Sunday, June 28, 2009

Swimming Lessons

"Daddy will you teach me how to swim today?" Her inquiry came from the backseat of the vehicle as the family headed to a friend's house for a day at the pool. Dad's response was something like, honey we don't learn how to swim in just one day... "But I want to learn how to swim dad." Yes dear, but you'll need to learn how to listen first.

That was the gist of a conversation with my daughter the other day on our way for a swim. To say that she was excited would be a gross understatement. When she heard that we might go to the pool she began to dance around and sing with unbridled delight.

Our generous friends had graciously invited us to enjoy their pool. It was only minutes after our arrival that our daughter was splashing around in the shallow end where she could stand with her head well above the water. Her life vest on for added safety as she bounced around with glee.

Standing only a few feet away from her, where the water was a little over her head but not quite up to my waist, I reminded her of her request to learn how to swim. Come here and dad will teach you something. I held my arms outstretched to her and gave all the encouragement I had in my daddy tool belt. Apparently my supply of encouragement was not enough to overcome her supply of anxiety.

One of a father's main responsibilities is to care for and protect his child. This I have done to my utmost for the entirety of my daughter's 6 years of existence. Little ones often seem to desire a massive amount of assurance before venturing out of the realm of their control.

Anxiety has a way of blinding one to the realities that may be otherwise seen. This was the state my daughter was in as she refused to respond to her daddy's invitation. Though her daddy loves her more than she knows, though she could see that daddy was standing in the pool, though she has seen daddy swim in the deep end on several occasions, though she herself was wearing her life vest, and though mommy too was also only a few feet away, her anxieties blinded her to all of this and she succumbed to the familiar territory where she was in control.

Needless to say this caused me to ponder the reflection of the relationship between our heavenly Father and His anxiety prone children. As providence would have it, I had been reading in Exodus. Shortly after the encounter in the pool I read of Israel's encounter at the Red Sea. "Do not fear" (Ex. 14:13).

Providence again knocked on my door. I found these recent lessons simmering on the front burner as I encountered a rather troubling report during a recent physical. Though not a major issue, regular medicine will be needed to keep things on track. (By the way I am thankful for such availability to modern medicine.)

Oftentimes life teaches lessons without using words. All things considered, it seems that it may have actually been me who was learning how to swim.

Saturday, June 27, 2009

Upside-Downs

Where do you find the most welcome environment or the most welcoming people?

In contrast where do you find the most judgmental environment or the most judgmental people?

The other day several friends and I had gathered at a local tavern to show some kindness to some co-workers who just got laid-off. I found it a little strange to consider the welcoming environment in such a place. It occurred to me that the most welcoming places in our society should be places other than taverns. The places of the most intense atmosphere of welcome should be churches. Yet sadly we are all too familiar with the fact that this is not often the case.

The places that should hold out hope for welcome are the very places that most often offer only judgment. Our world is often upside-down. Like so many other bizzaro-world situations we encounter here, the way things should be is most often not the way things are. This is the inevitable result of sin: the downside-up turning of rightness.

Yet I remain filled with hope that one day all of the upside-downs of this world will be corrected. All the wrongs will be righted. And all the injustices will have their day in court with the One who is Infinitely Just.

Until then may we endeavor to flip over as many upside-downs as possible.

"No man has a right to be idol, there is so much misery to alleviate."
- William Wilberforce

Friday, June 19, 2009

An Investment in the Kingdom

Thanks to a recent DG blog post I recently became aware of a book distribution center in China. There is opportunity to purchase wonderful Christ-centered books from this center and get them into the hands of orphans in China at an amazingly low cost.

May you consider such an investment in the Kingdom by contacting this book distribution center.

Matthew 25:40
And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.'


HT:DG

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Imprecation and the Scriptures

Have you ever been outraged at the darkness and God-lessness of the evil present in our world? Ever experienced your blood-pressure soaring in zealous hatred of incredible wickedness? I must admit that although there are things that I encounter at work that I despise, I've never experienced such intense outrage at the ravaging wickedness in our world as I have since my shift last night.

Needless to say we encountered a particularly vile darkness during this shift. While sifting through the emotions of it all I found a unique difficulty turning to prayer about it. My mind rustling with imprecations I found myself spontaneously unleashing an imprecatory prayer in an e-mail to a friend about this situation.

I must admit I haven't delved much into the imprecatory Psalms, but found myself feeling what some of these Psalmists surely felt as they penned these pleas to God for His intervention and justice.

A few examples of such verses (HT:Theopedia.com):

Psalm 55:15
Let death take my enemies by surprise; let them go down alive to the grave.

Psalm 58:6
O God, break the teeth in their mouths.

Psalm 69:28
May they be blotted out of the book of life and not be listed with the righteous.

Psalm 109:9
May his children be fatherless and his wife a widow.


In case you may be wondering how all of this fits into the New Testament scheme of things, take a look at these verses:

Matthew 23:13
But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.

Matthew 26:23-24
And he answered and said, He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me. 24 The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born.

1 Corinthians 16:22
If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha.

Galatians 1:8-9
But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. 9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

Galatians 5:12
I would they were even cut off which trouble you.

2 Timothy 4:14

Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works:

Revelation 6:10
And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?


That said, this is the imprecatory prayer that exploded onto my keyboard this morning:


Oh that You would rend the heavens and come down. That You would arm Yourself for this warfare and engage in battle against the God-lessness and unrighteousness of our day. Oh Lord hear, Oh Lord see, Oh Lord act on behalf of Your own righteousness and justice. May the wicked perish in the wine-press of Your matchless fury. Might they be torn to pieces in Your spectacular judgments. May You bring them to an end quickly that they may begin to taste of Your unending justice. Bend Your bow oh Warrior King. Unsheathe Your sword. May Your eternal justice be revealed to all, that Your Name may be feared. Act on behalf of the helpless, the fatherless, the victimized and defenseless. Pour out Your wrath on those who take part in such wickedness.

Monday, June 15, 2009

T4G 2010

Registration is open for the Together For the Gospel 2010 Conference.

April 13 - 15, 2010
Louisville, KY

Speakers:
Thabiti Anyabwile
Mark Dever
Ligon Duncan
John MacArthur
C.J. Mahaney
Albert Mohler
John Piper
R.C. Sproul



Check out the free audio from the T4G '06 and '08 conferences.

For more information check out www.t4g.org.

Sunday, June 14, 2009

The Name Above All Names

Majestic in Holiness.
Eternally Glorious.
Unfading in Splendor.
Unimagined Magnificence.
Unspeakable Majesty.
Incomparable Faithfulness.
Breathtaking Righteousness.
Unfailing Justice.
Magnificent Mercy.
Infinitely Valuable.
Irresistible in Grace.
His is the Name that is above every name.
So it is, and so it will be for all eternity.

Saturday, June 13, 2009

Divine Purposes & Wedding Celebrations

The chief end of marriage is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.

A spin off of the old Catichism question, this phrase was used by a pastor-friend of mine during an intro to a marriage ceremony today. The phrase rings in my ears with a deeper truth having just attended the wonderful wedding of a good friend of mine and his new bride.

Magnificent love on display in a glorious array of affection. Such was the case at this marriage ceremony and the following celebration. So also it is the case with the glorious God who displays His magnificent love for His people in a brilliant array of affections. Marriage was designed by God, planned by Him before time to reveal His rich and super-splendorous glories. So it was this evening as the marriage of my friend and his bride did indeed reflect the divine love of Christ for His bride the church.

The evening of celebration following the ceremony was a delectable foretaste of that great and wonderful celebration recorded in the Scriptures; the marriage supper of the Lamb. How wonderful it was to rejoice with friends and family in the midst of this celebration. So also it will be amazingly wonderful to rejoice with that countless multitude of friends and family members in Christ on that inevitable and glorious day.

Congratulations bride and groom! May your marriage continue to display His multifaceted splendor.

Friday, June 5, 2009

Fearful Encounters with the Glory of Christ

Have you ever noticed the numerous accounts of people in the Gospels being "afraid" or "filled with great fear" at the manifestations of the glory of Jesus? I'm finding this quite frequently in my reading of the Gospels, here are a few examples from the Gospel of Luke alone:

Luke 5:8-10
But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord." For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men."

Luke 7:14-16
Then he came up and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, "Young man, I say to you, arise." And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, saying, "A great prophet has arisen among us!" and "God has visited his people!"

Luke 8:25
He said to them, "Where is your faith?" And they were afraid, and they marveled, saying to one another, "Who then is this, that he commands even winds and water, and they obey him?"

Luke 8:35-27
Then people went out to see what had happened, and they came to Jesus and found the man from whom the demons had gone, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. And those who had seen it told them how the demon-possessed man had been healed. Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear. So he got into the boat and returned.

Luke 9:34-35
As he was saying these things, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!"