Pet Rock

My son, preserve sound judgment and discernment,
do not let them out of your sight.
- Proverbs 3:21

The Pet Rock - there is no better an example that I can think of to demonstrate that in our culture people will try to sell you anything. What is even funnier (or perhaps sadder or scarier!) is that if someone is selling it there is always someone to buy it.
I think this is a widespread phenomenon from food to philosophy, music to machinery, self-help to spirituality. Everywhere you turn there is another next best thing waiting to change your life forever. Unfortunately, just because it is slapped with a “Christian” label doesn’t mean that it is immune to some of the same exaggerations and even a poor (if not wrong) presentation of scriptural truth.
I am reminded of the above mentioned words that the author of Proverbs wrote to his son challenging him to be diligent about sound judgment and discernment. I think it would be wise for all of us to heed those same words! If we are to lead a life that is pleasing to God, we must carefully compare all that we hear and see against God’s standard. I have no new method that is going to change your life and no secret code to crack the truth. All I can do is challenge us to read our bible. There we find God’s truth, God’s expectations and God’s heart. Read it, study it, meditate upon it and memorize it and we will be well on our way to making choices in life that are pleasing to God.

Etch A Sketch II

Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing might come from the Lord….
- Acts 3:19

As I was thinking about the opportunity that an etch-a-sketch provides to wipe away mistakes, and create a new slate on which to draw, I was reminded of the above words spoken by the apostle Peter in the book of Acts. Having just healed a crippled beggar, crowds began to gather around Peter and John and Peter seized the opportunity to speak about Jesus in whose name (and the faith that comes though Him) the crippled man was healed. Peter shared about Jesus’ history, His position, His purpose and the crowds need for a Saviour. In the midst of sharing about Jesus to this mainly Jewish crowd Peter offers the invitation:

“Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins might be wiped out, that times of refreshing might come from the Lord.” (Acts 3:19).

I will leave you with one thought to ponder. Is God offering a similar invitation to you? How will you respond?

Etch A Sketch I - the church addition

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
- 1 John 1:9

The amazing thing about an Etch A Sketch is the way you can turn it upside down, give it a shake and all your mistakes disappear. I look at the way that God forgives our sin with even greater amazement. Although there may still be consequences for our actions, there is forgiveness and God will wash us whiter than snow (Psalm 51:7).
I have read somewhere that it isn’t really cool to talk about sin and confession in church anymore. I guess it is old fashioned and bad for self esteem. I suppose I can understand, after all, confession and dealing with sin can feel a bit like being turned upside down and shaken, so why go through it? I am reminded, however, that 1 John 1:8 tells us that “if we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” Even those of us who have come into a saving relationship with Jesus will sin, and although it will not affect our standing or position as children of God, it does affect our fellowship and communion with God. We can rationalize it, explain it or call it anything we want, but it is what it is and when we do not deal with it honestly, it simply remains. We can cover it up but in reality we just simply make a greater mess of things. Or, we can do what scripture tells us to do and be honest about it, confess it and allow God to deal with it in his great mercy. Yes, it might feel a bit like an Etch a Sketch being turned upside down and shaken but consider some of the benefits for our churches if we were to honestly consider sin, confession and repentance:
When we are honest about where we have failed, it will make us humble and the Church could use more humility.
When we are honest about how great a mess we have made, it will make us that much more thankful and grateful for what God does to clean it and the Church could use more gratitude and thanksgiving.
When we admit that we cannot deal with it ourselves it teaches us to depend on God and the Church could use more dependence.
When we allow God to address that which hinders our fellowship and communion with Him then we will see the power of God moving in and through our churches and the Church could use more of God’s power.

Ant Farm

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
- Jeremiah 29:13

I wonder how many people see God a bit like a kid with an ant farm. God sets up the world, puts us in it and then sits back and watches what happens. I wonder how many hold to some form of Deism - that God made the world and got it started but is no longer directly involved in the creation, leaving it to run on its own. I have to say that based on the biblical witness, and my own personal experience, nothing could be father from the truth.
Looking at the biblical record, can we say that a God who walked in the garden in the cool of day to engage with Adam and Eve, who would directly intervene to rescue His people from slavery in Egypt and personally lead them as a pillar of fire and pillar of cloud, who would become flesh and make His dwelling amoung us, to be Immanuel – God with us, who would take our place and bear the punishment for our sin, who would give us the presence of His Holy Spirit to dwell within us, and who promises a future in which God will be with His people and wipe every tear from their eyes, can we really say that such a God is distant and uninvolved? The reality is that God longs to be intimately involved in the lives of His people. Through the death and resurrection of His son Jesus He provides a means to be brought back into relationship with Him, and He invites us to continually and personally engage with Him through worship and prayer. We are invited to know about God, but even more than that to know God in a personal and intimate way. So let our lives be ones of vibrant prayer, worship, fear, and trust in our God who is actively involved in the world.