have you ever wondered...

...about the prayer in Gethsemane? Before Jesus was arrested to be crucified, he prayed.

"[Jesus] began to be greatly distressed and troubled. And he said to [his disciples], 'My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch.' And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. And he said 'Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.'" (Mark 14:32-36, ESV)

Quite perplexing how Jesus was so horrified and dismayed and so sorrowful. Until yesterday, I figured that he was distressed because of the physical anguish he was about to go through. Being God, Jesus knew the outcome; he knew he was about to be beaten and crucified. And he knew he would rise again. I thought that surely this was distressing to him. But the book Knowing God poses a different perspective, which makes much more sense.

J.I. Packer writes, "It was because Jesus was to be made sin, and bear God's judgment on sin, that he trembled in the garden, and because he was actually bearing that judgment that he declared himself forsaken of God on the cross. . . . the unique dreadfulness of his death lies in the fact that he tasted on Calvary the wrath of God which was our due, so making propitiation* for our sins."

So, why was he distressed? Because of SO MUCH sin placed on him? Sin is bad. BAD! A perfect and holy God would not be just if He allowed it. Sin brings about the wrath of God, His perfect wrath. That's what sin deserves. Was Jesus so distressed because of the amount of terrible sin put on his shoulders? Or was he distressed because he realized the magnitude of God's wrath toward that great amount of sin? Clearly, the horror Jesus displayed was not only due to the physical pain he would go through. Packer writes, "The physical pain, though great (for crucifixion remains the cruelest form of judicial execution that the world has ever known), was yet only a small part of the story; Jesus' chief sufferings were mental and spiritual, and what was packed into less than four hundred minutes was an eternity of agony...."

Do we realize just how awesome it is that Jesus died on the cross for our sins? Or do we throw that idea around and not really grasp the magnitude and seriousness of it? Jesus became a curse for us. Justice has been done. Sins that will ever be pardoned were judged and punished in Jesus, and that pardon is now offered to us offenders.

But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation* in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus." (Romans 3:21-26, NASB)

See also Isaiah 53.

Praise God!

*Propitiation (pr-psh-shn) n. Appeasement of God's wrath. Covering, putting away, passing over, rubbing out sin so it doesn't create a barrier between man and God, thus pacifying God's wrath.

ksu vs. ku

Most people around here probably realize that KU and K-State play this weekend.

I can't stop reading sections of Respectable Sins. In his chapter on worldliness, Jerry Bridges writes about possible areas of idolatry - careers, political and cultural issues, and a consuming passion for sports. You may agree or agree to disagree, but for what it's worth, I thought I'd share his perspective on sports.

And here I know that, especially for many male readers, I'm walking into an area "where angels fear to tread." But I don't think there is any doubt that sports, especially football and basketball, have become idols in our culture. High school football is often spoken of as a religion in many states. Many high school coaches make large salaries. One at a suburban Alabama school makes $94,000 a year and puts his players through a training regimen almost as rigorous as that of professional athletes. In fact, this idolatry of sports no longer begins at the high school age. Now coaches are looking down into the elementary schools to find promising athletes whom they can begin to groom as high school players. And the ultra-competitive "winning is the only thing" attitude of many parents of these young players simply feeds this idolatry.

But it is really at the college level that idolatry is such a temptation. And I speak from experience. I'm a graduate of one of the schools whose football team has been a major powerhouse over the years. They have won seven national championships, the first of which occurred when I was a junior in college. I give you this background to explain why my school's football fortunes became something of an idol to me. Even years after I graduated, on Saturday game days I became as tense as if my happiness depended on the outcome of the day's game.

I'm not alone, and it is not just over football. Many fans of the perennial basketball powerhouses experience the same angst during basketball season and especially if their team makes it to the NCAA tournament. I'm still a fan of my university's football team, and I'm pleased when they win. But it's no longer an idol for me. God convicted me of my idolatry, and I now remind myself that football is only a game, and I don't think God is glorified regardless of who wins. The truth is that winning only panders to our pride.

So continue to root for your favorite team, if you desire. But don't get caught up in its wins and losses. Keep sports in perspective. It's only a game.

So at 6:00 on Saturday, I'll be rooting for the Wildcats. And I'm hoping my KU friends and family don't pout when they get beat. ;)

respectable sins

Want a good book to fill your time? Okay, I haven't read it yet (at least not all of it), but Jared says it is a good read. And I believe everything Jared says. Well, usually. ;)

Respectable Sins: Confronting the Sins We Tolerate

by Jerry Bridges

Last night, I was feeling convicted of being too grumpy lately. Stop. Let me back-track. Last week, I started a blog post. The only title that came to my mind was "grumpy." For some reason, I left that page and skimmed through the titles of previous blog posts and drafts never published, and I noticed many more similar titles to "grumpy." I scolded myself and thought, MYRA! What is going on?!? I closed out of Blogger. Nobody wants to read grump-stuff.

Fast-forward to last night and my grumpiness conviction. I picked up Respectable Sins with the intention of reading one chapter that would fix my grumpiness. I skimmed through the chapter titles in the Table of Contents: Ungodliness, Anxiety and Frustration, Discontentment, Unthankfulness, Pride, Selfishness, Lack of Self-Control, Impatience and Irritability, Anger, The Weeds of Anger, Judgmentalism, Envy/Jealousy/Related Sins, Sins of the Tongue, Worldliness. As I read through the list, I planned to weed out the ones that weren't problems.

Jared walked into the room. I'm mumbling to myself, "I'm okay with contentment....don't need to read that....I'm pretty thankful...." Jared chuckled and said something like, "You better just read them and see." I kept going down the list with an increasing realization that I didn't have just one problem.

I needed to read Selfishness. I needed to read Pride. I needed to read Judgmentalism. I needed to read them ALL! I settled for Impatience and Irritability. After I was done, I said, "OUCH." I underlined in pencil, "The actual cause of our impatience lies within our own hearts, in our own attitude of insisting that others around us conform to our expectations."

Jared looked over and said, "I don't like it when you mark up your books."

:) Grrr. ;) I sure do love him!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"God, be merciful to me, a sinner." Luke 18:13

"God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." 1 Peter 5:5

"Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." Colossians 3:12-17

you are...

...what you read.

Do you believe it? I almost do. Rather, you become what you read.

Here I am, ranting again -- this time about books. Books are often viewed as sacred truth. It's because they're bound together in a nice, neat fashion with a pretty cover and a catchy title. It bothers me how influential some authors are. The books we choose to read shape our minds, whether we want them to or not. The Shack, for instance, is, in my humble opinion, a novel that raises many theological questions. One reviewer called it "a theological novel that teaches far too much unbiblical theology." If a person reads *too many* of these ungrounded novels or even shaky non-fiction "Christian" books, his own belief system could easily start becoming shaky. We may call ourselves "discerning" and tell ourselves we won't be changed by it, but we are what we eat.

Girl Meets God is an autobiography of a young woman searching for truth...somewhere within books stacked high. This woman is a prime example of how beliefs are altered from what you read. She claimed to have found the truth by the end of the book, but that's not what it seemed. This was another woman looking for truth in the wrong place, just like a blind, starving prisoner would grapple for crumbs in the middle of cold, dark, wet jail cell.

I could go on, listing more books that are not worth your time. You can visit the Discerning Reader website. I don't agree with everything the reviewers say, but they sure do bring up interesting points in their book reviews.

The bottom line...

Where do we find good truth? The only Book you can trust completely.

God's Word.

Read it.

And let yourself be transformed by it.

constancy

\ˈkän(t)-stən(t)-sē\

noun

the state of being constant; changelessness

steadfastness, as in purpose or affection; faithfulness.

God is immutable. Sounds like a simple, easy-to-understand sentence, yet how can one contain God to a sentence? In Knowing God, Packer is right when he says that God's life doesn't change. Neither does His character, His truth, His ways, His purposes, and His Son. The earth and the heavens "will perish, but you [God] will remain; they will all wear out like a garment. You will change them like a robe, and they will pass away, but you are the same, and your years have no end." (Psalm 102:26-27).

We blossom and flourish as leaves on the tree,

And wither and perish - but naught changeth Thee.

(from the Immortal, Invisible God Only Wise Hymn)

Do you ever think about this...how CONSTANT God is? We're all busy. We've got places to go and people to see. You might read this blog post quickly and get on with your day. And that's fine. I do it too. But how often do I honestly sit still, and know that He is God? Turn off that blasted cell phone. Shut that to-do-list notebook for a second. Get up even 15 minutes earlier to be still and acknowledge who God is! Right now, there are so many things occupying my mind and yours. My natural tendency would not be to ponder God's constancy in the midst of my busy-busy attitude, but He has reminded me of it lately.

If God is steadfast, why worry? If God is unchanging, why set our minds on any earthly thing? If God is who He says He is, why must we wallow in discontent and sorrow? God's constancy provides us such comfort and HOPE. The hope of the gospel of Jesus Christ IS "big enough to cover the whole area of our need." (Packer) That's what this life is about.

"Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty,

who was and is and is to come!"

(Revelation 4:8b)

Here's a good related song.

And an even better version of it by Maggie Rose Amini.

our aim

C.S. Lewis in Mere Christianity:

Hope is one of the Theological virtues. This means that a continual looking forward to the eternal world is not (as some modern people think) a form of escapism or wishful thinking, but one of the things a Christian is meant to do. It does not mean that we are to leave the present world as it is. If you read history, you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were just those who thought most of the next.... It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this. Aim at Heaven and you will get earth 'thrown in': aim at earth and you will get neither. It seems a strange rule, but something like it can be seen at work in other matters. Health is a great blessing, but the moment you make health one of your main, direct objects you start becoming a crank and imagining there is something wrong with you. You are only likely to get health provided you want other things more – food, games, work, fun, open air. In the same way, we shall never save civilisation as long as civilisation is our main object. We must learn to want something else even more.

Most of us find it very difficult to want 'Heaven' at all - except in so far as 'Heaven' means meeting again our friends who have died. One reason for this difficulty is that we have not been trained: our whole education tends to fix our minds on this world. Another reason is that when the real want for Heaven is present in us, we do not recognise it. Most people, if they had really learned to look into their own hearts, would know that they do want, and want acutely, something that cannot be had in this world. There are all sorts of things in this world that offer to give it to you, but they never quite keep their promise.

THEREFORE -

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Hebrews 12:2-3

my problem

Another lie I didn't realize I believed...

"The Truth is that only by accepting full responsibility for our actions and attitudes can we ever be fully free from guilt. As one writer said:

Sin is the best news there is, the best news there could be in our predicament. Because with sin, there's a way out. There's the possibility of repentance. You can't repent of confusion or psychological flaws inflicted by {your parents--you're stuck with them}*. But you can repent of sin. Sin and repentance are the only grounds for hope and joy**."

*Myra's note: I'd rather use the word "others" here. How could I ever blame my parents for inflicting flaws? That's unfair. They're human, just like everybody else.

**Myra's second note: This is only through God's grace, through the shed blood of Jesus.

our rights

Controversial Topic: Rights.

I am reading a book called Lies Women Believe by Nancy Leigh DeMoss. Lie #10 is "I have my rights." I found the following blog post to be a good summary of what DeMoss has to say about Rights.

LIE NO. 10: I HAVE MY RIGHTS

"The fact is, successful relationships and healthy cultures are not built on the claiming of rights but on the yielding of rights." DeMoss

sowing seed

A farmer went out to sow his seed...
Some fell on the path;

the birds ate them.

Some fell on rocky places;

it quickly sprang up but was scorched

and withered from having no roots.

Some fell among thorns;

these grew and choked the plants

Some fell on good soil;

it produced a crop.

Jesus explains this parable in Matthew 13:18-23. In Crazy Love, Francis Chan writes, "My caution to you is this: Do not assume you are good soil."

As I finished up making mounds of cucumbers and zucchini and squash and melons, I thought to myself, Okay, these seeds better grow now. We've planted about 15 packets of "premium" seeds in this garden of good soil. What if it's all for nothing?! What if they don't come up? What if the seeds don't grow? What a WASTE that would be. Not just a waste of money, but a waste of time. We planted 1,800 tiny pink corn seeds all by hand. How frustrated we would be if they don't produce a crop.

What does God think when seed does not produce fruit? What does He think when it is choked out?

I cannot assume that I am good soil.

forgetting the fire

Do you remember how it was at first, when you made that decision to make Jesus Lord of your life? When you felt the Holy Spirit's real presence? When this indescribable fire and passion burned in your heart to serve God?

I was convicted this morning when I read Hebrews 10. Verse 32 reminded me: "Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you stood your ground in a great contest in the face of suffering." Years ago, I had circled the word "remember." But I so easily forget that fire that burns so hot at first. And I'm not even experiencing "the face of suffering" and the insult and persecution these people were. That may be the problem. These Christians had been imprisoned for their faith; their stuff had been taken. In fact, they "joyfully accepted the confiscation of [their] property, because [they] knew that [they themselves] had better and lasting possessions" (v. 34).

It's been 10 days since I finished this book Safely Home with a fire burning in my heart. This is a fiction book describing the experiences of the Christian Li Quan in China. Quan's whole attitude was summed up in one question he asked daily: "Is this the day I die?" Sounds morbid, but it's not. Quan lived for Yesu. He and his family risked their lives by worshiping in secret house churches. They risked their safety, their property, their lives by owning a Bible...not to mention how risky it was to spread the Good News to other people.

Toward the end of the book, Quan's American friend visits Quan in prison. He asks Quan, "When you pray for me, what do you ask?"

Quan answers, "That you will face persecution....and that through it you will grow. That you will learn to stand strong. That you will know you are in a war, and that you will put on your armor and learn to use the sword of the Spirit, God's Word."

The American responds, "So, while I'm praying you will suffer less, you're praying that I will suffer more?"

Quan answers again, "We both should pray that the other will live in a way pleasing to Yesu. I do not wish to see my friend suffer. But I believe it may be the only way for you to learn how to serve. In house churches we have little to hope in but our God. In America, you have much to hope in besides God. None but he can bear the weight of your hope. But that is often forgotten. The test of prosperity is not easily passed."

That's precisely the problem. We're too comfortable here in America, and it's hurting us spiritually. No, I don't wish to suffer, but it would sure help me remember my first love. How easily I forget. The Church of Ephesus was judged for this in Revelation 2:4-5. "Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first."

So, what can I do? Repent and stuff myself with the Word daily, actually every hour of the day - instead of merely strawberry shortcake and whipped cream. Saturate myself with "things above, not on earthly things" (Col. 3:1-2). Humble myself and have that attitude of Christ Jesus (Phil. 2:5-11). Suffering may come, and if it does, I pray that I stand the test.

good reads

If you're a fan of Virginia Lee Burton's Choo Choo, you'll definitely like Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel. This was written for boys (the author's boys), but Carly sure loves it too. Included in this treasury are the stories Katy and the Big Snow, The Little House, and Maybelle the Cable Car as well. What a neat book. I am truly a fan of Burton, plus her illustrations are outstanding. These are good old-fashioned stories from the 30s and 40s that have stood the test of time.

Bob Books

Ever heard of these? The kids are loving these books. Or perhaps they like the box that the set comes in. These books are for beginning readers. They help build confidence as children learn to memorize and sound out sight words. There are 12 books in each set. Isaac's starting on the beginner (blue) set. Books 1 and 2 are about the extent of his reading.

Carly is working her way through the advanced beginner (orange) set. It's easy for them to memorize the words of these simple stories, but it's oh so neat to watch them point to the words as they sound like real readers.

This is one of the most eye-opening women's books I've read. Martha Peace describes what marriage is really about, which is not the way the world portrays it. She paints a picture of an "Excellent Wife" using practical advice and solid Biblical teaching. Even though I'm only halfway through, I strongly recommend this book to every woman. If The Exemplary Husband is anything like it, I recommend that too (for men, of course).

Eisenhower by Geoffrey Perret is probably Jared's best read for the last couple months. You can even read this book online.

Holiness of God

I wanted to sleep in this Saturday morning. Something kept me awake, though. It was the gnawing feeling of shame. Shame on me, and shame on the world. We don't even realize just how puffed up we make ourselves.

A few months ago, I listened to R.C. Sproul talk about the Holiness of God. You can read a recap of it here in one of R.C. Sproul's messages. After acknowledging and grasping the truth of this message, we should feel little. Because we are little. It had been a while since I had listened to this message, and I was starting to puff myself up again, considering myself better than I really was.

Do we even realize what HOLY means? It is moral blamelessness. Jerry Bridges calls it "separated from sin and, therefore, consecrated to God. The word signifies 'separation to God, and the conduct befitting those so separated.'" Bridges titles his book The Pursuit of Holiness because of the biblical command, "'Pursue holiness, for without holiness no one will see the Lord' (Hebrews 12:14, author's paraphrase)." He goes on to say that this takes diligence and effort through Christ, and yes, this will be a lifelong task, which won't be attained in this life.

So if this post goes as it should, you and I will read Sproul's message on God's holiness. We should be humbled knowing just how holy, holy, holy God is. God is not Someone we will ever fully understand, but the more we know, the more we are put in our place. The fewer times we try to fully grasp God's holiness, the more puffed up we become. Coming face-to-face with God's glory would drive us to our knees, our faces to the ground. Why don't we do that now? Because it's not proper? If we fully understood the holiness of God, we would.

crazy love, pt4

The last of Crazy Love...

I can finally say now that I recommend this book. My reviews on this blog didn't do it justice. Chan writes in the last chapter, "By now you're probably wondering, What in the world does this mean for me?" He reminds us that the first church responded with action: repentance, baptism, selling possessions, and sharing the gospel. "We respond with words like Amen, Convicting sermon, Great book... and then are paralyzed as we try to decipher what God wants of our lives." Chan challenges us to hold nothing back, putting every hope in God's fidelity to His promises. Our purpose is to serve a holy God and to love.

Yesterday, the kids and I went to Cartown Hyundai to get our Trailblazer serviced. (This is the dealership where we bought the car.) While we were waiting, I read the last chapter of Crazy Love. I remember thinking that it would surely be an interesting conversation should someone see this book and inquire about what I was reading. I thought to myself, I could even give this book to the person if they asked about it. But nah, I want to keep it. It was really good, and I would love to read it again some day. So, in the back of my mind, I had selfishly decided that this book was all mine.

I finished the book, and the kids started getting restless. After a bag of M&Ms and a couple stories, they told us our car was ready. I payed and we left. When we got back to our apartment, I realized I had forgotten my book. It was still sitting on the table at Cartown. A part of me wanted to go back and get it, but I don't think I will. People don't typically chuck out books, do they? For $10, maybe, just maybe someone will pick it up and read it. Isn't it great how God works? And isn't it funny that just a couple weeks ago, we'd bought a second copy of the book with the intention of giving it to someone? Maybe we still will. Or maybe this second copy can be ours. Or maybe we'll leave it somewhere accidentally.

crazy love, pt3

the hardest chapter: serving leftovers to a holy God

Chan said this chapter was the hardest one for him to write. It was hard to swallow, too. He writes, "As I see it, a lukewarm Christian is an oxymoron; there's no such thing. To put it plainly, churchgoers who are 'lukewarm' are not Christians. We will not see them in heaven." And he goes on to give his reasoning (Revelation 3:15-18, John 14:15, James 2:19, 1 John 2:3-4, Matthew 16:24-25, Luke 14:33), which accurately backs up what he claims. I look at myself as this: either I'm growing or I'm not; I don't see how becoming a Christian and then sitting still can really exist. "Habitual sin" is a term Jim used in Sunday School once this past year. We all have lukewarm tendencies, and we all sin, but are our sinful tendencies habits without repentance?

Jerry Bridges writes a chapter on the proof of love in his Transforming Grace book that went well with Chan's leftovers chapter. The section on Law and Grace had a good explanation of obedience, failing, grace, legalism, etc. His question: Under the reign of grace, is the moral will of God, considered as a whole, a request or a command? And his answer: The word request connotes desire; whereas the word command connotes authority to require. We are commanded to obey. Obedience is not optional, rather a response to our salvation. And lukewarm partial-obedience doesn't sound like it can still be called obedience either.

Chunks of text from Chan:

God wants our best, deserves our best, and demands our best. From the beginning of time, He has been clear that some offerings are acceptable to Him and others are not.

It's easy to fill ourselves up with other things and then give God whatever is left.... God gets a scrap or two only because we feel guilty for giving Him nothing. A mumbled three-minute prayer at the end of the day, when we are already half asleep... [The priests of Malachi's day] assumed God was pleased because they had sacrificed something. God described this practice as evil. Leftovers are not merely inadequate; from God's point of view (and lest we forget, His is the only one who matters), they're evil. Let's stop calling it "a busy schedule" or "bills" or "forgetfulness." It's called evil. God is holy. In heaven exists a Being who decides whether or not I take another breath. This holy God deserves excellence, the very best I have. "But something is better than nothing!" some protest. Really, is it? Does anyone enjoy token praise? I sure don't. I'd rather you not say anything than compliment me out of obligation or guilt. Why would we think God is any different?

God wants to saturate us with Himself. Am I allowing Him to saturate me? Am I giving Him every part of my day, my mind, my life, or just the leftovers?

crazy love, pt2

"A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop - a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. He who has ears, let him hear" (Matthew 13:3b-9).

I can't stay away from this Francis Chan book. Chan opened my eyes when he mentioned this parable and commented: "My caution to you is this: Do not assume you are good soil." He wrote that thorns are the things in our life that distract us from God. When we pile all this stuff (money, sins, activities, commitments, etc.) on top of God, how can our relationship with God grow? It can't. The chapter was titled "Profile of the Lukewarm."

"Has your relationship with God actually changed the way you live? Do you see evidence of God's kingdom in your life... Are you satisfied being "godly enough" to get yourself to heaven, or to look good in comparison to others?"

Chan went on to describe what a lukewarm, half-hearted person looks like. OUCH. Some of the examples he listed described me. He writes, "Jesus' call to commitment is clear: He wants all or nothing. The thought of a person calling himself a 'Christian' without being a devoted follower of Christ is absurd." Chan wrote so many convicting things in Chapters 3 and 4.

I am so thankful for God's sufficient grace and for the truthfulness of this song:

Great is Thy faithfulness, oh God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever wilt be.

Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

And one last Chan analogy I thought was worth mentioning:

"Recently I saw a bag of potato chips with a bold declaration splashed across the front: 'Zero grams of trans fat.' I was glad to know that I wouldn't be consuming any trans fat, which research has shown is detrimental to my health. But then I flipped the bag over and read the ingredients list, which included things like 'yellow #6' and other artificial colors, and partially hydrogenated oil (which is trans fat, just a small enough amount that they can legally call it "0 grams"). I thought it was incredibly ironic that these chips were being advertised in a way that makes me think they are not harmful yet were really full of empty calories, weird chemicals, and, ironically, trans fat.

It struck me that many Christians flash around their "no trans fat" label, trying to convince everyone they are healthy and good. Yet they have no substantive or healthful elements to their faith. It's like the Laodiceans, who thought they had everything until Christ told them they were poor and wretched. They were all about declaring, "Look, we have no trans fat. We are wealthy, or we have good families, or we go to church every week." Obviously, it's not what you advertise that counts; it's what you are really made of."

This book is really knocking me in the head. Which is a good thing and very much needed.

crazy love, pt1

One of my sisters had this idea of doing a long distance Bible study. This is the first go-around. Starting in September, all five of us girls and Mom will go through this book Crazy Love: Overwhelmed By a Relentless God by Francis Chan (a man). (I clarify that because I thought Francis was a woman. I'd obviously never heard of him.)

For lack of something better to do last night, I took a sneak peek at chapters 1 and 2. The first assignment was to watch the "Awe Factor" clip. (If you want to see it, go to www.crazylovebook.com. Click on "videos" and "The Awe Factor of God.") Chan quotes Psalm 19:1-4a which says, "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world."

"This is why we are called to worship Him. His art, His handiwork, and His creation all echo the truth that He is glorious....Because we don't often think about the reality of who God is, we quickly forget that He is worthy to be worshipped and loved. We are to fear Him."

God is holy, eternal, all-knowing, all-powerful, and fair and just. The more we grasp each of those characteristics of God, the more we realize who we are. With that in mind, it was convicting to hear what Chan had to say about our perception of ourselves:

"Suppose you are an extra in an upcoming movie. You will probably scrutinize that one scene where hundreds of people are milling around, just waiting for that two-fifths of a second when you can see the back of your head. Maybe your mom and your closest friend get excited about that two-fifths of a second with you ... maybe. But no one else will realize it is you. Even if you tell them, they won't care. Let's take it a step further. What if you rent out the theater on opening night and invite all your friends and family to come see the new movie about you? People will say, "You're an idiot! How could you think this movie is about you?" Many Christians are even more delusional than the person I've been describing. So many of us think and live like the movie of life is all about us. Now consider the movie of life....

....God creates the world. (Were you alive then? Was God talking to you when He proclaimed "It is good" about all He had just made?) Then people rebel against God (who, if you haven't realized it yet, is the main character in this movie), and God floods the earth to rid it of the mess people made of it."

Chan goes on to point out how this movie is NOT ABOUT US. He says:

"How is it possible that we live as though it is about us? Our scenes in the movie, our brief lives, fall somewhere between the time Jesus ascends into heaven (Acts) and when we will all worship God on His throne in heaven (Revelation). We have only our two-fifths-of-a-second-long scene to live. I don't know about you, but I want my two-fifths of a second to be about my making much of God. First Corinthians 10:31 says, "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." That is what each of our two-fifths of a second is about. So what does that mean for you? Frankly, you need to get over yourself. It might sound harsh, but that's seriously what it means."

I'm utterly guilty.

good reads

A few of our favorite books this week have been:

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl

Carly and I read a chapter every night. Sometimes she can squeeze

two chapters out of me, but not usually. This book has just enough action for a four-year-old to imagine, so it doesn't require too many pictures.

Isaac the Ice Cream Truck by Scott Santoro

Not the greatest children's picture book, but Isaac sure likes it. Isaac, the ice cream truck, wanted to be a bigger, more important truck until his ice cream made the day for some hard-working firefighters.

Boing by Nick Bruel

A very cute book. Not many words, but the illustrations are good. A little kangaroo is learning how to boing, but he keeps falling on his face. His bystanders finally figure out the problem. His pocket is weighing him down because it's full of toys. They take the toys out, and he BOINGs. Isaac and Carly have been boinging off of chairs and furniture too.

The Prophet by Francine Rivers

A book about Amos. It's shameful how rarely I read books other than children's picture books. Actually, the truth is, I have a problem with time management when I start reading a book. This was a really good book. Francine Rivers takes the book of Amos and puts it to action and dialogue. She calls it a work of historical fiction, but the stories in it are all based on biblical accounts, and she claims to "have attempted to remain true to the scriptural message in all points." I hope my reading this book doesn't skew my understanding of Amos when I read it now. Learning the story of Amos was an eye-opener. He was a shepherd--and his sheep listened to him better than our sheep listen to us. (But he also slept in the pasture and played music for the sheep. We haven't gotten to that point yet.) He was also a prophet used by God to warn the people of Israel to repent before judgment came. And then judgment came. The sins of Israel were no worse than the sins of this world today. This book was a good reminder of God's patience, His love, His justice and holiness.