Resurrection Power

As I watched Whitney Houston's homegoing service today, I was awestruck with the powerful intersection of the sacred and the secular.  Because of her gifts, the world entered an unfamiliar space of worship, faith, and the beautiful struggle of seeing the life of God through the lens of human death.

And it taught me something. Our rituals don't have power, but as we engage in them, the Spirit empowers them as we're empowered. 

Something holy took place that was educational, spiritual, and honorable.

It took place on the most well known cable channel in the world.

And it reminded me of something.

Resurrection.

What is resurrection?

Something dead coming back to life.

I thought I knew who Whitney Houston was based upon my limited judgments and information.  And as her friends spoke, a portrait was painted of a very spiritual person who wrestled with powerful demons like we all do.  Her gospel was preached today and many people will prosper tomorrow because of what they heard.

That's resurrection power.

God working through what we as people see as ends to craft new beginnings.

What did I learn today?

I learned that the world isn't looking for an inconspicuous, quiet, politically correct believer who does it all the right way to lead them to God,

But they're looking for someone real, someone broken, someone struggling, someone fighting for the same peace they're pursuing.

Maybe resurrection power isn't just about dead bodies coming back to life.

Maybe it's also about dead bodies causing living people to live, more honestly and appropriately.

Maybe it's about living people dying to themselves to free other living people from what's killing them.

Rest in Peace, Whitney Houston.

[ Read More ]

Middle Class Religion

I'm not that bad. 

I'm not as bad as the person beneath me nor worse than the one above me.

I'm somewhat in the middle.

We like being in the middle don't we?  The ambiguous position where we're not accountable?  The role where we start to generate our positivity by what we're not and our motivation by what we want to become.

Is that the point?

To find safety in the middle?

Jesus seems to teach against what we call balance.

Against what we call the middle.

He encourages people following His lifestyle to be hot or cold

In or out

Down for or Cool off

But be something other than the middle.

Interestingly enough, the whole political fight in my country is about who can appeal to the middle class.

Figure that out.

[ Read More ]

True Lies

I have a split personality.

I'm a rule-follower and a rebel.

I grew up in the same society as all of us where we were taught to follow the rules, and following the rules is what creates a safe space for everyone.

But what about when the rules are wrong?

What happens when the right is exchanged for the wrong, the truth for the lie?   Is it possible for us to end up on the wrong side of the equation because we stopped thinking?

When I listen to the message Jesus talked about and the imperial application of that by the 1st and 2nd century Romans, something goes really wrong.

Oppressors are now defining the message of freedom for the oppressed.

Right has become wrong.

Truth has been exchanged for the lie.

But who will correct it?

I think some people's objection to Christianity has more to do with their refusal of imperial Rome sometimes hidden within what we call modern Christianity.

They don't want Rome.

Maybe they're looking for the real Jesus.

Maybe I am too.

Maybe you are as well.

[ Read More ]

Angles in the End Zone

So Tim Tebow losing today seems to challenge some people's belief that his past success has been that of divine intervention.

But probably, that same crowd will find another spiritual reason to justify his loss.

You know, I like Tim Tebow.  He stands for positive things, he's a role model, and loves the same Jesus I do.  But I've been frustrated to understand why his success couldn't be attributed to him being a great, athletic quarterback who's in a great scheme considering the personnel they have.

Why did being 7-1 have to be God-ordained?

Could God have helped Tim Tebow win games?

All things are possible within the God-paradigm, so my answer is emphatically, yes!

Is it likely?

Considering the history of the God story in the world, and the Godly response seemingly following prayers from the oppressed, poor, and desperate; I'd think not.

In a world that has lots of problems, I'd be really depressed if the God I worship was busy watching the National Football League.

And I'd be even more depressed that he was a Broncos fan!

I just think we should save divine intervention for the important causes that require God's interaction.  I think we should pray for divine interaction in the hearts of those who are ignored and abused by the systems that benefit us all.

If God's going to be anywhere, I pray that He is there...

working through me who is there as well.

P.S.  "God, if you're listening, Derek Fisher of the Lakers is also a devout Christian and I'd like another championship."

What?  I'm just making sure! ;-)

[ Read More ]

Noise

Our world is really noisy, isn't it?

OCCUPY noise...

Presidential candidates noise...

Economical noise...

Homicidal noise...

Sometimes it seems that the world around us is so noisy, all you want to do is cover the ears to your innermost being, close your eyes, and imagine that it all isn't happening.

Or

you just engage in the noise.

But one of the ancient, Hebrew kings encouraged people to make a different kind of noise.

Joyful noise.

Now the difference between happiness and joy is that happiness is the pleasure that emerges from a source or special place.

That place is called joy.

Joy leads to happiness

so joy's gotta be deeper than happiness.

Amidst all the noise of our world, let us commit to living our lives in such a way that cause our actions to fuel happiness in the lives of others.

Let's make the right kind of noise.

Because if God is listening, we'd better be careful about what song our life is singing.

[ Read More ]

Laundry

My youngest daughter is always trying to keep up with my eldest.

She wants to be like her big sister.

Why?

Well, her big sister does all the tasks she is supposed to do and help with, only better.  So many times, she never tries because she's always comparing herself to her big sister.

My eldest is great at doing the laundry and her sister is

well

let's just say my eldest is great at doing laundry.

I walked into her big sister's room today and there, doing the laundry, was my youngest.

Her big sister was there but she was working on other things.

When I saw the finished product, the reality is that it paled in comparison to what her big sister could do, but what filled me with pride as a father was the effort of my youngest.

The ancient Hebrews understood God, within their patriarchal society, as a Father.

Jesus spoke about God in this way.

And I just understood a little more about my role in the world.

My laundry pales in comparison to my big brother, Jesus, but in his presence I do my best and make my Father proud.

Maybe what my Father is looking for isn't perfect laundry, but perfected effort while I look to my big brother for inspiration.

[ Read More ]

Elephants and Watermelons

Somethings you only learn over time.

Like smashing watermelons with your foot.

I was watching a documentary on elephants and the caregivers tossed watermelons over the fence for the elephants to snack on.  In this pen was a female elephant who was fostering an orphaned baby elephant.

The adult elephant smashed the watermelon with her hoof, broke it open, and began eating while the baby elephant looked on.

You see, although he weighed 400 pounds, he couldn't figure out how to smash the watermelon.

Sometimes, we have all the skills and tools to be successful in a certain area of life and it just doesn't come as easy as it would seem.

One of the caregivers tried to smash it for the baby when he was held back by his colleague. 

"He has to learn" he said.

Soon enough, the adult elephant came over and crushed the watermelon for the baby, teaching him in the process.

We don't smash watermelons, but we do need to learn a lot.

Maybe what we need isn't divine intervention, as we would define it, but rather patience to learn what life has been designed to teach us through others.

And that is divine.

Maybe through patience and humility, we'll crush watermelons some day.

[ Read More ]