I just started reading "Death by Love--- letters from the Cross" by Mark Driscoll. In the introduction he is walking his reader through the scenes of Jesus at the Cross in an effort to lay the ground work for "Substitutionary Atonement". I ran across this thought from John Stott, author of The Cross of Christ, which is making me chew a little on...
"The concept of substitution may be said, then, to lie at the heart of both sin and salvation. For the essence of salvation is God substituting Himself for man. Man asserts himself against God and puts himself where only God deserves to be; God sacrifices Himself for man and puts Himself where only man deserves to be. Man claims prerogatives which belong to God alone; God accepts penalties which belong to man alone."
---John Stott
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Monday, June 22, 2009
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
From Outlet To Ritual In Marriage...
Over the next few postings I will be writing about some observations in my own life about taking certain aspects that are intended to be outlets and the danger in turning them into rituals thereby taking the life right out of them.
One common excuse I hear when a married couple decides to divorce is, "We just don't love each other the way we used to" or "the spark is gone". It is a very painful and sad decision that effects so many people but we live in a society where the odds of you divorcing are actually greater than you staying together. We have made it really easy to get divorced and have somehow started looking at it as if if we another step in a relationship instead of an ultimate one.
I think this is why God illustrates our relationship with Jesus as a marriage. He is the groom and we are the bride. His promise to never leave us or forsake us is the epitome of marriage defined. We the church claim to be protectors of the sanctity of marriage when it comes to gay rights but completely ignore how many divorces are ravaging the pews of our churches (a bit of a hot sports opinion I suppose).
When it comes to marriage I believe there is a great danger in allowing it to be come routine. Even date nights can become predictable, kisses can become habit, saying "I love you" can simply become a response. Misty and I have known each other for almost half of the time we have been alive and if I am not careful I can allow the length of our time together to grow into staleness resulting in two people living under the same roof.
Going from outlet to ritual in marriage is a subtle process that many don't clearly see until they are miles away from the people they use to be. This is why it is important to keep your channels of communication open and look for ways where routine is sucking life out of your marriage.
"I love you" makes the difference when the words you are saying come from your heart and not your mouth.
Heart and Soul,
BAG
<><
One common excuse I hear when a married couple decides to divorce is, "We just don't love each other the way we used to" or "the spark is gone". It is a very painful and sad decision that effects so many people but we live in a society where the odds of you divorcing are actually greater than you staying together. We have made it really easy to get divorced and have somehow started looking at it as if if we another step in a relationship instead of an ultimate one.
I think this is why God illustrates our relationship with Jesus as a marriage. He is the groom and we are the bride. His promise to never leave us or forsake us is the epitome of marriage defined. We the church claim to be protectors of the sanctity of marriage when it comes to gay rights but completely ignore how many divorces are ravaging the pews of our churches (a bit of a hot sports opinion I suppose).
When it comes to marriage I believe there is a great danger in allowing it to be come routine. Even date nights can become predictable, kisses can become habit, saying "I love you" can simply become a response. Misty and I have known each other for almost half of the time we have been alive and if I am not careful I can allow the length of our time together to grow into staleness resulting in two people living under the same roof.
Going from outlet to ritual in marriage is a subtle process that many don't clearly see until they are miles away from the people they use to be. This is why it is important to keep your channels of communication open and look for ways where routine is sucking life out of your marriage.
"I love you" makes the difference when the words you are saying come from your heart and not your mouth.
Heart and Soul,
BAG
<><
Friday, June 12, 2009
From Outlet To Ritual In Worship
Over the next few postings I will be writing about some observations in my own life about taking certain aspects that are intended to be outlets and the danger in turning them into rituals thereby taking the life right out of them.
I have a small working list in different areas I experience tension with this concept. One main one is my life of worship to God. So many things if I am not careful can become just part of my daily routine. Read my bible, Pray, Smile at People, doing other things that Christians do, etc. This is not anything new...Jesus warned the people of His day in these dangers. He was involved in a very ritualistic society and religion. There was a certain way to do everything, from washing your hands to prayer and seeking reconciliation relationally. The challenge was that the people removed the heart out of the equation and it became overly mechanical.
We all know the difference it makes when our hearts are in something and when it is not. Even if we can manage to fool everyone else, we know there are two people we will never fool, self and God.
When it comes to a lifestyle of worship, I wonder how many of us are walking around without engaging our hearts in worship any longer. We know how to play the part, we can even fake our way in the presence of others and our performance can even be inspiring. But our hearts as scriptures says "are far from Him".
Wondering if you have gone from outlet to ritual in worship?
Ask yourself these questions:
Am I motivated to help others out of love or obligation?
When I sing songs of praise, am I including my heart or just reading words from a screen?
When I give back through tithes and offerings am I committed to being obedient or just making sure I don't feel guilty?
As I read God's Word do I have a desire to let His Word read me or do I just want to check off something on my to-do list?
These are just a few questions I wrestle with when I am asking myself this question.
God has offered us an incredible freedom in life with Him.
Our tendency is to take what is meant to be wild and unbridled and fence it in in order to control it.
Maybe somethings in life are supposed to just stay wild.
Heart and Soul,
BAG
<><
I have a small working list in different areas I experience tension with this concept. One main one is my life of worship to God. So many things if I am not careful can become just part of my daily routine. Read my bible, Pray, Smile at People, doing other things that Christians do, etc. This is not anything new...Jesus warned the people of His day in these dangers. He was involved in a very ritualistic society and religion. There was a certain way to do everything, from washing your hands to prayer and seeking reconciliation relationally. The challenge was that the people removed the heart out of the equation and it became overly mechanical.
We all know the difference it makes when our hearts are in something and when it is not. Even if we can manage to fool everyone else, we know there are two people we will never fool, self and God.
When it comes to a lifestyle of worship, I wonder how many of us are walking around without engaging our hearts in worship any longer. We know how to play the part, we can even fake our way in the presence of others and our performance can even be inspiring. But our hearts as scriptures says "are far from Him".
Wondering if you have gone from outlet to ritual in worship?
Ask yourself these questions:
Am I motivated to help others out of love or obligation?
When I sing songs of praise, am I including my heart or just reading words from a screen?
When I give back through tithes and offerings am I committed to being obedient or just making sure I don't feel guilty?
As I read God's Word do I have a desire to let His Word read me or do I just want to check off something on my to-do list?
These are just a few questions I wrestle with when I am asking myself this question.
God has offered us an incredible freedom in life with Him.
Our tendency is to take what is meant to be wild and unbridled and fence it in in order to control it.
Maybe somethings in life are supposed to just stay wild.
Heart and Soul,
BAG
<><
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
From Outlet To Ritual...
I was sitting in front of my journal this morning trying to figure out something to write when it occured to me that I didn't have much of anything to say. I sat and sat and stared at the wall, searching for even the smallest glimpse of inspiration...but nothing. So I started writin about the fact that I didn't have anything to either write about or blog about.
I was literally writing about nothing (then the thought occurred... if Seinfeld can be a show about nothing then maybe I can write a book about nothing). As writing I stumbled into a possible solution for my new found predicament by asking myself a question:
Have I taken something that was supposed to be an outlet and turned it into a ritual?
There, my friend, lies an interesting question in all of our lives. I believe there is a tendency in all of us to take things that are special and beneficial to us and make them routine and mechanic thus sucking the life and joy right out of them.
There are a lot of places we do this unaware of what we are doing...worship, marriage, friendships, church, parenting, recreation, as well as many others.
Over the next several posts I will write some thoughts about our tendency to go from outlet to ritual in many of the places. Let's see how far this rabbit hole will take us.
Heart and Soul,
BAG
<><
I was literally writing about nothing (then the thought occurred... if Seinfeld can be a show about nothing then maybe I can write a book about nothing). As writing I stumbled into a possible solution for my new found predicament by asking myself a question:
Have I taken something that was supposed to be an outlet and turned it into a ritual?
There, my friend, lies an interesting question in all of our lives. I believe there is a tendency in all of us to take things that are special and beneficial to us and make them routine and mechanic thus sucking the life and joy right out of them.
There are a lot of places we do this unaware of what we are doing...worship, marriage, friendships, church, parenting, recreation, as well as many others.
Over the next several posts I will write some thoughts about our tendency to go from outlet to ritual in many of the places. Let's see how far this rabbit hole will take us.
Heart and Soul,
BAG
<><
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
I Have Bloggers Block...
I'm sitting here staring at this screen trying to figure out a topic to write about but don't have any insight to offer or inspiration to give. Don't misunderstand me, there is nothing wrong. I just am having a little bloggers block.
Hopefully, this won't last long and I will be back in blogging shape before too long. In the mean time why don't you email me some topics to consider writing about. That would be super swell.
Brandon@mergecc.com
Heart & Soul,
BAG
<><
Hopefully, this won't last long and I will be back in blogging shape before too long. In the mean time why don't you email me some topics to consider writing about. That would be super swell.
Brandon@mergecc.com
Heart & Soul,
BAG
<><
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