Preposterously Good News

I'd like to share a post from one of my favorite authors, John Fischer.
You can see more of his writings or subscribe to his "Catch of the Day" at The Fischtank.

I have some really good news for everyone today, but it's not just good news; it's preposterously Good News. I found it as I was reading in Isaiah this morning.

"I, the Lord, made you, and will not forget to help you. I have swept away your sins like the morning mists. I have scattered your offenses like the clouds. Oh, return to me, for I have paid the price to set you free." (Isaiah 44:21-22)

Here it is: God forgave us first; then He invites us home. It could just as easily have been: Return to me and I will forgive your sins. That would have been remarkable enough. But instead, it's: Come home because you've already been forgiven.

This was precisely the case for the prodigal son. He was forgiven before he ever reached the front driveway. That's why his old man was running to meet him. There was no discussion. No lesson. No: "I hope you learned your lesson." He needn't even ask for forgiveness, for it had already been granted.

This is our message to the world: You have already been forgiven, so come home. Christ has already paid the price to set you free. He has removed the barrier between God and us. How can anyone resist so great a love? No wonder Paul calls it Good News. Can you imagine anything better when it comes to God and our sin?

We know we are guilty. Our consciences tell us that. We know the demands of the law. We have the commandments for that, and we aren't doing very well by them. We know that if we mess up in just one thing, we are charged with breaking the whole law. God does not grade on the curve. Instead, He offers us a blanket pardon -- the only thing that could ever save us.

"Oh, return to me, for I have [already] paid the price to set you free."

Icon of God

On my computer desktop are little "icons". If I want to access a particular program I double click on the icon. But how does a person access God? The Bible gives us the answer:

He (Jesus) is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.
Colossians 1:15-18 (NIV)

The above passage was written by the Apostle Paul about Jesus Christ (Messiah). He wrote that "Jesus is the image of the invisible God." Paul wrote in the Greek language. The word translated "image" in English is the Greek word "icon".

Jesus is the ICON of the invisible God. The message of the New Testament is, "If you want to access God you go through Jesus."

People often wonder if there is a god, and if so what is this god like. Some people and cultures believe in many gods. What is true in our time, was true in the time of Jesus. People believed in different gods. People of the same faith tradition argued about what God was like. There has always been much confusion and disagreement.

Jesus came to clarify once and for all what God was like and how to relate to Him. Jesus said, "If you've seen me you've seen the Father." He told us that a soul-satisfying kind of life ("eternal life" He called it--not just quantity life without end, but quality life with purpose and joy) comes from knowing God.

"Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent." (words of Jesus as recorded in John 17:3)

Jesus is the ICON of the invisible God. If you are searching to connect with God I believe the fulfillment of your search is found in the person of Jesus. Not the Jesus portrayed by the movies, most TV evangelists, or popular ficticious novels, but Jesus as revealed in the Gospel accounts of the New Testament.

Jesus was, and still is, revolutionary. "This man is not just another revolutionary, he is calling for a revolutionary new sort of revolution." (Brian McLaren, "The Secret Message of Jesus", p. 16)

His radical message and lifestyle have been distorted by culture and the church. Personally, I tried many pathways "up the mountain" to encounter God. Different relgions and philosphies, for me, all resulted in dead ends, short of my goal.

Then I discovered that Jesus had cut a path down the mountain to show me what God is really like! Jesus came so we could restore relationship with our Creator. "God was in Jesus, reconciling the world to himself, not counting men's sins against them..." (2 Corinthians 5:19)
I pray you will give the Gospels a fresh reading and discover the real Jesus, the icon of the invisible God.

~ Father, thank you for sending Jesus to show me who you are and how to have a relationship with you. Amen.

Lifestyle Makeover: Day 100

On June 10, Father's Day, I had to come to grips with reality. Physically a mess, due to neglect and a sedentary lifestyle, the wake call came when I threw out my back.

Nearing my 46th birthday, carrying nearly 270 pounds on a 5 foot, 11 inch frame, no exercise and a fast food diet; it was a toxic combination which was taking a deadly toll.

Today, September 18th, day 100 of a new lifestyle, the scales this morning read 221 pounds--nearly 50 pounds shed in 100 days! The blood pressure has dropped from 180 over 100, to 110 over 70.

Four Key Factors are helping to make the difference:

1. Prayer: for me, the poor diet and deteriorating health was not just a physical issue, but spiritual and emotional as well. I had to get in touch with what made me anxious and full of stress, what triggered my heading to the fridge or snack box. I am learning how to find comfort from God and not Little Debbie.

2. The Food Choices Completely Changed: "if it's white, don't bite", was the advice of another of my doctor's patients. In place of things made with flour and sugar; fresh fruits, high protein and low carbohydrate items became the order of the day. Water replaced sodas. The advice to "feast like a king at breakfast, dine like a queen at lunch, and eat like a pauper at suppertime" became very helpful. There is no deprivation, meals are filling, nutritious and delicious. Cutting off all food and drink 2-3 hours before bedtime is becoming a new habit. I am learning to eat the right amount of the right thing at the right time.

3. Food and Exercise Journal: I write down everything I eat and drink every single day, along with time and distance walked. I am learning where the "weak spots" are in my daily routine, changing the patterns at the points of weakness.

4. Walking: only able to go about half a mile at the beginning, now the rountine is 4 to 5 miles before breakfast every morning, not increasing the distance, but trying to shorten the time each day. These pre-dawn excursions are also the best time to focus on the first factor, prayer. At the end of the walk my mind is clear and focused, new ideas and insights have often been birthed, and the "furnace" is ready to burn up the calories with which I fuel my body. I am learning to take care of my body, mind and spirit in new and invigorating ways.

Nothing tastes as good as feeling good feels!

As my friend Brian says, "I'm not together, but I'm getting there"; with God's help, and my wife's encouragement, I'm getting there.

Second Chances

"It's not every day that you find someone who will give you a second chance--much less someone who will give you a second chance every day."
(From "No Wonder They Call Him the Savior" by pastor and author Max Lucado)

Grace. Mercy from God, unearned and unearnable, undeserved. Lavish love, just because.

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9)

~ Father, help me to be mindful of, and grateful for, your grace. Help me to not only be a partaker of your grace, but a proclaimer of your grace; extending kindness and mercy to others as I have received it from you. Amen.

Infidels?

I’ve been thinking about the word “infidel” lately. I’ve heard it frequently on TV this week, remembering 9/11 and hearing newscasters talk about terrorism. There are those who would say that anyone who doesn’t follow their religion is an “infidel”.

Infidel stems from the word “infidelity” which is unfaithfulness, disloyalty, betrayal. The infidel is the one who breaks a contract or who breaks covenant. The married partner who commits adultery is an infidel. The person who makes a promise and doesn't keep it is an infidel. The business partner who secretly embezzles funds is an infidel. A person who doesn’t follow a particular religion, to which he or she never made a commitment, is NOT an infidel.

You can’t hold someone to the terms of a contract that they never entered into. So the problem is when people, especially religious people, impose the terms of their covenant with their god on everyone else. The ones who made the commitment are expected to keep it, not those who never agreed to be in that relationship in the first place. So the infidel is the one who is unfaithful to a contract or relationship that THEY entered into.

I’ve also heard a lot of talk this week about “Islamic fundamentalist”. I don’t have a problem with fundamentalists; Muslim, Evangelical Christian, Atheist or otherwise. I have a problem with terrorists (whether they be Muslim, Evangelical Christian or some other group) who use fear-based tactics to silence anyone who disagrees with them, their "enemies."

A “fundamentalist” means one holds to the fundamentals, or core teachings, of their particular belief system (and yes, Atheism has core beliefs, too). I would like to see us quit using the word "fundamentalist" as a derogatory title, no matter which group we are using it to describe. There is nothing wrong with holding the the fundamentals on one's faith, as long as those who hold to the tenets of that religion do not harm others or force their religious covenant on others against their will.

Fidelity, faithfulness, keeping covenant--all the same thing, and born in the heart of God:

"Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands." (Deuteronomy 7:9, NIV)

The problem is, no matter how sincere our intentions, we are all unfaithful at some point. We mess up. We are inconsistent. We miss the mark. The good news of Jesus is that even though we are all "indidels" on occasion God offers hope:

"If we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself." (2 Timothy 2:13, NIV)

God is no infidel. He is never unfaithful. He never goes back on His word. He never breaks a promise. One thing He has promised is to forgive those who are heartbroken over their sins and turn to Him in genuine repentance:

"If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives." (1 John 1:8-10, NIV)

That's the good news about Jesus:
"God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them." (2 Corinthians 5:19, NIV)

Everyone on the planet is an infidel, because all of us at some point have been less than perfect, have been unfaithful to One who created us. The good news is that there is hope for all we infidels, hope of having the relationship with our Creator restored, hope of being reconciled to the One who loves us.

~ Father, forgive my unfaithfulness to you. Empower me to be faithful to you as you have been faithful to me. Help me to love my neighbor in such a way that they may come to know and love you, too. Amen.

Civilly Disobedient Pharmacists

Pharmacists in Washington State are suing that state over a new regulation that requires them to sell emergency contraception, also known as the “morning-after pill." The state ruled earlier this year that druggists who believe emergency contraceptives are tantamount to abortion cannot stand in the way of a patient's right to the drugs.

Sold as “Plan B”, emergency contraception is a high dose of the drug found in many regular birth-control pills. It can lower the risk of pregnancy by as much as 89 percent if taken within 72 hours of unprotected sex. The FDA made the morning-after pill available without prescription to adults last year.

In a lawsuit filed in federal court, a pharmacy owner and two pharmacists say the new rule violates their civil rights by forcing them into choosing between "their livelihoods and their deeply held religious and moral beliefs."

Under the new state rule, pharmacists with personal objections to a drug can opt out by getting a co-worker to fill an order. But that applies only if the patient is able to get the prescription in the same pharmacy visit. Doctors do not have to perform abortions if that violates their personal ethics or moral conscience, and pharmacists are seeking to have the same latitude.

Opponents argue that health care providers should not be allowed to withhold legal treatments and medications based on their own moral beliefs, but must serve the needs of the patients.

At the heart of the debate is the question of when life begins. The pill prevents the fertilized egg from being implanted. For those who believe life begins at fertilization, they wee the pill's effect as ending an innocent life.

Does life begin at conception? Even some who would affirm that it does, say that conception occurs not when the egg in fertilized, but when the fertilized egg is implanted, and see no problem with the pill.

I am not sure what the penalty is for the pharmacists who deny to fill such a prescription; whether it is a fine, loss of license, or imprisonment. It the courts uphold the regulation and force pharmacists to comply, it will be interesting to see how many will risk their careers by exercising a little civil disobedience by fefusing to comply with a law they feel is unjust.

It will be interesting to see what happens if pharmacist exercise their "freedom of choice" in keeping with their own religious convictions. Keep your eyes on this case: I believe the court's ruling will impact "abortion rights" and "religious liberty" cases for years to come.

What do you think? I'd be interested in hearing your comments.

Mother Teresa: Doubt and Faithfulness

News that Mother Teresa suffered a 40-year-long crisis of faith during which she sometimes doubted even the existence of God made the headlines this week and sparked a great deal of discussion. While her honesty about her questions and at times less-than-desirable prayer life have been known for several years now, her spiritual life was put back in the news with the release of a new book entitled 'Mother Teresa: Come Be My Light', containing 40 of her letters and edited by Fr Brian Kolodiejchuk, a close friend.

At one point Mother Teresa writes: "I am told God loves me, and yet the reality of the darkness and coldness and emptiness is so great that nothing touches my soul. I have no faith. I dare not utter the words and thoughts that crowd in my heart."

Although atheists were having a field day with this recent publication of Mother Teresa’s letters, for most believers it is not news. As shown in an excellent article by David Quinn, what these letters explode is not faith, but "the myth that she was a woman of simple faith. Her faith was anything but simple, much less simple-minded."

We all have doubts and questions, even the heroes of the faith, past and present, had doubts-–Moses, David, The Aposle Peter, the Apostle Paul, Billy Graham. Faith is not the absence of doubt or questions. Faith is trusting God even though we don’t have all the answers to our questions, and even though we stuggle with doubt from time to time.

A couple of quotes from Quinn’s article are especially noteworthy:
“Some of the biggest-hitting atheists of the last few decades, intellectual heavyweights several classes above a Richard Dawkins or Christopher Hitchens, among them AJ Ayer and Anthony Flew, came in later life to doubt aspects of their non-belief.”

Quinn concludes his article with this statement:
“Should we think more or less of Mother Teresa now that we know what we know about her inner spiritual life? Probably more. Her essential goodness is not in the least diminished by these letters…In fact, these letters should recommend her to an age that celebrates religious doubt, and actively encourages it. She is, and will remain, a saint to Catholics. But her inner doubts should now endear her more to an age plagued by doubt. If she can doubt, but still believe, it gives believers permission to have doubts, and doubters permission to have beliefs.”

We’re all a mix of doubter and believer, sinner and saint. The problem is when people fake it--believers masquerade as saints who have no doubts or sin, or skeptics who pretend like they don’t flirt with faith, privately wondering in the deepest part of their being if there might really be a God.

After the ressurection of Jesus we are told in Matthew's Gospel that "the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (Matthew 28:16-20, NIV)

Worshipper, doubter, witness, teacher, missionary--Mother Teresa was all of these, just like the first disciples, and just like many disciples of Jesus today. That fact that she struggled with her faith on occasion is no big deal, the fact that she kept the faith and lived it out is a very big deal. She touched millions of lives and will do so for generations to come.

~ Father, help me to see that the goal is not to be perfect, but to be faithful. Help me to be a consistent witness of your love and mercy. Amen.