Perfect Love!

Perfect Love!

 

Dear Champions,

The short excerpt is by Tim Keller, and the Scripture is John 11:33-35 When Jesus saw Mary weeping (because of the death of Lazarus), he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. "Where have you laid him?" he asked. "Come and see, Lord," they replied.  Jesus wept.

 

Mary asks Jesus, "Lord, why weren't you here because you could have stopped this?"  Jesus can't even speak, but He just weeps.  Now this has startled me about this passage for years.  When Jesus moves into a situation like this He knows why it happened, the purpose of it, and He knows how He is going to turn it into a glorious manifestation of the glory of God.  He knows that in just 10 minutes or so that everyone there will be rejoicing when He raises Lazarus from the dead.  

 

If we went in this knowing that we were about to turn everybody's weeping into joy in about 10 minutes, then why would we weep?  Does it make psychological sense that if you knew that you were about to turn everything around in 10 minutes that you would be weeping and that you would enter into the grief and the pain and the trauma of their hearts?  Why would He do that?  Because that's perfect love.  Jesus will not close His heart even for 10 minutes, and He will not refuse to enter in the pain.  

 

Champions, have a great week!-David Vining

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other gods (Idols)

Other gods (Idols)

 

Dear Champions,

 

The short excerpt is by Tim Keller, and the Scripture is Exodus 20:3-5  "You shall have no other gods before me. " . . .

 

The thoughts that a battered woman shared with Tim Keller.

 

I'm going to my counselor and much of what she has said is right.  My counselor said that I have built my very significance and acceptability and identity on men, and that's why I have been defensive with them.  I simply have needed them too much.  All of that is right and helpful.  However, my counselor says that what I should do instead is to get myself a great career.  While my counselor means well-I absolutely do need to get some training and get myself a job and career, but what she is saying is that I should do that so that I will also feel better about myself.  But that would mean that I would be switching from one kind of idol to another.  For many years my heart has been looking at men and saying unless I'm successful at love, then I'm nothing.  But the counselor wants me to look at my career and say that unless I am a successful independent businesswoman who is in control of my own life, then I am nothing.  I don't want to be enslaved to my work as I was to men.  I'm actually being asked to exchange a typical female idol for a typical male idol, and I don't want either. 

 

When I asked the woman how was she doing, she actually quoted Colossians 3.  When Christ, who is your life appears, you will be glorified.  She says that it is very practical.  "When I go to church, when I am in worship, when what Jesus did for me is so real and so wonderful, in my heart I think of the men in my life and I say, I'm glad to know you, and I certainly wouldn't mind being married, but you are not my life.  Christ is my life.  You're a good thing, but you are not an ultimate thing.  I would love to have a husband, but if I don't, then I've got Jesus.  I set my mind on things above, and you can't give me any of the things that Jesus has given me.  I don't want to look to men or to a career.  A career can't die for me.  If I life for a career and fail, it will beat me up for having been a failure.  But if I live for Jesus, He died for me to forgive me.  Jesus is the only Savior that if you get Him will satisfy you.  If you fail Him, and we do fail Him, He can die for you."

 

Champions, have a great week!-David Vining

Taking Responsibility

Taking Responsibility

Dear Champions,

The short excerpt is by Andy Stanley, and the scripture is Genesis 3:8-12  Just after Adam and Eve sinned, the man and the woman heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden.   But the Lord God called to the man, "Where are you?".  He answered, "I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked so I hid."  And God said, "Who told you that you were naked?  Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?"  Adam said, "Yes I did, and I take full responsibility for my actions.  Do with me as you will, but leave Eve out of this.  She is innocent."

 

Verse 12 is not in the Bible.  The world would be a different place if that is what Adam had said.  If only he had thrown himself down and said, "I'm here to protect and defend the reputation of my wife.  I take full responsibility for everything." 

 

Verse 12 actually says this.  The man said, "The woman you put here with me-she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it."  I didn't ask for a woman, I didn't even know what a woman was.  There was just you and me and the animals.  It was a little lonely, but I was fine.  And then you took this rib out of me and you made this woman.  Look at the mess and the chaos that she has created.  God, this isn't my fault.  This is your fault and her fault.  So you guys work it out, and leave me out of it.  She gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.  Ultimately, I'm not responsible for all of this.  

 

Then the Lord God said to the woman, "What is this that you have done?"  And the woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate it.  It's not my fault either." 

 

Irresponsibility that leads to blame always creates conflict.  Where there is blame there is usually irresponsibility, shame and guilt.  Isn't it amazing and so rare when somebody steps up and says, "I'm to blame for what happened?  It may not all be my fault, but I'm responsible. 

 

Are we taking responsibility for our life, or are we blaming God or others?

 

Champions, have a great week!-David Vining