The passage from Exodus 32-34 is so rich with insights into the person and character of God that we could spend weeks on just three chapters. But I direct your attention to a prayer/conversation between God and Moses in Exodus 33:12-23 as Moses prays fervently for Israel’s protection and for God to forgive them. And once God grants forgiveness and restoration, Moses throws in an additional request: “Let me see your glory!”
Wow! What nerve! What gall! What chutzpah! And God loves it!!! Granted, in order not to kill Moses with His overwhelming holiness, He only grants Moses a sliver of His glory. But what a prayer! It is a reminder to not stop asking for big, potent exposures to God’s presence. Israel had been willing to settle for a golden calf—something you might find in a tacky furniture store—compared to the glory of God. And it seems they were content to pray inane, useless prayers to it.
But Moses gives us so much more in his example! You want a nice, portable deity that looks like a “Dirty Santa” gift? Then pray wimpy, flimsy prayers that are filled with trite expressions and clichés that say nothing and ask for nothing. But, if you want to start experiencing a God with a face, then pray big, bold prayers that engage Him and His priorities and just see what happens!! Show us Your glory!!
Friday, August 31, 2012
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Communication - Going To School On Our Politicians
What a sad state of affairs for our country! Rick Warren, pastor of Saddleback Church, decided to not have his presidential Q & A this year like in 2008 because the tone and civility is so bad between the two parties and the pundits. I have to say, I have not seen anything so ugly as this election. I have seen a Paul Ryan look-a-like shove an elderly woman over a cliff to describe his views on Medicare. I watched a conservative commentator shout over every statement her liberal counterpart tried to make in what was supposed to be a dialogue. Words and phrases like “felon”, “war on woman”, “racist” and “animal abuser” have been slung around like…well, mud. One ad portrayed Mitt Romney as complicit in someone’s death. Others have continued to badger Barack Obama about the legitimacy of his U.S. citizenship.
So how do Christians respond? How do we enter the public arena of ideas without descending into this breakdown in communication? I don’t know. How do you have an honest conversation when one side is throwing out talking points and all you can do is defend and counter? Or should you? Perhaps a starting point for the people of God is to go to school on the pundits and politicians. Perhaps we start with what NOT to do when engaging in a dialogue of ideas as we watch them demonstrate the demonic art of demagoguery. Here are seven that I have gleaned from the mudslinging that seem so basic and yet, have slipped away from the collective mind so easily.
1. Take turns and listen. Not only do we have to stop trying to shove our comments in at every possible crease in the conversation, but listening also means not reloading your next round of arguments while the other person talks. After all, you would wish for your points to heard and pondered before a rebuttal, wouldn’t you?
2. Don’t assume the worst. Your counter-part is not bad because he or she disagrees with you. They may be wrong and yes, they may even be bad, but don’t assume they’re bad because their opinion is different than yours. When you assume the worst about someone, it leaves little reason to listen to them, much less share with them.
3. If you know it’s your opinion, don’t pretend it is fact! This is simply cheating in an argument. I have both seen, and committed, this foul in debates with people (even my wife) about issues well beyond politics or ethics. If you are cheating, you cannot be trusted to have a fair dialogue because you are only in the argument to win it, by fair means or foul. So why talk?
4. Strive for clarity, not necessarily agreement. No one said that we all have to agree. Everyone CAN’T be right. Some opinions are demonstrably wrong, but how can you honestly come to any conclusions if no one is listening and understanding?! Who wants to talk to someone who will assume what you really mean is X when you are clearly explaining that you mean Y? Who wants to talk to a person who is intentionally going to distort your position because they don’t want to know what your position really is? If you are going to disagree, at least know what you disagree on.
5. Treat people with respect because all humans are image-bearers, even the worst of us! This is a uniquely Judeo-Christian truth. When you shout down other people and their views, you are inherently seeing them as without worth and thus they have nothing to say. But we are all image-bearers. We all carrying the stamp of God’s handiwork and thus deserve respect even in a heated dispute.
6. Treat people as you wish to be treated in terms of dialogue! The Golden Rule (Matthew 7:12; Luke 6:31) applies to the way we talk to each other. Our politicians, by and large, don’t get this one. Politicians apparently sees conversations as opportunities to advance an agenda and make someone else look bad by slipping in the zinger. But a Christian conversation starts with this principle. How would you wish to be treated in a dialogue?
7. If you are wrong, admit it. If someone else is wrong, don’t batter them over the head with it. If people see that you can admit the weakness of your argument or position, if they know you won’t use their weaknesses to bludgeon them with it, there is a greater likelihood that you can have an honest conversation. It is safe to be wrong in this environment. It is safe to point out weaknesses because weaknesses are not an opportunity to create a weapon. And there is an opportunity to come to a better understanding, if not even a resolution of sorts.
I have had to learn these lessons the hard way, but I cannot think of a time more apropos to deal with how to fight fair, how to dialogue and how to be civil. Thanks, Rick Warren, for bringing this issue to a head!
So how do Christians respond? How do we enter the public arena of ideas without descending into this breakdown in communication? I don’t know. How do you have an honest conversation when one side is throwing out talking points and all you can do is defend and counter? Or should you? Perhaps a starting point for the people of God is to go to school on the pundits and politicians. Perhaps we start with what NOT to do when engaging in a dialogue of ideas as we watch them demonstrate the demonic art of demagoguery. Here are seven that I have gleaned from the mudslinging that seem so basic and yet, have slipped away from the collective mind so easily.
1. Take turns and listen. Not only do we have to stop trying to shove our comments in at every possible crease in the conversation, but listening also means not reloading your next round of arguments while the other person talks. After all, you would wish for your points to heard and pondered before a rebuttal, wouldn’t you?
2. Don’t assume the worst. Your counter-part is not bad because he or she disagrees with you. They may be wrong and yes, they may even be bad, but don’t assume they’re bad because their opinion is different than yours. When you assume the worst about someone, it leaves little reason to listen to them, much less share with them.
3. If you know it’s your opinion, don’t pretend it is fact! This is simply cheating in an argument. I have both seen, and committed, this foul in debates with people (even my wife) about issues well beyond politics or ethics. If you are cheating, you cannot be trusted to have a fair dialogue because you are only in the argument to win it, by fair means or foul. So why talk?
4. Strive for clarity, not necessarily agreement. No one said that we all have to agree. Everyone CAN’T be right. Some opinions are demonstrably wrong, but how can you honestly come to any conclusions if no one is listening and understanding?! Who wants to talk to someone who will assume what you really mean is X when you are clearly explaining that you mean Y? Who wants to talk to a person who is intentionally going to distort your position because they don’t want to know what your position really is? If you are going to disagree, at least know what you disagree on.
5. Treat people with respect because all humans are image-bearers, even the worst of us! This is a uniquely Judeo-Christian truth. When you shout down other people and their views, you are inherently seeing them as without worth and thus they have nothing to say. But we are all image-bearers. We all carrying the stamp of God’s handiwork and thus deserve respect even in a heated dispute.
6. Treat people as you wish to be treated in terms of dialogue! The Golden Rule (Matthew 7:12; Luke 6:31) applies to the way we talk to each other. Our politicians, by and large, don’t get this one. Politicians apparently sees conversations as opportunities to advance an agenda and make someone else look bad by slipping in the zinger. But a Christian conversation starts with this principle. How would you wish to be treated in a dialogue?
7. If you are wrong, admit it. If someone else is wrong, don’t batter them over the head with it. If people see that you can admit the weakness of your argument or position, if they know you won’t use their weaknesses to bludgeon them with it, there is a greater likelihood that you can have an honest conversation. It is safe to be wrong in this environment. It is safe to point out weaknesses because weaknesses are not an opportunity to create a weapon. And there is an opportunity to come to a better understanding, if not even a resolution of sorts.
I have had to learn these lessons the hard way, but I cannot think of a time more apropos to deal with how to fight fair, how to dialogue and how to be civil. Thanks, Rick Warren, for bringing this issue to a head!
Friday, August 24, 2012
Re-Orient
For our family (like many families), this week has been something of a re-orientation. The kids are back in school. Football practices and open houses are requiring new strategies to divide-and-conquer. Lunches need to be packed. Puppies make a break for it when the kids head to the bus. Oy! And yet, this need for re-orientation is part of the larger story of God.
One-third of the Book of Exodus is devoted to a detailed description of the Tabernacle because the place of God’s dwelling is a major priority for God. And then the Book of Exodus closes with the presence of God invading the tent and forcing everyone out (Exodus 40:34-38) until the Book of Leviticus re-orients the people in terms of how to re-enter God’s presence (Leviticus 1:1 starts, literally, with the words, “And then the LORD called to Moses…”. Why start with “And then…” unless Leviticus is picking up where Exodus left off?). There is another shift (and another re-orientation) in 1 Kings 8 when the Tabernacle is replaced with the Temple.
But the New Testament presents us with another shift, another re-orientation; one that we still do not fully comprehend. Jesus is pictured as the new tabernacle (John 1:14) and the new temple (John 2:19) until He shifts His presence over to the church. You and I are a new temple (1 Corinthians 3;16-17)!! All who are in Christ are the new dwelling place of God’s presence! Can you imagine what the significance of this means? Just the thought calls us to ponder what it means to be the new “Holy of holies”. Time to re-orient again!
One-third of the Book of Exodus is devoted to a detailed description of the Tabernacle because the place of God’s dwelling is a major priority for God. And then the Book of Exodus closes with the presence of God invading the tent and forcing everyone out (Exodus 40:34-38) until the Book of Leviticus re-orients the people in terms of how to re-enter God’s presence (Leviticus 1:1 starts, literally, with the words, “And then the LORD called to Moses…”. Why start with “And then…” unless Leviticus is picking up where Exodus left off?). There is another shift (and another re-orientation) in 1 Kings 8 when the Tabernacle is replaced with the Temple.
But the New Testament presents us with another shift, another re-orientation; one that we still do not fully comprehend. Jesus is pictured as the new tabernacle (John 1:14) and the new temple (John 2:19) until He shifts His presence over to the church. You and I are a new temple (1 Corinthians 3;16-17)!! All who are in Christ are the new dwelling place of God’s presence! Can you imagine what the significance of this means? Just the thought calls us to ponder what it means to be the new “Holy of holies”. Time to re-orient again!
Friday, August 17, 2012
5-Hour Energy
Last week for my family’s vacation, we drove down to Florida. And on the way, I discovered a product that really opened my eyes…literally. It was a 5-Hour Energy Drink. We drove through the night on the way down and at about 1AM, we needed to refuel. I also needed to wake up, so I tried this energy drink and I was wide awake all through the night! It’s funny how when something works, when something is the real deal, we cannot help but talk about it.
That really caused me to think about the Christian faith. Do we brim to talk about our faith because it is the real deal, because we have truly experienced freedom and joy and new life? Or has it gotten stale or ho-hum because we have forgotten what it meant to receive Christ and experience that first gust of energy and renewal? Or have we never actually tasted the goodness of God and settled for a Jesus-Lite substitute?
I encourage you to take some time this week to reflect on the goodness of God and the greatness of the Cross and resurrection and ask the Spirit of God to renew you again.
That really caused me to think about the Christian faith. Do we brim to talk about our faith because it is the real deal, because we have truly experienced freedom and joy and new life? Or has it gotten stale or ho-hum because we have forgotten what it meant to receive Christ and experience that first gust of energy and renewal? Or have we never actually tasted the goodness of God and settled for a Jesus-Lite substitute?
I encourage you to take some time this week to reflect on the goodness of God and the greatness of the Cross and resurrection and ask the Spirit of God to renew you again.
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