"So they gave a dinner for Him there; Martha was serving them, and Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with Him." John 12:2
I have always loved this scene from John's gospel. Not only does this passage give us a beautiful picture of Christ with his friends but also a portrait of the church. When we go through the roll of those present we realize that this is an interesting cast of characters that Jesus is hanging around with. We see that Lazarus is there (a former corpse), they are believed to be at Simon's house (a former leper) and we also have Martha (the workaholic) and Mary (the humble worshipper). And of course reading a little further there is Judas who is an example of hypocrisy and self-interest. Not at all unlike those we encounter each and every Sunday morning.
First of all, there are what I call the "formers." Truthfully, every person who has a relationship with Christ falls into this category. The Bible tells us that we are new creations in Christ. We are former liars, thieves and enemies of God (the list could go on and on). I believe we forget that far too often. I spoke at a rehab facility one time and was told that the guys I would be sharing with were former drug addicts and alcoholics. So often guys in those situations are labeled for the rest of their lives. I shared with them that they were looking at and hearing from a "former" as well and that when they went to church they would worship with a whole collection of folks who were as well. God reminds the Israelites all throughout Scripture of where they came from and that HE was the one who delivered them. When we forget where we came from we become prideful versions of ourselves. This pride leads us to look down on others and forget the Gospel that changed us. We should never glory in or wallow in our past, but instead be thankful to the One who set us free. Can you imagine how Lazarus and Simon worshipped Christ that day? One had been physically dead and the other socially dead. Now both were reclining at a table with Jesus - together.
Second, think about Martha. It should not surprise us that we read that she was "serving." As we read in other passages this was in her DNA. She was always busy, sometimes missing what was most important. Jesus reminded her in Luke 10:38-42 that she worried about way too many things and in the process she neglected what mattered the most. I wonder how many of us fall into this category? Our lives are so busy and go at such a fast pace that I fear we miss simply sitting at the feet of Christ. When this takes place we begin to view worship as a box to be "checked off" rather than a time to just bask in the greatness of Christ. After all, we have a lot to do right? Maybe we should stop for a moment and think about what matters most. The truth is, when we stand before God one day we will never hear Him say, "I so wish you had worked more hours and gotten more stuff."
Then we see that Mary is here. She represents the humble worshipper. She is the one who knows who she is but most importantly recognizes the beauty and glory of Christ. She knows that the very best she has should be given to the King. Mary doesn't really care what others think - she just pours out her worship on Jesus. In church, these are often the folks that you just see the Holy Spirit flowing out of. These are the folks who have walked through valleys and struggles and emerged on the other side victorious. They realize that the only way it could have happened was by and through His grace. Those like Mary don't have to be seen or heard and they certainly never want recognition.
And finally, we have Judas. Sadly, he is the one who makes the most noise here. He complains about Mary's worship. Judas tries to sound like he truly cares about things yet on the inside something far different is going on. John even calls him a "thief." Judas is all about himself and his purposes and clothes all of it in religious talk. He could care less about anyone else there. Judas is the type of person who can seem to be concerned but only so far as it benefits him. This is the heartbreaking reality of many churches today. Jesus spoke of those who worshipped with their lips but their hearts were "far from Him."
Four different types of people, all sitting around Jesus. Like I said earlier, not unlike church every Sunday. A group of "sinners at the supper table." My question for you is which one do you identify with? If you are a "former" (which we all are!) rejoice in the victory you have been given in Christ. never forget where you have been delivered from. Maybe you are a workaholic and you simply need to slow down and sit at the feet of Jesus. Or you could be like Judas and need to ask yourself do I really have a relationship with Christ? We read in verse 3 that the house was filled with the fragrance of Mary's worship. Let's have that as our goal. Jesus deserves the best we have to give.
Wednesday, June 24, 2015
Tuesday, March 3, 2015
Beginning Again...
"Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise."
Psalm 51:15
It has been a long time since I have written anything. Over two years to be exact. A lot has happened in that span of time. My life has changed, my family has changed. I have experienced some great things and seen God do amazing works. I have lost people that I love. I have walked with friends through dark times and celebrated great victories with others. To be honest all of it is overwhelming when I just stop and think about it. However, in the midst of those times I have missed doing what I am doing right now - sharing with you - whoever you may be and wherever you may come from.
I titled this blog "The Journey" because that is precisely what our lives are. For the Christian it is Augustine said, we are on our way from the "city of man to the city of God." The Journey is sometimes very difficult and at other times simply breathtaking. There are days we struggle to take a single step while others we feel as if our feet hardly touch the ground. Being in ministry I see it all. I love getting the text messages or phone calls that say, "Guess what happened today??" and then it is followed with news of salvation or repentance or healing. These are indeed great moments. They are moments that it is easy to declare the praise of God. Those are the moments that we, unashamedly, without reservation say, "God is good."
Then there are the tough days. There are the phone calls, office visits and emails that have news that is not so good. The messages that follow consist of heartache, pain and struggle. Many of them result in tears. One of the things I have noticed on my "journey" is the purity of praise during the hard moments. Some of the most beautiful worship I have ever experienced has been at the bedside of a saint who knows that time is short and they will soon stand in the presence of their King.
Last fall I lost my grandfather. Almost 90 years old, wounded in WWII, survivor of a total of 8 heart bypasses, prostate cancer and a diabetic - he was a warrior. When we received the news that he didn't have long left I went up for a visit. As the miles clicked by on the drive up, my mind was flooded with memories. The realization that life was about to change again was tough. However, about the time most of the tears began to flow a song was on the radio (Casting Crowns Jesus Friend of Sinners) and the bridge simply says, "You are good. You are good and Your love endures forever." I sang that part with everything in me as the tears ran down my cheeks. I just praised God. And I must say, I will never listen to that song the same again. It was some of the most wonderful worship I have ever experienced. My heart felt free. God opened my lips that day to declare his praise.
A good friend of mine is battling cancer and the prognosis is not good. Her body is racked with sickness and pain from the chemo but just the other day she said in a text, I am "supernaturally strong." She is struggling but still praising. The shining reality in every situation, no matter how dark, is that God IS good and nothing ever changes his love for us. Ask Him to open your lips as David did in Psalm 51. He will and you will experience the freedom that true worship can bring - even when you don't feel like it. The journey is not always fun, and sometimes it just plain hurts, but our God is ALWAYS good.
Psalm 51:15
It has been a long time since I have written anything. Over two years to be exact. A lot has happened in that span of time. My life has changed, my family has changed. I have experienced some great things and seen God do amazing works. I have lost people that I love. I have walked with friends through dark times and celebrated great victories with others. To be honest all of it is overwhelming when I just stop and think about it. However, in the midst of those times I have missed doing what I am doing right now - sharing with you - whoever you may be and wherever you may come from.
I titled this blog "The Journey" because that is precisely what our lives are. For the Christian it is Augustine said, we are on our way from the "city of man to the city of God." The Journey is sometimes very difficult and at other times simply breathtaking. There are days we struggle to take a single step while others we feel as if our feet hardly touch the ground. Being in ministry I see it all. I love getting the text messages or phone calls that say, "Guess what happened today??" and then it is followed with news of salvation or repentance or healing. These are indeed great moments. They are moments that it is easy to declare the praise of God. Those are the moments that we, unashamedly, without reservation say, "God is good."
Then there are the tough days. There are the phone calls, office visits and emails that have news that is not so good. The messages that follow consist of heartache, pain and struggle. Many of them result in tears. One of the things I have noticed on my "journey" is the purity of praise during the hard moments. Some of the most beautiful worship I have ever experienced has been at the bedside of a saint who knows that time is short and they will soon stand in the presence of their King.
Last fall I lost my grandfather. Almost 90 years old, wounded in WWII, survivor of a total of 8 heart bypasses, prostate cancer and a diabetic - he was a warrior. When we received the news that he didn't have long left I went up for a visit. As the miles clicked by on the drive up, my mind was flooded with memories. The realization that life was about to change again was tough. However, about the time most of the tears began to flow a song was on the radio (Casting Crowns Jesus Friend of Sinners) and the bridge simply says, "You are good. You are good and Your love endures forever." I sang that part with everything in me as the tears ran down my cheeks. I just praised God. And I must say, I will never listen to that song the same again. It was some of the most wonderful worship I have ever experienced. My heart felt free. God opened my lips that day to declare his praise.
A good friend of mine is battling cancer and the prognosis is not good. Her body is racked with sickness and pain from the chemo but just the other day she said in a text, I am "supernaturally strong." She is struggling but still praising. The shining reality in every situation, no matter how dark, is that God IS good and nothing ever changes his love for us. Ask Him to open your lips as David did in Psalm 51. He will and you will experience the freedom that true worship can bring - even when you don't feel like it. The journey is not always fun, and sometimes it just plain hurts, but our God is ALWAYS good.
Thursday, October 31, 2013
The 13th Mile
Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.
Hebrews 12:1
As I sit here this morning, I am struggling to figure out exactly where this year has gone. This is the last day of October. The weather has cooled down considerably and I have been fighting the urge to listen to Christmas music. I love this time of year. Last Saturday I ran my first ever half marathon. Up until a few months ago, the furthest I had ever ran was a 10K my senior year of high school. Mind you I ran that race without training very much at all and felt horrible after 4 miles. Since then, when I ran I would stick to 5K's (never forgot that feeling). I had always tossed around the idea of a half but had never just committed myself to doing one and preparing for it. Seeing that I turned 40 this year I decided it was time. I talked with my brother about it and we began training. We selected the Spinx Half in Greenville. The October 26th date would mean cooler temps and I had heard it was a great race to run.
11 weeks from race day we began our training plan. We endured hot days, muscle cramps and all sorts of aches and pains we had never had before. My brother battled knee pain and I struggled with foot issues. (In my mind I still try and convince myself I am 20 however, on some days during this process I felt 87.) Towards the end of our training I even had an 11 miler that my body completely shut down. I felt what I had seen others go through on TV. My arms and legs were shaking and I could not take another step. I began to wonder if I could even finish 13 miles. Your mind can play so many tricks on you. Our training plan never had us run 13 miles. So as the actual race neared I began to think things like, "What if you lock up again?" and "That would be pretty embarrassing to have to crawl across the finish line" and "Maybe you should just do another race."
Race day arrived and I was amazed at how good I felt. My brother and I decided to stay together which was an encouragement to me. The miles passed and we talked and even laughed at some spots. I know you are thinking, "What could possibly be funny?" All I will say is that at a few of the early mile markers there were folks with cowbells. As the race progressed, we discussed the need for "more cowbell." Hey, when you are running that far it is amazing at what pops in your mind. Don't judge. There were several other funny moments as well. (See the guy standing on his front porch with a pot and a wooden spoon making as much noise as possible) Before we knew it we were in mile 13 and I was amazed. (We were also on a pace that was exceeding what we had hoped for). I couldn't believe how good I felt. We neared the finish and I saw my family and then it began to dawn on me. I wasn't running this thing alone. The encouragement that I had received in the days leading up to and during the race had made all the difference. Every kind word or text or clap all converged on that moment. I felt as if I could keep going after 13.
Encouragement made all the difference. A good friend of mine had sent me Hebrews 12:1 in a text the day before the race. It couldn't have come at a better time. I began to think about the "cloud of witnesses" in my life. Those that had said something kind or offered a prayer. I thought of how my brother and I had encouraged each other during the race. I thought of those who had inspired me with their testimony and life, Charlie Watson and Ron Miller and how they kept going in the "13th mile" of their lives. I realized yet again just how blessed I am. My whole perspective changed as a result of knowing I wasn't in the race alone.
When you think about it, life is the same way. We encounter people every day who are running and many may be to the point they feel like giving up. They are either dreading the next mile or battling the feeling of "I can't do this." Their minds are saying, "just give up now" or "no one cares." Our words can make all the difference. What you say to someone who is struggling can encourage them to keep going when they are struggling the most. As a matter of fact, you may even need to run with them for a while. Scripture tells us to "bear one another's burdens" (Gal. 6:2) and to "encourage each other" (Heb. 3:13). In a world that is filled with so much negativity the church should stand out. Jesus said his followers would be known by their love. Look around you. The runners are everywhere and many of them feel like they are running alone. Remind someone today that you are in the race with them and that no matter what mile it is - they never run alone.
Hebrews 12:1
As I sit here this morning, I am struggling to figure out exactly where this year has gone. This is the last day of October. The weather has cooled down considerably and I have been fighting the urge to listen to Christmas music. I love this time of year. Last Saturday I ran my first ever half marathon. Up until a few months ago, the furthest I had ever ran was a 10K my senior year of high school. Mind you I ran that race without training very much at all and felt horrible after 4 miles. Since then, when I ran I would stick to 5K's (never forgot that feeling). I had always tossed around the idea of a half but had never just committed myself to doing one and preparing for it. Seeing that I turned 40 this year I decided it was time. I talked with my brother about it and we began training. We selected the Spinx Half in Greenville. The October 26th date would mean cooler temps and I had heard it was a great race to run.
11 weeks from race day we began our training plan. We endured hot days, muscle cramps and all sorts of aches and pains we had never had before. My brother battled knee pain and I struggled with foot issues. (In my mind I still try and convince myself I am 20 however, on some days during this process I felt 87.) Towards the end of our training I even had an 11 miler that my body completely shut down. I felt what I had seen others go through on TV. My arms and legs were shaking and I could not take another step. I began to wonder if I could even finish 13 miles. Your mind can play so many tricks on you. Our training plan never had us run 13 miles. So as the actual race neared I began to think things like, "What if you lock up again?" and "That would be pretty embarrassing to have to crawl across the finish line" and "Maybe you should just do another race."
Race day arrived and I was amazed at how good I felt. My brother and I decided to stay together which was an encouragement to me. The miles passed and we talked and even laughed at some spots. I know you are thinking, "What could possibly be funny?" All I will say is that at a few of the early mile markers there were folks with cowbells. As the race progressed, we discussed the need for "more cowbell." Hey, when you are running that far it is amazing at what pops in your mind. Don't judge. There were several other funny moments as well. (See the guy standing on his front porch with a pot and a wooden spoon making as much noise as possible) Before we knew it we were in mile 13 and I was amazed. (We were also on a pace that was exceeding what we had hoped for). I couldn't believe how good I felt. We neared the finish and I saw my family and then it began to dawn on me. I wasn't running this thing alone. The encouragement that I had received in the days leading up to and during the race had made all the difference. Every kind word or text or clap all converged on that moment. I felt as if I could keep going after 13.
Encouragement made all the difference. A good friend of mine had sent me Hebrews 12:1 in a text the day before the race. It couldn't have come at a better time. I began to think about the "cloud of witnesses" in my life. Those that had said something kind or offered a prayer. I thought of how my brother and I had encouraged each other during the race. I thought of those who had inspired me with their testimony and life, Charlie Watson and Ron Miller and how they kept going in the "13th mile" of their lives. I realized yet again just how blessed I am. My whole perspective changed as a result of knowing I wasn't in the race alone.
When you think about it, life is the same way. We encounter people every day who are running and many may be to the point they feel like giving up. They are either dreading the next mile or battling the feeling of "I can't do this." Their minds are saying, "just give up now" or "no one cares." Our words can make all the difference. What you say to someone who is struggling can encourage them to keep going when they are struggling the most. As a matter of fact, you may even need to run with them for a while. Scripture tells us to "bear one another's burdens" (Gal. 6:2) and to "encourage each other" (Heb. 3:13). In a world that is filled with so much negativity the church should stand out. Jesus said his followers would be known by their love. Look around you. The runners are everywhere and many of them feel like they are running alone. Remind someone today that you are in the race with them and that no matter what mile it is - they never run alone.
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
What I Have Learned From My Kids (so far)
I assure you: Whoever does not welcome the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.
Mark 10:15
In the last few weeks, God has really been doing some great things in our house. As a parent, I am always trying to point out to my children how God is working in different situations and how He answers our prayers. We have a lot of good conversations about faith and growth and discipleship. However, what I want to share with you is not what I have taught them, but instead what I have been learning from them.
About a month ago we were sitting in church and my daughter was sitting next to me. The service had just started and we were singing and a sweet sound grabbed my attention. She was singing with all she had. She didn't care who was listening or what they might say, she just praised the Lord. I had to fight back tears as I sat there. I don't know that I have ever heard sweeter singing. I thought to myself, how often do we worry about everything sounding "just right?" Or maybe what someone might say? Christ spoke often of the Kingdom of Heaven being made up of those with a child-like faith. I am afraid we forget that.
Another lesson was my daughter doing something for a friend. She knew there was a need and did what she could to meet the need. We pray daily (as a family) to be the hands and feet of Jesus. We hope to instill in our children the need to not only tell the world about Christ, but to show Him as well. It was so refreshing to hear her make plans about how to minister to others. I fear that we often get so busy we miss opportunities every day to show the world Christ. It could be a simple phone call, text message or a visit. Just look and listen. The needs are great.
One final lesson is the salvation of my youngest son. For the last few years we have prayed as a family that He would come to know the Lord. To me, one of the most beautiful parts of this time was hearing my older two children pray for their brother. Every time we prayed as a family they would each pray for him (with him sitting right next to them). I fully expected at some point for him to say, "Hey, I'm sitting right here." Amazingly, he never did. The prayers were offered day in and day out. Those prayers were answered on Easter Sunday. I thought to myself, how often do we pray for short periods of time about things and other people and then give up? Once again we are reminded of a simple, child-like faith. A faith that kept trusting and kept seeking.
God is always at work - teaching us in a wide variety of ways. The question is, are we paying attention?
Mark 10:15
In the last few weeks, God has really been doing some great things in our house. As a parent, I am always trying to point out to my children how God is working in different situations and how He answers our prayers. We have a lot of good conversations about faith and growth and discipleship. However, what I want to share with you is not what I have taught them, but instead what I have been learning from them.
About a month ago we were sitting in church and my daughter was sitting next to me. The service had just started and we were singing and a sweet sound grabbed my attention. She was singing with all she had. She didn't care who was listening or what they might say, she just praised the Lord. I had to fight back tears as I sat there. I don't know that I have ever heard sweeter singing. I thought to myself, how often do we worry about everything sounding "just right?" Or maybe what someone might say? Christ spoke often of the Kingdom of Heaven being made up of those with a child-like faith. I am afraid we forget that.
Another lesson was my daughter doing something for a friend. She knew there was a need and did what she could to meet the need. We pray daily (as a family) to be the hands and feet of Jesus. We hope to instill in our children the need to not only tell the world about Christ, but to show Him as well. It was so refreshing to hear her make plans about how to minister to others. I fear that we often get so busy we miss opportunities every day to show the world Christ. It could be a simple phone call, text message or a visit. Just look and listen. The needs are great.
One final lesson is the salvation of my youngest son. For the last few years we have prayed as a family that He would come to know the Lord. To me, one of the most beautiful parts of this time was hearing my older two children pray for their brother. Every time we prayed as a family they would each pray for him (with him sitting right next to them). I fully expected at some point for him to say, "Hey, I'm sitting right here." Amazingly, he never did. The prayers were offered day in and day out. Those prayers were answered on Easter Sunday. I thought to myself, how often do we pray for short periods of time about things and other people and then give up? Once again we are reminded of a simple, child-like faith. A faith that kept trusting and kept seeking.
God is always at work - teaching us in a wide variety of ways. The question is, are we paying attention?
Thursday, January 17, 2013
A Change in Perspective
"Count it all joy, my brothers when you meet trials of various kinds" James 1:2
He gripped my hand tightly, looked me square in the eye and began to pour his heart out. He was lying there with a new shoulder and a surgically repaired hip. His eyes filled with tears as he shared what God was doing in his heart through the painful experience he was going through. I don't think I will ever forget the conversation or the praise that was on his heart. He had every reason to be upset. Every reason to be mad and complain about the pain and yet he didn't. He simply praised God. His words still echo in my heart, "Thank you God for the love you have shown me through this." Did you catch that? Through this.
The truth is, it is often in the deepest, darkest times of our lives that the love of God is the most real. And sadly, it takes those times to awaken us to the reality of just how much we are loved. Earlier in the conversation my friend had said, "One minute life was normal and the next I was practically an invalid." Our lives can change in a moment. Today you could get a phone call that dramatically alters your life. Happiness could be gone in an instant, but for the believer in Christ - joy can never be taken away.
My friend is a living example of this truth. He has a long journey ahead of him. Weeks of rehab and possible heart surgery await. However, he is joyfully facing the trial and looking in the right direction. He is lifting his eyes up, looking past the current problem and looking to the Father. Perspective changes everything. When we spend our days staring at the problems or situations they get bigger and God gets smaller. But when we are able (in the strength that is given us through Christ) to look up, to see the God that is greater and stronger - we can have joy. We know that no matter what type of day we have had we are loved. As the children's song so loudly proclaims, "Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so."
He gripped my hand tightly, looked me square in the eye and began to pour his heart out. He was lying there with a new shoulder and a surgically repaired hip. His eyes filled with tears as he shared what God was doing in his heart through the painful experience he was going through. I don't think I will ever forget the conversation or the praise that was on his heart. He had every reason to be upset. Every reason to be mad and complain about the pain and yet he didn't. He simply praised God. His words still echo in my heart, "Thank you God for the love you have shown me through this." Did you catch that? Through this.
The truth is, it is often in the deepest, darkest times of our lives that the love of God is the most real. And sadly, it takes those times to awaken us to the reality of just how much we are loved. Earlier in the conversation my friend had said, "One minute life was normal and the next I was practically an invalid." Our lives can change in a moment. Today you could get a phone call that dramatically alters your life. Happiness could be gone in an instant, but for the believer in Christ - joy can never be taken away.
My friend is a living example of this truth. He has a long journey ahead of him. Weeks of rehab and possible heart surgery await. However, he is joyfully facing the trial and looking in the right direction. He is lifting his eyes up, looking past the current problem and looking to the Father. Perspective changes everything. When we spend our days staring at the problems or situations they get bigger and God gets smaller. But when we are able (in the strength that is given us through Christ) to look up, to see the God that is greater and stronger - we can have joy. We know that no matter what type of day we have had we are loved. As the children's song so loudly proclaims, "Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so."
Thursday, December 13, 2012
A Few Good Reads...
Tis' the season for top 10 lists and "best of" lists. I always enjoy finding out what books other Pastors have enjoyed the previous year. In many ways 2012 was a blur for me. This seemed to affect my reading volume as well. I read far less than I had in previous years. However, there were a few of the books that I read that I greatly enjoyed. Having said that here are a few recommendations (in no particular order):
Tim Keller - King's Cross and Counterfeit Gods. I discovered Tim Keller not to long ago. He is a fantastic writer and I find myself reading anything of his that I can get my hands on. By the way, in an amazing story I got King's Cross free from a bookstore. It was an advance copy and had no bar code but was on the shelf. I asked about it and they said, "just take it if you want it." God is good!
Tullian Tchividjian - Jesus + Nothing = Everything and Surprised By Grace. My personal favorite was "Surprised."
Paul E. Miller - A Praying Life. One of the best books on prayer I have ever read. Very thought provoking and I have recommended it to several people.
Randy Alcorn - We Shall See God. This is a collection of excerpts of Spurgeon's sermons on heaven paired with comments from Alcorn. Great imagery on heaven and was a useful book as well. My family experienced a lot of sickness and loss over the summer. This book was an encouragement during many of those times.
JD Greear - Gospel. I enjoyed this book as well. I am excited about the renewed focus on getting the Gospel message straight. My favorite section was the Gospel Prayer. It is a wonderful reminder of who God is and how the Gospel should affect our daily lives.
If you choose to read any of these books, I pray they will bless you as they did me. Merry Christmas and happy reading!!
Tim Keller - King's Cross and Counterfeit Gods. I discovered Tim Keller not to long ago. He is a fantastic writer and I find myself reading anything of his that I can get my hands on. By the way, in an amazing story I got King's Cross free from a bookstore. It was an advance copy and had no bar code but was on the shelf. I asked about it and they said, "just take it if you want it." God is good!
Tullian Tchividjian - Jesus + Nothing = Everything and Surprised By Grace. My personal favorite was "Surprised."
Paul E. Miller - A Praying Life. One of the best books on prayer I have ever read. Very thought provoking and I have recommended it to several people.
Randy Alcorn - We Shall See God. This is a collection of excerpts of Spurgeon's sermons on heaven paired with comments from Alcorn. Great imagery on heaven and was a useful book as well. My family experienced a lot of sickness and loss over the summer. This book was an encouragement during many of those times.
JD Greear - Gospel. I enjoyed this book as well. I am excited about the renewed focus on getting the Gospel message straight. My favorite section was the Gospel Prayer. It is a wonderful reminder of who God is and how the Gospel should affect our daily lives.
If you choose to read any of these books, I pray they will bless you as they did me. Merry Christmas and happy reading!!
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Wreck-It-Ralph and Redemption
You put on the new man, the one created according to God's likeness in righteousness and purity of the truth. Ephesians 4:24
My family went to see the new Disney movie Wreck-It-Ralph recently. It was another well made and entertaining film. We all enjoyed it. The story is about Ralph who is the villian in a video game called Fix-It-Felix. (the game is the consumate 80's arcade game complete with sounds and motion, my kids couldn't believe I played games like that) Ralph spends his days causing mayhem and breaking things. At the end of the day he lives a life of isolation in a pile of trash. He watches each night as the other characters get together and have fun. Ralph simply wants to be appreciated. He wants to be valued. In the midst of trying to change others perception of him he hatches a plan to win a medal. In his eyes, winning a medal is what it will take to make life complete. One of my favorite parts of the film is a scene called "Bad-anon." The scene consists of various video game villians (including Ralph) getting together to support each other. They have a mantra that they recite each meeting that goes like this, "I am bad and that is good. I will never be good and that's not bad." Each of them simply admits that their lives are hopeless and that they are comfortable with that.
Now I realize this is a movie, but I couldn't help but think that many people may feel like Ralph. They are searching for significance in life. They may feel as if their lives are being wasted sitting on trash heap watching the world go by. Change seems impossible therefore just get used to the status quo. The Bible tells us otherwise. We read that winning a medal won't change us, meeting a Savior will. Thankfully, we have the Gospel.
We were originally broken by sin. Every one of us were "born bad." There is no escaping this reality (Romans 3:23). Our lives were destined for a smoldering trash heap created for the devil and his angels. We were doomed with no hope of ever being a "winner." Enter Jesus Christ, the Son of God who won the battle for us on the cross. He provides the way for us to no longer be "bad" but to be counted "good" in the eyes of God. Because Jesus won we can be winners.
If you are a believer in Christ be thankful that you have been transformed by the power of the cross. If that is not a reality in your life then know that change is possible. This type of change is not brought about through self-effort or setting out on a quest to win a medal. Instead it is accomplished through a humble, broken, bloodied Savior who was nailed to a Roman cross. John Piper said it best, "We weren't meant to be somebody, we were meant to know Somebody." So for Ralph and anyone like him - there is a way to be "good."
My family went to see the new Disney movie Wreck-It-Ralph recently. It was another well made and entertaining film. We all enjoyed it. The story is about Ralph who is the villian in a video game called Fix-It-Felix. (the game is the consumate 80's arcade game complete with sounds and motion, my kids couldn't believe I played games like that) Ralph spends his days causing mayhem and breaking things. At the end of the day he lives a life of isolation in a pile of trash. He watches each night as the other characters get together and have fun. Ralph simply wants to be appreciated. He wants to be valued. In the midst of trying to change others perception of him he hatches a plan to win a medal. In his eyes, winning a medal is what it will take to make life complete. One of my favorite parts of the film is a scene called "Bad-anon." The scene consists of various video game villians (including Ralph) getting together to support each other. They have a mantra that they recite each meeting that goes like this, "I am bad and that is good. I will never be good and that's not bad." Each of them simply admits that their lives are hopeless and that they are comfortable with that.
Now I realize this is a movie, but I couldn't help but think that many people may feel like Ralph. They are searching for significance in life. They may feel as if their lives are being wasted sitting on trash heap watching the world go by. Change seems impossible therefore just get used to the status quo. The Bible tells us otherwise. We read that winning a medal won't change us, meeting a Savior will. Thankfully, we have the Gospel.
We were originally broken by sin. Every one of us were "born bad." There is no escaping this reality (Romans 3:23). Our lives were destined for a smoldering trash heap created for the devil and his angels. We were doomed with no hope of ever being a "winner." Enter Jesus Christ, the Son of God who won the battle for us on the cross. He provides the way for us to no longer be "bad" but to be counted "good" in the eyes of God. Because Jesus won we can be winners.
If you are a believer in Christ be thankful that you have been transformed by the power of the cross. If that is not a reality in your life then know that change is possible. This type of change is not brought about through self-effort or setting out on a quest to win a medal. Instead it is accomplished through a humble, broken, bloodied Savior who was nailed to a Roman cross. John Piper said it best, "We weren't meant to be somebody, we were meant to know Somebody." So for Ralph and anyone like him - there is a way to be "good."
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