"A hero," Bob Dylan noted, "is someone who understands the responsibility that comes with freedom," to which I say "amen." Like cheap grace, freedom without responsibility is a sham. It is a wolf of self-indulgence dressed up in a sheep's clothes because real freedom is always bigger than self. It must be. Otherwise we would not be free!
Freedom is costly. It always has been, whether we're measuring its cost in terms of lives, dollars, or brokenness. I admire our veterans more with each passing day, and, in one sense of the word, we can measure the cost of freedom by counting our dead, which total 645,965 since our War for Independence. 2/3 of a million people have died to preserve our way of life, or to give other people the gift of freedom too. Some of these men and women were gung-ho, some were reluctant warriors, some were doing what they had to do... but each of them died for a cause greater than themselves. Some of them had great faith, some of them struggled with faith, and some of them didn't think much about it... but they all believed that dying is not the worst thing that can happen to a people or to a man. We've buried a lot of heroes, but the cost of freedom doesn't end there. Millions of children have grown up without a dad, or with dads who were never quite the same. My father fought in WWII. He flew a transport plane to the battle lines. He brought needed supplies and troops to the front... and he carried men back to England. He saw things that men aren't supposed to see. He helped liberate those enslaved in concentration camps, and he lost a Co-Pilot, named Kenny. He was not technically wounded, but he left part of his soul in Europe... and he seldom talked about the war for the rest of his life. He, and millions like him, lost their innocence completely.
Praise God for every hero who knew that real freedom is costly! Decorate their graves, give them honor flights, embrace their journeys, and if you can't understand their stories, at least understand that they have a story. Freedom is never free, but war is not its greatest cost, and certainly not its greatest threat. What threatens our freedom more gravely, it seems to me... is our own self-indulgent immaturity. If freedom is seen as a license to sin- if it's little more than permission to feed our own fancies and desires- if it means that we can all "eat. drink, and be merry," Rome will surely burn because freedom demands responsibility! We are never free FROM responsibility. We are only free TO serve, and freedom will not endure without honor, service, and sacrifice. It cannot endure in a self-centered and childish form because honor, service, and sacrifice are the responsibilities of free people. Teens and immature adults see freedom as a license to live irresponsibly and irreverently... but these are the very behaviors that undermine freedom... because our greatest jailer is SELF. Yes, this is the truth of it. We are enslaved by our own desires, fears, resentments, expectations, and pain, and these demons, more than any outside dictator, will be the death of us... or at least of our freedom.
Doing what we want, whenever we want, is not freedom because we are chained to "self." Not recognizing this is one of the reasons many never get free. The other reason is that many people think that the spiritual axiom- we're only free when we're free in Christ- is an oxymoron! They don't get it. They can't understand how they can get free by surrendering... but it's a great and undeniable truth. If you want to be free from the Omnipotent Baby you can "self," if you're still running from shadows, if you're tired of wearing different masks, if you're still afraid that no one would love you if they knew you, if you're in the hands of a demon named "ism," give it up now! Turn to God. Quit harboring the illusion that you will be free if you just run fast enough. If you want to be free from "self," come to Jesus, who said, "If you are weary and heavy laden, come to me... and I will give you rest"... for "My yoke is easy and my burden is light."
Buying more things will only weigh you down. Committing more sins will only add to your burden. Turn to Jesus. After all, as he bled and died, he understood that freedom is the costliest thing on earth... and in heaven! Amen.
PK IN SWEDEN
Wednesday, June 24, 2015
Wednesday, June 17, 2015
GOLIATH AIN'T SO BIG
3000 years ago, a day came when one man represented Israel's dreaded enemy, the Philistines. Claiming their land of milk and honey had never been easy. It always required courage and faith, but the sea-faring people called the "Philistines," the ones who ruled the plains, had been particularly difficult. Now they were moving into the hill country, and their two armies were at a standoff. Neither one could attack the other without being vulnerable. So, in the tradition of the day, the Philistines sent out one warrior to represent the whole lot of them. He was a giant of a man named, "Goliath," and he taunted the Israelites to send a man with whom he could combat- one whom he would kill and feed to the birds. Day after day, Goliath shouted insults, and day after day, the Israelites cowered in fear. And then, as if he was answering God's call, David raised his hand and called out, "Here I am, send me." It was a nice offer, but a foolish one, Saul was sure of that. You're not big enough, he told David. Not strong enough. Not experienced enough... but if you insist, put on the armor of battle. Like Goliath, Saul was thinking "in the box." He was thinking of a hand-to-hand, sword-to-sword, mano-e-mano confrontation between two armored men, but David knew his own strengths. He knew that the Lord had prepared him for this moment... and that he had been blessed with the skill of a "slinger." As Malcolm Gladwell notes, armies in those days consisted of calvary, heavy infantry, and artillery, which included "slingers"... who had mastered the art of slinging rocks and other projectiles with enough accuracy and force to kill both prey and enemy. Historical records show that slingers were capable of hitting targets at 200 yards and that they could kill birds in flight. Thus, in Gladwell's view, David was NOT an underdog, but instead, the right man for the job. God had blessed him, no doubt, but not with a lucky shot. Instead, God had blessed him with the talent to win the day. David was a world-class "slinger," a skill that he had honed over years of use and practice as a shepherd... and Goliath was a dead man... the moment David picked his stones up from the ground... and began to approach him. David knew that he could sling a stone at a frightening speed... and hit this tall Philistine right between the eyes. Goliath never had a chance... because God had equipped David for victory. According to Gladwell, this old story of David and Goliath is not a story of a puny kid who got in a lucky shot, but rather, a story of a skilled warrior who could see that Goliath wasn't so big. He was just tall... that's all.
Do you know the song, "Big Boss Man"? Elvis covered it, and in part, the lyrics go like this: " Big boss man, can't you hear me when I call? Well, you ain't so big... you're just tall... that's all." You're just tall, that's all! The enormous mountain that seems impossible to climb... ain't so big. It's just tall. The heartache that you live with- the one that you've come to believe will be with you forever- ain't so big. It may be tall, but it's not as big as God. There's a woman in our community whose mother told her that she would never be able to live alone. She told her that it was an impossible idea- crazy- but she has lived alone for nearly 30 years. And she's still going strong. It hasn't been easy, and the walks to the grocery store have become longer and steeper... but with a little help from her friends... and the stick-to-itiveness that God blessed her with... she has done fine. The challenge, it turned out, was tall... but it wasn't all that big. I remember a young couple in Joliet. They were gentle people- each of them- and they doted on their two beautiful kids. But on an otherwise ordinary day, one of the kids darted into traffic... and was killed... and the hill before them seemed unclimbable.. but they clung to a God who was much bigger than the hill... and they kept their feet moving, believing that nothing is impossible for God.
Long before David, an aging man named Abram was called to a life of obedience. He was living in ancient Iraq- in the only culture he had ever known- when God called him to pack up and move to a place that he would be shown. And he went. He faltered a time or two, but he kept the faith, believing that the problems he encountered weren't so big. When the people of God reached the Jordan River the first time, Moses sent 12 spies into the promised land to see if it really was flowing with milk and honey... and it was. But 10 of the spies reported that the land would be impossible to conquer because it was filled with walled cities and giants. They were terrified of the giants, they noted, because they looked like grasshoppers to them... and even to themselves. The problems are giants and we are grasshoppers. Isn't this the image that paralyzes God's people? Isn't this the perspective that undermines the good we are capable of doing? Nelson Mandela once noted that our biggest failing as Christians is not over-reaching, but rather, "playing small," and I would agree. We need an attitude adjustment. We need eyes of faith... to see that our giants "ain't so big." They're just tall, that's all! Jesus fed 5000 men with a couple of fish and a little bread... because nothing is too hard for God. Jesus sent the 12 out, to minister and evangelize, and he told them to travel by faith alone- without a laptop, or a smartphone, or a GPS, or a credit card- because God will provide!
We have people in our community who are walking through valleys. It's dark and rainy along their path... and every obstacle seems impossibly big! One or two are lost- they don't know which was to turn. One or two are wrestling with addictions, trying to get themselves free. One of two are broken because they've been cheated on. One or two don't know how they'll pay next month's rent. One or two are in toxic relationships. One or two are full-time caregivers and they're afraid of how bad the worse in "for better or worse" might be, and one or two or more are sure that no one would love them if they really knew them. The terrain around us is filled with swamps and mountains. There are shadows all everywhere... and we're temped to feel like grasshoppers. We're tempted to play small and stay out of harm's way. We're tempted to overestimate our foes and to undervalue ourselves. We're tempted to see things in black and white, but King David cries out, "Goliath ain't so big. He just tall... that's all!"
Do you know the song, "Big Boss Man"? Elvis covered it, and in part, the lyrics go like this: " Big boss man, can't you hear me when I call? Well, you ain't so big... you're just tall... that's all." You're just tall, that's all! The enormous mountain that seems impossible to climb... ain't so big. It's just tall. The heartache that you live with- the one that you've come to believe will be with you forever- ain't so big. It may be tall, but it's not as big as God. There's a woman in our community whose mother told her that she would never be able to live alone. She told her that it was an impossible idea- crazy- but she has lived alone for nearly 30 years. And she's still going strong. It hasn't been easy, and the walks to the grocery store have become longer and steeper... but with a little help from her friends... and the stick-to-itiveness that God blessed her with... she has done fine. The challenge, it turned out, was tall... but it wasn't all that big. I remember a young couple in Joliet. They were gentle people- each of them- and they doted on their two beautiful kids. But on an otherwise ordinary day, one of the kids darted into traffic... and was killed... and the hill before them seemed unclimbable.. but they clung to a God who was much bigger than the hill... and they kept their feet moving, believing that nothing is impossible for God.
Long before David, an aging man named Abram was called to a life of obedience. He was living in ancient Iraq- in the only culture he had ever known- when God called him to pack up and move to a place that he would be shown. And he went. He faltered a time or two, but he kept the faith, believing that the problems he encountered weren't so big. When the people of God reached the Jordan River the first time, Moses sent 12 spies into the promised land to see if it really was flowing with milk and honey... and it was. But 10 of the spies reported that the land would be impossible to conquer because it was filled with walled cities and giants. They were terrified of the giants, they noted, because they looked like grasshoppers to them... and even to themselves. The problems are giants and we are grasshoppers. Isn't this the image that paralyzes God's people? Isn't this the perspective that undermines the good we are capable of doing? Nelson Mandela once noted that our biggest failing as Christians is not over-reaching, but rather, "playing small," and I would agree. We need an attitude adjustment. We need eyes of faith... to see that our giants "ain't so big." They're just tall, that's all! Jesus fed 5000 men with a couple of fish and a little bread... because nothing is too hard for God. Jesus sent the 12 out, to minister and evangelize, and he told them to travel by faith alone- without a laptop, or a smartphone, or a GPS, or a credit card- because God will provide!
We have people in our community who are walking through valleys. It's dark and rainy along their path... and every obstacle seems impossibly big! One or two are lost- they don't know which was to turn. One or two are wrestling with addictions, trying to get themselves free. One of two are broken because they've been cheated on. One or two don't know how they'll pay next month's rent. One or two are in toxic relationships. One or two are full-time caregivers and they're afraid of how bad the worse in "for better or worse" might be, and one or two or more are sure that no one would love them if they really knew them. The terrain around us is filled with swamps and mountains. There are shadows all everywhere... and we're temped to feel like grasshoppers. We're tempted to play small and stay out of harm's way. We're tempted to overestimate our foes and to undervalue ourselves. We're tempted to see things in black and white, but King David cries out, "Goliath ain't so big. He just tall... that's all!"
Tuesday, June 9, 2015
CONFESSIONS OF A "MAN-SPREADER"
"Man spreading" is illegal in New York. Not everywhere. I'm sure that a man is free to "man spread" at home, but it's not okay in public because it takes up space. The issue cropped up on the subway system when female riders noticed that men were "man spreading" while they themselves were standing... and hanging on for dear life.
"Man spreading" occurs when men sit down and spread their legs wide, which means that their knees violate the space on either side- space that could be used as a seat by someone else. In a phrase, "man spreading" is self-indulgent and inconsiderate and it's been going on too long. A few days ago, my wife asked me why men did such a thing, suggested that it may be a power-play or some sort of sexual aggression. But I told her that "man spreading" is just what we do. It's what we've always done, and it doesn't have a dark, sinister motive. When we were boys, we spread our legs at school, at the game, at the supper table, and while we watched TV. "Man spreading" is just part of us. Men are certainly capable of power-plays and sexually aggressive gestures, but in my view, "man spreading" is nothing more than a habit... that became an addiction... and besides, it's the manly thing to do. In his TV series, Matt Dillon had a bold "man spread" as he prepared to draw his gun. Maybe you remember the opening to "Gunsmoke." From time to time, I've seen men who crossed their legs, or kept them close together, but while polite and space-efficient, it simply wasn't the manly thing to do.
But I digress. I want to confess, rather than defend, "man spreading," and so I will. I am sorry- really sorry- for all of the times when I have engaged in "man spreading." I know that ignorance is no excuse, but I just didn't realize that I was depriving someone else of a seat. I didn't see that "man-spreading" violated another person's right to sit down, and now I feel like I've spent my whole life parking in a space reserved for "handicapped" people. Last night, as I was laying in bed, it struck me that my legs were spread too wide. So, hoping that my wife didn't notice, I brought my knees closer together... and I slept like a baby!
"Man spreading" occurs when men sit down and spread their legs wide, which means that their knees violate the space on either side- space that could be used as a seat by someone else. In a phrase, "man spreading" is self-indulgent and inconsiderate and it's been going on too long. A few days ago, my wife asked me why men did such a thing, suggested that it may be a power-play or some sort of sexual aggression. But I told her that "man spreading" is just what we do. It's what we've always done, and it doesn't have a dark, sinister motive. When we were boys, we spread our legs at school, at the game, at the supper table, and while we watched TV. "Man spreading" is just part of us. Men are certainly capable of power-plays and sexually aggressive gestures, but in my view, "man spreading" is nothing more than a habit... that became an addiction... and besides, it's the manly thing to do. In his TV series, Matt Dillon had a bold "man spread" as he prepared to draw his gun. Maybe you remember the opening to "Gunsmoke." From time to time, I've seen men who crossed their legs, or kept them close together, but while polite and space-efficient, it simply wasn't the manly thing to do.
But I digress. I want to confess, rather than defend, "man spreading," and so I will. I am sorry- really sorry- for all of the times when I have engaged in "man spreading." I know that ignorance is no excuse, but I just didn't realize that I was depriving someone else of a seat. I didn't see that "man-spreading" violated another person's right to sit down, and now I feel like I've spent my whole life parking in a space reserved for "handicapped" people. Last night, as I was laying in bed, it struck me that my legs were spread too wide. So, hoping that my wife didn't notice, I brought my knees closer together... and I slept like a baby!
Saturday, June 6, 2015
THE SILLY THINGS JESUS SAID
Jesus said, "Happy are those who are hopeless...," (Mt. 5:3) but everyone knows that hope is essential for happiness. Jesus said, "Happy are those who grieve," (Mt. 5:4) but I've seen 100's of people grieve,,, and they were not happy! Jesus said, "If people slap you on the right cheek, you must turn the left cheek to them as well," (Mt. 5:39)... but everyone knows that we must stand up for ourselves. That's what self-help books and civil courts are all about. Jesus said, (Mt. 5:44) "You must love your enemies... because God makes the sun rise on both the evil and the good," but we find it difficult enough to love our friends, and maybe even our spouse. Jesus said, (Mt 6:19) "Stop collecting treasures for your own benefit on earth," and (6:23) "Don't worry about your life, about what you eat, or drink, or wear" because you are in God's hands." But whenever I bring this up at a Bible study, people say, "Yeah. Right. Whatever." Jesus said, (Mt 10:18), "Don't be afraid of those who can only kill the body," because they cannot kill your soul... but isn't it the very people who can kill the body who terrorize us? Jesus said, (10:32) "If you acknowledge me before people, I will acknowledge you before my Father," but we have convinced ourselves that faith is a private matter. When the rich man (Mt 19:21) told Jesus that he had always obeyed the law, Jesus said, "Go and sell everything you have and give the money to the poor." But the rich man was saddened because he had many possessions, and when we read or hear this passage, don't we feel threatened... because the rich man is us?
Jesus said (Mk 12:43) that a widow who gives a little out of her need... gives far more than anyone who gives generously out of his or her surplus... but giving spare change is all any of us ever really do. When Jesus (Luke 9:1) sent the twelve out to spread the gospel, he said, "Take nothing- no walking stick, no bag, no bread, no money..." Take nothing at all, except your faith in God... but I've never know a Christian who took this seriously. There was a farmer, Jesus said, (Luke 12) who had such a big crop that he had no place to store the surplus... so he decided to build a bigger barn to secure his future for years to come... but God called the man "a fool," saying "tonight you will die." All the man did was try to tuck away a nest egg and God called him a "fool." Doesn't that scare you to death? Jesus said (Luke 14) a certain man threw a great banquet and sent invitations to those whom he wanted to attend, but one of them said, "O gosh, I'd like to, but I just bought some property," and another said, "I'd love to, but I just purchased 5 teams of oxen," and yet another demurred, "I just got married- otherwise I would come." Good reasons, we would think. Better than some of the excuses we use. But God was angry because there is no excuse that's good enough to put him in second place! The high priest, Caiaphas (John 11) claimed it was wise to put one man to death for the many, but Jesus said it was righteous to leave the 99 in search of the 1. From a worldly and mathematical point of view, wouldn't we have to agree with Caiaphas?
I could go on of course because Jesus said a lot of outlandish things. Maybe he winked in real life when he said God would give us whatever we asked for. Maybe he made quotation marks with his fingers when he said that the last would be first. Maybe he was just trying to get a reaction with his story about the workers starting at 5pm getting the same pay as those who started at 6am. I don't know, but I do know that the religious and civil authorities didn't buy it. To them, he was either a radical or a fool- a man who was exciting the desperate people of the land and becoming a threat to all of them. He forgave sin. He said that the Sabbath was made for man. He dined with sinners and talked with people whom you wouldn't want me to hang out with. He came from a backwater village and he wouldn't even be welcome in many of our churches. So, it's no wonder that the religious leaders decided that he was possessed by the devil. Which brings me to our passage- Mark 3:20ff.
As Jesus' popularity grew, there were many who decided that he was out-of-his-mind, beside himself, demon-possessed, and they gathered around him as he taught in a house. There were so many men in the room that Jesus and his followers couldn't even eat... and when Jesus' mother heard about it, she became fearful because the situation could've turned ugly at any second. Jesus was inside, defending himself from the charge that he was in league with the Devil, when Mary and his brothers and sisters arrived. They couldn't get inside the house, so they called from the street. "Jesus, let's go home." The word got to Jesus, and he could have obeyed. But instead, he replied with yet another bold statement, indicating that his real family are those who do God's will. His real family are those who trust and obey his words, and what is more, this new family in God took precedent over his earthly family! He loved his family... but he was called to serve his family of faith.. and he expects us to have the same priority-to put Him first. (period)
Putting God first, ahead of not only bad things, but even good things... is an important message. But what I can't understand is how we can encounter Jesus without a) calling him "Beelzebub;" b) laughing out loud, or c) falling on our knees and crying, "My Lord and My God." I think that C.S. Lewis was right- Jesus is either a madman or the Son of God. He demands dismissal or discipleship. He insists on a yes or a no, and refusing to make this decision- pretending that Jesus really doesn't expect us to be fools for him- may be our greatest sin. Amen,
Jesus said (Mk 12:43) that a widow who gives a little out of her need... gives far more than anyone who gives generously out of his or her surplus... but giving spare change is all any of us ever really do. When Jesus (Luke 9:1) sent the twelve out to spread the gospel, he said, "Take nothing- no walking stick, no bag, no bread, no money..." Take nothing at all, except your faith in God... but I've never know a Christian who took this seriously. There was a farmer, Jesus said, (Luke 12) who had such a big crop that he had no place to store the surplus... so he decided to build a bigger barn to secure his future for years to come... but God called the man "a fool," saying "tonight you will die." All the man did was try to tuck away a nest egg and God called him a "fool." Doesn't that scare you to death? Jesus said (Luke 14) a certain man threw a great banquet and sent invitations to those whom he wanted to attend, but one of them said, "O gosh, I'd like to, but I just bought some property," and another said, "I'd love to, but I just purchased 5 teams of oxen," and yet another demurred, "I just got married- otherwise I would come." Good reasons, we would think. Better than some of the excuses we use. But God was angry because there is no excuse that's good enough to put him in second place! The high priest, Caiaphas (John 11) claimed it was wise to put one man to death for the many, but Jesus said it was righteous to leave the 99 in search of the 1. From a worldly and mathematical point of view, wouldn't we have to agree with Caiaphas?
I could go on of course because Jesus said a lot of outlandish things. Maybe he winked in real life when he said God would give us whatever we asked for. Maybe he made quotation marks with his fingers when he said that the last would be first. Maybe he was just trying to get a reaction with his story about the workers starting at 5pm getting the same pay as those who started at 6am. I don't know, but I do know that the religious and civil authorities didn't buy it. To them, he was either a radical or a fool- a man who was exciting the desperate people of the land and becoming a threat to all of them. He forgave sin. He said that the Sabbath was made for man. He dined with sinners and talked with people whom you wouldn't want me to hang out with. He came from a backwater village and he wouldn't even be welcome in many of our churches. So, it's no wonder that the religious leaders decided that he was possessed by the devil. Which brings me to our passage- Mark 3:20ff.
As Jesus' popularity grew, there were many who decided that he was out-of-his-mind, beside himself, demon-possessed, and they gathered around him as he taught in a house. There were so many men in the room that Jesus and his followers couldn't even eat... and when Jesus' mother heard about it, she became fearful because the situation could've turned ugly at any second. Jesus was inside, defending himself from the charge that he was in league with the Devil, when Mary and his brothers and sisters arrived. They couldn't get inside the house, so they called from the street. "Jesus, let's go home." The word got to Jesus, and he could have obeyed. But instead, he replied with yet another bold statement, indicating that his real family are those who do God's will. His real family are those who trust and obey his words, and what is more, this new family in God took precedent over his earthly family! He loved his family... but he was called to serve his family of faith.. and he expects us to have the same priority-to put Him first. (period)
Putting God first, ahead of not only bad things, but even good things... is an important message. But what I can't understand is how we can encounter Jesus without a) calling him "Beelzebub;" b) laughing out loud, or c) falling on our knees and crying, "My Lord and My God." I think that C.S. Lewis was right- Jesus is either a madman or the Son of God. He demands dismissal or discipleship. He insists on a yes or a no, and refusing to make this decision- pretending that Jesus really doesn't expect us to be fools for him- may be our greatest sin. Amen,
Tuesday, June 2, 2015
THE TOP 10 WAYS IN WHICH GOD IS CALLING US TODAY
In the year that King Uzziah died, Isaiah saw the Lord in the temple, and when God asked, "Whom shall I send?" Isaiah raised his hand and cried, "Here I am, Lord, send me!" God called Ezekiel when he was in exile, and God called to Moses as he inspected a burning bush. I could go on, of course, because the Bible is filled with stories of men and women who were called by God to do things both great and ordinary. They are great stories... but God is still calling us to do things both great and ordinary. I believe that there are legions of sincere people who would answer God's call... IF they heard it, and I believe that there are many people who would raise their hand and say, "Send me, Lord," if they recognized God's voice. So... with that in mind, I would like to offer my version of the TOP 10 WAYS IN WHICH GOD CALLS US TODAY.
10) IN VISIONS. In days of old, God often called people in visions, but they're number 10 on my list because we no longer trust them. We are suspicious of things that can't be measured or explained. We have given our hearts to science, and I doubt if many of us are given to visions. However... people still have visions. They envision a better world, a world with more justice, a world with more opportunity, and some of these people spend their lives serving their vision;
9) IN DREAMS. Dreams were often used by God to call his people in both the Old and New Testaments, but like visions, they are out of vogue in our time. In the ancient world, dreams gave a glimpse into the future or they interpreted the present, but in our time, if they're given any weight at all, they are thought of as signs of past abuses, unprocessed fears, or personality disorders. Thus, while God still speaks through dreams, we are no longer likely to listen very well;
8) THROUGH PERSISTENT EMPTINESS. Before I embraced God's call in my life, I had a persistent sense of emptiness. Raises, promotions, job changes- I experienced each of them... more than once. I also tried to fulfill myself in other ways... but I had a persistent "is-this-all-there-is" feeling, and I would still have that feeling if I wasn't doing what God wanted me to be doing. God may be speaking to you through your own emptiness;
7) THROUGH THE ISSUES OF OUR TIME. We are all lodged in a specific time and place, and therefore, God often calls us through the issues of our own time. In 1855, that issue might have been slavery; in 1925, that issue might have been women's suffrage. Today, God might be calling you to get involved in issues like income equality, urban violence, and family values- to name a few.
6) THROUGH THE TALENTS WE POSSESS. I've heard it said that you can't teach a pig to sing because it doesn't work and it annoys the pig. Well, although God can do anything, God often elects to call us through the talents he has already given us... which explains why I've never been called to sing... or to be a basketball player. I don't have the talents required for these things, and I shouldn't put God to the test by insisting that I do. If people often tell you that you have the talents to a good- let's say, teacher or greeter, they may be speaking for God;
5) THROUGH A NAGGING DESIRE. Let's be clear: most of our desires are not from God- even the things and experiences we think we must have. However, if you can't shake a desire to do something that a) fulfills you, and b) meets one of the world's needs, your nagging desire may be God on the line. T.S. Eliot called God the "hound of heaven" because God just wouldn't let him rest;
4) THROUGH OUR LIFE EXPERIENCES. When my wife, Sherry, was in the hospital recently, one of her nurses was a man named John... who had been a combat marine in Iraq. John was shot in the stomach on the battlefield and badly injured, and because a couple of nurses gave him great care, he decided to become a nurse himself... because he found his calling in his own experience.
3) THROUGH YOUR TEARS. Since God's calls always engage the heart, you can often "hear" his voice in your tears and your passions. What makes you cry? When you read the news, or ponder life, what stirs your emotions? Quite frequently, your call is wrapped in a broken heart .
2) IN PRAYER. Prayer is essentially "God-talk," but I'm actually talking about LISTENING. If you don't listen, you will not hear a word, but if you do listen... to the sound of silence, to the thoughts that cross your mind when you're centered in prayer, or sometimes just to your own words... God will answer. If you approach God sincerely and let go of your own agenda, God will talk to you;
1) The number 1 way in which God calls us is through His word in Scripture! There is no doubt about it. If you read the Bible, God's word will speak to you. Indeed, virtually every page of the Bible includes a discovery, an encounter, direction for life, maybe a challenge, and/or affirmation! God voice is most clearly heard in Scripture... so open your Bibles! Attend a class, join a small group, buy a devotional, come to church. Invest in God's word and it will change your life!
10) IN VISIONS. In days of old, God often called people in visions, but they're number 10 on my list because we no longer trust them. We are suspicious of things that can't be measured or explained. We have given our hearts to science, and I doubt if many of us are given to visions. However... people still have visions. They envision a better world, a world with more justice, a world with more opportunity, and some of these people spend their lives serving their vision;
9) IN DREAMS. Dreams were often used by God to call his people in both the Old and New Testaments, but like visions, they are out of vogue in our time. In the ancient world, dreams gave a glimpse into the future or they interpreted the present, but in our time, if they're given any weight at all, they are thought of as signs of past abuses, unprocessed fears, or personality disorders. Thus, while God still speaks through dreams, we are no longer likely to listen very well;
8) THROUGH PERSISTENT EMPTINESS. Before I embraced God's call in my life, I had a persistent sense of emptiness. Raises, promotions, job changes- I experienced each of them... more than once. I also tried to fulfill myself in other ways... but I had a persistent "is-this-all-there-is" feeling, and I would still have that feeling if I wasn't doing what God wanted me to be doing. God may be speaking to you through your own emptiness;
7) THROUGH THE ISSUES OF OUR TIME. We are all lodged in a specific time and place, and therefore, God often calls us through the issues of our own time. In 1855, that issue might have been slavery; in 1925, that issue might have been women's suffrage. Today, God might be calling you to get involved in issues like income equality, urban violence, and family values- to name a few.
6) THROUGH THE TALENTS WE POSSESS. I've heard it said that you can't teach a pig to sing because it doesn't work and it annoys the pig. Well, although God can do anything, God often elects to call us through the talents he has already given us... which explains why I've never been called to sing... or to be a basketball player. I don't have the talents required for these things, and I shouldn't put God to the test by insisting that I do. If people often tell you that you have the talents to a good- let's say, teacher or greeter, they may be speaking for God;
5) THROUGH A NAGGING DESIRE. Let's be clear: most of our desires are not from God- even the things and experiences we think we must have. However, if you can't shake a desire to do something that a) fulfills you, and b) meets one of the world's needs, your nagging desire may be God on the line. T.S. Eliot called God the "hound of heaven" because God just wouldn't let him rest;
4) THROUGH OUR LIFE EXPERIENCES. When my wife, Sherry, was in the hospital recently, one of her nurses was a man named John... who had been a combat marine in Iraq. John was shot in the stomach on the battlefield and badly injured, and because a couple of nurses gave him great care, he decided to become a nurse himself... because he found his calling in his own experience.
3) THROUGH YOUR TEARS. Since God's calls always engage the heart, you can often "hear" his voice in your tears and your passions. What makes you cry? When you read the news, or ponder life, what stirs your emotions? Quite frequently, your call is wrapped in a broken heart .
2) IN PRAYER. Prayer is essentially "God-talk," but I'm actually talking about LISTENING. If you don't listen, you will not hear a word, but if you do listen... to the sound of silence, to the thoughts that cross your mind when you're centered in prayer, or sometimes just to your own words... God will answer. If you approach God sincerely and let go of your own agenda, God will talk to you;
1) The number 1 way in which God calls us is through His word in Scripture! There is no doubt about it. If you read the Bible, God's word will speak to you. Indeed, virtually every page of the Bible includes a discovery, an encounter, direction for life, maybe a challenge, and/or affirmation! God voice is most clearly heard in Scripture... so open your Bibles! Attend a class, join a small group, buy a devotional, come to church. Invest in God's word and it will change your life!
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