One word

When Jesus was asked by the Pharisees, "which is the greatest Commandment in the Law?" The Lord Jesus said, "You shall love the Lord your God, with all your heart, with all your strength, and with all your mind. This is the first, and greatest Commandment. And a second, is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets." -Matthew 22: 36-40

The Lord gave an answer with a hinge on it. There is a vertical aspect, and a horizontal aspect in His answer. In our understanding of our relationship with our Heavenly Father, and our relationship to our neighbors. You will find it very hard to truly love the Lord, and at the same time hate your neighbor. You might also discover, or ask yourself, 'if I feel the way I do about my neighbor, ...then, do I truly love God? And do I love Him because of who He is, and not simply for what he offers me?' And you would be right in asking that. 

In the words of John the Apostle, "Light has come into the world, and the darkness has not overcome it." Darkness cannot reside with the light. When we see, and know that God, who is Perfect Love, and Perfect Righteousness and the Perfect Judge, and Perfect Joy, and that He gives us all good things, because of who He is... running ahead of us, to prepare all of these wonderful gifts for us. And that He has given us a Perfect salvation, by the Perfect sacrifice. That is when we realize that to receive His Love, and gifts, is to love Him in return. Here is the important part that we MUST know, and remember. That our gain with Christ, is not because of who we are, or what we have done. But because of who He is. That we are His! And that it's His perfect Will. "His Good, Pleasing, and Perfect Will." And we know that our love for Him, does not come from ourselves, but is itself, a gift from the Holy Spirit! Knowing all of this, and having it transform us, is when we can truly love our neighbor. When we and our "self love" as Martin Luther has written about, is no longer part of the equation, we are free to love, both God, and our neighbor!

Ravi Zacharias has stated that "...Christ had reduced the Commandments down to the two most important, and the two that "on them depend all of the Law, and the Prophets.". Ravi has asked, if we had to reduce those two down to one word "...do you know what that word would be?" the answer, he says is "Sacred, because your life is sacred, your time is sacred, your worship is sacred, your giving is sacred, your property is sacred ...and so is your neighbors!"

Where does the idea of Sacred come from you might ask? From non-other, than the Author of Life, and the one who made everything. The very reason there is something rather than nothing. The Gospel of John, Chapter one, again beautifully tells us in four simple words. "In Him was life." If we pause and consider that statement for just a bit, we come to the knowledge of Who's we are!

"In Him was life, and that life was the light of men."  John 1:4

Powerful Statement

I have posted this before a couple of years ago. But I though it worthy of another viewing.

A powerful statement about science made by a scientist. A prize winning scientist.

“It was my science that drove me to the conclusion that the world is much more complicated than can be explained by science. It’s only through the supernatural that I can understand the mystery of existence.” - Allan Sandidge.   

Allan Rex Sandage was an American astronomer. He was Staff Member Emeritus with the Carnegie Observatories in Pasadena, California. He determined the first reasonably accurate values for the Hubble constant and the age of the universe.

Science is wonderful, we can learn and test, and do so many amazing things with our science. But I agree with the professor here. It is limited! 

Thank you for reading! 

Still waters

"Be still and know that I am God" 

-Psalm 46:10 

inhale... exhale...

In the children's movie "Cars" the older, seasoned, and more experienced character known as Doc Hudson tells the young rookie race car that "sometimes, in order to go left, you have to turn right." I think there is a deeper truth within that statement.

One of the English authors I enjoy reading is G.K. Chesterton. He is notorious for being the "Prince of Paradox". He has written quite a bit about paradoxes in our world. I think this example helps us understand the truth that our world is full of paradoxes. One of them is this: Sometimes in order to go faster, you have to slow down.

In our culture, we often pride ourselves on being busy. We feel that when we are busy; we're being useful, or that people need us, and that makes us feel good. And this is very true in a lot of cases. But I will venture to say that my worth or usefulness has got little to do with how busy I am. In fact, I'm sure with enough pause, and reflection, a number of us could recall a time when we were too busy to make a valuable impact in a given situation, or in someone else's life. A time when we failed to stop, and with love in our hearts ...paused to 'do the right thing', for the right reason, and failed because we were too busy.

This paradox I have witnessed, and have to apply when I'm reading. Particularly when I'm reading Holy Scripture. In order for me to really have a chance at grasping what it is that I am reading, I do well to read slowly. Not because I am unable to read quickly, that is indeed my problem, I often read too quickly, and miss a many splendored thing. Not only that, but even before I start, I must stop. And I think many of us would say there is much to gain from stopping ...before you start a thing. There are many examples that could be brought to bare that reveal this natural rhythm. The Lord says in scripture that the land needs to lay fallow for one whole year, every seventh year. And we see the scientific evidence of the benefit of that period of rest for the soil. I know with painful awareness that when I attempt to write fine calligraphy, I must attempt to do so very slowly, and almost pause for every word, every letter if it is going to end up legible, let alone beautiful.

I believe it is apparent in life, that we often need to slow down, in order to be faster. Then we may realize that 'faster' is not the goal we ought to have. For it is better to be' set wright' or more efficacious than simply 'faster'. If we are rushing off to do this, or that, we often find ourselves having finished something that we could have done better, or gleaned a deeper truth from, or have helped another more fully. I could say I've read a hundred books, and not gotten as much as out of it as my older, and wiser neighbor, who read one paragraph, and was changed because of it.

The Lord beckons us by saying "come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden,  and I will give you rest, ...lay down beside the still water, ...be still and know..." And that He has "seated us with Him, in the heavenly places" Scripture says of those who are in Christ, that they are "seated with Him".

My encouragement to you, dear reader, is to stop, to pause everyday as often as you can get away with it. Take the time to sit with Him, in the heavenly places, as you open His Word.

Sometimes in the most unexpected places, a beautiful truth can be found. Sometimes a children's story will reveal a profound truth that is easily overlooked in an adult's daily monotony. Much in the same way, Christ himself, left his majesty, and heavenly home, and came to earth with a simple humble mission to "seek and save that which was lost." The one who was fully divine, in humility, made Himself fully human. Encoding Himself into this world through a quite, and small beginning to do the most powerful thing in the universe. The thing, that only God Himself could do.

Things Concealed

What would you say is our culture’s biggest need?

From a Christian worldview, and looking at America, to really understand that question from an honest stance, we might do well to first ask what is our culture's biggest problem. Which I would argue is (among many, many things) “being satisfied”. Most people are “satisfied” with where they are on the political spectrum, and more importantly on the religious spectrum. Ultimately not caring about, or not knowing the answers to the bigger questions of life. We as a people don’t really ask ourselves anymore questions, once we have found ‘our place’. More and more our Culture is in great need of ...asking itself the right questions. All too much we are content in our complacency. Truly we live in a culture of “...meh”. We’re a bit like old dog’s who have found their way into a room, and once we find our place to flop down, and sit… we have a tendency to not move, and not care to move, or ask ourselves any of the questions about why we have chosen this room, or that room above any others. Maybe if we had asked we might learn that the only reason we are in ‘our place’ is because we were led there. Or maybe because it was the path of least resistance.

It is the glory of God to conceal things,

   but the glory of kings is to search things out. -Proverbs 25:2

God has given us “Mystery” as a gift! It is our Glory to search things out!

To be a people who learn… a people who read, and who take the time to converse with others, and to learn from others older, and wiser than ourselves. TEN times in the Gospels, Jesus asks the question… “Have you not read…?” Six of those times were in the Gospel of Matthew.

When we go against the “flow” of our culture, we will be going in the direction of caring to speak, caring to stop and take the time to ask questions. To tell stories. To read and understand stories, to involve ourselves, and to involve our neighbors in caring enough to turn the tide, and ask questions.

In the 'Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe', C.S. Lewis tells us of young Lucy who finds something special. An entrance into another world. But this world she finds, as she enters the woods with the wardrobe door still open behind her, is not like the world she knows. She sees a lamp post in the middle of the woods. Lit, and shining, "how odd" she thinks... and ponders. All in a flash of a wink I'm sure, she was thinking... 'what on earth is that lantern doing here in the middle of these woods, and who on earth lit it?' And perhaps if she had more time to question before Mr. Tumnus comes along, disturbing those previous questions and causing a host of other questions. Maybe she would have asked herself 'should I wait here to see who might come by, or shall I walk a little further to see what might be next?' In our culture, It is our curiosity that has been tamed. In some level we are simply content with knowing what we already know.

I've heard it said, that "God has revealed enough of Himself, to make Faith in Him a reasonable thing, and has hidden enough of Himself, to help us to remember the balance between Faith, and reason."
He has given us, enough evidence so that we may find Him, and have fellowship with Him when we seek Him with our whole heart.

"As long as you have mystery you have health; when you destroy mystery you create morbidity." – G.K. Chesterton from “ORTHODOXY”

“A dead thing can go with the stream, but only a living thing can go against it.” – G.K. Chesterton from “THE EVERLASTING MAN“

My ride home

Some days are crazier than others...

On days that however, have my mind forcibly going in multiple directions, for prolonged periods of time, like most of us... I greatly look forward to my ride home in my car. Because it's in my car, where I am not at work... and I am not yet to my other place of responsibility. Now it goes almost without saying, that my home is my sacred place, where my family is growing, and existing in the nest of a community that is doing its best to love. A sacred place of refuge, and a place of such peace. But for now, I am in the drivers seat, on my way home. And during this colder part of the year, when it's dark as I'm driving home... I see the headlights, and red tail lights of the other vehicles... like soft red Christmas lights reminding me of simpler times when I was a boy.

It's the insane days that truly remind me of what I was made for. Or more to the point, reminds me of what I was not made for. For when I am in my car driving home... I can listen to the radio, I can not listen to the radio. I usually choose to listen to a radio program that will feed my mind, and my heart at the same time. Sermons are the thing! Hearing men of God expound on Scripture, and telling stories. It's the quiet time, on the road that helps me to stop and smell the roses. What a sad thing really, to have to be moving in order to stop. This reality points to a gaping hole in my own life I imagine. A hole, that reveals a severe lack of quiet time. Quiet time for meditation, for peace, and reflection that is so needed on a daily basis.

I have been kicking myself a lot recently, when I think of all the time I'm letting slip through my proverbial fingers. I have a sense that my life would, in ways unknown to me now, sort out a lot smoother, and for the better if I were to be spending more time with the Lord, in quite reflection, prayer, listening, and reading.

I remember the Hymn "Quite Place". The rendition I love is by "Take 6".

There is a quiet place
Far from the rapid pace
Where God can soothe my troubled mind

Sheltered by tree and flow´r
There in my quiet hour
With Him my cares are left behind

Whether a garden small
Or on a mountain tall
New strength and courage there I find

Then from this quiet place
I go prepared to face
A new day with love for all mankind

"Surprised by Joy"

 In his book "Surprised by Joy" C.S. Lewis writes about the realization that came to him over many years of contemplation, and experiences, of his own longing for, (as it turns out) longing itself. I can sympathize with this understanding. After a few decades of not being a reader, (in fact hating the idea of reading) having gone through many fads, interests, and things in my life, do now realize that in my more recent years, I have found the pleasure, and joy of reading. What is revealed when looking back is this... I had been reading about agriculture. Specifically reading about grassland management, and pasture management. Soil health, also that I loved learning about livestock, and animal health. And the pastoral or maybe even a more agrarian style, and pace of life. So I set out to fix up the barn, build a fence, and some stalls. Add a hay loft, have some chickens, and some goats. Also that I love learning languages. But lately I've been reading mostly Theological books, and I have enjoyed all of these books that have, and are teaching me so much! All these things remain true.. But what is also true, is what I have learned about myself. And that is that through it all,  ...I  love  learning. That hunger, or longing for the next piece of understanding, or the learning of something new (or something old). That only creates more desire for learning.

He points out that the acquisition, or in that moment of joy, how that suddenly when it's gone, it makes you keenly aware of your need for another longing of the next "joy". It's not something you can control. Lewis writes that "Joy is not a possession". And he makes clear that he is not talking about a sensual type of desire, or longing. He specifically makes certain to establish that when he says...

“Joy is not a substitute for sex; sex is very often a substitute for Joy. I sometimes wonder whether all pleasures are not substitutes for Joy.”

The Joy he is talking about is desire itself, a reminiscence of something priceless, or the waiting with expectation for something grand. Again I find it best to use his words.

“All Joy reminds. It is never a possession, always a desire for something longer ago or further away or still 'about to be'.”

He also discusses his experience, that once he started to seek out this true understanding of Joy, he realized that you really can't control it at all. You can't 'bring it about' or even necessarily expand it, when you are in it.  But the one thing you can do, is to squelch it. And the quickest way (he found) to do that is to... in the moment you realize you are full of Joy, is to start analyzing that joy. Because NOW, you are thinking about the joy, instead of the thing that has brought you joy.

Through many stratagems, in his book "Mere Christianity" he comes to the same point, that through his life's journey, he has come to the place of Faith in Christ ultimately. And that finding this elusive joy he states this...

"If I find in myself desires which nothing in this world can satisfy, the only logical explanation is that I was made for another world." - C.S. Lewis

In a way, it reminds me of William Wordsworth's (1770-1850) poem "Ode: Intimations of Immortality" One portion reads...

Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting:
The Soul that rises with us, our life's Star,	60
Hath had elsewhere its setting,
And cometh from afar:
Not in entire forgetfulness,
And not in utter nakedness,
But trailing clouds of glory do we come	65
From God, who is our home

Twelve men...

Reading an essay by G.K. Chesterton. An essay called “the twelve men”. In this writing, Chesterton, makes the very interesting point about the function, and the requirements of a Jury in our court system. That it is very interesting of the fact that there have been those, who have touted the need for a "professional juror". That it would be a good idea to have a fully trained Jury. Just like we have teachers, because trained teachers, teach better. Or professional photographers because trained photographers take better pictures. Or perhaps you would consider lawyers who see trials all the time, and are very professional about it! Chesterton however makes the point, that when they (lawyers) see a defendant on the stand… they see what is very normal, and common to them. When a teacher sees a classroom full of students, or even an individual student, they see what is common and every day. Or a photographer takes one family portrait after another to the point where the families all start to blend.

Chesterton points out that when something very important is on the line, that is the time when you don’t want a jury that is “professional” just going through the motions, and who see what they see every day. Rather, you would want a jury that is not used to the “process” so they are looking in, as opposed to living in their everyday environment. They, the untrained jury, see the weight of a matter. Simply because the dispute (if for no other reason) has risen to the level of a courtroom. Where there are plaintiffs, defendants, witnesses, and a judge. Not to mention all the others that might be present. Reporters, the court bailiff to make sure things remain in order.

In his Essay, the notion of paradoxes comes into play, in his defense of keeping the very valuable untrained jury. He lists four or five of them, but the most important one is the paradox that says..."the more a man sees a thing, the less he sees it." Meaning the more a person studies a thing, and understands a thing... the more likely that person is to understand less of that thing's significance, in terms of everything around it.
He also relates an untrained Jury, to a person who goes to a ballet, for the first time. Or we might imagine, seeing an incredible play. One that moves us to joy, and tears throughout. If we went to that same play every night... that play in our mind, would eventually, over time lose some of it's significance in our own lives.

I am also reminded of something that I first heard quoted by Ravi Zacharias, which was an ancient Chinese proverb that says... "If you want to know what water is, don't ask the fish." 'And the reason is, the fish has never really made an analytical, or a comparative study of the water, it's the only environment in which it lives.'

G.K. Chesterton finished his essay with these words:

"Our civilization has decided, and very justly decided, that determining the guilt or innocence of men is a thing too important to be trusted to trained men. It wishes for light upon that awful matter, it asks men who know, no more law than I know, but who can feel the things that I felt in the jury box. When it wants a library cataloged, or the solar system discovered, or any trifle of that kind, it uses up is specialists. But when it wishes anything done which is really serious, it collects twelve of the ordinary men standing'round. The same thing was done, if I remember right, by the Founder of Christianity." - G.K. Chesterton