Noah

I haven’t watching the Noah movie yet.  I’ll probably end up watching it on Netflix in the next month or two, but I already know the true story of Noah.  When I was taking a Hebrew class in seminary, one of the topics we discussed was the debate about how many authors wrote the book of Genesis.  The traditional theory is that Moses, inspired by God, wrote Genesis.  Another theory called the JEDP theory, proposes that multiple authors wrote the book of Genesis.  It claims that the different authors called God by different names.  So, one author is said to have written all the sections where God is called Yahweh, another author supposedly wrote the sections where God is called Elohim, and so on.  However, this theory does not take into account the chiasm in Genesis 6:10-9:19.  A chiasm, also known as ring composition, is a Hebrew style of writing where the main point of the story is located at the center rather than the end.  The sections around the center parallel each other.  In the center of the story about Noah we read Gen 8:1 “But God remembered Noah and all the beasts and all the cattle that were with him in the ark…”  Follow this link to see the chiasm about Noah and the flood. 

I could have caved to the tantrum, it was epic. 

I could have made the peanut butter and jelly sandwich, but I had asked twice and she said turkey and cheese each time.

I could have lost my temper, I often do. 

But grace prevailed. 

The storm passed. 

The sandwich was eaten and the brownie earned.

The best part - the pride in the "yeah, mom" when praised for eating her sandwich and making the grown up choice. 

He's Mobile!

Nagging Feeling

Do you ever get the feeling that you should do something, but you’d rather avoid it because you know it could be difficult?  You know it’s something you should do, but it’s much easier to keep putting it off?  That’s where I am today.  Over the past years I’ve had a feeling that I should do something.  The idea came from a couple of books I read by author Mark Cahill.  Video clips like this one from Penn Jillette serve to convict me of my inactivity.  I am worried about the unknowns.  “What will people say?”  “What will they think of me?”   “How will my message come across?”  I could try to keep procrastinating, but that will probably only increase the feeling that I should say something.  So here goes. 

As I write this I feel anxious.  Don’t take this as a lecture, but rather a genuine question (or more accurately questions).  Mark Cahill loves to ask people these questions.  He asks family and friends.  He asks people he meets as he travels around the country.  He even tracked down every person he went to high school with and asked them questions like these.  I thought I’d start with those I went to HS with that I am connected to on facebook.  I’d like to hear your thoughts on these.  1) Do you believe in heaven?  and 2) How do you plan to get there?  

Please take some time to these about these questions.  Perhaps you have some time off before returning to work.  Perhaps you are spending an evening at home with nothing more planned than watching a some TV.  Events like the one in Newtown, Connecticut remind us that we are not in control.  We never know when this life will end.  Whether it’s a person with a gun, a careless driver, or a sudden illness, death sneaks up on many people.  Since we are not aware when our time will come to an end, we should be ready incase it does.  

Please comment here or on my facebook page.  If you’d prefer to email/message me directly, that works too.  Thanks for your time.

Not Firing on all Cylinders

Last week as I drove toward my house, I stopped for gas.  I quickly filled the tank and started the car.  It began to sputter.  The engine sounded like it was coughing.  I gave it gas to keep it from stalling.  I thought about leaving the car here and getting it towed to my house, but decided I could probably make it home.  As long as I kept the engine revving higher than normal, I was able to drive it home.  However, it was not the smooth ride I am used to in my car.  The car shook and jerked while I slowly drove home.  I’m sure I used a lot more gas than normal despite driving below the speed limit.  

I figured the car was in the automotive ICU.  I spent the weekend browsing websites for possible replacements in the event my car was not worth fixing.  Last night my brother-in-law took a look at the car and was able to diagnose the problem in less than 10 seconds.  A vacuum hose had come loose and needed to be put back in place.  He mentioned the car had not been firing on all cylinders.  He guessed as much as half the engine was misfiring.  When I started the car again, it still sputtered and coughed for a short while.  A great cloud of smoke came out of the exhaust.  Soon the shaking slowed and stopped.  The engine went back to its normal manner of operating.  

The car is running fine.  Earlier tonight I tightened a clamp on the hose and took it for a test drive.  Everything worked perfectly.  This experience with my car got me thinking about how we need others in our lives to point out the problems they see.  I knew I had a problem with my car, but I could not see it (or fix it).  I needed the perspective of my brother-in-law to show me the problem and help me fix it.  

In a similar way Christians should be speaking the truth in love to one another.  God has called us to live in community.  That involves caring about one another enough to speak up when we see someone making decisions that in the long run will damage themselves, relationships with others, and their relationship with God (adapted from a sermon by Todd Wagner of Watermark).  

I wonder, how many divorces could have been prevented if the Christians around the couple had simply spoken up?  How many men would be better fathers if the guys at church had given them a different perspective to think about?  How many women would avoid gossip if a trusted friend cared enough to speak up and gently point out the sin?  How many churches would do better at pleasing God if the pastor confronted the sin in his own life and the lives of his congregation?

My wife is good at this.  She often points out areas in my life where improvement is needed.  She carefully thinks about the words she want to say.  She gives me her perspective.   She gives me a few suggestions on how to fix the problem.  And she gives me time to process her viewpoint.  No one enjoys being confronted about the sin and mistakes he is making.  No one relishes the difficult conversations.  But in the end it is well worth it.  Relationships are restored and people’s lives are once again “firing on all cylinders”.  As with my car, the process of restoration takes time.  It may take time for all the “smoke” to clear.  It will take time for the relationship to go back to its normal manner of operating.  

I challenge us all to speak up.  Lets care about each other so much that we are willing to have the tough conversations.  If you’re not sure how to start the conversation, just tell the person that you care about them and you have noticed that he/she is “not firing on all cylinders”.  

Singing

Here's the oldest singing Joy to the World for the children's performance on Sunday morning.
-JMG

Joy to the World

Do you remember listening to records?  They’re kind of like big black CDs, except you play them on a record player.  Instead of a laser reading the CD, there’s a needle you place on the record.  As the record spins around the one long spiral-shaped grove, the music plays.  I can remember being a kid and listening to Joy to the World over and over.  It’s my favorite Christmas song.

Earlier this week, however, I was reminded that when Isaac Watts wrote Joy to the World, it was about Jesus’ Second Advent.  The song doesn’t deal with His first coming as a baby in the manger, but rather speaks to His future coming as King.  As the song begins it makes this clear, “Joy to the world!  The Lord is come.  Let earth receive her King.”  

Next there is a call for all people to accept Him as their king.  “Let every heart prepare Him room.”  God’s desire is for ALL people to accept His Son as their Lord and Savior.  Jesus is the only one who can pay for all the sin in our lives.  No amount of effort on our part can ever earn that great gift of salvation.  

Those who have accepted His death on the cross as payment for their sins have a bright future to look towards.  There is coming a time when things will be set right.  Everything will be as it should. “No more let sins and sorrow grow, nor thorns infest the ground.”  Adam and Eve’s sin produced work for him, pain in childbirth for her, and a curse upon the ground which included thorns.  Some day when Jesus is ruling, the curse will be lifted and the earth will experience shalom, peace.  

So as you approach the Christmas holidays be sure to “prepare Him room”.  And when the holiday season gets stressful with long lines at the stores and few parking space at the mall, think of the the reason for the Christmas season.  Remember the peace to come when “sins and sorrows” are a thing of the past.  Merry CHRISTmas!  Click here: Joy to the World