Driven By Distractions

On Sundays we are in the middle of a series about Worship as an Act of Defiance. This is a strange title, I know. But I think that it is helpful to me to realize that worship is more than a time to feel emotionally good, but a true transformational event. When I enter into the presence of God, I am stating to God and all who would hear, that I am His and He is my Lord and King. I submit to His leading's and I follow Him not anyone or anything else. And that is an act of defiance to all the powers and principalities of this world. Strong language and for most of us language that makes us uncomfortable, I get that.

It is like this. Most of us, including me have a tendency to walk around as if we are sleepwalking. Unaware that all around us something big is going on. Have you ever seen a sleep walker. My friend's daughter is a sleepwalker. We were hanging out one night when all of a sudden there she was in the middle of the living room. She was in her pajamas, her eyes were wide open, she was staring at us. I said, "Hi", she did not say anything. She looked alert and present, for all I could tell, no different than a couple of hours earlier at dinner. My friend said, "She is asleep." I could not believe it. She was sleeping, and in her mind a whole other scene was being played out, when the reality of the situation was she was standing in the living room of her house. The next day she of course remembered nothing of the events that I saw.

We are sleepwalking. God is in the middle of this epic battle and we are lulled to sleep by our simple ordinary lives. We are living in a dreamland unaware of what is really going on around us. Worship, when we fully participate and are present, awakens our hearts mind and souls to the working of God and invites us to join Him. That is not only dangerous but is defiant to the forces that are singing us to sleep.

Distractions are one of those lullabies. Distractions are outside stimuli that draw our attentions away from the things we are attempting to focus in on, like God. So how do we fight the distractions in our lives? I know what works for me is the same thing that has worked for those who have gone before us. Practicing those disciplines that keep use centered and focused: Centering Prayer, Lectio Divina, Prayer of Examen. The problem arises when we start talking this busyness with a list of things to do. So how about trying this? This Sunday wherever you worship, plan your day a little differently than in the past. Leave the house with every intention of getting to your community worship event 30 minutes early. Sit in the back or parking lot or park close by and read Psalm 84 aloud and rest in the words. Pray silently asking God to prepare your heart and the heart of all those that you worship with for a transformational experience. Be still during this time.

I wonder what our time of worship would be like if we could do this on a regular basis. Most of us arrive to our collective times, rushed feeling late so that it is 20 minutes after we arrive that we actually arrive mentally and spiritually. This other practice can and does help. If you are going to take the time to worship collectively with others, you might as well do it right, all the way. I caution you however, when God does reveal His purposes to you and your community, it will not be an easy path, but it beats walking around asleep.

Peace

Edwin

A Week of Bad Behavior

It was a week of bad behavior and I heard about it everywhere. Blogs, Facebook, Twitter. It seemed like the country's attention was on the famous ones and how they could not behave themselves: Kanye, Serena and Joe Wilson. It was a virtual whose who of personas with rock stars, sports figures and politicians reminding us how not to treat each other.

As our kids head out the door, I wonder, what is acceptable behavior? I was on a field trip with Grace this week. We went on a sailing trip around Angel Island with Call of the Sea. What was a pleasant and welcomed surprise, was how kind the students were to each other and how that kindness was contagious.

Watching Grace and her three friends eat lunch was a lesson in the benefits of kindness and sharing. Grace sat with three of her girlfriends. They all got their food out. The next thing I knew, Grace was eating sushi, noodle soup, a veggie sandwich and the other girls were picking through Grace's lunch that I had made her. This was such a beautiful thing to watch because there was not much discussion or classic trading, simply an unspoken understanding that if it was on the table, it was for everyone. The girls walked away with a much more balanced meal and a new experience since there was a Thai, Chinese, Cambodian and whatever Grace's J meal on the table.

I guess what I walked away with (besides a healthy dose of lunch envy) was a respect and a hope. I now respect these girls that they had gotten to this level of relational comfort around each other. I also have hope that their generation might actually learn to live a different type of life, a Kingdom of God life.

"'Lord when did I see you hungry?'

'I tell you when you did it to the least of these you did it to me.'"

-Jesus as reported in the book of Matthew

He is the Beginning and the End

It is a high calling to be a pastor. I love most of what I do daily, but I really love it when I get the opportunity to minister to people in the milestones of their lives. Last week was one of those rare weeks when I was part of the full spectrum of life. I was a part of a beginning and an end and believe me, it was an honor.

Alice* came to us about eight months ago. Her mother came first, slipping into the back of church to pray for her very sick daughter. Alice then called to say that she and her sister wanted to be baptized. Julie and I met with them and their mother on a weekday. They explained that they were very private people and wanted to keep all discussions private. We talked about their faith in Jesus, how they loved him and wanted to be His followers. They confessed their need for a new life and their need for a rebirth. We then proceeded to baptize them. At the time Alice was ambulatory, but very thin and fragile with a hat on to cover her loss of hair. It was a beautiful time, an intimate time with them. Then Alice entered the hospital.

I regularly was called by her family to go and pray for her. I met with her mother, sisters and brothers. All of them were hopeful that God would heal her of her cancer. They asked me if I believed that she would be healed. I explained that I believed God could heal Alice, but I had not received any sense or communication that God would heal her. So we continued to pray. I went and saw her on Saturday. She was not conscious and her breathing was labored. I prayed that she would have peace and be received by Jesus' open arms when her body failed her. Alice's mother was afraid that Alice would get lost on the way to Christ. We read some scripture and prayed. Alice's mother was in tears because of her new found assurance that her daughter would be OK.

I got the call, Sunday during church worship, while I was giving the word to our community. I saw the number come up, not once but four times and I knew, Alice was with Jesus. The family, a strong, private, traditional Chinese family asked me to conduct the service. I was honored and nervous. I leaned heavily upon the Spirit to Guide me. I read from Matthew 20 and John 3 to remind the family of our hope in Jesus' grace. It was a precious funeral, too soon for Alice, but God got us through and the message of hope was received with joy.

Then the next Sunday I was asked to baptize Ava. She is the second daughter of Julie and Jason Satterwhite. She is a beautiful little girl loved by her parents and her big sister. As I poured the water on her head, the sacrament symbolizing her entering into the new covenant with her Creator, I could not help but be filled with joy and hope. My hope that Ava will never be afraid, will never feel alone, will never fear, but be strong and courageous. Unlike Alice, Alice's mom, me and many of you, Ava has a chance to begin her journey in the grace and love of Jesus. The joy that I felt was from knowing that Ava will know from the very beginning that she is God's precious child, beloved. She will one day have to wrestle with her call and her life, but she will be surrounded by a cloud of witnesses that will remind her of His love.

It is a great responsibility and honor to be a pastor. It is a life filled with specific challenges. But it is a life filled with great opportunity to witness the hand of God working in and through the life of his bride, the Church. I am thankful to be a part of it.

Peace

Edwin                        *Not her real name

Worship is more than singing

After a summer of looking at God's general revelation, it is clear to me that worship is more than singing. Worship defined is worth-ship. That is, attributing something has great worth, but that is not quite right. Further definition is "reverent honor and homage paid to God or a sacred personage, or to any object regarded as sacred." The verb being the action of giving worship to God or something sacred.

The question that immediately follows these definitions is, what does that mean? I get every word in the definition but, it still leaves me wondering what worship really is, what is right worship or correct worship? How are we to worship in our modern context?

The Westminster shorter and larger catechism's first question and answer are:

Question 1: What is the chief and highest end of humanity?

Answer: Humanity's chief and highest end is to glorify God, and fully to enjoy him forever.

To glorify and enjoy God is our highest end. it is our individual and collective purpose. From my journey this summer I can clearly see that worship is the act of giving God glory through my actions and through my life. I read a great definition that I want us all to think and meditate on: "Worship turns out to be the dangerous act of waking up to God and to the purposes of God in the world, and then living lives that actually show it." Mark Labberton The Dangerous Act of Worship.
He goes on: "Worship names what matters most: the way human beings are created to reflect God's glory by embodying God's character in lives that seek righteousness and do justice."

Worship is not about a song, or a set aside time on Sunday or Saturday, but about a frame of mind about a posture against the world. Our worship is best expressed in how we live in the day to day moments that we are given. So the question we will be looking at is how do we worship in our modern context?

We will look at many different practices, but we will start in the same place. Worship is a response to God. To God's glory, grace, love, power, righteousness, holiness, and justice…worship starts with a comprehension of who God is and who we are.

We will start next week and would ask for your prayers as we prepare to receive God's Word. Pray also for us as we continue to follow God's lead.

 

Peace

Edwin