Searching for a Spark

“The Cross is the blazing fire at which the flame of our love is kindled, but we have to get near enough to it for its sparks to fall on us.”
- John Stott

This past month there's probably been no truth more in the forefront of my mind than the one which Stott is addressing. Unfortunately, I'm finding how all too often I tend to live for something else than the Gospel and how much vigilance I'm to muster in trusting that my approval, security and identity flow from Calvary. I always thought of myself as a fairly steady and sure person but after some introspection I've begun to notice a thread of doubt which runs through the fabric of my responses to people and things. Whenever I find myself uttering self-justifying statements or sense that I'm overly-critical in my assessment of a peer, I can be confident most of that flows from my unbelief, my lack of faith in the Gospel to be my sufficiency. The result is a lame (but pretty shrewd) attempt at trying to control my image.

Stott's words are a good measure of the medication I need. I need the Gospel. I need it again...and again...and again. If I'm going to make any headway into a Cross-centered life I must "take every thought captive to obey Christ" (2 Cor. 10:5) by unleashing the Gospel upon anything I'm trusting in to build me up besides the Cross.

It's the best way I know of getting close to the fire.

A Prayer

O God,

Forgive me for wanting to be
more celebrity than slave,
For desiring the bigger and brighter
instead of the holy and healthy

May I look to offer support and love
for fellow under-shepherds who are my peers
Instead of trying to tell myself all the ways
I supposedly am superior to them.

Still my confidence in the Cross
and my identity in the Gospel,
Fleeing any reliance in what I do,
who I know or any future endeavor

Blot out my transgression of filling
my day with the work of the ministry
When the truth is I am simply
beating around the bush of meeting with you.

Continue to cast your favor upon me O Lord
Thus far I have not deserved it
(and never will)
and yet still you give

I feel as Jacob who merited no advantage
and yet blessing was his portion
For you sovereignly declared,
“Jacob I loved.”

In the midst of all my failings
(and there are many)
I still hear your voice
and its declaration of love for me.

O God, you are my God.

Don't Overlook the Seemingly Insignificant

Wrestling, Britney and Systematic Theology

"What comes to mind when we think about God
is the most important thing about us."
-A.W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy

Want to see people roll their eyes at something you say? You can defend wrestling on television as being real, you can proclaim how Britney Spears is an incredible singer or you can simply affirm the importance of systematic theology. Each of those testimonies will bring all kinds of negative reactions - from a magnanimous fake smile and slow nodding all the way up to a good old-fashioned yelling match. The sad thing is that only two out of the three actually merit a challenge.

If theology means the study of God and systematic means an arranged or orderly system of understanding, it is beyond me why any Follower of Jesus would harbor any amount of disdain towards it. And yet, I've heard not only Christians but Christian leaders decry how systematic theology is too academic, dry and impractical for the modern-day follower. That last critique is my "favorite". Theology is "out" because it's not pragmatic enough. "How is this going to help my marriage? What is this going to do for my business? Is this going to help me find a mate? Those are the things I want to understand from the Bible! How does knowing the Trinity impact those issues? What does "homoousias" have to do with me? Why waste my time with communicable and incommunicable attributes of the Holy when I can read this bestseller that's going to tell me how to be healthier, wealthier and wiser spiritually?"

Straw man? I wish. While many of those indifferent to theology might not express it in those exact terms the end result still holds. Systematic theology is seen as the property of naive, ivory tower Christians who only want to debate free will versus predestination at Starbucks until closing. This shouldn't be! We should desire to grow in our knowledge of God so that we might grow in our love and service of him. That's it. If God has revealed who he is then doesn't it follow that we should seek to know as much as we can of that revelation? Do we do it to become walking theological encyclopedias who spout obtuse and obscure bits of dusty information that only seeks to alienate everyone around us? Not at all! We do it to become better lovers of God, better followers of Jesus, better instruments for the Holy Spirit in his mission of reaching those far from the Father.

Listen up, reclaim that which is yours! Don't let studying theology be something for the ecclesiastical Illuminati. God, through his Word, has pulled the curtain back on who he is and, mind you, this is not just some high school buddy, chummy neighbor or even your sweet spouse that's letting you in on who they are. This is the God of the Universe inviting you to know him more. This should help us see that systematic theology is very practical. So don't cede it to others when it is divine gift for you too.

Let's leave the rolling of eyes for the men in tights and the mouseketeer.

Simple Joys

“We are nowhere forbidden to laugh, or be satisfied with food…
or to delighted with music, or to drink wine.”
– John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion

I don’t know about you but sometimes I lose sight of the simple joys God has given – food, drink, music, conversation. Sometimes they are concealed by techno-explosion that is my life. IPods, laptops, television, DVD, gizmos ad infinitum seem to crowd out the stuff I used to do before Bill Gates, Steve Jobs & Co. turned the world on its ear.

Yesterday (while staring at a computer) I called my wife (on my cell) and asked her if she would like to completely change plans for the evening (which for me was sitting at home watching TV or probing the deep recesses of the internet) and go out for dinner, just the two of us. Within a few hours we had finished dinner and were sitting down at the Kemah Boardwalk, eating overpriced but extremely tasty Marble Slab ice cream, conversing about the going’s-on of each of our lives and watching kids happily scurrying through the water spouts anxious to be the latest victim of an unannounced burst of water. All of this on a summer evening whose clear blue sky was dotted with clouds of amber, gold and crimson as the sun was bidding its farewell for the day.

Simple joys.

Even though relatively inexpensive, they seem to fill me up more often than the “shiny, digital, on/off button” stuff I let crowd my life. Maybe I need to take a step back. Maybe I should push away from the tech-table for a while. Maybe I’d be better if I picked up the phone and called a buddy or two for a drink, a bite and meaningful conversation. So I’ll try to reduce the strain on my eyes and my energy bill as I turn the shiny things off a little bit more than usual in order to carve out additional time for the simple joys.

Filling Station

"For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you--that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith, both yours and mine."
- The Epistle to the Romans 1:11-12 (ESV)

This Friday I had the opportunity to meet a guy I'd been invited to know for a long time. He's my age and pastor of a church in St. Louis which happens to have as parishioners some close friends of mine (an old college roommate and his "girl" to be exact). For years, my "roomie" had wanted me to meet with him saying how alike we both were in passions, personalities, etc. So when the opportunity surfaced to meet with him in Houston I jumped at it. I wasn't disappointed.

I wanted to write this in light of my last post. Yes, there are times when those who have given their lives in full-time ministry immensely disappoint you with their selfish and reckless actions. But there are also times, much more frequent in my experiences I might add, where you run across fellow pastors who inspire, encourage and challenge you. You leave your time with them more fired up to serve Jesus with greater fidelity and intensity at the church he has placed you. For me, those are moments that feed my spirit. They are cool drinks of water in the sometimes arid landscape of ministry. I depart those times of fellowship with my tank fuller (or is it "more full") than it was when I shook hands in greeting.

Friday just reminded me of how important it is for me to get around guys my age, who essentially do what I do and share how the journey is going. If that's my weakness so be it. I need that time. I crave that time. There are fewer things I do that fill me up the way that does!

If you find yourself in a little slump or low on gas (or neither - you should do this no matter how good or bad it's going), grab a buddy who sails the same type of ship you do. Hit him up for a cup of coffee, a game down at the ballpark or (as in my case) breakfast. You may find yourself a little more "filled up" after it's all said and done!