Tag: Jesus Christ

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.”

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“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

Just Fling It

A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head.”  –Mark 4:26-28, NIV

 

The insurmountable potential of a single seed!  It is scattered without a whole lot of conscious effort, hundreds of seeds in a handful scattered out on the dry ground.  It doesn’t get the dignity of individual effort, but is simply flung out.

I became a Christian believer partly through some indiscriminate seed flinging.  I was being escorted by Temple security in Salt Lake City off the grounds.  It may have been because I was shirtless and smoking, and being hammered as well.  As I was being thrust through the gates, I ran into Christians who were sowing their tracts.  These tracts landed on good soil. And I’m indeed thankful.

We simply do not know about any individual seed that leaves our bag.  We can not predict what is going to happen.  Jesus chose this particular metaphor to emphasize the supernatural nature of spiritual growth,  it grows whether we sleep or stay awake.  We don’t understand how things grow.  A tiny, dry seed comes to life, and grows up to be something amazing.

Dropping seeds; that is it.  We drop without taking responsibility for what may or may not happen next.  We scatter seed without contemplating what will follow.  It may grow, and it may not.  The believers standing in the baking sun outside of the Mormon Temple in SLC were simply sowing seed.  It fell on my heart, and I cannot tell you what happened to that seed.  All I know, is it started to live, and grow and eventually was harvested.

Buy some tracts, Christian books, DVDs, CDs.  Build an interesting website.  Sow seed.  You cannot harvest unless you sow something.  You must be faithful to your part, and God is faithful to do the rest.  Growing things is beyond our comprehension and ability.  I cannot tell you the dynamics or the process of spiritual growth.  Bible college did not have a class for that.  It is imponderable and  mysterious.

Be faithful, and sow.  Fling the seed.  Don’t mind the hot sun, or the thorns or the hungry birds.  Be faithful, and fling it.  Psalm 126:5-6 

 5 Those who sow in tears
       will reap with songs of joy.

 6 He who goes out weeping,
       carrying seed to sow,
       will return with songs of joy,
       carrying sheaves with him.

Photo: How We Learn to Love

There are times when we are driven to a most desperate place.  We can go no lower.  Jesus meets us, He does not forsake us.  He stands up and intercedes for our souls.  He bends over to pick us up, speaking wonderful things to our confused and misguided hearts.  He loves us, and the purpose of our trials teach us that critical truth.  We learn it in no other way.

A Serious Case of JDD

I have a syndrome called JDD.  It afflicts me in several different ways.  My psychiatrist can give me no meds that would help me.  It weakens me and makes me vulnerable to a host of enemies.  I have Jesus Deficit Disorder.

I wonder about this thing called “Christianity”.  After over 2000 years, have we veered off course?  Is the Church of Jesus founded even resemble the one we have in the US? As I ponder about these questions, I honestly am not sure anymore.

Being a Christian without the presence of Jesus is a frightening possibility.  We don’t realize that we have shifted to another track, things seem so ordinary and smooth.  It is spiritually disturbing that we are diverted so easily.  We end up with the Christian religion, but without Christ.  How did this happen?

When you have Jesus Deficit Disorder (JDD) you end up with a Christianity without Christ; a form of religion, but without its inherent power.  It all appears legit and acceptable, but it is a sham.  It is not what Jesus intended for us.  The intimacy has lifted. We speak about Him, but not to Him. 

There is a deficiency in a heart that does not claim Him as an intimate friend.  It frightens us so that we avoid the presence of the Lord.  The children of Israel had absolutely no desire to meet with God face-to-face.  They insisted that Moses should go on without them.  What prompted this?

We have an untamed God.  On any given Sunday, out ushers seating us should be handing out life vests, and issuing flares and whistles.  We would be tied to our chairs.  For we are in the presence of a God who is awesomely loving, and faithfully unpredictable.  He is a Lion, wild and untamed, and hanging out with Him also turns us into a wild disciple, who is a bit edgy and untamed.

Having JDD will revert us to a soft domestic soul, disengaged from a spiritual authenticity.  Oh, we travel to what we believe the general direction of good religion.  We are missing the attitude of “more Jesus”.  It’s old hat stuff, but I must say it anyway– more Jesus–less religion.