Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Sunday, October 19, 2008
The Church...Think Globally, Act Locally
Today's headline on the NPR website: 'Experts Fear Financial Crisis Will Hurt World's Poor'. Doy Ralph. It doesn't take an expert to tell you that when money is tight, the ones who are already needy suffer most. Countries are tightening their belts even tighter and not providing aid as they did in years past. The poor have already been reeling from budget cuts and canceled programs and now the repercussions of this global economic downturn will most certainly strike fear in the hearts of struggling families everywhere.
I totally recognize there is a difference between American poverty and worldwide poverty. I grew up below the poverty line but I still had food and clothes. I can't imagine not having anything to feed my children. Or being sick and not having access to healthcare. Completely beyond the scope of my imagination. We are beyond blessed in this country, yet have a sense of entitlement that disgusts the rest of the world. Nevertheless, I have a heart for the people in my community and how they will be affected.
Springfield/Eugene is a region known for stellar programs for the needy, programs that will inevitably feel the sting of lack of cash flow in the coming months and years. What an amazing opporunity for the local church to show their stuff! Christians are called to feed and clothe the 'least of our brothers' and I believe they'll be coming in droves to their local churches, looking for help in these troubled times. And not only help for their earthly needs but for their spiritual needs as well.
So many inspiring verses about God's heart for the poor:
And one of my personal favorites...
God, help us be ready!
I totally recognize there is a difference between American poverty and worldwide poverty. I grew up below the poverty line but I still had food and clothes. I can't imagine not having anything to feed my children. Or being sick and not having access to healthcare. Completely beyond the scope of my imagination. We are beyond blessed in this country, yet have a sense of entitlement that disgusts the rest of the world. Nevertheless, I have a heart for the people in my community and how they will be affected.
Springfield/Eugene is a region known for stellar programs for the needy, programs that will inevitably feel the sting of lack of cash flow in the coming months and years. What an amazing opporunity for the local church to show their stuff! Christians are called to feed and clothe the 'least of our brothers' and I believe they'll be coming in droves to their local churches, looking for help in these troubled times. And not only help for their earthly needs but for their spiritual needs as well.
So many inspiring verses about God's heart for the poor:
Psalm 82:3
Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed.
Psalm 140:12
I know that the LORD secures justice for the poor and upholds the cause of the needy.
Job 29:11, 12
Whoever heard me spoke well of me and those who saw me commended me, because I rescued the poor who cried for help and the fatherless who had none to assist him.
Proverbs 22:9
A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor.
Proverbs 28:27
He who gives to the poor will lack nothing, but he who closes his eyes to them receives many curses.
Proverbs 31:20
She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy [a wife of noble character]
And one of my personal favorites...
Isaiah 58:6-8
6 "Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?
7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe him,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness [a] will go before you,
and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard."
God, help us be ready!
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Character matters
There is a bumper sticker that cracks me up -'mean people suck'. I thought about that while watching the third and final debate. It's been at the back of my brain that there is a proverb about staying away from angry people. Here are the two, of many, I found:
It helps explain my discomfort with McCain and my conviction that the temperment and character of the man chosen to lead the country is so important.
I found this story on www.itsnotwhatyouthink.com. It's sappy, granted, but sweet nevertheless. I usually question the authenticity of stuff like this, but I scouted out the source and it seems legit...a story from the Oct 4th edition of the largest Norwegian newspaper VG, www.vg.no.
ÅSGÅRDSTRAND (VG): Mary was a newlywed and ready to move to Norway, but was stopped at the airport because she didn’t have enough money for the trip. Then a stranger turned up and paid for her.
Mary Menth Andersen was 31 years old at the time and had just married Norwegian Dag Andersen. She was looking forward to starting a new life in Åsgårdstrand in Vestfold with him. But first she had to get all of her belongings across to Norway. The date was November 2nd, 1988.
At the airport in Miami things were hectic as usual, with long lines at the check-in counters. When it was finally Mary’s turn and she had placed her luggage on the baggage line, she got the message that would crush her bubbling feeling of happiness.
-You’ll have to pay a 103 dollar surcharge if you want to bring both those suitcases to Norway, the man behind the counter said.
Mary had no money. Her new husband had travelled ahead of her to Norway, and she had no one else to call.
-I was completely desperate and tried to think which of my things I could manage without. But I had already made such a careful selection of my most prized possessions, says Mary.
Although she explained the situation to the man behind the counter, he showed no signs of mercy.
-I started to cry, tears were pouring down my face and I had no idea what to do. Then I heard a gentle and friendly voice behind me saying, That’s OK, I’ll pay for her.
Mary turned around to see a tall man whom she had never seen before.
-He had a gentle and kind voice that was still firm and decisive. The first thing I thought was, Who is this man?
Although this happened 20 years ago, Mary still remembers the authority that radiated from the man.
-He was nicely dressed, fashionably dressed with brown leather shoes, a cotton shirt open at the throat and khaki pants, says Mary.
She was thrilled to be able to bring both her suitcases to Norway and assured the stranger that he would get his money back. The man wrote his name and address on a piece of paper that he gave to Mary. She thanked him repeatedly. When she finally walked off towards the security checkpoint, he waved goodbye to her.
The piece of paper said ‘Barack Obama’ and his address in Kansas, which is the state where his mother comes from. Mary carried the slip of paper around in her wallet for years, before it was thrown out.
-He was my knight in shining armor, says Mary, smiling.
She paid the 103 dollars back to Obama the day after she arrived in Norway. At that time he had just finished his job as a poorly paid community worker* in Chicago, and had started his law studies at prestigious Harvard university.
In the spring of 2006 Mary’s parents had heard that Obama was considering a run for president, but that he had still not decided. They chose to write a letter in which they told him that he would receive their votes. At the same time, they thanked Obama for helping their daughter 18 years earlier.
In a letter to Mary’s parents dated May 4th, 2006 and stamped ‘United States Senate, Washington DC’, Barack Obama writes**:
‘I want to thank you for the lovely things you wrote about me and for reminding me of what happened at Miami airport. I’m happy I could help back then, and I’m delighted to hear that your daughter is happy in Norway. Please send her my best wishes. Sincerely, Barack Obama, United States senator’.
The parents sent the letter on to Mary.
This week VG met her and her husband in the café that she runs with her friend Lisbeth Tollefsrud in Åsgårdstrand.
-It’s amazing to think that the man who helped me 20 years ago may now become the next US president, says Mary delightedly.
She has already voted for Obama. She recently donated 100 dollars to his campaign.
She often tells the story from Miami airport, both when race issues are raised and when the conversation turns to the presidential elections.
-I sincerely hope the Americans will see reason and understand that Obama means change, says Mary.
And here she is with her husband and the letter.
Prov 29:22 says 'An angry man stirs up dissension, and a hot-tempered one commits many sins'
Prov 22:24 says 'Do not make friends with a hot-tempered man, do not associate with one easily angered'
It helps explain my discomfort with McCain and my conviction that the temperment and character of the man chosen to lead the country is so important.
I found this story on www.itsnotwhatyouthink.com. It's sappy, granted, but sweet nevertheless. I usually question the authenticity of stuff like this, but I scouted out the source and it seems legit...a story from the Oct 4th edition of the largest Norwegian newspaper VG, www.vg.no.
ÅSGÅRDSTRAND (VG): Mary was a newlywed and ready to move to Norway, but was stopped at the airport because she didn’t have enough money for the trip. Then a stranger turned up and paid for her.
Mary Menth Andersen was 31 years old at the time and had just married Norwegian Dag Andersen. She was looking forward to starting a new life in Åsgårdstrand in Vestfold with him. But first she had to get all of her belongings across to Norway. The date was November 2nd, 1988.
At the airport in Miami things were hectic as usual, with long lines at the check-in counters. When it was finally Mary’s turn and she had placed her luggage on the baggage line, she got the message that would crush her bubbling feeling of happiness.
-You’ll have to pay a 103 dollar surcharge if you want to bring both those suitcases to Norway, the man behind the counter said.
Mary had no money. Her new husband had travelled ahead of her to Norway, and she had no one else to call.
-I was completely desperate and tried to think which of my things I could manage without. But I had already made such a careful selection of my most prized possessions, says Mary.
Although she explained the situation to the man behind the counter, he showed no signs of mercy.
-I started to cry, tears were pouring down my face and I had no idea what to do. Then I heard a gentle and friendly voice behind me saying, That’s OK, I’ll pay for her.
Mary turned around to see a tall man whom she had never seen before.
-He had a gentle and kind voice that was still firm and decisive. The first thing I thought was, Who is this man?
Although this happened 20 years ago, Mary still remembers the authority that radiated from the man.
-He was nicely dressed, fashionably dressed with brown leather shoes, a cotton shirt open at the throat and khaki pants, says Mary.
She was thrilled to be able to bring both her suitcases to Norway and assured the stranger that he would get his money back. The man wrote his name and address on a piece of paper that he gave to Mary. She thanked him repeatedly. When she finally walked off towards the security checkpoint, he waved goodbye to her.
The piece of paper said ‘Barack Obama’ and his address in Kansas, which is the state where his mother comes from. Mary carried the slip of paper around in her wallet for years, before it was thrown out.
-He was my knight in shining armor, says Mary, smiling.
She paid the 103 dollars back to Obama the day after she arrived in Norway. At that time he had just finished his job as a poorly paid community worker* in Chicago, and had started his law studies at prestigious Harvard university.
In the spring of 2006 Mary’s parents had heard that Obama was considering a run for president, but that he had still not decided. They chose to write a letter in which they told him that he would receive their votes. At the same time, they thanked Obama for helping their daughter 18 years earlier.
In a letter to Mary’s parents dated May 4th, 2006 and stamped ‘United States Senate, Washington DC’, Barack Obama writes**:
‘I want to thank you for the lovely things you wrote about me and for reminding me of what happened at Miami airport. I’m happy I could help back then, and I’m delighted to hear that your daughter is happy in Norway. Please send her my best wishes. Sincerely, Barack Obama, United States senator’.
The parents sent the letter on to Mary.
This week VG met her and her husband in the café that she runs with her friend Lisbeth Tollefsrud in Åsgårdstrand.
-It’s amazing to think that the man who helped me 20 years ago may now become the next US president, says Mary delightedly.
She has already voted for Obama. She recently donated 100 dollars to his campaign.
She often tells the story from Miami airport, both when race issues are raised and when the conversation turns to the presidential elections.
-I sincerely hope the Americans will see reason and understand that Obama means change, says Mary.
And here she is with her husband and the letter.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Lessons in Faithfulness
I've been musing over the fact that I love Steve and Joyce Miller, the pastors of our new church, New Song. It's just that I haven't felt this way in a long time about my pastors, since Monroe, and that's been over 10 years. I really don't know them well yet but in this short time, I'm feeling like "till death do us part!!". They are so stuck with me, they have no clue...so that's why this teaching is so timely.
For the first time, Don and I will be a part of some specific, consistent, unweirdly (word? I dunno, check Urban Dictionary) teaching about WORSHIP. We've listened to countless sermons about worship, we've been on worship teams for many, many years, and have received practical training under the ministries we've been involved with, but this is something different. Our first discussion is entitled 'Being a Gift' and is about our role as it relates to leadership...for better or for worse!
Interesting that the analogy chosen are teeth and feet, appendages needed to eat and get around - to survive basically, at least back then. So you have other teeth and you have another foot, but it doesn't say 'is like missing a tooth' or 'is like only having one foot', it says 'is like having a BAD tooth' and 'is like having a foot OUT OF JOINT', which affects your whole bod, ie. the whole body of Christ.
Steve and Joyce Miller are the coolest people. The whole history of this church is amazing and peppered with their sacrifice and perseverence. You can hear Pastor Steve's compassion for his sheep in his sermons and see it when he gets choked up...the heart of a pastor, through and through. The intensity for pursuing the heart of Jesus is written all over his face. What you see is what you get..completely authentic and open people, generous with their time, energy and yummy food.
I've been reading this teaching this morning and am resolved that our family will be a gift to the Millers that:
...brings refreshing
...encourages
...pushes them onward
...doesn't murmur/complain
...is ready, in season and out
It's scary to be fully given to a ministry - we've been burned in the past and we have deeply hurt people ourselves. We know God led us here and won't let fear drive us - He's got a future and a hope and I couldn't be more excited about what He has planned!!
For the first time, Don and I will be a part of some specific, consistent, unweirdly (word? I dunno, check Urban Dictionary) teaching about WORSHIP. We've listened to countless sermons about worship, we've been on worship teams for many, many years, and have received practical training under the ministries we've been involved with, but this is something different. Our first discussion is entitled 'Being a Gift' and is about our role as it relates to leadership...for better or for worse!
Proverbs 25:19 - "Confidence in an unfaithful man (or woman) in time of trouble is like a bad tooth and a foot out of joint."
Interesting that the analogy chosen are teeth and feet, appendages needed to eat and get around - to survive basically, at least back then. So you have other teeth and you have another foot, but it doesn't say 'is like missing a tooth' or 'is like only having one foot', it says 'is like having a BAD tooth' and 'is like having a foot OUT OF JOINT', which affects your whole bod, ie. the whole body of Christ.
Steve and Joyce Miller are the coolest people. The whole history of this church is amazing and peppered with their sacrifice and perseverence. You can hear Pastor Steve's compassion for his sheep in his sermons and see it when he gets choked up...the heart of a pastor, through and through. The intensity for pursuing the heart of Jesus is written all over his face. What you see is what you get..completely authentic and open people, generous with their time, energy and yummy food.
I've been reading this teaching this morning and am resolved that our family will be a gift to the Millers that:
...brings refreshing
...encourages
...pushes them onward
...doesn't murmur/complain
...is ready, in season and out
It's scary to be fully given to a ministry - we've been burned in the past and we have deeply hurt people ourselves. We know God led us here and won't let fear drive us - He's got a future and a hope and I couldn't be more excited about what He has planned!!
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Monday, October 6, 2008
Tragic Forgetfulness
"By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.
In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.
The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But those who fail to develop in this way are shortsighted or blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their old sins.
~ 1 Peter 1:3-8
Forgetting one is forgiven seems like a strange thing in a way...it's like the foundation of Christian belief, the shedding of blood for the forgiveness of sins. But it's way more personal that that. Forgetting I have been cleansed from my old sins....some days that is pretty easy to do, especially when those old sins don't seem very old. So what happens if I 'forget'? Are my sins still forgiven? Of course! My lack of brain function or inconvenient guilty conscience doesn't affect God's grace in any way. But it does affect my growth. And my growth affects the people I will inspire to get to know Jesus and follow Him. Pretty tragic, really...the person who walks around, haunted by their past, is not only robbing themselves but everyone around them. God, help me not forget!!!
In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.
The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But those who fail to develop in this way are shortsighted or blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their old sins.
~ 1 Peter 1:3-8
Forgetting one is forgiven seems like a strange thing in a way...it's like the foundation of Christian belief, the shedding of blood for the forgiveness of sins. But it's way more personal that that. Forgetting I have been cleansed from my old sins....some days that is pretty easy to do, especially when those old sins don't seem very old. So what happens if I 'forget'? Are my sins still forgiven? Of course! My lack of brain function or inconvenient guilty conscience doesn't affect God's grace in any way. But it does affect my growth. And my growth affects the people I will inspire to get to know Jesus and follow Him. Pretty tragic, really...the person who walks around, haunted by their past, is not only robbing themselves but everyone around them. God, help me not forget!!!
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