1 Kings 3:5-14
John 8:12-19
What if an angel of God came to you with the gift of whatever your heart desires. What would you choose? Would you pray to have healthy, well-adjusted, successful children? Would you want your business known far and wide? Would you want to sit with intellectuals and hold you own? Would you want to be of service to mankind, making a difference in the world? Would you want enough money to never have to worry about where the next paycheck was coming from? Would you want to grow old with beauty and dignity keeping your wits about you until the end? What is it in the deepest depths of yourself that you really desire? Not what you think you should ask for, but what you really, deeply desire?
Solomon was approached in a dream by an angel who asked this very thing. Solomon asks for a discerning heart—a heart that would be able to dispense justice wisely and that would rule the kingdom of Israel after the manner of his father, David. God was pleased with this request and gave him the gift of wisdom and everything else a man could want. Unfortunately in his real life Solomon’s wisdom did not extend to the choices he made. His excesses ruined him!
Paul’s deepest desire was to know Christ and the power of his resurrection. His passion was to discern the Spirit of God working in his life and mission. He taught others to “live in Christ” regardless of the cost to his own body.
Jesus said that his own ability to discern and judge was perfect because he stood with the Father. “My Father and I are one.”
Thomas Merton, a Trappist monk, tells us that we are to discern the person that God has designed us to be and remove all the impediments to the functioning of that person. God intends for us to be like Jesus. We are to discern how that looks in the day to day experience of life. Certainly a good thing to desire.
I sometimes think that we desire too little rather than too much. We often desire things that are ultimately bad for us. We desire things that when granted leave us wanting something more, or different. Even the really “good” things that we desire often seem short-lived and incomplete somehow. If God were to ask me the same question he asked Solomon, would I know what to ask for? St. Augustine says that our hearts are restless until they rest in God. And that brings us back to Jesus and Paul. The greatest desire, the desire with the greatest possibility of fulfillment and satisfaction is to know Christ and through him to know the Father at a deep and unifying level. Anything else that I might desire and ask for is bound to leave me wanting. Only God can fill all the empty places and longings. Only he is sufficient in a world that hinges on insanity. Only he can hold everything together and give it meaning and purpose.
I have no trouble pursuing my desires for things and causes. It’s easy to set goals and take steps to reach them. But to seek God, to know God, to align my desires with his desires for me, requires me to have an intentional spiritual life. If I am serious, I need to set aside time for prayer and contemplation. I need to study the Word to discover how God interacts with his people. I need to grow in my love and knowledge of his Son, Jesus. I need to become aware of my life (its actions and motivations) and to be willing to grow and change. Too often, this deepest desire gets blocked by all my other competing desires. Like Solomon I become consumed with an excess of things and lose sight of the Real Thing. I pray that in this New Year I will pursue my deepest desire in Christ and know him and the power of his resurrection. Nothing else will satisfy!
A Wintry Blast
Psalm 147:12-20
I come from Chicago and I know about winters. People either love winter or hate it. You have those that don the winter togs and face the elements to build snowmen and make angels, ski, sled, or simply shovel the snow, loving every minute of it. Others book their cruises or head for their warm winter homes in Florida. There is certainly something awesome about a winter’s storm. Its power is undeniable as it topples huge trees, sends eighteen-wheelers into a spin, or knocks out power for miles around. Its beauty is also undeniable. An ice storm can cover trees and sidewalks making them shine and twinkle like a fairy’s garden. A blanket of snow covers all the muck and dirt that a city accumulates making everything pristine for a moment in time. A winter storm slows everything down. People stay hunkered in, traffic is non-existent, and street sounds are muffled. It’s as if everything is holding its breath. Being caught out in the wilds in a winter storm is fearsome.
The psalmist compares the commands of God to a winter storm. He speaks of the blanket of snow, the crystals of frost and the pellets of hail and then asks, “Who can withstand the icy blast?” This imagery seems out of place to me coming from a nomadic desert people. Yet it also seems very fitting. God’s commands are powerful, beautiful, dangerous to ignore. There is harshness to them. We read “DO NOT” and ask: “Who can stand in light of them?” As we read them we realize that the God who gave them is not to be toyed with. He is serious about his demands. Their beauty, power, and sternness overwhelm us. If we were to be left here with only this description, we would be chilly indeed. But, the psalmist reminds us that these commands are a gift and that people to whom they were given are the fortunate ones. At the time of the psalmist’s writing, the Israelites were the only people who were privileged to have them. He reminds us that God’s warm word melts the ice into usable moisture that waters their gardens and produces their crops. This warmth is often referred to as God’s compassion or loving kindness. God is not some harsh dictator who heaps impossible commands on people like a winter storm, expecting them to don their protective gear and brave the elements. These commands are melted with God’s loving kindness to produce the water of life. This water is what makes growth possible. Without these commands, weeds grow up to destroy the very roots of the ecosystem.
I have to ask myself how I feel about the commands and rules for living that I find throughout scripture. Do they feel like a harsh winter storm to me? I have to admit that sometimes they make me feel blanketed (smothered) or pelted. Sometimes they seem incredibly stringent. How can I ever be a “perfect” person? But as I remember the loving kindness of God, I remember that these are God’s prescription for a full and abundant life. They are not meant to punish but are given out of unceasing love. And, they are given with a built-in system of forgiveness. God, knowing that I am incapable of perfection, has given me a Savior who has paid for my infractions (sins). He has given me his Spirit to help me grow and develop. I am a work in progress and God is patient. I can only let the warmth of his love melt the cold of the commandments to become the water to carry nourishment to my soul. Spring is at hand.
I come from Chicago and I know about winters. People either love winter or hate it. You have those that don the winter togs and face the elements to build snowmen and make angels, ski, sled, or simply shovel the snow, loving every minute of it. Others book their cruises or head for their warm winter homes in Florida. There is certainly something awesome about a winter’s storm. Its power is undeniable as it topples huge trees, sends eighteen-wheelers into a spin, or knocks out power for miles around. Its beauty is also undeniable. An ice storm can cover trees and sidewalks making them shine and twinkle like a fairy’s garden. A blanket of snow covers all the muck and dirt that a city accumulates making everything pristine for a moment in time. A winter storm slows everything down. People stay hunkered in, traffic is non-existent, and street sounds are muffled. It’s as if everything is holding its breath. Being caught out in the wilds in a winter storm is fearsome.
The psalmist compares the commands of God to a winter storm. He speaks of the blanket of snow, the crystals of frost and the pellets of hail and then asks, “Who can withstand the icy blast?” This imagery seems out of place to me coming from a nomadic desert people. Yet it also seems very fitting. God’s commands are powerful, beautiful, dangerous to ignore. There is harshness to them. We read “DO NOT” and ask: “Who can stand in light of them?” As we read them we realize that the God who gave them is not to be toyed with. He is serious about his demands. Their beauty, power, and sternness overwhelm us. If we were to be left here with only this description, we would be chilly indeed. But, the psalmist reminds us that these commands are a gift and that people to whom they were given are the fortunate ones. At the time of the psalmist’s writing, the Israelites were the only people who were privileged to have them. He reminds us that God’s warm word melts the ice into usable moisture that waters their gardens and produces their crops. This warmth is often referred to as God’s compassion or loving kindness. God is not some harsh dictator who heaps impossible commands on people like a winter storm, expecting them to don their protective gear and brave the elements. These commands are melted with God’s loving kindness to produce the water of life. This water is what makes growth possible. Without these commands, weeds grow up to destroy the very roots of the ecosystem.
I have to ask myself how I feel about the commands and rules for living that I find throughout scripture. Do they feel like a harsh winter storm to me? I have to admit that sometimes they make me feel blanketed (smothered) or pelted. Sometimes they seem incredibly stringent. How can I ever be a “perfect” person? But as I remember the loving kindness of God, I remember that these are God’s prescription for a full and abundant life. They are not meant to punish but are given out of unceasing love. And, they are given with a built-in system of forgiveness. God, knowing that I am incapable of perfection, has given me a Savior who has paid for my infractions (sins). He has given me his Spirit to help me grow and develop. I am a work in progress and God is patient. I can only let the warmth of his love melt the cold of the commandments to become the water to carry nourishment to my soul. Spring is at hand.
What Are You Building?
1 Corinthians 3:10-17
The Apostle Paul is known for the Christology that he laid down for the early church. Christ is the foundation of all that is. His person and work are the starting point of all Christian work. As the hymn says “all other ground is sinking sand.” The question that Paul raises in this passage is not regarding the foundation, but what is built upon that foundation. It is possible for one to begin with the same basic foundation and create all varieties of building projects. He points out that these building will be judged in the final days. Some will be burned up and destroyed because they were made of hay and stubble. Others made with gold and durable goods will last and be rewarded. Lest we get sidetracked into thinking only about ministries or actual projects, Paul reminds us that we are the temples being built. It is our lives that are to be built on this solid foundation of Jesus’ blood and righteousness. Paul makes the point that it is possible to have the right starting point—a solid foundation—and build something worthless on that foundation, something that honors our own egos, rather than God. We can say all the right things and use proper theology to build something that does not honor God. How can this be possible?
We all remember the eighties when some Christian ministries were taken to task because the leaders were using donated funds for personal use—palatial homes, designer clothes, exotic travel. These were the funds that little old ladies sacrificed for the spread of the gospel. The mud of these ministries sent sprays of mistrust over many dedicated and faithful ministries. The foundation of truth had been twisted for personal gain—hay and stubble. I wonder about having Dove awards for Christian musicians who use the Word in their songs to gain adoring fans and red carpet treatment. Lest I get carried away with judgment I have to ask myself why I write about spiritual truths. Is it because I wish to gain a reputation for being wise and insightful? Do I hope to support myself with the books I write? Am I more concerned with income that God be glorified in what I do? These are hard questions and the answers are not always easy to detect covered as they are in muddied motives.
And what about not our vocations and ministries, but our personal lives? How have we taken the truth that has been given to us and applied it to our lives? Are the temples that we are building constructed to honor God? For example do we use our endowed gifts in ways that benefit us rather than serve God? It is possible to use the gift of helps as a means of manipulating others. “I will help you, but you then owe me.” It is possible to use the gift of discernment to control others. “I know what’s best for you, God told me!” It is possible to use the gift of money to build buildings with plaques bearing our own names. You get the idea.
Paul would have us be very aware that it is possible to take a wonderful, solid foundation to build trashy shacks. In the end all will be made known for what they are. Those built with purity of heart and solid commitment to the glory of God will last, all others will be burned to rubble. What kind of building are you building?
The Apostle Paul is known for the Christology that he laid down for the early church. Christ is the foundation of all that is. His person and work are the starting point of all Christian work. As the hymn says “all other ground is sinking sand.” The question that Paul raises in this passage is not regarding the foundation, but what is built upon that foundation. It is possible for one to begin with the same basic foundation and create all varieties of building projects. He points out that these building will be judged in the final days. Some will be burned up and destroyed because they were made of hay and stubble. Others made with gold and durable goods will last and be rewarded. Lest we get sidetracked into thinking only about ministries or actual projects, Paul reminds us that we are the temples being built. It is our lives that are to be built on this solid foundation of Jesus’ blood and righteousness. Paul makes the point that it is possible to have the right starting point—a solid foundation—and build something worthless on that foundation, something that honors our own egos, rather than God. We can say all the right things and use proper theology to build something that does not honor God. How can this be possible?
We all remember the eighties when some Christian ministries were taken to task because the leaders were using donated funds for personal use—palatial homes, designer clothes, exotic travel. These were the funds that little old ladies sacrificed for the spread of the gospel. The mud of these ministries sent sprays of mistrust over many dedicated and faithful ministries. The foundation of truth had been twisted for personal gain—hay and stubble. I wonder about having Dove awards for Christian musicians who use the Word in their songs to gain adoring fans and red carpet treatment. Lest I get carried away with judgment I have to ask myself why I write about spiritual truths. Is it because I wish to gain a reputation for being wise and insightful? Do I hope to support myself with the books I write? Am I more concerned with income that God be glorified in what I do? These are hard questions and the answers are not always easy to detect covered as they are in muddied motives.
And what about not our vocations and ministries, but our personal lives? How have we taken the truth that has been given to us and applied it to our lives? Are the temples that we are building constructed to honor God? For example do we use our endowed gifts in ways that benefit us rather than serve God? It is possible to use the gift of helps as a means of manipulating others. “I will help you, but you then owe me.” It is possible to use the gift of discernment to control others. “I know what’s best for you, God told me!” It is possible to use the gift of money to build buildings with plaques bearing our own names. You get the idea.
Paul would have us be very aware that it is possible to take a wonderful, solid foundation to build trashy shacks. In the end all will be made known for what they are. Those built with purity of heart and solid commitment to the glory of God will last, all others will be burned to rubble. What kind of building are you building?
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