The Truth Just Sounds Different

Day 2 Readings: Genesis 6–10; Job 7–12; Matthew 4–6

My favorite movie is "Almost Famous" drected by Cameron Crowe and stars Kate Hudson, Patrick Fugit, Billy Crudup, Jason Lee and Philip Seymour Hoffman.  It takes place in 1973 when the Rock 'n' Roll explosion was on the edge of dying out.  By 1976 the world was bored with Rock and Disco was king.  William Miller (Fugit) is a 15 year old talented aspiring rock journalist.  He is backstage writing for Rolling Stone magazine covering a Stillwater concert.  Penny Lane (Hudson) meets Miller and asks his age.  He says he's 21 years old. She feigns enthusiasm and sarcastically says, "really? so am I."  Miller understands and after several lies about his age he finally tells her the truth that he is 15 years old.  In her roadie/groupie wisdom Lane says, "you see, the truth just sounds different, doesn't it?"

I think that's true. Truth resonates in the honest soul. We can hide from it, deny it, disagree with it, fight it and we can twist it to meet our sense of how we want things to be, but truth will always shine brightly and drive away darkness, ignorance, arrogance and perversity.  A little birthday candle drives away darkness. Imagine what divine light does to spiritual darkness.  John 1:5 "The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."

God looked at the good creation that he made and saw wickedness and corruption everywhere all the time.  He found that His human creature was evil from youth (Gen. 8:21).  And God decided to wipe the slate clean and start over with a small portion (a remnant) that "walked blameless."  Noah, like many icons in Israel's ancient history "did everything the Lord commanded him" and built an ark of acacia wood to keep his family and two of every animal above the flood of chaotic primordial waters allowed to wash over the safe place God had created.  God opened the "floodgates of the skies" and flooded the whole earth.  This means God let the chaos overtake everyone except those protected in the ark.

This speaks beautifully to the deeper truth.  Humanity's evil inclinations had reduced God's good creation to social chaos filled with brutality, lustful rape, wantonness, human sacrifice, war and thievery...the whole gamut of human wickedness.  This was not a safe place anymore.  Human life spans plummeted according to the curse of sinful consequence from near 1000 years to a little over 200 years, one fifth of the life given to Adam and his children.  And the curse continues to diminish life until we now live to around 75 or 80 years on the average in wealth, 35-45 in poverty.  Our "bondage to decay" (Rom. 8:21) is clear to see with anyone given eyes to see.  And yet, God preserves a remnant for Himself.  He calls a people into a safe place amidst the chaos.  Just as Noah and his family were saved in the ark from the chaotic primordial flood waters, the people of faith are preserved by a covenant keeping community, Israel who carried the ark of the covenant with the Ten Commandments within, a priesthood to teach them, and the faithfulness of God to provide for them.

And this God revealed in this old story is one who is moved by the prayers and offerings of His people.  Noah sacrifices some of the animals in thanksgiving after the flood.  God is moved to promise never again to destroy the earth and its inhabitants by water.  He promises to humanity and all animals to give sunrise and sunset and all the seasons with their produce.  While all creation was in utter waste, God restores and promises stability.  Can God be trusted when storms and quakes cause the earth to move and damage what stands?

Job continues his argument with God and his friends. He feels unjustly wronged by the events that have crushed him.  His friends point out that while Job was a righteous man, his children were not with their frequent partying.  They suggest that perhaps they deserved the calamity and Job's case against God has brought upon him sores and boils and shame.  If he simply repent of his shameful attitude, he will be restored.  Job will not be refused.  he will not listen to these easy answers.  They do not sound like truth to him, not really deep truth that makes sense of the senseless and utter suffering he is facing and the loss of all his children and flocks and herds.  Job considers his friends' counsel as worthless. They "coat the truth with lies" (Job 13:4).  Job is certain that his righteous life is his honor and protection before God.  Yet God has not protected him.  Job feels violated and cast aside. Apparently God has decided to single him out and for not good reason that Job can see.  He feels right in his complaint.  That feels like truth: "I do not deserve this and my God has treated me unjustly."

Jesus is baptised in the Jordon River and the Spirit drives Him into the wilderness for 40 days and 40 nights, the same amount of time the rains fell during the great flood.  Just as Noah and his family are given a chance for a fresh new beginning, Jesus goes into a time of preparation to face the adversary Satan.  He emerged victoriously having denied Satan's power with the great power of God's truth.  Jesus understood that life comes not simply from bread, but from divine truth, every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.

Jesus as the lawgiver of the new covenant, the new safe place amidst social chaos, ascends the mount and gives His wisdom by which a follower of Jesus will live.  He sets the moral boundaries in the same way His Father sets the bounds that held back the primordial chaotic waters above the firmament (sky) and below the depths of the earth.  Just as God has placed a code of truth in the human heart so that men like Noah without a written law could walk blameless, Jesus gives a code that outshines words chiseled in stone.  For as Paul wrote, "the letter kills, but the Spirit give life." (2 Cor. 3:6)

"How happy are those who are poor for the kingdom of God belongs to them."
"Do not judge others unless you want to be judged."
"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."
"Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you."
If someone strikes you on the cheek, turn the other to them as well."
"If someone steals your cloak, give them your tunic as well."
"Give without expecting anything in return."
"Be perfect, therefore as you father in heaven is perfect."

There is much teaching and moral guidance in this the sermon on the mount.  John Wesley felt that true Christianity was found in Matthew 5-7 and 1 Corinthians 13.  If a man would practice this kind of risk-taking love, sacrificial love, the world would know the love of God.

When the world hears these worlds, they seem like foolishness.  Lamech believed in retribution 77 times over (Gen. 4:24).  Even the law of Moses says, "eye for an eye."  But this new covenant calls for disciples of Jesus who practice love, forbearance and willing suffering for the sake of peace.  This is radical discipleship.  This is the truth of Christ.  The greatest power is love and love does not harm, does only good and seeks to bring glory to the name of God who is love.

God is love. The truth...it just sounds different.

Creation, Correction, Destruction, Salvation

Today's readings were Genesis 1-5; Job 1-6 and Matthew 1-3.

I was immediately struck by how I saw connections between one book and another.  Genesis 1-5 deals with the creation of the universe, God special relationship with with humanity in Eden, the fall of humanity from paradise, the first murder and the proliferation of violence and wickedness up to the birth of Noah.

Job deals with a righteous man who is faithful to God's order and full of integrity. Satan tries to prove to God that Job will curse God if divine protection is removed and the devil has his way with Job.  He loses his sons and daughters all his flocks and herds in terrible tragedy all in a moment. Job is devastated.  Three of his friends come to comfort him in his terrible grief.  Job wants to die. Indeed he wished he were never born and curses his birthday because his life lead to such great misery.  His friends try to console a man in utter humiliation and the victim of great injustice.  Their words fall flat. 

And in Matthew we hear of the birth of Messiah Jesus, how kings wanted to kill Him and magi wanted to worship Him and how Jesus' very name means "salvation" for he will save the people from their sin.  Jesus begins his ministry through baptism, the Spirit of God descends on Him like a gentle dove and God the Father affirms, "This is my beloved Son in whom I take delight!"

I began with creation where God established a safe place for the created world to exist amidst chaos.  God separated the waters to created land. This occurs by God speaking His will, "Let there be..."    God separated light from dark, earth from primordial chaotic waters and God willed life from barren wastes by the order He establishes.  And God creates humanity to rule in His order over the animals and enjoy the fruit of trees. 

In chapter two I read of Adam and Eve meant to live in freedom in the midst of a garden paradise where God walked with them and spoke with them.  There was only one boundary: "Do not eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil."  But Eve listened to the lies of the serpent and Adam listened to His wife.  They both failed to heed God's will, God's order in this safe place amidst the chaos.  The Holy One corrected their error by removing his rebellious children from the garden.  They lost the privilege to be with God in such a carefree innocence. Instead, because they did not heed God's will but listened to the serpent's temptation to be "like gods," they entered mortal life with no opportunity to eat from the tree of Life and live forever.  They would toil under the sun with a cursed soil because of their sin.  Even the land is cursed, the very dust from which they were formed they are now alienated from it. 
Out of this fallen condition Cain their firstborn kills Abel their second son.  Cain murders Abel out of jealousy and rage, but God protect Cain with a mark and a sevenfold consequence for anyone who might kill Cain. Lamech, a descent of Cain ups the ante.  He says anyone who kills Lamech with pay 77 times.  Where God gives protective garments and signs to His wayward children, humanity is growing more arrogant and brutal. Vengeance becomes to tool of the "rulers" of the earth.  I doubt God meant for humans to "rule the earth" in this way when He blessed us with this duty.

Job was one who "fears God and turns away from evil."  Job's fear is one that keeps him in proper relationship with God. job understands himself as creature.  He does not aspire to be "like god" as Adam did. Instead when he is in deep anguish over the evil attack on his family and possessions, he tells his wife, "Should we accept only good from God and not adversity? (Job 2:10)"  In this world, this good creation now fallen from its original freedom, Jesus taught we will have trouble, but to take heart for He has overcome the world (John 16:33).  Job shows that even the righteous suffer in this cursed land because of human sin and the destructive work of the adversary, Satan.  This book deals honestly with human grief and suffering and tries to give voice to those on who tragedy befalls.  There is some healing in these words, to hear my own grief, my own response to suffering in life, in Job's lament.  And I feel justified in my grief when Job refuses to accept easy answers from his religious friends.

Job is in pain, but still there is hope that God will deliver him from unbearable pain through death.  He does not take his own life, but asks God to take his life.  He wishes aloud that he had never been born.  But Job does not know that God has yet a deliverer, one of who we can join the apostle Paul in saying, "I consider the sufferings of this life to be nothing compared to the glory about to be revealed (Rom 8:18)."

For through Joseph, descendant of the former King David and described as "a righteous man" (Mat. 1:19), Jesus came into the world to save it. 

Today as I think of God separating chaotic primordial waters to make a place for the earth, sun, moon and stars and all the life on this land, of how He separated light from darkness and sinful humanity from holy paradise, I long for a walk with God that pleases Him.  I long to separate from the things that do not fit within His order.  I wish to pursue His right ways and live in them. 

But I know on this Ash Wednesday that I too am sinful, behaving like I am the god of my own existence at times.  I too need to remember myself before God and humble myself as Job did, accepting life as it comes, not as I will it to be and hoping in the saving of this old world through the glory about to be revealed through the redemptive work of God through Jesus Christ.

Excitement

Tomorrow is the big day! I am excited to begin this immersion in God's word.

Jesus was tempted in the desert by the devil to turn stones into bread and end his 40 day fast. Jesus was hungry and eating bread would have been an end to his self imposed hunger. But Jesus hungered for something more, something that sustains and satisfies a man or woman in a way food cannot. He quoted the law of Moses saying, "one does not live on bread alone, but from every word that comes out of God's mouth." (my paraphrase)

My excitement, my appetite is for this true food, spiritual words that feed the soul and deepen my dependence my God my Father.

Time

As I think about the time commitment each day to read some 12 chapters of scripture, I fear I won't manage my time well enough to accomplish the goal.

Time management is always an issue in our busy lives.  A funny fact about time…we tend to find time for what we consider priority.  We arrange our lives around what we consider to be the non-negotiable.  A mother sacrifices career to stay home and raise her children.  Another woman chooses career as the non-negotiable and finds ways to effectively parent her children through quality care and quality time finding a balance.  A man finds time to care for his aging parents.  It is a non-negotiable in his mind to be there in this way.  Another man chooses community service and arranges for quality caregivers to come to his parents’ aid.  We get done what we consider to be priority. 
 
The hunter-gatherer worked roughly 20 hours a week providing for his clan.  The rest of the time he protected the family and enjoyed community life.  Now with all our modern conveniences we have less time to personally protect and enjoy our families and community. We are giving it all to the office or the job or whatever it is we think we have to give it to in order to live, thrive and survive. 
 
Once I saw an illustration where one put beans in a jar and then ping pong balls.  The ping pong balls wouldn’t fit all the way in the jar.  The beans are the small stuff and the ping pong balls represent the priorities.  If we focus on the small stuff first (the fad of the moment, the organizational fire of the moment or somebody else’s agenda) we won’t have room for our real priorities.  But put in the ping pong balls in the jar first.  Then pour in the small beans.  Amazingly they all fit in the jar.  The same is true in life.  If we give time and energy to our priorities first, everything else seems to fall into place.
 
Jesus taught, “seek first the kingdom of God and His right ways and everything else will be given to you (Mat. 6:33).”  God knows what I need and is trustworthy to provide.

I need to do a trial run and read twelve chapters and get a feel for the amount of time I need to set aside for this priority.

God, help me to act on what you have lead me to do with diligence and persistence.

Perfection

In the Wesleyan tradition clergy have a history of asking one another the question, "Are you going onto perfection?"  John Wesley meant by perfection a filling of one's heart with love for God such that love would drive every good deed with God's mercy and compassion and every discipline with a desire to please God.  It meant to have the mind of Christ; to walk as Jesus walked; to be moved by the love of God such that one feels obliged to keep God's commands, attend to means of grace that nurture our relationship with God, deepen our knowledge and reliance upon Him and to do good to others as often as we can.

John Wesley wrote on Christian Perfection:

“This it is to be a perfect man, to be 'sanctified throughout;' even 'to have a heart so all-flaming with the love of God,' ‘as continually to offer up every thought, word, and work, as a spiritual sacrifice, acceptable to God through Christ.' In every thought of our hearts, in every word of our tongues, in every work of our hands, to 'show forth his praise…”

As I prepare for the 90 day Bible blitz, I am concerned about an unhealthy concern for perfection.  Might I be placing too big a burden on myself for fear of not reaching the goal of reading the entire bible in 90 days?  What is the real reason for this effort?  Is it not to pursue God? 

Jesus taught in John 5:39-40

"You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life."

Lord, I do come to the scriptures to be filled with You and all your love and goodness.  Keep me from burdening myself or others with a weight of unhealthy perfectionism where I might despair of ever meeting lofty goals or be unable to celebrate the good things I have already attained and enjoy.

Paul taught to pursue the perfection of Christ, but it was ultimately the resurrection body he saw as the end of his efforts to be like Christ (Phil 3:8-12).  No amount of effort can bring us resurrection.  It is a gift from our loving Father in heaven promised to all who trust in His son Jesus Christ.  So perfection is not about gaining the ultimate union with Christ, but a faithful pursuit of receiving the prize.

Possibly the best passage of scripture that exhibits a healthy relationship with perfection is 1 Cor. 13:8-12.  Paul speaks of the imperfect or "partial or incomplete" nature of mortal life.  Whatever  knowledge or ability we attain in life is only "in part." But when the perfect or complete comes, we will be made complete as Christ is complete.  "Now we see as if looking in a blurry mirror, but then we shall know even as we are fully known." (1 Cor. 13:12) (my paraphrase)

It seems to me that the healthiest relationship with perfection is to recognize the "Perfect One" ...Jesus Christ, God's Son, and worship and serve Him faithfully throughout our lives, cooperating with His grace to become more and more as He is. This pursuit of perfection is not out of legalistic compulsion or desperate self abasement, but rather from an intense love and desire to emulate the one we love and esteem.

Perfection is to love Jesus and faithfully rely on God's promise and power to become like Him.

Hungry

This morning as I prepare for worship, I suddenly realized I am hungry for this 90 day immersion in the Word.  And I know the hunger transcends the simple ink on paper we call the bible.  My hunger is the deep desire to know God, to relate to Christ more intimately and intensely.  This very thought brings joy and excitement, even energy to my day. 
One cannot find a better description of the desire I feel for God as Song of Solomon.  In it's entirety it is a poem that shares the anxiety of lovers separated, awaiting the day to be joined together forever.  They have had opportunity to slip away for private moments, but the overwhelming message is one of separation from the one she and he so passionately desires.

Song of Solomon 8:6b-7

 Love is as strong as death,
   its jealousy unyielding as the grave.
It burns like blazing fire,
   like a mighty flame.
Many waters cannot quench love;
   rivers cannot sweep it away.

God, I wait for you. I pant for you as a deer pants for water; as young lovers hearts beat with desire.

Getting Ready!

This morning after a couple of welcomed encouraging emails from you, I entered each days reading assignments into my MS Outlook Calendar. I have 6 "grace days" in case I get behind. The most touted reading plan has Zondervan behind it and they have 2 days grace built into the 90 day reading plan.

I am feeling confident today in Christ and this little Christian community we have around this blog. Phil. 4:13 - I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.