #blacklivesmatter for the sake of solidarity. Then we go back to our own lives, continuing to deny the intrinsic connection between "us" and "them."

All because, at the core of every bit of hate, bigotry, racism, injustice, denial, blame-game, and false-compassion is fear.

Fear.

Fear of the "other."
Fear of being wrong.
Fear of being uncomfortable.
Fear of what might happen.
Fear of being part of the problem.
Fear of the long, painful, and intense process of reconciliation.

The author Cheryl Strayed, in her book Wild, wrote that "fear is a set of stories we believe. So I told myself a different story."

Fear wins because we are telling no other story. Fear is the story of the worst case scenario. Fear is the story of everything going wrong. Fear is the story of falling out of the tree that keeps us from climbing any higher. Fear is the story of being rejected that keeps us from striking up a conversation.

But there is another story.

1 John 4:18 introduces a new paradigm. "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love." 

Those who follow Jesus are the prophetic voices proclaiming a story that is more real than any fear, but lies just behind the headlines. It is a story written in the mourning families prayers of peace, in the reconciled lives of dirty cops and wrongly accused criminals, and in the painfully awkward conversations that bridge the gap between "us" and "them."  (http://www.cbsnews.com/news/on-the-road-innocent-michigan-man-ends-up-working-alongside-crooked-cop-that-locked-him/)

It is the story that proclaims black lives do matter. They matter because all lives matter and they matter very much right now because of the odds stacked against them. It is the story of of police lives that matter because they defend and protect and serve and do not deserve to be maligned because of a few who chose evil. 

It is the story of believers serving those in need even if they cannot condone their life style and mourning deeply at the loss of life, even when they believe the life is being lived in sin. Because they value all life. They love everyone, without the need to agree with them. 

It is the story of the love of God that is already victorious. The love that is extended to dirty cop, criminal, white-middle class-male pastor, gay couple, black 20-something, and "normal" family in the suburbs. It is the love that offers forgiveness and reconciliation to even the most violent offender. It is the love that looked down from the cross on his murderers to ask for their forgiveness, before they had even finished killing him. 

And it is the love that writes our story. Followers of Jesus do not live in the story of fear. They live in the story of redemption and hope. 

We are not afraid of being part of the problem. I know I am part of the problem, but Jesus is the solution. I am being emptied of myself so that the Holy Spirit can transform me and use me to write the story of perfect love. 

We are not afraid of those who are different than us, because we know the unconditional love of God that is offered to everyone 

We are not afraid of the process of reconciliation because we know that the end of the story is so grand and so beautiful that any amount of tension and pain is nothing in the light of Jesus and what he is bringing. 

We do not fear the struggle. We do not fear the pain. We do not let fear make our decisions for us. We do not let fear define us. We will not let fear write the story.

We tell a different story. The story of hope. 

The story of life.

The story of Jesus. 

What story is your life telling? 

More importantly, what story are those around you reading when they look at you? 

For the Sake of Freedom

It seems like there are two ways most of us - myself included - apply the Christian life. 

Option A: don't sin and then someday you'll die and get a crown. 

Option B: believe in Jesus, but still find security in success, money, government, and/or reputation. 

The problem with one of those options is that if dying is the goal then living seems.... superfluous. The problem with the second is that Jesus then becomes a club and a set of morals that is really secondary in the scheme of things. In both options the real goal is to not go to hell. 

Unfortunately for us, success is subjective and temporary, and hell in the future is not a terrible threat to those desperate for hope in the present. In other words, if you're not a believer in Jesus then neither of those options offer real hope. One is the same as the life you've got now and the other is... just ... sad. 

Fortunately for us Paul, in Galatians 5:1, gives a compelling reason for following Jesus. He says this: "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free."

Freedom, in the truest sense, is not the ability to do whatever we want. Freedom is the ability to become who we are created to be. Paul's terminology implies that freedom is some sort of separate entity that can be experienced and enjoyed. God has freed you from sin for freedom's sake. Because freedom is what you were created for. 

Not freedom in the sense of being able to do anything without repercussion, but freedom in the sense of being able to become your true self. Understanding this mission of Jesus enlivens the application of his teachings. For instance:

He did not teach against materialism because he doesn't want you to have things. He taught against it because he doesn't want your joy to be based on what you have or don't have. He wants you free.  

He teaches forgiveness because forgiveness is a life free of bitterness. 

He teaches peacemaking because it is freedom from conflict. 

He teaches justice because it is freedom for all. 

He teaches to care for the poor because freedom is definitely for those who do not have it, and it is even for those who might not deserve it. 

It's tempting to think that freedom is life with no rules. The early followers of Jesus in the city of Corinth faced the same temptation.  In 1 Corinthians 10:23 Paul told them "'I have the right to do anything,' you say--but not everything is beneficial. 'I have the right to do anything'--but not everything is constructive." Another way to say it would be "just because you can do it does not mean it's not stupid." When Jesus offers freedom he is basically saying "I designed life. I know how it works best. If you want to make the most of it you'll want to do these things." 

Jesus offers a genuinely better life. Not just an eternal life, a better life. Shane Claiborne says that some people are "so heavenly minded they are no earthly good." The life that Christ has for you is not easy - you were not created for ease - but it is certainly better. He offers a better marriage, better finances, better jobs, better adventures, better purpose. He offers those things by redefining them all together. He says that good finances aren't defined in abundance but in generosity. He says that a good marriage isn't in always getting along; it's in sacrificial love. Adventure isn't an escape; it's an experience you were made to have. Purpose isn't what happens when you retire or die; it's what you live for every day. 

The Christian life stands out as a life of freedom in a world that is enslaved to appeasement. It stands out as a life of joy in a world that is constantly searching for it. It stands out as a life of contentedness in a world that is always one big break away from happiness. The Christian life stands out. It doesn't stand against and it doesn't stand in for anything. It stands out. 

That's freedom. That's why Christ has set you free.