what r u waiting for?

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!

Philippians 4:4

I will extol the LORD at all times;

his praise will always be on my lips.

Psalm 34:1

I will exalt you, my God the King;

I will praise your name for ever and ever.

Psalm 145:1

My

soul

will

boast

in

the

LORD;

let

the

afflicted

hear

and

rejoice.

Psalm 34:2

Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise;

his greatness no one can fathom.

Psalm 145:3

chris in wonderland

It was either a powerful spiritual experience or my body is reacting to slowly being starved.

Today at the park was surreal. Words can’t adequately describe how I felt and what I saw, except to say it was almost like a wonderful and calming dream. Instead of Alice in Wonderland, though, it was me.

Was it a God-thing or the result of my foolish (but effective) chicken soup diet?

The water rushing over the fallen log became the perfect soundtrack for my prayers floating up to heaven. The swaying tree-tops and the squeaking of bark rubbing against bark made me stand in awe, mesmerized by their performances. And the woodpecker flailing away and sending wood chips flying in all directions made me wonder if I was hallucinating.

Could it be that my body is reacting to so little food for the last seven weeks? Maybe. I confess to feeling light-headed much of the time. (Make your own joke here)

That said, I choose to believe this morning was a God-thing. A calming, reassuring dream-like God-thing. Nothing supernatural or mystical but a gift of sorts, something that ministered to my troubled mind and soul.

A God-thing? Effects of starvation kicking in? Sniffing too much glue? Think what you will, but I’m comforted and encouraged by my interpretation of this morning’s events.

And, I might add, still confident in my sanity.

“Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.”1

1  1 Chronicles 16:34

hero or villain?

I saved a raccoon’s life the other day. Or did I just prolong its agony?

I hope it’s the former, but fear it’s the latter.

My quiet time with the Lord was interrupted as the raccoon floated by in the swollen creek next to me. I was close enough to hear it gasping for air as it bobbed up and down in the water.

I jumped to my feet, found a broken tree branch and reached out to try and snag it and bring it to shore. My plan seemed to work as I was able to drag it next to some tree roots, but the raccoon wasn’t able to climb ashore and continued floating downstream.

Discouraged but not willing to give up, I sprinted down the path until I got ahead of the floating animal, slid down an embankment, and then stretched out a second time to snag it with the branch.

Once again I got it near the shoreline, but now it was completely underwater and no longer struggling. Fearing the current would sweep it away yet again, I did what I really didn’t want to do: I reached out and picked it up by the scruff of the neck and laid it on the bank next to me.

Once ashore it began clicking its teeth and shaking all over, and I could see that its eyes were wide open. I was absolutely elated thinking I had actually saved its life. But after a minute or two it fell on its side and kept shaking and rattling its teeth.

Thinking it might need a little CPR, I gently pushed its belly with the side of the branch, hoping it would expel any water and help with the whole breathing thing. Things didn’t change, however, and after several minutes of watching it laying on its side and struggling I decided there was nothing else I could do.

As I headed back to my car, I was on cloud nine, thinking I had actually saved the thing’s life. But my glee quickly turned to concern as I began wondering whether the thing was shaking because of rabies instead of being cold and in shock. That unsettling thought made my feet turn around and quickly make their way back to the creek where I washed my hand thoroughly in the water.

You know, just in case.

It was then when the worst thought of all came washing over me: Maybe I didn’t save the thing’s life at all—maybe I just pulled it out of the water so it would die a slow and painful death on shore. Maybe instead of letting it drown quickly in the water I was merely prolonging its pain.

What if I was really a villain instead of a hero?

The thought haunted me for quite some time and I couldn’t help but try and make an application to people who are in so much pain they would rather be dead. Though they yearn for it and would welcome it with open arms, family, friends and doctors do everything they can to keep the person alive and kicking, no matter how poor the quality of life may be.

Even if the person would rather just give up—even if the person would rather just die than live in such excruciating pain.

Doesn’t it seem…I don’t know, a little cruel in some way and on some level? Are we merely prolonging their pain? Are we actually dooming them to spend the rest of their lives—however long or short—in agonizing pain?

How—exactly—is that compassionate?

If you’re wondering whether I’m a closet fan of Jack Kevorkian, I’m not. Just the opposite, in fact.  So no need to worry.

And yet…now, today, I think I better understand the other side of the argument.

Just saying.

"Why did I not perish at birth, and die as I came from the womb?
Why were there knees to receive me and breasts that I might be nursed?
For now I would be lying down in peace;

I would be asleep and at rest.”1

1  Job 3:11-13

the influence of friends

When I was a teenager I hung around with a guy who got drunk, stole anything and everything, and cursed up a storm. Not exactly a good role model.

But then, if I’m honest I wasn’t much better. My friend may have been a bad influence on me, but I wasn’t exactly a good role model for him either.

Does it matter who we hang around with? According to the Bible, that’s a big “Yes!” But why not see for yourself? Lots of verses follow with summaries in bold.

We become wise if we’re around the wise, but suffer harm if we hang out with fools.

Prov 13:20 He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.

It’s probably wisest if our closest friends are followers of the one true God.

Ps 119:63 I am a friend to all who fear you, to all who follow your precepts.

We should be careful not to become too close to those who are not Christians—we have nothing in common.   

2 Cor 6:14 Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?

We should steer clear of people who encourage us to sin.

Prov 1:11 If they say, "Come along with us; let's lie in wait for someone's blood, let's waylay some harmless soul; 12 let's swallow them alive, like the grave,and whole, like those who go down to the pit; 13 we will get all sorts of valuable things  and fill our houses with plunder; 14 throw in your lot with us,and we will share a common purse"-- 15 my son, do not go along with them, do not set foot on their paths; 16 for their feet rush into sin, they are swift to shed blood.

If we hang out with people who do wrong, it will corrupt us.

1 Cor 15:33 Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character."

If we’re not careful, we will share in the sins of others—God calls us to separate ourselves from sinful influences.

Rev 18:4 Then I heard another voice from heaven say: "Come out of her, my people, so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her plagues; 5 for her sins are piled up to heaven, and God has remembered her crimes.

People can influence us in very negative ways—we’re told to avoid those negative influences and their paths.

Prov 4:114 Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evil men. 15 Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn from it and go on your way. 16 For they cannot sleep till they do evil;they are robbed of slumber till they make someone fall. 17 They eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.

Lot lived among sinners and it almost cost him his life.

Gen 13:12 Abram lived in the land of Canaan, while Lot lived among the cities of the plain and pitched his tents near Sodom. 13 Now the men of Sodom were wicked and were sinning greatly against the LORD.

Gen 19:15 With the coming of dawn, the angels urged Lot, saying, "Hurry! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away when the city is punished."

Solomon’s son foolishly rejected the advice of experienced, godly men and instead listened to his buddies who hung out with him—his decision cost him the loyalty of the people.

1 Kings 12:8 But Rehoboam rejected the advice the elders gave him and consulted the young men who had grown up with him and were serving him.

1 Kings 12:16 When all Israel saw that the king refused to listen to them, they answered the king: "What share do we have in David, what part in Jesse's son? To your tents, O Israel! Look after your own house, O David!" So the Israelites went home.

The early church did everything together and they were devoted and committed to the same things.

Acts 2:42 They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common.

It’s extremely important to meet and fellowship regularly with other Christians.

Heb 10:24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. 25 Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another-and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Does it matter who we hang out with? Yes!

So...what kind of people are you hanging out with?

light vs darkness

Is it okay for a Christian to be “dark,” that is, “emo?”

Before we answer that question, let’s define the term. “Emo” refers to a subculture that is sweeping the country among American teenagers, a movement that is often referred to as being “dark.” Associated with punk music, its adherents are typically dressed in black, have pale faces, long black hair with bangs, rarely show emotions (especially laughter), and are often quite thin.

Emo boys and girls are also unique in that they are often viewed as anti-social and rebellious. Many are socially withdrawn, depressed, and view suicide and death as glamorous.1

So is it okay for a Christian to be “dark,” that is, “emo?” Let’s see what the Bible has to say about the topic. I’ve provided summaries of numerous passages, but encourage you to read the Scriptures themselves as well.

Jesus is light, brings light to this earth and rescues those of us who are in darkness.

John 12:46 I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.

Col 1:13-14 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

1 Thess 5:5 You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.

1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

Those who are in darkness have their eyes closed to God, are evil, not forgiven of their sins, don’t know where they’re going, and are under the power of Satan.

Acts 26:17-18 I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.' 

John 3:19-20 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.

John 12:35-36 Then Jesus told them, "You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. The man who walks in the dark does not know where he is going. Put your trust in the light while you have it, so that you may become sons of light." When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them.

1 John 2:9-11 Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness. Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to make him stumble. But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness; he does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded him.

Those who accept the light (Jesus) should not walk in darkness.

John 8:12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." 

John 12:46 I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.

1 John 1:5-7 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

Rom 13:12-14 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.

Eph 5:8-14 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: "Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you."

1 John 2:9-11 Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness. Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to make him stumble. But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness; he does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded him.

Light and darkness have nothing in common—those in the light are called to have nothing to do with those in darkness.

1 Thess 5:5 You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.

2 Cor 6:14-17 Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?  What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people." "Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord.”

1 John 1:5-7 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

Conclusion
So is it okay for a Christian to be “dark,” that is, “emo?” Based on these passages, I conclude that spiritually-speaking light and darkness have nothing in common and are actually polar opposites. One is a very good thing, while the other is a very bad thing.

While some may disagree, I don't think it's a good idea for a Christian to identify with a group of people who often behave as if they are in spiritual darkness. At the very least a "dark" Christian is a poor witness for Jesus. At the very worst, being emo may be an indication of spiritual apostasy.

1  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emo, http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=emo, http://www.emo-site.com/

grace needed

the cry of the heart

“Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted.”

Psalm 25:16

the promise

Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Hebrews 4:16

of charcoal and love

My brother put his hand over the mouthpiece of the phone, looked at me with panic in his eyes and said our neighbor, Mrs. So and So, wanted to talk to dad. She apparently just saw one of his sons (that would be me) steal a bag of charcoal briquettes from her garage.

I took a deep breath, mustered my best grown-up voice and took the call: “This is Jerry Little. Can I help you?”

After describing what she had just seen, I acted outraged. “He did what?! Chris!” I yelled, “you get your #%$* in here right now! I can promise you, Mrs. So and So, he’ll be punished most severely!”

Once the conversation was over the house exploded in laughter as my friends and I savored the excitement of such a close call and my hokey impersonation of my dad.

Though still shaking inside, I acted like it didn’t faze me a bit and promptly went out into the backyard, poured the charcoal into the BBQ pit and fired it up. Looking up at our neighbor’s kitchen window I waved, smiled and went back into the house, all the while secretly praying that my ridiculous “acting” job had really fooled her.

Would she call back later when my folks were around? Would she sic her husband on me? Would she call the police?

Fortunately, none of those things happened. We never heard another peep out of her. Ever. Why I don’t know. “He’ll be punished most severely”? Who talks like that?

As a godless teenager in the early 1970s, I had no idea what the second greatest commandment was, nor would I have cared if I had.

"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'”1

As a follower of Jesus many years later I’m obviously aware of that commandment. Unfortunately, even though I’m aware of its importance I don’t do so hot in keeping it.

Oh, I don’t steal charcoal from my neighbors (or anything else for that matter), but it’s not like we’re really close. Truth be told, the less we see of each other the better. Just being honest.

But is that what Jesus had in mind? Just don’t steal from them? I’m guessing there’s a little more to it.

As always, I encourage you to join me in my new-found guilt. What kind of neighbor are you? And let’s not forget that Scripture makes it clear that the definition of “neighbor” is really everybody other than you. That’s right, everybody.

In other words, every single human being that we come in contact with Jesus wants us to love the same as we love ourselves.

Ugh.

So do you feel guilty yet? Good--glad to have the company!

But why stay here? What can we do to change how we treat our neighbors, both those who live next door and those we will see today, tomorrow and the next day?

Me? I’m going to start by not stealing any charcoal briquettes from them and then lying about it.

What about you?

Jesus: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

1  Matthew 22:36-39