Monastic Life

“Either we learn to find our Lord in ordinary, everyday life, or else we shall never find Him.” Saint Josemaria

I read an article that came from Kevin Miller who was asked to advise a Sunday School curriculum company about the following: “What would you recommend for spiritual formation in our time?” His response was simple: “The Monastery.” They didn’t get it. They, like so many of us when pointing to times of spiritual growth look at certain experiences at conferences, worship services, etc. But how many of us consider the impact of personal prayer, service, and biblical fellowship (koinonia)?

Aside: I have wanted to spend time in a monastery for quite a while not. Various people I know have gone and it has been amazing for them. The simplicity. The focus on the presence of God. The destruction of idols and distractions. It would be good for all of us to spend such a week away.

But we don’t need a monastery to grow spiritually. Another quote from Saint Josemaria: “Each day be conscious of your duty to be a saint. A saint! And that doesn’t mean strange things. It means a daily struggle in the interior life and in heroically fulfilling your duty right through to the end.”

With this in mind, Miller then posed the following set of questions that blew me away:
“What would happen to your life if you lived in close geographical community and relationship with other people; if you lived in submission to authority; if you practiced silence and simplicity and discipline; if you regularly read the Bible and prayed and meditated on what you read; if you made study part of your life; and if you worked hard in some daily occupation, seeing your labor as full of dignity and offering it to God?”

I think we would all answer – “Spiritual growth would occur.” Such an atmosphere would be awesome. And it is the biblical model that has been adapted and practiced for centuries. Yes, monasteries are sealed off from the world, but Acts talks about this type of community existing the in the heart of Jewish and Roman culture.

Spiritual growth through committed Christian communities is the best life, but it takes work. It takes practice. It takes dedication. I start today doing as much of above as possible. Who will join me? Who has practical ways to put the above in the practice?

Worship Ministry Vision

As a worship leader, I consistently evaluate what I am doing and what I am accomplishing in the Sunday Morning service. Obviously, facilitating praise and worship of God is at the top. But is that it? And, how tangible is such a goal? I often get frustrated, feeling the need to appease tastes while trying to accomplish said goals.

Then one day I had an epiphany. It was as if God spoke directly to me. Was it a burning bush? Not so much. It was however, a chicken. I was in Zakby’s (you northerners would not know about this restaurant yet). While enjoying a quality plate of chicken strips, I noticed the official mission statement:

“We aim to consistently create encore experiences that enrich lives one person at a time. In English, that means we do everything humanly possible so that you will come back again and again and again and, well, you get the idea.”

While reading their goal, I was struck – that should be my goal as a worship leader. Is not worship an experience between the God of the Universe and His creation that enriches our lives? Shouldn’t worship be so appealing that we constantly come back wanting more and more of the presence of God?

But with all that being said, accomplishing such a goal is not all that easy. I think it requires a healthy blend of music, Scripture, reflection, visuals, and various intangibles (let’s call this the Holy Spirit). All these things and more work together to bring us into the presences of God where we can’t help but be changed, enriched, and encouraged to want more.

Give 'em the Finger

Church Softball season is over, and let’s just say I went out with a bang. No, I didn’t hit a homer. I got blasted in the pinkie by a forcefully thrown ball from the left fielder while trying to put the tag on at third base. It hit right on the tip and compressed the finger. People around here thought I “stoved” it (if you have any information regarding the origin of this phrase, please share).

Having never heard such a phrase, I assumed I “stubbed” it pretty badly. Well, it had been a week, and the swelling, bruising and pain had not subsided, so I went to the doctor for X-rays. Prognosis—Negative. It is fractured at the joint where the finger and the hand meet. Nothing serious. The treatment—an aluminum and foam splint and ice. I guess I have still never actually broken any bones, just 2 fractures—this one and my collarbone.

So, as it stands, I can still play guitar, type on the keyboard and do most things. However, catching the finger on things, having it kicked when changing diapers, and sleeping on it don’t go so well.

In Other Words...Kingdom

*** I recommend reading Matthew 13 before reading this post***

When we think of “kingdom” our thoughts often go to Camelot, castles, horses, Robin Hood, etc. Or maybe we think of England where the queen just turned 80 years old. Since we live in a culture of democracy where everyone gets a vote and no one is told what to do, we have a hard time understanding what it means for one person to make all the decisions for our welfare. And despite this, the New Testament is full of this talk of “the Kingdom of God” or the “Kingdom of Heaven.” And since we don’t always understand what a kingdom is, perhaps that is why our churches overlook one of Jesus’ most important teachings.

Over and over Jesus berated the disciples for thinking that he was going to come and establish a physical kingdom. They wanted him to rule from a throne and overthrow Roman rule. But that was not Jesus’ mission and that was not Jesus’ Kingdom. There was to be no throne. No boundaries. No conquest and war. This was not the location of Jesus’ kingdom. He instead places the kingdom somewhere differently:

“Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is within (among) you.” Luke 17:20-21

Jesus doesn’t focus on land to talk about the location of the kingdom; he focuses on people. The Kingdom is within you. The kingdom is among you. It is both an internal and an external thing. It is not a way for humans to rule but a way of life that is exhibited in people and in people’s lives. It is not a system of government but a system of living.

So who enters the kingdom? If we are talking about a kingdom that Jesus is instituting, what sort of people do you think might enter into the kingdom?

Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.”

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

“Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”

It seems that the kingdom is not full of the most holy people. It is not full of super Christians. It is for anyone who needs it. Tax collectors and prostitutes were some of the most looked down upon people in Jesus’ time. People thought rich people were receiving God’s blessings so they should have made it in. But Jesus said it was hard for rich people to enter. People who say “Lord, Lord” and seem to be following God aren’t as important as those who are actually doing God’s will. The poor in spirit—those who aren’t spiritually great are invited into the kingdom. Those who are persecuted because they do what is right—they enter the kingdom. The kingdom is not for the greatest people whom we think deserve it. The kingdom is for the ones who need it the most. The outcasts, the hurting, the people who will do what is right and follow God’s will no matter what the consequences. Jesus makes this clear when he goes into his home synagogue and describes why he has come and what his kingdom is about:

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

Entrance to the kingdom is not based on race, social status, gender or any physical characteristic. It is a matter of the heart. As we become like children, trusting in the King to save, we begin to live a rightly ordered life with God as the ruler. The Kingdom of God is the reign of God in peoples’ hearts and lives. Whenever and wherever God is king, there is the Kingdom. Wherever God is sovereign, God reigns. And there is the Kingdom, and the power and the glory.

Bowling Bits

I took the youth group “Cosmic Bowling” Saturday night. For those who have no clue, it is bowling with an ambiance of black lights, strobe lights, other flashing lights, and typically Hip-Hop and R&B piped through the crappy sound system. I don’t know if other cultures have such an event, but it is something if you have never done it. Now, with all that said, I made some observations while there.

First, instead of rap, the manager of this bowling ally decided to play “classic rock”. We are talking AC/DC, Van Halen, Pink Floyd, and other various hair bands. Anyway, I heard two songs that when they came on I thought were the same: “Rock You Like a Hurricane” and “Someone like You” (may be named something else). The guitar riffs at the beginning. The same sort of cadence. They sounded extremely similar. What did I learn? Well, this genre can put out basically the exact same song with just different words and both will be considered classics. AC/DC is pretty guilty of such action.

Secondly, Nirvana’s “Smells like Teen Spirit” came on. I started singing along as it was a formative song in my childhood. Then I thought, “That song came out in the early 90’s. My Jr. High Students weren’t even born.” Now I don’t get into yearning for the good old days and seeing how young I can make kids feel by making reference to things they have never heard of. But seriously, now I get it. I’m getting old. Though jamming out to Nirvana in high school seems like it was just the other year, it wasn’t. It has been almost 15 years. Wow.

Thirdly, being gifted with encouragement (that was sarcastic) I tried to high-5 one Jr. High kid after his bowls, even though he wasn’t doing all that well. He was trying to compete with me, but just couldn’t keep up. He is a great kid. Nice. Country. But not a typical “cool kid.” In fact, he didn’t even give high 5s very well. They were awkward. Unnatural. He missed a lot. I can remember times when I was younger and trying to fit in that I went to give a high 5 and completely missed, compounding my self-consciousness. It is amazing that something like a hand slap can be the criteria for determining acceptance.

Finally, this last observation hit home since I am both a dad and soon to have another child. It is 11:00pm in a smoky, loud bowling alley. What is the last thing I expect to see? A few week old baby. And yet, a couple strolling in toting their newborn. I was appealed. I don’t know the criteria for child abuse and I don’t want to compare it with what some people do to their children, but seriously. The late night ruining any semblance of a schedule. The smoke inhalation. The loud, jarring noises. That can’t be good for a baby. But what do you do?

Anyway, bowling alleys are great as you can observe all sorts of things.

In Other Words...Wrath

I love this a far side comic. In fact, for a while I had a shirt with the same comic on it. As if God is just up there dropping pianos on people’s heads for fun. There is also a line from Bruce Almighty, when Bruce says, “Fine! The gloves are off pal! C'mon, lemme see a little wrath! Smite me, O mighty smiter!” He implores God to actually come down and act, because as far as Bruce can see. God is absent. Bruce couldn’t understand why things were happening. He expected to be blessed for his hard work. Instead it seemed like he was cursed. It all comes back to incurring God’s wrath.

Deuteronomy 28 sets up a system of blessings and cursings that most people use to determine the will of God versus the wrath of God.
“If you fully obey the LORD your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. All these blessings will come upon you and accompany you if you obey the LORD your God…However, if you do not obey the LORD your God and do not carefully follow all his commands and decrees I am giving you today, all these curses will come upon you and overtake you…”

Based on passages similar to this one, we begin to think, “As long as I stay on God’s good side, nothing bad will happen. But those gay people better be careful or they will see a new Sodom and Gomorrah.” We see it played out when people suffer the consequences for their sins. Whether they are caught in an illegal act and prosecuted, or cause harm to their physical body because of their actions, most people get what is coming, good or bad. Of course this is not always the case. Many times good people suffer and perpetual sinners get off scott free.

And then there are times when sinners really get what is coming. We see that at times God does act out against sin in a mighty way. The Bible has many examples besides Sodom and Gomorrah.
We see God's anger in many places in the Bible. The expulsion of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden is the first example. Later in the book of Genesis, the nations gathered to build a tower that reached to the heavens, only to have it destroyed by God and the people scattered. Another example comes in the book of Exodus where the people fashioned a golden calf to worship when they got tired of waiting for Moses to descend from the mountain with the Ten Commandments. Then, the Israelites grumbled in the desert and God sent snakes among them and it killed many. We see in the New Testament that Annanias and Sapphira were skimming off the top and God struck them dead. The source of God's wrath is the common thread running through all of these stories. In each instance, the people turned from trusting and glorifying God to seeking their own way. Those seem like harsh punishments for seemingly everyday offenses. Sometimes God goes way beyond consequences and acts in a mighty way against sin.

So it leads us to ask, “Why would a loving God have to enact wrath?” It seems so mean. So cruel. So ungodlike. Well we have to understand some things about God. God is holy. He is set apart from anything sinful. He can’t be around it. He can’t stand it. Sin stands as the complete opposite of God. So God’s wrath comes about because God’s holiness and love have been violated by the sinfulness of man. If he was not wrathful and warring against sin, God would then, in effect, be saying that sinfulness is not evil and can be tolerated. He would be saying, it is okay. But he doesn’t. He refuses to allow sinfulness to continue. So sinfulness creates certain results and consequences that we call the wrath of God.

The wrath of God is not like the wrath of man. The wrath of man is based on revenge and often petty anger. Someone cuts you off in traffic, so you display your wrath by flipping them off.
Someone ticks you off so you break off the relationship or give them the silent treatment until they learn their lesson.
That is our brand of wrath, and it is pretty lame. Pretty petty. Pretty stupid. And too often God's righteous wrath is credited with the destruction of our enemies when, in reality, it is our human reaction of revenge, conveniently attributed to God, that caused the pain and violence against our sworn enemies. People look around and either take credit for doing God’s wrath or for God enacting his wrath upon the world. People said that AIDS was God’s wrath against homosexuals, that the war in Iraqi is God using America to wage war against the Muslims, that 9-11 was God’s wrath against our greed. Even recently, people said that the hurricanes along the Gulf Coast were God’s wrath.

If you believe these people, then all of these horrible tragedies are God’s wrath. But they aren’t. God is not a terrorist. The wrath of God is not a sudden, passing passion that seeks revenge. The Bible does depict God as getting angry. Not like we get angry but a righteous anger that stems from us rejecting Him and rejecting his commands for us. Most of the time God’s wrath is enacted on God’s people. Why? Because there are expectations that exist for followers of God that do not exist for non-believers:
“Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived.” Colossians 3:5-7
We see God get angry especially at idolatry, sexual sins, and the oppression of the poor and weak. Really, God has every right to enact his wrath. He set up the rules and the consequences. We are the ones breaking them.

When we blame God for enacting his wrath it’s like blaming a cop for arresting you for a DUI. The cop was carrying out his responsibility to maintain order and peace. We broke a law. He was making sure that we did no more damage to ourselves or anyone else. Is he wrong for doing that? No.
God does the same. A lot of consequences we face can be traced back to the choices we make that are contrary to the order of God. Instead of asking “Why would a loving God do such things?” we might ask, “Why wouldn’t a holy God do it more often?”
How many times have you grumbled about what you wish you had?
How many times have you focused on other things than God and put them above serving and glorifying Him? How many times have you skimmed from God? Not necessarily money, but time, effort, or priority?
How many times have you treated someone with cruelty instead of love?

And in all those times, how many of you had snakes come and attack you? How many of you experienced fire falling from heaven? How many of you were struck dead? Obviously none of you. Understand that God has every right to pour out his wrath upon you. To press the “smite” button. But he doesn’t.

God's holiness becomes mercy when it comes into contact with those who seek Him. That same holiness becomes wrath when it comes into contact with those who refuse to seek and acknowledge Him. God is a loving God and he doesn’t enjoy sending his wrath. But sometimes we actually get what we deserve. Sometimes we get the wrath that we have stored up for ourselves through our actions. But that isn’t what God wants. Which is why Christ came. God poured out his wrath for us upon Christ. 1 Thessalonians 5:9 states, “For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Consider what love God has that He did all he could to spare us from his wrath. Never ignore God’s holiness, because it sets the standard for how we are to live. And never ignore God’s great grace and love because it implores us to live out that holy standard.