Your Kingdom come, Your will be done

I just had one of those whirlwind moment/ days on campus.  I’m typing this in the lounge area of Batten Arts & Letters building, realizing just how real this campus ministry thing is.

It’s real when I have my weekly meeting with a student, but started late so we decided to walk over to the place where his class would start and meet there instead.  Sitting and hearing about the past week having a friend ask big questions about prayer, hearing a sermon about prayer, and realizing he had signed up to lead this week’s prayer time (oh yeah, it’s called TGIF).  After he went to class, I ran into 4 students who were on their way to a World Religions class.  I have heard about this class, these students, their frustrations in the class, their commitment to pray with each other before the class.  I just happened to be standing there, talking about praying for the Kingdom to come on campus.  So I joined them… in prayer!

“Lord, Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven”

to sing of the long, slow growth

—I am trying to teach my mind
to bear the long, slow growth
of the fields, and to sing
of its passing while it waits.

—The farm must be made a form,
endlessly bringing together
heaven and earth, light
and rain building, dissolving,
building back again
the shapes and actions of the ground.

-poem by Wendell Berry, “From the Crest”

What Berry sees in his farm as form, I see in Scripture as form… Holy Scripture is a form in just this way: a fenced-in acreage of words and sentences of many different sorts and kins, but all of them integral to the work that is being done, working in long, steady rhythms in which we, the readers, participate but don’t control.  We meditatively enter this world of words and give obedient and glad assent.  We submit our lives to this text that is “endlessly bringing together/ heaven and earth…”.

-Eugene Peterson, Eat This Book page 40

today is Ash Wednesday

And so, as Samson’s discipline was, as a Nazirite set apart to God since birth, his hair not being cut and abstaining from alcohol (among other things?) (see Judges 13, then Judges 16).

I believe that God still uses spiritual disciplines to set us apart… particularly by showing us our own weakness that we may humble ourselves to live by His grace– his power made complete in our weakness.  So maybe that’s abstaining from something that we feel powerless to live without (chocolate!?) or participating in something that seems impossible (constant prayer!?).  I’m praying today that God will show me what discipline He has for me over these next 40 days of Lent.

I got an email from Likewise books, here:

Have a Lenten Encounter
Tired of giving up chocolate for Lent? Sign up to get a short email from author Tamara Park (Sacred Encounters from Rome to Jerusalem) once a week during Lent that teams together a brief reflection and questions as well as a song, scripture, and an image to engage with during the week. It’s simply an invitation for you to explore your own spiritual sojourn. And you can still eat chocolate. Email Tamara at lentenencounters@gmail.com to sign up today!

Lent

Below is a letter from Father Lawrence, Bishop of the South Carolina Anglican communion… and my church in Charleston.  I’ve put in bold the part that makes me think, and look forward to the next 40 days.

Dear Friends in Christ,

It’s been said that like stars in constellation around the nearer planets are the lesser figures around the central characters in the Baroque paintings of Peter Paul Ruben. One of his finer works, Samson and Delilah, hangs in the British Museum of Art. Behind the young, beautiful and voluptuous Delilah lurks a wizened old lady who holds a candle brightening the central action, where a young man cuts the locks of Samson’s luxurious hair, while the biblical hero sleeps, his head upon Delilah’s lap, her breasts exposed, her body and clothes looking recently ravished. Samson’s shaded muscular torso shows the influence of Michelangelo upon the painter’s portrayal of human form. Further back in the darkness, behind Samson’s extended massive body, the Philistine soldiers are just entering the door, their dark shadows have preceded them into the room.

Ruben’s painting vividly portrays the scene of Samson’s life just before the moment when the biblical Book of Judges says, “And he awoke from his sleep, and said, ‘I will go out as at other times, and shake myself free.’ And he did not know that the Lord had left him.” (Judges 16:20) Samson’s career as a spiritually anointed deliverer of Israel is a particularly instructive example for our era. He lived in an age of economical, political, and moral upheaval. Many of the older models of leadership and social order were faltering or seemed inadequate in the present environment. Although he was raised from birth for his leadership role, he had lost connection with the formative discipline chosen for him as his birthright. His failure cannot be attributed to any inadequacy in his experience of God or to a lack of the Spirit’s presence in his life. The breakdown and consequent vulnerability which led to his personal failure, depicted so graphically in Ruben’s painting, was the result of his poor understanding and subsequent neglect of the spiritual discipline that was designed by God to channel the anointing that God’s presence brought. He lived too much in the moment, which was the curse of his age and ours as well-in the doctrine of instant gratification. In such an era it is not enough to have a personal experience of God. We must also learn and embrace the disciplines of the spiritual life if we expect to replace old destructive habits with the new life-giving behavior of faith. Enter then Lent.

I noticed it while thumbing through my appointment book the other day-Ash Wednesday and Lent. When I was a busy parish priest it at times struck dread in my heart. Yet occasionally it brought a calmness to my soul, not unlike reading a book on the spiritual life by Evelyn Underhill; or spying a bud opening on the Elberta Peach tree in the backyard; or maybe glancing around a corner at a long missed friend just dropping into town with some time to spare and an inclination to get caught up on one another’s life. I remember one week just before Lent when a parishioner dropped a note in my mail slot. “Fr. Mark, when you get the time give me a call. I need an appointment. Time for a spiritual checkup.” The handwriting didn’t look frazzled. No trace of dreadfulness in the phrasing. If any mood came from the note it was anticipation-more akin to a visit with one’s travel agent than to the dentist.

Time for a spiritual checkup; that’s what Ash Wednesday is. Samson could’ve used it. And Lent, well among other things, it’s a spiritual shape-up for one’s Christian life; a godly housecleaning before a welcomed visitor; a spring spading and planting of the garden; even a long intimate walk with Christ. Repentance after all, once you commit yourself to it, usually ends in joy. I know the downside of the season as well as anyone. There are a lot of Lenten hymns I don’t care for. Some are dirge-like, others drab-(incidentally, Fr. Michael Wright has written a fine one and is willing to share it); the Kyrie can’t compare with the Gloria (surely there’s a good one out there, I’m just wanting to find it); and mea culpas just don’t yield themselves to full-throated praise from the heart as do Alleluias! Still, I have to admit when the pall of purple finally does give way on Easter morning, it’s like the end and the beginning of all things: the packed car starting out on vacation; the tied-fly cast lightly on the water; the closing of a good book: the opening of a better one.

May a rejuvenating Lent come your way!

Good News, Great Joy, ALL people

Monday, February 23, 2009 [Luke 2, NASB]

⁹And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened
¹⁰But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people
¹¹for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
¹²“This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

¹³And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
¹⁴“Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”

The great news of joy is for all people!  God in the highest is pleased to bring peace to all mankind. He is providing a Savior who is Christ the Lord.

May we find this Savior today, knowing how pleased He is with us.  May He receive glory as we experience the peace (that being at one with Him) and joy that He has for us today.

—–

…I love the daily scripture blog at www.egpministries.com

Jesus for President

Dear Liberal Christians,

The things you are passionate about– feeding the poor, clothing the naked, visiting the prisoner, befriending the stranger, canceling debt, sharing resources–the things that Jesus taught, the way the Israelites lived, the structure of the early believer’s communities.  Keep that passion alive.

My question:  are you going to become a “sheep” who knows Jesus by making these things happen with your VOTE?  Or by living them out with your LIFE?

Certainly the government can redistribute wealth in our nation.  Certainly programs can be enforced to feed, clothe and house.  This is a liberal agenda of government involvement in (some*) things that really do matter in our (personal and collective) lives.

It is a cop-out to vote this way but not to re-structure your life.  You will become a sheep not as you cast your vote for these things, but as you sacrifice your time, energy, your money, your life.

Sincerely,

Undecided Voter

*irony:  advocating government regulation of many personal and communal issues, yet the liberal agenda wants the government to stay out of one issue- the choice to end the life of an inconvenient child.

Money Can’t Buy Happiness… is Happiness even the best goal?

What were God’s promises to the people of Israel?  (We often hear of “I will give you_____, and a land flowing with milk and honey, remember Me and “it will go well” with your children.”  Is God’s promise really centered around prosperity?  Certainly the prosperity gospel is preached by quoting the Bible.)  But certainly, and perhaps more often (?) (I hope. Is there a way to analyze this?) it was I WILL BE YOUR GOD; YOU WILL BE MY PEOPLE. I want to say that God is more concerned about this relationship than He is about the quality of your life.

If so (as I hope), then, let’s consider poverty and ending poverty.

The National Geographic article about the Tarahumara (Raramuri) people- indigenous people of the Sierra Madre of Northern Mexico: (Intro: “The Tarahumara of Mexico evaded Spanish conquerors in the sixteenth century.  But can they survive the onslaught of modernity?”)

“Poverty is not noble, one Creel hotel owner said heatedly, even when it lives in splendid canyons and dresses in beautiful skirts.  To which the priests reply:  Jobs cleaning hotel rooms, with pretty paintings of Tarahumara on the lobby walls, are no advancement at all.  “Don’t pretend these are projects to help the Tarahumara,” de Velasco said crisply, “They’re to attract tourists and increase private profits.  A “Tarahumara village” is an absurdity- a lie, really.  A gondola over the canyon would be a desecration.  And this is an area without water; one new hotel will use more in a day than what a Tarahumara family consumes in one year.  With what the government is preparing to invest for hotels, they could bring potable water to all the Tarahumara, which would be more useful to them than creating a fake village where they can sell things.”

page 94 National Geographic, November 2008

The Geographic, and contributing writer Cynthia Gorney obviously lean towards the romantization of  the indigenous people’s ancient beliefs, traditions, and customary ways of life.  From my view, surely there is great value in holding tradition, in honoring the ways of life our ancestors followed.  The article was honest, Gorney expressed her opinion minimally, while citing the negative influences of “modernity” (junk food-> obesity, high blood pressure) and the negative aspects of living without modern conveniences (malnourishment, inconvenience, lack of education).  The family she stayed with wished to receive electricity and appliances into their home.  The quote from the hotel proponent is in some ways strikingly true.   Poverty is not noble even when it lives in splendid landscapes and wears beautiful skirts. What do we gain by bringing civilization to indigenous cultures?  What do we lose when we lose ancient traditions?  Certainly there are books on this; with the zealousness of Christian mission has Western Civilization, technology and culture have been “brought”- often forced- and this has not gone unnoticed.

Spiritual implications abound, and my favorite book about world missions growing up was Bruchko, the story of Bruce Olson, who brought Jesus to a “stone-age Indian tribe” without the “civilization” agenda.  After accepting Jesus as their Way, many things changed in their society.  These changes did not come without tension and heartache, but after spiritual change came societal, medical and technological change.

So we can say if the end of poverty is not the core issue, but God being their God and they being His People, then… what do we do with poverty?  What do we do with evangelism and world mission?

It’s maybe even linked with the problem I see (and Shane and Larry Crabb see) in churches today:  we focus on societal and moral and physical change (looking at how the gospel speaks to those things) instead of focusing on spiritual change.  Yet if we focused on spiritual renewal, the result would be a holistic renewal, an entire life changed.

I could go on to talk about the political CHANGE everyone is buzzing about.  Political/ governmental change might (will?) happen, and that’s great.  But the problems of the world are not going to change until we incite a spiritual change.   Which happens, how?  See “the Master Plan of Evangelism.”

Blogs to come from this?  More on politics, political change, the role of the Church.  More on Larry Crabb.  More on discipleship and the 5 people you need in your life.

students and phones

As I get to know a new campus and a whole new batch of students, one thing I am just now getting used to is… NOT BONDING OVER AREA CODES!

It’s normal for these students to live in the 757 or the 703 or the 804…. weird!  I don’t know what to bond over with them unless they have a Samsung phone, or Sprint! One of the student leaders has sprint and I do find myself calling her when I could just text.

I mean, who can really get by on only 700 daytime minutes?  Of course, I should mention that I spent at least 338 of them talking with my boo in Chucktown.

–a random tidbit of my ever-adjusting life–

Staff Life

I’m so thankful for InterVarsity.  As an organization, it is driven by a vision that’s so close to the heart of God, so true to scripture and backed by experience of the Spirit of God.

clearly guided vision-> mission-> core values-> program-> testimony of lives changed

All the staff I’ve met are dynamic, multi-talented, enthusiastic, intelligent, creative and relational.

Life: vibrancy, authenticity, vitality, renewal, breathing deeply… is what I’m receiving as a new staff.  Thus why I title this post “Staff Life”

With many thanks to Shane, Amy and Willis, Jimmy, Libby, Pete and Emily for helping me process and think through my “staff life” as well as providing specific thoughts and words of encouragement.

Does that feel like the end of a speech?  It’s a speech that one gives in a moment of delectation, raising a glass (“to the beak!”) and asking someone else to join in the celebration!  Give thanks to God for this season in my life!

this was titled “life questions”

So, here are some things that come up for me as my friends are in line to start careers.  

 

I think almost anyone in any profession or career will come up against the pull of this world, whether it be military power or monetary gains, or even the feel-goodest of helping out (teaching… the great push “make a difference” in kids lives)… the desire for more power, more money, more good feelings.  

and Jesus DOES ask us to lay that down, to resist that pull, in fact to give in to HIS PULL on our lives.  Which is our hearts to him.  Life in the Spirit.  So what about not quitting that job/career/environment but bringing redemption into it? Restoration?  What does that look like– how does that actually play out, and what mindset would motivate a life of restoration in the workplace?

During my time in Madison with InterVarsity I noticed a free ”Starting Businesses for the Lord” brochure, and was really impacted by Ana Li’s talk about Upward Mobilization (and Asian-Americans pursuing this American dream) being NOT what Jesus is calling for.  Also one of the “world changers” (IV alum) we talked about was the owner of a successful construction company who has set a salary “ceiling” for himself.  So how does he do what he does?  How does he follow the Lord in his business life?  Maybe InterVarsity has some insight in this as they proclaim “whole life stewardship” as a core value.  

(a google search of this phrase gives a quick answer… there are a lot of people who want to make this work! Is Google really all i needed to get the answers to these deep and troubling questions?!  Almost.)

I’ve got IV’s “Whole Life Stewardship” homepage here with links to bible studies about faith in the workplace, a Marketplace bibliography for further reading, and a “reflections” page that looks like a good resource for intentional conversations about Jesus+Everyday life, and Quotes by category like Power and Wealth and Poverty 

“Have you learned to listen to the two kingdoms and then discern the difference between the culture and Christ? One has an all consuming source – the difficulties of family, work, community and government. The other makes its appeal through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus as it slowly and unevenly grows in His followers. But the two are similar in that they both engage and demonstrate cruelty, destruction, sin and war. The difference comes with the response to this dilemma. One appeals to your survival and self interests while the other suggests you become a servant of others, including your enemies. One thrives on a “Thank God, It’s Friday” mentality focused on your perceived right to pleasure. The other declares “Thank God, It’s Monday” because, in Christ, we enter the torrents of life and work to serve others as we have been served by Christ himself. He loved us – we can love others in His name?“

By: Pete Hammond
Source: Pete Hammond, lecture, 4/90 – Columbus, GA 

“The success of a consumer culture depends on people loving money more than life.“

By: John Leax
Source: Cryptic sayings from John Leax, associate dean at Houghton college from an article in the Houghton Milieu, August, 1993, pages 7-10

 

::::: So now, what about choosing a life of poverty?  What would it take to get on the street, into the community, etc?  Do I even know what that entails?  What would the sacrifice be?  What about the gains?  I guess I should stick with my original thought here and say “if this is the lifestyle choice that Jesus is leading you into as you walk in His Spirit…”  

more on that, and some other book references/reviews later

 

::::::  In order to do this new /counter(american)cultural thing, I (and you) need a strong support base, community.  I know people who live in such a way that RELATIONSHIPS usurp the rat race in politics and business.  The national prayer breakfast has something to do with it.  

Get real with good questions for them.  Get involved in relationships in the fellowship and see where that takes you.  People may be on the same path as you are.  

YOU may be important in someone else’s journey along the Way.  Being in a ministering relationship may bring you life, may bring you along the Way.