I Prefer to Hope

It’s early morning, and I’m already on the road. I’m headed out to meet with a friend, and as I often do I reach over and turn on NPR news. A segment tells me that this weekend tens of thousands will descend on the mall in Washington to celebrate the “Woodstock for Atheists.” The main point of the rally is to encourage closet atheists to take heart. A spokesman says the media has misrepresented them by using terms like angry atheist, militant atheist or staunch atheist.

My mind wanders to a couple of documentaries I watched recently. The first tells the story of those who once perpetrated violence and are now trying to interrupt it. Retaliation and more retaliation set up a non-ending stream of violence that characterizes the bleak “norm” of families trapped in the cities. The second tells how and why meth use has spiraled out of control and has become the fastest growing drug abuse problem in the United States. It is wreaking havoc on bodies and brains and is ravaging the lives of people throughout Appalachia.

I arrive just in time to hear the steam kettle and to see the coffee pressed. It’s a good stout cup. Usually it is. We settle into comfortable chairs and catch up on the latest. Family, friends, something we’ve read. Economic news has been bad. We are told we should be hoarding tasty freeze dried foods.

Random killings, terrorism, corruption and racism dot the landscape. Violence too – flash mobs, quarterback bounties, enjoyable entertainment. What is this world coming to? The constant flow of world, national and even personal news can lead us to despair.

I prefer to hope. It does seem that the world has gone crazy. Even so, I prefer to see the world as God’s garden, not a hopeless wasteland. Yes, things are disheveled. There is trash scattered around, and there are bottles in the rose bushes, but God is none-the-less tending the garden. He hasn’t deserted us but is everywhere seizing the initiative. He is at work diligently, redemptively, strategically creating holy ground, and we need only take a closer look to see what He is up to.

I prefer to hope. I prefer to wake up every morning and pray the truth into my heart. Father - You are hope. I trust you. I will rejoice and be glad in this day. I am your beloved child. You are graciously sovereign and unchangeably good. I wait expectantly on your blessed appearing and a glorious future. All things work out for good to those who love you. The joy of the Lord is my strength.

Yes, I prefer to hope.

Triangular Facets of the Christian Life: Truth

As Christians we have the highest regard for Scripture. This was handed to us from the biblical writers themselves (all Scripture is inspired of God), was reestablished by the voices of the Reformation (sola scriptura) and continues to find lodging among many Christians in contemporary society.

Through the truths of Scripture we come to really know God. We learn of His infinity, love and holiness, the fellowship of the Trinity, the origin of evil and the sin-laced fall of mankind. We explore mind boggling concepts like redemption, substitution and eternal life; adoption, reconciliation and indwelling. A cross, a burial and a resurrection give us lessons to ponder and unlimited ramifications to consider. These doctrines are marvelous. They not only inform but excite our minds at their greatness.

It’s only natural then that we would become students of God’s Word…reading, studying, examining. And that we would value the teachers, apologists and theologians among us who help expand our understanding. They unearth minute details, amplify the Greek, unravel perplexing questions, answer skeptical objections, cast light on cultural meanings and explain difficult passages.

Our challenge is to not reduce such great truth to academic information, debating points, trivia facts and a list of proof texts. When that happens we easily overlook the One to whom it is all pointing in the first place. Biblical knowledge is an invitation into the Truth. It is not life…it is what leads us to Life.

Worship and community move knowledge into the realm of the personal. Worship provides an avenue to move from facts into a response to God. Theology is explosive material that does its best work when it brings us into intimate personal worship. Community provides the atmosphere for personal interaction with others. It is the place where truths are lived out.

What an advantage for us to have God’s revelation in our hands. In it we have a much needed foundation and a lens. It grounds us in eternal reality, and it provides us with a way to see things as they really are.

Triangular Facets of the Christian Life

Innumerable times I have plunged into a book sale and sifted through mountainous piles of books then walked away having found a treasure. Now I’m coming around to the idea that instead of having found the book, the book found me. As I write I’m looking at a shelf that holds a book from the Tattered Bookstore in Denver, another from a discount store in Lancaster County, another at a Borders shop in Kansas City and yet another from Ollie’s here in our home town. Each is an unearthed treasure that uncannily proved to be just the theme or idea I needed at that time in my life.

Last weekend while the girls were at the Dare 2 Share Conference in Dayton, Diana and I went to a local mom and pop Italian eatery. The parking lot was packed so we decided to pass some time just down the road at Ollie’s. While we browsed I was found by Grounded in the Gospel. It’s a book that points out the triangular facets of the Christian life – the truth, the life, the way. Some see it as the commitments of the early church in Acts 2:42 – the apostle’s teaching, the breaking of bread and prayer, the fellowship. Another way of looking at it is a discipleship of the mind, heart and hands.

I needed the clarity it gave on these balanced facets of our faith. The three are equally important and when any one is neglected or wrongly emphasized then unhealthiness ensues. So what are these facets? First we have truth that has been revealed. These teachings comprise the doctrines we study, believe and proclaim about God. Second we have the abundant life we possess in Christ. Through the regenerating and transforming work of the Spirit, we enjoy intimate communion with God. Third we have the way we live with others. These are our actions within the context of personal relationships as we live in obedience to God.

I’m thinking to write more on the idea in the coming posts. Mostly because of something I recently learned about writing. Writing isn’t always to inform someone else. Sometimes it’s for the writer. It affords me an opportunity to explore and discover what I believe about something. It is a chance to put into words what’s swimming around in my head – learning by writing. I believe the triangular facets of the Christian life are worth my exploration.

Parable of the Butterflies

The butterflies were on display at a Bed and Breakfast where the couple had stopped on their travels. On first sight they were captivated by the variety of specimens pinned to the boards. After an evening of tasty food, shopping and conversation they were drawn back to the butterflies. The colors, the designs, the shapes, the sizes created in them an interest to know more.

Arriving home days later they began a search of websites that could increase their understanding. They learned that their name is derived from the original pre-8th century word buturfliog, there are approximately 24,000 different types of butterfly species worldwide, they can see red, green, and yellow, they can range in size from a tiny 1/8 inch to a huge almost 12 inches, and the difference between the Danaus plexippus, the Lampides boeticus and the Vanessa cardui.

Books were purchased. Details were extracted. A lifetime of study began.

A second couple became intrigued with butterflies and began learning about them as well. One day they made the serendipitous discovery of a butterfly world in the backyard. They were amazed at watching the unpredictable patterns of a butterfly in flight. They marveled at the intricate design and color of slowly flapping wings. The emergence from a cocoon was breath taking. A field of butterflies took on the qualities of a master painter. Soon they begin to see butterflies in the greater context of flowers, sun, birds, trees and spring.

More than once they travelled to butterfly reserves where the Monarchs emerged. Arriving early in the morning they climbed narrow hilly paths into the dense forest to be surrounded by thousands and thousands of butterflies. What a remarkable experience it was to see them weighing down the branches of trees, perching on a hand, filling the air with color, inspiring laughter and creating a symphony of beauty.

It proved to be a lifetime of learning. Rounded out by the wonder of it all.