Solid Foundation

If I want to lay a foundation in any area of my life, my personal foundation has to be firm. So, what does that mean? I've been to the gym every other day since Christmas (but my wife makes my look bad by jumping on the Wii Fit every day), so that's a start. But If I want to really build a foundation, I've got to go deeper than a couple miles on the treadmill.

I've never read the Bible. Okay, that's misleading. I've read every part of the Bible at some point, but never systematically gone through the whole thing. I think it's about time. So, I'm doing the M'Cheyne reading plan on YouVersion.com. It's a plan to read through the Bible in 1 year. Specifically, it is to read the OT once and the NT & Psalms twice. There are a few reasons why I'm doing it with YouVersion and why I'm doing this plan.

First, by using YouVersion I can read anywhere - from a paper and ink Bible, from my computer or from my phone and I can keep track of what I've read from my computer or my phone. (This is important later.) On my phone or computer I can also switch versions (to start I'm sticking with ESV, but that could change).

The M'Cheyne plan does small chunks of different parts of the Bible, instead of big chunks. Call me a heathen, but reading multiple chapters in certain parts of Numbers or Chronicles can really make it tough for me to stay motivated. One chapter mixed with chapters from other places is more doable.

The electronic version of this plan also lets you customize things. If I really get into reading a particular part of scripture, I can keep going and record that I read several chapters. The electronic version will let me record that reading and modify the plan accordingly. (The same goes if it takes me a little longer to get through certain sections.)

Finally, YouVersion will hold me accountable. I'll get emails if I'm not up to date on my reading to remind me to get back on track. There's also the option to share this accountability with someone else, so you can keep each other on track. Anybody else want to work on their foundation with me this year?

Clean Slate

"God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise;

God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.

He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things

- and the things that are not - to nullify the things that are,

so that no one may boast before him."

Lord, help me to be foolish - to forget the wisdom I think I've gathered. I don't want to understand or comprehend things my mind can grasp. I need to rely only on your understanding, only on your wisdom, only on your truth.

Lord, help me to be weak, to relinquish any strength I've acquired through my efforts. My strength is insufficient, it only prevents me from relying wholly on your strength. Take away my own ability to stand, to fight, to run and leave me only with the strength to love as you love.

Lord, make me lowly and despised; set me apart from the things of this world, from what is valued and praised, from the things people expect and appreciate, from what is proper and predicated. Remove me from the good graces of society and take me into your grace.

Lord, end me. Make me not. Take away my life and replace it with yours. Give me a clean slate, a new foundation to build from, to love from to fall on. Change me.

Distinct Fools

What does it mean to be salty? How do you describe something that's salty? It's not hot, it's not spicy, it's not sweet or sour or bitter or bland. Something that is salty is just that salty. There's no other description that really fits. Salty is salty. It is different, unique, it is identifiably different. You never confuse salty with spicy like you may confuse rosemary and oregano. Salt is salt. You can blend it with other seasonings, you can mix it with garlic or vinegar, but it is what it is - it stands out.

So, what is Christianity's problem with this concept? Why aren't we salty? We have we forsaken this commandment? Why don't we stand out? Why do we try to blend in and be like everything else?

By definition we are unique. By definition we don't fit it. By definition we are what we are. Our central hero is an anti-hero, crucified, beaten, humiliated - a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but our source of power. Yet we try to fit in (or don't try to stand out.)

We must embrace our unique position. We must be willing to stand out. We must love those the world won't love. We must stand where the world sits. We must act where the world does not and refrain where the world acts. Our saltiness cannot be an activity or a job or a way of life, it must be our identity. It's time for some life change.

Opposition

"Who was I to think that I could oppose God?" - Peter

Peter came to this realization after he witnessed the Gentiles (who he believed to be outside of God's grace) receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. He realized he was wrong and decided to change.

In thought this was easy, but Paul's words in Galatians 2 show us that it wasn't as easy to change in action. Peter is perfectly content in hanging out with Gentiles and eating with them while it was just him and Gentiles. When other Jews start showing up, the peer pressure gets to Peter and he begins to fall into old practices, sitting with the Jews exclusively and falling into their customs. When Paul shows up, he opposes Peter's actions and calls him to task.

Could we call Peter's actions backsliding? He was slowly, in very small steps moving back toward the place of opposition where he started. In wasn't a drastic shift, but it was movement. Peter didn't wake up and say, "You know what, I think I've changed my mind about this Gentile thing." That's not the way that sin works. It is much craftier than that. It devours us little by little, bit by bit so that we don't even realize it is happening. We think that we are standing side by side with God, when in reality we have been slowly moving more and more into opposition with Him.

The same thing happens in our lives that happened in Peter's. We commit to being welcoming, or befriending those different than us or building relationships, but we slowly begin to revert back to our old ways. We move away from our goal and settle for the past. That's not okay.

That's not real life change. Real life change is hard, and it requires us putting forth constant effort to not just continue to change, but to maintain the ground we've already gained. Peter couldn't do it alone, he needed Paul's help. We can't do it alone, we need help too. From each other and from the Holy Spirit. That's the change where we need to put in the most work.

The Biggest Adventure

“Master, must we go on?”
“Of course, young one, of course.”
“But why? Each day all we do is walk and walk - I’m sick of walking. I’m bored and my feet hurt.”
“Now is the time for walking, so we walk. But, that is not all we do each day.”
“It seems like that is all we do. We walk and we talk and that’s all. I don’t even know where we are or remember where we’re going. All I know is that I’m sick of walking.”
“Is that really all you know?”
“No.”
“What else do you know?”
“I know that when I left my family to follow you we were supposed to go on an adventure. This is no adventure, just walking.”
“What is an adventure?”
“Adventure is fighting bad guys and saving people and...”
“And what?”
“... and... and... not so... boring.”
“You’re bored?”
“well, mmm ... yeah I guess.”
“And you want adventure?”
“Yeah! Adventure.”
“Did you know that we are being followed?”
“We are?”
“We are. Soon they will catch us and then you'll get a taste of what you call adventure. And you won't like it.”
Sigh. “How do you know they're following us?”
“I watch, like I taught you when we began. With each step I scan the horizon, taking in everything that changes as we go. From the top of the last two summits we have passed, one yesterday and one three days before that I have seen the same small speck in the distance growing closer. What do you watch as we walk?”
“Nothing.”
“Not nothing. You watch the puffs of dust that spring up around your feet - and fret about how they dirty you with each step.”
“How do you know that?”
“I already told you, I watch.”
“Well, how are they following us?”
“What do we do each day?”
“We walk.”
“And when we are finished...?”
“We make camp.”
“And in the morning..?”
“We walk.”
“Before we walk.”
“You make breakfast and I clean up.”
“Is that all?”
“I pray while you cook breakfast and you pray while I clean up.”
“Is that what really happens?”
“No. I don’t pray, I sleep.”
“And you don’t really clean up. They’ve been following us by following the messes we’ve left along the way.”
“But why? If you knew I wasn’t doing what I needed to do and that I was letting them follow us, why didn’t you stop me? Why didn’t you make me clean up better? Why did you let this happen?”
“Me? This is your adventure. An adventure is not just the exciting parts, it isn’t just the highlights. Adventure is every step you take, every responsibility you fulfill. It’s the small things you don’t want to do, but have to do. They add up, they contribute to the whole - they matter. If we overlook them, they will still add up, but only to our detriment. All of life is our adventure, we just won’t look wide enough to see it.”

“An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered.”

  - GK Chesterton