Debt

Remember, however good the program and no matter what positive earthly results we acheive, the end goal should be a closer communion with God through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. Whether or not I die with no debt or bankrupt 7 times, God will look at me no differently when this earthly existence ends. At least thats how I read the New Testament.

If debt or anything else is interfering with your communion with God, by all means, get rid of it. But if you are trying to get rid of debt because you think it, in and of itself is a Holy venture, stop and rethink. Debt, in and of itself is not evil. But if it causes me stress, worry and fear, which interferes with my communion with God, then cut it out!

Job?

I'm so glad that I read the post about how nice it is to hear the perspective of those of us who are first time readers of the bible. As a first time reader I have to say that I'm really puzzled by Job. This book is broken up across several days and after the first day I was really angry. God and Satan were talking and as God extolled the virtues of Job, Satan had a comment to make, as usual. He entices God to take everything away from Job to test his devotion. I have to tell you that my first thought was of the story of Jesus in the desert and Satan comes to him offering his tempting basket of goodies. Jesus refused on all accounts, yet God gave in on the first go around. Then Job lost it all, even all his kids. Now, I know that God gives it all back and more at the end, but how can more children even begin to replace the ones you've lost? I'm still puzzled by God's actions. I know that we are not meant to understand God's motives and that He knows very well how things will turn out. Perhaps in the Old Testament God needed to be tougher on men in order to awaken their hearts to His message. Perhaps I've missed the whole message from Job myself.

Economic Force.

Ecclesiastes 4.4 is a great piece of scripture. Many times when you begin to look at a sociaty, its economy and the forces that drive those economies, you see the very complex interweaving of life and how we spend our lives, and in this, feelings about consumption, spending, rich, wealth, begin to well up and I found myself in this place recently, and really didn't have good words to express how I felt. Yesterday when I read the passage verse 4 gave words to lips for what I was feeling in my soul.

Then I observed that most people are motivated to success because they envy their neighbors. But this, too, is meaningless—like chasing the wind.

I read this and I really felt like this is a very under-read piece of Old Testament text. It's a text that has potential to become a subversive counter-culture mantra for anyone tired of the 12 steps to gaining the world idealology of modern culture, or it can be more than that. Actually I hope it is more than that. Because I think, actually I believe that it's a passage of scripture that can bring liberation.

To be honest, I've been working on writing this blog for little bit, and I have re-written it several times, and I think the best I can say beyond what I already have, is let Jesus be the measure and driving force behind your life. Don't feel imprisoned if God has blessed you with a successful career, be greatful and make the most of it, for His purposes. And in that same spirit, realize that success in this life brings us no closer to the heart of God. To get closer to His heart is to climb into His lap and lay your head on His chest, and from that experience let your motivation come forth. Ironically, when we strive to impress others and create illusions of success, that is what they usually are, illusions built in debt.

Title forthcoming.

Monday night we had another OYBG meeting at la Madeleine on Westheimer, and as usual it was refreshing, interesting and inexpensive decent coffee. One of the aspects I love about the group is that for some it is the first time reading through the Bible. I can't get enough of that. It's refreshing get a different perspective on the Bible, one that doesn't have years of church cluttering and skewing the words on the page. To be honest reading the Bible lately has been a struggle. I read it searching, looking, waiting for something in the passage to jump off of a page, each time enduring until the end of the allotted reading. 

This afternoon an interesting experience occurred. Usually I think I read the Bible a lot as the protagonist. I mean if your going to read something why not be the hero? Whether it's David, or Joseph in the Old Testament, or one of the disciples in the New Testament, or a Paul writing a letter to a church that I recently visited. Back to this afternoon. Reading today in Romans 14, I read the letter differently as if Paul wrote it to me. 

Romans 14.1-23 is not the greatest letter you probably would want to receive. It's not a letter praising you for all you have done, or support for your causes. It's a section of a letter that, well, is humbling. It points to my self-righteousness. It makes loving people the way God loves them real and important. 

I really haven't a lot of thoughts on our passage in Romans, beyond encouragement to FOMers and OYBGers to read differently. To posture in a receiving end of scripture, a position as if scripture was written to you specifically. How would you read a letter or a card or an email written to you? Looking forward to the conversations.

peace!

Fear of God

Okay, as I keep on reading in the OYB I keep coming across "fear of God." This is a puzzling concept because we spend so much time talking about how God is kind and merciful. We ask for his blessing and grace daily. We thank him for his generosity and mercy, yet the bible speaks of the need for fear. This fear cannot mean the same thing in the bible that it means to us today. If that's the case, then what does it mean?

Life After the Moments

Catching up in my OYB reading this morning I came across a great passage in 2 Samuel. I think I can relate to this because, like David, the prior months of my life have not been all that great. Many times in moments in life whether its in a job or our health or finances things, bad things, happen. We get into accidents, a job might be lost, a doctor might have bad news, a child may not be possible. I many of these moments I can't help but let my mind wander into questioning, not God, but the purpose, the reason behind bad times. I have to wonder what I've done to be shattered into pieces. Through these times, I have realized through Gods grace that, it's not these moments that break us that matter, it's not a strategic move in the game of life. These bad times are moments that happen as a result of living in a fallen world, and I have found comfort in this passage in 2 Samuel. The author writes:

God made my life complete
when I placed all the pieces before him.
When I cleaned up my act,
he gave me a fresh start.
Indeed, I've kept alert to God's ways;
I haven't taken God for granted.
Every day I review the ways he works,
I try not to miss a trick.
I feel put back together,
and I'm watching my step.
God rewrote the text of my life
when I opened the book of my heart to his eyes.

2nd Sam. 22.21-25 [The MSG]

These moments that have shattered my life, broken my plans, erased my dreams, these moments are not what is important. What I now do with the pieces, that is what is important.

May your life be shattered so He can put you back together. May your plans be erased so He can rewrite your story.

Praise God, everybody! Applaud God, all people!
His love has taken over our lives;
God's faithful ways are eternal.
Hallelujah!


Ps 117.1-2 [MSG]

His love has taken over our lives.

If only I could surrender my life easier, would His love take it over more. And with that I can dance.