God's Love Letters to You

When I looked over the Thomas Nelson books available to review and saw one by Larry Crabb, I immediately download the e-book. And I'm not disappointed.

God's Love Letters to You gives a wonderful glimpse at the whole context of God's Word. Far from a feel good read, Dr. Crabb shows the reality of pain in a framework of love.

"But God's way of thinking and His way of loving are so far above us—and so different sometimes from what we think they should be—that His way of speaking life can feel harsh, even insensitive and uncaring. And for good reason: His words of life speak death to what is in us that needs to die."

The formatting of the e-book annoyed me at points, but it was just nit-picky things such as spacing. The quotes from writers outside the Bible jarred my assumption that the content concentrated on God's finished Word. Yet, the quotes added their own explanation and often were ones I highlighted for future reference.

If I taught a small group or class for young Christians, this text would be required reading. The way it touches upon suffering and love throughout the Bible, reveals the continuity of God's working through our own pain and His sovereign plan, which includes and redeems that pain. The questions at the end of each chapter too would be richer shared with others, especially those beginning to grasp the scope of God's work in our lives and world.

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My Wordless Prayer by Craig Courtney

This video shares the ache of my heart at many times in life (maybe a bit is always there—crying out). I believe this will speak for your heart at times too—when you need to pray, need to connect your heart with the Father, but the words just aren't there.

Praise be to God—He hears even our wordless prayers

Some Days are Diamonds

An old John Denver song has frequently come to mind. The chorus says—

Some days are diamonds;
some days are stone.
Sometimes the hard times
won't leave me alone.
Sometimes the cold winds
blow a chill in my bones.
Some days are diamonds;
some days are stone.

Regardless of whether or not you like country songs, everyone can relate to diamond and stone days. Because stones are common, they fill most of our time making the diamond-days more precious.

Internally, I've been gathering the stones of late. Just because they're prosaic pebbles doesn't mean some are not of rare beauty in colour or design. Yet others are sharp and cut deeply.

But these thoughts aren't really where my mind has been dwelling. There's a verse in the song that describes it.

Now the face that I see in my mirror
more and more is a stranger to me.
More and more I can see there's a danger
of becoming what I never thought I'd be.

Please forgive the depressive tone. And bear with me, because I'm sure—if you've lived long enough—there has been at least once where these words have rung true.

That moment may have come when you've worked your hardest, only to be told your efforts aren't needed. You're being laid off.

Or maybe it's in marriage. You see a wedding photo and glimpse for an instant all the lovely dreams you had of the kind of spouse you'd be and the kind of spouse you'd have. Now those visions are so distant, you hardly recognize yourself.

I'm at a place where I'm believing this is one of the best positions in which to be . . . at least for a while.

Sure, it's much nicer to always be happy, to feel life is coming together, making sense. But that's not where humility grows. Those sparkling, beautiful spots are not where we come face to face with our need to be washed over with the love and grace of God, broken-off from our old sinful nature, and smoothed out on the lonely bottom of life's ocean.

No. It is when we face ourselves in the mirror without the amiable make-up we put on for others, when we face the flaws in our human nature and admit that they are a fault—it is then that we are broken down to the basics and God can begin shaping us, polishing us, preparing us to become—not dry stones in His Kingdom, but—glittering jewels, whose brilliance the earth could not host.

If you're there—if your life isn't what you planned it to be, if you're less than you dreamed you'd be, if your failures are greater than you can live with—it is now that you can be rubbed and tumbled to beauty. Now is when you can give your plain, dry-brown-heart fully into the Artist's hands and let Him make something beautiful of you.

Don't be discouraged! He who began a good work in you WILL carry it to completion (Philippians 1:6).

The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. ~John 12:25

When we think we know how our life is going, it's easy not to depend on His leading. But when life surprises us, we cling to Him. And that's right where we should be.

Can you relate? Has the face in your mirror ever seemed like a stranger? Are you there now or what happened to change things for you?

Review of "Love Wins"

Love Wins: A Book About Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived by Rob Bell

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Love Wins caught me a bit by surprise. From the many reviews of its damning content, I expected it to be persuasive in its "new" ideas. It wasn't. I also expected that it would vastly contain lies. It didn't.

On one hand, I saw Rob Bell making sweeping generalities with select verses without consideration of the context and with dismissal of equal or greater arguments contrary to his assertions. One example, of his leaping assumptions is his ignoring all scholarly debate on the identity of the author of Hebrews and authoritatively declaring the author a "she" (for which the evidence and arguments against this theory are more prevalent than those for it). This, though rather insignificant and seemingly-petty (to some), enforced the truth that Bell is no scholar, more or less a theological one. To go into detail about specifics of his errors is not my intention here. I'll leave that to true scholars, many of whom have already commenced to fight those battles.

On the other hand, I saw truth in what Bell presented. This is both dangerous and reassuring. Dangerous in that it is easy to overlook blatant error because of streams of truth running amidst the quicksand. Yet reassuring that the heart of his theory doesn't appear, to me (actually knowing Rob), to be merely to "tickle people's ears" (even if that is what it does for some).

Rob Bell reacts to an extreme in Christian circles--unloving attitudes and a sort of triumph over the unbelievers. This is not a good representation of Christians, but it is a representation of many or at least a reflection of the passionless love we have in contrast to our Saviour's love and our own salvation.

In conclusion, this book may be a good recommendation to those who have grown up in the church, to those too "familiar" with the salvation story. It needs to be balanced with the full truth of the Gospel, with the justice that those who truly love the lost will be compelled to share. But it also emphasizes God's love for all and our need to show it; something that may get lost in our self-centered religious lives.

I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing. 
~1 Timothy 2:8

I sincerely hope and pray Rob Bell does submit to God's authority and not trust with pride in his own thoughts and talents. 

Wanted: Dead or Alive

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"Josh, you know, I’ve heard a lot about you. And not very much of it that’s been good. And, after the way we treat you, you do a thing like this and you don’t want anyone to know about it. Seems to me that if the word got around, you might have more friends."

"Simple. The kind of friends who have to know, I don’t want."

_____________________

Reputations are tricky, aren't they? All of us have a conscious or unconscious goal of how we want others to perceive us. When we sense they think of us differently, we want to straighten the record.

A gang member wants to be tough. A snob, rich or beautiful. A comedian, happy. A business person, successful. The foundation? Pride.

How do you feel when the praise you've earned is given to someone else? What about when you receive undeserved criticism?

In many instances, discovering the motivation behind wanting to clear our name is like splitting hairs.

A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold. ~Proverbs 22:1

If you're a Christian, you may argue that your life is the testimony pointing others to Jesus. True. Still, the line is fine between selfishness and piety.

Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; someone else, and not your own lips. ~Proverbs 27:2

I'm dwelling on this for two reasons.

1. Because I find this so very difficult in my own life. I constantly find times where defensiveness and justifications spurt out. But pure motivations are sketchy, at best. Sadly, I recognize it after I've interrupted or talked over someone else's words in order that they may hear "how it really is." Or when credit is questioned, I quickly assert my relevance to the situation.
   
   
2. I've been watching old TV shows. One of my new favourites is Steve McQueen's Wanted: Dead or Alive. The quote at the beginning is from the end of the first episode.

Josh Randall (McQueen) is a bounty hunter. Men like him are fierce and shady, often killing their wanted men or women because it is much easier to bring them in dead. The motivation for Randall is different. Although he does his work for money, honour and justice are the supreme driving forces.

Instead of justifying his actions to those who instantly judge him based on his career, he secretly gives generously, often helps the less fortunate, and goes beyond his duty when no one cares. Slowly, people learn some of what he does, but that's not why he does it.

The kind of friends who have to know, I don’t want.

What motivates you to do what is good? How comfortable are you when the accolades you're due aren't delivered?

Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.  ~Jesus
(Matthew 6)

It's hard, but it's a good goal: To not be integral for reputation, but for eternity's sake.

Run in such a way as to get the prize. Not here. Not now. But some day . . . soon.

Score One for the Team

"When things are going good, you just keep working hard. Things are bad, you keep working hard. So . . . my main focus right now is just to . . . help this team make the play offs. Regardless personally of what I do or what happens, my commitments are to the team and, the team comes first."
~Jamie Tardif (#25)

Last hockey season, my fencing partner got me started attending a few of our local Griffins' games. Sorry to say, they lost almost all of the ones I saw and many I didn't see.

This year in keeping with our new tradition, we went to see our team on February 25th. Because of some positive stories shared, we kept our eyes especially out for any time #9 Francis (Frankie) Pare was on the ice. Thankfully for the team, it was frequently.

What a difference from last year! The previous season, the team appeared to make up for lack of skill and teamwork with numerous fights. Hockey fans may call me out for this, but the fights usually look to me like immature, bullying boys throwing a tantrum.

In contrast to this (only one fight this game, which was a fist-fight between only two players), this year's Griffins were focused on the game. That doesn't mean there weren't reasons to fight.

For example, my new favourite player—As I watched, the Lake Erie Monsters players (the bad guys) held on to Francis' shoulders (but were never called) and made an obvious (but not to the ref) effort to trip him with a hockey stick, along with the usual slamming and pinning to walls. Instead of concentrating on the person impeding him, Francis worked his way free and concentrated on the goal, becoming the number one player for the evening (and not that evening only).

Last year, the Griffins teamwork stunk, and I used them as an negative example. This year, they are all about the team and working together. They have not only shown it on ice, but declared it in every interview. It's not about themselves, although the pats on the back are appreciated. It's the team that matters. It's helping each other meet the goal.

The Griffins' attitude reminds me of what our Coach has told us:

Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Do not put out the Spirit’s fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil. (1 Thessalonians 5:12-22)

Pass the puck, guard your teammates, help those who fall down, honour those who score, but do it as a team, aim for the goal, and win it for the glory of our Coach.

Onions?

Whenever I work in the kitchen, at least one of my two cats figures there must be something good just out of reach. Last night as I cut up onions, Chiara (the cat above) wandered around my feet, crying. Often the only way to quiet her is to let her smell what I'm cutting up.

It reminded me of myself. And all of us. How many times do we cry out to God telling Him what we need, demanding the meat we know He's hiding just out of reach? Why can't I have that promotion? Why can't I get out of this marriage and into a happy one? Why can't this circumstance change to what I've imagined? Is God being stingy or is He cutting onions?

When I do have something good for my cat, I find it humorous that she feels the need to cry till I give it to her. How would she ever know the good available, if I had not given it to her in the past?

We also only know of good gifts because of what God has given to us before. Why then do we cry out in unbelief, I wonder, so sure that this time He'll be mean? All we know of good has come from God.

God tells us to pray and keep on praying. But, at the back of our prayers is the belief that even if it isn't the "food" we crave, it may be something new and altogether better.

The next time we ask for what we think would be best, I hope you and I both can remember, it may be just onions. With onions come tears. So, let's trust and wait for the good God is preparing.