10.17.2020 - week 76
there are two big things happening right now in christian culture …. COVID-19 meant a lot of churches had to suspend gatherings, move ministry online, and the government hasn’t made it easy for them to regather like before. some people are still scattered, some are trying to gather clunky-ily with masks and such, some are ignoring restrictions and gathering thousands in the streets, by implying or stating that these restrictions are a form of persecution.
i have been pondering these dynamics a lot, trying to come to my own way of thinking.
1. i find the elitist dismissive …
‘you are so dumb for thinking christianity is under attack’
super wearying and unloving and unhelpful
a person can look at the facts and see government overreach without being stupid.
2. i also find overly sanctimonious
‘if you really love jesus you will disobey the doctors’
super wearying and unloving and unhelpful
a person can think it wise to keep large gatherings minimal and not to be turning their back on jesus or denying the faith
3. i also find virtue signaling faux unifying being above the fight
‘both sides are off, can’t we just focus on Jesus (also buy my new mug)’
super wearying and unloving and unhelpful
not everything is supposed to be monetized and no thoughts is a thought
and the christian influencer class never wanting to offend creates a famine of courage
4. i don’t mean this as a dig or slam at anyone genuinely trying to navigate weird times …
for me, i’m just trying in my little corner of the world to love people well and have offline conversations about issues and stop lecturing anybody about anything.
5. if we say 'they will know us by our love'
but our feed is full of 'they will know us by our shove'
then what are we really doing?
some of things I see christians (who have each others cell numbers and could actually talk) saying to each other in comment sections breaks my heart
let’s not assume each others motives, make the best decisions we can for own communities, and give each other some grace.
#stopmeanchristians
KG Korner
(a few wise words from lady kristen macdonald)
Refuge. Just. Praise. Three different words on my mind this week.
Psalm 7:1 says, “O LORD my God, in you do I take refuge; save me from all my pursuers and deliver me…”
On New Years day of 2020, we met up with some friends who took us on a hike in Palos Verdes, California. I could have never imagined a hike so beautiful from our parking location. You walk down a long gravel trail that leads to an expanse overlooking the ocean and then it leads to a rocky cove along the water. You can hear the water crashing on to the rocks, it is the perfect orchestration of a sound machine. When I stood in that place, quiet and intimate with the sound of the water over and over it brought a calming affect on my heart and mind alike. I have travelled back to that spot several times because when I am there I feel a peace I can’t explain. So often when I think of the word refuge my mind travels to that place. When I have laid all my burdens down and I seek the Lord no matter the storm I can find refuge in him. He is our shelter from any storm.
Psalm 7:11 says, “God is a righteous judge, and a God who feels indignation every day.”
It’s always good to remind ourselves that God is just. He made justice and He loves justice. We are all in desperate need for God’s mercy and grace in our life and without his kindness we would be on a freight train toward an eternity without any hope. But so often we have a situation or see someone else in an unjust situation and in our temporal efforts we get so frustrated because it seems so bleak. Those feelings are real and difficult; I myself have found myself flabbergasted not sure of what to do. But, I believe that when we remember how long eternity is and that God is a good and righteous judge we know he does bring justice to fruition in his time and his way.
Psalm 7:17 says, “I will give to the LORD the thanks due to his righteousness, and I will sing praise to the name of the LORD, the Most High.”
Have you ever woken up day after day and had a song on your heart and mind that you sing over and over? This week I found myself singing, “Holy Spirit come, Holy Spirit come. I just want to be with you, I just want to be with you…” It bugged me that I couldn’t find the song and so I texted a worship leader friend and he and Luke figured out that I had blended two songs together… yes, you can laugh. I don’t have the gift of singing but that feeling of praise through peaks and valleys of the day is a good exercise in setting your heart back in it’s rightful place. This particular psalm is a song of David when he was wronged and his effort to try to work it through with the Lord. But I love that he doesn’t forget to praise and thank the Lord even though the end of the psalm isn’t tied up in a pretty bow where he finds victory. He for sure prays victory over his circumstance and for God’s will and help but more than all of that he reminds himself of who God is so that he can appropriately praise Him.
No matter what you face this week, may God be your refuge. May he take you to that place physically or spiritually that you long to be where you trust him no matter the outcome. I pray that you would remember his justice, his love, and that you don’t have to be the judge - He is really great at his job. And in the highs and the lows would you find space to worship him.
parent corner
so i’m in atlanta doing a wedding for a wonderful girl from kristen’s small group 10+ years ago in our student ministry days. i took graham with me. he is the all time king of loving treats. with 2 older brothers and a younger sister, if anyone gets squeezed off the radar from time to time, its him. so i really wanted to give him some special time. without saying anything, i found this amazing milk shake place right by our hotel and took him there. we spent our entire quasi dinner budget ($31 for two milkshakes :) and chatted about everything on his mind. i think sometimes we get stuck in the mundane and forget how much a special memory is worth in the long run. i call it ‘strategic extravagance.’
book review
the study of 3 brilliant men (owner bob kraft / coach bill belichick / qb tom brady) and the astonishing success of their 20 partnership, this book chronicles the highs + lows with tremendous insight. the picture painted is complicated. the same traits that make these men so successful also get them in trouble. the ever shifting alliances of a trio can be hard to understand. our ability to self-justify is impressive. the price of success has incredible side effects. the higher you rise the more enemies you make. this book is both poignant and delightful. highly recommended …
super christian guy
stuff for you to click on
1. we continue through the book of mark called ‘the real jesus’ // message #9 on podcast + youtube
2. i found this explanation of the cycles of political parties + polarization insightful + hopeful