Knowing God vs. Knowing About God

I ran across a great insight from the Christian author, George MacDonald. My paraphrase of what he wrote goes like this:

Most of the teachers in the church spend more time explaining God…than obeying God. The gospel (the good news about Jesus, forgiveness, and the coming Kingdom of God) is given not to redeem our understandings, but our hearts. When that is accomplished, then – and only then – will our understandings be set free.

This point is so true…and so often overlooked. And it strikes right at the heart of who I am and what I do. 

I am not a scholar, but I am a thinker. I love to study and learn, and I love to teach. I feel as if my life is, to a great extent, an ongoing pursuit of the truth. My ministry and my calling are (among other things) to teach people the truth contained in the Bible.

And yet – if I am not careful – I can turn the pursuit of knowledge into an idol. If I am not careful, I can immerse myself in study for it’s own sake and neglect the condition of my heart and soul. If I am not careful, I can mislead our church into thinking that more knowledge is the solution to all of life’s issues.

The Bible itself reminds us to keep knowledge in its proper place:

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice – the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.  [Romans 12:1-3, New Living Translation]

I’ve always appreciated this passage, because it does not ignore the importance of the mind. However, the Apostle Paul – writing under the guidance of the Holy Spirit – tells us that we must offer ourselves first. If I fail to follow this timeless advice, I may increase my knowledge without truly being transformed by God.

  

-       Bruce

A Day of Reflection

A few times a year, the monastery north of us in Mt. Angel offers a day of reflection.  It includes a few short talks from one of the nuns, and several hours of quiet time.  This past week I took a friend and we joined in.  I came away with a few new ways at looking at some of my issues and questions, along with a lighter heart and a more rested spirit.

One talk focused on preparing for the birth of Jesus during the Advent Season.  I started to think about all that this season usually entails - preparing special meals, Christmas parties, choosing gifts and decorating the house among other things.  It always is a time when I really feel that need to take control of my schedule since every minute can be busy with activity. 

But our teacher suggested a better way to prepare.

...Instead of focusing on physical preparation, focus on spiritual preparation. 

...Instead of planning every moment, be open and receptive to how God chooses to show up in my moments. 

...Instead of worrying whether I’ve checked everything off the list and put every decoration in place, be alert to God’s surprises, delays, and plans.

This certainly is the year to take this message to heart.  For many weeks, Bruce has been working on refinishing our dining/living room floor.  It’s a big job and has been much more involved and time consuming than we expected.  Our son, his fiancé, and her little boy are arriving here in two weeks, with their wedding a week later.  And we are not ready – yet. 

Some days I get anxious about the “doing”, because this is the season of doing.  The morning at Mt. Angel reminded me again to focus on God’s presence, and to be receptive to whatever He has for me each day. 

This is the way to prepare for the birth of Jesus: to joyfully experience being in the presence of Almighty God. 

Oh come let us adore Him – Christ the Lord. 

-          Julie

Next Steps

Recently Bruce and I were in the pasture clearing blackberries and old, rotting wood.  We threw things in the utility trailer, ready to be hauled away.  It is back-breaking work – especially for a couple of folks in their 50’s.  The black berries branches have incredibly sharp thorns, and the old wood is decayed, and often full of splinters and rusty nails.  While we worked, I spent time thinking about the way God’s plans unfold in our lives.

As the sun beats down on me today, and we bend and move dead bushes, I have a lot of time to think.  Certainly about when our next water break will be, or ways to grab the wood without getting caught on nails, but also about God’s call to us.  Creating plans, drawing garden dimensions, and offering spiritual direction to women…are all part of this call.  But reaching that goal also includes hours of just plain, hard labor. 

This makes me think of Noah and the challenges He faced in responding to God’s call.  He was 500 years old when God commanded him to build an ark.  This was to provide safety to Noah, his extended family and many animals, when God flooded the earth. 

Talk about back-breaking work!  It took him years to build an ark.  But he persevered, believing that God wanted him to do this task.  No matter that his neighbors scoffed at him, no matter that he lived in a desert, far from water.  Noah was asked to trust God and in faith, do what God asked. 

I believe that God has called us not to build an ark, but to provide a place of rest, reflection and renewal for women.  We have our own set of challenges, but the foundational questions are the same – do we trust God to provide what we need?  Are we willing to walk by faith and not by sight?  Do we believe that God will do what He has said He will do? 

In the midst of shoveling, with dirt on my clothes, surrounded by rotting lumber and dead shrubbery, I am caught by the vision, and stand silent and still…what is there to say?  The Almighty God has asked me, (with the support of Bruce and others) to offer this land for His purposes.  Our part is to listen and then to respond, as He unfolds His plan.  Amazing. 

Recently a member of our prayer team sent me a note regarding a prayer time with God about the Lavender Pavilion.  Here is some of what he said:

“First, my beginning words in prayer speaking to God flowed simply out of my desire to acknowledge to Him that "it is Your Property, Your Plan and Your Provision."  That being said, I wondered how to continue in prayer about the situation and immediately this short prayer flowed out.  ‘Open your servant's eyes today to Your Providence’. 

“That took me on a little study in the dictionary to go a little deeper on the meaning of the word ‘Providence’ that I clearly heard God speak, and I found the following:  Providence means divine guidance, foresight, management of resources and direction. 

“Ultimately, the whole ministry plan and all its elements are God's, and what we as servants of the Lord really need most is direction.  So, now my closing words to God in concluding my prayer time for both of you today is, ‘I got it.  I know how to pray.  Thanks’”. 

Direction is what we seek every step of the way.  I thought building a sound wall was next, but God instead has given us someone to clear the rest of the property.   

I really wanted to build the prayer walk, but that is waiting for the planting of the 24 trees and bushes we just purchased, to help provide privacy and a boundary along the lane next to the Lavender Pavilion.  So planting seems to be the next step.  

We are so thankful for God's providence to us.  The Lord has provided encouragement and prayer from many different people.  We've even received some financial donations, though we have yet to finalize our non-profit status.  We are grateful and amazed.  

This is my prayer as we plant these trees and take another step in developing the Lavender Pavilion:

Lord, take this place and fill it with Your blessing.

Let it be a haven where the poor in spirit sing.

Take this place and fill it, Lord.  Fill it with Yourself.

Northumbria Prayer 

 

- Julie

Fan or Follower?

We are in the midst of a nine-week sermon series at church that is perhaps the most personally challenging series of messages or lessons I ever have presented.  The title of the series is, “Am I a ‘Fan’…or a ‘Follower’?  (The title…but not the substance of the messages…came from a book by Pastor Kyle Idleman entitled, “not a fan”.)

Each time we prepare to start a new sermon series, I share the idea and vision with the church through a brief written introduction.  Here’s what I wrote for this series:

Some 600 years ago, a humble follower of Jesus Christ wrote these words:

"Jesus has many lovers of His kingdom…but few bearers of His cross.  He finds many companions at His feasting…but few at His fasting.  All want to rejoice with Him…but few are willing to endure anything for Him.  Many love Jesus as long as no adversities befall them."  [The Imitation of Christ, Thomas a’ Kempis]

You and I face the same situation today, don’t we?  It is so much easier to be a “fan” of Jesus than to be a “follower” of Jesus. 

 

Being a fan is fun and exciting.  Being a fan is about winning and losing.  About the adrenaline rush of the big play; the come-from behind victory; the stunning upset; the post-game celebration. 

Being a follower certainly has moments of great joy, but the life of a follower is different.  Following Jesus means we look beyond the adrenaline rush and we allow Him to invade the everyday, ordinary aspects of life and transform them.  We allow Him to fill our work and chores and relationships with spiritual meaning.

But there is more to being a follower, because Jesus wants all of us.  He wants our minds, our hearts, and our souls.  He wants to be the priority in our lives and – at times – move us beyond the comfortable routines in which we live.  He wants us to be willing to be inconvenienced in order to grow in our faith, because He is more concerned with our character than our comfort. 

Jesus wants to give us His best, and He only can do that when we give Him our best.  

So…are you ready to take a step of faith?  Are you willing to invest more of yourself in your relationship with Jesus?  Through this series of messages and LifeGroup discussions, He is extending each of us an invitation to become less of a fan…and more of a follower. 

The message this past Sunday (part four of the series) was on the cost of following Jesus.  In Luke 14:25-35, Jesus invites us to make a life-altering decision: to love Him more than anyone or anything.  He says that this should be our goal if we want to be a disciple.

I find the Lord’s invitation to be exhilarating, challenging…and oh, so convicting.  Because I recognize that there are things about this life and this world that I love, and – at times – I allow them to inhibit my faith.  At times I knowingly, willingly, choose to invest my time in activities that are not harmful…but neither do they enrich my spiritual life.

Sometimes I play a computer game, read a book, do a crossword puzzle…and then tell myself that I did not have time to meet with the Lord in prayer.  What am I actually saying to Jesus in that moment?  I’m saying that I prefer these other activities to spending time with Him. 

When I see this attitude in myself it pierces me to the heart, because it is the attitude of a fan, not a follower. 

I recognize that I always will fall short in this life, but I also know that my love for Jesus should be reflected in my priorities.  While there is nothing wrong (and much value) with taking time for some enjoyable rest and recreation, I cannot do these things at the expense of my spiritual nourishment. 

Marriage is such a wonderful picture of my life with Jesus.  I don’t need to spend every waking minute with my wife to demonstrate my love for her, nor do I need to spend every conscious moment talking to Jesus or thinking spiritual thoughts to demonstrate my love for Him.  But both my wife and my Lord need to know they are a priority in my life. 

And Jesus – my Savior, my Lord, my God – needs to be my highest priority. 

So I am praying and pondering what it means for me – as a husband, a father, a pastor – to love Jesus more than anyone or anything.  Each day.  In the myriad decisions I make about how to invest my time. 

Because I never want to be just a fan of Jesus…I want to be one of His faithful followers. 

-      Bruce