The Changing Nature of Family Traditions

Family traditions mean a great deal to our family, especially to our youngest son. One of our favorite family traditions is Christmas. For the past several years Christmas has included my wife (Roberta) and I, my oldest son (AJ) and his wife (Eleanor), our youngest son (Mark) and his girlfriend (Bethany). On Christmas Eve we go to church, come home and have a feast of fatty finger foods and watch a Christmas movie (The Muppets’ Christmas Carol is a favorite). We often open one gift that night.

On Christmas Day we spend almost half the day opening gifts since we take turns opening them one at a time to share the enjoyment of each gift for each person. This is followed by a great breakfast prepared by my wife.

But this year was different. My oldest son and daughter-in-law had our first grandchild and moved (from California to Missouri) so that my son could finish grad school. So they were not with us but they were able to travel to Texas to spend Christmas with Eleanor’s parents.

We invited my mother-in-law (who lives in Pennsylvania) to spend the holidays with us. After being here just one day she had a serious fall and has been in the intensive care unit of the local hospital the last 12 days. She was unconscious for four days but is doing much better now and is scheduled to be moved out of intensive care this weekend.

So while some things were the same, it was not the Christmas tradition we were used to and even some of the changes did not take place as we had planned. It was still very enjoyable—just different.

And more changes are on the horizon. It is likely that by Christmas next year our youngest son and his girlfriend will be married. Our oldest son and his wife will still be in Missouri. We’re not sure what Christmas next year will look like.

John Piper writes in his book The Pleasures of God about the obstacles to completely satisfying joys in this world. One that he notes is: “that our joys here come to an end. Nothing lasts.”

In the new creation there will be unending pleasure in God. David writes in Psalm 16:11: You will make known to me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.

Great family traditions are just a taste of those “pleasures forever.” Looking forward to those unending pleasures is reason for hope even in the midst of  unplanned changes in this world.

Renewal in the Midst of Decay

Working on our family Christmas letter has reminded me that another year has passed. There were some big changes (our son and daughter-in-law moving out of the area), some great blessings (the birth of our first granddaughter), and some difficult challenges (financial issues).

As these years pass, our own personal frailty becomes an undeniable reality. Our “outer man” is undergoing the decay we inherited as sons and daughters of Adam and Eve. However, it is not a cause for despair for there is hope for renewal even in the midst of this decay.

You need an answer to the question, “How can I accept the decay (which can lead to suffering) and not lose heart but find strength to go on?” In II Corinthians 4:14-16, Paul give us three perspectives to keep in mind as we end this year and prepare to move into a new year:

• Perspective 1: Thinking rightly about yourself (vs. 14)

Paul says that you think rightly about yourself when you recognize that you can still experience renewal day by day where it really counts—in the inner man. While outwardly you are wearing out, inwardly you can experience newness of vitality, fresh strength and rejuvenated courage and joy.

Picture your life as a garden surrounded by a stone wall. The wall around the garden is in disrepair, the paint is pealing, stones are cracked, and chunks of rock are falling off. But inside, there is lushness and fragrance and beauty everywhere. One day, the builder will come again and the garden wall will be immortally restored.

• Perspective 2: Thinking rightly about your circumstances (vs. 15)

In the world you take a pounding physically, financially, relationally. Perhaps you feel that sense of being pounded right now. Paul describes these things in your life as “light and momentary troubles,” though he, himself, suffered great adversity and afflictions.

You think rightly about your circumstances when you recognize that in the Christian life there is no such thing as pointless suffering (notice the word “producing” or “achieving” in this verse). God always has a purpose. You also think rightly about your circumstances when you realize that what is coming is “far beyond all comparison” to what you are experiencing now. We have a Jesus-prepared place that will last forever.

• Perspective 3: Thinking rightly about time and eternity (vs. 16)

Paul says you need to focus on the unseen. He is not speaking about your physical eyes but about your mindset, your perspective, the way you “see” things. Your thinking needs to be centered, not on what is going wrong from your point of view, but on Christ and the promises. This is where your hope is found.

This eternal perspective is not merely a mind game. Thinking about what is eternal will drive you to be concerned about the things that concern God; his heart can become your heart. Every day you are faced with a choice where you will focus your mind—the inner person or the outer person?  Will you be driven by present trouble or by coming glory?  Will your concentration be on the temporal or the eternal?

What you think makes all the difference. Right perspective is the road to renewal in the midst of decay.

The Bitter-Sweetness of SKYPING

Today we had the opportunity to SKYPE—to see and talk with our son and daughter-in-law and to see and hear our granddaughter. Our son and daughter-in-law lived about an hour away from us until recently, which was great. They spent every Christmas with us which also was a great blessing for us (I trust it was for them too).

However, all of this changed over this past summer. My son had been planning to attend grad school for a number of years. He enrolled in the program at the University of Missouri in Kansas City to study music composition. They moved in July.

Previous to this move, on January 12 at 12:01 am, our first grandchild was born. Her name was Camille Geneva and she was also about an hour away (with our son and daughter-in-law, of course). We got to see her fairly often, especially my wife. This was another great blessing.

However, when my son and daughter-in-law moved to Kansas City they took our granddaughter with them (how could they?). Now she is a plane ride away and our visits with her so far have been limited to SKYPING.

Don’t get me wrong—we are happy that our son got the chance to go to grad school. It is encouraging to see him moving on in his life. The family seems to be fitting in nicely in Kansas City. We had hoped to be at least semi-frequent visitors but our financial situation does not allow that at the present time.

So we are limited to SKYPING. This has been a bitter-sweet practice for us. It is great to talk to our son and daughter-in-law and to actually see them while we are talking. It is great to see Camille and all the little things she is doing that she did not do before. And the kids are good about keeping us updated with pictures and videos.

But it hit me today that to Camille we are just strangers on the computer screen. As difficult as it is to admit, it is true. We would like to think that it really is something more but, when it comes to SKYPING that is the reality. That is the bitterness.

Of course, there is a much deeper tie that even the strangeness of the SKYPING situation cannot undo. Camille is part of our physical and spiritual heritage. No distance or absence can ever change that and, in a significant and spiritual way, we will always be a part of who she is. We love her with an undying love and were praying for her even before she was born. We trust that the Lord will guard her and guide her and that she will grow up living a God-glorifying life.

So, for now, we enjoy the sweetness that SKYPING brings and trust the Lord for the rest.

Educational Discipleship

As the Vice-President for Academic Affairs at a Christian college I have many opportunities to think about and to work on Christian education. In my time in this position, my definition of Christian education has been tweaked and massaged because there is always much to say and trying to narrow down the definition to something manageable can be a challenge.

Recognizing the challenge, here is my latest update: Christian education is the development of a robust Christian world and life view in the context of a soul-enriching community. Let me try to unpack that for you.

• A robust Christian world and life view: The heart of Christian higher education begins where all of life begins—the call to glorify and enjoy God. In Christian higher education we have the privilege of recognizing God’s glory, of responding to God’s glory, and of reflecting God’s glory. Since the imprint of His glory is on all that God has created (Psalm 19; Romans 1), all of creation reveals truth about Him. The statement, “All truth is God’s truth,” captures the idea that we can expect to find an intersection between the biblical worldview (Creation, Fall, Redemption, Consummation) and every arena of human endeavor. Specifically in education, the biblical world view will impact every discipline.

• In the context of a soul-enriching (community): Christian education is more than the mere communication of information. It is about whole-life transformation. Though this transformation is the work of the Holy Spirit, He often uses the means of people, institutions and circumstances to accomplish that transforming work. The goal is to see people flourish in all aspects of who they can be and to succeed in all that they are intentional about doing. They need an environment that is soul-enriching.

• (In the context of a soul-enriching) community: Christian education is education in community. Though many things can be learned individually, full-orbed education takes place in a relational environment. That community may be as small as a home-school family or as large as a university. Significant relationships of student-to-student, student-to-faculty, and student-to-staff should form the networks of that community.

If I had to give a name to this kind of Christian education I might call it “Educational Discipleship.” It is the vision of a community of faith and scholarship. Sadly, many Christian institutions of higher education began with this vision but now it is merely a distant (and sometimes disdained) memory.

My own view is that this is the kind of institution that holds a key to hope for the future of our young people, the church and our culture.

What do you think?

The Deep Things of God

You have heard them—the egg; the apple; water as solid, liquid and gas; the man who is son, husband and father. They are all illustrations to help us understand the Trinity.

While they may contribute in small ways to aid our understanding, none of them are completely accurate. This is the case because the Trinity is unique so there is nothing in the created world which is a precise and truthful representation of God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Since they are not accurate, there is an inherent danger that they may actually mislead us.

Enter The Deep Things of God: how the Trinity Changes Everything by Fred Sanders. Dr. Sanders is associate professor of theology at Biola University’s Torrey Honors Institute. I recently had the pleasure of reading this book.

There are three things about the book which make it a valuable and worthwhile read.

• Theological Insights: Firmly placing the Trinity at the center of the gospel, Sanders unfolds the doctrine of the Trinity both in its ontology (who God is in Himself, His being) and in its economy (the works of each person in the Trinity). He demonstrates how the three persons of the Trinity are interconnected in both of these areas.

• Historical Examples: Sanders supplies the reader with a multitude of examples to demonstrate the importance of the doctrine of the Trinity in the evangelical tradition. He also uses these examples to highlight and clarify the truths he is presenting. He uses both familiar examples (for example, C.S. Lewis and Francis Schaeffer) and others who may be less familiar (for example, Henry Scougal and John Flavel).

• Practical Applications: While Sanders devotes the last two chapters specifically to application in relation to Scripture and prayer, all through the book he draws out the implications and applications of the truths he is presenting. This makes the book highly practical as well as theologically insightful.

I have to admit that I have lived more intentionally conscious of God as Trinity as a result of reading the book. It may not “change everything” for you but reading it will be time well-spent.

 

Head Christians, Heart Christians and Hand Christians

I can remember hearing these three descriptions of believers over 30 years ago in the Christian circles in which I traveled.

The “Head Christians” are those believers who make theology or doctrine the totality of the Christian life. Orthodoxy, right/approved belief, is the fundamental feature of Christianity. We might call these believers the “intellectual” Christians.

The “Heart Christians” are those believers who see the experience of Jesus in a personal way as the totality of the Christian life. They are concerned about passion for Christ and cultivating an abiding love for Him. We might call these believers the “relational” Christians.

The “Hand Christians” are those believers who consider service for Jesus as the totality of the Christian life. They commit themselves to social justice and caring for the needs of the poor. We might call these believers the “practical” Christians.

The dangerous word in each of these descriptions is the word “totality.” Each takes one aspect of Christianity and “canonizes” it as the essence or core of the Christian life. I would contend that the totality of the Christian life lies in a balanced combination of all three.

The risk for the head Christian is that her Christian life can be reduced to cold rationality. This person needs to remember that the Scriptures speak often of God’s love for us and our love for God, of Jesus’ love for us and of our love for Jesus. It is a mistake to subsume the love of Christ into a doctrine without experiencing that love herself. Out of her doctrine and relationship with Christ comes the desire to serve.

The risk for the heart Christian is that his Christian life can become all emotion and affection without substance. The reality is that every Christian has a theology the only real question is whether it is a good or bad theology. Even the statement, “I don’t care about theology, I just believe in Jesus” is a highly theological one. What does the Bible mean by “believe”—affirmation of facts, heart commitment, submission of the will? The answer is a theological one. Who does the Bible say Jesus is? The answer is a theological one. The heart Christian needs to know theology because it gives direction to his personal experience of Jesus. Out of his relationship and doctrine with Christ can grow service for others.

The risk for the hand Christian is that his Christian life can become good works that are divorced from the theological substance and personal relationship which should drive those good works. This has happened in a multitude of churches which became all about service and lost doctrine and relationship. It is important for the hand Christian to be intentionally aware of the “why” behind his service and to draw strength from his doctrine and relationship in doing his good works.

While no Christian may be the extreme versions described above, I believe every Christian tends to lean in one direction or another. I lean in the direction of the head Christian. In the new heavens and new earth we will have a perfect balance. In the meantime, it is part of the glory of the grind to seek the grace of God in Christ to move us toward that balance in our daily experience.

Which of these three descriptions do you lean toward?

Cast Your Cares & Commit Your Way

The past few weeks have been difficult ones for me. There were out-of-my-comfort-zone situations and conversations. There were keep-you-up-at-night kinds of decisions. To top it off, I have come down with a case of the shingles—itching and irritating as I write this post.

Before this all started, I had been spending a lot of time thinking about two verses: Cast all your care upon him, for he cares for you (I Peter 5:7) and Commit your way to the Lord; Trust also in him and he will do it (Psalm 37:5).

Since I had been thinking about them, it was almost as if the Lord said: These are not just nice words—let’s see if you really believe them. So I went into the Lord’s school of casting and committing.

I Peter 5:7 is a sustaining verse. It reminds me that I never have to face situations alone. Jesus shares the burden of my cares so that I am not overwhelmed and he does it with my best in mind because he cares for me.

As I walked into those situations, conversations and decisions, I was conscious of my own anxiety and unease. Though there was anxiety and unease, I was also aware that Jesus was with me by his Spirit and he brought to mind the promise of his Word. So I entered into these things with his assurances.

Casting my care upon him does not remove the care from me. Instead, Jesus becomes a caring and sharing partner who sustains and supports me through the adversity.

Psalm 37:5 is a directing verse. It reminds me that there are a lot of things which lie outside of my control but it also assures me that they are all under the Lord’s control. I can plan a way to go but I need to commit it to him so that I am going his way. Often his way is not my planned way.

I had plans for next week but this case of shingles has brought about a change to those plans. So I need to commit both this present time of recuperation and the changes that will result next week because I needed this recuperation time. I have to commit my way to him, trusting that he will do what he has planned.

How about you? Are there cares you need to cast upon the Lord? Are there ways that need to be committed to him recognizing they may be changed?

As you answer these questions remember the promises of grace in the second part of each verse: he cares for you; trust also in him and he will do it.

It’s all about him.

The DMV and the Redeemed Multitude

One of the places in the world where time seemingly stands still is at the DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles—notorious here in southern California). It has the same feeling as Bill Murray’s movie Groundhog Day except instead of living the same day over and over again, you are living the same hour over and over again.

I had to go the DMV this week to renew my license. When I arrived I found that they now have outside lines (those with appointments, like me, and those without). This kept everyone from flooding inside where hundreds of people crowd each other and jostle for position. Even so, the number of people inside was incredible. Every seat was taken and many other people were standing.

It was a little disheartening to find out that a whole group of people had an appointment the same time as I did. While the woman processing the paperwork and the security guard fought about what time it was, I waited in another line.

As I stood in line I watched the people in the DMV. I saw people of all colors, of all sizes and shapes, and of all ages. Some dressed impeccably (probably hoping to make it to work) and others dressed far less impeccably. Some were openly obnoxious and complained about the wait while others were surprisingly pleasant and patient.

All of these people reminded me of an unredeemed multitude but it also put me in mind of the redeemed multitude of Revelation 7:9-10. The redeemed multitude was from every nation, tribe, people and tongue, many of them represented at the DMV. The redeemed multitude was all clothed in white robes—impeccability did not play a part. The redeemed multitude cried out with loud voices, not to obnoxiously complain, but to praise God with these words: “Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”

I wondered how many of those at the DMV would also be at that gathering before the throne of God.

Perhaps the most unanticipated part of the day was that once I was in the line that was inside the DMV, it did not take me very long at all to complete what had to be done. That was glory in the grind!

However, what sticks with me is the multitude. We can rejoice as those who one day will be a part of that great, heavenly multitude. Then there will no longer be the glory of the grind—there will only be glory!

The Kingdom of God on Monday Morning: Part II

Part I of The Kingdom of God on Monday Morning highlighted two principles from Daniel 1 to help you as you seek to live out a kingdom perspective each weekday: Recognize who is in control (vs. 1-2); Pursue excellence (vs. 3-7, 17). Today I want to look with you at the remaining three principles.

Principle #3: Expect Frustrations (vs. 8-13)

Everything does not go smoothly for Daniel and his friends. They are in a place where they could have been frustrated by their situation—in order to eat they have to defile themselves. They are not willing to do that; for them to do so would be to sin against the Lord. But they respond in a God-honoring way, and God honored them in their situation.

Because you work in a fallen world, there will always be aspects of your job that will be frustrating. No matter how much you love and enjoy your job, times of futility are characteristic of work in a fallen world.

The kingdom of God is present on Monday mornings because on Monday mornings you can respond in God-honoring ways to frustrating situations. Remind yourself of it daily. Preach it to yourself relentlessly until it becomes part of your daily perspective.

Principle #4: Fulfill Your Vocation (vs. 18-19)

Daniel and his friends spent three years in this secular training that they were required to undergo (vs. 5). At the end of that time they were presented to the king for service—you might say they had a vocation to fulfill.

The purpose of your vocation is to love and serve your neighbor—a fulfillment of the second greatest commandment. It grows out of the fact that God has created you for community and the living out of that community brings a dependence on one another. Meeting the needs of others is the way you live out the kingdom purpose for your vocation. Virtually every vocation either provides a service or produces a product and some vocations do both. Living out your vocation meets the need of others.

The kingdom of God is present on Monday mornings because on Monday mornings you are fulfilling the calling of God through your vocation. Remind yourself of it daily. Preach it to yourself relentlessly until it becomes part of your daily perspective.

Principle #5: Honor Your Superiors (vs. 20-21)

Notice that Daniel and his friends don’t object to the idea of serving this pagan king or in giving him advice which causes him to prosper. The text says that they were ten times better than any of the other advisers of the king. The superiority of the wisdom of the Israelite young men was not a matter of degree it was a matter of kind—it was true wisdom which comes from the true God.

Perhaps you are in a vocation in which you serve under or work for unbelieving employers. The example of Daniel and his friends demonstrates that your attitude toward them is that you need to do your job in a way which causes them to prosper.

The kingdom of God is present on Monday mornings because on Monday mornings you are honoring the King of that kingdom by honoring your superiors; you are honoring those the King has placed over you. Remind yourself of it daily. Preach it to yourself relentlessly until it becomes part of your daily perspective.

At its heart, the kingdom of God is a lifestyle, a way of living that is centered in Christ and in the truths of his Word regardless of the circumstances, and this includes your job on Monday mornings. It is recognizing that the gospel empowers and motivates you to think with a kingdom mentality and to live with a kingdom purpose. Everyday you need to be reminded of the gospel—that you are a great sinner and Jesus is a great Savior. He is the one who will make the kingdom of God a reality on Monday mornings.

The Kingdom of God on Monday Morning: Part I

How many of you have been in your present job/position for five years or less? Five to 10 years? More than 10 years? How many of your have had 5 or more different positions in your working life?

The US Dept. of Labor conducted a study a few years ago where they found that college graduates will have had 4-5 jobs by the age of 34. Assuming a person graduates at 22, that is 12 years—they stayed an average of 3 years or less at each job.

Not solely, but to a large degree, satisfaction in your job is a matter of perspective—believing you are called by God to be where you are and that it is the best for you. But it can be challenging to have God’s kingdom perspective when your job is difficult, boring or you are feeling burned out.

It is easy for me to think about the kingdom of God on Sunday mornings in the midst of worship, preaching and fellowship. But what does the kingdom of God look like on Monday mornings at work? How do you live as a kingdom person in the context of your everyday secular world?

Daniel can give you help. The theme of the book of Daniel is: In spite of present appearances, God is in control. Daniel 1 illustrates how you as a kingdom person can live out the reality of that kingdom in your daily life situations.

Daniel 1 gives you five principles to carry into your work situation week after week. In this post we will look at principles one and two.

Principle #1: Recognize who is in control (1-2)

Notice that the narrator here rips away the curtain and informs us of the reality behind the appearances. He does this with a simple statement, “the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand.” As considerable as the forces of Nebuchadnezzar were, they were not the reason why Jerusalem fell or the people were taken into captivity. The Lord was not mysteriously absent but actively working to deliver his people over to their enemies in order to accomplish his purposes

This active Lord who accomplishes his purposes is the one you need as the foundation of your world. As you drag yourself out of bed on Monday morning; as you work toward deadlines and face frustrations; as other people or co-workers aggravate and irritate; the one sure truth is this: God is in control. Just as the defeat and captivity were the occasions the Lord was using to accomplish his purposes for Daniel and his friends, the circumstances at your place of work are the occasions the Lord is using to accomplish his purposes in your life.

Principle #2: Pursue Excellence (3-7, 17)

Daniel and his friends were seized from their homeland and taken into exile. They were chosen because they were from the nobility of and were being trained to serve in the palace, to be leaders of the Babylonian propaganda machine.

Their training program consisted of learning the literature and language of the Babylonians—secular/cultural training. They not only learned it but they were outstanding in that learning (see verse 17).

The kingdom of God is present on Monday mornings because on Monday mornings your work is ultimately for the Lord and not for men. Therefore it needs to be done excellently. Remind yourself of it daily. Preach it to yourself relentlessly until it becomes part of your daily perspective.