A Couple Of Other Things

1.  I was looking at the contribution board in church yesterday.  If you take the total contribution and divide it by the number of attendees, you get a number greater than my average contribution.  This realization made me remember the average-marginal rule.  Simply, if your (marginal) contribution is below the average then you are pulling the average (and total) down.  The point here is it made me consider my contribution.  I have always felt that contribution cannot be measured just by dollars, and I understand earnings and tithing life-cycles, but it is something I have to keep in mind.

2.  Part of what I wanted to get out of the airport and the "why can't we skip to the last chapter of the book?" posts is the temporary nature of the world and the temporary nature of strife.  Heaven is a great gift and should be remembered in times of strife (and also good times.)  Thank you Jesus.        

Just "Be"

After I read this post by Father Longenecker, I just listened.  All I heard was "be."  Just "be."

When things don't seem to be going my way or I get tired and lazy, I retreat, when what I really need is to be.

Heavenly father,
Thank you for being the living God.
Thank you for always being with me.
Help me to be Christlike.
Help me to be.
It is Jesus' name I pray,
Amen.

Other Things From Monday's Airport Experience

While I was waiting for in the airport for eight hours, I sat beside a young mother with 16 month old.  Again, the fearless, unconditional, innocent love of a child is a great thing.  Children are a powerful reminder of the devotion to Christ we must have.

But as I was sitting in the airport, wanting to cry, wanting to physically hurt the nearest Delta representative, I had to show an adult love.  I had to consciously choose "to love."  This type of love is also a great thing.  It is a reminder of the greatness we can achieve with God's grace.

Heavenly father,
Help me to devote myself to You.
Help me to choose love no matter how much anger exists.
Help me to be a Christian adult and not a worldly child.
It is in Jesus holy and blessed name I pray,
Amen.

Being A Christian, Job, And Airports

I woke up this morning at 4:30AM CST.  My 6:35AM CST flight was delayed by almost three hours.  I missed my connection.  I waited on standby for the next one even though I could get close to my destination on another flight.   I did not make the cut for my original destination.  Delta has not been helpful.  I debated about whether to rent a car and drive.   I am tired.  I am worn out.  I have to get back so I can drive and ride 10 hours tomorrow for my dissertation.  But I cannot curse God.  Because I still have a lot of good things.  I can even blog while waiting. 

The real power of Christ is to look at the world, to look at heartache, to feel like Job at his lowest points, and say "I still love God."  I don't understand Him, but I love Him. 

That is why we can't "skip to the final chapter in the book."  Because we would have missed the point.  Love isn't supposed to be easy.  It isn't supposed to be just about feelings and emotions.  It has something to do with Job sitting in ashes, something about Noah weathering the storm, it has something to do about spending a day in an airport and having nothing go your way.  It has to do with living by faith when it is hard to see what God's plans are for you.

Love isn't easy, isn't supposed to be easy, but it isn't hard either.  The only thing I know is to see the world with love is a beautiful thing that is well worth it.

Three Encouraging Posts By Father Logenecker

1.  The power of the parable prodigal son.  The following is a quote that reminds me of Eldredge:
  
"I suppose it is like this: each one of us, no matter how good our family and how fine our lessons in self esteem and how marvelously encouraging our education, still has a deep and unshakeable conviction that we are unloved, that we have to earn the love we need, that we have to please somebody. The negativities that result from this deep conviction are manifold. We feel guilt, we feel anger towards others, we long for what is wrong, we lust for all that is dust, we feel the need for greed. We reach for so many things to fill that gap which is really the need for total, unconditional love...the love of the Father above."

2.  The body, mind and spirit aren't always cohesive.  


"Don't misunderstand. I'm not arguing for a kind of wishy washy relativistic faith based only on subjective personal experience. However I am saying there is such a thing as personal experience in our faith, and it's a good thing, and it comes to us in as many different ways as there are people."

3.  The journey matters:

"We want it all organized and together, but life isn't like that. Life is messy. Love is messy. If we're going to walk by faith, not by sight, then we're going to have times when we're confused. We're going to mess up. We're going to stumble and fall. We're going to take wrong turnings and get lost in the woods. But this is the great adventure. This is the beautiful struggle."

(I am not going to discuss sacraments or the Catholic church in general.  I don't think that is an appropriate discussion for a young Christian struggling to be Christ-like.  There are bigger things.  Getting caught up in controversial theological debates reminds me of Titus 3:9-"Avoid foolish controversies."  There is a time and place  but not now.) 

Hopefully, Helping An Idea Come To Fruition

Building on this post, I try to expand on (Isaiah 6:9).

God is telling Isaiah that it is hopeless, but he is also calling on Isaiah to preach.  God is assuming the burden to educate His people even though they will misperceive God's intentions.  Intentions and perceptions get mixed up a lot in life.  Good intentions can pave the road to destruction.  But God so loved the world, that throughout history he ordained prophets to teach, and he so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son (John 3:16).  

There are three ideas concerning intentions and perceptions that I would like to discuss:

1.  God's intentions are given through Jesus and the Bible.  But since the beginning of time, these intentions have been misconstrued.  People's perceptions of God's intentions will not always line up with Jesus and Bible.

2.  Despite these mis-perceptions, we are called to preach and live righteously.  We must go the extra mile (Matthew 5:41).  We must forgive "seventy-seven times" (Matthew 18:22).  We must "turn the other cheek" (Matthew 5:39).  We cannot quit just because no one understands or appreciates our intentions.

3.  Building on number two, we must constantly evaluate our own perceptions and the others' perceptions concerning us, not only when it comes to spiritual matters, but also in our daily interactions.  Only when we become self-aware and empathetic can we fully recognize the importance of our daily burden to spread the Gospel.      

Why Can't We Just "Skip To The Final Chapter Of The Book"? Or Another Lesson I Am Planning

Because "If the weather holds we'll have missed the point."

The last verse of the last chapter of the Book:

 ²¹The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God's people. Amen.