Author: albertvredenburg

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What Now?

Once you have received Jesus as your savior you come to a place where you wonder, what now.  Many are ready with answers.  You’ll hear directions such as: find a church, get involved, learn your spiritual gifts, and most of all work hard for the Lord.  Surely this is good advice, for James reminds us that faith without works is dead. (James 2:17)   The danger though for us humans is we get too focused on our works.  Then we find ourselves working for God’s approval, or worse, other’s approval.  Burned out grumpy Christians are the results, and that is not very attractive.  There must be a better answer to the question “what now”.

The Prophet Micah clears it up for us.  In Micah 6:8 we read,

He has shown you, O man, what is good.  And what does the Lord require of you?  To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

To act justly:

Treat others with fairness, be impartial – do what is right in regard to others.

Love mercy:

Be forgiving and have compassion on ones who offend us or are in need.

Walk humbly with our God:

Recognize who God is, and our place in regard to him.  He is the all-powerful God who spoke the universe into existence.  We are his created beings whom he loves.

I believe these three instructions help to keep us from getting lost in our good works.  Notice the focus is on others and God not ourselves.

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Secrets of the globe

Some time ago I found a giant globe.  Inside the globe were three spheres.  The largest was centered in the globe, and the second largest, at some distance moved in an elliptical rotation around the central sphere.  The smallest of the spheres circled around the second sphere.  This machine quite fascinated me, so I set about to explore its wonders.

Most curious was I that I could find nothing connecting the spheres.  They seemed to simply float in their positions.  Neither could I discover any source of power.  After much contemplation, I concluded that the power that ran the machine must be contained in the spheres themselves.  Then I looked for a way to open the globe, but no place of entry to the globe was obvious. When I gave up on that, I began to look around the room where the globe was located.

I spied a book lying in the corner of the room, and I opened it.  In the beginning of the book, the maker of the globe was clearly identified, but being unfamiliar with this person it was of little help in my quest to unlock the mysteries of the globe.  I read further into the book and did discover some hints about the workings of the globe, but this partial information only led to frustration.  However, I did learn much about the maker in my readings.  So, I finally decided to set out on a quest to find the maker.  I concluded that only in him lay the answers to satisfy my curiosity.

Many have believed that our universe came about by accident.  But, as The Book tells us “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities-his eternal power and divine nature-have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made …” (Romans 1:20).  In order to understand the world we live in, I believe we should set out on a quest to find the maker.  He has the answers we seek.  Yes, The Book is very helpful with this endeavor.

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Sharing Truth

I have long been careful to not be dogmatic about my Christian faith.  My main concern is that it would lead to controversy rather than conversion. It’s true that I believe every tenet of the Bible.  I believe it to be the word of God given to man.  I believe the creation story to be an accurate account of man’s beginning.  I believe there was a worldwide flood caused by God as judgment on man’s evil and all the stories of God and man as recorded within the Old Testament.  I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God that he was crucified an innocent man, that his death was in my stead to provide me with salvation, and that he was raised from the dead.  I believe that all of the New Testament is true.  So, why am I restrained when expressing this belief?  I am obviously dogmatic about it.

The answer is unequivocally love.  Truth shared dogmatically, untempered by love, is as the Apostle Paul declared in I Corinthians 13:1, “a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal”.  He goes on to remind us that “Love is patient; love is kind, Love is not boastful, not proud, not rude, and not self-seeking.  Incorporating the characteristics of love, when sharing my faith, certainly makes it more effective.  It’s not about me being right. It is about sharing with another the life changing experience that I have found.  Their reception of the message is in God’s hands.  Only God can change the heart.  I am the messenger, but the message is God’s.

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Controlling the Future

I like science fiction.  I don’t know what that says about me, but I do.  The idea of projecting where scientific discovery might take us fascinates me.  I like the adventure and the jolt to my imagination.  Fantasizing future worlds, even alien worlds, occupies a fair portion of my personal time.

Yet the science fiction stories, where man goes back in time to reshape the future, point to the complexity of manipulating the intricate details of the progression of time.  Change one little occurrence and the entire future of man is impacted.  We can predict, but there are too many factors for us to have complete control over the outcome.

Now, imagine someone able to create a universe, create humans to live in this universe, and set the ball rolling toward a planned outcome.  To add to the complexity of the task, he gives the humans freedom of choice.  During the unfolding of his plan, he intervenes occasionally knowing exactly how this will affect the outcome.  Remember, his interventions usually involve humans who are continually deciding about their actions and reactions to their situation.

The greatest intervention this creator makes is sending his son to live among humans with the plan to redeem them.  They need redemption because they have violated the prime directive to act in love and, within their freedom of choice, have chosen to injure their fellow humans. They have also turned their back to the creator and denied his very existence.  He accomplishes his redemption plan right on schedule and continues on to his planned outcome.

The outcome he plans is for all those who receive his redemption to live forever in eternity with him.  Not all of his humans will accept the offer, but every one of them has the choice to receive redemption.  The only one who could put together such an elaborate and complex plan is the all-powerful, all-knowing creator, God.

Read: Genesis 1-3, Job 38 – 41, & Revelation 21 & 22

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Relating to God

When thinking of how to relate to God, I believe he has shown us through his Son.  Jesus in teaching about prayer gave us what is known as the Lord’s Prayer (see Matthew 6:9-13).   The prayer begins with “Our Father in heaven”.  I believe that in this expression God makes it clear that he wants us to know him as Father.  Throughout the words of Jesus he refers to God as his father and our father.  There are many telling expressions that Jesus shared giving us insight into the nature of the relationship God offers us as our Father, but the one I like and personally understand the most is the parable of the lost son.

In the parable of the lost son (Luke 15:11-32) Jesus tells the story of a son who takes his share of his father’s wealth,  leaves home, and goes to squander his money in wild living.  When the money is all gone, he finds himself destitute and working as a servant feeding pigs.  Obviously his predicament is the result of his own choices.  He chose this path against the wishes and wisdom of his father.  Not only did he go against his father’s wishes, but what he did, according to Hebrew society of the time, was to bring shame to his father.  Yet, when the son recognizes what he has done he decides to return and put himself at the mercy of his father.  I guess we can all imagine the reception he might receive from a human father.  But, the father in this story represents the heart of our Heavenly Father, and I believe it gives us an example of what to expect when relating to God as our father.

In Jesus’ parable the son is received with open arms, and the father puts on a big party to welcome him home.  This is forgiveness in its truest sense.  John reminds us in his first letter     (1 John 1:9) “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”  I love this parable because it describes the reception I received when I returned to God.  He didn’t condemn me, but he welcomed me back with complete forgiveness.  He is a loving and forgiving father.

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Surrender

What does the word surrender say to you?  Give up? Turn over control?  Quit?  This is not a word we humans like very much especially the turn over control part.  Quitter, coward, weakling these are a few of the words we use to label ones who surrenders.  When a criminal surrenders to the police it usually means going to jail.  A defeated army that surrenders is at the mercy of the conquering army.  History contains a number of examples of the results of surrendering.  Unfortunately, humans’ surrendering to humans doesn’t always work out very well for the ones who surrender.  Surrendering is at best a risky business when we talk of surrendering to each other.  Surrendering to God is a different business.

God invites us to surrender, but he never demands it.  He promises that if we do surrender to him he will improve our lives.  Jesus offers: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”  (Matthew 11:28-30)  In this case surrendering might not be so bad.

I can personally attest that surrendering to Jesus is as he says.  I was in the pit of despair some time ago feeling useless and lost.  I finally sat down on a rock and said to God, “I can’t leave this rock without you.”  I surrendered.  From that moment my life changed.  I am now useful, happy, and at peace in my soul.  The longer I stay with him the more I realize these promises.  And, he also has promised me eternal life.  In my case surrendering has proven to be a good choice.

The invitation is there for you.  Meditate on the above scripture and hear Jesus calling to you.

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Questioning God’s Love

As the principal of a Christian school I often had the opportunity to meet with parents.  One particular meeting I have never forgotten.  The meeting was with a mother who was distressed over her child, her financial situation, and other family difficulties.  In the course of sharing her trials she made the statement that she and her son had been discussing whether God still loved them.  I responded to that statement by saying that we could never doubt God’s love because of the cross.  It was apparent right away that my response had impacted her, yet I was equally impacted by these words.   It was as if a third party had intervened and spoken to us.  That is why this meeting among the many has remained prominent in memory.

Questioning God’s love for us during times of testing is a very human thing to do.  When times are hard and trials are many we feel alone and unloved.  However, the question of whether he loves us was indeed answered by Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross.  “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)  Jesus himself said, “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.”(John 15:13)  God has demonstrated in an undeniable way his love for us.  Even in our darkest hour this light of truth shines through.  “God loves you” is not just a tired cliché but an eternal truth.

 

Question of the week:             [This is an addition to my weekly post for the purpose of stimulating discussion.  I don’t have a fixed answer for the question.  I’d just like to know what you think.]

In the Parable of the Ten Virgins (Matthew 25:1-13) what is it that a person must do to be ready for Jesus’ return?

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Losing Everything

California is in the midst of a drought.  I discussed this with family members and friends this weekend; some of them are heavily affected.  The underground aquifers are receding, so those with wells are concerned that they will run out of water.  Some already have.  Farmers are receiving as little as 10% of their surface water needs.  Their only alternative is to pump groundwater compounding the problem.  Farmers and those living in outlining areas could lose everything.  As I contemplated this news, the idea of losing everything struck me.

If I lost everything, I’d have to start all over with nothing.   Or, would I?  Jacob in the book of Genesis faced losing everything.  There was a great famine in the land.  You can imagine his crops were dying, and his animals were dying.  He was losing everything. So he sent his sons to Egypt to buy grain.  Unknown to Jacob his sons had sold their brother Joseph into slavery. The brothers were not aware that Joseph was now in charge of all Egypt by Pharaoh’s order.  This was an interesting turn of events.  In the end things worked out with Jacob and his whole family living in Egypt.  Pharaoh gave them land.  They were safe and prosperous.  Jacob lived out the rest of his years in the comfort of Egypt. (You can read the whole story in Genesis Chapter 37, and 39-47.)

I found great comfort as I remembered this story.  God had a plan.  Jacob and his sons were living through the events of their lives unaware of how they fit into God’s plan.  Like them, I am unaware of how I fit into God’s plan.  I walk through the events of my life, which may include facing the loss of everything, just trusting God.  What else can I do?  In Proverbs 3:5 we are encouraged, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.”  This is a lot easier to understand in light of the story in Genesis.  I don’t know the big picture.  I just have to trust the one who does.

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WHO IS THE BIGGEST LOSER?

Over the years the word loser has reach prominence to the point of being a recognized device of modern expression. You hear the word tossed around as a means of reviling someone or simply banter among friends. But, what is a loser? The general definition is one who suffers loss, misplaces something or loses the game. Yet the modern expression mainly refers to someone who is a dud or who can’t get it together. It’s a put-down.

The popular TV show, “The Biggest Loser” has put a new spin on the word and made it a positive expression for the person who loses the most weight. This is a good thing if you are overweight. Although I could stand to lose twenty pounds, I don’t think I could compete in this category. But am I a loser? Have you ever explored this question?

I like what Jesus said about being a loser. He clarified the term loser from a different perspective. In Luke 9:25 He said, “What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?” I think he was talking about what I’d call an eternal loser. You know someone who seems to have it all together but loses out in the end. In this case a person that might be considered a loser by modern terms could turn out to be an eternal winner. Who wins and who loses in the eternal sense offers a very different approach to the term loser. Are you an eternal winner or loser?

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Hopelessly Flawed?

I am hopelessly flawed. I want to be good and have good motives, but I find my heart to be full of selfish motives, unloving and unkind. I try not to act on these ugly inner thoughts, for I want to be good. I try to put on the good. People think of me as good. Alas, I am not. I am hopelessly flawed. I sometimes get depressed over this lack of good in me. I want to be nice to people. I want to treat them like a good Christian should. I want God to like me.

Do you identify with this inner conflict? The Apostle Paul did. In Romans chapter 7 he expresses this same inner conflict.

21. So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23. But I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. 24. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25. Thanks be to God – through Jesus Christ our Lord!

Thank you Father for your word, and thank you Paul for expressing this inner conflict so I know that I’m not alone. Once again I am reminded that it is my FAITH that pleases God, not my puny attempts to make myself good. In Jesus he fixed the problem that I can’t fix. Yes, I am indeed flawed, but not hopelessly as I sometimes get lured into thinking. There is hope not in what I can do, but in what he has done. So, I take comfort in these words: “Thanks be to God – through Jesus Christ our Lord!” Amen!