T.S. Eliot and Self-Importance (An Oldie But Goodie Repost)

"Half the harm done in this world is due to people that want to feel important. They don't mean to do harm -- but the harm does not interest them, or they do not see it, or they justify it because they are absorbed in the endless struggle to think well of themselves." ~from T.S. Eliot's "The Cocktail Party"

I, as well as you, have known many folks who fall into this category. I myself have tiptoed in and out of this territory from time to time. There are, however, those who seem to exist there and it must be a strange place to live. To observe them is somewhat entertaining, certainly puzzling, and to experience them firsthand is often frustrating. They confound, they drain, they mystify. They serve as a warning to the rest of us who sometimes feel the need to toot our own horn, lest we hire a band to follow us around tooting many horns and singing our own praises.

:) I vent, therefore I am.

I am, therefore I pray almost daily that God would keep me from giving in to the monster of pride that still lurks somewhere within.

Rekindle (An Oldie But Goodie Repost)

In these United States, one must be at least 35 years old in order to be eligible to run for President. In ancient Israel, there was no such age restriction on becoming king. So, as history records it, a young man of 25 became king of Judah 2,723 years ago. His name was Hezekiah. In Second Chronicles 29 is the way cool story of how Hezekiah enacted religious reform - no, that word isn't quite right - religious renewal as soon as he took office.

The first thing he did was to open the doors of the temple because, as he said:

"Our fathers were unfaithful; they did evil the eyes of the LORD our God and forsook Him. They turned their faces away from the LORD's dwelling place and turned their backs on Him. They also shut the doors of the portico and put out the lamps. They did not burn incense or present any burnt offerings at the sanctuary to the God of Israel."

2 Chronicles 29:6-7 (emphasis added)

Reading that description is like going to a funeral. There is a feeling of rude finality in what the people had done in regard to their relationship with God. It's just plain awful. The wonderful counterpoint is provided in verse 3:

"In the first month of the first year of his reign, [Hezekiah] opened the doors of the temple and repaired them."

Now, it gets even better when we apply this story as an illustration of our modern day individual lives. It's a call to personal renewal. Certainly we have all found ourselves at a place where we have let the fires of God and the light of His presence burn low in our souls - even all the way out. We've become sour and choked and closed up. We have ceased at times to burn the fragrant incense of prayer and have failed to surrender ourselves as living sacrifices. We have turned our backs and our hearts have turned to stone.

Mercifully, God is patient and gracious and waits as the father of the prodigal for the rebellious ones to turn around (In fact, His Holy Spirit is an agent in that quickening and preserving - even more amazing grace!). In that moment of repentance, there is relief and rest and refreshing. Reform. How many of us need that today? Open the doors, repair them, and let worship, prayer and surrender begin again!

I'm A Bit Apprehensive

On Friday, July 15th, I will begin a 9 day trip to Haiti. I and those with me (including my oldest son) will be working at Mission of Hope north of Port-au-Prince, playing a small part in the ministry going on at their orphanage as well as painting brand new homes that the Mission is constructing for displaced Haitians.

Haiti is the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere, with 90% unemployment and 80% of the population living in poverty. There are now 400,000 orphaned children in Haiti and 1 out of 5 children will die before they reach the age of 5. So please, quit crying and moaning about America's health care and our recession. (Ouch! Did I say that out loud?)

I'm apprehensive about this trip. I don't fear for my safety or my health. I'm just a bit antsy about what I will be confronted with in my heart and soul. I really mean that. Like so many, our family has felt the squeeze the past couple of years as consumer prices have jumped up and income (at least in our case) has actually gone backwards. It's been ... interesting. But you know what? I've never once gone to bed hungry. Our cupboards have food in them that's going stale because we don't eat it. All five of my sons eat their fill and then some everyday. I have clothes in my closet I haven't worn in a year because I have so many other clothes. I have four vehicles that run. I have a job. I have air conditioning. I have toothpaste and a soft pillow. I have everything I need and way more.

My heart is going to break in Haiti; that's what I expect. But I know it needs to happen and if it makes me more like Jesus, then bring it on.

Two Funnies About Prayer

Tim Hawkins is funny with a capital FUN. These two short vids about prayer are funny because they're so true...



The Ed-ed-ed-ed-ed example is fantastic. I do think that sometimes we pray as if God isn't even real.

C.J., Still Humble

(A good portion of what is written below is copied directly from an email I sent to a friend this morning.)

Humility.

I find this strangely....refreshing and encouraging. C.J.'s humility, even in the face of charges having to do with pride, just floors me. Wow, do we need to see more of God's chosen leaders/shepherds submitting themselves humbly to the scrutiny of other trustworthy men to root out things like pride and arrogance and poor stewardship. I'm tired of hearing about ministers stealing money and cavorting with prostitutes. I don't necessarily rejoice to hear about this news, BUT I think we (the Church) tend to let other missteps slide...and mostly in our own hearts. I have no great love for money, I really don't deal with raging lust. But my heart is insufferably proud, I don't love people, and I'm regularly selfish. Anyway, I guess I'm just humbled, yet again, by C.J.'s example. I'm also impressed with the process I see happening at Sovereign Grace. The seriousness and gravity with which the reports were written gave me the first impression that something horribly grievous had transpired. In effect, I guess it did. Sin happened. And God's people (read: ME) should take that seriously.

I want to be very careful and avoid lifting up a man, but C.J.'s words in his letter, in the midst of this circumstance, have humbled me today.

17 For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 1 Peter 4:17

The Emotion Chip

"I believe the emotion chip has overloaded my positronic relay."

So says Commander Data after an emotional apoplectic fit overcomes him in Star Trek Generations.

For just a moment I was reminded of how we as humans can get emotionally out of control in so many situations: ball games, weddings, even in church. And really, those are good places to be emotional, as long as we're not overloading our "positronic relay" - especially in worship settings. Before we know it, we start to mistake emotions for the Spirit. And then we're being led by emotions, aren't we? Our emotions should be a response, not a goal, nor a spiritual indicator.

Play skillfully and shout for joy Psalm 33:3

Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music Ps 98:4

Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!
How unsearchable his judgments,and his paths beyond tracing out!
“Who has known the mind of the Lord?
Or who has been his counselor?”
“Who has ever given to God,that God should repay him?”
For from him and through him and to him are all things.
To him be the glory forever! Amen. Romans 11:33-36

Dropping Stones

"At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first..." John 8:9

I've always been intrigued by this part of the "adulterous woman" story (where was the fella, anyway???) where Jesus' words stop the mob in their tracks and the first ones to leave the scene are the older ones of the bunch. I think the reason they left is simple, and this narrative detail is important. These guys with a few more years of experience under their tunics knew their own hearts better than the younger, more brash, and overconfident men, and the fact that they left first simply demonstrates the wisdom that comes with age.

The Lord saved me when I was a child, and I've walked with him for (I can finally say this!) decades. And I'm more aware of my pitiful propensity to sin than I've ever been. But this isn't such a bad thing. Knowing how corrupt I am as a not-yet-fully-sanctified believer just throws more light on God's wonderful grace. It also gives me perspective in my relationships. When before I might be quick to accuse or sideline someone (like a fellow believer) with my own burning moral indignation, now I take a second or two and realize that, like it or not, we're all pretty broken, which means it's time to let accusations based on arrogance fall to the ground with a thud and walk away, trusting Jesus to take care of the situation.