Stability When We Don't Undersand: Faith like Abraham

Change is human. So is insecurity. We are riddled with it. We cannot find within ourselves a fixed point, an anchor, for our own souls. We can change with the weather, the news, or a bad doctor’s report. We stand for the first time on wobbly legs, elated, and are thrilled as we take our first steps, never slowing down in a frenzied rush to grow up. To experience. To explore. To find love. To find meaning. Then we dig in our heels wishing time would slow down with the discovery of our first gray hair or the departure of our firstborn for college. We live inside of time, measuring it out in twenty-four hour cadences, ever mindful of the process of decay and proclivity towards sin. We despise change at times, yet are confined to it. The ability to imagine better days is a gift helping us move forward. Without an immutable anchor for our souls, we would drift at sea in an ever-changing world and drown in waves of uncertainty.

Where do we find an anchor?

It is not within the character of God to change. We can fully trust in God because nothing will change in His very essence – His being, perfection, purposes, or promises. He is not subject to any limitations of humanity or creation. God is simultaneously infinite and personal. He is far greater than anything in existence, yet we can relate to Him intimately through prayer, worship and obedience in response to His love. He speaks to us, rejoices in us and loves us. He is the same God who related intimately to David and Moses. He is the same God who called Gideon and answered his requests due to his human frailty to confirm His calling. He is the same God who converted Paul, who answered the prayers of countless people to save, heal, provide for and protect them.

Can we have the same close fellowship with God that people enjoyed in biblical times? Remember, God has not changed. If we peer into the story of redemption through the encounter God had with Abraham when He asked him to sacrifice his son, Isaac, we can see the heart of God to save by ultimately sending His own son as a final sacrifice for sin. God who is holy cannot allow sin and must pronounce judgment. That judgment and wrath fell on Jesus Christ on the cross, ending the continual need of sacrifices for sin.

Therefore, we can draw near to God at any time, in any place, without guilt because of the forgiveness we receive in Him. We stand before God as holy and blameless even while we are being made holy, while we are being conformed to the image of His Son. If we want to interact with God on a hilltop like David, in an ornate sanctuary, in a hospital room or war zone, He will draw near to us as promised. If we want to talk demonstratively and sing to Him like Tevye in “Fiddler on the Roof”, we can. If we want to whisper or pray silently in our hearts, He understands the depths of our hearts, interpreting our thoughts and intentions. Then and now, God is moved by faith and desires for us to seek Him.

Like Abraham, God wants to bring us into His heart and purposes. Abraham became the father of faith, not because he was perfect, but because he believed God. “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” (Romans 4:3) He did not withhold his own son, while trusting that God would provide a sacrifice or perhaps raise him from the dead. This was a foreshadowing of Jesus’ resurrection. Whoever heard of such a thing at that time? The audacity of his faith. We can be glad today that the resurrection is not a myth, fairy tale or crutch. It is ancient fact.

Yes, it is possible to have the same close fellowship as we embark on this wild and risky journey of faith. As C.S. Lewis said about the lion Aslan, a type of Christ, “He's not safe, but he's good.” What is the risk? He requires complete surrender, but we can trust Him. He is mighty good – a refining, holy fire, yet loving and good.

If anyone has moved away, we have. We live in an unprecedented age of complexity amidst a multitude of distractions and enticements. Yet we can find ourselves empty and alone unless our primary need for a relationship with God is met.

Silence the “shoulds”, come away and ask yourself these questions:

• Do I hear God speaking to me? 
• What is He inviting me to? 
• How will I respond? 

He desires to relate to us and lead us on a journey of faith today.

“And without faith it is impossible to please Him for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:6)

Two Amish Farmers, A Hegelian Hipster and the Death of God

It was a lazy small-town Saturday in Tennessee, so I expected to meander through the day with nothing out of the ordinary happening. I certainly did not expect an encounter with a Hegelian hipster and two Amish farmers, a fitting metaphor for our times, but such is our journey; the unusual has become usual in our lives. Sometimes I think elves, if they were real, would come out of the woodwork just for us. 


My husband and I ventured into the countryside to enjoy lunch at one of our favorite restaurants in a rustic, yet elegant house where the food is prepared fresh from the bounty of local organic farms. After we decided to splurge and order a slice of strawberry cake, I noticed a painting above the mantle and began to write.


Bucolic Babe (based on the painting “Kohler’s Pig”)

I casually glance up from my menu 
At a nondescript landscape
So it seems
Yet something draws me deeper
Standard trees, grass, murky pond
Sky and clouds, don’t speak
Not a picnic spot I would seek
Amateur painting 101
Then I notice him
At the end of the pier, his pink body 
Sleek
Jutting out over the water
Like an arrow pointing skyward 
Every muscle in his body, taut
The epitome of determination
We form a solid understanding 
Of one another

I remember how the farmer and pig in Babe 
Regarded one another
My pig is an arrow 
Shooting in space
Hog wild with finesse
Chutzpah, he possesses
Not wanting to be a ham, a piece of meat
I, too, wish to defy surroundings
I, too, sometimes think 
By sheer force 
I can
Leap into what I envision
Damn gravity
Guess you and I will have to find wings

Leap of faith as if 
A landing will appear out of nil 
Faith is
Substance of what is hoped for
Conviction of what is beyond that hill
Or maybe he just wanted to take a dip

Meanwhile, out of the farm stepped two bearded Amish farmers who supply our special lunch spot with grass-fed beef and dairy. They sat down at the table beside us near my pig and proceeded to order. In walked our hipster waiter who sat down to converse with them since it’s that kind of place and it was that kind of day. So pull up a chair and lean in.

This conversation provides a snapshot of the inquisitive, skeptical, yet bruised young generation of the Western world that bristles at absolutes and serves as a reminder that we must patiently and lovingly engage them in conversations about God and the meaning of life. They are open and we must relentlessly believe we can reach them.

Hegelian hipster: 
I have been reading something interesting and I want to know what you think. I found this book about death of God theology. I’m really into it. It fascinates me. The idea is that when Jesus died on the cross, God’s transcendence was poured out into humanity so that God is no longer “out there,” but only immanent within us. So I started thinking atheism and Christianity are basically the same. Isn’t that interesting?

Amish farmer 1: 
So is Mad Magazine. It sounds like you are into it. Have you heard of Hegelian philosophy?

Hegelian hipster: 
Yes, I have read some Hegel.

Amish farmer 1: 
I think he was a fool and should have been castrated. You cannot equate atheism and Christianity. 

Missionary 1 (my husband): 
Hegelian philosophy states that there is no right or wrong thesis, but a synthesis of two opposing ideologies.

Hegelian hipster: 
But see, if God poured himself out on mankind and died, then we don’t have to search for meaning any more. We are free to look at this life only. It is liberating to realize we don’t have to do this religious dance. Chew on that for a moment. 

Amish farmer 1: 
You chew on that; we’ll chew on our food.

Hegelian dude returns with dessert.

Missionary 1: 
But consider for a moment what actually happened in history. Jesus was born, worked as a carpenter, performed miracles before numerous witnesses, led a sinless life and died on the cross to bear the sin of the world. After his death his body was still in the guarded tomb when He was resurrected. After he came to life again, one of His disciples touched his wounds and He ate fish among them. It really took place. He did claim to be God, and He did not remain dead. We have to look squarely at these facts and consider the ramifications.

Hegelian hipster: 
You have a point. But when I go to church I see all of this nonsense sometimes, like the church is trying to sell a product just like the world. It’s all competing: cars, women, and God. It gets so confusing and tiring. It seems simpler to think of it this way.

Amish farmer 1: 
If you look at the writings of William Blake, he wanted this kind of freedom as well. He wanted free love, but love costs something. 

Hegelian hipster: 
Maybe, but this death of God idea is interesting.

Hegelian dude gets called away.

Amish farmer 2: 
Our friend is a seeker. When you have accepted Christ, you see it all from a different perspective and find love, peace, deep joy and truth.
Hegelian dude returns.

Missionary 2 (me): 
I do understand how you can become disillusioned by how religion sometimes plays out in culture. We lived in Eastern Europe for many years where people commonly endure great hardship. We never portrayed God in a formulaic way like a genie who gives whatever you ask for of a self-help guru who offers your best life now. God himself is the treasure, offering peace and joy in the very midst of suffering. He also provides the only way for forgiveness and new life. But it is a narrow way. It is His way because He is God, not we ourselves. People today are looking for an authentic faith that touches real issues. The God of the Bible hasn’t changed, yet He relates to us where we are today. 

Hegelian hipster: 
Yes, what you are saying makes me think of Bonhoeffer. I read his “Letters and Papers from Prison”.

Missionary 1: 
Yes, Bonhoeffer suffered for his faith and for the decisions he made to stand up for what was right during the Third Reich. He taught that discipleship, or following Jesus, comes at a cost. He said “cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate." And Jesus Christ is not an abstraction. He is alive, offering salvation today and inviting us to follow Him.

I draw the velvet curtains on this conversation and end with this excerpt from a letter Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote from prison on an Easter Sunday many years ago. He knew the hope of ultimate victory and joy through trusting in the resurrected Son of God, even from a prison cell.

Easter Sunday April 25, 1943

“My dear Parents,

Today ten days have finally passed, and I am allowed to write to you once again. I would really like to let you know that I am celebrating a happy Easter here. What is so liberating about Good Friday and Easter is the fact that our thoughts are pulled far beyond our personal circumstances to the ultimate meaning of all life, suffering, and indeed everything that happens, and this gives us great hope.”

Is 'Missional' the New Legalism? The Life-Giving Call to Follow (Part 2)

Could God be trying to speak above the clamor? What is He inviting you to?

Important aspects of our calling:

To honor God

When we understand that God loves us, trust that His intentions are always good, and believe that He is powerful enough to fulfill His promises, we will obey Him. Maybe. Honoring God cuts deep to the intentions of our hearts and attitudes. Basic Christianity means to be a disciple or follower of Jesus, but there is no other kind of Christianity. I read an article this week where the author, Dr, Anthony Bradley, said, “being a ‘radical,’ ‘missional,’ Christian is slowly becoming the ‘new legalism.’ "  "I continue to be amazed by the number of youth and young adults who are stressed and burnt out from the regular shaming and feelings of inadequacy if they happen to not be doing something unique and special," he went on to say. "The sad result is that many young adults feel ashamed if they 'settle' into ordinary jobs, get married early and start families, live in small towns, or as 1 Thessalonians 4:11 says, 'aspire to live quietly, and to mind [their] affairs, and to work with [their] hands.' For too many millennials their greatest fear in this life is being an ordinary person with a non-glamorous job, living in the suburbs, and having nothing spectacular to boast about. . . living out one’s faith became narrowly celebratory only when done in a unique and special way, a ‘missional’ way.”  

There is no distinction between Christianity and radical Christianity. During our many years serving as missionaries overseas, I never recall thinking I was earning points with God or that I was a special category of Christian. We also never imposed on our girls the stifling performance anxiety to be good missionary pastor's children. I was simply following Jesus and wanted them to know and follow Him from the heart. Condemnation and "ought to's" can lead to burnout, but a relationship fosters warm, glowing passion with the ebb and flow of resting in one's presence and laboring in love. Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30) Isn’t that beautiful and freeing? 

A life that honors God IS a life that matters.

“Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.” - Westminster Shorter Catechism

To serve others through love

When we step out in faith to follow Jesus, our greatest risk is losing our narcissistic lives to authentic service and love. We gain incomparably greater treasures, treasures that transcend monetary value. The world needs examples of Christians who are uncompromising with respect to truth and the Gospel while they lovingly serve in whatever sphere they hope to influence. The body of Christ needs to become adept at articulating truth with kindness today.  

In 1787 William Wilberforce followed Jesus into the ring of politics when he argued for the abolition of slavery in the English House of Parliament. He was defeated over and over again. It took him twenty years to win. He was prepared to enter the ring as often as it took to prevail. Wilberforce was gracious, humble and loving. Even when opponents physically attacked him twice in the street, he remained gracious and never vilified his opponents. Wilberforce was never a fanatic; he was a follower of Jesus. We should follow his example as we stand up to the issues and injustices in our culture today.

As Gandalf said, "Saruman believes it is only great power that can hold evil in check, but that is not what I have found. I found it is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay. Small acts of kindness and love." 

When we follow Jesus, we find out He is going somewhere. He is on a mission to seek and save the lost from the dark captivity of this world. It is His mission, stated long before the term "missional" was ever trendy. Promising to be with us, Jesus said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations." 

To have abundant life

Jesus came to give us abundant life. He created all good things for us to enjoy, so why do we turn our freedom into legalism? We go through the sorrow of repentance, followed by the great joy of forgiveness and new life. Make a list of everything that is life giving to you. Don’t only be spiritual. Yes, the Bible is our source of life, joy and hope, but consider the daily, practical, simple joys as well. Taking a walk with the person you love after the rain, getting caught in the rain and dancing, eating fresh strawberries on the porch swing, reading a favorite book, running in preparation for a race and the euphoria that comes after you finish, listening to your child share their thoughts about the day before you pray together at night, laughing with friends late into the evening, meeting the child you have been waiting to adopt, praying with someone to receive Christ, talking about the meaning of life over coffee at a cafe. Go ahead, make your list. And then realize how His grace and truth permeate every area of life, not just the “spiritual”. Something sacred is at stake at each moment. His call is deep, far-reaching and full of joy.

Is 'Missional' the New Legalism? The Life-Giving Call to Follow (Part 1)

During our epic adventure in Ukraine, we briefly lived in a cottage in the woods. Our daughter, Abigail, called to say she would arrive late one night on the bus. Without a car to meet her, and since shady transactions sometimes took place in the area, I put on my running shoes to complete the trek through the woods and along the dirt road in record time. Then I waited for her at the bus stop where stray dogs gathered in hope of morsels. After she arrived, we ran across the major thoroughfare connecting cities; the road glistened in the rain. I held her hand, even though her height surpassed mine at sixteen.

The woods stood between our house and us. A narrow dirt road wound through the woods into darkness, yet the light shone through from the houses. It beckoned, called. I wanted to pass from here to there in as little time as possible, so I let go of her hand and ran. “Come on, Abigail, run,” I said, but she flopped along tired, on her last leg after a long day. I waited in sight of our house where the light lit up the wood’s edge. She came, complaining. Once inside, warmed by forest berry tea, house slippers and evening routine, we reconciled. I’m glad she forgave me for running. 

Sometimes people run to the wrong things. Sometimes the light at the edge of the woods is a false light, like the cottage in the woods beckoning Hansel and Gretel to come in and taste delicious cakes and confections. Our enemy disguises himself as an angel of light, offering sweet treats. For example, if you read “Fifty Shades of Grey” instead of the Bible, then it may not be a mystery if you stray out of the authentic, intimate place where sex is intended to flourish – marriage. And if you are single, to make the sex god paramount to all satisfaction. The source of boredom may be that people have grown numb to the heart-stirring, wild adventure of the call of God, or have never responded to it at all. We have allowed distractions that clamor for attention, stresses, and numbing entertainment to silence the most beautiful sound we could ever hear: the voice of God calling our name in loving affirmation, calling us to walk with Him. It can be easier to think in terms of serving God in the stratosphere of causes and mission, but He calls us first to Himself, then to love and respect our spouses, to care for and disciple our children, and to love our neighbors as ourselves.

I think of all the times I never ran. Although I loathe the word patience, tenacity runs deep in me.  I stand fiercely steadfast in the face of opposition.  We should stand for some things – for what is right, for justice, for truth, for the Gospel, and for our families. Then there are times we have to run into battle. As C.S Lewis said, “Christianity is the story of how the rightful King has landed and is calling us to His great campaign of sabotage”. That version may appeal more to men. While adventure is inherent in His call, another exciting aspect is being swept up in a great and passionate love story of God for His people.

I don’t know if it is fair to speak to dreams. Dreams are often a mix of us, our parent’s wishes, some wild itch, and the call of God. We see our dreams unfolding in a linear, smooth, progressive fashion. But that is rarely how it happens. It is often messy; the path often circuitous. People sometimes offer advice, such as “the difference between a dream and a goal is a timeline and an action plan”.  The call of God is different from merely having a goal or a dream. It is overarching and heart-transforming.  Fueled and fashioned by God Himself with us in mind, we can be confident we will succeed and flourish by His grace. Reality may not match our dreams, but it will be better if we are walking with God in loving, committed relationships. When we truly understand His nature, the first words out of our mouths may sound like this . . . Father in heaven, holy is your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Could God be trying to speak above the clamor? Could He be positioning us to where we want to hear His voice and embrace His call?

The View from Where I Sit

Faulkner said writers need three things – experience, observation and imagination. Focused observation tends to improve my writing, but that’s not why I do it. I enjoy jotting down my surroundings and the inner workings of the soul, observing them through the lens of truth, because I am fascinated by the world in which I live. I am fascinated by why people do what they do. Above all, I am fascinated by God working among us, drawing us to Himself. So here are a few of my observations. Sometimes I call it poetry.

View from Where I Sit

(Blackberry Market – Glen Ellyn, Illinois a few days after the Boston Marathon Bombing)

She twirls, a flurry of pink

Ballet tutu, fuchsia bow askew, blush velvet slippers

Twisting her blonde hair as she selects a blackberry tart

Then goes for a vanilla crème

Slowly with her walker, a silvery dame surveys the menu

An Asian waitress, hair in a sleek, perk upsweep

Red shoes, crisp apron serves up a croissant

An untimely April snow falls outside the warmth of Blackberry Market

Inside individuals savor sunny delights of choice

Of imaginative flow spiked by lattes and

The smooth banjo-strummed lyrics of Mumford & Sons

Orange pea coat, beige quilted jacket, floriated tapestry bag

A rose, tattooed like a necklace

Gracing the neck, bisque laurel wreath tiles

On the ceiling, industrial metal stools for creatives

With their laptops, me, among them

And the smell, oh, the smell

Of freshly baked cinnamon rolls

But most of all, it’s the way everyone carries themselves

They walk free

They talk free

God, maintain our peace

The Point

Cold breeze jostled me from hibernation

Three blocks from the miniature theatre

Where Peter Pan and his posse of lost boys

Snuck in around the back entrance

Turns out he starred in the play

I dropped you off, caught a cadence to the café

Passing daffodils in dying hours

Before early blooming frost

Is this butter-bright intensity diminished

If never played before an audience, like me?

Daffodils neither strut nor fret

Nature is extravagant, yet not an idiot, like we

I dine among artists and writers

Dreaming of that moment of fame

Your stage or mine? Narcissus-fueled

Fantasies orbit round name

Leading to lonely days or a bitter phrase

Yet we can enjoy all this, and be free

There’s something about wisdom that deepens

The hue of yellow and the blue in your eyes

The joy of being, spellbound by another

A stage? No, this fleeting life signifies

A humble dance before its Creator

Shakespeare was only partially right

No wonder we strut and fret

No wonder we strive to be free

We’ve missed the point