November 30, 2008

Today is the first Sunday of Advent. Advent (from adventus, Latin for “coming”) marks the time when the church thinks about the first coming of Jesus Christ as a baby in Bethlehem, and also thinks about the second coming of Jesus Christ in the end times. The focus today is “waiting expectantly”.

The Jews waited expectantly for their Messiah. This expectation is exemplified in Anna and Simeon who rejoiced when they met Jesus as a baby in Jerusalem. Similarly, Christians are told to wait expectantly for the second coming of Christ. We are to live as if that coming could be any moment.

But, apart from the past coming and the future coming – both of which are very important – how should followers of Jesus Christ live in light of the present coming of Jesus? Present coming, you may ask? Yes. While Jesus left this earth physically, he sent his Spirit. In fact, he said that it was better for us to have his Spirit than to have him physically present.

Thus, Jesus is physically present in the Spirit of God who indwells every believer. Jesus came in the past, and he is coming in the future. But, he also comes today. How do we wait expectantly in light of his present coming and future coming?

This is what Paul wrote to Titus:

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. (Titus 2:11-14 ESV)

As we wait for the future, physical coming of Jesus Christ, we wait in the reality of his present, spiritual coming – that is, his presence with us – as Immanuel. But, we do not wait idly. In fact, in light of both his presence and his future coming, we wait with a purpose and a mission.

First, we are to mature in holiness – renouncing ungodliness and worldly passions, and living self-controlled, upright, and godly lives. Second we are to be enthusiastic in our service of other people (zealous for good works). Each of these (holiness and good works) are impossible apart from the real presence of Jesus Christ.

As we wait for Jesus’ future coming, we do not waith alone. No, instead we wait with Jesus. And, we do not wait idly, as if there is nothing more for us here. No, instead we wait with purpose and mission, seeking to submit to the Spirit and to one another in order to mature in both holiness and service.

How are you waiting WITH Jesus?

November 30, 2008

Here is entry #30 in my series “Scripture… As We Live It“:

I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you to me in Christ Jesus, that in every way you were I was enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge – even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you in me – so that you are I am not lacking in any spiritual gift, as you I wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will sustain you me to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 1:4-8 re-mix)

November 29, 2008

A friend called Friday morning and asked if I would be willing to pick him up at the airport. Of course, I was willing, and I enjoyed the time we had together as I drove him from the airport to the restaurant where he works.

As we drove, we talked about several things – Thanksgiving, family, school, etc. At one point I asked him what God was doing in his life. He said he didn’t understand why it was taking him so long to get through school, but that lately he was thinking that when he graduated he would try to attend a culinary school with plans to open a restaurant.

How exciting! He doesn’t just want to open a restaurant so that he can make money, even though he is excited about food and creating new restaurants. He’s interested in giving people an atmosphere where they can meet together and try new food.

You see, my friend is a student at a seminary. But, he’s not planning to be employed by a church organization. He’s willing to learn a skill so that he can support himself and his family, and that gives him a chance to serve others. I can’t wait to see how God uses this young man!

November 28, 2008

About a year and a half ago, I wrote a post called “Listening, learning, serving“. The purpose of this post was to encourage believers to listen and learn from people before they jump in and try to serve them. As I’ve learned to do this, I’ve heard time and time again from people, “Usually when people come to our neighborhood to help, they do things that don’t really help us.” Are you willing to spend the time to get to know people and then serve them in ways that actually help?

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Listening, Learning, Serving

I’ve had an ongoing conversation over the last few days with my wife, Margaret, and a good friend of ours (Theron from “Sharing in the Life“). Actually, for me, the conversation started a couple of days before that when another friend of ours made a comment about some ladies that we have not seen lately, whom we have tried to serve, but for some reason, we have failed to serve them. This comment led to our continuing conversation about service – particularly about serving people who are different from us: people from different cultures, different ages (generations), different beliefs, etc.

Theron and I began talking about serving people from foreign cultures: specifically, how would we serve people if we lived in a foreign culture? I realize that many people who read this blog deal with this question (and similar questions) every day of their life. Theron suggested that before we could serve someone, we would have to know how to serve them. In other words, in different cultures service may be different (and probably is) than service in our own culture. Thus, it would be necessary to listen to people and to know them before we could truly serve them in ways that matter to them – in ways that impact their lives. Certainly, this does not mean that we should sit around doing nothing, but there is a learning process before serving becomes as effective as it could be. Also, I would never remove the important role of the Holy Spirit in this. The Spirit certainly leads us to serve people in ways that we may not understand, but in ways that may be extremely important to the ones being served.

The necessity of the process of learning to serve others is fairly obvious when serving people in foreign cultures. But, what about people in our own culture that may be from a different generation or have a different set of beliefs or even from a different background. Could it be that we miss opportunities to serve – and at others times offend people when we attempt to serve them – because we do not listen and learn about them before we begin to serve? We have attempted to serve some people who are older than us recently, without much success. Why? Because I don’t think we knew them enough to know how to serve them. Why didn’t we know them? We didn’t begin by listening to them.

Margaret reminded me that a few years ago, when we lived in another state, we were able to successfully serve some older ladies. We would spend time with them in their homes, listening to their stories, sharing tea and snacks. When she reminded me of this, I immediately thought, “That’s not serving! That’s just hanging out!” Of course, this is exactly the point of my post. To me, spending time talking with these ladies was just hanging out, but to them, it was serving them. We demonstrated our love for them by spending time with them. I viewed service differently than they did. They viewed service differently than me.

If I spent all of my time, energy, and resources serving them in the way that I wanted to be served, then I would have wasted much of that time, energy, and resources. Why? Because they were served by us being with them, not by us doing things for them.

I began to think about my son and daughter. In a few years, they will be living on their own. I wonder, what will they consider service? How will they serve others and how will others their age want to be served? What about the men and women who are several years younger than me today? What do they consider service?

Similarly, many times we try to serve people the way other Christians want to be served. But, what if our neighbors are not followers of Christ? What if our coworkers are not Christians? Do we serve them in the same way that we would serve Christians that we know? Or, should we actually spend time listening to them and getting to know them, so that we will know how to serve them?

I realize that this is obvious to many people. However, for those of us who are learning what it means to serve people who are different than us, then this may be something that we need to consider and contemplate. I know that my family is learning to serve others – especially those outside the body of Christ. We are thinking about what it means to serve and love those who are of a different ethnicity or cultural background, those from a different economic class, or even those with different beliefs. We want to provide a cup of cold water in a way that benefits them the most – not in ways that benefit us the most.

So, as we serve others, we must begin by listening to them and learning from them. We must get to know them. Then, we can serve them as God leads us and strengthens us – we can serve them in a way that brings God glory.

November 27, 2008

A few years ago, our family and a friend were lamenting that fact that stores and radio stations were already playing Christmas music even though it was still weeks before Thanksgiving. But, then we realized that there really were no good Thanksgiving songs – at least, not like the foot-tapping Christmas songs. So, we wrote some Thanksgiving Carols of our own, to the tune of popular Christmas songs. I hope you enjoy these, and feel free to sing them with your family and friends around your Thanksgiving dinner.

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Here Comes Thanksgiving
(to the tune of Here Comes Santa Claus)

Here comes Thanksgiving
Here comes Thanksgiving
Long before Christmas Day
No jingle bells, no Christmas trees
No songs about a sleigh
We will eat and we will sleep
We’ll watch some football games
Cause it is almost Thanksgiving
And it’s long before Christmas Day

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Giblet Gravy
(to the tune of Jingle Bells)

Giblet gravy, giblet gravy
What is it anyway?
Pour some on my dressing, please,
Don’t let it run away.
Giblet gravy, giblet gravy
What is it anyway?
Oh, I don’t care, I’ll eat it up
Cause it’s Thanksgiving Day!

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Good Christian Men Eat Up
(to the tune of Good Christian Men Rejoice)

Good Christian men eat up
With fork and knife and cup
Give ye heed to what we say (gobble, gobble)
This is surely Thanksgiving Day
Macy’s floats and Pilgrim hats
You know Black Friday’s coming fast
Turkeys were made for this
Turkeys were made for this

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The First Thanksgiving
(to the tune of The First Noel)

The first Thanksgiving the pilgrims did eat
And invited the indians to their feast
They all had turkey and venison
But they did not watch football; there was no ESPN
Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving
Let’s all sing some carols for Thanksgiving.

November 27, 2008

Today is Thanksgiving. I try to be thankful every day. But, today I want to express my thanks to God publicly.

First, I thank God that he accepts me in Jesus Christ. I know that there is nothing in me that makes me deserving of his acceptance. Instead, he accepts me due to his grace. He provided the means for my acceptance – through the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ – and he provided the Spirit to indwell me and help me through this life. What an awesome blessing!

Second, I thank God for my family. It seems that every day God is teaching me something through my family. I appreciate Margaret, my wife, especially the longer that we’re married. I’ve learned so much about serving and caring for others by watching her. Jeremy and Miranda (our children) also continually amaze me as they grow in Christ.

Next, I thank God for the church. This gratitude includes both those brothers and sisters with whom God has placed me to live our lives together. It also includes the larger body of believers around the world. I’m learning how important it is for brothers and sisters in Christ (regardless of their backgrounds, traditions, or beliefs) to maintain the unity of Christ and the fellowship of the Spirit in order to demonstrate the glory of God to others.

Also, I thank God for my readers. This blog would be nothing without my readers. I sincerely believe that the comments and interaction between my readers greatly increase the importance of this blog to me, and, I think, to others as well. If you read this, please know that I do not take you for granted. You are a gift from God to me and many other readers from around the world.

Finally, I thank God for continuing to transform my life. This time last year, I knew that God was working in my life, teaching me how to demonstrate his love to others, especially those outside of “church culture”. This year, demonstrating God’s love and grace is not just theory, but they are something that our family lives out every day. This is not something that we have done ourselves.

May God bless each of you today and throughout the coming year!

November 26, 2008

A few years ago, our family and a friend were lamenting that fact that stores and radio stations were already playing Christmas music even though it was still weeks before Thanksgiving. But, then we realized that there really were no good Thanksgiving songs – at least, not like the foot-tapping Christmas songs. So, we wrote some Thanksgiving Carols of our own, to the tune of popular Christmas songs. I hope you enjoy these, and feel free to sing them with your family and friends around your Thanksgiving dinner.

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Tommy the Turquoise Turkey
(to the tune of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer)

[optional intro]
You know cranberries and football and dressing piled high
Pilgrims and indians and pumpkin pie
But do you recall the best part of Thanksgiving of all

Tommy the Turquoise Turkey (turkey)
Had a very shiny tail (like a blue whale)
And if you ever saw it (saw it)
You would think it was so swell (that’s swell!)

All of the other turkeys (turkeys)
Use to peck and strut about (like a turkey)
When they stood next to Tommy (Tommy)
They made sure that he stood out (pick Tommy!)

Then one cold Thanksgiving eve
Farmer came to say (Yo Yo Yo)
“Tommy with your tail so bright
I need you this very night.”

Then all the family loved him (loved him)
As they gobbled Tommy down (gobble gobble)
Tommy the Turquoise Turkey (turkey)
You’re the yummiest bird around (yum yum)
You’re the yummiest bird around (yum yum)

November 26, 2008

Saturday evening, Margaret and I were returning home from an afternoon shopping trip. We had planned to buy something for dinner at the grocery store, but we realized that we forgot to do that. So, we decided to stop by a local Subway shop for $5 subs.

The man behind the counter took our order and fixed our sandwiches quickly. As we were checking out, I noticed his accent. I LOVE accents, and I love learning about people. So, I said to the man, “I don’t mean to be rude, but can I ask where you’re from?”

Apparently, he didn’t think I was being rude at all. He smiled and said, “Lebanon”.

I smiled back and said, “Salaam”, which is a generic Arabic greeting, like “hello” or “greetings”.

He smiled even bigger and we talked for few minutes about Lebanon and other Lebanese people in the area. I’ve met a few from local restaurants.

As we were about to leave, he stopped us and gave us three cookies.

It is amazing how much people will talk about themselves if you are interested and take the time to listen. I often talk to people – especially people with accents. I love languages, but I also love to hear people talk about themselves and their home countries. I’ve also found that people like to talk about themselves.

I’ve learned how to say “hello” in many different languages just by asking people where they were from. Of course, this means that I have to stop thinking about myself, and think about other people – which is hard to do. I’ve been taught (along with most people in the US) to consider myself and my own interests first. I’ve been taught to use other people to get the things that I want or that I need.

But, somehow, God has changed me. I no longer think about myself (well, not all the time). I often find myself wondering about the person behind the counter, or in line next to me, or taking my order, or next door. And, when I find myself wondering, I try to stop and ask them about themselves.

People’s demeanor (often) changes completely when you ask them about themselves. They become much more open to sharing and listening… especially when I listen first. But, this is something that is not natural for me. It is something that I’m learning, I think, through the work of the Spirit in my life.

I enjoyed sharing a cookie with Margaret on the way home. I enjoyed seeing the kids’ excitement when we gave them their cookies. But, more than that, I enjoyed learning more about the man behind the counter at Subway, and learning more about Lebanon and the Arabic language. I’m going to look for him the next time I stop at Subway.

November 25, 2008

A few years ago, our family and a friend were lamenting that fact that stores and radio stations were already playing Christmas music even though it was still weeks before Thanksgiving. But, then we realized that there really were no good Thanksgiving songs – at least, not like the foot-tapping Christmas songs. So, we wrote some Thanksgiving Carols of our own, to the tune of popular Christmas songs. I hope you enjoy these, and feel free to sing them with your family and friends around your Thanksgiving dinner.

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Something Smells
(to the tune of Silver Bells)

Something Smells
Something Smells
Have you just burned all our dinner
Should I spray
The stink away
And have a take-out Thanksgiving Day

Cooking turkey, cooking dressing
Cooking dish after dish
In the air there’s the smell of Thanksgiving
Baking brownies, and a few pies
We’ll have all that you wish
But eventually everyone hears

November 25, 2008

One of the most common scriptural metaphors for the church is “family”. In fact, the “metaphor” is so prevalent that it probably isn’t a metaphor at all. In other words, we truly are brothers and sisters in Christ. However, the church rarely acts like a family.

But, what would happen if we turned the picture around? Instead of encouraging the church to act like a family, what would happen if the family acted like a church?

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Two young men walked in the den where grandma was watching her “stories”. They shuffled their feet, made small talk, but finally got down to business.

“Grandma, we’ve all talked about it, and we don’t think you’re doing your job the way you once did – the way we need you to,” the first man started.

“What do you mean, son?” the older lady asked, trying to see the TV around the two men.

“Well, you can’t cook or clean anymore. You don’t tell us stories of the old days. We haven’t heard any wisdom from you in a long time. You usually just watch television and sleep. We’re going to have to let you go,” the second man said.

Grandma hung her head. “I realize that I’m getting older and can’t carry out my duties that I once did. Will you at least give me a few weeks to find a new family?”

“We’ll give you two weeks and a good recommendation. I’m sure that God is calling you to a good older family out there somewhere,” her son said.

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“Hey, Sis!” the lady said as she walked through the open door.

“Hi, to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?” her older sister asked as she closed the front door behind her.

The younger lady found a place on an overstuffed sofa and replied, “Well, we heard that you gave birth, and we wanted to see the new baby.”

As the older sister brought in coffee, she looked around the room. “I don’t think the baby is here.”

“What do you mean?” her sister asked as she sipped her coffee.

“Well, I’m not very good at raising kids. I just give birth to them and let someone else raise them. In fact, that baby is probably still at the hospital.”

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The parents brought dinner into the dining room for the family. The dining room was immaculate, with heavy drapes, carved furniture, silver place settings, and a crystal chandelier hanging over the middle of the table.

Father prayed an elaborate prayer and set the food down for each family member: a small piece of bread and a sip of juice.

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“This is very difficult for me to say,” Father began with tears filling his eyes. “Do you all remember the people that visited us a few weeks ago?”

The family members nodded as the looked around, trying to discern what Father’s important announcement might be about.

“Well, those visitors were actually a Father Search Committee from another family. They believe that God is calling me to be their Father. After much tearful prayer, I agree. So, in two weeks I’ll be leaving this family to become the Father of their family. Don’t worry. I know that this is all in God’s plan, and I’m certain that God will provide another Father for this family.”

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I suppose I could go on, but I think you get my point. If the church is really a family, then the church would not act like it does towards one another.

So, we should ask ourselves, “Are we not living according to our nature? Or, are we living according to our nature?”