Deep Thoughts

This thought struck me yesterday as I was listening to a completely unrelated sermon. I understand that it is a gross oversimplification of difficult issues, but I only had the back of the bulletin to expound on. :-)

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

IF Matthew 28: 19-20 is our mission statement, and if everything we do is to be done insupport of it, then the litmus test for orthopraxy is discipleship. Social drinking and other hot-button issues must be considered in light of only one question: Does it or does it not constitute a positive contribution to the discipleship
process?

Its a simple, yes or no question. to those who would claim that such issues require more flexibility to respond; grow up! You must respond, yes or no, and live with the consequences.

And what if we can't agree?

If we can't agree individually, we must still be bound together in unity. As long as we stay focused on the MISSION, we are united. Let the discussion of secondary issues take place, but let it be that, discussion. In orthopraxy we remain consistent. Effectiveness depends on it. If we would be effective in our mission, we've got to learn to fight for the truth that matters, not opinions that don't.

In hindsight, its a bit sophomoric, far too simplistic to be of any real value. Although the last sentence bears the mark of greatness, it remains undefined, and that's the real problem. What is 'truth that matters?' For some, social drinking is an issue worth fighting over. For others, its silly. I guess the simple solution is to find the common ground we ALL agree on, fight like hell for that, and let the rest go.

Even social drinking? Even social drinking. Too often we get caught up in arguments and debates over things that have value, but not not enough value, and it drags us away from priority one. We become legalistic, or belligerent, and most of the time it seems we do it in the worst possible moments; when we're in public, where an on-looking world can point and laugh at our endless squabbling. how many people have gone to hell without Jesus while we scream and moan at (or worse, about) one another. They'll know we are Christians by our gossip and infinite capacity for pointless debate.

I wish I could go on, but I'm late for dinner.

Devo VIII: On Evil

"Then the LORD said to Job, 'Will the faultfinder cintend with the Almighty? Let him who reproves God answer it.'
Then Job answered the LORD and said, 'Behold, I am insignificant; what can I reply to You?"
Job 40:1-3

Everywhere I turn lately, I am confronted with evil. It's presence has been felt in the ministry God has entrust to me, in the lives of those around me, and most significantly within my own family. Its touch seems everywhere. And the more I am confronted with it, the more I am convinced of the need for a sovereign God, the more I understand how absolutely critical it is to have a working knowledge and relationship with that God. The time to work out the Problem of Evil is not after it arrives in our lives, but beforehand. We cannot wait until our child has been molested, or the cancer is diagnosed, or our loved one is struck down by some tragic accident of man or nature. No, we must not wait! We must act now. The time to batten down the hatches is before the storm. The time to study is before the test. How many of us procrastinate, then flounder and fail when evil comes.

Job's God, the God of Abraham, and Isaac, and Jesus, was sovereign. And it is only in that sovereignty that comfort comes. Yes, He knew evil would happen, but He also knew that it was for the best. No, I don't understand how, but I don't need to either. Do I want to? Of course. I want to scream and curse and shake my fist at fate as much as any man. But I don't because, unlike any man, I DO know Him who is the Almighty, and I trust Him no matter what.

Blessed is the person who understands that we must trust God's heart whn we
cannot understand His hand; blessed is the person who knows that we must stand
in awe in the presence of the mystery of God's purposes. Blessed is the
person who keeps on believing no matter what. Blessed is the person who
lets God be God.-Erwin Lutzer

Ordinary Life II

"isu smf" The first attempt of our five-year-old son to spell the name of his big sister (Alyssa Smith).