You stand amidst the wreckage of your house. It's flattened. Nothing is left standing, not one brick on another. You're unable to take it all in so you just stand there, for who knows how long, numb and confused by the destruction.
At the street curb a man in a suit and tie holding a clipboard shouts,"I can help you rebuild if you give me a moment of your time!" The first thing that goes through your mind is, "Doesn't take long for the buzzards to start circling! Not a moments rest for the weary!" You get so angry with the man that you grab a stick and chase him back to his car and he drives off.
The next day the man is back! "I can help you rebuild if you give me a moment of your time!"
"Boy, this guy is really desperate!" you think. Today you just ignore him and go about your business but he doesn't leave. In fact he watches all day occasionally repeating his cry. Over the next few days he haunts your property. Sometimes you chase him off, sometimes you let him stay. Finally, overwhelmed by the cleanup, you relent and step over to talk to the man.
"Your pretty tenacious," you say.
"Well, I really need this account and I know I can help you." he says so matter-of-factly that you believe him.
He copies down your info on his clip board and says, "I've got a few more accounts to see today and if you wouldn't mind riding with me we can talk on the way?" It would be nice to take a break from the ruins of your house so you agree. Along the way you two discuss what happened and how. It feels so good to talk to someone that it just spills out of your mouth before you even realize you're pouring out your life to a total stranger! But he's a good listener and what else do you have to lose, you think.
At the next appointment you see a woman sitting in the destruction that was once a mobile home. She's sobbing uncontrollably and you feel so bad that without thinking you navigate through the debris over to her. The smell of alcohol is strong on her and she is noticeably intoxicated. As you try to console her you hear the all too familiar voice say, " I can help you rebuild if you give me a moment of your time!"
In a flash the woman turns on you with a look of betrayal in her eyes and screams, " Get outa' here you filthy leaches. How dare you prey on those who are down and out!" She chases both of you back to the car and peel off.
"Well that was uncalled for!" you say thinking, " I was only trying to help." Then you remember you did the same thing to the guy sitting next to you a couple of days ago and you feel ashamed. "By the way," you state annoyingly," Aren't you supposed to be helping me!?"
"I've got a few more stops to make but we'll get you what you need," he says without a hint of bother from what just happened.
More stops, some to fallen houses, some to those still standing. Sometimes the man offers help rebuilding or other times offers insurance against catastrophe. Most people politely refuse but a few accept. And for those individuals you can almost see the weight lifted from their shoulders. The gratitude for offered help comes as such a relief that you finally see the appeal of this man's job. Most of the time it's hard, unrewarding, and often dangerous! work.
The man drops you off back at "home" that evening. "So, you think you can get me a check or something?" you ask.
"I'll be in touch," he replies cryptically. "How about I swing by tomorrow to see how your doing?"
"Great," you say rather rudely and head over to your heap to see about sleeping arrangements.
The next morning you wake up and the man is waiting for you at the curb. "Hungry? Want some breakfast?"
"Starving," you reply.
After breakfast you agree to accompany the man on more accounts, desperate to avoid your own cleanup. And so it goes over the following weeks that you two, sometimes joined by others, travel all over assisting in his work. You know you can't mooch off this guy forever so you start cleaning off your foundation a little bit each night. And it's about time you found a job too! You resolve to quit putting off what you know needs to be done.
The very next day your friend, you can honestly call him a friend by now, offers you a position at his company! "You've been riding with me for long enough that you know what to do," he says with a smile.
"But, I don't even know what you do other than take down their info on that clipboard!" you realize as you say it.
"Just refer them to me, that's all you have to do." he states simply. You've been on enough accounts to know that it sounds easy enough but often times it's not!
"What do you do for these people?" you ask curiously because so far you haven't gotten anything from this man. It dawns on you that it hasn't bothered you that he's done nothing to help you rebuild. Each day has kept you busy enough that you haven't even noticed you live in squalor. At least you got the foundation cleared off, you think, so you're no longer surrounded by worthless junk.
"Let me show you something," he says. He takes you back home and as you pull up you see that a brand new house stands complete upon your lot! Once again you stand completely at a loss for words.
"I always deliver on my promises. I'll see you tomorrow and we'll talk about company policy and procedures," the man says with a wink and drives off.
You're in total awe at what this man has done for you.
You appreciate the house, but the more you walk around in it you realize it doesn't matter that much. You just can't wait to get started tomorrow, and bring help to those who need it.
This is story of God's love and power. Amen.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
The Problem is Choice
As a popular movie quoted, "As you adequately put, the problem is choice." If you were to ask a person what the greatest gift God ever gave was what do you think the answer would be? Jesus, certainly. For non-Christians perhaps their faith's prophet(s). Others might say the earth, or life, or other equally important answers. I'm not going to say what the right answer is because it I don't have it. I will say that, in my opinion, God's greatest gift of love to us was Choice. Before any Christians crucify me on this, I will say that Jesus is the representation of Choice. Let me explain.
Science and Religion have been at odds for a long time. No big secret right? Atheist scientists are desperate to prove God doesn't exist and theists are scared they will succeed. Let me say right now that science will never disprove that God exists! Not only that but those of us who believe in God should be cheering them on. Why? Because if God exists his fingerprints will be all over everything. Anything a researcher will ever find will only further reveal God's incredible creation and even how he created it. Even today, through scientific discovery of the universe, cosmologists are finding more and more evidence that the universe had a definite starting point. Read it for yourself because there is a ton of reading material on the Big Bang. And that the universe is specifically designed for human life! Not my assertion, but science.
To theists let me be equally clear; There will never be absolute proof that God exists! Scientific data cannot easily be debated but the conclusions that we draw from it is highly debatable. There are a lot of theories for the existence of the universe without God. A lot of very smart people that don't see a supreme being. They choose not to see what we theists choose to see. So the problem is what we choose to believe.
If there was absolute proof that God exists and that Jesus was his son what do you think would happen to choice? If people knew that the Bible was true without a shadow of doubt then they would also know what would happen if they didn't follow God's rules. The only choice is to reluctantly follow his rules. What is God's rules? Love the Lord with all your heart, with all your mind, and with all your strength. And the second is like it, love your neighbor as you love yourself. For this sums up all the law and prophets. Can you love anyone including God when they're twisting your arm?
If there was absolute proof God didn't exist, then we would all know that we are the result of random, undirected forces. We would know that life has no purpose and the love I feel for my son is nothing but the instinctive desire to ensure my bloodlines survival. But why would I even care about that because after I'm dead it wouldn't matter to me. Atheists think that this truth would set us free. But to me it's a world I wouldn't want to be a part of. Hopeless.
Atheists and agnostics choose the opposite. They choose not to see. Whatever their motivations it blinds them to see the truth. For Paul on the Damascus road Christ showed him the truth. But it wasn't until after Paul chose to believe that the scales fell from his eyes. He was blind no longer.
When you meet a person who has chosen to walk away from God, please, please, respect that gift of God. But you can point them to the light of truth in hopes that God will work in their hearts and remove the "blinders". God's word says "small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." Many will choose the wide gate, few will choose life. You won't save them all. But for those who have yet to choose, allow them the same right God gave to you; the right to choose. Show them the light of Christ in your life and let Him do the rest. For atheists and agnostics, please respect our decision to see more than cause-effect and chemical reaction. We choose to make Love real.
Science and Religion have been at odds for a long time. No big secret right? Atheist scientists are desperate to prove God doesn't exist and theists are scared they will succeed. Let me say right now that science will never disprove that God exists! Not only that but those of us who believe in God should be cheering them on. Why? Because if God exists his fingerprints will be all over everything. Anything a researcher will ever find will only further reveal God's incredible creation and even how he created it. Even today, through scientific discovery of the universe, cosmologists are finding more and more evidence that the universe had a definite starting point. Read it for yourself because there is a ton of reading material on the Big Bang. And that the universe is specifically designed for human life! Not my assertion, but science.
To theists let me be equally clear; There will never be absolute proof that God exists! Scientific data cannot easily be debated but the conclusions that we draw from it is highly debatable. There are a lot of theories for the existence of the universe without God. A lot of very smart people that don't see a supreme being. They choose not to see what we theists choose to see. So the problem is what we choose to believe.
If there was absolute proof that God exists and that Jesus was his son what do you think would happen to choice? If people knew that the Bible was true without a shadow of doubt then they would also know what would happen if they didn't follow God's rules. The only choice is to reluctantly follow his rules. What is God's rules? Love the Lord with all your heart, with all your mind, and with all your strength. And the second is like it, love your neighbor as you love yourself. For this sums up all the law and prophets. Can you love anyone including God when they're twisting your arm?
If there was absolute proof God didn't exist, then we would all know that we are the result of random, undirected forces. We would know that life has no purpose and the love I feel for my son is nothing but the instinctive desire to ensure my bloodlines survival. But why would I even care about that because after I'm dead it wouldn't matter to me. Atheists think that this truth would set us free. But to me it's a world I wouldn't want to be a part of. Hopeless.
God has no desire for reluctant worship and praise, or even basic rule following (Pharisees). He wants your heart, and all of it. That comes from choosing to believe in Him. No fancy quotes from famous people here to support my point. This is it. To fully worship and love God or even the people around you comes from the choice to do so. God will never take away this choice. In fact He has made His own choice. He chose us when He sent His son Jesus. God said, "I choose you; to know me, to hear me, to understand what I value and cherish in life. And I give my son's life so that you might have the chance to know me forever, but I'll not force you."
Atheists and agnostics choose the opposite. They choose not to see. Whatever their motivations it blinds them to see the truth. For Paul on the Damascus road Christ showed him the truth. But it wasn't until after Paul chose to believe that the scales fell from his eyes. He was blind no longer.
When you meet a person who has chosen to walk away from God, please, please, respect that gift of God. But you can point them to the light of truth in hopes that God will work in their hearts and remove the "blinders". God's word says "small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." Many will choose the wide gate, few will choose life. You won't save them all. But for those who have yet to choose, allow them the same right God gave to you; the right to choose. Show them the light of Christ in your life and let Him do the rest. For atheists and agnostics, please respect our decision to see more than cause-effect and chemical reaction. We choose to make Love real.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
The Parable of the Grocery Store
This being my first post in this blog I wanted to share what the gospel and Christ means to me. And in the spirit of Him this parable, given to me while I was reading the bible, is a description of what finding Christ means to those of us who have experienced the truth. The Parable of the Grocery Store. No, seriously!
You have just moved into the area. Your new in town and a little unsure about your surroundings so you decide to go for a drive to see what's around. (I know, who moves into an area without checking out what's around but stick with me on this!) You see a grocery store so you decide to check it out and see if it's as good as the old one you had. From the outside the place looks fantastic with a large parking lot and wide spaces, immaculate building that looks new, and hundreds of cart returns! (the last one's my own personal dream) On the front of the store is a large banner that says, "Only grocery store in town!" You think if that's true it better be a good one.
The first thing that strikes you when you enter is the order and harmony. It's not something you can necessarily see but you know you feel it. The layout is perfect, the shelves are stocked with everything you could think of, and everything is clean and fresh. You leave the store thinking you've just experienced the only real grocery store. Certainly what you used to call a grocery store doesn't even compare!
Excitedly you call a friend in the area and tell them about the grocery store. They say, "Well, they claim to be the only grocery store in town but they're not. The store I go to is sooo much better!" They go on to describe it but even the description seems to fall short of your experience. Now you're very confused. How can that grocery store hang that banner on the front if it's obviously not true!
You decide to take a trip over to your friend's grocery store and when you drive up it looks great. The outside is just as nice and shiny as the other grocery store. And it doesn't have any exclusive claim to being the only grocery store in town! But from the moment you enter you realize that it's not the same kind of grocery store. Chaos and contradiction abound! Rotting food sits next to fresh. The dairy isle doesn't have milk but alcohol. And in the entire bread isle there are only 2 loaves of bread! "This isn't a grocery store!" you laugh to yourself. "This is a fight for survival!" There's no way this grocery store could supply the community.
The next phone call with your friend you try to explain how much better the grocery store you found is than the one they visit. But they are adamant that it's the only grocery store for them.
Maybe they listen to you and check out your grocery store. Maybe not. Maybe they see the banner on the front and don't even bother going in because it's seems so unfair and exclusive. Or maybe they go in and all they see is a facade filled with people trying to look "better-than-thou". But you know that if they would just look deeper they would see the truth for themselves.
And that's why I feel so strongly in sharing the gospel of Christ. I have experienced the truth and everything pales in comparison. People don't even know what they're missing! They're happy with their grocery store but they need to see that there is so much more! What they think is a grocery store is a sad parody of what is the truth. Please join with me in sharing with those who are content with starvation and apathy that there is fullness and life in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Psalm 34:8 Taste and see that the LORD is good;
blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.
You have just moved into the area. Your new in town and a little unsure about your surroundings so you decide to go for a drive to see what's around. (I know, who moves into an area without checking out what's around but stick with me on this!) You see a grocery store so you decide to check it out and see if it's as good as the old one you had. From the outside the place looks fantastic with a large parking lot and wide spaces, immaculate building that looks new, and hundreds of cart returns! (the last one's my own personal dream) On the front of the store is a large banner that says, "Only grocery store in town!" You think if that's true it better be a good one.
The first thing that strikes you when you enter is the order and harmony. It's not something you can necessarily see but you know you feel it. The layout is perfect, the shelves are stocked with everything you could think of, and everything is clean and fresh. You leave the store thinking you've just experienced the only real grocery store. Certainly what you used to call a grocery store doesn't even compare!
Excitedly you call a friend in the area and tell them about the grocery store. They say, "Well, they claim to be the only grocery store in town but they're not. The store I go to is sooo much better!" They go on to describe it but even the description seems to fall short of your experience. Now you're very confused. How can that grocery store hang that banner on the front if it's obviously not true!
You decide to take a trip over to your friend's grocery store and when you drive up it looks great. The outside is just as nice and shiny as the other grocery store. And it doesn't have any exclusive claim to being the only grocery store in town! But from the moment you enter you realize that it's not the same kind of grocery store. Chaos and contradiction abound! Rotting food sits next to fresh. The dairy isle doesn't have milk but alcohol. And in the entire bread isle there are only 2 loaves of bread! "This isn't a grocery store!" you laugh to yourself. "This is a fight for survival!" There's no way this grocery store could supply the community.
The next phone call with your friend you try to explain how much better the grocery store you found is than the one they visit. But they are adamant that it's the only grocery store for them.
Maybe they listen to you and check out your grocery store. Maybe not. Maybe they see the banner on the front and don't even bother going in because it's seems so unfair and exclusive. Or maybe they go in and all they see is a facade filled with people trying to look "better-than-thou". But you know that if they would just look deeper they would see the truth for themselves.
And that's why I feel so strongly in sharing the gospel of Christ. I have experienced the truth and everything pales in comparison. People don't even know what they're missing! They're happy with their grocery store but they need to see that there is so much more! What they think is a grocery store is a sad parody of what is the truth. Please join with me in sharing with those who are content with starvation and apathy that there is fullness and life in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Psalm 34:8 Taste and see that the LORD is good;
blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.
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