What about Palm Branches??

Although I took this picture in Morocco, it will suffice.  Whenever I read or heard the Easter story growing up, I always heard "...and they waved palm branches."  I even remember being in an Easter pageant at my church one year, and I am fairly certain that I took part in the waving of branches before the King.  

But again may I say, the people waved palm branches before Jesus as He entered Jerusalem.  

"So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, crying out, 'Hosanna!  Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!'" (John 12:13).

Never in my life had I put together two and two: palm branches come from palm trees.  Now obviously I have not only seen pictures of palm trees, but had even seen them in real life before coming to Spain.  I just never imagined these long, heavy, in my mind "Hawaiian" tree branches as the beckoning welcome of my Savior days before His death on the cross.  Now I know that palm trees exist in the Mediterranean...because I moved here.  Now my mental image of Jesus' entry can be a bit more biblical because of my experience.   

Our pastor this Sunday, "Domingo de Ramos," spoke on Jesus' Jerusalem entry on a donkey - a fulfillment of prophecy and a sign of peace and justice.  He shared the Hebrew significance of the word "Hosanna," meaning "Please save us."  The people wanted a military king, an earthly salvation, but God had something with far greater repercussions in plan.

As I think about Easter week, I want their plea to be more of my own, but in a different sense than a cry for physical deliverance.  Maybe even palm trees will carry a different significance for me in the future - at least I can hope.  Perhaps they will point me towards the cross with a prayer.

"Lord, please save me; continue this process that you have begun.  I know that Your plan and Your thoughts far exceed my own - I am shortsighted.  Help me to share the hope that I've been given in Jesus so that others might also partake in true life through the One who gave it all."      

Thoughts from 1 Corinthians, Part 2: Memories and a Vision

As I mentioned earlier, along with thoughts of unity and theology, the Lord was reminding me of my past and also what I desire the Lord to do in the near future.  

The beginning of 1 Corinthians has a strong focus on the gospel, or mystery of Christ, and how the Lord moves in hearts to reveal the truth.  I encourage you to read the first four chapters, but I am going to attempt to share some of my basic thoughts.  

First though, a story.  At the beginning of my senior year of high school, my class took a mission trip to Toronto, Canada.  I went with high ambitions of what the Lord was going to do through me, how I was going to "accomplish things" for God.  I even remember saying to myself, if not to others as well, that I was going to walk up to a prostitute and share the love of God with her.  How naive I was.  Often I am have very optimistic goals, and many in my life have been gracious to not crush them - even while knowing they are perhaps too ambitious.   

One night in Toronto a group of us, students and teachers, were walking through a park.  Across the street we spotted a prostitute waiting on the street, and all I could do was cry.  I was at a loss - experiencing some of the compassion of the Lord for this woman while having no words to say to anyone.  

Another day we had to team up and go into the business district for street evangelism.  I seriously believe that was on of the hardest things I have ever had to do.  One of my classmates, Danny, and I walked around to different people, ditching the survey, and just trying to talk with people about the Lord.  I specifically remember a conversation with a man, perhaps in his 30's, who turned on us with questions as to how 18-year-old kids knew what they believed, etc. and an encounter with a lady working at a hot dog or gyro stand.  I was overwhelmed, discouraged, and exhausted.     

Later that trip the Lord allowed me and some classmates to pray with a man in a nursing home, Edgar I believe, who wanted to become a child of God.  Even in that instance, I misunderstood and told him I couldn't pray for him.  Can you even imagine?  Ha.  The Lord's grace is so sufficient.

I remember three particular times of tears during that trip, the first when catching sight of the prostitute, the second with Edgar, and the third during a time of late-night, rooftop worship - being overcome with my inability and the Lord's goodness.  I cannot save people.  It is the power of the cross, the Lord's kindness, that brings us to repentance.  

How are we to share the good news with people?  I still often struggle with feeling like I am incapable, too young, too unable to relate, etc.  The thing to remember though is that we cannot make the change in other people.  It's both humbling and kinda frustrating at the same time.  In reality though, it's great that changing hearts does not fall to our responsibility.  God is the best one for the job.  

1 Corinthians 1:26-31 reads, "For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth.  But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.  And because of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord."

Instead of seeking to know everything and get to the point where we don't need to depend, instead perhaps we should be admitting our weakness, our foolishness, our inability - on the flip side, boasting in the Lord.  God often chooses to use those who the world thinks are not strong, wise, or noble.  We can see this through Him using kids and teenagers to move in hearts.  We can see this through God using us.  

We are weak.  We don't have it all together.  We have needs.  We desperately need to depend on God, although we are pretty good at looking to ourselves.  My memories are a good reminder to me of my need for the Lord and my inability to change people in my strength or even my desires.

Taking this to heart as I look to the future, I am excited about seeing the Lord move in the lives of students at my school.  I am filled with awe at the possibilities and humbled by the reminder that I can't change anyone.  I want to surrender to the Lord, daily, and ask Him to speak through me - the weak, the foolish, the hopeful. 

"For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God" (1:18).

Thoughts from I Corinthians, Part 1: Unity and Theology

This morning as I was reading in 1 Corinthians, the Lord was bringing to mind memories of the past and adversely more of a vision for what I would like to see Him do in the future.  It's getting me excited!!

That will be in my next entry though.  Before I get to that, another thing seemed to come up among the first few chapters of this book.  I don't fully understand all that Paul is getting at, but unity is very clear.  Not only does this unity cover one church family, or even one city.  He says of the church in Corinth, "...called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours" (1:2, emphasis added).

We, as believers in Christ, are called to be united (i.e. overcoming division) with all believers.  Seem impossible?  Without God, inevitably so.  As I hear more about the desire for unification between Protestant and Catholic believers here in Granada though, it increases my hope in Jesus for this type of unity.  

My last comment on that subject has to do with theology and the way we tend to cling to certain theologians and promote them, at times, perhaps above Christ.  Paul elaborates significantly how the Corinthian church was claiming to follow Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or Christ.  He goes on to say, "What then is Apollos?  What is Paul?  Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each.  I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.  So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.  He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor.  For we are God's fellow workers.  You are God's field, God's building" (3:5-9).

It seems that Paul always places the importance on Jesus.  Often I think we get caught up in the idea of following John Calvin, Jacobus Arminius, John Piper, Dr. Mohler, Mike Bickle, etc.  Maybe we even want people to be exactly like us.  In the end, we are not going to completely agree theologically with many, perhaps even one person.  The way the Lord has worked in and grown each of us is uniquely different, and this appears to draw us to different conclusions at different times.  At least in my own life, my theology has changed throughout years of studying the Bible, hearing the Word preached, classes, and experience.

The most important thing is that we believe Jesus is the only way to the Father.  I believe scripturally, by Jesus words in fact, this is non-negotiable (John 14:6).  There are other things that fall into this category, but instead of arguing and blowing secondary things out of proportion, perhaps we should pray for unification in the primary.  The Lord is at work in many peoples, some of it we are more comfortable with or agree more with than others, but we cannot deny the fact that HE IS AT WORK.

May we pursue the power of God through the work of the cross in our lives and in the lives of others.

Leaving the Ninety-Nine to Find the One

I spent an enjoyable weekend a few miles north of Malaga, overlooking the city when the sky was clear.  What we thought was close to the beach actually ended up a 30-minute drive up the curvy mountain roads, but it also entailed a rustic house, home-cooked meals (including rabbit and mushroom pie), and that "out in the middle of nowhere" feel I have come to enjoy so much.  As I stepped out of the car into the gorgeous afternoon breeze, I was set back into past memories.  There is something so inviting about that weather and feel.

I went up with some friends, having signed up to do childcare for a 1-year-old and a 3-year-old.  As I held the 1-year-old's hand along the dirt road, she kept veering closer to the drop-off.  Perhaps it was the tiny yellow flowers or the grass that measured close to her height that held the intrigue, but I definitely had to be on my guard.

Of course she had no idea of the impending danger.  It reminded me of the biblical idea of us being sheep and the Lord as our shepherd.  How constantly we "veer towards the edge," drawing nearer and nearer to the intrigue that brings with it pain, or even death.  The Lord's hand is strong though, and His faithfulness even stronger, pulling us back towards Himself.

We may think that comfort, security, power, acceptance, even love, are to be sought after and worth our time and effort.  We see those pretty flowers or want to be hidden in the height of the grass, but that is not where we will be the most safe.

Our safety is within the arms of our Creator, who has promised to never leave us or forsake us, who holds us in the palm of His hand.  We are like sheep who wander astray, not even sensing the danger that is off the path.

Thankfully God's children have a heavenly Father who wants the best for them and is looking ahead when we don't have sense enough to do so.  We are in need of a protector, a guiding staff, a gentle rod.

"Thank you, Father, for pulling us back to Yourself.  Thank You for being our guide and for picking us up when we are wandering, scared, and hurt.  Thank You for saving us from our own foolishness.  Thanks for leaving the ninety-nine to find the one."

Offering up Our Eyes

My head full of thoughts, but then again running mindlessly at the same time, accompanied me on my walk home this afternoon.  In the midst of my turning wheel of the less important, the Lord dropped this chorus into my heart and soul.

"...I can’t deny; You're way too evident.
I can’t ignore Your presence in this place.
Your grace is overwhelming, 
And I cannot hide all this love inside.
I can’t deny; I can’t deny."
("I Can't Deny" by 33 Miles)

Here are the people with whom I came into close contact today:
The bus driver who re-opened his door for me.
The owner of the bread shop near my work.
The family I work with, including the two kids who occupy most of my mornings.
The newly acquainted waitress at a café close to the church.
The two women sitting across from me during English class.
The girl at the fruterίa on my way home.
The one who appears inconvenienced by my presence in the store.  
The people with whom I work.
The people with whom I live.

What is it that all of these people, no matter the age, ethnicity, language abilities, etc., have in common?  Every one is made in the image of God.

In a lot of ways this has come up in many conversations as of late, and it has been on my heart today.  How is it that I interact with people on a daily basis?  How about in those moments where I am tired, frustrated, sad, lonely?  In fact, how do I view myself?

Genesis 1:27 says, "So God created man in His own image,
                 in the image of God He created him;
                 male and female He created them."

There is debate about what the implications of this verse are, but I believe that this can also be applied without having it all figured out.  Humans are created in the image of God; in fact they are the only creation that can claim this.  God created us after Himself, and there is much awe to be found in that truth.  Humans are to be treated with a manner of respect, as well as the love and the grace with which the Father loves each and every one of us.  We are to look out for the interests of others (Philippians 2:4).

When I look into the eyes of any of these people, regardless of the way I'm feeling, they have value.  I am to see them as God sees them, and it seems like a worthwhile prayer to ask God to help me see Jesus in each of them.  Also in this I can be reminded of my value because I'm made in the image of God and of my worth as a child of God because of Jesus.  

My motivation to love is because God first loved me (1 John 4:19).  He loved me when I was a sinner...who hated Him...unworthy of even His glance (Romans 5:8).  What I deserved was death, but instead He graciously gave me life (Romans 6:23).  He continues to offer forgiveness again and again, despite the pain of my sin (Daniel 9:9).  He pursues me and calls me home, casting my sin as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12). 

Because of the great debt from which I've been released, I am freed to forgive much.  I don't want to buy into the "vengeance is mine" and "I have the right" attitudes.  I don't have a right to treat someone badly.  I don't have the right to kill someone in my heart.  I don't have the right to withhold forgiveness.  In the end, I just don't have the right.  

Don't get me wrong; I do my fair share of these things, even believing that I have these rights.  The reality though is that, in fact, I don't.  

I have "the right" to act out of "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control" (Galatians 5:22-23).  Believers are called to a higher calling.

"I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" (Ephesians 4:1-3).

If we are going to live up to this, and if we are going to see others and ourselves as bearing the image of God, we need Jesus.  We need Him to enlighten our eyes to see, our minds to know, and our hearts to believe.  May we call upon the Lord for His eyes, at the price of offering up our own.