When I ask people why they did things, why they acted as they did, whether it was appropriate or not, I often get the answer, "I got caught up in the moment." There's a time that we lose control of our senses, our decision making process and end up in a circumstance where having thought about it we might not want to go.
But there's another way to get "caught up in the moment," a spiritual moment. While it's not good to end up in a mob, doing as the mob does (this is related to peer pressure in some ways.) there are times that we can get caught up in the work of God, in the midst of worship, emotions rising in the soul, a feeling of God's presence that washes over us, overwhelming us adn what we do in that moment we might not be able to control, or even want to. It is being bathed in the Holy Spirit. It is a deep sense of God.
While it can be hard to distinguish between these acts, the second is a powerful and wonderful gift that God gives. Some have experienced it more than others, some not at all. It's because God works differently in each of us and there's the fact that we hold controls over our selves in ways that might keep us from those experiences. Yes, I mean we keep God at arms length and the very gifts God gives us all in the name of control.
Samuel anoints Saul as the first true King in Israel and one of the first things that happens with Saul is that he gets "caught up with other prophets" and begins prophesying ecstatically. He has what some might call an out of body experience. The Spirit (Holy) of God comes upon him and he speaks a word of God that is beyond him, from God Himself. (That's what a prophet does, or one who prophesies, speaks a word from God.)
Saul told Samuel, “Next, you’ll come to Gibeah of God, where there’s a Philistine garrison. As you approach the town, you’ll run into a bunch of prophets coming down from the shrine, playing harps and tambourines, flutes and drums. And they’ll be prophesying. Before you know it, the Spirit of God will come on you and you’ll be prophesying right along with them. And you’ll be transformed. You’ll be a new person!" (1 Sam. 10:5-6, Msg)
Through this experience Saul became a new person, because of the touch of God. He heard and spoke a word from God. He felt the movement of God, the very Spirit of God, and it changed him. (That's the job of the Holy Spirit!) And the cool thing is that when we expeience this, give up control to God and let the Spirit work in and through us, we can get ecstatic, too!
It's true. Just like Saul, God has a plan and a purpose for each of us and it's not drudgery. There's nothing dull about the work of God, nor is it something to fear.(although losing control is a scary thought.) Actually, God is already at work on us and if we have allowed, in us! God's giving us a word, a place, a purpose, a job, a passion and when we speak, go, try, work, move with it, it will bring a new sense in us. We'll feel ecstatic about whatever it is that God is giving us.
At least it's possible, if we lose control. (or rather, give it up.)
I'm ecstatic because God continues to give me words to speak and a life to live.
Grab your tambourine and join the procession.
Peace ><>
pc
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
What's in a name?
My oldest daughter is named Sarah. When she was born we already had the name picked out. We went through dozens of names, whole books that showed popularity and meaning. We wanted to steer clear of trendy names, use something much more traditional and choose a name for our daughter that would have great meaning. So we chose the name, Sarah, meaning princess or noble woman. We also liked the fact that it was a Biblical name, it had history, it had meaning. All of our kids are named this way...sort of.
Many, if not most, of the people of the Bible had names that spoke not of their past (named for relatives with family names) rather for what is happening presently or what they would do in the future. It's why many people's names were changed, Abram to Abraham, Sarai to Sarah, Jacob to Israel, Hoshea to Joshua, Simon to Cephas, etc. Their new names would be a sign/symbol of what their lives would accomplish. They were names of hope. I wish we would still practice this. It would mean we'd have fewer oddly named people in the world like: Apple, Moonunit, Dweezle, Fifi, Pixie, Peaches, Piper, Coco, Orangejello, Female and the list goes one (these are actual names of people!)
I wondered if Charles Dickens had this idea in mind when he wrote A Christmas Carol and named his title character, Ebenezer and he did. He visited a cemetary in Scotland in 1841 and saw the grave of Ebenezer Scroggie - Meal Man. Ebenezer had been a grain merchant. Mr. Dickens, though, thought it said "Mean Man" and later used this idea for his character. Interestingly, the name Ebenezer was more appropriate than he realized!
In 1 Samuel 7:12 it says, "Samuel took a single rock and set it upright between Mizpah and Shen. He named it 'Ebenezer' (Rock of Help), saying, 'This marks the place where God helped us.'" An ebenezer is a reminder, a memorial stone that is very specific of the amazing work of God to rescue, to help, to save. In Dicken's story, that's the role Ebenezer eventually takes on, his life begins to change after a radical dream and an "attitude adjustment." Ebenezer lives up to his name as an agent of God.
So far my daughter has lived up to her name as a noble woman, a princess of Christ, and I'm proud of her. I'm working at living up to my name as well, Chris, a follower of Christ. I know my parents didn't anticipate that I'd do what I am today when they named me. But maybe God had other plans.
What's in a name? Joseph and Mary's son would have been named after Joseph's family, maybe even named Joseph, Jr. but he was named Yeshua as per the Angel's instruction. It means God of Salvation or the One who saves.
We just call him Jesus! (There's something about that name!)
Peace ><>
pc
Many, if not most, of the people of the Bible had names that spoke not of their past (named for relatives with family names) rather for what is happening presently or what they would do in the future. It's why many people's names were changed, Abram to Abraham, Sarai to Sarah, Jacob to Israel, Hoshea to Joshua, Simon to Cephas, etc. Their new names would be a sign/symbol of what their lives would accomplish. They were names of hope. I wish we would still practice this. It would mean we'd have fewer oddly named people in the world like: Apple, Moonunit, Dweezle, Fifi, Pixie, Peaches, Piper, Coco, Orangejello, Female and the list goes one (these are actual names of people!)
I wondered if Charles Dickens had this idea in mind when he wrote A Christmas Carol and named his title character, Ebenezer and he did. He visited a cemetary in Scotland in 1841 and saw the grave of Ebenezer Scroggie - Meal Man. Ebenezer had been a grain merchant. Mr. Dickens, though, thought it said "Mean Man" and later used this idea for his character. Interestingly, the name Ebenezer was more appropriate than he realized!
In 1 Samuel 7:12 it says, "Samuel took a single rock and set it upright between Mizpah and Shen. He named it 'Ebenezer' (Rock of Help), saying, 'This marks the place where God helped us.'" An ebenezer is a reminder, a memorial stone that is very specific of the amazing work of God to rescue, to help, to save. In Dicken's story, that's the role Ebenezer eventually takes on, his life begins to change after a radical dream and an "attitude adjustment." Ebenezer lives up to his name as an agent of God.
So far my daughter has lived up to her name as a noble woman, a princess of Christ, and I'm proud of her. I'm working at living up to my name as well, Chris, a follower of Christ. I know my parents didn't anticipate that I'd do what I am today when they named me. But maybe God had other plans.
What's in a name? Joseph and Mary's son would have been named after Joseph's family, maybe even named Joseph, Jr. but he was named Yeshua as per the Angel's instruction. It means God of Salvation or the One who saves.
We just call him Jesus! (There's something about that name!)
Peace ><>
pc
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Divine Trinkets
Actually it's rather easy, almost too much so...to forget.
Forget what things mean.
Forget the past.
Forget your own purpose.
Forget who God is, where God is, what God is doing.
And then attribute the actions of God to magical mantras and the power of God in divine trinkets.
It happens all the time. Some claim answers come in special prayers, God is found in special places, present in special things. But with a cross in my pocket, a mezusa on my door, the Lord's prayer on my lips will I have more from God than others?
Well, maybe!
You see, Israel strayed from the point of God's power and presence. They became arrogant as they grew as a more cohesive nation. They knew that God had given them much, their history had proven it, their stories told about it. And the understanding grew to almost mythic proportions, to where God was reduced to a gold covered box.
No, they didn't believe God was contained there, but they did begin to believe that whoever had the Ark of the Covenant held the power and blessing of God, that the Ark in the center of community would unite them, the ark moving before the army would bring victory, the ark was their lucky "rabbits foot."
But God isn't reduced to divine trinkets or special mantras. God doesn't want to be used for power or control. God is relational and wants us to be as well. That doesn't mean that special prayers have no meaning or that the faith trinkets we carry in our pockets or hang on our walls (or refrigerators) have no value. But they hold no power. They are simply reminders of our need to believe and trust in the One God.
I do carry a trinket in my pocket, a labyrinth. I don't believe in it or pray to it. It's not there to remind me of God, but to remind me to go with God on the journey.
Take God with you, not God-stuff.
Peace ><>
pc
Forget what things mean.
Forget the past.
Forget your own purpose.
Forget who God is, where God is, what God is doing.
And then attribute the actions of God to magical mantras and the power of God in divine trinkets.
It happens all the time. Some claim answers come in special prayers, God is found in special places, present in special things. But with a cross in my pocket, a mezusa on my door, the Lord's prayer on my lips will I have more from God than others?
Well, maybe!
You see, Israel strayed from the point of God's power and presence. They became arrogant as they grew as a more cohesive nation. They knew that God had given them much, their history had proven it, their stories told about it. And the understanding grew to almost mythic proportions, to where God was reduced to a gold covered box.
No, they didn't believe God was contained there, but they did begin to believe that whoever had the Ark of the Covenant held the power and blessing of God, that the Ark in the center of community would unite them, the ark moving before the army would bring victory, the ark was their lucky "rabbits foot."
But God isn't reduced to divine trinkets or special mantras. God doesn't want to be used for power or control. God is relational and wants us to be as well. That doesn't mean that special prayers have no meaning or that the faith trinkets we carry in our pockets or hang on our walls (or refrigerators) have no value. But they hold no power. They are simply reminders of our need to believe and trust in the One God.
I do carry a trinket in my pocket, a labyrinth. I don't believe in it or pray to it. It's not there to remind me of God, but to remind me to go with God on the journey.
Take God with you, not God-stuff.
Peace ><>
pc
Monday, January 22, 2007
Attitude Adjuster
As children grow, they learn appropriate behaviors in many ways, by our examples as parents, through loving discipline and positive reinforcement. But there comes a time (starting at about age 2) when parental/child boundaries are challenged, and rebellion begins. It's not rebellion for rebellion's sake, rather it's a part of the learning process. And as parents, it's our job to alter and mold their behavior.
In our house we have been known to use the phrase, "you better adjust the attitude." Meaning we are seeing inappropriate behavior and it's time to change. But if that phrase didn't work we would follow with "if you don't change your attitude, I'll change it for you!" And we did have the "Attitude Adjuster," a paddle that I don't ever remember using, but it did it's job.
Most of the time our little discussions worked. Today we have new methods of adjusting attitudes now that our children are older, but I have learned something, that this behavior continues through the teen years, sometimes even through college and beyond. But at some point most kids grow up in body and behavior.
The problem is we still need attitude adjustments sometimes! (and not just the kids!)
There is a subtle lesson in Hannah's story from 1 Samuel. She is the wife of Elkannah, but has no children which has made her very sad. Life is hard for her in her own home. (with Elkannah's other wife always putting her down.) She finds comfort in the encouragement of her husband but especially in her prayers at the Sanctuary.
It was one of those special days of prayer when she was especially distraught when she cried out to God for help and Eli the priest gave her words of comfort. But did you notice what happened when she left the Sanctuary? She responded to Eli, "Think well of me - and pray for me! she said, and went her way. Then she ate heartily, her face radiant." (1 Sam. 18, Msg)
Hannah was changed through her prayer.
That's because prayer is an attitude adjuster!
As we grow up in faith, we still find our attitudes out of whack at times. We may not be rebelling, but we might find ourselves distraught, angry, disappointed, hurt, depressed, you name it. But just as I teach my kids, the same holds true for me and you, we can choose how we respond to our life-circumstances. We still need our attitudes adjusted sometimes. And just like Hannah, we can use the purest form of attitude adjuster...prayer.
It can change our outlook and give us hope, because it's communicating with God!
"Adjust the attitude!"
Pray!
and discover God's Peace ><>
pc
In our house we have been known to use the phrase, "you better adjust the attitude." Meaning we are seeing inappropriate behavior and it's time to change. But if that phrase didn't work we would follow with "if you don't change your attitude, I'll change it for you!" And we did have the "Attitude Adjuster," a paddle that I don't ever remember using, but it did it's job.
Most of the time our little discussions worked. Today we have new methods of adjusting attitudes now that our children are older, but I have learned something, that this behavior continues through the teen years, sometimes even through college and beyond. But at some point most kids grow up in body and behavior.
The problem is we still need attitude adjustments sometimes! (and not just the kids!)
There is a subtle lesson in Hannah's story from 1 Samuel. She is the wife of Elkannah, but has no children which has made her very sad. Life is hard for her in her own home. (with Elkannah's other wife always putting her down.) She finds comfort in the encouragement of her husband but especially in her prayers at the Sanctuary.
It was one of those special days of prayer when she was especially distraught when she cried out to God for help and Eli the priest gave her words of comfort. But did you notice what happened when she left the Sanctuary? She responded to Eli, "Think well of me - and pray for me! she said, and went her way. Then she ate heartily, her face radiant." (1 Sam. 18, Msg)
Hannah was changed through her prayer.
That's because prayer is an attitude adjuster!
As we grow up in faith, we still find our attitudes out of whack at times. We may not be rebelling, but we might find ourselves distraught, angry, disappointed, hurt, depressed, you name it. But just as I teach my kids, the same holds true for me and you, we can choose how we respond to our life-circumstances. We still need our attitudes adjusted sometimes. And just like Hannah, we can use the purest form of attitude adjuster...prayer.
It can change our outlook and give us hope, because it's communicating with God!
"Adjust the attitude!"
Pray!
and discover God's Peace ><>
pc
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