Silver Medal

One of the unique things about the Olympics is the way that it structures event winners.  Each event honors not only the winner, but also the second and third place finishers.  Most of our sporting contests these days simply have a winner and a loser.  If you lose the Super Bowl, you are the silver medalist in football.  If you lose in the finals of Wimbledon, you are the silver medalist of tennis.  But compare the countenance of an Olympic silver medalist to someone on the losing team of the Super Bowl and it’s quite a contrast.  Super Bowl runners up are often despondent in the face of losing the big game.  Silver medalists - even bronze medalists - are often filled with enthusiasm simply to be on the platform.

As much as I like the Olympic approach on this side of heaven, I don’t believe there will be any silver medals in the new creation.  When Jesus returns to judge the living and the dead, there won’t be three levels on the platform.  There will be just one.  The Gospels tell us there were three crosses on Calvary.  But only one of those crosses saves us.  There were many tombs around Jerusalem.  But only one is empty.  In the age to come, we who belong to the one who hung on the cross and walked out of the tomb will stand on the platform with him.  We will all wear gold medals because we are in Christ.  He has won the victory.

The Curious Case of Valentine’s Day

Saturday is Valentine’s Day.  (Let this also serve as a public service announcement to those who perennially forget until the night before!)  It’s a day of chocolates, roses, and romantic dinners.  It’s a day for doing something to celebrate the one you love and the love you share.  Thanks to a multi-million dollar industry that’s built around this day, it has become a cultural staple in America.  It might be the biggest holiday of the year after Christmas, Thanksgiving, Memorial Day, and July 4.  But its roots have little to do with romance.  St. Valentine was a 3rd-century saint known for caring for persecuted Christians.  He lived at a time when followers of Jesus were being put to death for their faith.  Valentine ministered to them and their families.  In Roman Catholic tradition, he is the saint of epilepsy and beekeepers.

I’m not sure how a day named for Mr. Valentine turned into a romantic holiday.  But it makes sense that we celebrate love on February 14, even if in its lesser forms.  Valentine put God’s love into action.  He gave God’s love hands and feet by caring for those in great distress.  As a way to reclaim this day, we can remember Mr. Valentine.  Go ahead and buy the flowers and chocolates, and a Hallmark card.  But remember that the greatest love of all is God’s.  We can express it most when we serve others in Jesus’ name.

Groundhog Day and Other Myths I’ve Believed

It’s Groundhog Day.  To my way of thinking, this is quite possibly the silliest day of the year.  It is completely irrational to think that a groundhog can accurately predict the remainder of winter based on whether or not it sees its shadow.  And why not a rabbit or a squirrel or a raccoon?  They all have shadows to be seen or not seen.  Or why even bother with an animal at all?  You could just go by the weather in Punxsutawney.  My point is that it is illogical to believe that a groundhog has any concept of its own shadow, let alone can predict weather patterns by it.

Then I look at my life and all the irrational things that I believe.  I believe that money can provide true happiness.  I believe that if I had just a little more, I would be content.  I succumb to fearful worry and despair about the state of this world, when it belongs to an all-powerful God who is also good in ways we can’t imagine.  I believe that my children’s well-being depends on me.  I believe that the success of our church is up to me.  None of these things are any more rational than Groundhog Day.  So maybe I ought to go easy on Punxsutawney Phil and deal with my own irrationalities first.

Are We There Yet?

If you’ve ever taken a road trip with kids, you’ve heard this refrain more than you care to remember: “Are we there yet?”  Everyone is getting restless, sick of riding, and ready to get to the destination.  When it comes to spiritual growth, this is a question I’ve asked a lot, too.  When will I reach a level of spiritual maturity where I can say that I’ve arrived?  How many times do I need to read the Bible to achieve that?  What other spiritual disciplines do I need to practice to reach that peak?  

I’m learning two things about this spiritual journey.  First, the destination is just a mirage.  Anytime I start to imagine that I am closing in on spiritual maturity, I learn something that makes me realize how far away I truly am.  The more I learn about God, the more vast he becomes.  Second, the destination is not a place of spiritual maturity I am headed towards.  The destination is right where I am at any given moment.  Because in that moment God is there with me.  God meets us in the moments of our lives, building off of them in ways that make us more like Jesus.  That makes every moment of the journey a destination in itself.  Are we there yet?  Yes!  And also, not yet.

Quotes from Martin Luther King Jr.

“Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?’ ”

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”

“We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love. There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. When we discover this, we are less prone to hate our enemies.”

“Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase.”

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”

“We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.”

“Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend.”

The Sanctity of Human Life

Over the last century, humans have become adept at measuring things.  From factories to investments to sports, analytics plays a significant and growing role.  We measure everything from historical financial performance to the spin on a baseball.  Then we use these metrics to make predictions and assess value.  In all of these areas of measurement, the value lies in performance.  How does a stock perform in a turbulent economy?  How does a new workflow impact output?  How does rotation affect the curve of a baseball?  What will provide the greatest amount of value?

Human life doesn’t work that way.  Human life is not appraised based on what it contributes.  It is not evaluated in terms of performance when we seek its truest value.  Human life carries a value that is unaffected by performance or ability, or output.  Perhaps we shouldn’t think of human life in terms of value at all.  Perhaps we should think of human life in terms of sanctity.  Holiness.  God has created human life in his own image.  That’s what makes it holy.  May we have eyes to see the image of God, and, therefore, the holiness, in every human life.

Epiphany

Tomorrow is a day in the Christian year we call Epiphany.  Epiphany is one of the lesser-known days in the Christian year.  It can’t hold a candle to days like Christmas, Easter, or even Pentecost.  More people know about Hanukkah than Epiphany.  So what is it?  Epiphany has been associated with the early events in Jesus’ life that revealed him as the Son of God: his presentation at the temple, the visit of the Magi, his trip to the temple as a boy, and his baptism in the Jordan River.  The word “epiphany” means to reveal something.  This is the celebration of Jesus being revealed as God’s Son.

This day should set the tone for all the days of the year.  If we pay attention, Jesus is constantly being revealed in our lives.  We see him whenever there is forgiveness and reconciliation.  We hear him in beautiful, soul-stirring music.  He is revealed in the concern of a friend and in the sacrifice of a family member.  Wherever there is goodness, truth, or beauty, Jesus can be found.  Epiphany is not just a day to recognize the Christ.  It is a reminder that the Christ is in every day.  It is an invitation to keep our eyes open. 

Christmas Letdown

The lead-up to Christmas is a marvelous one.  So much preparation: gifts are purchased, decorations hung, the tree trimmed, food cooked, clothes bought, and gatherings planned.  It’s the equivalent of planning a small wedding each year.  As the day comes, our anticipation grows, our expectations grow, our hopes grow.  And nearly every year, Christmas itself is no match for these things.  The gifts disappoint initially or eventually.  The food - no matter how delicious - devolves into leftovers.  The people - no matter how much we love them - often leave us with a splinter or two if we’re not careful enough.  And so after Christmas, we are left longing still.  We long for the things Christmas was not able to bring us or deliver.  Hope has not been quenched.  We are still missing something, still waiting.

I believe that a Christmas is coming that will meet every longing.  There will be a Christmas that delivers beyond every expectation and hope.  It is the Christmas when Jesus returns to this world.  He will come not simply to announce his kingdom, but to bring it fully.  He will come not just with promises, but with fulfillment.  His return won’t just point to a day that is yet to come.  It will be that day.  In your every hope, longing, desire, and wish, that is the day - the Christmas - you are ultimately waiting for.  The Christmas letdown that you feel right now is perfectly appropriate.  It tells you that the real Christmas is yet to come.   

I Wonder About Christmas

Christians throughout the centuries and around the world have professed these words: “I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary.”  I have trusted these words and the truths they represent from the first time I heard them.  And yet, there is a lot to wonder about here.  I wonder what “conceived by the Holy Spirit” means and if Mary experienced this or just became pregnant.  I wonder if Mary had morning sickness, odd cravings, or heartburn during her pregnancy.  Did she have a touch of postpartum depression after Jesus was born?

I wonder about Joseph.  He had to be the earthly father of God’s Son.  No pressure there!  I wonder what it was like to change the diaper of God’s Son or burp him after a feeding.  I know the song says, “No crying he makes.”  But was Jesus a fussy baby?  When did he start sleeping through the night?  I realize that it seems a bit sacrilegious to ask these questions.  It feels a little too earthy and common to wonder about God’s Son this way.  But that is exactly the good news of Christmas.  The Son of God didn’t just become like us.  He became one of us.  He took on all aspects of our reality.  He took the form of a servant.  And not just a servant, a helpless little baby.  The Word became flesh.  And it is a word we can understand.

The Final Christmas

It happened to me while I was singing “Joy to the World.”  It was the last verse that gave me pause: “He rules the world with truth and grace, and makes the nations prove the glories of his righteousness.”  I teared up singing that because it just isn’t true.  The nations don’t prove God’s glory or righteousness.  Rather, they prove the way sin has ravaged the world.  Today, children will die.  People will starve to death while we throw away close-dated food.  People will die of preventable and curable diseases.  The nations are governed by tyrants who are more concerned with maintaining their own power than serving their people.  Corruption, not righteousness, characterizes the nations.  The world that I live in does not at all prove the glories of God’s righteousness.

I must conclude that I am singing about a day that has yet to happen.  I am left to believe that the greatest Christmas is yet to come.  The first Christmas has changed me.  The final Christmas will change the world forever.  The first Christmas gave me new life.  The final Christmas will make everything new.  Come, Lord Jesus!

Finding Your Quiet

The Christmas season can be an overwhelming sensory experience.  Many of the houses on my street have decorative lights (including mine).  The main drag through Spring Lake is awash in multi-colored lights.  Saturday night in Grand Haven featured the annual Jingle Bell parade that included marching bands, holiday floats, and flying candy canes.  The scent of Christmas cookies and evergreen fill our homes.  Every sense is flooded during the month of December.  There’s biblical precedent for all of this in the chorus of angels that serenaded the shepherds on Christmas night.

The irony is that the celebration of Christmas can distract us from the reason for Christmas.  The lights of Christmas can draw our eyes away from the Light of the World.  The sounds of Christmas can drown out the Word of God that became flesh.  The tastes of the season can distract us from the Bread of Life lying in a manger.  While I wish you much joy and celebration this Christmas, I also wish you a quiet place to reflect in reverence on the miracle of miracles: the Creator of the universe became a creature like us.

Cancellations and Control

What an interesting week!  On Wednesday, we had to cancel our Thanksgiving Eve service because high winds caused a power outage at church.  On Sunday, we cancelled our worship service because of the overnight snow.  As I reflected on this, two thoughts came to mind.  First, it reminded me of how little we actually control in this life.  There is nothing I can personally do to stop or reduce winds and snow.  A meteorologist can predict, but never control, the weather.  And even if I call in and raise Cain with the Board of Light and Power or the road commission, it probably won’t restore power or clear the roads any faster.  

Second, I can safely surrender myself to God’s providence.  When worship services don’t happen or connecting flights get missed, God’s plan is not threatened.  His goodwill for his world and my life can easily sustain, and often include, things that are disappointing to me.  I won’t begin to guess why the weather prevented two worship services last week.  Did God have some special reason for this?  Was it a random event that he worked into his plan?  But I do know that God redeems all things.  I know they work together for the good of those who love him and are called according to his purposes.

The First Thanksgiving

This Thursday, we will celebrate the great American holiday, Thanksgiving.  In school, we were taught about William Bradford and the Pilgrims, native Americans, and harvest.  We learned about the Plymouth Colony and how they all gathered to give thanks with a feast.  We’ve come to see this as the precedent-setting event after which we pattern our modern celebration of Thanksgiving.

The truth is that Thanksgiving has much older, deeper roots.  Reformers like John Calvin taught that gratitude is the only reasonable response to God’s grace in Jesus Christ.  Francis of Assisi was so overwhelmed by what God had done for him that he gave up great wealth to serve God.  The Apostle Paul tells us to “give thanks in all circumstances.”  The Psalms are full of psalms of thanksgiving.  Unlike Christmas or Easter, Thanksgiving does not celebrate a specific religious event.  It reminds us of a way of life that only makes sense when we consider what God has given us.  

John Stott on Being Salt and Light

“Our Christian habit is to bewail the world’s deteriorating standards with an air of rather self-righteous dismay. We criticize its violence, dishonesty, immorality, disregard for human life, and materialistic greed. ‘The world is going down the drain,’ we say with a shrug. But whose fault is it? Who is to blame? Let me put it like this. If the house is dark when nightfall comes, there is no sense in blaming the house; that is what happens when the sun goes down. The question to ask is, ’Where is the light?’ Similarly, if the meat goes bad and becomes inedible, there is no sense in blaming the meat; this is what happens when bacteria are left alone to breed. The question to ask is, ’Where is the salt?’

“Just so, if society deteriorates and its standards decline until it becomes like a dark night or a stinking fish, there is no sense in blaming society; that is what happens when fallen men and women are left to themselves, and human selfishness is unchecked. The question to ask is, ‘Where is the Church? Why are the salt and light of Jesus Christ not permeating and changing our society?’ ”

The First Snow

Those of us living in West Michigan woke up to a dusting of fresh snow on Sunday morning. It is a promise - or a harbinger, depending on how you feel about winter - of what is to come. Before long, we will be shoveling snow, brushing it off our cars, and building snowmen. Every season announces its intentions before it actually arrives. The crocuses push through the snow to announce spring. A 70-degree day in April predicts summer. The first leaf that changes color puts us on notice that fall is coming. 

Jesus encouraged us to see the signs of a new era that he is bringing. If we pay attention, we can see God’s kingdom announcing its intentions to come and make us new. Wherever there is beauty, the kingdom of God is announced. When a person sincerely apologizes and is forgiven, it is like the first snow announcing the coming of winter. The kingdom of God is on its way.  Where there is growth, transformation, creativity, and reconciliation, the world is being put on notice. God is bringing a kingdom that will make everything new. Keep your eyes and your heart open. The signs are all around us.

Perfectly Imperfect

But where sin increased, grace increased all the more. (Romans 5:20)

We rue the day sin entered the world, and rightfully so. Every problem we face, from a stubbed toe to war in the Middle East, is the result of sin. I’m not sure there is any prize or outcome that could ever justify or reconcile the high cost of our sin. And yet, because of our sin and failures, we now understand grace. That’s the conundrum we’re left in: we can’t know grace apart from sin. We can’t know mercy apart from iniquity.

Paul tells the Romans that our sin triggers God’s grace. God was a loaded cannon of grace, and our sin lit the fuse. We can speculate about what would make for a better world: perfection without grace or sin with grace. And Paul goes on to warn us that grace is not an encouragement to sin. However, this is the real world that we live in. One where sin has broken all of creation, and especially you and me. While I will never rejoice in sin per se or celebrate it, it is precisely in our sin that we know the glorious depths of God’s grace. Let us always rejoice in and celebrate that!

Reformation Day

On Friday, in addition to Halloween, we will celebrate an event that happened over 500 years ago.  Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the door of the church in Wittenberg.  In many ways, we’ve romanticized this event as a guy standing up for his convictions and making some needed change.  The reality is that this simple act touched off a firestorm of pain and change.  Martin Luther was forced into hiding for fear of his life.  Wars would be fought because of this event.  Thousands of people would be put to death because of this event.  It tore Europe in two.  The Reformation was arguably the most significant event of the last thousand years.  We have the privilege of benefiting from the Reformation without paying the price for it.  

As we remember Martin Luther and the Reformation, I hope it puts into perspective some of the struggles we face as God’s people today.  There is a fair amount of division in the Church.  Our own denomination is wrestling with issues that are significant and weighty.  But these issues and their fallout pale in comparison to what happened in the 1500s.  The Reformation also reminds us that Christ’s Church will survive even the most difficult of times because it is built on Christ himself.  As the old hymn says: “Elect from every nation, yet one o’er all the earth; her charter of salvation: one Lord, one faith, one birth.” 

The Power of "And"

I recall a leadership seminar where the presenter suggested using the word “and” in place of the word “but”.  Used this way, “and” kept the conversation going and opened up new possibilities for dialogue.  Not bad advice.  I’d like to suggest using “and” in place of a different word: “or”.  We live in a culture that requires us to reject one thing in order to hold onto another.  Our culture gives us just one brush to paint people, events, and ideas.  A person is good or bad.  An event is wonderful or terrible.  An idea is brilliant or foolish.  

I think this binary way of thinking is partly responsible for the divisions we face in our country and even in the American Church.  Perhaps it would help if we used the word “and” instead.  While sin is always wrong, the people who commit sins are both sinners and saints.  There is evil in the best of us and goodness in the worst of us.  Most ideas have some merit and some weaknesses.  It doesn’t make every idea worth pursuing or every person worth trusting.  But maybe if we started looking for the “and”, we would come to understand each other a little better.  We could disagree without malice.  We could reach different conclusions with common respect.

Validation

“A man can no more diminish God's glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word 'darkness' on the walls of his cell.”

― C.S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain

There is something validating about a person committing to Christ.  When another person sees what we see, feels what we feel, and believes what we believe, it reinforces the truth that we embrace.  This is especially the case when a high-profile person - a celebrity, athlete, or politician - embraces our faith in Christ.  We can’t help but think, “If [celebrity] believes in Jesus, it must definitely be true!”

However, God requires no human validation.  There is rejoicing in heaven whenever someone receives the gift of salvation.  But not because it increases God’s standing or validates his lordship.  If not a single person acknowledged Christ as Lord, he would still be Lord, and no less so.  Our belief does not validate Jesus.  Our belief embraces Jesus’ validation of us - that we, too, are now God’s children through him.  Our belief in Christ adds nothing to him.  It adds everything to us.

Certainty and Mystery

Several years ago, I was talking with a friend who is an atheist.  He said, “You simply cannot prove that God exists.  I’m not going to entrust my life to something that isn’t provable.”  I replied, “You simply cannot prove that God doesn’t exist either.”  We had reached our stalemate (and continued to be friends).  In a world that values scientific, objective certainty, God does not cooperate with these requests.  Of course, he leaves plenty of evidence to make belief in him very reasonable.  But he doesn’t appear in the objective, repeatable ways that science demands.

This is one of the greatest blessings God has given us.  Faith is so much more powerful than fact.  People will give their lives willingly for their faith.  People will barely cross the street for a fact.  The mystery that a relationship with God asks us to hold is filled with power and magnetism for us.  The Bible uses the word “certainty” three times.  The word “mystery” appears 26 times.  Indisputable proof of God’s existence would come in handy in conversations with atheists.  But it would also rob us of the blessings and energy that come with faith - “confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” (Hebrews 11:1).