Unity of the Spirit

I don’t understand racism. And I don’t say that because I’m a white female and have never experienced it. I just don’t get why the color of a person’s skin should have anything at all to do with how they are seen or treated. We’re all humans made in God’s image, after all. But I realize that not everyone believes that...and as long as people are without a basis for valuing others, racism will continue to be a thing.

Today is the celebration of Pentecost, the birthday of the church marked by the coming of the Holy Spirit to dwell in all believers. That day, people of many nationalities famously heard the Gospel in their own languages. It’s not merely that it was publicly preached for anyone who happened to be able to understand it. No, God supernaturally made sure everyone could understand, clearly demonstrating that His heart is for all people, no matter where they come from, how they speak, or what they look like. The Holy Spirit came to all who believed.

If there’s one place on earth that racism and any other kind of prejudice should be nonexistent, it’s in the church. As if our common humanity is not enough, we share the presence of God Himself. I wonder, how might our relationships be affected if we took time to remember the Holy Spirit’s presence in one another more often? Perhaps we would surprise the world with a love that sees more than the outside.

...maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

There is one body and one Spirit...one God and Father of all,

who is over all and through all and in all.

Ephesians 4:3-4, 6

A Message for the World

I saw a picture recently of a man standing outside a hospital, wearing a signboard that read, "This virus is God's wrath." How sad, I thought, that someone would make an effort to stand out "for God," yet give such an incomplete, misleading message. How many people saw this man's sign, I wonder, and what were their responses? Likely, most simply brushed it off as a joke. Did some agree, pointing fingers at those they believe brought down this said wrath? Or is there anyone now trembling in fear that God will strike them down with the virus because of their sins?

I wish I could talk to the people who saw this message and tell them what God's wrath really means. Maybe this virus is a judgment from the Almighty...or perhaps it's just a natural result of life in this broken world. The passersby outside that hospital needed to hear the truth that the real wrath of God is actually far more serious than any virus, and we all deserve it. God is not some temperamental, petty deity, dealing out punishments of disease and death as the mood takes him. He is absolutely and unchangingly just and good, and every one of us is rightly doomed for committing treason against Him by our sinful thoughts, words, and actions. But even this is not the whole truth.

I wish I could tell those people that there is another side of the story the man on the street completely left out. Despite His wrath against evil, God is not hateful towards humans - far from it. The suffering and death caused by this virus, and all other evils, deeply grieves His heart. And every rebel traitor His justice condemns is paradoxically an object of His deepest love. Out of this love, God did the unimaginable: He satisfied the demands of justice by punishing His own perfect Son, to freely offer forgiveness and acceptance to those least deserving of it. Jesus received the full terror of God's wrath at the cross, so that those who trust Him need never experience one bit of it. This is the message the world needs to hear, and I pray they will hear it.

But God shows His love for us in that while

we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 5:8

For God so loved the world, that He gave

His only Son, that whoever believes in Him

should not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:16

Taking Stock of Privileges

When I was a kid, losing privileges was the most dreaded consequence for wrongdoing. This country girl didn't get out in the big world very often, so if I happened to misbehave just before a trip to town was planned, it was a particularly stinging punishment if I had to miss it. As an adult, I still don't get out in the big world much...mostly because there's not a great deal out there to interest me. But now that I'm suddenly not allowed to go out even if I wanted to, I'm realizing just how many privileges I've been taking for granted.

Life goes on pretty much as usual for me, since I work alone in my office and mind my own business at home most of the time anyway. There are so many privileges I can still enjoy, and I'm learning to appreciate them all the more. I'm suddenly very grateful that I have an office to work from and plenty of work to do when many people don't. I'm grateful for time to catch up on things I've been putting off for much too long. I'm grateful for a place to stay home in and an amazing grandma to stay home with. I'm grateful for good food, communication technology, and the postal service. Living a simple, quiet life is truly a tremendous privilege, and I'm glad for the opportunity to be intentional about making the most of it.

Of course, there are privileges I have to do without that I somehow never bothered to notice until there were suspended. Being able to make plans with some degree of certainty is a privilege. So is the ability to visit family and friends. Too often I've failed to make plans to get together with people, for no good reason, and now that I have a reason I can't control, I miss it. And I miss ministry. I knew I enjoyed seeing my students every week at Good News Club, but since that privilege was taken away without warning, I have to admit how much I did take my time with them for granted. It is a gift to be able to look in a child's eyes and tell him how much Jesus loves him, yet the wonder of it has far too often been lost on me. The ability to make a personal impact on others' lives is a remarkable privilege that deserves much more appreciation.

What if this sudden halt to the busyness of normal life is really what we needed more than anything? Maybe it's time to take stock of our privileges and gratefully acknowledge the many wonderful gifts we have, crisis or no crisis. If a temporary restriction of our freedom inspires us to consciously make better use of it now and for the future, it will be time very well spent!

Incomprehensible Love

According to the World Population Clock, there are at the present moment over 7,632,846,000 human beings alive on this planet. The sheer number of souls created in God's image is utterly staggering, each one different from all the rest, full of purpose and potential. More incomprehensible still is the fact that God profoundly knows and loves all of them. I am acquainted with only a tiny sampling of humanity, and have a tough time loving even those I know the best!

What would it be like to love as God loves? Could we begin to understand the depth of it, even for a moment, for just one person? If we could, I'm certain it would break us. The best love I've ever been able to offer is so pitifully weak, fickle, and limited; a drop in the ocean compared to God's infinitely vast, everlastingly faithful, incredibly powerful love for His creatures. I can try to love a few people who happen to attract my affections in some way, but He by nature overflows with perfect love for even the most repulsive members of our race.

Just since I started this post, more unique individuals have started life on this earth than I may ever know in my lifetime, yet God's love has not spread thin. Try to comprehend this truth, and you will find it more than your mind can hold. This is our God, whose love defies all understanding!

I pray that you...may have power...to grasp

how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,

and to know this love that surpasses knowledge.

Ephesians 3:17-19

A Perfect World?

I never thought I'd be one to say it, but I quite enjoy dystopian fiction. Well, I'm not sure enjoy is the right word, seeing that one of its main hallmarks is an exceptional amount of tragedy...but it makes me think. The recent trend of stories about a world trying to pull itself out of chaos (with disastrous results our unfortunate protagonists must then suffer and survive) speaks to the unsettling times our own world is in. There is a sense that we are precariously near something that may upend the world as we know it, and we see a variety of tenacious efforts to preserve the stability of society in the midst of rapid, unprecedented changes.

To me, dystopian stories dramatically illustrate many of the moral tensions facing our postmodern world. We must wrestle with very real and difficult questions, such as:

• How far is it acceptable go in the effort to establish and maintain peace?
• What is the responsibility of leaders towards the people they govern?
• When is it permissible to sacrifice the individual for the greater good?
• Who gets to set standards and determine what is good for others?
• What qualities are fundamentally necessary to a healthy society?
• What is worth fighting for, and what is to be resisted at all costs?
• Where is the balance between order and freedom?

The answers to questions like these seem increasingly unattainable as our world subtly grows more and more like the stuff of fiction. But maybe the stories have it right after all -- even with the best of intentions, human efforts to create a perfect world inevitably lead to horrific abuses of power and ultimately greater suffering. Attempts to control humanity end in a tragic loss of humanity. A brave few may stand up against the system, but always at tremendous cost and for seemingly little gain. And there the stories end, with the haunting question: Was it worth it?

Is there any good option for those who bemoan the world's ills? We may follow the tide of human effort in vain hopes of holding onto as much of the familiar as possible. We may shout desperately in equally vain hopes of reversing the world's self-destructive trends. We may throw up our hands in despair and hide away while everything crumbles around us. Or, as believers, we can remember that Jesus told us this would happen, and stake all our hope on the promise of His coming. Yes, it is worth it to faithfully do what's right, even though we will almost certainly lose in the world's eyes. For us, the ultimate answer will be found in the Lord's return and the perfect world only He can build!

He will wipe every tear from their eyes.

There will be no more death

or mourning or crying or pain,

for the old order of things has passed away.

Revelation 22:4

2019: The Year of Imperfection

My past words to sum up each year of my life have always been positive. It seems strange to use a disappointing word like "imperfection" to describe what God has taught me in this past year of my existence, yet it is deeply fitting and strangely satisfying. This year has been paradoxically full of both difficulty and rich growth, and through it I have come to see imperfection as a truly beautiful word.

I have always been a major perfectionist. I believe in making things the very best they can be, and refuse to be satisfied with less than excellence. I want to fix things, set things in order, establish consistency and control . . . all while living in a frustratingly imperfect world. No matter what I do, life is never exactly what I wish it to be. And this year, I've had to face that fact more honestly than ever before. I've had to admit weakness and failure, let go of ideals and securities, and learn to embrace the truth that this world, with everything and everyone in it, is imperfect. For now. Perfection is coming, and above all, my desire for the Lord's return and restoration has deepened as I acknowledge the current struggles.

Embracing imperfection is painful, yet freeing. As long as I keep trying to make my world perfect by my own wisdom and effort, I will keep running into frustration and despair. And by pretending that imperfection doesn't affect me, I am only lying to myself. Illness, grief, loss, and weakness are real. I can't change that. But in shining contrast is the Lord's perfect strength and sovereignty over all imperfections I could ever encounter. The beauty of this present imperfection is that it drives us to the feet of the only Perfect One, who has promised to come again and make all things new.

Come quickly, Lord Jesus!

The Waters of Life

Today, I watched my brother take the step of baptism as a testimony of his faith, the public declaration Jesus called all of His followers to make. Baptism was common as a purification rite long before Jesus ordained it for believers, but it took on a special significance as a symbol of participation in His death and resurrection. Water cleanses the body as the blood of Christ cleanses the soul, and above all, water represents life. Our bodies are largely made of water, and without it, we die. A well-watered land is rich and green, but drought will turn it into a barren wasteland. Water is precious, absolutely essential for every aspect of life. And the Living Water, the Lord Himself, must come to make our desert souls flourish and blossom into beauty that is dead without Him. Not only does this means of life benefit us, but it makes us into conduits to channel the blessing of life to others. What a blessing it is indeed to be washed clean and made vessels of Living Water!

"He who believes in Me, as the scripture has said,

out of his heart will flow rivers of living water."

John 7:38

Pride or Prayer

Oh, how easy it is to see the shortcomings of others! Their glaring faults are so easily identifiable, especially when we are innocent of the same sins. When a whole crowd of one's acquaintances appear to be running with the world, it can be hard to stand out . . . and rather dangerous if we're not careful. From the vantage point of what feels like a solitary journey on the highway of righteousness, we may begin to look down on those below instead of up to the heights we ourselves have yet to reach. And that is where we will trip up and land right among the very people we so smugly looked down upon.

Jesus strictly condemns a judgmental attitude, because it is nothing less than hideous pride, putting others down to elevate our own merits. If we really judged by His standards, we would see that we are no better than those we are tempted to criticize. Should we then excuse the sin we see in others, since we are all guilty? Certainly not, but the humble approach is rather to pity the sinner and desire his growth. The best way to lift up a stumbling brother is not to lecture him from the soapbox of our own shaky accomplishments, but bring him before the Father on our knees.

"It is possible to move men, through God, by prayer alone," says Hudson Taylor. If you find yourself looking down your nose at others, the first person you need to move is yourself -- and you will make no progress in humility by exerting more of your own willpower! Humble yourself in confession before God first of all, and He will give you the compassion to pray for others' growth. He has the power to convict and change hearts, and the most effective part you can play is prayer. If you speak out, pray first. If you keep silent, pray anyway. Pray always, and leave the judging to God.

2018: The Year of Faith

As I look back at my writings from 2018, it feels like this year has somehow stretched over several years of time! So many things have happened, and so many changes have taken place in and around me, but one recurring theme of the past twelve months has been the idea of faith. More than ever, I've been convicted of my lack of this virtue, inspired by the faith of others, and hopefully, grown a little in faith myself.

For someone as practical as I am, faith is an especially difficult concept. It is abstract and inherently invisible, focusing on things that do not present themselves for proof. It stands against the sensory evidence, pointing to outcomes logic alone would never expect. It cannot be produced by willpower or reason. Tellingly, children are held up in Scripture as models of faith -- they are never bothered by their ignorance, but simply put joyful confidence in those who care for them. This kind of faith does not need to know all the details. It only needs to know the Faithful One and put absolute trust in Him. Our God has proven His ability in the past, and the better acquainted we are with Him, the more our faith will grow. Our logical adult minds are filled with questions, thinking that if we can only get answers, then faith will come easy. But God Himself is ultimately the only answer that can satisfy.

...that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

1 Corinthians 2:5

Heart Monitor

I had an interesting interaction with a young fellow the other day. Upon first impression, he seemed to be a rare specimen of a polite gentleman...but it wasn't long at all before he unabashedly threw a few swear words into the otherwise perfectly normal small talk, as if he were trying to find some way to include them. And just like that, his supposed gentleman status vanished like so much mist. (Call me old-fashioned, but if you fellows really must swear, don't do it in front of a lady!) What was this oxymoron, that "ma'am" and "&#!%" could come out of the same mouth, separated by hardly more than five minutes?

"Out of the heart the mouth speaks," said Jesus, and a person's vocabulary is indeed a good indicator of who he or she truly is. Just as you can often tell where people are from by their accents, you may detect their internal culture through the content of their language. Complaining, swearing, gossip, cynicism, crudeness, etc. mark the speaker as a certain kind of person, while positive, self-controlled, uplifting, encouraging, and wholesome talk reveals a different sort of heart. Since the tongue is such a difficult thing to control (see James 3:7-8), it will sooner or later unmask us. What does your tongue say about your heart?

Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing.

My brothers, this should not be!

James 3:10