I’m preaching on patience this Sunday, and so have reflected some on God’s timing. He seems slow to answer prayers some times. While other times He seems really quick. I mean some of our prayers are very ‘time sensitive.’

When God is slow to respond to our prayers, what goes on in your head? Is He on “Hispanic” or “Island Time,” where He’s just so laid back and never in a hurry? Does He delight in being slow, kind of like people who cross the road purposely walking slow and don’t speed up because they know you have to slow down (those folks drive me up a wall-pun intended)?

As we look back over redemptive history (God’s ultimate plan of salvation through Christ unfold in time), we see a God who was never in a hurry. He had his own time schedule, even though it didn’t match up with what people wanted.

Take for instance the Israelites being enslaved in Egypt. It was like 400 years! And how many of those years were people crying out to God? Probably a number of them. Did He hear them? Of course. But he didn’t respond immediately. He did however sustain them, so He did respond.

God not responding to prayers in a timely fashion is one of the top 3 reasons (I’m guessing) not to believe in God, or that he does answer prayer at all. However looking over biblical history, it seems that He does have a plan for everything. And He does “love it when a plan comes together.” And we will too, as we see our prayers being included in that plan. Even when we can’t see them right away.

The other day when OJ was busted in Vegas, he uttered the pithy maxim “….I thought what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.” Of course he was wrong. Breaking and entering, gun brandishing and threatening, apparently don’t ‘stay’ in Vegas.

But that is an interesting concept: what happens here, stays here. No one else is affected, right? But do we live in a vacuum? Do we sin in a vacuum? Aren’t our lives more relationally connected than this? Even the movie Crash depicts that. Even more than that, our most personal and private sins actually influence our present relationships.

For instance, if I look lustfully upon another woman, then I’m devaluing, and not being captured by the beauty of my wife. She will inevitably receive less of my love and attention when I’m at home.

If I harbor anger in my heart against another, I may be unable to listen attentively to another. I’ve had this happen plenty of times. If I’m regularly deceitful to another (as you see in the Vegas commercials), I will begin to deceive others and be more prone to deceive those I love.

Even if the smell of smoke, Herpes, or a huge gambling debt doesn’t follow you back from Vegas, what happens there certainly doesn’t stay there. In the same way, our ‘personal’ or ‘private’ sins never stay that ‘personal’ or ‘private.’ They actually have big relational and communal ramifications.

Today I had breakfast with one of the survivors of the USS Indianapolis disaster. It was truly an awesome blessing to have a meal with a brother in Christ who has done so much in his life. As he reflected back on his life with me, he recounted several acts of God’s providence which he would not have wished changed for anything. Now he didn’t use that term, but clearly Providence is the theological truth in which he rested.

For instance, he tried to get in the Naval Academy, yet was unsuccessful. But on the second go around, he passed. After three years, most of his classmates went on to flight school, while he was put on the USS Indianapolis. But he understood that God used him greatly during that time in saving many lives, nearly 150-similar I guess to the way God used Joseph in Gen 50 (though he didn’t draw that parallel). There were several other events which seemed hard, but he believed that they were all part of God’s plan.

When I look back upon my personal history, or even world history, particularly WWII (numerous events transpired such as Hitler’s gaff at Dunkirk or his being tricked in the D-Day invasion by a spy), I can see God at work. There were many times in which I couldn’t see Him at work in the present. But in the past, well, that was a different story altogether. After I looked back, I could see the One who authored the events of my history. Even in the darkest parts, I could be reminded of some little glimpse of hope.

That is why I believe it so necessary to reflect upon God’s faithfulness in the past. That’s what David did in the Psalms. Even little things that which played themselves out on a bigger scale. If we don’t, it might be quite hard to see, or at the least be reminded of His presence in the present.

Our church had a bible conference yesterday. I’m sure everyone has an image of “bible conference” in their minds, so I don’t know what you envision when you read that. Basically some dude name Bill Mills from Leadership Resources came and spoke on “Living in the Father’s Blessing” for a few hours over 3 sessions.

He touched upon a number of different passages (we were flipping pages like IHOP flips pancakes), but camped out briefly on Psalm 91. What did this Psalm really mean? In case you’re not familiar with Psalm 91 (easily my top 3-and where I turn when anxiety hits), we find some lofty promises recorded there: no disaster will befall, protection from the “fowler’s snare,” only observing the destruction of the wicked, to name a few.

But what did this mean for an actual soldier? A soldier’s mother? That he would return home?
Bill told a story of a son who didn’t. In fact he was the only one in his company who died and just a few weeks before he was supposed to return.

Where was this blessing, this refuge, this shelter, these lofty promises? Could they be taken literally, seriously, or simply as the best option among others? The day before the young man was killed, he requested one of his commanding officers to print out his personal testimony of how he trusted in Christ. It was read in their chapel service the morning he died. Everyone was moved and his story was shared, and people even came to know Jesus at his memorial service.

To be shielded/blessed does not mean to be showered with health and wealth. To be shielded, blessed, protected, ultimately means that we WILL experience the full glory which God has prepared for us one day. We experience it in part now, but not in full.

Bill shared a number of stories, almost all of them being ‘sad’ stories. And they were hard to hear-pastors losing kids to Islamic terrorists, a newlywed dying of cancer, and even the recent loss of his sister. I actually almost cried 3 times, but ‘held’ myself together. It reminded me that life is precious, sweet, but short; nevertheless-everything pales in comparison with the glory He has reserved for His children. This is a deeper blessing. That’s what Romans 8:18-ff says.

But even now I can live with the blessing of the promise of God’s approval, of a partial experience of glory, and the comfort that He is Good and He is Powerful. These are what Bill called our “shoulders.” Everything happens in between these two shoulders. The Why we don’t often get, but at least we know The Who (and I’m not talking about the band). And to quote Aaron Neville, “that may be all I need to know.”

Our last community group someone invited a neighborhood couple to come and participate. It wasn’t their first time in the house: they came to a potluck community group dinner two weeks before. This was my dream come true: visitors feeling welcome in a community group setting, even before they come (or even think about coming) to church.

Our group did a good job of making them feel welcome during our hang out time beforehand. So the first concern would they feel welcome? was answered. But what about the common objection would their presence make the group less intimate? That could only be answered through the actual experience of in depth, personally interactive bible study.

Well, we had our most in depth, honest, intimate, repentant study so far! People were actually confessing their own idols at the end of our time. I can’t tell you what they are (besides mine being Respect from others) due to our Las Vegas style community group confidentiality clause-what is said in comm group, stays in comm group. Even one of the visitors actually joined in confession.

When visitors from the outside see an honest struggling person who has the freedom to express/confess, they will eventually express that “God is really among you!” (I Cor 14:25). It need not make the group less honest, provided the environment already is an honest environment. At the very least, visitors will see that Christians, or at least Christians from this church are not as weird as seen on TV (either through TBN or sitcoms) . At the most, they may someday confess that God really is at work here.

The Rev. Al Sharpton (I’m not totally sure how he gets that title), in my opinion, plays the race card in places it shouldn’t be played. And it is not just me who gets tired of him being the black spokesman, but a number in the black community do not feel he often helps their cause (says Jason Whitlock of the Kansas City Star).

And so when he came on TV this morning, I rolled my eyes, and said, “Oh boy, what’s he going to say now?” Well, he actually had some good things to say. He didn’t affirm that the beatings that these young black men gave the white lad were a good thing. But to call it attempted murder? Was that not race motivated?

He raised another point about the hanging of the nooses a year ago. Why was this not considered a hate crime to be tried? To say that race has nothing to do with anything here is obviously not the case.

I guess what I learned is that even though people cry ‘wolf’ (in my opinion) when there is no wolf, sometimes there just might be a wolf. So I probably need to hear people out better, even though I’ve disagreed with them in the past. Who knows, they may be right, even if only on occasion or blue moon.

I read an interesting article today in Christianity Today, called “Attack Dogs of Christendom.” Prominent Atheist Sam Harris wrote a bestseller called The End of Faith in support of his claims, and received some extremely hostile messages. Most unfortunately, but not surprisingly, came from Christians, not Muslims!

Even more unfortunately the article chronicled further scathing rebukes against prominent evangelical leaders. Now I must say, regarding some of the names mentioned, I would have a problem reading their books, or honestly, believing what they teach. But the acidic reviews via websites regarding such leaders really exposes a lack of grace, and frankly, a lack of scriptural understanding. If Peter instructs us to be prepared to give a defense for the hope that we have, but to do it, with “gentleness and respect,” (I Peter 3:15-17), then I believe that is probably what God means.

Now I often struggle with both, but I have to affirm both and repent when I don’t. The goal is that outsiders would see our character and be put to shame. Do they? I think some names mentioned like Joel Osteen and Pat Robertson (those being bashed by the websites referenced in the article) are often wrong in their claims. However, I can respond to them without calling them names like “whitewashed tombs,” and “one of the greatest deceivers in the church world today.” Some campus minister from RUF at USF actually posted a gentle, respectful response to what Joel Osteen’s Your Best Life Now. The writer disagreed CLEARLY, and gave support for his disagreement, but did not resort to name calling. He even commended that which was commendable, and did that first.

Those who choose the “Attack Dog” route (as the article refers) often inadvertently put themselves to shame, rather than the other way around. If you want to read the article from Christianity Today (and its really short!), here it is. You can also check out what I believe to be an example of a gentle, respectful, but disagreeing critique, and here that is.

“When repentance becomes a constant, recognizable part in an environment, the people in that culture experience freedom they never knew. They have amazing stories to tell. The truth always sets us free. Free to love God and others, free to trust even more truth, free to heal and reconcile…..” TrueFaced, pg 111

As mentioned in a previous entry, I’m reading a book right now called TrueFaced. One of the points the dudes (there’s 3 of them) makes is that repentance is really not just a private enterprise. However we often think of it in private terms-unless we need to apologize personally to someone. When I googled images of repentance, all were simply individual pictures.

Even though it’s often ‘easier’ in the short term to repent privately, this activity can sometimes reveal a concern to keep up good appearances before others. If we never share our repentant hearts with others, or repent before them, we will ‘look’ a whole lot better. But will we be free from needing their approval, or simply continuing in our slavery under it?

However when repentance becomes an activity done also in community (as it’s instructed in James 5), you will begin to live out the truth that Christ’s approval is far more important than approval from others. And they in turn will see it as well, and experience it with you. So you can see that keeping our repentance and failures private can actually retard the experience of freedom in not only ourselves, but in the lives of others within our church communities.

Well it looks like your friend and mine O.J. is in a bit of hot water again. Apparently he broke and entered in hopes of recapturing some stolen memorabilia. I don’t know if I’m supposed to say “allegedly” or not, because there is a tape with The Juice ordering and threatening some hapless fellow.

It is clear that OJ is not a model citizen, and periodically makes news for his not being ‘model.’ If every you ever think that the world is ‘fair,’ and all is as it should be, just take a look at The Juice. The man, with a documented temper and history of violence, was completely acquitted from the charges of double murder. He’s since proved that jury incompetent and his lawyers incredibly ‘brilliant.’

I wonder what it would be like to be the parents and family or friends of his victims. To have this man who killed your loved ones, walking around freely as though he were totally innocent? Can you imagine the difficulty of not living everyday in helpless anger? I would imagine it would be very difficult. I can only imagine.

Ultimately I know this world is still plagued with the nasty presence of sin. And until its done away with, we will see more from The Juice and others. But I have to believe that in the cross, Jesus is reconciling the world to Himself. I either believe that God has done/is doing/will do something about the evil in this world, or He could care less. Either I have the cross, or I have unbridled anger and frustration and despair. I’m not a family or friend of his victims and it still angers the heck out of me.

But even with the cross, we still “groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for the our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies” (Romans 8:23). At least I know I do. Groaning is hopeful; disillusionment is not. If we don’t groan, perhaps we need to draw more nearly to those who do. They are not hard to find.

On Good Morning America this morning, they had a family with sextuplets, in addition to 4 other kids. I caught the tail end of the special which talked about the possible side effects (5 more kids than planned, and one had Cerebral Palsy) of fertility meds.

Diane Sawyer posed this quite pragmatic question: “Did you ever think about eliminating several of the embryo’s?”

The husband’s response was far more profound: “Which of these kids would you not want to be here? I can’t pick one.” The wife especially affirmed the life of the young girl with CP: “She’s my little bundle of joy.” Just an example where pragmatic convenience is trumped by the fact that we are made in the image of God and have a latent dignity.

Pragmatism is a philosophical system that equates what is most practical with what is right to do. Obviously practicality is not a bad thing. But at times what God’s Word says conflicts with what we deem most practical. Therein lies the dangerous point of intersection. Everything from abortion, to enabling, to stealing (in its very subtle forms) often gets viewed through the lens of pragmatism. Being incredibly pragmatic myself (obviously not to this degree!), I do need to take pains in subjecting my practicality to Christ’s lordship.