Through the years of serving God through local churches there have not been many things that have been constant. One constant however is that no matter how much people claim a want for change, there is reluctance to do what it takes. Usually the reluctance shows up in the form of going back to what has been. In church parlance it would be said people want to go back to Egypt. Not to put too fine a point on it, people would rather go back to captivity, than to move forward into something new and unknown.
Why is it that when we want to go back we only go to Egypt? Why not go back further? Why not go back to Abram, not Abraham but Abram. They are the same many but at very different stages of their journey with God. Abram had a nice life for himself. He was married, had a household, cattle, sheep, goats the like. God called him to move to a place he had never been. God did not even show him where we was to go. Simply God said go and I will show you when you are there. When Abram said yes it set in to motion a history of events that lead to his being renamed Abraham, to Issac, to Jacob, to Egypt, to the Exodus, eventually to Jesus, and to you and I.
I am okay with going back, as long as we go back far enough. In the church today we talk about going back. Back to the days when the church was in its supposed glory. Rarely do people want to go back far enough. Let's not look to the 1940's and 50's, let's go back farther. How about the 1740's, or the 1540's. possibly the 540's or even the 40's. Back to a day when there was more concern for following the voice of God than preserving what has been and is known.
All together looking back is fine, but it is time for the people of God to stop living in the past. The time has come to move forward once again. Like the days of Abram, I believe God is calling men and women, individuals and churches to go into a new land. I cannot tell you the name of the land, I cannot pain you a picture of it, but when we get there God will let us know.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
The Gap
Each morning as I read and pray I find great desire and passion for the life God is calling me to. Then something tragic happens, I close the book, I open my eyes and the rest of the day engages. As the day wares on I find myself living less out of that passion and desire and more toward getting by. As the day comes to a close I am left to lay in bed and ponder the fact that yet another day has passed and I have failed to live out the passion and desire which rests so deep in my soul.
As you might guess I have spent many hours, days, weeks and even months trying to figure out the gap between actions and desires. The struggle is intensified by the fact that I am filling my days with activities that have meaning and positive consequence. I could almost handle the dissonance if I were wasting the days away on the meaningless and trivial. I feel however the events of my day make a difference in the Kingdom of God and the lives of those who I interact with. Still there is something with in me that is propelling me to more. Not more items on the schedule, but to something more than what I am currently doing. Again the difficulty is what I am doing in not bad or unimportant.
So what is it that I feel a passion and desire to do? I am very hesitant to even write it for two reasons, first putting it in on this blog can bring about dangerous conviction. Second, the passion and desire feels arrogant, and in fact is arrogance if it is not God who is calling, urging and longing for me to take this direction. So here goes. I am passioned and have a desire to have a ministry of writing and speaking. I do some of this now but what I am talking about is a full-time ministry of writing books and articles and traveling around the globe speaking and teaching. Ultimately helping people travel on this journey of life in an ever-increasing connection with God.
I would appreciate your input on this. Please drop a comment here on the blog, or an e-mail to revabouwens@verizon.net
As you might guess I have spent many hours, days, weeks and even months trying to figure out the gap between actions and desires. The struggle is intensified by the fact that I am filling my days with activities that have meaning and positive consequence. I could almost handle the dissonance if I were wasting the days away on the meaningless and trivial. I feel however the events of my day make a difference in the Kingdom of God and the lives of those who I interact with. Still there is something with in me that is propelling me to more. Not more items on the schedule, but to something more than what I am currently doing. Again the difficulty is what I am doing in not bad or unimportant.
So what is it that I feel a passion and desire to do? I am very hesitant to even write it for two reasons, first putting it in on this blog can bring about dangerous conviction. Second, the passion and desire feels arrogant, and in fact is arrogance if it is not God who is calling, urging and longing for me to take this direction. So here goes. I am passioned and have a desire to have a ministry of writing and speaking. I do some of this now but what I am talking about is a full-time ministry of writing books and articles and traveling around the globe speaking and teaching. Ultimately helping people travel on this journey of life in an ever-increasing connection with God.
I would appreciate your input on this. Please drop a comment here on the blog, or an e-mail to revabouwens@verizon.net
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Misplaced Blame
I am always amazed at the ways I expect God to act. I have expectations of what God will provide for me, what God will do for me. The list is created and brought to God like a parent gives a child a list of chores to be done. Then when things do not happen as I have requested I assume it is God who has let me down. Phrases like, if God really loves me... or if God was real then why didn't he...
I often expect God to function at my beck and call, and when there is action different than I demanded I become a whining 3 year old.
What if the problem is not God at all? What if I am the problem? I realize that is a totally inappropriate question, as rarely is the problem my fault, but what if? Is it at all possible the problem is my relationship with God, not God's apparent indifference to my request?
I am not saying that if I had more faith God would do what I want. I am not saying that we all need to try harder. What am I saying? We all need to run to God. Repeatedly in the scriptures we find the writers reminding themselves and us that God does not what our human effort, or it is not through working harder in our human effort which draws us closer to God. Rather God longs to be in relationship with us. God longs to walk with us in the cool of the day. God longs to be known by us, not for what we can gain. Simply wanting to know us to be in relationship.
How do we accomplish this? The answer lies in the ways we build all relationships. Invested time, energy and effort. We must make it a priority. The challenge is found in the WIIFM. What's in It For Me? Most Americans run everything in their lives through this filter. What if life is not about what we gain, but what we give and to whom we give it to and through?
I often expect God to function at my beck and call, and when there is action different than I demanded I become a whining 3 year old.
What if the problem is not God at all? What if I am the problem? I realize that is a totally inappropriate question, as rarely is the problem my fault, but what if? Is it at all possible the problem is my relationship with God, not God's apparent indifference to my request?
I am not saying that if I had more faith God would do what I want. I am not saying that we all need to try harder. What am I saying? We all need to run to God. Repeatedly in the scriptures we find the writers reminding themselves and us that God does not what our human effort, or it is not through working harder in our human effort which draws us closer to God. Rather God longs to be in relationship with us. God longs to walk with us in the cool of the day. God longs to be known by us, not for what we can gain. Simply wanting to know us to be in relationship.
How do we accomplish this? The answer lies in the ways we build all relationships. Invested time, energy and effort. We must make it a priority. The challenge is found in the WIIFM. What's in It For Me? Most Americans run everything in their lives through this filter. What if life is not about what we gain, but what we give and to whom we give it to and through?
Monday, July 28, 2008
Enough is Enough
Yesterday as a part of my sermon I used Matthew 22:1-14. This is the parable of a king who puts on a wedding banquet. All the things are in place for the banquet, there is only one problem, those who were invited we not there. The people who the king specifically invited did not show, so the king sends out messengers to the invitees to reinforce the invitation. The results, the people still do not come. In fact they kill some of the messengers. In the end the king invites who ever will come to share in the celebration. In a curious end of the story the king identifies one person at the party who was not prepared for a feast as such. So the king casts this individual to the outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.
There have been many people who have written about this parable, most of them way smarter than I am. The general feel of the parable interpretation is that those who didn't come are the religious people, those who come to the party are the everyday people looking to follow God, not a religion. The person who was thrown out in the twist ending is a religious person who tried to sneak into the banquet, but was not truly prepared for the feast of the King.
The amazing part is the religious people who were suppose to know better, didn't. The people who supposedly had their act together missed the boat. Rather than cancel the party, the king goes out and gets new people to share in the party. That would never happen now... would it?
The most dangerous thing in the church in America today is not Satan, though formidable, it is not an increasingly secular society. No the greatest challenge is from the people who are church people and nothing more. People who have been in the church, can tell you about it, can articulate the tenets of faith but are not interested in coming to the party. For almost half a century, using that term makes it seem longer, the church in American has been trying to reach those already "connected" to the church. Many a messenger has been killed and mistreated along the way. I say it is time to invite new people to the banquet. The mainline/oldline church in America is not simply broken it is on death's door. Unfortunately it is not dead, if death were to happen resurrection could occur. Resurrection cannot be experienced if there is not death.
Could it be that it is time to let the religious people go their way, and go to the streets to invite those who are looking for a party to go to?
There have been many people who have written about this parable, most of them way smarter than I am. The general feel of the parable interpretation is that those who didn't come are the religious people, those who come to the party are the everyday people looking to follow God, not a religion. The person who was thrown out in the twist ending is a religious person who tried to sneak into the banquet, but was not truly prepared for the feast of the King.
The amazing part is the religious people who were suppose to know better, didn't. The people who supposedly had their act together missed the boat. Rather than cancel the party, the king goes out and gets new people to share in the party. That would never happen now... would it?
The most dangerous thing in the church in America today is not Satan, though formidable, it is not an increasingly secular society. No the greatest challenge is from the people who are church people and nothing more. People who have been in the church, can tell you about it, can articulate the tenets of faith but are not interested in coming to the party. For almost half a century, using that term makes it seem longer, the church in American has been trying to reach those already "connected" to the church. Many a messenger has been killed and mistreated along the way. I say it is time to invite new people to the banquet. The mainline/oldline church in America is not simply broken it is on death's door. Unfortunately it is not dead, if death were to happen resurrection could occur. Resurrection cannot be experienced if there is not death.
Could it be that it is time to let the religious people go their way, and go to the streets to invite those who are looking for a party to go to?
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Captive or Free
In chapter 51 or Isaiah the prophet delivers the word of God regarding the people of Israel exiled in Babylon. The word is put behind you Babylon and all that it means and holds. Now I am pretty sure people will not all of a sudden forget their time in captivity. I am sure people will not simply wipe clean that portion of their mind. So what is the Lord teaching them and us?
Babylon was a place of captivity. When we live captive to someone or something it has a lasting effect on us. Our captivity changes the way we live life, even after we experience freedom. There is a tendency to live as a captive long after the day of freedom has been declared. God is telling Israel and us that we need to put that stuff away. We have been set free by the Redeemer of all the universe. Why then do we continue to live as captives in a free land?
One possibility of captivity is that we begin to believe the only life we can live is that of a prisoner. Another possibility is we are not sure we can function as a free person. The last possibility I will mention is the idea that we come to find comfort in our captivity. We might know we are free. We might know the gates have been opened and new life is available to us, but we know captivity and we know what to expect so we stay there.
God tells us leave that behind. Christ did not come to earth, show us how to live, die on the cross and raise from the grave so we can live as captives. We have been given free, yet we must choose to live free.
Babylon was a place of captivity. When we live captive to someone or something it has a lasting effect on us. Our captivity changes the way we live life, even after we experience freedom. There is a tendency to live as a captive long after the day of freedom has been declared. God is telling Israel and us that we need to put that stuff away. We have been set free by the Redeemer of all the universe. Why then do we continue to live as captives in a free land?
One possibility of captivity is that we begin to believe the only life we can live is that of a prisoner. Another possibility is we are not sure we can function as a free person. The last possibility I will mention is the idea that we come to find comfort in our captivity. We might know we are free. We might know the gates have been opened and new life is available to us, but we know captivity and we know what to expect so we stay there.
God tells us leave that behind. Christ did not come to earth, show us how to live, die on the cross and raise from the grave so we can live as captives. We have been given free, yet we must choose to live free.
Saturday, July 26, 2008
The Life of a Shepherd
As the letter of 1 Peter draws to a close, the writer, most likely Peter, encourages those who are elders in the church. I could do a whole entry on the term elder, but not my focus here. The encouragement offered is to be a good shepherd of the flock God has appointed you to. This idea of the good shepherd in the world of the church has become a very powerful and responsibility laden term. Form my experience when people refer to a pastor as a shepherd, they mean someone who will take care of the flock.
Now there is a component to the life of a shepherd that involves care, but the most significant role of the shepherd, research is so much fun, is one who motivates and supervises the movement of the sheep from place to place. The movement is not just for the sake of movement, but it is to get the sheep in the idea place for their growth and effectiveness. This is so much more than providing care, it means having a vision and understanding what lies ahead.
This is not how we have come to understand a shepherd and thus the job is made even more difficult. There are times when the shepherd has to be confrontational, there are times when the shepherd must take the sheep to places they do not want to go, there are times when the shepherd must use their crook to move the sheep. Not exactly the images of a shepherd we are use to.
In closing, that wonderful image of Jesus with the lamb around his shoulders has become the epitome of the shepherd, but it is not the actual image. The owner or master is the one who would carry a lamb as such, not the shepherd. the shepherd would have the responsibility of keeping the sheep from getting into such situations by leading them to other places.
Now there is a component to the life of a shepherd that involves care, but the most significant role of the shepherd, research is so much fun, is one who motivates and supervises the movement of the sheep from place to place. The movement is not just for the sake of movement, but it is to get the sheep in the idea place for their growth and effectiveness. This is so much more than providing care, it means having a vision and understanding what lies ahead.
This is not how we have come to understand a shepherd and thus the job is made even more difficult. There are times when the shepherd has to be confrontational, there are times when the shepherd must take the sheep to places they do not want to go, there are times when the shepherd must use their crook to move the sheep. Not exactly the images of a shepherd we are use to.
In closing, that wonderful image of Jesus with the lamb around his shoulders has become the epitome of the shepherd, but it is not the actual image. The owner or master is the one who would carry a lamb as such, not the shepherd. the shepherd would have the responsibility of keeping the sheep from getting into such situations by leading them to other places.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Deepest Pain
Reading through the early 40's in Isaiah I am stuck by the words God has for the chosen people Israel. These are the people God has called for a special purpose. These are the people God has called apart to bless in order to be a blessing. These are the people who are the object of God's affection. Yet they repeatedly turn to idols and false gods. That which God called apart for greatness, causes the deepest pain to the heart of God.
Fast forward to the church today. The Body of Christ, called out by God to be the tool to spread the Good News of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The church is not a human creation, it is an impartation from God. I have spent the better part of the last 15 years trying to determine what this thing called the church is all about. I may never come to an answer that is Truth. What I have found is the responsibility of the church is to be the people of God, not for ourselves but to be a blessing to the rest of the world. In other words, the church does not exist for itself. The church exists to give itself away. The primary reason the church exists is to be God's ambassadors to the a world that longs for a relationship with someone, something greater than themselves.
When we in the church function in a way less than that, we are in the same boat as the people of Israel who Isaiah was prophesying to. When we function in the church just for ourselves we grieve the heart of God, we hurt God deeply.
Fast forward to the church today. The Body of Christ, called out by God to be the tool to spread the Good News of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The church is not a human creation, it is an impartation from God. I have spent the better part of the last 15 years trying to determine what this thing called the church is all about. I may never come to an answer that is Truth. What I have found is the responsibility of the church is to be the people of God, not for ourselves but to be a blessing to the rest of the world. In other words, the church does not exist for itself. The church exists to give itself away. The primary reason the church exists is to be God's ambassadors to the a world that longs for a relationship with someone, something greater than themselves.
When we in the church function in a way less than that, we are in the same boat as the people of Israel who Isaiah was prophesying to. When we function in the church just for ourselves we grieve the heart of God, we hurt God deeply.
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