Sunday, April 7, 2013

Who’s Rules Anyway?

I must confess that I was inspired by the election of Pope Francis. His words and actions seem to embody Jesus Christ and his humility is refreshing from a former “prince” of the church. Even though I am not Roman Catholic, and have no intention of ever crossing the Tiber to become one, I think Francis will be a blessing to all Christians worldwide, including Anglicans.

Due to the nature of Francis’ elevation and the historic resignation of his predecessor, the politics and intrigue of the papal selection were unusually heightened. Since Benedict abdicated instead of dying, as every pope for the last 600 years has done, the pundits and propagandists had a field day for over a month. Their wagging tongues and sharp pencils generally attacked the Roman Catholic Church with their version of what ails the church and how to fix it. Most of the media focused on how out of date the church was and how it must modernize and join the rest of us in the 21st century. The two main issues were gay marriage and the ordination of women. From their perch in the cheap seats next to Bob Uecker, without the church getting on-board with these progressive issues, it was destined to be cast on the dung heap of irrelevancy. It appears that the church did not cave into the hysterics and has chosen a man who will uphold the orthodoxy and doctrines of the church.

Watching all of this as an interested bystander was fascinating. It raised several matters which got my attention. Thus, I have entitled this article, “Who’s Rules Anyway?” There are so many implications on so many levels but I will just explore a couple.

The one I had the most trouble with was the gay marriage issue. The teaching of the church has remained constant on this subject for over 2000 years. This does not include the Old Testament which begins at creation with one man and women. What makes this juicy is that by redefining marriage as society or a small minority of that society dictates makes people believe they can improve on what God has instituted. How arrogant for the creatures to tell the creator how things ought to be! That would be like Pinocchio telling Geppetto what he should do, how he should act. It is hard to imagine how in the world people can think they can tell God how to act and what to bless.

The first argument that is always raised concerns love. If God is love they suggest, he would want me to be able to marry the person I love. We tend to think that there are no boundaries or restraints on who we love, how we love or what we can love. Even without exploring the implications of this slippery slope, it is not hard to see how far this mutation can lead us away from God. God’s love is so much higher, purer and perfect than human love (or lust). God just doesn’t love, he is love. It is not an action he engages in it is his who and what he is. God is pure unadulterated love. Who knows more about love than the One who is love? Our fallen humanity can never have a concept of God’s true love.

Same sex marriage is also a life issue. God, who is the author of life, has proscribed relationships that foster life. This is more than just about pre-creation, it’s about health.  It is hard to deny the statistical fact that gay men live, on average, 12 years less than their heterosexual counterparts. Women average about ten years less. There is also a higher chance of suicide, drug abuse, depression and other physical and mental ailments associated with same sex desire. How can society encourage a life style that is so evidently pro-death? The God who created all life, who raised Jesus Christ back to life, is anything but pro-death. He is decidedly anti-death. He is pro-life! It is hard to imagine him, under any circumstances, supporting any institution that leads to premature death. When Jesus said that he came that we might have life and have it abundantly, I am fairly certain he had in mind a quantity and quality that is diametrically opposed to this. True love supports life, not destroys it.

Many supporters of same sex marriage will claim that this is a social justice issue. You will hear them whine, “If heterosexuals can, why can’t we?” At this point answering, “Because God said so,” offers little solace or help. That answer just does not sit well with them. Like little children they feel they are being denied or cheated because they do not get what they want. Good parenting requires saying “no” quite often, especially when it is in the best interest of the child. When I was young – and I must admit I still want this today – I wanted to eat candy for all of my meals. I think God allowed Reese’s Cup to be invented to tempt me beyond what I can handle! But, then as now, a steady diet of those delicious peanut butter cups would do great damage to my health. I would not be getting the proper nutrients my body required and the sugar alone would rot my teeth. Sometimes a “no” means love. Love means saying no and not indulging whims just because the child feels they are getting a raw deal. Here again, who is more just than God Almighty? He invented the principle and the practice and instituted the action.

The church inspires strong loyalties and those can be tough to overcome. During the pre-papal election coverage, I heard a lot of people spewing about “their” church. These people forget that the church is a voluntary institution and they are free to belong or not to belong. I think it really is the height of arrogance to try to tell something as big and as old as the Roman Catholic Church how she should act. In my wildest imagination, I would never think to the join the Rotary Club and try to tell them what they should be doing and why. That is the definition of the tail wagging the dog. What I would do is try to find a group whose principles and ideals I agree with and join them. Instead of constantly rowing against the rest of the boat, I would be rowing with them and making more of an impact in the process. If the Roman Catholic Church does not meet your expectations, find a church that will. (This goes for any church or denomination.) I realize this opens up a whole other can of worms about “true” churches etc. but we will save that for a later date. Freedom of association also means freedom from association.

These are just a couple of observations from the papal election. I dare say they are unique to the Roman Catholic Church or to me. There are many tails out there trying to wag the dog. The biggest dog of all is God. The distortion of reality is huge. The presumption is overwhelming. God is God because he is God. He has instituted desirable behavior for his creatures. Throughout history, we have perverted God’s pattern. We have revised Psalm 100:3. The verse states: “It is he who made us and not we ourselves.” We have made it much more palatable: "It is we who have made him and not he himself.” Both versions have implications for the way we live. The only question is, “Who’s rules anyway?”

Thursday, March 28, 2013

Sympathetic Pains

I’m not a big fan of sympathetic pain. I suffer from it. If you tell me you have a tooth ache, I will feel pain in my own mouth. Stomach, head ache, any other ache, I suffer the same thing. This may make me more compassionate and caring but it can be a real pain, literally. When my wife was pregnant with our son I had real issues with her morning sickness. Maybe that is why we didn’t have any more children. At this time of year my malady becomes acute when I think back on all that Jesus went through for me on Good Friday.

I love Holy Week. I am thankful – grateful – for all that Jesus endured on my behalf. His suffering was my gain. When we read the biblical accounts of the Passions Narrative, they seem to be sanitized. They do not adequately portray what Jesus actually underwent at the hands of his tormentors. With the release of Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of the Christ,” the actual brutality of Jesus’ suffering jumps out of the screen with such force it knocks you over, if not out. I do not know how anyone cannot suffer some form of sympathetic pain watching those scenes. It is gory and grotesque. When I viewed the film – and mind you, I could only stand to see it once – I was graciously spared from the full impact of the whipping part. I was summoned to answer the phone at the portion where Jesus was flogged. I returned at the point where Mary was wiping up the blood. Even that was too much for my fragile constitution. That movie indelibly etched the true nature of the Passion in my mind and the minds of millions of viewers. Then, each year those images are reawakened in my mind as I remember our Lord’s Passion.

The question remains, though, will the events that are portrayed in that movie have any impact on your Good Friday? For me, suffering from sympathetic pain, it does. Even writing this I am getting prickly feelings on my back just thinking about Jesus being scourged. If I take the time – which I probably will not – I could feel sensations in other areas of my body too. But these little sympathetic pains bear little resemblance to what Jesus truly suffered and endured. His pain was real. Mine is only a figment of my imagination. His blood was real. His torn flesh was real. Jesus can sympathize with the pains and our true condition we have in life because he has suffered real true pain too. These are not sympathetic pains but actual true suffering. And on the cross, when he took on all of our sins as the sacrificial Lamb of God, for the first time in his life, he knew what it meant to be cut off from intimate fellowship with God. We are used to it, he was not. For us it is normal, for him it was rude awakening. He came to return the possibility of that full relationship with God for us, and to us. It was at this point that Jesus exclaimed, “My God, my God why have you forsaken me?” The closeness of their relationship was ripped away from him just as brutally as the skin on his back.
 
While Jesus Christ can sympathize with us, we can never sympathize with him. Even in our most pathetic efforts to understand what he went through we come up short. The implications of what he did echo through eternity, praise God! We tend to minimize or sanitize what Jesus endured. We seldom try to fill in the details in the biblical account left out by the gospel writers. We rarely engage our imaginations to even partially enter into his suffering and pain. I was overwhelmed several years ago when I came across a medical doctor’s diagnosis of what Jesus’ body was going through during all of this. He explored all of the possible ramifications of the brutal beating, the crown of thorns, the cross bar of the execution cross, in addition to the hunger, thirst and myriad other physical ailments that were occurring. After perusing the medical record I was astounded at how Jesus even lived long enough to make it to the cross. Needless to say, for the faint-hearted like me, this was somber reading. But Jesus had a mission to complete and nothing short of the cross would accomplish the purpose for which he came.

To enter fully into Easter, we must go through Good Friday. We need to understand what Jesus accomplished on Good Friday. That is where we find its meaning, not in sympathy but in actuality. We don’t stay on Good Friday because we are resurrection people. We cannot minimize what was accomplished on that fateful day Friday 2000 years ago. With my sympathetic pain, all I can say is that I would not have survived. I am eternally grateful. I am also eternally grateful that the cross wasn’t the last word! The empty tomb is the last word. As St. Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, O death is your victory? Where O death, is your sting?” (1 Corinthians 15:54-55) Or as Tony Campolo wrote about, “It’s Friday, but Sunday’s comin!” Alleluia. Christ is risen. The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia.

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Hedging Your Bets


Have you ever “hedged” a bet? Have you ever not gone “all in,” holding a little back just in case? Whatever the topic or issue, you have chosen to keep something “in reserve.” Well, I doubt you are alone. I doubt you are the only one who has ever done this. Two main areas of hedging occur in our finances and in our love relationships. In these we tend to be leery of going all in.

This realization hit last week when I heard a song on the radio from many years back. My son said he knew of the song and it was not from the oldies radio station so I felt a little better. It was from Supertramp and it was called “Give A Little bit.” Here is the verse that caught my attention: “Give a little bit; Give a little bit of your love to me; I'll give a little bit; I'll give a little bit of my life for you.” There are times in life when going all is not prudent. I’m not sure how smart you would be to invest heavily in pet rocks or eight track tapes. Those would not be wise investments and I would stay away from any financial manager who recommended such purchases. These certainly couldn’t be good for your portfolio. But we do tend to operate under this philosophy in many aspects of our lives, especially in our relationship with Jesus Christ. We want to hedge our bets, not go all in; just in case Jesus isn’t who he says he is or does not fulfill his promises.  We hedge because we have some uncertainties about heaven or hell. So, just in case, we hold something back so as not to look silly or foolish. It’s a way of saving face. We may even believe it helps our reputation around town and with our neighbors. We won’t be known as a religious “freak” or “zealot.” The ultimate question is, “What does Jesus Christ think about this?” Interestingly enough Jesus had a lot to say on this subject. Jesus never did anything half way and he expects the same attitude from those who claim to be his disciples. Jesus wants us – his followers – to act as he did. When confronted with the seemingly unanswerable question, or at least unanswerable without offending someone, Jesus said that the greatest commandment was this: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” (Mark 12:30) The key word that Jesus used to negate any hedging was “all.” When Jesus said all, he meant all and nothing less than all. If we do not give him our all as he asks we fall short – way short – of what he calls us to do and be. There are times in life when part of something is better than all of nothing. This isn’t one of those times.

If it were possible, this would put us into a quandary. Which part of the blessings of being “in Christ” would you want to forego? This reminds me of some churches that go by the moniker of “Full Gospel” churches. These churches are unique because they have it all, practice it all, and believe in it all. At the same time, this implies that not all churches are full gospel. Thus, some must be partial gospel. I must confess I have attended a couple of partial gospel churches but they would never advertise that fact. These churches would view the blessings and promises of Jesus as a smorgasbord of services and rewards that are available. You choose which ones you want to receive and those you want to do without. Picture yourself in front of Jesus saying, “I’ll have a half healing with a side of medium love and an extra-large mercy! Hold the sacrifice and obedience!” Do you see where that would leave you? Far too many people though are willing to settle for less than all Jesus Christ can and will provide. It’s a shame but it is reality.

This is further compounded by our secret agent status as Christians. We are so deep under cover that nobody would suspect that we belong to Jesus Christ (if we ever truly do at this point!). This too is an aspect of hedging our bets. And, surprise, surprise, Jesus speaks to this also. “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.” (Matthew 10:32-33) This is an important issue. If we imagine it from an eternal perspective, where should someone end up who only gave Jesus 50%? Are there levels or degrees in heaven? I don’t think so. Heaven and entrance into it is certainly an all or nothing proposition.  You are either in or you are out.  The entrance requirements are simple – yet wholly complete. In fact there may even be a sign at the pearly gates saying, “NO HEDGERS ALLOWED!” What a disappointment that will be to so many people. At that point it will be too late to correct having been a practical less than 100% disciple. It will be in that moment people will realize that being a sold out follower of Jesus Christ is what it takes to get in.

Think about other relationships you may be involved in. The one that closest resembles what Jesus has in mind is the marriage relationship. Too many couples view marriage as a 50-50 deal. This comes up short by at least 50% each. The marriage relationship is based on an all in mentality with no hedging your bets. This may explain why the divorce rate is so high because people never knew the price they should or would have to pay for their marriage to be successful. Jesus sets the bar high even to the extent that looking on another woman with lust is considered adultery. (Matthew 5:28) If your spouse is not front and center in your thoughts and in your life – constantly – you have to ask yourself if you are really married. Repeated violations of this adds more credence to the hedging your bet principle.

God doesn’t want just part of us. He gave us his all in his Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus gave us his all when he died for us on the cross. Imagine for a moment if Jesus had said, just prior to his passion, “Well, I’ve done enough for them. I know it was only a portion of my Father’s plan, but it is good enough. Besides, there are so many who will never believe or commit wholeheartedly. Why should I give them my all?” We would be plumb out of luck! We would be disappointed and without hope. We would still be lost.

When we accept the challenge – and trust me, it is a huge, relentless challenge – to follow Jesus Christ and love him with all of our heart, mind, soul and strength we have not hedged our bets or held anything back. The rewards are worth it. Go all in with Jesus and you will never regret not hedging your bet. Why? Because it’s not a bet, it is a sure thing!

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Magnitude

Now that Christmas is over and the giving season is at a close (well except for birthdays, anniversaries and other special events) people are probably quickly forgetting who gave them what for Christmas. I would dare say that thank you notes have not even been written for said gifts. Every once in a while, people will be more thankful for other types of favors that they may receive. I am reminded of a story about a two veterans on a train. One has an epileptic seizure during the trip. The other promptly puts his arms around the first vet and holds him tight until the seizure passes. Another passenger remarks about the kind gesture. The second vet responds that the first man saved his life during the war. He goes on to tell about selling all he owned after his friend discovered he had this condition so he could be there for him. The passenger was impressed. The vet stated, “After what he did for me, there is not anything I would not do for him.” This veteran remembered who gave him a gift and spent the rest of his life repaying the gift.
 

There are times when the gift received is so enormous that, no matter what we do, it can never be repaid. If you look at the current US government borrowing, the debt accumulated is so large that it may never be repaid. My head hurts when they start mentioning trillions and actually how large of a number that is. The number is overwhelming and it is hard to wrap your mind around it. Forgiving that size debt would also be overwhelming. Having a debt of that magnitude wiped away is just what God is all about. This was the original intent of the Jubilee Year in the Old Testament. Every fifty years, the Israelites were to cancel all their debts and include the property to their original owners. Also, freeing all slaves was included. The justification for this is stated by God himself, “Do not take advantage of each other, but fear your God.” (Leviticus 25:17) It does not matter the reason you had to incur the debt or sell the property, it was forgiven with no penalty and no adverse effect to their reputation.

 
Many people today have accrued large amounts of debt. The economy is not as brisk as it once was and people are receiving the burden of their lifestyle choices in a down economy. The stress from this circumstance adds to the situation in a negative way. Many will never climb out of this mountain of debt. If someone came along and paid that debt, wiped the slate clean and gave them a fresh start, how much gratitude should or would they be expected to show. Lottsa! I was told that is an Italian word for "a whole bunch." How indebted would they feel to the person who paid that debt for them? Again, lottsa. In fact, people would view any expression that borders on anything less as insincerity. Jesus tells a similar story in Matthew 18. It is entitled, “The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant.” In this story, a king forgives a servant a vast debt because the servant begged him. Upon receiving this forgiveness, the servant goes out and demands another servant repay him a very miniscule amount in comparison. When the king hears about these shenanigans, he canceled his deal with the first servant and had him “tortured” until he repaid the whole debt. I guess there are many people today who are thankful that mortgage and credit card companies cannot do the same thing to deadbeats. There are times when I am thankful they aren’t able to do it either.
 

Each of us has accumulated an enormous debt that we can never cancel or repay. I am not speaking of the US federal debt here (although Americans for generations do have a rather large sum to repay). I am speaking of the results of our sin in God’s economy. From God’s perspective, sin is sin. He does not have misdemeanors and felonies where sin is concerned. It is all the same in his eyes. You do not get a lesser sentence for one and a larger sentence for another. Imagine a perfect white piece of paper. Draw a huge black circle and a microscopic circle on it. From God's point of view, both are the same. Both circles offend his sense of holiness. All sin deserves punishment, which as God set out, is death. This death is not physical but spiritual. It is eternal separation from God forever. There is no time off for good behavior in hell. If you are not sure what this will look like, read Luke 16, “The Rich Man and Lazarus.” This story gives an accurate picture of how eternity will be for those who go to heaven and those who don’t. It is not a pretty story and there is a way to avoid the fate of the rich man. Being saved is more than just eternal fire insurance. While that is one result of having a relationship with Jesus Christ, it is not the main motivation. As with the story of the two vets, “After all he did for me there isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for him.”

 
The enormous debt, the enormous mercy, the enormous forgiveness I have received because of the life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ just “blows my mind.” Much like trying to think about the actual value of a trillion, my heads hurts at the magnitude of the gift I have received from Jesus. I am driven to my knees in thanksgiving for something I could never accomplish on my own. The problem I have with myself is that I diminish the magnitude by forgetting. I go about my business with no concern of the forgiveness I have received. I take it for granted and do not do “anything for him.” As the song says, “Jesus paid it all. All to Him I owe; Sin had left a crimson stain. He washed it white as snow.” The best analogy for this is a Kool-Aid stain in the carpet. As a parent, I have seen my share of these. There is nothing you can do to get it out. Our sins are Kool-Aid stains on our lives and hearts. They are so deep and destructive they keep us from having a right relationship with God. Thank God that the blood of Jesus removes the Kool-Aid stain of sin from our lives. I don’t know about you, but Jesus paid a whole lot to cover my misdeeds. And that is only the ones I have done or will do today. I would hate to think about adding in what the rest of my life will bring!
 

The Church (big “C”) tends to forget this aspect of our faith. Too many preachers talk about the victory we have in Jesus and how to live that out. I am afraid that living in victory is very different than living in gratitude. While we live in both, victory tends to make us arrogant and proud. Gratitude makes us humble and thankful. It is a fine line between the two and we need to portray both to the world. Yet, if we waver to one side or the other, we need to waver to the gratitude side. Why? Because “Jesus paid it all for me.” And, after what he did for me, there isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for him. My prayer for the Church is that everyone who claims to be a follower of Jesus Christ will live this out daily and make an impact on this hurting world. After what he did for me, there isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for him.


 

Saturday, January 5, 2013

Not Just a Passing Paragraph

Sometimes things hit you like a ton of bricks. The little light of insight burns dimly even when you finally get it. The wattage of my light seems lucky to get to 25 even at its brightest. It happened while I was watching one of my favorite movies of all time, “The Patriot.” If Mel Gibson had played Rhett Butler he would have starred in all of my favorite movies as “Gone With The Wind” ranks ahead of “Braveheart” and “The Patriot” as my top flicks. “The Passion of the Christ” is a close fourth and Mel did have something to do with that one also. But in “The Patriot” Mel plays the part of a patriot militia colonel who hassles the British army of General Lord Cornwallis throughout South Carolina. The movie ends with the American victory at Yorktown and sealing the future fate of the United States as a country. Watching the movie I realized how few Americans today could tell you anything about this portion of the founding of our country. It is sad and our country is paying a rather high price currently for our ignorance. I realize that as a history buff with a Bachelor’s degree in history, as someone who would rather watch The Military History Channel over ESPN, who could watch “The Patriot” for the umpteenth time and still be interested (except for the part where the cannon ball blows the guy’s head off), I am sort of a geek (or nerd or whatever the current lingo would label me) in this respect. I am well aware of this. But it so discouraging to know that history is a forgotten subject and not studied or known. I find it rather absurd for people to call themselves Americans and not know the true story (not manipulated rewritten version that passes for history nowadays) of how this great country came to be. The blood of all of those who have paid the ultimate price cries out as a testimony against this current misinformed generation.


As I sat watching Mel tomahawk several British soldiers to death, it occurred to me the same thing is happening to Anglicanism worldwide. No, not the tomahawking but the ignorance! We have no sense of our history or our place in it as a church. My son showed me his world history book the other day. The paragraph on Henry VIII spoke of his seeking a divorce from his wife, Catherine of Aragon, as the impetus for forming the Anglican Church (Church of England). This is such a simplistic view but it is probably all that high school students need to know. Unfortunately, it seems to be all that Anglicans need to know or want to know. There is so much more to the story that goes untold. So, people inside and outside the Anglican Church believe this branch of the church was formed to secure the king a divorce. And since then nothing much has happened until the recent unseemly decline (or advance depending on your point of view) the church has suffered for being “inclusive.”
 
 
One of my problems with many churches today that claim to be “non-denominational” is that they have no collective history but for that of the founding pastor and congregation to this point. They are rarely part of the wider Church (big “C” universal or “catholic” church) except in the use of the name “church.” While they may be making in rather large impression on their locales their history could be written in a few short pages. I am not against these churches per se because I know that the main line denominations have squandered their inheritance in this aspect and lost the respect they once held. Since my crystal ball is black and has an “8” on it, I am sure not the one to predict the impact these churches may have in the future or how many histories will be written about them at a later date. But one thing is for sure, they have a long way to go to catch up to the volumes about Anglicanism and Anglicans.
 
 
As the aforementioned history buff, this subject may only interest me. In our modern times, hero worship seems to involve more of knocking people off their pedestals than remembering their great feats. A recent show about Abraham Lincoln made a point of talking about how he slept with men when Mrs. Lincoln was not around. It was as if this was more important that the role he played during the Civil War. However, there are many heroes whose names and faces we do not recognize or even know about. Just watch any History Channel story about some battle that was instrumental in the victory and the cause they are reporting on. In a country with such a storied background, this is so true. The same is true for Anglicanism. Many of the names and stories are not recognized for their contribution to history. When speaking of Anglicans and their contributions the list is extensive. The likes of Sir Isaac Newton, Sir Francis Bacon, Marconi, John Locke, Charles Darwin and many others all had some connection to the Anglican Church. In the literary field the likes of John Donne, George Herbert, Dorothy Sayers and C.S. Lewis all had Anglican roots. The influence of this church reaches far and wide. There are just too many people to name.
 
 
As an ordained priest in the Anglican Church, I have a special affinity for those who were ordained and championed the faith. Included in this list are Charles and John Wesley, George Whitefield and even Desmond Tutu. Many died for their stance but their influence has lasted through the centuries. The father of the Book of Common Prayer, Thomas Cranmer, is one of the foremost in this category. He was a tireless warrior during the Reformation in England and was burned at the stake for his participation in it. The Book of Common Prayer (BCP), no matter what version or edition you choose, is the glue that holds the Anglican Church together. The idea of the people being able to worship and participate in worship is a uniquely Anglican innovation. The BCP is based on Scripture and reformed in theology. Cranmer authored prayers in the early versions that are still be used today. The inspiration of the Holy Spirit is not bound by time or location. Those prayers still evoke the same experience and sense of awe in our God and his Son as they 450 years ago. Unfortunately, Cranmer was burned at the stake on March 21, 1556. He was placed there by Queen Mary, otherwise known as “Bloody Mary” for her burning of over 300 Protestant “heretics.” This date has been claimed as the day that Roman Catholicism died in England. As the flames grew hotter and higher, Cranmer stuck his hand into the flames first. He wanted the hand that signed several of the recantations of the Protestant doctrine to suffer the first loss. In his death, he recanted his recantations and died solidly convinced that his life accomplishments were well worth the effort. Two other victims of Queen Mary were bishops Nicholas Ridley and Hugh Latimer. They were placed on trial along with Cranmer and they were burned at the stake on October 16, 1555. Bishop Latimer is reported as saying to Bishop Ridley, just as the flames were rising, “Play the man, Master Ridley; we shall this day light such a candle, by God's grace, in England, as I trust shall never be put out.” He never realized how true his words would be.
 
 
I am not saying the being an Anglican is the best choice for everyone. I am a little prejudiced in this regard. Although, I am convinced that entrance into heaven will be alphabetical by denomination. Thus, Anglicans will get in ahead of the Assemblies of God and the Baptists! My friends in those branches of the church hate it when I say this and I know (and hope they do too) that it is not really true. Like America, the Anglican Church has a rich history and tradition. Too many people fail to remember or understand how we got where we are today. I love being connected to the past. I am thankful for all those people who paved the way for me. I am especially thankful for all of those who paid the ultimate price for everything I enjoy today, be it my denomination or my country. Our history is not just a passing paragraph but a living expression that carries us into the future. As Edmund Burke wrote, “Those who don't know history are destined to repeat it.” History is our friend. We learn from it and we are encouraged by it. Take some time to learn about the people who forged the faith you practice and the country where you practice it. It will be worth your time and effort because it was worth theirs.

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

New Year’s Resolutions Anytime!


You have to admit that around January 1st, hope springs eternal. People make resolutions and attempt to make a commitment to change certain things in their life for the better (usually). They look forward to the new year being better than the one that has just past. Very rarely do you hear someone say that they want the New Year to be the same as, or worse than, last year. Almost everyone has high aspirations and wants to achieve more this year than they did previously. Many set goals with the optimism of achieving them. Some will, some will not. Most give up or forget about their resolutions before the month of January closes. But that does not deter us from making new resolutions next year. We try to convince ourselves we will do better and try harder because the change we seek will benefit us and those around us. As I said, hope springs eternal.

 
The problem with these resolutions is that we think that just because there was a change in the digits on a calendar, it will change the outlook and disposition of our life. I will not say this is foolhardy but it does seem to be inconsistent. What makes us think that a vow in January is going to have more impact than a change in July? There are not too many heart transplant patients – or other vital organs for that matter – who would say that they would wait for their transplant until next year because they are going to make a resolution to live healthier in the up-coming year. This past year we heard much about the Mayan calendar and the end of the world as we know it. While the loss of Twinkie and Ho-Ho production is a major setback to humanity, the world is still here and plugging along much as it has for centuries. In our arrogance we seem to believe that our calendar is the correct one. So, when it changes the numerals of the year, we think it is a brand new start. Yet, even our calendar in not in sync with the motions of the galaxy. We have to have a leap year every four years to compensate for the variance in accurate time measurement. While this little adjustment solves our problem it still is not perfect.

 
New Year’s Resolutions have their place and many people need them to focus and commit to needed changes. Becoming proactive to correct a lingering problem may take time but the effort will be worth it. Unlike the Lenten practice of giving up something for the duration of Lent (40 days prior to Easter), New Year’s resolution changes are sought to be permanent. I met an Anglican priest once who gave up smoking cigarettes for Lent every year. It was a laudable and noble endeavor. However, when Easter arrived and Lent was over, he could be seen lighting up just before the Easter services. He made it through Lent but his sacrifice was not life changing and he returned to his old unhealthy habits. This too occurs with New Year’s Resolutions. We quit before we are transformed, before the changes have a chance to make a positive impact on our lives. If we do follow through, we are blessed and thankful that we tried and succeeded. In and of themselves, these resolutions are not bad or ungodly. It does give us hope that we can change and change for the better. But, what does God have to say about this subject?

 
Nowhere in Scripture are New Year’s Resolutions mentioned. Basically I believe that since God is eternal and outside of time as we know it, calendars have no influence on him at all. Time was invented by God for our sake to keep everything from happening at once. Linear time is a creation of God for the benefit of man. I think of time like a piece of string. It has a definite beginning and a definite end. God holds both ends in his hands. He can see the beginning and the end at the same moment. So, from his perspective, the years all run together and there is really no clear delineation from one year to the next. Just because our calendars end and numbers change, time rolls on and on and on until Jesus comes back. It does not matter when you make a choice to do anything. God sees when you do it and he sees the results of that choice in the same instant.


The Bible is clear that God’s mercies are new every day. (Lamentations 3:23) Every day is a new start and a chance to have a different kind of life, a different quality to life. We don’t have to wait until the first of the year. God doesn’t wait and we don’t have to either. Paul wrote to the church in Corinth, “I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.” (2 Corinthians 6:2) Our resolution should be to daily carry our cross and follow Jesus. (Luke 9:23) When that resolution is entered into, things come into proper perspective. I have quoted the saying many times about “loving Jesus and doing what you want.” I don’t know who to attribute it to but it is worth repeating. When you love Jesus to the fullest extent, with all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength (Mark 12:30), your wants and desired get rewired. You no longer desire to do the things you used to do because you love Jesus. We do not have to wait for the New Year to come to change this in our lives. You never know what may happen in the intervening period. Do you really have time to wait?


Even though New Year’s for 2013 has officially passed it is not too late to make a resolution. According to some study somewhere, it only takes 21 days to make something a habit. If you started today (January 2nd), whatever you endeavor to do could become a habit before the next Super Bowl game (February 13th). But even if you don’t do it before the Super Bowl, that does not make it too late. Resolutions can and should change your life. They should change it for the better. That is what God wants for you. It is what God wants from you. If you do not know Jesus Christ as the Lord of your life, today is the day to accept him. January first only comes around once a year and after it passes you will have to wait 364 days (365 in leap years) for it to come around again. Can you afford to wait? Make that resolution right now. If you do know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, is there some issue that is blocking, delaying, or stunting your spiritual growth and maturity? Make that resolution here and now to change that issue. Three hundred and sixty four days is way too long to wait. As Nike used to say: “Just do it!” Resolutions are hard to keep. We may achieve them and feel good about ourselves. But the true life transforming resolutions, the ones that have eternal consequences, have Jesus at the center of them. Do not let the change in numerals on a calendar restrict you from making decisions, modifications and transformations that will bring you eternal security. The best year of your life can start at any point. It can start today. The great thing about Jesus is that he is not bound by a calendar or a falling lighted ball in Times Square. He will take your resolution for him anytime, anywhere. In Christ, every day is a new day, every year a new year. He is a resolution you will never regret making or keeping because hope in him really does spring eternal. Start today and see what happens because Jesus is the Lord of Life.