Month: June 2010

iPod Theology: How to Get Closer Yet

I love gadgets.  Those veritable wonders of technology.  Typically overpriced with a short lifespan, but they still amaze me.  I saw something a few months ago that clicked with me; it was incredible. (But I can be a real geek sometimes.)

It was a platform, made to look like a classic varnished wood tray.  But what it was, was a charging station.  You laid all your iPods, cell phones, Blackberrys and Androids on this pad, and in the morning they would be charged and ready to use.  No need to plug them in, they were instead were juiced by lying on this special platform.

I’m not certain that this constitutes one of life’s necessities.  But a few days ago I began to think about the spiritual significance of this, and how we receive our strength. It’s not really often that this happens to me.

The Apostle John was one who was energized with his contact with Jesus.  He drew strength from being in close proximity with Him.  If there was ever a discipleship challenge it was John–one of the “sons of thunder”.  Full of energy, he could be vindictive, intolerant, self-righteous and very ambitious.  He was confronted by Jesus on more than one occasions for arrogance.  And yet, he was perhaps the man most transformed by being with Jesus.

John stood at the foot of the cross, holding and soothing Mary.  He went on to preach several notable sermons in the Book of Acts (with Peter).  He wrote much of the New Testament, including Revelation.  His books of 1, 2 and 3 John are known for the subject of Christian love.  Ten times he told early believers that they were to “love each other”, and that would be their mark of authenticity.

Something happened to John.  He was energized by love for Jesus, his Savior.  We see him at the Last Supper, leaning on his Lord.  It appears he just drew close, and rested his head on his friend.  He became known, as “the disciple that Jesus loved”. I believe that love very often begets love.

As a struggling and imperfect believer myself, I find that when I’m near Jesus, I become strong.  Psalms talks about “the nearness of God is my good.”  Christianity is different than other world religions in that it is built on a living (resurrected) Lord who we are to be in communication with, and to have an ongoing relationship with.  There should be a deliberate and planned intimacy between God and believers. 

Its a lot like that charging station I spoke about earlier.  I come to Him, and rest, just enjoying His presence.  Something happens.  I am encouraged and energized.  Leaning on Jesus I become strong.  Being in close proximity with Him gives my Christian life a vitality.  I get drained, and functioning isn’t possible (I try).  I get the urge (like John) to call down fire from heaven on my enemies, and then push myself into the limelight to be noticed.

Dear one, I beg of you to draw close to Him today.  Get into His presence, just be with Him; and all of hell will try to stop you.  But Jesus has promised that “He will never leave us, or forsake us.”

****

“But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge,That I may tell of all Your works.”

–Psalm 73:28

Sunday Funnies: More of the Mysterious

  1. Why does the last piece of ice always stick to the bottom of the cup?
  2. Who was the first person to say, “See that chicken over there … I’m gonna eat the first thing that comes out if its butt”?
  3. Why do we wash behind our ears? Who really looks there?
  4. Why don’t the hairs on your arms get split ends?
  5. Why is it illegal to park in a handicapped parking space but its ok to use a handicapped toilet?
  6. Wouldn’t it be smart to make the sticky stuff on envelopes taste like chocolate?
  7. “Have you ever noticed that if you rearranged the letters in mother in law, they come out to Woman Hitler?”
  8. Isn’t it funny how the word ‘politics’ is made up of the words ‘poli’ meaning ‘many’ in Latin, and ‘tics’ as in ‘bloodsucking creatures’?
  9. Why is toilet bowl cleaning liquid only blue?
  10. Why is it when we talk to God we are praying, but when God talks to us we are put into the loony bin?
  11. Why is vanilla ice cream white when vanilla extract is brown?
  12. Why can’t you get a tan on your palms?
  13. Why do all superheroes wear spandex?
  14. If a missing person sees their picture on a milk carton that offers a reward, would they get the money?
  15. If I had my legs amputated, would I have to change my height and weight on my driver’s license?
  16. How come you pay an extra 25 cents to get something put on your hamburger but they don’t take off the price if you get something taken off?
  17. If our body temperature is normally 98.6 degrees, how come when it’s 98 degrees outside, no one is comfortable?
  18. If you don’t pay your exorcist, do you get repossessed?
  19. How come only car keys are the only keys with teeth on both sides?
  20. Since bread is square, then why is sandwich meat round?
  21. If you die and you have a broken leg do they take the cast off?
  22. Is sign language the same in languages other than English?
  23. If all of the Acme stuff doesn’t work, why does Wile Coyote keep buying their products?
  24. Since there is a rule that states “i” before “e” except after “c”, wouldn’t “science” be spelled wrong?
  25. If the S.W.A.T team comes to your house and breaks down your door, do they replace it later?
  26. What do vegetarians feed their dogs?
  27. When you see the weather report and it says “partly cloudy” and then the next day it says “partly sunny”; what’s the difference?
  28. Why is the St. Louis baseball team the cardinals, but the Missouri state bird is the blue bird?
  29. Why are public toilet seats never complete ovals?
  30. Why is it when we ask for the check in a restaurant they bring us a bill?
  31. How come wine and hard liquor doesn’t come in cans, but beer does?
  32. When lightning strikes the ocean why don’t all the fish die?
  33. If two identical twin brothers married identical twin sisters, would there kids be identical?
  34. Why is there a light in the fridge and not in the freezer?
  35. Don’t you find it worrying that doctors call treating you their “practice” ?
  36. Why do people never say “it’s only a game” when they’re winning?
  37. What was the best thing before sliced bread?
  38. Why do birds have white poop?
  39. Can good looking Eskimo girls be called hot?
  40. Can blind people see their dreams?
  41. If corn oil is made from corn, and vegetable oil is made from vegetables, then what is baby oil made from?
  42. If you have a friend who works for the Psychic Friends Network, should you plan a surprise birthday party for them?

Photo: A Boy in Nepal

Life in the Western Hemisphere is devoid of images like this.  When you visit you are typically mesmerized by the things you see, and in actuality, it’s just normal life.

This fine picture comes from www.nationalgeographic.com.  It captures a caring boy in Nepal, watching out for his siblings, and doing his errands at the same time, and that alone is remarkable!

Thy Kingdom Come

“Come and set up your kingdom, so that everyone on earth will obey you, as you are obeyed in heaven.” Matthew 6:10, CEV

 

The Lord’s Prayer is like a skyscraper that has an inner skeleton of steel, very solid and very strong.  Jesus wants to teach His disciples to pray–to pray intelligently.  He is eager for them to learn what He knows.  This prayer cuts through the grime of religious gobble-de-gook, and is intended to make disciples out of believers with its assertions of what is real.

There is a need for people to pray–really pray.  Jesus shares what is of ultimate importance; the need of people to bring down heaven to earth.  Heaven on earth!  Think of it.  The spiritual climate of heaven, brought to earth for men to enjoy.  It’s like when it’s 100 F. and you come into an air-conditioned building.  What a relief! This phrase of the Lord’s Prayer indicates our license to pray for outrageous things to happen in the culture we are steeped in.

So far, we have seen little that would lead us to believe that praying like this would affect our world.  But that would diminish and even trivialize Jesus and His teaching.  The problem must lie with us then, and we are the reason that it hasn’t happened.

Praying for obedience, praying for the will of God to come and take over.  Our Churches are not merely a spot for A.A. to have their meetings, or the Food Pantry on Mondays, or a Men’s Breakfast on Saturdays.  We are the place of God’s presence, the territory and throne of the omniscient and omnipotent One. 

So let us pray this prayer.  Let us invite heaven to earth.  Let us look for the obedience that is being perfectly done in heaven, to come to this planet as well.  It says in Isaiah– “Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end.”  Its an astonishing concept of an ever-expanding kingdom, always pushing its boundaries, never defeated.  Can we keep up?

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