Personal Reflections on Suffering

Not an hour ago, I was in the hospital visiting one of our members who was having a surgical procedure, one that she has had multiple times over the last 15-20 years. When I arrived, she was about to have an IV put in and she was really anxious about it. She, like my wife, does not like needles... at all. For some people, this seems trivial, for others it can be very traumatic. I am only 37 years old, but there are a few things that I am absolutely certain of. One of those is suffering is real and immanent, another is God is good.

I would be naive to try to encapsulate every thought on pain and suffering in this blog, as I don't think there are easy answers to much of what goes on in the world. Perhaps, it is because I saw the video clip I posted earlier, or perhaps it is because I have had numerous conversations with people about personal trials and suffering that I am thinking about this, but nevertheless I feel compelled to write about this topic that is way bigger than myself.

Our Monday night small group is wading through some of the tougher topics that Christians face, and the very first was wrapped up in the following statement from Lee Strobel's book, "The Case for Faith." Since evil and suffering exist, a loving God cannot. Wow, that is a big claim. I could not begin to deal adequately with the whole of this statement in a month of blogs. Really, all I can say is what I have learned in a 37 year long experiment in hardship and suffering.

Some people are arrogant in their thinking that some people cannot handle suffering because they are not strong enough or don't have enough faith. Others wear there suffering experience like a badge looking down on others because the other person's suffering cannot be real because it isn't as bad as what they have endured. Then, there are those who never seem to every leave the place of suffering and seem to like it there and set up house. Also, there are those who truly have gone through a tremendous amount of pain and grief and never seem to be shaken in their faith in God. I wish I could be found in the latter.

I guess I am no hero. I have had my share of hurt and disappointment. I have dealt with each in various ways, some in not so God-glorifying ways. I grew up in a severely dysfunctional home where I began my life with health issues. At the age of seven, my father died leaving my emotionally screwed up mom with me and three older sisters with nothing but business debts. My family has seen abuse of all kinds (some thanks to my father), a relative sense of poverty, the death of friends and family, as well as, rejection. Since I have been with my wife, we have experienced financial strain, murder of a loved one, more death of young and old alike, a miscarriage, the victimization of a financial scam, and betrayal by those we were close to. And while in the midst of all of that, even though there were few laughs or smiles, I can say on the other side with confidence that I still believe with all my heart that God is good.

I do not know a single person who has any character that did not derive it without having experienced suffering. However, sadly there is a dominant thought in the world that all suffering is always bad. I reject that notion, and I am challenged with the task of teaching my girls to suffer well. I would not be honoring God nor doing them any good in life preparation if I took away all suffering out of their lives. I believe that suffering and evil in the world is not present because God is not good, but rather because sin came into the world. (James 1:2-4)

One of the truths that sustains me when in the midst of trying experiences is knowing that none of the experiences I have will ever be as bad, as it will be glorious when I am with the Lord in eternal paradise. The Apostle John wrote this (in exile I might add):

"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away." (Revelation 21:1-4)

Shaky Bridges

Although I do not watch vast amounts of television, I find myself drawn to certain types of programming. The main networks have little to offer me in terms of viewing. Our cheap little TV package has a channel where I frequent when I do watch... the Science Channel. By no means do the programs that speak of our "origin" draw me (as a side note, have you noticed how many of those are beginning to dramatize what their theories are to make them more believable?), but rather those more on the side of engineering and how things are made. I recall recently one show that spoke of an engineering nightmare. Nearly a hundred years ago, one man designed a suspension bridge in California that was very pliable and swayed in the wind in order to prevent being blown over in the high winds in the area. The film cut to a shot of the bridge swaying so much that even the most experienced sea captain would be seasick. Even if physics is not your specialty, if you have ever played with a paper clip or other piece of metal, you know that if you continue to bend it over and over again, the metal will heat up and then suddenly break. Well, this one windstorm broke the paper clip. Fortunately, only one person was killed when it finally gave. This man had faith in his engineering; however, the the object of his trust was in error.

The Bible says there is nothing new under the sun. For millennia, people have been buying the same lie over and over again. It was true with the Jews, and it is true still today. An oft propagated lie is that it doesn't matter what you believe as long as you are sincere in your faith. The truth is, if what you believe is false, it doesn't become true by believing it with more fervor. This engineer believed that his theory of bridge-making was sound, but that in which he placed his trust- and believed enough to put others lives on the line- was flawed from the beginning. Paul addresses this same principle in his letter to the Romans. "Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. Since they did not know the righteousness that comes from God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes." (Romans 10:1-4)

You see the Jews trusted not in the grace of the God who was Holy to save them, rather they placed their trust in following His laws and regulations. Even with instructions and warnings throughout the Old Testament, they still missed it. They continued to build their bridges with flawed engineering.

Today, we still trust in things that have proven to fail time and time again: money, jobs, politicians, other people. We, like the bridge engineer, could learn much from Jesus' parable of the two builders. On what we build is vitally important. If our foundation is sound, our lives will remain intact. However, if our "engineering" is flawed, our bridges will buckle. Are your bridges shaky?

In the News Today...

Like many people, part of my morning ritual is having some coffee and watching the news. But is it really news? I have watched it day in and day out for years, and it is pretty much the same thing, just different locations and different people: Sadly some folks died because someone either can't control their anger or was so greedy they wanted what someone else possessed; there is battle going on all around the world; traffic is heavy in metro areas; it is too wet in some areas and too dry in others; the Dow Jones hits new highs or new lows; politicians disagree, etc. ad nauseum.

This morning in several ways, God reminded me of something that I think for all of us who follow Him may seem like a no-brainer, but the longer I am alive, I am not so sure that everyone even in the Body of Christ really understands... the Good News (or Gospel) of Jesus Christ.

I will start off by stating what it is NOT. It is not a church membership nor a ticket to heaven, although it can lead you there. It is not a plan or purpose for your life, although through it you can you may definitely obtain these. Even though you can walk in the newness of life that can be found in Him alone, it is not a way to feel good about your yourself nor bolster your self-esteem.

The Apostle Paul hit the nail on the head in his description of what exactly is the Good News in his first letter to the Corinthian church. "Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures," (1 Cor. 15:1-4).

Anytime I lead someone to Christ, for me it is imperative that they understand the core of the Gospel, not just to be able to regurgitate the "Roman Road" or any other "plan of salvation." The sheer fact that "Christ died for our sins" is the first step. One must understand WHY Christ died for our sins. WHY did we need a Savior? I wonder if all of the American Church REALLY knew the answers to that, would we be as impotent as we are in our culture. Because if we did, it would transform us into the new creatures that Paul speaks of in his second letter to the same church. (2 Cor. 5:17) If we really grasped that one element of the Gospel, our faith would not be without works as James tries so hard to explain in his letter. (James 2:14-26)

You see, we were so desperately separated from God because of our failure to maintain a righteousness on our own that only God could reconcile us to Himself. THAT is the Good News! We no longer have to be separated from God by our missing the mark of His perfection, but rather because of His grace (giving us what we don't deserve), we can be reconciled to Him forever. We put our trust in the completed work of Jesus Christ when he hung on a cross to accept the full responsibility for everything you and I ever have or ever would do that was displeasing to God.

Consider Eugene Peterson's rendering of Romans 5:6-8: "Christ arrives right on time to make this happen. He didn't, and doesn't, wait for us to get ready. He presented himself for this sacrificial death when we were far too weak and rebellious to do anything to get ourselves ready. And even if we hadn't been so weak, we wouldn't have known what to do anyway. We can understand someone dying for a person worth dying for, and we can understand how someone good and noble could inspire us to selfless sacrifice. But God put his love on the line for us by offering his Son in sacrificial death while we were of no use whatever to him. "

For me I have to stop and remember regularly what the Good News did for me, otherwise, I get caught up in the day to day news report that can drown out what is truly good. "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus!" (Romans 8:1) Now THAT is some Good News!

Cup o' Joe?

I received this story this morning...
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A group of alumni, all highly established in their respective careers, got together for a visit with their old university professor. The conversation soon turned to complaints about the endless stress of work and life in general.

Offering his guests coffee, the professor went into the kitchen and soon returned with a large pot of coffee and an eclectic assortment of cups: porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal - some plain, some expensive, some quite exquisite. Quietly, he told them to help themselves to some fresh coffee.

When each of his former students had a cup of coffee in hand, the old professor quietly cleared his throat and began to patiently address the small gathering... ''You may have noticed that all of the nicer looking cups were taken up first, leaving behind the plainer and cheaper ones. While it is only natural for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is actually the source of much of your stress-related problems.'

He continued...''Be assured that the cup itself adds no quality to the coffee. In fact, the cup merely disguises or dresses up what we drink. What each of you really wanted was coffee, not a cup, but you instinctively went for the best cups... Then you began eyeing each other's cups...

''Now consider this: Life is coffee. Jobs, money, and position in society are merely cups. They are just tools to shape and contain life, and the type of cup we have does not truly define nor change the quality of the Life we live. Often, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee that God has provided us...
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Good story, right before receiving this story, I received word that a sister in Christ was in the hospital recovering from an attempted suicide. A few verses came to mind after reading this:

"He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." (Micah 6:8)

"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." (Matthew 6:33)

"But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you." (2 Corinthians 4:7-12)

It breaks my heart, when I hear of believers that live in despair, because they have bought the lies of the world and find their worth in things that mean nothing. It breaks my heart because I have been there. Wishing things will stop, wanting to end it all. They are in bondage to the thinking that they have to perform to find acceptance before the Lord. People all around us with their facades up need to know the Truth. The Truth and only the Truth will set them free.

Enjoy your coffee today. Share the brew the Lord has given you today!

Little Words

Most everyone knows that words are powerful. Much good and much evil have been done with words alone. Strangely enough, often times it is not the long, fancy, $3 words that have the most effect, but rather the monosyllabic words (ever wonder why monosyllabic has so many syllables?) -- words like LOVE, GRACE, HATE, FOOL, SHAME, CARE. These are powerful words in themselves, and when placed in context of environment and humanity, they have the power to build up, restore, or tear down and destroy.

As I finish my reading through Leviticus, I ran across two little words, that in scripture are probably some of the most powerful. The first one is only two letters long, but has tremendous impact on what is being said in the context: "IF." There are many in evangelical circles that, I believe, misuse much of the Old Testament promises. They are quick to claim promises appropriated to the Hebrew people alone. However, they ignore this little word. This word makes the temporal blessings conditional, and suggests that there is a flip side-- which there is. Here is a common example, "If you walk in My statutes and keep My commandments so as to carry them out, ..." (Leviticus 26:3). The proceeding words describe blessings that will be bestowed as a result. Now which commands does this refer to? ALL of them (there's another powerful little word that I won't get into). The flip-side if they do not get them ALL result in curses that I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy.

The second word happens to be one of my favorite words in the Bible. The word "BUT" is a conjunction that draws a contrast. In this passage, it is used in two significant ways, the first is seen in verse 14 (linked above to ALL). It is connected to the first little word, and it draws the contrast that IF they do not follow ALL the commands they will be cursed. The usage I want to zero in on, however, is in verse 40 (used in the NIV, but not NAS). After describing the plagues and destruction that comes as a result failing to follow ALL of the commandments, God gives GRACE. It basically says that even if you fail miserably and fall short of the perfect standard of the Law, you can start all over if you confess to Him and admit that you can't do it on your own. Some of my favorite uses of this word are found in the New Testament that carry much of the same connotation: "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23), and "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)

"BUT" doesn't leave us in our sin; "BUT" shows that God lavishes out the grace and mercy that apart from His perfect love, we would never be able to enjoy relationship with a Holy God. Because of little words we are set FREE. Because of this little word, we can enjoy ETERNAL blessings that are not conditioned on our performance.

May you enjoy the goodness of the Lord today!

Where's the Party?

I am not a real sentimental person, and haven't been for sometime. Most holidays, save anniversaries and birthdays, have been pretty nonchalant celebrations in our home. I really haven't been content with my stance on this, but haven't really known what to do about it. This morning, the Lord corrected my attitude on the matter, and I have begun reconsidering what to do about it.

In Leviticus 23, we see that the LORD instituted various festivals and celebrations that the Israelites were to follow, and each festival had specific days and things that were required. Without getting bogged down in following the Law, I began thinking about the LORD's intent behind the festivals-- He wanted them to remember. Really, that is why we have holidays. We have forgotten to remember.

I think the bulk of my response, or lack thereof, to holidays is rooted in rebellion to the over-commercialization of them and the focus on just the fun part of the holiday. Now, there is nothing wrong with having fun, but the reason we have holidays is to commemorate an event or person. I think we have lost the whole idea behind true celebration or memorial events and turned them into a time to eat a meal with our families and exchange gifts and allowed that to be an end in itself. It's not that those things are wrong, but it can't end there.

I am rethinking my attitude about holidays, and I may even come up with a few on my own, just special days that we as a family set aside to remember God's goodness or provision in our individual lives. I have thrown out the baby with the bathwater on the subject of holidays. It is should be a good thing to celebrate what God has done in our lives.

I am going to bake a cake, and I am gonna make a wish and blow out the candles and celebrate God's goodness. We're having a party, wanna come?