You’ve heard me talk about Shad, right? A most interesting fellow. The best friend a person could have and yet he is often quite mysterious and complex.
Shad really likes to explain people, to understand them. Once, he tried to think of an animal that represented each person’s personality. He described one friend as a humpback whale, because it is a gentle, majestic beast. I informed him that, generally, women don’t like to be referred to as whales or beasts of any kind. And yet we all understood that he meant it as a compliment, so we could hardly scold him.
Today, Shad tried to figure out what each person’s psychological substance was. Shad described himself has itchy wool with a static charge. Doug was algae. Tracy was polished leather. Dawn was cotton and Nichole was cotton candy.
What was I? Silk. Things tend to slide off silk and not affect it, yet it should be handled gently and not thrown in the regular wash. Silk can also come across as a bit snobbish, but once you get close, you’re comfortable.
This was one of the few compliments Shad has ever paid me that didn’t offend me. (For instance, he once told me I reminded him of Olive Oil, from Popeye. ‘Cause you know she’s a hottie…) So I decided to find out some of silk's other characteristics. Here’s what I found.
Silk:
a fabric made from the fine threads produced by certain insect larvae
It is obtained from cocoons of certain species of caterpillars. It is soft and has a brilliant sheen. It is one of the finest textiles. It is also very strong and absorbent.
Luxurious and strong fabric that is cool in summer and warm in winter.
A fine, strong fiber produced by the larva of silk worms and silk moths. Noted for its strength and resiliency and takes color very well.
Not sure how I feel about being produced by insect larvae. But I'll take it. At least I'm not algae.
Friday, September 23, 2005
Tuesday, September 20, 2005
Plant Murder
I like plants. I’m not like a crazy fanatic nursery person, but I like them. I have a few ivies, a Christmas cactus that I’m in love with, a regular cactus, an African violet, etc. Whenever I go to someone’s house that has cool plants, I get jealous. I don’t think the Bible ever says anything directly about coveting someone else’s plants, so I think it’s okay.
Anyway, on Saturday I was suffering from a case of plant envy so I had to go buy some new ones. They are all flowery plants. Very pretty. I came home and planted them in their new pots and talked sweet to them and stuff. I read the directions about how much sunlight they should get. Two of them said ‘partial shade.’ Just so you know, ‘partial shade’ means ‘hardly any direct sunlight at all.’
I put them out on the patio Saturday afternoon and then proceeded to forget about them. (Give me a break, I was in Mesquite all weekend.) On Monday evening I went back out onto the patio and stared in abject horror at the sight of my two beautiful plants. They were shriveled and wilted. It was pretty pathetic actually.
I brought them inside and attempted to nurse them back to health. There was one that was particularly wretched and after I watered it, I decided it was beyond hope and just threw it away. The other I watered and let sit awhile, hoping life would seep back into its leaves. It gradually started to perk up and I realized it possessed a strong will to live.
Later in the evening, I went back to the trashcan to throw something away and saw my poor little plant that I had given up on. It was starting to look a little better, but I felt it was beyond hope. I turned my back on it and shut the pantry door. (sigh)
But that little plant had other ideas. It turns out the plant was only MOSTLY dead. Now, mostly dead is slightly alive. Now, all dead...well, with all dead, there's usually only one thing that you can do. Go through its clothes and look for loose change. Wait, what? Where am I?
Anyway, by this morning, the plant was looking much better, so I dug the poor little guy out of the trash. I felt bad about almost committing plant murder TWICE within a few days, first by scorching it in the sun and then by sheer neglect. I cut off all the dried up leaves and flowers and gave it another good drink of water. Now it looks lovely. A bit scrawnier than when I first bought it, but now it has room to grow.
Sometimes I feel like a pathetic, shriveled, wilted plant. It sucks to feel that way in any sense, but it’s worse when that’s how I feel spiritually. I’m glad that God has never given up on me and left me to wallow in the garbage can. He patiently waits until I discover my own will to live and then he gently cuts away all the nonsense, fills me with His Spirit and nurses me back to health. A bit scrawnier, perhaps, but heartier, too. And with plenty of room to grow.
Anyway, on Saturday I was suffering from a case of plant envy so I had to go buy some new ones. They are all flowery plants. Very pretty. I came home and planted them in their new pots and talked sweet to them and stuff. I read the directions about how much sunlight they should get. Two of them said ‘partial shade.’ Just so you know, ‘partial shade’ means ‘hardly any direct sunlight at all.’
I put them out on the patio Saturday afternoon and then proceeded to forget about them. (Give me a break, I was in Mesquite all weekend.) On Monday evening I went back out onto the patio and stared in abject horror at the sight of my two beautiful plants. They were shriveled and wilted. It was pretty pathetic actually.
I brought them inside and attempted to nurse them back to health. There was one that was particularly wretched and after I watered it, I decided it was beyond hope and just threw it away. The other I watered and let sit awhile, hoping life would seep back into its leaves. It gradually started to perk up and I realized it possessed a strong will to live.
Later in the evening, I went back to the trashcan to throw something away and saw my poor little plant that I had given up on. It was starting to look a little better, but I felt it was beyond hope. I turned my back on it and shut the pantry door. (sigh)
But that little plant had other ideas. It turns out the plant was only MOSTLY dead. Now, mostly dead is slightly alive. Now, all dead...well, with all dead, there's usually only one thing that you can do. Go through its clothes and look for loose change. Wait, what? Where am I?
Anyway, by this morning, the plant was looking much better, so I dug the poor little guy out of the trash. I felt bad about almost committing plant murder TWICE within a few days, first by scorching it in the sun and then by sheer neglect. I cut off all the dried up leaves and flowers and gave it another good drink of water. Now it looks lovely. A bit scrawnier than when I first bought it, but now it has room to grow.
Sometimes I feel like a pathetic, shriveled, wilted plant. It sucks to feel that way in any sense, but it’s worse when that’s how I feel spiritually. I’m glad that God has never given up on me and left me to wallow in the garbage can. He patiently waits until I discover my own will to live and then he gently cuts away all the nonsense, fills me with His Spirit and nurses me back to health. A bit scrawnier, perhaps, but heartier, too. And with plenty of room to grow.
Weight Watchers
This is one of the funniest things I've seen in a long time.
I think I've seen a number of these dishes at various family reunions. I solemnly vow to never make anyone I love eat anything on these cards. So help me God.
I think I've seen a number of these dishes at various family reunions. I solemnly vow to never make anyone I love eat anything on these cards. So help me God.
Monday, September 19, 2005
Another online test
So you've heard of the 5 love languages, right?
They are Quality Time, Words of Affirmation, Gifts, Acts of Service and Physical Touch. They are described here.
When I was reading the descriptions of them, I couldn't decide what I thought I was. Then I took this test.
It's funny how some things that used to seem sort of random make much more sense now that I understand my love languages.
Feel free to take the test and let me know. Just curious, not that I need to know everyone's love language. I'll post mine eventually. But not now. :)
They are Quality Time, Words of Affirmation, Gifts, Acts of Service and Physical Touch. They are described here.
When I was reading the descriptions of them, I couldn't decide what I thought I was. Then I took this test.
It's funny how some things that used to seem sort of random make much more sense now that I understand my love languages.
Feel free to take the test and let me know. Just curious, not that I need to know everyone's love language. I'll post mine eventually. But not now. :)
Thursday, September 15, 2005
Journaling
I bought a journal tonight. I’ve known that I needed to journal more, but I just kept putting it off. And some might consider blogging to be journaling, but it’s not the same. Believe it or not, there are some things that I won’t say to just anyone. And even though I write some things that I don’t post, it’s usually because I’m not happy with how it’s worded or how uneffectively I made my point.
So I bought a journal. It’s pretty nice. It’s made of wood. That’s right. Wood. Not a hardback. Actually, now that I think about it, it’s probably not real wood but it sure looks like it. After I bought it I sat in the little café area of Borders and made my first entry. Nothing profound or life altering. But give me time. I’ll get there.
Journaling is supposed to be good for you. Like writing about yourself helps you learn and grow. That’s sort of strange. I guess part of the reason it helps is because it actually makes you think about things long enough to figure out the words to express them and then write those words down. Leads to self-realization. It’s funny because I’m very into having an accurate and complete perception of myself, so it’s a wonder I haven’t taken this more seriously in the past.
If I discover anything you may find interesting, I’ll let you know.
So I bought a journal. It’s pretty nice. It’s made of wood. That’s right. Wood. Not a hardback. Actually, now that I think about it, it’s probably not real wood but it sure looks like it. After I bought it I sat in the little café area of Borders and made my first entry. Nothing profound or life altering. But give me time. I’ll get there.
Journaling is supposed to be good for you. Like writing about yourself helps you learn and grow. That’s sort of strange. I guess part of the reason it helps is because it actually makes you think about things long enough to figure out the words to express them and then write those words down. Leads to self-realization. It’s funny because I’m very into having an accurate and complete perception of myself, so it’s a wonder I haven’t taken this more seriously in the past.
If I discover anything you may find interesting, I’ll let you know.
Monday, September 05, 2005
ENFP
Ever taken the Myers Briggs test? I had, but it had been a while and I couldn’t remember what I was. But I took an online version of it tonight. You can take it here.
There are 4 characteristics that are measured:
Extrovert/Introvert
Sensing/iNtuitive
Thinking/Feeling
Judging/Perceiving
They are described here.
I’m an ENFP, which is Extrovert, iNtuitive, Feeling, Perceiving.
Read all about me here and here. I thought it was pretty interesting what it said about me. Fairly accurate, I suppose. I also read what it said about some of the other personality types. I know someone who is INTP and someone else who is ESTJ. I thought they were both right on when I read about them. Amazing stuff. I also thought it was interesting that my best friend was an ESTJ. That’s the exact opposite of me, except for the extrovert part. I guess that’s good though. I think if I knew someone like me, he or she would really get on my nerves.
My favorite things it said:
"Social/Personal Relationships: ENFPs have a great deal of zany charm, which can ingratiate them to the more stodgy types in spite of their unconventionality. They are outgoing, fun, and genuinely like people. As SOs/mates they are warm, affectionate (lots of PDA), and disconcertingly spontaneous. However, attention span in relationships can be short; ENFPs are easily intrigued and distracted by new friends and acquaintances, forgetting about the older ones for long stretches at a time. Less mature ENFPs may need to feel they are the center of attention all the time, to reassure them that everyone thinks they're a wonderful and fascinating person."
"ENFPs have what some call a "silly switch." They can be intellectual, serious, all business for a while, but whenever they get the chance, they flip that switch and become CAPTAIN WILDCHILD, the scourge of the swimming pool, ticklers par excellence. Sometimes they may even appear intoxicated when the "switch" is flipped."
"One study has shown that ENFPs are significantly overrepresented in psychodrama. Most have a natural propensity for role-playing and acting."
"ENFPs like to tell funny stories, especially about their friends."
ENFPs "strive toward a kind of spontaneous personal authenticity, and this intention always to "be themselves" is usually communicated nonverbally to others, who find it quite attractive. All too often, however, [ENFPs] fall short in their efforts to be authentic, and they tend to heap coals of fire on themselves, berating themselves for the slightest self-conscious role-playing."
Anyway, feel free to take the test and then let me know what you are. And if the test ends up indicating that you are weird, you may just have to learn to accept it.
There are 4 characteristics that are measured:
Extrovert/Introvert
Sensing/iNtuitive
Thinking/Feeling
Judging/Perceiving
They are described here.
I’m an ENFP, which is Extrovert, iNtuitive, Feeling, Perceiving.
Read all about me here and here. I thought it was pretty interesting what it said about me. Fairly accurate, I suppose. I also read what it said about some of the other personality types. I know someone who is INTP and someone else who is ESTJ. I thought they were both right on when I read about them. Amazing stuff. I also thought it was interesting that my best friend was an ESTJ. That’s the exact opposite of me, except for the extrovert part. I guess that’s good though. I think if I knew someone like me, he or she would really get on my nerves.
My favorite things it said:
"Social/Personal Relationships: ENFPs have a great deal of zany charm, which can ingratiate them to the more stodgy types in spite of their unconventionality. They are outgoing, fun, and genuinely like people. As SOs/mates they are warm, affectionate (lots of PDA), and disconcertingly spontaneous. However, attention span in relationships can be short; ENFPs are easily intrigued and distracted by new friends and acquaintances, forgetting about the older ones for long stretches at a time. Less mature ENFPs may need to feel they are the center of attention all the time, to reassure them that everyone thinks they're a wonderful and fascinating person."
"ENFPs have what some call a "silly switch." They can be intellectual, serious, all business for a while, but whenever they get the chance, they flip that switch and become CAPTAIN WILDCHILD, the scourge of the swimming pool, ticklers par excellence. Sometimes they may even appear intoxicated when the "switch" is flipped."
"One study has shown that ENFPs are significantly overrepresented in psychodrama. Most have a natural propensity for role-playing and acting."
"ENFPs like to tell funny stories, especially about their friends."
ENFPs "strive toward a kind of spontaneous personal authenticity, and this intention always to "be themselves" is usually communicated nonverbally to others, who find it quite attractive. All too often, however, [ENFPs] fall short in their efforts to be authentic, and they tend to heap coals of fire on themselves, berating themselves for the slightest self-conscious role-playing."
Anyway, feel free to take the test and then let me know what you are. And if the test ends up indicating that you are weird, you may just have to learn to accept it.
Tuesday, August 30, 2005
Smack
I don’t normally mind when people talk smack about me. I dish it out, I better be able to take it. Even when the person really doesn’t like me very much, I don’t usually mind. In fact, it usually makes me laugh. What really bothers me is when people talk smack about people I care about. OMG! Have you ever been so mad that you laughed? It’s either laugh or kill someone. That’s how I was today at work.
But then I really started thinking. I was reminded today of a story told by the former teaching pastor at Lake Pointe, JR Vassar. When he was younger, he worked at a store like Gap or something like that. He stood at the door and greeted people as they walked in. One day, a guy walked in and JR greeted him, but the guy ignored him. JR was sort of thinking the guy was just a jerk. But as he watched him, the other guy walked up to someone and started signing in sign language. The guy wasn’t a jerk, he was just deaf. It’s amazing how differently you look at people when you understand their condition.
So I guess that’s how I have to look at this situation. It seems like this person was being a big jerk. But when I consider her condition, I look at her differently. Does it still make me mad? Well, honestly, yeah. It does. But I have an opportunity to handle this in a way that reflects Christ. Will I have the courage? Maybe, maybe not. If nothing else, I can free myself from the anger I might otherwise feel. And considering this quote by Frederick Buechner, that might not be a bad idea… “Of the Seven Deadly Sins, anger is possibly the most fun. To lick your wounds, to smack your lips over grievances long past, to roll over your tongue the prospect of bitter confrontations still to come, to savor to the last toothsome morsel both the pain you are given and the pain you are giving back -- in many ways it is a feast fit for a king. The chief drawback is that what you are wolfing down is yourself. The skeleton at the feast is you.”
And then I found some scripture. Let’s look at Luke 6:27-38. “‘But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. Whoever hits you on the cheek, offer him the other also; and whoever takes away your coat, do not withhold your shirt from him either. Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back. Treat others the same way you want them to treat you. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners in order to receive back the same amounts. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Do not judge, and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon and you will be pardoned. Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure – pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measure to you in return.’”
But then I really started thinking. I was reminded today of a story told by the former teaching pastor at Lake Pointe, JR Vassar. When he was younger, he worked at a store like Gap or something like that. He stood at the door and greeted people as they walked in. One day, a guy walked in and JR greeted him, but the guy ignored him. JR was sort of thinking the guy was just a jerk. But as he watched him, the other guy walked up to someone and started signing in sign language. The guy wasn’t a jerk, he was just deaf. It’s amazing how differently you look at people when you understand their condition.
So I guess that’s how I have to look at this situation. It seems like this person was being a big jerk. But when I consider her condition, I look at her differently. Does it still make me mad? Well, honestly, yeah. It does. But I have an opportunity to handle this in a way that reflects Christ. Will I have the courage? Maybe, maybe not. If nothing else, I can free myself from the anger I might otherwise feel. And considering this quote by Frederick Buechner, that might not be a bad idea… “Of the Seven Deadly Sins, anger is possibly the most fun. To lick your wounds, to smack your lips over grievances long past, to roll over your tongue the prospect of bitter confrontations still to come, to savor to the last toothsome morsel both the pain you are given and the pain you are giving back -- in many ways it is a feast fit for a king. The chief drawback is that what you are wolfing down is yourself. The skeleton at the feast is you.”
And then I found some scripture. Let’s look at Luke 6:27-38. “‘But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. Whoever hits you on the cheek, offer him the other also; and whoever takes away your coat, do not withhold your shirt from him either. Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back. Treat others the same way you want them to treat you. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners in order to receive back the same amounts. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Do not judge, and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon and you will be pardoned. Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure – pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measure to you in return.’”
Ephesians Chapter 1
We’re studying Ephesians during the fall semester at church in our ABFs. (Adult Bible Fellowships. Basically is the Lake Pointe version of Sunday School.) I got a commentary on Paul’s prison letters that has some great stuff in it that I wanted to share. My direct quotes are from “Paul for Everyone: The Prison Letters” by Tom Wright.
“Most of Paul’s letters start, after the initial greeting, by telling the church what he’s praying for when he thinks of them. He will come to that later on in this first chapter. But pride of place in the opening of this letter goes to a long and quite formal prayer of thanks and praise to God. This opening prayer lasts, in fact, from verse 3 all the way to verse 14. Though we can break it up into quite short sentences it is really a continuous stream of worship, and we should think of it like that. Before Paul will even come to a report of his specific prayers, he establishes what is after all the appropriate context for all Christian prayer, reflection and exhortation: the worship and adoration of the God who has lavished his love upon us. The entire prayer, all eleven verses of it, is woven through and through with the story of what God has done in Jesus the Messiah. He has blessed us in the king; he chose us in him, foreordained us through him, poured grace on us in him, gave us redemption in him, set out his plan in him, intending to sum up everything in him. We have obtained our inheritance in him, because we have set our hope on him and have been sealed in him with the spirit as the guarantee of what is to come.”
Then it starts to get tricky. Paul has to go and use phrases like “just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world” and “In love He predestined us to adoption as sons” and “also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose.” Why is this so complicated? It’s because we have to reconcile what appear to be conflicting viewpoints. Growing up, I heard a lot about free will and about how God doesn’t force us to accept Him almost to the exclusion of biblical ideas based on passages like this of God’s sovereignty and His choosing us. So there are a few things we have to consider here. First of all, throughout scripture, it’s clear that there is some element of human freewill involved in saving faith in Christ. We are free to accept or reject Him. But we can’t ignore passages that talk of God’s choosing us. (Read Deuteronomy 4:2 – You shall not add to the word which I am commanding you, nor take away from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you.”) So we must understand that both are involved in our salvation: God chose us and we chose God. How the two align exactly, I don’t know. And I don’t think God intends for us to know. Because it ultimately doesn’t matter. That’s not information that we need to know. Besides, I don’t think that’s the issue that Paul is addressing here. What he wants us to understand is that “we aren’t chosen for our own sake, but for the sake of what God wants to accomplish through us.”
A few more thoughts:
“Power is one of the great themes of Ephesians. For Paul, the greatest display of power the world had ever seen took place when God raised Jesus from the dead. And at the centre of Paul’s prayer for the church in the area, which he now reports, is his longing that they will come to realize that this same power, the power seen at Easter and now vested in Jesus, is available to them for their daily use. Paul doesn’t imagine that all Christians will automatically be able to recognize the power of God. Many of the things which God’s power achieves in us, such as putting secret sins to death and becoming people of prayer, remain hidden from the world and even, sometimes, from other Christians.”
Let’s switch to a different commentary for a few last thoughts. This one is called “Ephesians(MacArther New Testament Commentary)” by John MacArthur, Jr.
“But from letters, as well as through personal reports from friends who visited him in prison, [Paul] had received considerable information from and about the churches. He heard two things that indicated the genuineness of their salvation, and for those two cardinal marks of a true Christian – faith in Christ and love for other Christians – he affectionately praises them. Those two dimensions of spiritual life are inseparable. The New Testament does not separate Jesus as Savior from Jesus as Lord. He is both, or He is neither. Jesus becomes Savior when He is accepted as Lord. Granted, no person receives Jesus Christ with a full understanding of all He is or all He requires as Lord of those He saves. Many Christians come to Christ with only the barest idea of His sovereign deity or of what it means to belong to and submit to Him. But they are willing to submit, to give up all they are and have, and to leave all and follow Him. Once they have come to Him, some Christians lose their first love for Him as Savior and resist obeying Him as Lord. But their lovelessness makes Him no less Savior, and their resistance makes Him no less Lord. Christ is not accepted in parts, first as Savior and later as Lord. Jesus the Savior is Jesus the Lord, and Jesus the Lord is Jesus the Savior, He does not exist in parts or relate to believers in parts. Awareness, appreciation, and obedience of Him as Savior and Lord change. When we are faithful to Him those things increase and when we are unfaithful they diminish. But the fact of Jesus’ lordship begins the same moment He becomes Savior, and neither His lordship nor His Saviorhood changes for believers from that time through all eternity.”
That’s sort of a strange thought, isn’t it? Even when I give in to the temptation of sin, even when I am involved in outright, willful disobedience, Christ is still my Lord. He never walks away and says “Fine. You don’t want to be a part of Me? Have it your way.” That would seem as if I might be spared discipline or judgment if He let me “unpick” Him. But He doesn’t. He will always deal with me with the authority of my Lord and Master. That sort of changes my perspective on things a bit. Christ said, “My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.” I can’t even snatch myself out of the Father’s hand. Which is comforting, and scary, and convicting all at the same time.
“Most of Paul’s letters start, after the initial greeting, by telling the church what he’s praying for when he thinks of them. He will come to that later on in this first chapter. But pride of place in the opening of this letter goes to a long and quite formal prayer of thanks and praise to God. This opening prayer lasts, in fact, from verse 3 all the way to verse 14. Though we can break it up into quite short sentences it is really a continuous stream of worship, and we should think of it like that. Before Paul will even come to a report of his specific prayers, he establishes what is after all the appropriate context for all Christian prayer, reflection and exhortation: the worship and adoration of the God who has lavished his love upon us. The entire prayer, all eleven verses of it, is woven through and through with the story of what God has done in Jesus the Messiah. He has blessed us in the king; he chose us in him, foreordained us through him, poured grace on us in him, gave us redemption in him, set out his plan in him, intending to sum up everything in him. We have obtained our inheritance in him, because we have set our hope on him and have been sealed in him with the spirit as the guarantee of what is to come.”
Then it starts to get tricky. Paul has to go and use phrases like “just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world” and “In love He predestined us to adoption as sons” and “also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose.” Why is this so complicated? It’s because we have to reconcile what appear to be conflicting viewpoints. Growing up, I heard a lot about free will and about how God doesn’t force us to accept Him almost to the exclusion of biblical ideas based on passages like this of God’s sovereignty and His choosing us. So there are a few things we have to consider here. First of all, throughout scripture, it’s clear that there is some element of human freewill involved in saving faith in Christ. We are free to accept or reject Him. But we can’t ignore passages that talk of God’s choosing us. (Read Deuteronomy 4:2 – You shall not add to the word which I am commanding you, nor take away from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you.”) So we must understand that both are involved in our salvation: God chose us and we chose God. How the two align exactly, I don’t know. And I don’t think God intends for us to know. Because it ultimately doesn’t matter. That’s not information that we need to know. Besides, I don’t think that’s the issue that Paul is addressing here. What he wants us to understand is that “we aren’t chosen for our own sake, but for the sake of what God wants to accomplish through us.”
A few more thoughts:
“Power is one of the great themes of Ephesians. For Paul, the greatest display of power the world had ever seen took place when God raised Jesus from the dead. And at the centre of Paul’s prayer for the church in the area, which he now reports, is his longing that they will come to realize that this same power, the power seen at Easter and now vested in Jesus, is available to them for their daily use. Paul doesn’t imagine that all Christians will automatically be able to recognize the power of God. Many of the things which God’s power achieves in us, such as putting secret sins to death and becoming people of prayer, remain hidden from the world and even, sometimes, from other Christians.”
Let’s switch to a different commentary for a few last thoughts. This one is called “Ephesians(MacArther New Testament Commentary)” by John MacArthur, Jr.
“But from letters, as well as through personal reports from friends who visited him in prison, [Paul] had received considerable information from and about the churches. He heard two things that indicated the genuineness of their salvation, and for those two cardinal marks of a true Christian – faith in Christ and love for other Christians – he affectionately praises them. Those two dimensions of spiritual life are inseparable. The New Testament does not separate Jesus as Savior from Jesus as Lord. He is both, or He is neither. Jesus becomes Savior when He is accepted as Lord. Granted, no person receives Jesus Christ with a full understanding of all He is or all He requires as Lord of those He saves. Many Christians come to Christ with only the barest idea of His sovereign deity or of what it means to belong to and submit to Him. But they are willing to submit, to give up all they are and have, and to leave all and follow Him. Once they have come to Him, some Christians lose their first love for Him as Savior and resist obeying Him as Lord. But their lovelessness makes Him no less Savior, and their resistance makes Him no less Lord. Christ is not accepted in parts, first as Savior and later as Lord. Jesus the Savior is Jesus the Lord, and Jesus the Lord is Jesus the Savior, He does not exist in parts or relate to believers in parts. Awareness, appreciation, and obedience of Him as Savior and Lord change. When we are faithful to Him those things increase and when we are unfaithful they diminish. But the fact of Jesus’ lordship begins the same moment He becomes Savior, and neither His lordship nor His Saviorhood changes for believers from that time through all eternity.”
That’s sort of a strange thought, isn’t it? Even when I give in to the temptation of sin, even when I am involved in outright, willful disobedience, Christ is still my Lord. He never walks away and says “Fine. You don’t want to be a part of Me? Have it your way.” That would seem as if I might be spared discipline or judgment if He let me “unpick” Him. But He doesn’t. He will always deal with me with the authority of my Lord and Master. That sort of changes my perspective on things a bit. Christ said, “My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.” I can’t even snatch myself out of the Father’s hand. Which is comforting, and scary, and convicting all at the same time.
Thursday, August 25, 2005
I lied.
I thought of something I could post. Here are the lyrics to Strong Tower, by the Newsboys.
Strong and mighty
Strong to save us
Like a fortress
Never failing
Strong in battle
Strong in kindness
When we stray, Lord
You're strong to find us
When the winds come hard against us
You are steadfast, You are true
When the ground beneath us trembles
Your foundation never moves
Strong tower
High and glorious
Strong tower
Mighty in love
Our refuge
Our defender
Strong tower
Lord above
Strong to lead us
Through the shadows
Strong to carry
All our sorrows
When the enemy surrounds us
Closing in as darkness falls
Though his armies rage against us
They can never scale these walls
Strong tower
High and glorious
Strong tower
Mighty in love
Our refuge
Our defender
Strong tower
Lord above
You are my shelter, my shield
You are the home I could never deserve
Here I will serve, ever under Your gaze
Here I will serve, ever singing Your praise
Strong tower
High and glorious
Strong tower
Mighty in love
Our refuge
Our defender
Strong tower
Lord above
Strong tower
Lord above
Strong tower
Lord above
Strong and mighty
Strong to save us
Like a fortress
Never failing
Strong in battle
Strong in kindness
When we stray, Lord
You're strong to find us
When the winds come hard against us
You are steadfast, You are true
When the ground beneath us trembles
Your foundation never moves
Strong tower
High and glorious
Strong tower
Mighty in love
Our refuge
Our defender
Strong tower
Lord above
Strong to lead us
Through the shadows
Strong to carry
All our sorrows
When the enemy surrounds us
Closing in as darkness falls
Though his armies rage against us
They can never scale these walls
Strong tower
High and glorious
Strong tower
Mighty in love
Our refuge
Our defender
Strong tower
Lord above
You are my shelter, my shield
You are the home I could never deserve
Here I will serve, ever under Your gaze
Here I will serve, ever singing Your praise
Strong tower
High and glorious
Strong tower
Mighty in love
Our refuge
Our defender
Strong tower
Lord above
Strong tower
Lord above
Strong tower
Lord above
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