Just Around the River Bend

As a child of the 90s, I have vivid memories of seeing Disney's Pocohantas in the theater.  Who doesn't remember singing "Just Around the River Bend" (whether you were forced to remember the refrain because you were the parent of a 90s child or if you were the 90s child thinking you might actually be able to become Pocahontas becuase you could sing it SO well)?

"What I love most about rivers is:/You can't step in the same river twice/The water's always changing, always flowing/But people, I guess, can't live like that/We all must pay a price/To be safe, we lose our/chance of ever knowing/What's around the riverbend/Waiting just around the riverbend."

I'm pretty sure I could hear you singing that.  Don't deny it.  It's a classic free-spirit anthem!  I won't get on a soapbox here, but in Myers Briggs terms she is very "P" (Percieving) and since she is the spiritual heroine of the film it rather leads you to think that her outlook on life is the best, but it's hard to swallow as a "J" (Judging).  It's true that you can't step in the same river twice (if you're refering to the specific river content), but as a "J" that's a little disconcerting.  People like me give that song its mournful edge.
 
You won't see me leaning forward in my canoe, wind whipping my hair.  I will likely have my hair sensibly pulled back, I might have a map, and I will be proceeding with due caution around the next bend, with a mental escape plan ready if anything goes wrong.  I'm the kid that, while learning to drive, pressed on the gas and yelped, "Too fast!" as we hit 10 mph (unfortunately I grew a lead foot after that).  It's not that I'm not having fun, I just like to be prepared. 

Both approaches have their positives and negatives.  I mean, when your free-spirited self crashes on a rock around the bend, I'll have aleady imagined a plan that will save your life.  And, sometimes, my kind of people need to enjoy the ride a little bit more because we're going around that river bend whether we want to or not.

Life the last few years has felt like smashing into unseen rocks around the corner...it's made me tired of change.  But, it has also taught me that all the planning in the world doesn't stop change from coming, and sometimes the blow is lessened when I go with the flow.  Isn't it true that a loose body sustains less damage than a rigid one in an accident?  I thought I heard that one time.  If not, it should be.  It's absolutely true emotionally.

I'm entering a new season in ministry.  I'm taking on a role as Church Plant Coordinator and I'm thrilled and scared to death.  I love a challenge, but mostly I love it when I know what the challenge is and feel it is highly likely that I can be victorious.  I'm nervous to jump into this particular canoe, because it's heading for river bends that I have never explored before.  I have no back up plan.  I have a very rudimentary map.  Part of my nature (the "N" Intuitive side) is thrilled by all of the possibilities, but this is in constant tension with the part of me that sits white-knuckled, screaming (in my head and, on occaision, aloud) WHAT THE HECK AM I DOING???!!!!!! 

I don't know what's around the next river bend and that thrills and terrifies me.  I'm mentally and emotionally working to loosen my expectations of perfection and fear of failure.  I'm trying to put into practice the years of lessons that God has been teaching me about trusting in Him.  I pray that God uses me, and our church plant team, to bring glory to His name in North St. Louis, and it will bring Him so much more glory if He is in complete controll!  I want to get by on my own competence, but that won't cut it this time.  It has to be the Lord.

Just around the river bend are possibilities, challenges, victories, failures and it will be God's grace alone that makes it possible to navigate any of those things.  God's grace brings victory.  God's grace brings beauty out of failures. 

Knowing God's grace is just around the river bend makes it easier to smile as the current pulls me toward the unknown (don't worry I won't break into song, no one wants to hear that!).

The Origin of Things

Too many Christians don't understand the nature of their faith.  We think we have "arrived" because of things we do or don't do.  Our prayers are that of the Pharisee in Luke 18:11 "God, I thank you I am not like other people...."

Have we forgotten that we are all spiritual prostitutes, bought back with the blood of Christ?  The origin of our hearts is a place of death and bondage and sin.

So, it rather surprises me when I see a fellow ex-soul-prostitute cast stones at the origin of things.  I've been ruminating on this as a result of celebrating Easter.  Rather, how some Christians refuse to celebrate the "pagan" holiday of Easter.  As a Christian who follows the rhythms of the the Church Year, the season of Easter is the Pièce de résistance of the entire year.  Without Easter we are still dead in our sins.  But, we have been made alive with Christ!  Easter carries the full weight of our faith.

This is why some Christians have decided to stop the "pagan" madness and only refer to Easter as Resurrection Sunday.  That's OK.  It's true.  But, usually this includes a baning of Easter eggs and the Easter bunny and, well, the word Easter (I mean, even if your ailing grandmother wants to give your children a few Easter eggs to bring moments of joy to her waning life...get behind me, Satan!).  I'm all for people practicing their faith based off of conviction from the Holy Spirit, however, these kinds of banings can be a slippery slope into a pit of hypocrisy and legalism.

If you read about the history of Easter you will, indeed, read about a pagan heritage.  This will be true of Christmas as well.  (It's true of you too...I'm just sayin').  Everyone should be free to make decisions that help them honor Christ with their lives.  If they feel they will be led to think less of Christ on Easter (Ehem, Resurrection Sunday) because they held an Easter egg in their hand then...that's between them and the Lord.  Those people may want to note that the Christmas tree also has pagan origins, oh, and eating ham on Easter, and also, sunrise services, um, also, the wedding ring.  You'd be surprised how many things we Christians have usurped from others for the celebration and glory of God and His people!

Usually, decisions to ban "unclean things" are held (and brandished) with little grace and no chance for redemption.  And, in my experience, they are accompanied by judgements that condemn other people, places, and things with "dirty" origins.  They result in alienating people by way of pride, which is antithetical to the humble inclusion of Christ's resurrection.

Truthfully, it's easier to crusade for a purer Easter than it is to stare into the face of our own hypocrisy and sin. It's easier to show our "devotion" to Christ by abstaining from Easter eggs or secular music or movies than it is to examine how we treat our children or talk to our spouses or judge others in pride.

We serve a God who specializes in redeeming things.  God took a murdering fugitive and used him to rescue His people.  God accepted a prostitute into the very lineage of Jesus for her faithfulness.  God took the idea of the city (which was created by the first murderer in the Bible as a direct rebellion against God's command to wander, and, which has a long history of rebellion) and has plans to ultimately redeem it as the eternal residence of His people.  The entire Bible declares stories such as these.

Our God doesn't care much about the origin of things.  If He did we'd all be screwed.  What He cares about is how His mercy and grace can bring strength from weakness, holiness from paganism, life from death.  And we are to follow our Savior, rushing grace and mercy to those in need, not through alienating legalism, but by waking up each morning and thanking God that the face you see in the mirror is no longer the face of a treacherous, pagan, soul-prostitute, but the redeemed child of God. 

Let's instead be about redemption work!  Let us as Christians (as Christians have already historically done) redeem Easter for Christ...Easter eggs, ham and sunrise services in celebration of the Lord and the family He has given us!  We can include people in our family memories around Christmas trees, knowing our hearts are fully the Lord's.  We can embrace stories like the Lord of the Rings (which for some holds taboo use of mysticism) for the aspects of the story that speak Biblical truth...devotion, sacrifice, loyal friendship, the triumph of good over evil. We can look into the eyes of someone the world has written off--thieves and murderers and drug dealers--and see future men and women of God!

When we really understand God's grace in our lives, everything we do begins to soften in light of it.  Legalism lessens as the love of Christ flows out.  True conviction (and the real Resurrection spirit) starts always with humility and ends in redemption!

Rant of a Book Worm

I'm appalled.  I just read a blog that quoted these stats:

• 33% of high school graduates never read another book for the rest of their lives.
• 42% of college graduates never read another book after college.
• 80% of U.S. families did not buy or read a book last year.
• 70% of U.S. adults have not been in a bookstore in the last five years.
• 57% of new books are not read to completion.

The author followed these statistics by saying we probably aren't surprised by this, but I am!  I'm a reader.  I come from a family of readers.  I have friends that are readers.  I had no idea that everyone else is not!  Can you imagine a life where you never read a book again after high school?  Or, not buying or reading a book for and with your family in a whole year?  I can't.  It's totally outside my world view.  It makes me sad to think about all those people are missing out on.

Words have the power to unleash new things in our minds, and if in our minds, then in the world.  Think about it...God could have chosen any way to communicate with His people, but He chose the written word of the Bible.  Jesus is described as The Word in the book of John.  Spoken word is powerful...the world was created by the words formed by God's mouth.  But for words to be eternal, they get printed on a page. 

Printed letters, combined into words, grouped into sentences, have perpetual impact.  Please tell me I'm not the only nerd who dwells on these things!  The Bible is often referred to as the Living Word because the power of the Holy Spirit makes it purposeful in all lives for all time.  Other literature does not have the force of the Holy Spirit behind it, but, in its own way, is alive too.  Good literature tells a specific story that we may or may not relate to, but it also reveals pieces of humanity, like fear or friendship or jealousy or courage or love, and we can all relate to those.  These messages can mean different things to different people and answer questions that cross generations.

There are so many of life's issues for which reading is the answer...
Do you want to know about the world?  Read.
Do you want to learn about yourself?  Read.
Do you want to be a better writer?  Read.
Do you want to understand others?  Read.
Do you want to have something intelligent to say at parties?  Read.
Do you want a slower pace of life?  Read.
Do you want to tap into the eternity of humanity...what was, what is, what will be?  Read.
Do you want to know how a mere Hobbit can change the world?  Read.

For heaven's sake people, buy a book!  Borrow a book if you're broke.  Own a library card.  Encourage your kids to read.  Read books you love.  Read books that make you uncomfortable.  You will find the boundaries of your mind and your life stretched in this endeavor.  The world needs a more literate you.

A Conversation With God

I'm a doubter, an over-analyzer, a worrier.  I'll rethink an issue until I'm swimming in negative thoughts and possibilities, or in the very least I will question everything.  It drives my "glass half full" husband crazy.  I've worked over the years to calm my mind, to speak truth to myself instead of negativiy.  I love that the Scriptures are so real, and I can find any emotion or doubt reflected in people of the Bible.  I can cling to the promises that God has made to His people for all of time and watch their faith in God be proved right.

During one such season of worry and doubt I wrote this to remind myself that God is who He says He is.  I can know nothing for certain in this world except the Lord is who He says He is, and is always with me and will always lead me if I truly seek Him:

“Why dost Thou stand afar, O Lord?  Why dost Thou hide Thyself in times of trouble?” (Psalm 10:1)

“Here I am.” (Isaiah 52:6c)

“How long, O Lord?  Wilt Thou forget me forever?  How long wilt Thou hide Thy face from me?” (Psalm 13:1)

“Behold, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands, your walls are continually before Me.” (Isaiah 49:16)

“Hear. O Lord, when I cry with my voice and be gracious to me and answer me.” (Psalm 27:7)

“Seek My face.”  (Psalm 27:8)

Teach me Thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a level path.” (Psalm 27:11)

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you.” (Psalm 32:8)

“Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” (Matthew 8:2c)

“I am willing.” (Matthew 8:3b)

“Behold…your iniquity is taken away and your sin is forgiven.” (Isaiah 6:7b,c)  Now “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” (Isaiah 6:8b)

“Alas, Lord God! Behold, I do not know how to speak, because I am a youth.” (Jeremiah 1:6)

“Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’ because everywhere I send you, you shall go, and all that I command you, you shall speak.” (Jeremiah 1:7)

But “Who am I, that I should go?”  (Exodus 3:10)

“Certainly I will be with you.” (Exodus 3:12a)

“Behold, I am insignificant, what can I reply to Thee?” (Job 40:4a)

But “I am about to do a thing in Israel at which both ears of every one who hears it will tingle.” (I Samuel 3:11)

“Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go.” (Matthew 8:19b)

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20)

“Search me, O God, and know my heart, try me and know my anxious thoughts […] and lead me in the everlasting way.” (Psalm 139:23-24)

“I know the plans that I have for you […] to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11) “My lovingkindness will not be removed from you, and My covenant of peace will not be shaken.” (Isaiah 54:10b,c)  “For I am the Lord your God, who stirs up the sea and its waves roar […] I have put My words in your mouth, and have covered you with My hand.” (Isaiah 51:15-16)

For such is God,

Our God forever and ever,

He will guide us until death.

(Psalm 48:14)