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October 2005 Archives
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October 26, 2005
White-Hot and Full of Service
Filed under: God, Faith & Spirituality
Richard Foster, in his book Devotional Classics, distills a few nuggets of insight from Francis de Sales, a sixteenth century prolific writer - a "master of the metaphor." Francis writes about "true devotion" and uses the idea of charity and devotion to explore how our horizontal (God) and vertical (people) relationships should be.
It is generally assumed today that devotion means a series of religious duties to add to an already overcommitted schedule. But such is simply not the case. By themselves, the externals of religion are dry, dead, dusty stuff. No, we all need the heartfelt habit that Frances calls "charity," by which he simply means the ability to do good to all people.
Foster continues:
Francis de Sales reminds us that on the vertical plane, "true devotion" means a head-over-heals, white-hot love of God. On the horizontal plane it means a strength free of guile to serve others.
I want my relationship with God to be white-hot.
I want my relationship with others to be full of service!
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October 22, 2005
Blow My Freakin' Bubble
Filed under: Rant
I just returned from a trip to the south for a bi-annual meeting with one of the boards I serve on. On my way there, during the first leg to Dallas, I sat next to a guy who was on his way back to New Orleans after being away since he left six days after Hurricane Katrina. Dean was "stuck" in the penthouse suite of the Ritz Carlton for six days as he looked out over the city and saw lives lost and a city destroyed. Dean was friendly and feisty, and very angry at the injustices happening in the aftermath of Katrina. A "manager of hundreds of local bands" (his only family he says), Dean lives in the French Quarter, a reverend on Bourbon Street who also does weddings. He was frustrated primarily at government and aid workers for not doing enough. He wanted these people to pay for the injustices they caused Dean's "family." Dean was going to play his "reverend" card - the universal church licenses him - and he knew things were going to get ugly.
Thanks, Dean, for your authentic attempt to right the wrongs.
On my trip home, I was in the aisle seat. Sarah was in the middle seat. A consultant from Dallas was in the window seat, on her way to Asia.
Continue reading "Blow My Freakin' Bubble"
October 18, 2005
From Affection to Action
Filed under: God, Faith & Spirituality
The great thinker and theologian, Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758), in his book Religious Affections, comments:
When we look at the world, we see that people are exceedingly busy. It is their affections that keep them busy. If we were to take away their affections, the world would me motionless and dead; there would be no such thing as activity. It is the affection we call covetousness that moves a person to seek worldly profits; it is the affection we call ambition that moves a person to pursue worldly glory; it is the affection we call lust that moves a person to pursue sensual delights. Just as the worldly affections are the spring of worldly actions, so the religious affections are the spring of religions actions.
Richard Foster, in his book Devotional Classics, responds:
We today desperately need this lesson because a modern myth abounds that true objectivity must be passionless. As a result, we analyze and dissect the spiritual life without the slightest personal involvement or commitment and think we understand it. But the spiritual life cannot be understood in this detached way. We understand by commitment. And we enter into commitment and sustain commitment by what Edwards rightly calls "holy affections."
I want to be a person who does less analyzing and instead have more attachment to the affections Edwards talks about. I want my holy affections to breath life into holy actions.
October 13, 2005
Jesus Wasn't Looking for 12 Converts
Filed under: God, Faith & Spirituality
For sometime now I have been mulling over this idea that Jesus does not care so much about making converts as much as he does about making disciples. Dallas Willard, in his book The Spirit of the Disciplines, unpacks this idea a little further. Borrowing a phrase from Jess Moody, Willard suggests our churches today are filled with "undiscipled disciples." Says Willard, "Most problems in contemporary churches can be explained by the fact that members have not yet decided to follow Christ."
When Jesus walked among humankind there was a certain simplicity to being a disciple. Primarily it meant to go with him, in an attitude of study, obedience, imitation. There were no correspondence courses. One knew what to do and what it would cost.
Yes, but the disciples had Jesus - in his physical human form - right in front of them. We obviously don't have this luxury (and luxury it certainly is) today. Playing hacky sack with Jesus seems so far away from our tangible grasp of how easy the disciples had it when it came to following. Kick it to me Jesus!
Willard describes a disciple as "one who, intent upon becoming Christlike and so dwelling in his 'faith and practice,' systematically and progressively rearranges his affairs to that end."
I want to be a disciple of Jesus. More than just a converted sinner, I want to be a follower of the One who is going places. Pick me Jesus. I'm in.
October 3, 2005
Counting the Cost
Filed under: God, Faith & Spirituality
"One day when large groups of people were walking along with him, Jesus turned and told them, "Anyone who comes to me but refuses to let go of father, mother, spouse, children, brothers, sisters - yes, even one's own self! - can't be my disciple. Anyone who won't shoulder his own cross and follow behind me can't be my disciple." Luke 14:25-27 (MSG)
Jesus is talking about the cost of being a disciple, but there seems to be more to this cost than just letting go of family. Come on, letting go of family - especially at various times throughout life - can be an exciting thing, not a sad thing!
C.S. Lewis, in his book Mere Christianity, suggests we're getting our wires crossed when it comes to understanding how much of ourselves we are to give, or give over to Christ.
Continue reading "Counting the Cost"