Active Waiting

We are in advent. We are preparing for the coming of Christ. Not so much a preparation of the celebration of a birthday but the promised coming of our Lord. The radical indwelling of Jesus into our world to transform it into the kingdom of God.

I have been thinking about the Spirit of the Age, the Spirit of this age.  

The Spirit of the age flows like history. The spirit of the age is influenced by people and events. Strong personalities probably have more influence than others but ultimately the spirit of the age is an amalgamation of the contribution of every single person on the planet.

So I have been thinking about the zeitgeist, the Spirit of the age, and the spirit of this age, and things are pretty messed up! In this age, in this time it seems as it always has that the failings of some, has consequences for the many. Do you know there is no such thing as private sin? When you fail to live as you should many more than you are affected.

Jesus was once summoned by a blind man who wanted to see. Jesus was questioned about who sinned him or his parents. Jesus said it wasn’t that.

But the idea that this man was being punished by God was founded in Hebrew scripture, both in the book of Deuteronomy and Exodus where Moses receives the Ten Commandments.

⁴ Do not make an idol for yourself—no form whatsoever—of anything in the sky above or on the earth below or in the waters under the earth. ⁵ Do not bow down to them or worship them, because I, the Lord your God, am a passionate God. I punish children for their parents’ sins even to the third and fourth generations of those who hate me. ⁶ But I am loyal and gracious to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments.

  It’s my understanding that God gave the law for the benefit of humanity. And when we transgress the law the consequences are the natural ones that come from bad decisions.

It seems to me that we live in a time where bad decisions abound!

Even when the system works according to the set rules past sins still have their effects.  August 9 Michael Brown was shot dead by Darren Wilson of the Ferguson Police Department. Michael Brown was unarmed.

On Monday the grand jury met and found no grounds to bring charges against Officer Wilson. I trust the decision of the Grand Jury. They had the pertinent information. I trust that they made the right decision. But when they made that decision Ferguson blew up. Massive riots broke out and many businesses were burned to the ground by protestors. There is a protest march underway right now.  120 miles from Ferguson to Jefferson City the capitol of Missouri.

White people are shaking their heads. “He was a thug.” “He just robed a convenience store.”

The retort to that is always: “that doesn’t deserve a death penalty.”

White people generally see the situation as a bad guy who was being bad had a confrontation with a cop and got shot. A tragic situation but one that was definitely avoidable.

Now think about it from the perspective of a people who come from a background of slavery. They come from a perspective of entrenched institutional racism. They come from the perspective that jails are filled with people that look like them and not so much like Darren Wilson.

They see members of their own community dying from gun violence at a much higher rate than the white community.

Then they see one of their young men gunned down by a white police officer who doesn’t get into any legal trouble over it. Those who swore an oath to protect and serve are also pulling the trigger.  From that perspective it seems that the world is a very unsafe place to live.

The facts are the facts. The grand jury determined that Officer Wilson was justified. But the sins of our society have led to the spirit of this age where the Black community cannot trust the system of their own government and that has led to this violence.

Currently, the Spirit of the age is a bad one.

The current spirit of our age seems to me to be bad.

This reminds me of what the Apostle Paul wrote to the Ephesians:

¹⁰ Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and his powerful strength. ¹¹ Put on God’s armor so that you can make a stand against the tricks of the devil. ¹² We aren’t fighting against human enemies but against rulers, authorities, forces of cosmic darkness, and spiritual powers of evil in the heavens. ¹³ Therefore, pick up the full armor of God so that you can stand your ground on the evil day and after you have done everything possible to still stand.

What is happening is evil. But our enemy is not flesh and blood. When store get looted and burned. That is bad. When people get shot, that is bad. When one group of people speaks evil against another people, that is bad.

People are saying that race relations are the worst they have been for a long time. But our task is not to add to the failings and the sin of the past but to stand firm and work toward the kingdom of God that Jesus initiated when he was born in a stable 2000 and some years ago.

The promise (that which is to come but is not yet here)

The lesson (look around you. Incarnational faith. In the body.)

Holy Spirit working through us should be the prevailing spirit of the age. But we have to put feet to our prayers. We have to put sweat into our prayers

Army Song, Marine Song.

Are God’s people getting shouted down? By the humanists, the atheists, and those who are against God?

The thing is, many of the protesters in Ferguson are also Christians. We just say “to heck with them”?  

The point: Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. We can have complete confidence in God.

The word of God is the only lasting thing. Our divisions will not last. If we persist in our divisions we are further from God rather than closer. Paul says in Colossians

¹⁰ and put on the new nature, which is renewed in knowledge by conforming to the image of the one who created it. ¹¹ In this image there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all things and in all people.

¹² Therefore, as God’s choice, holy and loved, put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.

This is what heaven looks like. And Jesus is bringing it with him.

So stay ready ‘cause God wins!

The Holy Spirit, the active, empowering nature of our God lives and moves in you. When we have confidence in God’s word and live it out. The spirit of the age increasingly becomes the very Spirit of God.

So how is it with you today? Are you ready to receive Jesus when he comes? Staying ready means staying in God’s will. If you don’t know what that is like try this: the next time you want to tell someone to go to hell, instead show them what Heaven is like. Then repeat the process. 

Great Hope and Great Trust ("Keep On Askin'")

Mark 10:46-52

Hurricane Sandy is gong to make landfall this evening. We can and should pray for those who will be affected. Will our prayers avert the storm? No they wont. There will be people out of power, there will be damage to property and there may even be loss of life. Does that mean that we give up on prayer? Do we give up on asking God for protection? Do we quit praying for healing? Do we stop praying for restoration?

No! You keep on askin'!

There is one who is in chronic pain. Pain that just wont go away. Pain that is nagging, torturing all consuming in one moment then annoying background noise the next. Always there. Doctors cannot make it go away. There is no therapy that has been able to cure it. So prayers are lifted. Requests are made to God in Jesus name...the pain persists. More prayer. Daily prayer. Dedication to Jesus way of self-sacrifice and service. Study of Holy scripture. Obedience to medical advise. Exploration of alternative healing. Prayer and more prayer. Still the pain lingers.

“What do I do Pastor?” was the question.

Keep on askin'!

You can question your own faith when it is put to the test. You start to ask questions. “Why aren't my prayers being answered?” “Am I being punished?” “Is this a test?”

...Keep on askin'!

Then there are those blessed moments when you fell the presence of God. Through the pain, through the doubt, you know that you are being held in the palm of God's loving hand. I cannot describe to you the feeling I have when I sense the presence of God. I can tell you that its a safe, warm, inviting, peaceful feeling. But that is like describing Lake Michigan as a very large pool of water to someone who has never seen a lake. It just doesn't cover it.

Jesus hears the faithful. Remember the story of the persistent widow and the just Judge? She wanted justice and the judge wouldn't hear her. Kept on askin! She wore that judge out until he gave her justice. Jesus said if even that judge will give justice wont the God give justice to his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night?” but then he adds “never the less, when the son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

Justice, God's justice, whatever that looks like will be granted. Our task is to have faith. When we rely on our own strength and power there can never be true justice or true healing. Its when we boast in our weakness and lean on God's strength, the presence of God is made known in the world.

How do we do that?

We keep on askin'!

We keep on askin' for God's healing and guidance. We ask for God's wisdom and strength. We praise God for being God and we thank God for all things at all times. In our weakness and in our reliance on God, God transforms us. God begins to mold us into God's image. God begins to use us. God begins to put us in positions where we can be responsive to his will.

When we are responsive to God's will we become part of an interconnected part of God's community where we all find healing, justice and restoration.

When we keep on askin', I find that we start asking on behalf of others more than for ourselves. When that happens the right people come into our lives. The right resources become available. Life on earth gets better.

Bartimaeus, the blind beggar. Was on the side of the road in Jericho. Jesus was heading to Jerusalem. The crowds were gathered. Bartimaeus the social outcast forced to make a living by asking people for money or food.

Can you just hear the people around him? “Oh, that's Timeaus' son” I gave him some food once but he just keeps on asking for it. Some people even give him money but you never can tell what he will spend it on.” That's how we talk isn't it? We are reluctant to give ongoing assistance to people. We don't want people to be dependent on the government, yet we don't want to provide for them either. Bartimaeus kept on asking and yet he remained a beggar until one day he had the opportunity to ask the right person.

Jesus was in town. Bartimaeus said “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Now we know that Jesus was not the son of David but the Son of God. Even if we are talking about Jesus earthly fatherly figure it was Joseph not Mary. The term Son of David was a term used to describe the Messiah, the anointed one of God who would save God's people. God had promised that one of the descendants of David would be on the throne forever. Jesus was indeed a descendant of David through Mary's lineage and by adoption through Josephs lineage. So Bartimaeus recognized Jesus as the Messiah, the conquering king of Israel. And he cried out to him. This social outcast. This blind beggar. Dared to cry out to the one he believe do be his king. A very bold move. Others in the crowd thought so too. They told him to be quiet. But shouted all the more. He wasn't getting justice from his neighbors so he had no choice to appeal to a higher power.

He kept on askin'!

Jesus, on his way to Jerusalem, on his way to his own death, stopped and said, “call him.”

so they called him. “Oh, man this your lucky day. He is calling you.”

I heard an interview recently of a reporter that had the opportunity to travel with the president for 6 months to observe and to interview and to get a first hand view of the life of the president of the united states. The reporter said that they were traveling abroad and when they got to their destination, the president went to play basketball at a nearby gym. The reporter said that it didn't even occur to the president that these people had built this gym in anticipation of his arrival. When we have power, and get accustomed to wielding that power, in our human weakness we can lose perspective.

Jesus on the other hand heard the plea of the least of these in the crowd and paid him special attention.

Jesus asked the man, “What do you want me do do for you?” Remember this is the same question he asked James and John from last Sunday's scripture when they approached him about being appointed to Jesus right and left had when he came into his glory. The blind man said, “Rabbi, let me see again.”

Jesus said, “Go, your faith has healed you.” immediately he regained his sight and followed him on the road.

Jesus granted this request but denied the request of his two most trusted Apostles his inner circle. Bartimaeus gained more than his sight. He followed Jesus and became his disciple. James and John did not get what they asked for but they were changed. They were set right. They were corrected. That's what a relationship with Jesus does.

When we pray. When we keep on askin' we will be blessed. We will receive exactly what we need.

So, how is it with you today? We can approach the King with confidence even though we are blind beggars. We can speak our needs and we can have utter confidence that if we keep on askin' we will be blessed. Take heart! This is your lucky day! Jesus is calling you to follow him; to trust in his strength; to follow him in his way.   

Life on Kinney Down

This a new feature that will be a regular part of this blog.  This is where I will add family pics and updates.  I call it Kinney Down because we live on Kinney Road and the word "down" is just a nicer way of saying we live on a hill. 

Eli has attached to every member of the family.
We can scarcely remember what
life was like before he came