unseen

This is where a lot of people get uncomfortable. I understand that. If I’m being honest, I get a little uncomfortable at this point too. The whole subject is slightly unnerving. It causes us to shift and squirm and wonder…but maybe that’s a good thing. Maybe we need a little shaking. Perhaps we need a good wake up call. It’s very possible that we’re far too comfortable.

Here’s the disturbing reality: there is an unseen world out there. And this unseen world does not just run parallel to the seen world. There are times (more often than we’d like to admit, probably) that the unseen world intersects, crashes into or even derails the seen world. Most people pass it off as a weird “coincidence” or some kind of complex butterfly effect, but those are poor excuses. Deep down, we all know that. Those kinds of weak, logical responses don’t satisfy the experiences we’ve had or the sensations we feel.

Angels exist. Demons exist. There is a God and there is a devil. Heaven and hell are both real places. None of those things, for the most part, are seen, but that doesn’t make them untrue. There are a ton of things we can’t see, but we know to be real, right?

We can’t see the wind, but those in the path of a hurricane know it can still rip the roof off a house. We can’t see emotions, but a fight with your spouse, children or close friend will bring them right to the surface and often cause you to do strange, uncharacteristic things. No one sees love coming, but you know it when it hits you. No one is completely prepared for death because it is illusive, unpredictable, unseen. But it is a reality we all have to face eventually.

Actually, when you really think about it, the unseen is even more “real” than the seen. Do you ever get a “vibe” for a person? Have you ever just had a “gut-level” response to a situation? Can you hear that “little voice” in your head? We all make decisions based on feelings, hunches and intuition, don’t we? At least to a certain level, we know life isn’t always fair, bad things do happen to good people and things don’t always work out in the end. I wonder if there’s more going on than we can possibly know. I wonder if we’re ignoring a very real world simply because we can’t see and rationally prove it.

There is a powerful example of this in our nation’s economy right now. Everyone seems to be pointing fingers at everyone else, but there is really only one cause for this predicament: greed. Invisible, unseen, and yet very real, greed. All of us wanted more, faster. We built an unrealistic system in an attempt to satisfy that unseen monster. It lasted for a while, made us feel great, and then collapsed.

So now, there is another invisible, unseen, and yet very real monster that has taken greed’s place: fear. You’ve felt it, haven’t you? So have I! You’ve questioned whether or not you’re going to make it. I’ve questioned my job, wondering if I should get another. We’ve all heard the dark whispers that seem to evoke terror and dread about the future. Some people, it’s sad to say, have even taken drastic measures and harmed themselves and/or others.

Greed and fear are both unseen and, yet, very real. Even more “real,” in fact, than your wallet or Wall Street! God and the devil are both unseen and, yet, very real. Even more “real,” in fact, than your job or your house! It’s not enough to simply be aware of these unseen forces. One must be alert to them. Some of them are out to destroy us and some are trying to protect us. God chases us down because He wants to love us. The devil chases us down because to wants to kill us.

Who are you listening to? Which voice has your attention? Do you know how to tell the difference? Can you discern between the various invisible realities of your life? My prayer this week is that we move beyond awareness to alertness. I pray that we become diligent to accept and heed the voice of God. I pray that we learn to recognize and defend against the voice of the evil one. This is no mere fairy tale. This is not a game. The story is still being told and each part—yes, your part—is critical!

tension

Yesterday our community began a discussion of Epic, by John Eldredge. We’re reading it together and began with just the Prologue and Act One. Well, I was simply thrilled with the whole day! Not only did we all actually read this section of the book, but everyone seemed to enjoy and get a lot out of it. Our conversation regarding these few pages was fantastic. The room was full of great insights and powerful questions. But I think the entire discussion, for us at least, could be boiled down to one word: tension.

Dictionary.com defines tension as “the state of being stretched or strained.” This word came up pretty quickly as we began talking. One person in particular said they felt like God was always placing them in positions of tension. God would allow a certain level of peace and contentment, but then force them into a more difficult situation where even more faith was needed or even more dependence required. To be honest, at first we weren’t sure if this tension was a good thing or a bad thing. I mean, none of us enjoy being stretched or strained! No one likes being forced into tough circumstances!

As the dialogue continued, though, and as different people offered different perspectives, it became clear that we all feel tension in one way or another. And it seems to be a pretty constant thing. There may be days or even weeks without feeling it, but tension is always close by, around the corner, waiting for us. So the question arose: Is it possible that tension is a good thing? Does God want us to live in a nearly constant posture of stretching and straining?

Act One of Epic is called “Eternal Love.” It’s about how God is a relational being—Three in One. Since before time began, He has existed in eternal fellowship with Himself. (I know that doesn’t make any logical sense, but this is the Trinity we’re talking about for crying out loud!) God, who is intimately relational, created humanity in His own image. Therefore, we are intimately relational. We can’t help it, shouldn’t apologize for it and can’t possibly change it. We are meant to exist in community with God and with others. Anything less than that…and we feel it. We sense it. We know something is not right. We are hardwired to God’s eternal love.

So there’s the sticking point. Each of us has this evil, sinful nature that wants to do our own thing and live our own lives independently of God and everyone else. But deep down, intuitively, we know we can’t. The other part of us wants—no…needs, requires—meaningful, authentic relationships with others. To truly be healthy, there is no other alternative. So we strain. We stretch. We fight. We struggle. Do you feel the tension? Can you identify?

We didn’t answer many questions yesterday. We didn’t try to alleviate the tension. We just let it be. We let it exist. We left it very open ended. See, the idea isn’t necessarily to “fix” all the problems and solve the world’s issues. That’s God’s job. Our job is to recognize where He is working and join in His redemptive plan. The story is already being told. And we are each characters in it. What comes next?

rich

I’ve only known a few people in my life that I would consider “rich.” They own very large houses, drive luxury cars and have enormous bank accounts. Compared to me, those individuals are wildly rich.

I own a house too, though. (Well, at least my name is on the deed. I guess the bank technically owns it still…and unfortunately will for a long time!) I also own a car. Two of them, actually. And they’re both paid for. They’re not luxury cars by any means, but they get us around. I have a checking account and a savings account each with a little money in them. Furthermore, I have a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree. I have some grown up toys like an x-box, iPod and power tools. I own hundreds of books, DVDs and items of clothing. Compared to the rest of the world, I am wildly rich.

And all that is just stuff. What if being “rich” has nothing to do with money and material goods? Or, what if that’s only part of it? What about the intangibles? How do we put a price tag on our spouse or children? How do we quantify good listening skills? Could we ever really pay for a great friendship? Perhaps I’m a whole lot richer than I thought. Perhaps you are too.

Whether our bank accounts are bulging or not, we can give something financially. Regardless of what we’re going through right now, we can make an emotional contribution. No matter what our spiritual state, we matter to the Body of Christ. We usually don’t feel it and, to be honest, it’s very hard to measure, but we’re all extremely rich. Especially those of us who are privileged enough to reside in America. The rest of the world looks at us with disbelieving eyes. Oh, that we all had a bed to sleep in at night…a healthy body to work with…clean water to drink…a family to love.

Lately I’ve been praying that God would help me alter my perspective. I’m sick of looking at life through a negative lens. I’ve had it with a scarcity mindset. I’m tired of being discontent with what I already have. I want to see things through Jesus’ eyes. I want to see the good in every person and each situation. I want to recognize God’s hand at work when my little boy is sick and when money is tight. I want to praise God in an economic crisis and during rush hour.

We have been given so much. We are so blessed. God is so good. Now, what can we give? Who can we bless? In what ways can we be good?

Thank you, Rob Bell and the Nooma team for a fantastic resource!

open

Creator. That’s a title we usually reserve for God and God alone. The opening pages of Scripture record how God created the heavens and the earth, the animals and plants, water and sky, and then humans. We are the apex of His creation, by the way. You and I are the only part of creation intentionally made in the image and likeness of the Creator. We resemble Him. We look, sound, smell and act like Him. His essence, at least in part, flows through and sustains us. Then, on the seventh day, God rested. He took a break from His creative powers. But did creation cease? Did things stop being created?

Have you ever seen a baby elephant? Hilarious, precious…and miraculous. The elephants God created were given the ability to create themselves. Have you ever learned about the powerful little seed inside an acorn, the spores underneath a leaf of a fern or the mating practices of salmon? Amazing! All of God’s creation can, in turn, create.

I took health class at my public school in junior high. They went through all the required sex education stuff, but I don’t think it ever sunk in until my wife got pregnant the first time. Suddenly it wasn’t a baby. It was my baby. I began to truly understand the basics about conception and fetal development. On the day of Josiah’s birth, as my wife and I cried together, I was dumbfounded at the reality of what just happened. We created a new life! God did the hard part, of course, but we participated! Two ordinary humans were instrumental in the creation of a brand new human! Phenomenal!

This past week I began thinking about creation in more detail. Not only do we humans have the ability to create more humans, but our creative possibilities are almost limitless. Consider some of the creations you use nearly every day: a motorized car instead of legs, a refrigerator instead of blocks of ice, a cell phone to call anywhere in the world… We created incandescent light bulbs, the World Wide Web and a flying machine to take people to the moon. Even right now, as I type, I am creating something from nothing. We rarely think about our creative power and potential. Isn’t that sad?

I believe the essence of our Christian faith is to reconnect with God, our Creator. He, the ultimate Creator, loves and wants a relationship with us, the puny, yet significant, creation. And not only that, but He invites us to join in on His plans, His adventures, His exploits. We don’t just have to sit back and be observers, but can actually play a role—a key role—in His story (aka History).

Everything you do matters. And what you don’t do, that matters too. Everything you say matters. And the things you choose not to say, yeah, that matters too. Whether you like it or not, whether you believe it or not, you are a participant in the unfolding drama. You are playing a part. You have a role in the story. Remain open to the Creator—He gives fantastic notes and direction. Remain open to the story itself—you never know where it’s going to lead.

Thank you, Rob Bell and the Nooma team for a fantastic resource!