I'll go ahead and state that I'm not a big fan of karma.
Yet, it is a very prevalent part of our nation and people's outlook around the world. There are even quite a few Christians who believe in karma principles. Since so many people adhere to karma like philosophies, we need to understand if we believe it or not, for it motivates a great number of people's actions in life.
It's important to examine karma because I think it does have half-truths rooted in the truth of the Bible, but it's very dangerous because it abuses or uses the truth of God to propel a false philosophy.
In considering if it is true or not, what does the Bible have to say, either directly or indirectly about the topic. Is karma a principle close to the heart of God?
Karma is basically the belief that your good or bad deeds will come around back to you in the future via good fortune or bad misfortune.
1. karma equates to self-salvation
Belief in karma predicates the thought that a person can alter his or her actions to be good enough to find salvation or comfort in life. "For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." John 1:17
I think this is an arrogant and ignorant view of the human heart. I think most people, secular or Christian, can identify with Paul in Romans 7 when he talks about struggling with sin. He wants to do what is good -- all of us do most of the time -- yet there is something, some junk that prevents us from living that out.
2. karma has no need of Christ - grace is gone
Related to #1, belief in karma calls for throwing Christ out of the picture. For CHRISTians who believe in karma, this is a clear contradiction of beliefs -- it's sort of one or the other. Believing in karma reduces Christ from Great Savior to enlightened teacher at best, some guy in history at worst. "But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace that you have been saved." Ephesians 2:5
Believing in karma means grace is gone.
3. With no first love, how does karma work?
Throwing out Jesus by believing in karma throws out that God has incredible love, unfathomable love, for His created order. The understanding of God's love is just that, unexplainable. Through the ages, the best we can come up with is labeling our understanding of God's great love as "grace," and it's true, we're not even close to getting how much He loves us.
By not understanding God's great love for us, we attempt to be like Jesus and love others, and then it is when that we get acts of service in line with His Kingdom. We only breathe each breath, wake up each day, eat each meal by the grace of God and His love and mercy for us.
"We love because He first loved us." - 1 John 4:19
So without having a first, greater act of love from God, then how would karma proponents know how to do acts of "love"..."good deeds"? Do karma proponents believe in evolved moral standards? There seems to be a contradiction here.
When we get back around to it, I find it hard to believe that in the karma philosophy, there is something genuine that is the fuel, the underlying impetus, to motivate the good deeds. Here in lies a half-truth. Karma masks itself as being a genuine good act in the service of others, but based on the wrong motives.
Karma is meant to further the self. Jesus wanted us to further His kingdom, serve others, at the expense of self. Give our lives self-LESS-ly for the love of Christ and His people.
In that vein, karma can't exist.
Showing posts with label John. Show all posts
Showing posts with label John. Show all posts
1.16.2010
10.29.2009
the beginning too!!
I tend so often to view and live out a faith that sees Christ as the end of all things.
Like Paul says in Romans 10:4, Christ in many ways tends to be the end goal. The end goal of worship, of trying to honor, of trying to live like and live for, of trying not to sin against...
I seem to so easily forget that Jesus is the beginning too!!
And I know that in my mind (John 1), but not in the way I live my life out.
I should do a better job at believing Jesus, for He very plainly says "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End." (Revelation 22:13).
That's crazy to me, because dare I say, Jesus encourages that we can and we will do greater things than He did while He was here on earth.
"I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it." (John 14:12-14 NIV)
Now, I need to be clear. We're not nor I am not as an individual going to save the world from their sin...and I doubt that I'll be resurrected to this physical life again, it could happen, I believe I'll be resurrected in Christ, but not back to the earth as I knew it. And Christ is very clear. Apart from Him, we're toast in our ability to do anything. It is only through Him can we do "greater" things than He did.
A distinction is necessary: I think we'll be able to do greater things than Jesus in the "what" but not in the "how" He did them.
Take any of Christ's examples. The miracle of feeding 5,000 people. It's going to be difficult to replicate just creating bread out of nothing, but we can grow wheat, bake it, and then distribute it to hungry mouths...it'll take time, but we can feed thousands of people. Even raising Lazarus from the dead dare I say. Modern science and doctors can do amazing things nowadays, to bring people "back" from death...but we'll never do it like Jesus did by just saying "Lazarus, come out!"
I don't often tend to look at Jesus as an "enabler" but I think that is what Scripture is telling me. Again, my perspective is often that Christ is the end of the law, the end goal in worship, the end goal in all I try to do...but I think Scripture is trying to convince me that He's much more than that.
He's the beginning of all things that are on God's heart. Sharing the truth of the gospel. Feeding starving people. Serving the poor. Healing the sick. Comforting the broken-hearted. Dissipating hate. Reconciling lost relationships.
It can only be done 1. because of Jesus and 2. with dependence upon Him.
Jesus, help me always remember You are the beginning, the starting point of all things too!!
Like Paul says in Romans 10:4, Christ in many ways tends to be the end goal. The end goal of worship, of trying to honor, of trying to live like and live for, of trying not to sin against...
I seem to so easily forget that Jesus is the beginning too!!
And I know that in my mind (John 1), but not in the way I live my life out.
I should do a better job at believing Jesus, for He very plainly says "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End." (Revelation 22:13).
That's crazy to me, because dare I say, Jesus encourages that we can and we will do greater things than He did while He was here on earth.
"I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it." (John 14:12-14 NIV)
Now, I need to be clear. We're not nor I am not as an individual going to save the world from their sin...and I doubt that I'll be resurrected to this physical life again, it could happen, I believe I'll be resurrected in Christ, but not back to the earth as I knew it. And Christ is very clear. Apart from Him, we're toast in our ability to do anything. It is only through Him can we do "greater" things than He did.
A distinction is necessary: I think we'll be able to do greater things than Jesus in the "what" but not in the "how" He did them.
Take any of Christ's examples. The miracle of feeding 5,000 people. It's going to be difficult to replicate just creating bread out of nothing, but we can grow wheat, bake it, and then distribute it to hungry mouths...it'll take time, but we can feed thousands of people. Even raising Lazarus from the dead dare I say. Modern science and doctors can do amazing things nowadays, to bring people "back" from death...but we'll never do it like Jesus did by just saying "Lazarus, come out!"
I don't often tend to look at Jesus as an "enabler" but I think that is what Scripture is telling me. Again, my perspective is often that Christ is the end of the law, the end goal in worship, the end goal in all I try to do...but I think Scripture is trying to convince me that He's much more than that.
He's the beginning of all things that are on God's heart. Sharing the truth of the gospel. Feeding starving people. Serving the poor. Healing the sick. Comforting the broken-hearted. Dissipating hate. Reconciling lost relationships.
It can only be done 1. because of Jesus and 2. with dependence upon Him.
Jesus, help me always remember You are the beginning, the starting point of all things too!!
9.08.2009
Christ's love without condition in spite of physical condition
It strikes me that so many people in our culture today love conditionally based on someone else's physical state or condition.
I admit that do this much more often than I'd like to admit. I engage people if they are like me, or clean enough, or pretty enough, or often of the same skin color.
I get impatient and judgemental if a person is fat or doesn't speak English fluently or smells awful.
It reveals the poor, but true, condition of my own heart.
How refreshing it is to look at Christ and His example! How he loved people with great compassion! Unconditional to their physical state or appearance.
In Matthew 8, Jesus heals a man of leprosy. Nobody approached lepers in Jesus' day. Not many do in today's day and age. Leprosy is an intense disease with outward disfigurement of the skin, possibly leaky skin ulcers, the strong smell deterring most people away...
A bleeding woman (who had been bleeding for 12 years) in Matthew 9 comes and touches Christ's cloak. She is immediately engaged by Christ. "Take heart daughter...your faith has healed you."
Most people who are randomly bleeding, and if I had known they had been like that for the previous twelve years, I would do my best to avoid them. Certainly not want to engage them. And yet Christ puts forth immediate compassion.
In John 11, we see Christ's power to defeat the worst physical condition of all: death. Yet, we know this physical condition does
"But Lord" said Martha, the sister of the dead man, "by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days." (11:39b). We know that Jesus is quite moved in this scene as He just wept. Not cried. Wept. (John 11:35)
In spite of the place stinking badly, in spite of a dead body, Jesus great compassion has the power to raise Lazarus from the dead. Jesus thanks His father for the power to do so, giving all honor and glory to the Creator of the universe, and then Lazarus walks out alive (John 11:44).
Christ loved unconditionally in spite of other's physical condition.
Someone's physical condition or state should not be a reason to withhold love. Whether someone stinks, is sweaty, is fat, is a different color, has corn rows, has creepy looking eyes...I don't think that is for me to judge and with hold a desire to serve and love that other person as Christ would have.
Yet it happens a lot in our modern day culture. When it does happen, those who may not have the most optimal or best physical state or appearance develop greater fears that they won't be loved for their physical condition. They may not want to love. They may fear being loved on condition.
The point is, it is a downward spiral. Instead of it getting started, it would be wise if I looked to Christ's example and sought to love others as He did, regardless of their physical state or condition.
I admit that do this much more often than I'd like to admit. I engage people if they are like me, or clean enough, or pretty enough, or often of the same skin color.
I get impatient and judgemental if a person is fat or doesn't speak English fluently or smells awful.
It reveals the poor, but true, condition of my own heart.
How refreshing it is to look at Christ and His example! How he loved people with great compassion! Unconditional to their physical state or appearance.
In Matthew 8, Jesus heals a man of leprosy. Nobody approached lepers in Jesus' day. Not many do in today's day and age. Leprosy is an intense disease with outward disfigurement of the skin, possibly leaky skin ulcers, the strong smell deterring most people away...
A bleeding woman (who had been bleeding for 12 years) in Matthew 9 comes and touches Christ's cloak. She is immediately engaged by Christ. "Take heart daughter...your faith has healed you."
Most people who are randomly bleeding, and if I had known they had been like that for the previous twelve years, I would do my best to avoid them. Certainly not want to engage them. And yet Christ puts forth immediate compassion.
In John 11, we see Christ's power to defeat the worst physical condition of all: death. Yet, we know this physical condition does
"But Lord" said Martha, the sister of the dead man, "by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days." (11:39b). We know that Jesus is quite moved in this scene as He just wept. Not cried. Wept. (John 11:35)
In spite of the place stinking badly, in spite of a dead body, Jesus great compassion has the power to raise Lazarus from the dead. Jesus thanks His father for the power to do so, giving all honor and glory to the Creator of the universe, and then Lazarus walks out alive (John 11:44).
Christ loved unconditionally in spite of other's physical condition.
Someone's physical condition or state should not be a reason to withhold love. Whether someone stinks, is sweaty, is fat, is a different color, has corn rows, has creepy looking eyes...I don't think that is for me to judge and with hold a desire to serve and love that other person as Christ would have.
Yet it happens a lot in our modern day culture. When it does happen, those who may not have the most optimal or best physical state or appearance develop greater fears that they won't be loved for their physical condition. They may not want to love. They may fear being loved on condition.
The point is, it is a downward spiral. Instead of it getting started, it would be wise if I looked to Christ's example and sought to love others as He did, regardless of their physical state or condition.
8.21.2009
God's Health Care Plan
The health care debate in America is "blowin' up" and getting out of control. Sanity please!
I’m not proposing that I know God’s heart when it comes to health care for America. Public option. Grandma death panels. Increased taxes for small business. I’m not sure what God thinks of those things, but His Word does talk about some really important things that I think are being missed or glossed over during this national debate.
“Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king.” (1 Peter 2:13-17)
First of all, it’s kind of funny that Peter wrote this. The same Peter who wanted to fight the authority forces of power that came to arrest Jesus (and did, cutting off an ear). The same Peter at wits end for denying Jesus three times and then hearing the cock crow (Luke 22). The same Peter who met on the beach with the resurrected Christ (John 21), promising to follow Jesus and striving towards bringing His kingdom here to earth, even if it would cost his life (and it did).
Jesus changed Peter tremendously.
Maybe it was coincidence that Peter, with no medical training, became an amazing physician himself, healing a lifelong cripple in an instant (Acts 3). No, it wasn’t an accident. Christ was the reason that Peter was empowered to take care of such a sick man.
I point this passage and Peter’s story out to ask: are Christ followers doing and being health care in America, or are they just arguing, complaining, and debating like the rest of the world?
The passage in 1 Peter emphasizes “For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men…Love the brotherhood of believers.”
When was the last time Christ followers took care of widows and orphans? (James 1:27)
Are Christ followers serving the needy out of a desire for wordly recognition or a passion to love Jesus? (Matthew 6:1-4)
Do Christ followers pray in the morning that their leaders during the day will be seeking to make health care decisions that are after God’s own heart? (1 Timothy 2:1) Doing this because they know that the Lord Mighty God is completely in control?
Are Christ followers giving more of themselves to others, losing their life by the world’s standards, than they are expecting or taking from others? (Luke 9:23-27)
It’s great to be zealous and passionate about certain proposals regarding the future of health care in America. Yet, Christ followers can set a greater and more powerful example for health care reform by living out Jesus’ example and His teachings on health care, and not just debating it.
I’m not proposing that I know God’s heart when it comes to health care for America. Public option. Grandma death panels. Increased taxes for small business. I’m not sure what God thinks of those things, but His Word does talk about some really important things that I think are being missed or glossed over during this national debate.
“Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king.” (1 Peter 2:13-17)
First of all, it’s kind of funny that Peter wrote this. The same Peter who wanted to fight the authority forces of power that came to arrest Jesus (and did, cutting off an ear). The same Peter at wits end for denying Jesus three times and then hearing the cock crow (Luke 22). The same Peter who met on the beach with the resurrected Christ (John 21), promising to follow Jesus and striving towards bringing His kingdom here to earth, even if it would cost his life (and it did).
Jesus changed Peter tremendously.
Maybe it was coincidence that Peter, with no medical training, became an amazing physician himself, healing a lifelong cripple in an instant (Acts 3). No, it wasn’t an accident. Christ was the reason that Peter was empowered to take care of such a sick man.
I point this passage and Peter’s story out to ask: are Christ followers doing and being health care in America, or are they just arguing, complaining, and debating like the rest of the world?
The passage in 1 Peter emphasizes “For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men…Love the brotherhood of believers.”
When was the last time Christ followers took care of widows and orphans? (James 1:27)
Are Christ followers serving the needy out of a desire for wordly recognition or a passion to love Jesus? (Matthew 6:1-4)
Do Christ followers pray in the morning that their leaders during the day will be seeking to make health care decisions that are after God’s own heart? (1 Timothy 2:1) Doing this because they know that the Lord Mighty God is completely in control?
Are Christ followers giving more of themselves to others, losing their life by the world’s standards, than they are expecting or taking from others? (Luke 9:23-27)
It’s great to be zealous and passionate about certain proposals regarding the future of health care in America. Yet, Christ followers can set a greater and more powerful example for health care reform by living out Jesus’ example and His teachings on health care, and not just debating it.
8.19.2009
celebrating what is right
"Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love.
If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full. This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.
This I command you, that you love one another." (John 15:9-17 NASB)
Christ's love is the perfect love to which our hearts aspire. The perfect love in which our hearts, souls, and minds find perfect peace. Amidst the backdrop of this passage, I think I'm getting a deeper picture of Christ's love, and the joys as well as the limitations of a dating relationship.
Christ emphasizes that we humans love only because it's made possible through and by His love. "I have also loved you..." "just as I have loved you..." "You did not choose Me but I chose you..."
This passage to me makes it clear that we can only abide in any sort of love on this earth AFTER and dependent upon the love relationship with Christ.
Don't get me wrong. I personally have been really fortunate to progress into a deeper season of becoming greater friends with a really great girl. The jury is still out on if it's love or not, I can't say...but a lot of things seem to be clicking as right and honorable. It's an experience of thoughts, emotions, and events that is quite fun, exciting, and unique. Christ speaks, in this very passage, about how greater love is closely related to the idea of deep friendship. "No longer do I call you slaves...but I have called you friends..."
The earthly dating relationship never will, and never should surpass the primary love relationship with Christ. I don't think marriage should either. That sounds almost defeatist at first, definitely counter-cultural to not pour out everything into this other person, this great friend, and to put your primary hope in this other human.
That should never be the case and if I project that as a boyfriend or future husband, I am failing as a friend and a brother. Not to mention, I am selling short the love of Christ and cheapening it.
It needs to be remembered that both humans involved in that relationship have their own individual sin that they bring to the table. That fact will never allow the intimacy and a purity of love that can be experienced with Jesus, the holy and perfect One. Don't get me wrong, husbands and wives, boyfriends and girlfriends can have pretty awesome relationships that are fulfilling, honoring, and glorifying to the Lord. At their best, they can approach something less than the love of Christ. That's not a bad thing though, falling somewhat short of perfection can still be pretty darn good.
If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full. This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.
This I command you, that you love one another." (John 15:9-17 NASB)
Christ's love is the perfect love to which our hearts aspire. The perfect love in which our hearts, souls, and minds find perfect peace. Amidst the backdrop of this passage, I think I'm getting a deeper picture of Christ's love, and the joys as well as the limitations of a dating relationship.
Christ emphasizes that we humans love only because it's made possible through and by His love. "I have also loved you..." "just as I have loved you..." "You did not choose Me but I chose you..."
This passage to me makes it clear that we can only abide in any sort of love on this earth AFTER and dependent upon the love relationship with Christ.
Don't get me wrong. I personally have been really fortunate to progress into a deeper season of becoming greater friends with a really great girl. The jury is still out on if it's love or not, I can't say...but a lot of things seem to be clicking as right and honorable. It's an experience of thoughts, emotions, and events that is quite fun, exciting, and unique. Christ speaks, in this very passage, about how greater love is closely related to the idea of deep friendship. "No longer do I call you slaves...but I have called you friends..."
The earthly dating relationship never will, and never should surpass the primary love relationship with Christ. I don't think marriage should either. That sounds almost defeatist at first, definitely counter-cultural to not pour out everything into this other person, this great friend, and to put your primary hope in this other human.
That should never be the case and if I project that as a boyfriend or future husband, I am failing as a friend and a brother. Not to mention, I am selling short the love of Christ and cheapening it.
It needs to be remembered that both humans involved in that relationship have their own individual sin that they bring to the table. That fact will never allow the intimacy and a purity of love that can be experienced with Jesus, the holy and perfect One. Don't get me wrong, husbands and wives, boyfriends and girlfriends can have pretty awesome relationships that are fulfilling, honoring, and glorifying to the Lord. At their best, they can approach something less than the love of Christ. That's not a bad thing though, falling somewhat short of perfection can still be pretty darn good.
6.03.2009
go right ahead!
this is a really interesting story on NPR:
(it's a 5 part series - you can click on the next one under "more in this series")
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=104240746
Scientists are trying to prove or disprove the existence of God by examining people's brains to see if they can detect some sort of linked relationship of when people pray and have "spiritual" encounters.
I'll let you listen to the story yourself, but there's strong evidence from various studies that shows association between spiritual experiences and certain parts of the brain being more active, and certain chemicals in the brain doing certain things...all that to say that the evidence is pointing to a positive correlation between certain parts of the brain and "spiritual" activities.
Wait...you mean, we're hard-wired to interact with and experience God? Shut up!
This to me is ironic, but great. Most science typically wants to disprove God and His existence. But it looks like science will end up actually producing more convincing evidence for the existence of God than evidence that disproves Him.
I can imagine that all these scientists and experiments might be humorous to God, trying to prove so hard through empirical proof and rigorous analysis that He is alive and well, and that...WOW...we're hard wired for communication with Him...go figure! (ok, I'll stop being sarcastic about this, because it's really serious for a lot people)
It seems like there's a less painful way to enjoying God, recognizing His existence, and knowing Him at a point sooner in life...which involves learning about and getting to know Jesus...but, if this is the route some people need to get a hold of the existence and believe the Father, then go right ahead! They'll get to Jesus at some point or another.
The fact is that it's an indeniable part of relating to God. Truth tells us that:
"Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me". (John 14:6 NIV)
(it's a 5 part series - you can click on the next one under "more in this series")
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=104240746
Scientists are trying to prove or disprove the existence of God by examining people's brains to see if they can detect some sort of linked relationship of when people pray and have "spiritual" encounters.
I'll let you listen to the story yourself, but there's strong evidence from various studies that shows association between spiritual experiences and certain parts of the brain being more active, and certain chemicals in the brain doing certain things...all that to say that the evidence is pointing to a positive correlation between certain parts of the brain and "spiritual" activities.
Wait...you mean, we're hard-wired to interact with and experience God? Shut up!
This to me is ironic, but great. Most science typically wants to disprove God and His existence. But it looks like science will end up actually producing more convincing evidence for the existence of God than evidence that disproves Him.
I can imagine that all these scientists and experiments might be humorous to God, trying to prove so hard through empirical proof and rigorous analysis that He is alive and well, and that...WOW...we're hard wired for communication with Him...go figure! (ok, I'll stop being sarcastic about this, because it's really serious for a lot people)
It seems like there's a less painful way to enjoying God, recognizing His existence, and knowing Him at a point sooner in life...which involves learning about and getting to know Jesus...but, if this is the route some people need to get a hold of the existence and believe the Father, then go right ahead! They'll get to Jesus at some point or another.
The fact is that it's an indeniable part of relating to God. Truth tells us that:
"Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me". (John 14:6 NIV)
4.10.2009
GOOD Friday from Scripture...
Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God." (Luke 9:23-27 NIV)
We are to deny ourselves and bear our cross each day...
"Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified. So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). Here they crucified him, and with him two others—one on each side and Jesus in the middle. Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, "I am thirsty." A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus' lips. When he had received the drink, Jesus said, "It is finished." With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. (John 19:16-17, 28-30)
Jesus didn't just TELL us to take up our cross, He DID it, changing our lives and the world forever...
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives. (1 John 1:8-10 NIV)
And still today, Jesus wants nothing more than to purify us and make us holy. The meaning of the cross becomes greater and greater as we recognize more and more our own depravity.
2.27.2009
evil in the world: old, but regular news
The reality of things is that there is much evil in the world. This is nothing new really. A quick look to our history textbooks, and I'm going to guesstimate that 75% of the content deals with some sort of evil. History textbooks don't tend to report the good happy times. They report wars and revolutions and crisises.
Evil is both wide and deep. Evil occurs in every nation, city, household, and the depth of evil can be seen in multiple situations. Just look at any news media, tv or internet news. Our senses are infiltrated with knowledge of evil again, and again, and again.
I'm kind of wondering why news outlets like to stick to reporting mostly evil things and events. It's not all bad, but the majority of focus is spent reporting on child molestors, murders, rapes, wars, fires, sicknesses, depressions, relationships gone bad (personal and business ones), greed...the list goes on and on and on.
A possible answer to that question might be that it's probably related to another evil - greed...those news "suppliers" want to make a profit and the best way to do that is ratchet up the stories that portray evil and abuse and heartbreak.
Why is it that evil continues to "get us"? Why do we continue to pay attention to the high volume of it that's out there. Yes, there's a lot of it out there, but why haven't news "suppliers" changed the substance of what they report? We continue to pay attention to evil, time and time again, I think for one principal reason.
Deep down, in the intricate fabric of every human being, we know that hearing or seeing or experiencing evil -- there's something wrong with that. It makes our ears perk up and our eyes grow wider when we read of evil or hear about it. The inner places of our hearts recognize that's not the way it should be, and so we pay attention to evil event A because we are intrigued as to why something went wrong where it shouldn't have.
Over the past couple of adys, I've been struck by how much evil is in our world. I think we often de-sensitize ourselves to the volume and intensity of evil in our world, probably so we can continue functioning as human beings without being overwhelmed...but I've been somewhat undoing the de-sensitizing, and it's really awful to try and grasp the magnitude of evil in our world (I know I really am not coming close).
In the face of understanding evil a bit more, I'm so thankful I can trust a promise from Jesus the Great Savior: "These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world." (John 16:33 NASB)
Evil is both wide and deep. Evil occurs in every nation, city, household, and the depth of evil can be seen in multiple situations. Just look at any news media, tv or internet news. Our senses are infiltrated with knowledge of evil again, and again, and again.
I'm kind of wondering why news outlets like to stick to reporting mostly evil things and events. It's not all bad, but the majority of focus is spent reporting on child molestors, murders, rapes, wars, fires, sicknesses, depressions, relationships gone bad (personal and business ones), greed...the list goes on and on and on.
A possible answer to that question might be that it's probably related to another evil - greed...those news "suppliers" want to make a profit and the best way to do that is ratchet up the stories that portray evil and abuse and heartbreak.
Why is it that evil continues to "get us"? Why do we continue to pay attention to the high volume of it that's out there. Yes, there's a lot of it out there, but why haven't news "suppliers" changed the substance of what they report? We continue to pay attention to evil, time and time again, I think for one principal reason.
Deep down, in the intricate fabric of every human being, we know that hearing or seeing or experiencing evil -- there's something wrong with that. It makes our ears perk up and our eyes grow wider when we read of evil or hear about it. The inner places of our hearts recognize that's not the way it should be, and so we pay attention to evil event A because we are intrigued as to why something went wrong where it shouldn't have.
Over the past couple of adys, I've been struck by how much evil is in our world. I think we often de-sensitize ourselves to the volume and intensity of evil in our world, probably so we can continue functioning as human beings without being overwhelmed...but I've been somewhat undoing the de-sensitizing, and it's really awful to try and grasp the magnitude of evil in our world (I know I really am not coming close).
In the face of understanding evil a bit more, I'm so thankful I can trust a promise from Jesus the Great Savior: "These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world." (John 16:33 NASB)
2.14.2009
Jesus greater than Hallmark
So today is Valentine's Day.
I'm just going to offer that our culture really gets us to think about, and then expect a great Hallmark card, a wonderful flower arrangement, or some elaborately conceived romantic dinner.
Don't get me wrong, all those things can be great. But in thinking about these things or focusing on them, we miss something much much greater. Something that doesn't even compare in fact.
Today, it would be horrible to not even think for a few minutes and reflect on Christ's great act of love. Leaving the glory of heaven to come and suffer on the cross. To heal us and redeem us.
No Hallmark card, flowers, romantic dinners WILL EVER, not even come 1,000,000,000,000,000 light years anywhere close to Christ's love offering:
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16 NIV)
I'm just going to offer that our culture really gets us to think about, and then expect a great Hallmark card, a wonderful flower arrangement, or some elaborately conceived romantic dinner.
Don't get me wrong, all those things can be great. But in thinking about these things or focusing on them, we miss something much much greater. Something that doesn't even compare in fact.
Today, it would be horrible to not even think for a few minutes and reflect on Christ's great act of love. Leaving the glory of heaven to come and suffer on the cross. To heal us and redeem us.
No Hallmark card, flowers, romantic dinners WILL EVER, not even come 1,000,000,000,000,000 light years anywhere close to Christ's love offering:
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16 NIV)
10.28.2008
stumbling blocks to genuine community
In Acts, we have one of the purest pictures of the early church and early Christian fellowship:
"They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved." (Acts 2: 42-47 NIV)
I think an emphasis worth noting is "And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved."
Pure community. And not by coincidence, the body of believers was growing quickly. The more unified the community, the greater it was able to grow as others came to know Christ.
One of my pet peeves if I could call it that of Christian community is that there all sorts of weird aspects in relationships that prevent pure and genuine community. Obviously, sin plays a significant role in coming between brothers and sisters, brothers and brothers, sisters and sisters...a lot of these stumbling blocks I think have migrated from worldly cultural tenets and principles into Christian community. For brother and sister relationships, one of these main stumbling blocks I think involves the idea of marriage. I posted on that a bit earlier, that there is this underlying cultural expectation to get married that I don't think is necessarily completely in-line with Scriptures' premise of marriage. As a result of this, when brothers and sisters are meeting each other for the first time, or first developing friendships, I think there is an underlying weirdness, as a result of some cultural expectations. It's possible that what's going on is that brothers and sisters are reading into things or having their minds not foremost on developing Christian community for God's glory, but rather on personal desires for relationships, possibly marriage.
For brother - brother relationships, I think cultural aspects of the importance of being thought of as intelligent, "Godly" or even being this "manly" man sometimes provides a stumbling block. I think guys sometimes get together and there is an underlying desire (that comes primarily from culture) to be able to lift more in the gym than the other guy or being more witty or having a greater knowledge of the Bible. This is not a limited list, there are other things guys do with other guys to "one up" each other in a sense, even if it's in a subtle way. Some of this sounds dumb and childish, but I do think it goes on. In addition, this desire is exacerbated when in a group setting.
I'm not going to try and speak to sister-sister relationships, since I'm not a sister, but I imagine there are stumbling blocks with those relationships too. And so what are we to do?
First, I think it's important to examine and recognize tendencies in relationships that may contribute to these "stumbling blocks." I think the desire to be humble and a servant before your brother or sister is something really important to keep in mind. Being vulnerable is hard, but it can be done more easily I think the more one's eyes are on the prize, Jesus. Also, it wouldn't be bad to echo Jesus prayer for community unity and keep in mind the direction to which Jesus was pointing with His prayer (this is kind of long, but most excellent):
"I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name—the name you gave me—so that they may be one as we are one. While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled. "I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.
"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. "Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. "Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them." (John 17: 6-26 NIV)
"They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved." (Acts 2: 42-47 NIV)
I think an emphasis worth noting is "And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved."
Pure community. And not by coincidence, the body of believers was growing quickly. The more unified the community, the greater it was able to grow as others came to know Christ.
One of my pet peeves if I could call it that of Christian community is that there all sorts of weird aspects in relationships that prevent pure and genuine community. Obviously, sin plays a significant role in coming between brothers and sisters, brothers and brothers, sisters and sisters...a lot of these stumbling blocks I think have migrated from worldly cultural tenets and principles into Christian community. For brother and sister relationships, one of these main stumbling blocks I think involves the idea of marriage. I posted on that a bit earlier, that there is this underlying cultural expectation to get married that I don't think is necessarily completely in-line with Scriptures' premise of marriage. As a result of this, when brothers and sisters are meeting each other for the first time, or first developing friendships, I think there is an underlying weirdness, as a result of some cultural expectations. It's possible that what's going on is that brothers and sisters are reading into things or having their minds not foremost on developing Christian community for God's glory, but rather on personal desires for relationships, possibly marriage.
For brother - brother relationships, I think cultural aspects of the importance of being thought of as intelligent, "Godly" or even being this "manly" man sometimes provides a stumbling block. I think guys sometimes get together and there is an underlying desire (that comes primarily from culture) to be able to lift more in the gym than the other guy or being more witty or having a greater knowledge of the Bible. This is not a limited list, there are other things guys do with other guys to "one up" each other in a sense, even if it's in a subtle way. Some of this sounds dumb and childish, but I do think it goes on. In addition, this desire is exacerbated when in a group setting.
I'm not going to try and speak to sister-sister relationships, since I'm not a sister, but I imagine there are stumbling blocks with those relationships too. And so what are we to do?
First, I think it's important to examine and recognize tendencies in relationships that may contribute to these "stumbling blocks." I think the desire to be humble and a servant before your brother or sister is something really important to keep in mind. Being vulnerable is hard, but it can be done more easily I think the more one's eyes are on the prize, Jesus. Also, it wouldn't be bad to echo Jesus prayer for community unity and keep in mind the direction to which Jesus was pointing with His prayer (this is kind of long, but most excellent):
"I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name—the name you gave me—so that they may be one as we are one. While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled. "I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.
"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. "Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. "Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them." (John 17: 6-26 NIV)
10.01.2008
safe for the whole family?
A Christian radio station here in Nashville, which I very much enjoy listening to, has a slogan that they often repeat and play...
"safe for the whole family" is what they say.
Is the real Jesus safe?
If we look at Jesus in Scripture, and follow His history here on earth, I think there's strong evidence that Jesus is not safe, at least in an earthly sense of the word.
Let's take a look. Of the original twelve disciples, Simon Peter was crucified, Andrew was whipped and tied to a cross where he hung until he died, James (brother of John) was beheaded, Philip was crucified, Bartholomew was beaten severely, whipped, and THEN crucified, Thomas was speared to death and then incinerated in an oven, Matthew was axed to death, James (brother of Jesus) was thrown off the top of the temple, and though he survived the fall, he was then beaten to death by a gang wielding clubs. Jude and Simon the Zealot were crucified. Matthias (Judas' replacement) was stoned and THEN beheaded. Paul, who didn't interact with Jesus in person, but was clearly called by Jesus, was beheaded. The only disciple (other than Judas) to not die by murder, was John, although he was thrown in a pot of boiling oil, SURVIVED, and then was exiled to Patmos island.
The math is clear: of these 14 men who were very committed to Jesus as their Lord and Savior, ONLY ONE was not murded. 13 out of 14 were, and many times in brutal ways. I'm thinking Jesus is not so safe after all.
BUT HE IS! It all depends on the context of how you are defining the word "safe." I would argue that if you want to be safe in the world, leave Jesus alone. Families are split up, friends leave you, and it is very likely you will suffer physical and mental persecution as a result of claiming allegiance to Jesus. In America today, we do not experience this as clearly as some of our Christ brothers and sisters around the world.
"If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember the words I spoke to you: 'No servant is greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the One who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. Now, however, they have no excuse for their sin. He who hates me hates my Father as well. If I had not done among them what no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. But now they have seen these miracles, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: 'They hated me without reason.' "(John 15:18-25 NIV)
How are we to respond to the fact that the world HATES followers of Jesus? What are we to do? I think the same passage of Scripture gives us an answer:
"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command: Love each other." (John 15:9-17 NIV)
Love each other! When it comes to the realm of the universe and who rules over all, then yes, I think Jesus is extremely safe. The SAFEST. Even safe for the whole family.
"safe for the whole family" is what they say.
Is the real Jesus safe?
If we look at Jesus in Scripture, and follow His history here on earth, I think there's strong evidence that Jesus is not safe, at least in an earthly sense of the word.
Let's take a look. Of the original twelve disciples, Simon Peter was crucified, Andrew was whipped and tied to a cross where he hung until he died, James (brother of John) was beheaded, Philip was crucified, Bartholomew was beaten severely, whipped, and THEN crucified, Thomas was speared to death and then incinerated in an oven, Matthew was axed to death, James (brother of Jesus) was thrown off the top of the temple, and though he survived the fall, he was then beaten to death by a gang wielding clubs. Jude and Simon the Zealot were crucified. Matthias (Judas' replacement) was stoned and THEN beheaded. Paul, who didn't interact with Jesus in person, but was clearly called by Jesus, was beheaded. The only disciple (other than Judas) to not die by murder, was John, although he was thrown in a pot of boiling oil, SURVIVED, and then was exiled to Patmos island.
The math is clear: of these 14 men who were very committed to Jesus as their Lord and Savior, ONLY ONE was not murded. 13 out of 14 were, and many times in brutal ways. I'm thinking Jesus is not so safe after all.
BUT HE IS! It all depends on the context of how you are defining the word "safe." I would argue that if you want to be safe in the world, leave Jesus alone. Families are split up, friends leave you, and it is very likely you will suffer physical and mental persecution as a result of claiming allegiance to Jesus. In America today, we do not experience this as clearly as some of our Christ brothers and sisters around the world.
"If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember the words I spoke to you: 'No servant is greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the One who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. Now, however, they have no excuse for their sin. He who hates me hates my Father as well. If I had not done among them what no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. But now they have seen these miracles, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: 'They hated me without reason.' "(John 15:18-25 NIV)
How are we to respond to the fact that the world HATES followers of Jesus? What are we to do? I think the same passage of Scripture gives us an answer:
"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command: Love each other." (John 15:9-17 NIV)
Love each other! When it comes to the realm of the universe and who rules over all, then yes, I think Jesus is extremely safe. The SAFEST. Even safe for the whole family.
8.02.2008
maybe it's like this...
So I thought of a visual analogy to how our lives work in relation to what we're filled up with and where our joy is found. This may be silly, but I think it makes some sense. And it's summer, so maybe it's more relevant.
For this, you need to remember something from Science class:
-the principle of water displacement. The mass of some object, when put in a water glass, will displace that same amount of water.
Think of a swimming pool. A big one in your back yard. We're the pool. What's in the pool, the toys, accessories, people, the water -- is what's in our lives. More specifically, the water in the pool represents the spiritual joy that comes from Jesus and Him alone. When we come to believe in Jesus and grow in His likeness, we're adding water to the pool. We get to a normal level, and everything is ok. You can throw in a float or two into a pool, maybe some diving rings to the bottom, but not much changes. These things might represent some simple material possessions that add joy to our real lives. Having a car, having a home to build a family up under God's grace, these things are not inherently wrong and they add contentment to our lives.
Don't forget people!
People fill up your pool much better than the floats or diving rings. In our lives, that principle holds true. More satisfaction SHOULD come from relationships with others than the material things that are in our pool.
As for the people, some people might dive into the pool, hopefully they do it so as not to splash too much water out of the pool. There are those people who sometimes do cannonballs into your pool, and that causes a lot of water to be lost. Remeber, the water = joy. The people who jump into your pool of life are those who make up your community and relationships. And yes, you'll have the occasional doof who pees in your pool. Overall, having people in your pool adds to the fun and enjoyment of it. The right number of people in your pool raises your water level almost to the top level of the pool. But still, most of what's in the pool is water, the joy found in Christ.
What happens when we start throwing in too many pool accessories into our pool? At first we think great!, more cool pool toys! but then we start losing the water that's in our pool. Uh oh, not good. This happens in our lives. We go beyond levels of satisfaction found in a relevant, minimal, meet-the-need set of material goods to where we start displacing the joy in our lives. The water flows out of our pool. And for what? An underwater motorized swimming machine? You mean to tell me we're getting rid of that universal, life-giving, life-sustaining water for some pool toy? Cool as it may be, is that the smartest move? What's going to happen in a severe heatwave? The fires of life...we better have a lot of water in our pool stored up before those come on, or our pool might evaporate completely then our pool foundation starts to crack.
On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." (John 7:37-38 NIV)
Be it summer, or whatever season of the year, that your life may be filled up as much as possible with the joy that is found and can only be found in the fullness of Jesus, the Christ.
For this, you need to remember something from Science class:
-the principle of water displacement. The mass of some object, when put in a water glass, will displace that same amount of water.
Think of a swimming pool. A big one in your back yard. We're the pool. What's in the pool, the toys, accessories, people, the water -- is what's in our lives. More specifically, the water in the pool represents the spiritual joy that comes from Jesus and Him alone. When we come to believe in Jesus and grow in His likeness, we're adding water to the pool. We get to a normal level, and everything is ok. You can throw in a float or two into a pool, maybe some diving rings to the bottom, but not much changes. These things might represent some simple material possessions that add joy to our real lives. Having a car, having a home to build a family up under God's grace, these things are not inherently wrong and they add contentment to our lives.
Don't forget people!
People fill up your pool much better than the floats or diving rings. In our lives, that principle holds true. More satisfaction SHOULD come from relationships with others than the material things that are in our pool.
As for the people, some people might dive into the pool, hopefully they do it so as not to splash too much water out of the pool. There are those people who sometimes do cannonballs into your pool, and that causes a lot of water to be lost. Remeber, the water = joy. The people who jump into your pool of life are those who make up your community and relationships. And yes, you'll have the occasional doof who pees in your pool. Overall, having people in your pool adds to the fun and enjoyment of it. The right number of people in your pool raises your water level almost to the top level of the pool. But still, most of what's in the pool is water, the joy found in Christ.
What happens when we start throwing in too many pool accessories into our pool? At first we think great!, more cool pool toys! but then we start losing the water that's in our pool. Uh oh, not good. This happens in our lives. We go beyond levels of satisfaction found in a relevant, minimal, meet-the-need set of material goods to where we start displacing the joy in our lives. The water flows out of our pool. And for what? An underwater motorized swimming machine? You mean to tell me we're getting rid of that universal, life-giving, life-sustaining water for some pool toy? Cool as it may be, is that the smartest move? What's going to happen in a severe heatwave? The fires of life...we better have a lot of water in our pool stored up before those come on, or our pool might evaporate completely then our pool foundation starts to crack.
On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." (John 7:37-38 NIV)
Be it summer, or whatever season of the year, that your life may be filled up as much as possible with the joy that is found and can only be found in the fullness of Jesus, the Christ.
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