Category: Religion

Have you ever received a love letter?  I had quite a few when I was in school and actually kept them for a few years.  (for some reason, after I met my soon-to-be wife, they mysteriously vanished).  Thinking back, I should probably be grateful they’re not around anymore, because I’m sure they were quite sappy!  I kept the letters from my highschool girlfriend in a 3 ring folder, and I can remember the enjoyment of reading them.  As corny as those little sweet nothings were, I recall the warmth and feeling of being loved, accepted, and cherished although our whirlwind romance was nothing more than just that. When you’re 17 and stupid, there’s nothing like being told how wonderful you are and how much you have been missed since 1st period. 
Love letters are one of life’s sweetest gifts! Of course, the ultimate love letter is the Bible.  Lately, I have really been struggling with the way I read the holy scriptures.  For me, it’s not so much an issue of reading them as much as "how" I read them.  Eugene Peterson, who wrote "The Message", has made a lasting impression on how I view the whole Bible as a revelation of God, not just that last sensational book at the end.  If we as disciples will begin to approach scripture as the primary means of God actually revealing who He is, who we are, and who we were meant to be, I believe then we can see actual life changing results!  As Peterson claims, the Bible is "used" more than it is "receieved".
He points out that there are 3 primary means of "use".  First, many Christians use the Bible for intellectual challenge.  This is quite possibly the biggest detriment to the effectiveness of the church.  The reason there are so many divided congregations and denominations since the time of Christ, is because too many have obsessively used the scriptures to "prove" their theological correctness in their drive to be right!  Secondly, others use the scriptures in their quest for a successful life.  Good parenting, financial shrewdness, effective leadership etc. are the worthy goals of everyone and the Bible is the "how-to" in these matters.  I guess I can’t wholeheartedly disagree with this premise, but that still doesn’t mean the scriptures were given to us by God for the purpose of our personal success! It can turn your stomach when well intentioned Christians treat the gospel as a product to sell ensuring your all expense paid trip to heaven using the Bible as the travel brochure. 
Lastly, the way people use the Bible is for inspiration, which I must admit to doing quite often myself. Of course,  It’s hard to fault someone for seeking the comfort that is offered through times of grief, worry, and guilt.  However, this manner of using scripture is still a largely self-driven method.

I’m really trying hard not to stand in judgement of these approaches, especially because there is so much benefit we gain from reading the Bible.  The reason we should "receive" the scriptures, or "eat this book" as the title of Peterson’s book encourages us to do, is because God at His core is relational and so are we (even hermits like me).  While it may be a worthy goal to read the Bible in a year, or take in a daily devotion, we should be aware that a self-gratifying approach to scripture does not  require us to be relational to our Creator or to others.  It’s not unlike the early civilizations who crafted their own gods to set up on the fireplace mantle.  The real "god" in these instances were the humans themselves, because they made for themselves a convenient religion that required no relationship on their part. 

When we merely "use" the Bible, we might as well prop up our wobbly tables, or chock the back tires of our RVs with it. 

We can read, memorize, and recite "love the Lord God with all your
might" and "love your neighbor as yourself" for the rest of our lives
and still be just as empty and void of God in the end.

We can even successfully debate the existence of God or Calvinism vs. Armenianism, and we can comfort our souls at the start of each day while being succesful and responsible citizens. We can do and be all these things, but it doesn’t mean that we have "received" the word of God. It just means we are consumers.  We buy ipods, books, movie tickets, and spiritual comfort without ever "leaving the house". 

I use to think it was corny to refer to the Bible as God’s love letter, but it’s true!  It would be silly to read a love letter from a girlfriend or boyfriend for the purpose of intellectual challenge.(especially from some of my old girlfriends)  "She thinks I’m cute and that’s the truth!!  The letter says it’s so if you will just believe it!".  It would be equally foolish to use the letter to gain insights on being successful in managing your finances or dealing with people. "Now Mr. Smith, I’ve been thinking about you while our song played on the radio so can we have your business?"

Of course, finding inspiration in a love letter wouldn’t be all that unreasonable, but what kind of needy person reads a love letter every morning so they can get through their day? 

God gave us scripture for one supreme purpose!  He didn’t preserve the Bible merely to inform us, but more importantly to form us!  Of course, there is information in scripture, good information too!  There’s also good information in thousands of other books as well.  But no other literature shares the profound ability to transform the life of it’s reader like the holy scripture.  Granted, no other literature is as God-breathed.

The scriptures are God’s way of revealing Himself and His purpose. Many believers simply want the Bible to educate, inform, and comfort (which it is capable of doing), but tragically, most overlook the most important approach to scripture which is, metaphorically speaking, to eat, savor, and digest it so that it infiltrates our entire being (mind, body, soul).

I hope I’m not misunderstood in this post, because I do wholeheartedly agree with 2 Timothy 3:16, as the scriptures themselves claim to be "useful" (teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness), but before we reduce the Bible to a rulebook, handbook, or training manual, let’s back up to verse 15 of 2 Timothy 3 and read the part that says that the "scriptures make us wise through……."  what?  " through faith in Christ Jesus!"  Faith in Christ is relationship!  It’s not believing in information about Him, but being formed by Him!

Paul was right about the scriptures.  They are beneficial.  They instruct, inform, train, inspire, and educate!  But Jesus was also right when he told us to "seek first the Kingdom of God (relationship/rule) and His righteousness, and all these things (those things we spend so much energy trying to acquire: good parenting, being a devoted spouse, good steward, defender of the truth, passion etc..) will be added unto you!"

 

Is anyone old enough to remember the "messy Marvin" commericals?  Funny enough, I don’t remember the exact product being pushed (was it chocolate milk?), but there was this kid named messy Marvin in an otherwise average middle class American family.  In spite of my failing memory, I can visualize this little 5 year old kid sitting at the dinner table with food everywhere and all over his face. 
This morning, I pulled my own version of a messy Marvin.  I was sitting at (you know where)..drinking coffee and reading when I mindlessly knocked the cup of coffee off the table and proceeded to lose all of its contents on the floor.  It wasn’t one of those accidents where you kind of spill your drink and still salvage half of it with a quick reflex that would make the Kung-Fu guy jealous either. 
My first concern was not about my lost drink or my immediate reputation. Rather, I kept thinking about the long journey around the corner to inform the barista of my stupidity.  I sheepishly told him of my accident to which he replied, "is this going to require a mop?".  "Uh…yeah..I told him" as I continued to sink deeper into guilty awkwardness.  I moved over to the other side of the coffee shop as he came around the corner with mop bucket in tow, because I couldn’t bear to stand there helplessly as he cleaned up a mess that was caused by me and only me!  With wallet in hand, I tip-toed my way to the counter where I told another girl that I had an accident.  She nodded knowingly as she turned around to pour me a fresh cup of coffee.  I went through the formality of extracting my debit card as she waved it off and gave me a free cup of the Cafe’ Estima.

Because of the simple fact that Starbucks has tile floors should remind me that spills happen occasionally.  However, if it didn’t, then the attitudes and responses of the two workers surely would have clued me in as well.  Upon receiving the news of my gaffe, the barista didn’t throw his hands up in the air like Napolean Dynamite and let out a hearty "IDIOT".  He didn’t even release a subtle sigh as if to say, "foolish, foolish man you are".  No, he simply surveyed the situation, grabbed the necessary tools, and promptly cleaned up the mess. No complaints, no mumbling under his breath, no rolling of the eyes.  The counter girl with nary a studder in speech or step, provided me with a replacement coffee as she uttered the cliched line "don’t worry, clean slate."

It was at that moment that I began to think about my heavenly Father.  From Adam to Rob, we’ve made a mess of His world.  We’ve not only uglied up the earth, we’ve corrupted His greatest, created accomplishment.  Us.  I’ve come to abhor the phrase "he’s only human" or  "she’s only human".  It’s not to say that our depravity doesn’t exist, however, "humanity" is not God’s apology to the universe.  To be human is a compliment.("I realize he’s a mess, but cut him some slack because he’s human which is to say a bearer of God’s image!) What we have today is a "messy Marvin" humanity.

Sadly, it is our bad choices which have been the very reason for our messy state!  How quickly Adam and Eve made a mess of things upon taking that first bite of forbidden fruit! It’s like a curious toddler who walks into a room of 100,000 dominos that someone spent a week carefully and meticulously setting up only to have the child topple them with one glancing blow to the trigger domino leaving a trail of dissheveled messiness like nakedness, guilt, shame, embarrassment, loneliness….on and on.  But do you know what the silver lining of the fall of man is?  It’s the point where God looks for Adam (as if He didn’t know where he was), surveys the mess, and immediately begins the grand plan of redemption !!  (to the serpent/Satan: "he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.")

Of course, the consequences of their choice remained, but God mopped up the initial spill right off the bat. ("The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them"….removed the shame).  Our choices carry consequences too, but we don’t have to continue to wallow in the mess of past failures!  I couldn’t imagine sitting there trying to read while surrounded by a puddle of coffee,( I can see it now: book in hand, feet up in the air), so I humbly approach the barista in all of my shame. "Oh and by the way, can I have another cup?"

Let’s face the truth, we’re "messy Marvins" and we will ugly up things from time to time.  But that’s no reason to hate ourselves over it.  It wasn’t a prideful heart that said "we were fearfully and wonderfully made".  A time will come when everything is redeemed including our bodies where sin still resides.  He has already redeemed our souls, but He doesn’t stop there!  He wants all of it back!  It’s because of God’s grace that he mops up our self-inflicted spills with forgiveness and mercy, but God’s grace isn’t just about that! It not only cleans up the messes we made yesterday, but empowers us to a "cleaner" life today and tomorrow! God’s grace is the fuel of redemption.   We can and should be a part of the redemption process too!   As Dallas Willard profoundly states "Grace is not opposed to effort, it’s opposed to earning."  The "easy yoke" is just that!  We put on the yoke knowing full well that we’re not stong enough to plow the fields alone, but the yoke connects us to the one who is able and all powerful!  By the way, the yoke is free of charge.  There’s no need to check Ebay.  He provides the yoke, the strength, and the direction.  We just slip the yoke on and participate in the plowing.

I wasn’t really surprised that the counter girl didn’t charge me for that 2nd cup this morning.  I would have gladly paid to ease my conscience.  As I expected, she didn’t scold me or frown at me.  She generously looked past my mistake as if it never happened, gave me a clean new cup of freshly brewed java, and bid me a good day.  I can’t guarantee that I will never knock over a cup of coffee again, but I will not waste my life thinking about the possibility.  This will not prevent me from going back tomorrow.  I will not swear off coffee, and I will not give up on reading a good book because of my past mess. I’m not worried in the least that Starbucks will hire a bouncer just to keep me out.  I’m sure in all of their cheesy scripted dialogue that they will welcome me back with open arms, and if I drop my coffee again, they’ll take care of it.