Author: Jon Partlow

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CHURCH: Who Sets the Agenda?

Churches, like many other organizations, are often plagued by power-struggles. Tension is felt as people wander who’s in control. The struggle is felt when a new minister arrives to assess the congregation before him. The minister must figure out two important dynamics. Who is the formal leadership and who is the informal leadership. The formal leadership are those who hold the titles (elder, deacon, board member, etc.), while the informal leaders are the members who actually make the church run (often times they are the ones with the money or a hard working member). While the focus is on churches, the reality is that every organization has this dynamic at play because it’s human nature.

In order to address the power structure and keep it from turning into a struggle, churches have traditionally chosen different ways to format their organization. The “Pastoral-driven” format gives the minister the power to set the agenda and vision for the church. He may answer to a board, but he’s clearly in charge. Some pastoral churches are actually “Committee-driven,” where the Pastor is a member of every committee. Thus he has a say and influence over every aspect of the church, but is not running the church. Finally, the “Elder-driven” format has a group of spiritually discerning men within the church lead and give direction to the church.

Each of these format holds strengths and weaknesses. Each finds themselves ultimately trapped in a power struggle, they’re trying to avoid, searching for a better model to follow. Maybe the book of Acts can shed light on this dilemma.

By the time we open to the fifteenth chapter of Acts the church is clearly comprised of two ethnic groups. The Jews, who’ve been part of God’s story for 2000 years, and the Gentiles whom God had recently begun grafting into his story. Some of those from the Jewish-Christian group began setting an agenda for the Gentiles to be circumcised in order to be saved (Act. 15:1,5). Suddenly, a power-struggle ensued between this group and Paul (15:2) as power-struggles are never good for the church. When the truth of the Gospel is a casualty in a power-struggle, the church and its credibility loses.  

Everyone wants a voice and say in the direction of the church, but Acts 15 is clear about two facts. First, not everyone has a right to speak into the direction of the church. The ones advocating circumcision were soon confronted and quieted. They were speaking outside of God’s will for his church. In an era of social media and multiple churches with easy access, it’s easy to believe everyone has a voice and say in the direction of the church. Acts 15, and other places, stand against such a position. Not everyone has a right to set the agenda of the church.

However, someone has to give direction to the church. When the leaders met in Jerusalem, Peter, Paul and Barnabas, James and the elders assembled to discuss the issue. When Peter spoke, he described how he was led by God and the Holy Spirit (v. 7-8) to baptize Cornelius without him needing circumcised. Paul and Barnabas shared their experience among the Gentiles, which was underscored by the wonders God performed through them (v. 11). James concluded the meeting by pointing to God’s words through the prophet, Amos (v. 16-18). The theme of God and the Holy Spirit sets the agenda for the church, which is the second fact made clear, not only the book of Acts in general, but Acts 15 in particular.

So God is the one who sets the agenda, and our job is to line up with him.

Soli Deo Gloria!
(i.e. only God is glorified!)

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Seeking a Clear Vision

In Mark 8:22-26 Jesus heals a blind man. The short narrative has an interesting twist to it that has confused readers for centuries. In short, Jesus’ healing appears to have failed. In his first attempt to heal the blind man, he can see but everything is blurred (similar to me walking around without my contacts or glasses). Attempting again to heal the blind man leads to the full healing we expected all along.

The seemingly botch healing for Jesus on the first try is disturbing. Did he have a power failure? Did Jesus experience a faith crisis? Was the faith of the blind man responsible for Christ’s inability to heal? Bible students have struggled to understand this healing. But it’s also possible that Mark left a couple of clues to understand this miracle.

The first clue is a second healing of a blind man in Mark 10:46-52. Blind Bartimaeus calls to Jesus by both his personal name and Messianic title, Son of David, and begs for healing. While the crowd tries to quiet the man, Jesus calls for the man to come to him. The request is made for healing and Jesus graciously complies. He heals Bartimaeus just like we expect.

The two blind men stories seem to be bookends to a section where Jesus is traveling from Caesarea Philippi (i.e. a city 55 miles northeast of Galilean territory) to Jerusalem. So the “failed” attempt by Jesus to heal the blind man is placed before Peter’s confession of Jesus in the Gentile city of Caesarea Philippi and the “successful” healing occurs in Jericho before Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Both stories seem to hold this section together and thus need to be read together.

The second clue is contained between the two healing stories. Three times Jesus predicts his crucifixion. In each situation the 12 fail to see what Jesus is saying leading Jesus to reteach the disciples (see Mk. 8:17-38; 9:30-37; 10:32-45).

What is clear is how blurry eyed his 12 disciples are when it comes to the mission of Jesus. Either they push back on his prediction or they’re consumed by their own agendas. Thus, the bookend stories are as much about the disciple’s inability to see spiritually as it is about a blind man unable to see physically. The second healing is the hope for the disciples that their vision for Jesus has been corrected.

Our vision for Jesus osculates between being crystal clear and blurry-eyed; sometimes we see Jesus clearly and other times we’re squinting to make out an image. When we embrace humble service and reject authoritarian power, we see Jesus clearly. When we act through encouragment instead of through criticism, we see Jesus clearly.  When we forgive instead of harbor anger, we see Jesus clearly. When we love and pray for our enemies instead of retaliating against them, we see Jesus clearly. When we are driven by compassion because defining “neighbor” has nothing to do with proximity and location, then we see Jesus clearly. When we speak our words with loving kindness instead of venomous cruelty, we see Jesus clearly. And when we finally see Jesus clearly, the world will see Jesus.  

Soli Deo Gloria!
(i.e. only God is glorified!)

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CHURCH: Living in the Promised Land or Exile?

During the darkest moments of the Great Depression, Albert Bromley penned a hymn that resonated with Christians who found themselves on the victim side of stock market crash. The hymn underscored hope by reminding the church we’re on a journey through this world, and our destination is in the beyond. While the song refrains from saying we’re in Exile, it’s clear we’re not living in the Promised Land either.

The imagery of “Promised Land” and “Exile” are both rooted in Scripture. The Promised Land was the stretch of property guaranteed to Israel at the time of Abraham. Following 400 years of captivity, Moses then Joshua led them in the conquest of the land. For the next 1000 years they tamed the land and built a society governed by the very laws God gave them. Unfortunately, they were not faithful to God and he sent them into Exile. Quickly, they were foreigners in a strange land, held captive against their will. They had no say. They had no power. They had no voice. Whatever laws and customs they brought with them were subject to the laws and customs of their captors. Yes, a few found favor in the government, but they were few and far between.

For those of faith, life in the Promised Land versus life in Exile are two very different experiences. Living in the Promised Land means we’re insiders who fit into society, while living in Exile means we don’t fit in nor really belong. Living in the Promised Land means what we have is permanent, while living in Exile means the conditions are temporary. Living in the Promised Land means we subject the darker forces to a higher power, while living in Exile means we’re subjected to the darker powers. Living in the Promised Land means we own, control and define the culture, while living in Exile means we have little say into controlling and defining culture. Living in the Promised Land means we are in the majority, while living in Exile means we’re part of the minority. Living in the Promised Land is an Old Testament image, while living in Exile is a New Testament image.

The question is which image best describes the church? Are we a church living in the Promised Land or are we a church living in Exile?  In some parts of the world it’s easy to see how the church is in Exile. China keeps a tight rein on churches and Middle-East regions are often antagonistic to the Christian faith. The church in America has felt like we’re living in the Promised Land. We’re guaranteed the right to assemble and to share our faith. We have voting rights. Much of our laws and culture is still rooted in the Christian faith. America is often referred to as a “Christian” nation. Is it possible that it’s all an illusion?

Maybe one of the issues we’re facing today is that we’re trying to live in the Promised Land, and the reality is we’re living in Exile. Peter is the one who reminds us that we are “strangers,” “aliens,” “foreigners,” “refugees,” “temporarily residing,” and “sojourners” (multiple translations from 1 Pet. 1:1) and are encouraged to embrace this role as an “outsider” while living in this world (1 Pet. 2:11). As much as we want to fit in, we don’t. As much as we want to live in the Promised Land, we’re struggle to live in Exile. Maybe the words written in 1936, which resonated with the victims of the Great Depression, still resonate with us because deep down we know we’re living in Exile. 

This world’s not my home, I’m just a passing through;
My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue;
The angels beckon me from heaven’s open door
and I can’t feel at home in this world anymore.

Soli Deo Gloria!
(i.e. only God is glorified!)

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The Aftermath of the Snap! Finding Hope in the People We Lost

To say that the newest Avengers movie, Endgame, is a success might be an understatement. It only took eleven days to reach 2 Billion dollars in the theaters and is tracking only behind Avatar as the highest grossing movie ever. Before long Endgame will be the highest grossing movie ever.

The movie caps a ten year journey comprised of twenty-two movies. We followed the adventures of a core group of individuals with unique (super) powers who were able to stand against threats larger and more powerful than humanity can ward off. Along the way we discovered that one threat, Thanos, an insane being seeking the means to correct over population. He wills to wipe out half of the universe’s population. To accomplish such a mad plot, he locates the six infinity stones of great power, fuses them into a gauntlet and by snapping his finger, half of all life will be wiped out from existence (if you think that’s a crazy scheme, then just know he’s called the “Mad Titan”).

Infinity War was the failed attempt by the Avengers to stop Thanos from carrying out his plan. Endgame is the aftermath of the snap, and it explores how people live with half the world’s population unexpectedly gone.

In a time when we’ve become more and more isolated from each other, when social media has played role in driving us farther and farther apart, and when we feel the need for community less and less, the number one grossing movie ever is about the emptiness of isolation and the need to bring community back together.

Such isolation is felt, when sometime back, I read a report about the state of the bowling community in our society. At the time bowling’s popularity was on the rise. The lanes were full and people really enjoyed the sport. However, bowling leagues were taking a hit. People weren’t committed to a team sport. They loved to bowl as individuals, but not as teammates on weekly basis. Thus, bowling leagues were struggling to fill their rosters.

I’ve felt this in my own life. I’ve seen people drop out of “church” because they can “do church” in their own home and to them it’s more meaningful. I’ve witnessed relationships strained to the point where two people cannot worship in the same building. I’ve seen the Lord’s Supper, a meal underscoring our unity, taken by two people who will not even speak to each other. I know this to be a fact because I’ve been guilty of the same things.

God has always embraced community. He’s described in Scripture as community: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. He called Abraham as an individual, then made him a family, a tribe and then finally a nation. He called twelve individuals to follow him and made them his disciples. He established the Church, not a building or an organization but as a body of people who come together in celebration of salvation, to encourage each other and to hold one another accountable in our commitment to God. We need each other.

The number one grossing movie of all time explores the loss we feel when the community has vanished, and the need to have those people in our lives (I wonder just how intentional that plot-line was to the writers of the film?). I’m hoping that the emptiness, loneliness and isolation felt in that movie translates into a society seeking community once again. I’m hoping people start seeking church again.

Soli Deo Gloria!
(i.e. ony God is glorified!)

(i.

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A Field for Dreams: If Built Will They Still Come?

“ … you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house …” (1 Pet. 2:5).

The baseball diamond sitting in the Iowa corn fields is almost as iconic as the tagline for the movie, “If you build it, they will come.” Ray Kinsella, a failing farmer, heard voices telling him to convert his farmlands into a playground. They said he was crazy. They accused him of being nuts. Had he been in the sun too long? But he built it and they came. First, a slew of blackballed baseball players from the great beyond, or simply within the cornfields, emerged to play on Ray’s field. Then, at the end of the movie, a throng of spectators came to pay good money to watch these guys play America’s favorite pastime.

It wasn’t heaven. It was Iowa.

God is in the midst of a construction process. He’s not converting corn fields into baseball fields, he’s converting damaged people into a great house. He’s developing an organization, he’s creating an organism. He’s not building buildings, he’s building a kingdom one person at a time. In the process he’s hoping they’ll come . . . to him.  

I love church. I’ve spent my entire life streaming in the lifeblood of church, and I’ve given my adult years to preaching in a local church. I wish building a church was as easy as converting cornfields into baseball fields. But like baseball, American churches are losing the ratings battle and under fire. Sundays stand in direct competition with so many other extra-curricular activities. It’s hard to choose church over a weekend at the lake, isn’t it? It’s hard to prioritize church when we’re worn out from a long week. It’s hard to prop church up as the best event of the week, when it’s clearly not. But I still love church.

When God builds his church, we can find a number of purposes or functions for the construction. First, he’s providing a community linked to the present and to the past. His church has been in play for 2000 years and when we gather we connect with the saints of old while we live in the modern world. We also connect with saints present and not present. When Sunshine’s group heads to Honduras, our gathering will be connected to their gathering, though in two different nations. We have each other. Church, and more specifically Christianity, was never meant to be an individual experience, but lived out in community.

Secondly, the church provides the means to express and nurture faith. When we assemble we have the greatest opportunity to vocalize our confession and beliefs. Our songs and prayers announce our trust in God. Partaking of the Supper visually represents our commitment to the Savior and to each other. With churches come multi-generational layers so that the old may stand with the young. Old folks get to witness the enthusiasm and hope of the young, while the youth get to enjoy the deep streams of faithful living. Like sharpening iron, bringing old and young together makes us sharper, not duller.

Finally, the church is where God is glorified (Eph. 3:21). Our works are conducted, not to boost our name in the community, but to boost God’s name. The world is looking for God, and his church gives the world some of the best evidence for God’s presence. So when God transforms people we don’t take the credit, but credit him for the work he’s doing in our lives.

When the church is at its best, people will look for God in church. But the loyal community, the environment for faith to grow and where God is truly glorified must be in place. Only then will people ask us, “Is this heaven?” We can humbly say, “No. It’s just church.”

Soli Deo Gloria!
(i.e. only God is glorified!)

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Heaven’s Feast: A Glimpse at the Banquet God has Prepared for Us

Every now and then, God peels back the curtain of heaven and offers us a glimpse into its glory. Sometimes it’s revealed as a judgment scene (Mt. 25:31-46). Sometimes it’s a military scene where God’s people meet the King after battle and escort him in a parade back to the city (1 Thess. 4:13-18). Sometimes the sky is pealed back to reveal the spiritual reality behind the curtain (2 Kng. 6:16-17). Sometimes God invites someone to step into heaven described it as gold streets and pearly gates (Rev. 4:1; 21:15,21).

Then there’s the great banquet meal, a theme often repeated throughout Matthew and Luke (Mt. 22:1-14; 25:1-13; 26:29; Lk. 14:15-24; 22:18 [I might add that Luke includes ten meals in his gospel all adding a layer to the heavenly or eschatological banquet]). Essentially, meals are important to God and his description of the meals invite us into a taste of eternal glory. In an ancient society where no middle class existed, poverty was pervasive and starvation was common, people were living day-to-day (Mt. 6:11a). Thus, a future meal, larger than any Thanksgiving meal we’ve experienced, with God at the head of the table, conjured visions of salivating delight.

Before exploring one of the banquet scenes in Luke 12, a little cultural background is needed. The role of the father and eldest son at the banquet is crucial to the heavenly banquet. During the first century if a family hosted a meal, the responsibility of the father, particularly the son, is to serve the guests. The Son waits on them hand and foot (literally ensuring the guests feet are washed, drinks are filled, and food is set). The father oversees the son to ensure the guests are made to feel welcomed. The shame occurring in Luke 15 is that the elder son refuses to take his place by his father’s side at the banquet for his brother. The greater shame is forcing the father to leave his guest to settle a family dispute. If the older son had questions about his father’s rights, he should have waited till the guests had left to address them. He should have honored his father by standing by his side.

We tend to have that reversed. Our culture, usually, places the women in the serving, hospitality role instead of the men. They cook the meals. They set the table. They welcome the guests. They refill the cups. Daughters are taught to serve while boys are allowed to play (generally).

I saw this worked out – in the worst negative way possible – at a home Cile and I were visiting. The wife and daughter prepared the meal for a church home group. The husband came in from work, washed his hands, ignored his guests and immediately plopped himself down in his recliner and faced the television. After his wife brought his soup to him, some spilled on him. He didn’t shout or yell, but his facial expression and gestures were filled with anger. His message was clear, she was there to serve him and had failed to do so. As I watched the scene unfold, I wanted to bop him in the head with my bible.

So the banquet scene unfolds in a context driven by service, watchfulness and faithfulness (Lk. 12:35-40). In the midst of Jesus’ exhortation, he describes himself as dressing to serve and waiting on those at the table (v. 37). Jesus doesn’t see himself as sitting at the head of the table barking orders, though he has the authority to do so. No, falling in line with his own character and cultural norms, he’s the eldest Son of the Father who honors God by serving us at heaven’s feast.

As I reflect on this future banquet scene, I almost can’t wait to sit at the table with Jesus with him asking, “Jon, is there anything else I can do for you?” It also makes me reevaluate my role as the host in my own home.

Soli Deo Gloria!
(i.e. only God is glorified)

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Broken Heart: When God’s Word is Misused & Abused

Scripture may be a window into God’s heart, but it’s through a very complex lens. It was written over a vast period of time (traditionally 1500 years by forty individuals) including multiple cultures and three primary languages (Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic). The original audiences, who received portions of Scripture at a time, were far from uniform. The Hebrews of the Pentateuch looked nothing like those in the divided kingdom nor like the exiled Israelites. By the time of the New Testament, the issues in Corinth looked nothing like the issues facing Philippi nor even the ones in Asia Minor where John sent his Revelation. Scripture is filled with multiple genres (poetry, narrative, prophetic, wisdom, law, genealogy, apocalyptic, et. al.) and sometimes we can find sub genres amidst the main genres (i.e. parables and poetry contained within narrative). None of that addresses the reading level of Scripture or translation ideologies.

While Scripture is complex, it does not give us a step-by-step process for reading or interpreting it. It’s as if God believed mankind was smart enough to figure out how to handle his word. It does give us some warnings about abusing Scripture, and it’s a reoccurring theme in the New Testament. For instance, in Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, he restored how Scripture was intended to be used instead of how the religious leaders used it to validate their self-righteousness (Mt. 5:21-48). Paul exhorted Timothy to handle God’s word properly (2 Tim. 2:15), and of course the irony is how often that verse has been misused. Peter acknowledges how “ignorant and unstable” people distort Scriptures (2 Pet. 3:16). Finally, John’s warning not to “add or take away” is a colloquial phrase to alert them against abusing Scripture, specifically his apocalypse (Rev. 22:18-19). You can almost hear the writers testifying how manipulating Scripture is a way of breaking God’s heart.

I could spend some time discussing necessary steps to unlocking Scripture to safeguard how we handle God’s word respectfully. If I did I’d cover things like context, background, key words or themes, genre and much more. But now is not really the best time or format for such a discussion. Instead, following Scriptures’ lead, we might look at some end-results to show how devastating some approaches to Scripture actually are. The fallout includes how much we’re actually breaking God’s heart.

When Scripture is used to promote sinfulness, we either pursue happiness at all costs or one hold a corrupted view of grace (Rom. 6). Anytime we try to justify behavior contrary to the will and character of God we break his heart. Instead, when confronted by the sinfulness in our lives, we repent and stop the behavior to re-align ourselves with God. Only then does healing begin.

When Scripture is used to justify hatred we’re appealing to our own sinful nature. By the first century the Jews defended their loathing for the Samaritans and the Gentiles by misusing Leviticus 19:18, believing that “neighbor” is proximity to you. Not only does Jesus challenge that assertion in Luke 10:25-37 but he explicitly calls for us to pray for our enemies and those who do us harm (Mt. 5:43-47).

When Scripture is used to promote divisive sectarianism instead of faith and unity, we’re breaking God’s heart. Oddly, people who have a high view of Scripture tend to look for reasons to separate and divide. Denominational loyalty of “we’re right and they’re wrong” ignores the possibility that we might be wrong too. Political loyalties, a dangerous threat to Scriptures’ integrity, tends to choose a handful of issues that may line up with Scripture while ignoring others that don’t. For instance, abortion may very well be murder, but ignoring the plight of the homeless or refugees is just as sinful. Many social issues from race relations to poverty should be shaped by a healthy view of Scripture, but many times are driven by a political bent view of Scripture. And God’s heart breaks.

For those of us who hold a high view of Scripture, our challenge is to remove our own blinders in order to hear God’s voice speak to us. It’s easier said than done. But as James says, “Blessed is the one who does what the word says and not merely listen to it” (my paraphrase from James 1:22). When that happens we mend a broken heart, and that heart is God’s.

Soli Deo Gloria!
(i.e. only God is Glorified!)

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Following In HIs Footsteps

To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in his steps . . . when they hurled insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.
(1 Peter 2:21-23)

When Peter was instructing slaves on how to respond to abusive masters, he pointed them to Jesus. He’s the example they should follow. In the midst of insults, threats and violence Jesus never struck back. He trusted God. Did it work out for him? No. He was executed. But he trusted God and is the example set not only for slaves but for all of us.

Peter understood the role of following Jesus. By the time he wrote his first letter he’d been following Jesus for some thirty years. Also, he understood failure in following Jesus because he himself tripped and fell early on in his discipleship.

Mark 8-10 unveils that early journey of the disciples. The trip begins in the northern Gentile region of Caesarea Philippi (named for Caesar Augustus and Philip of Macedon [i.e. Alexander the Great’s father]), and was a political hotbed too. Here Peter makes his confession and gets into a heated discussion with Jesus over the role of his Messiahship. As Jesus heads back to Jerusalem he passes through Galilee where the disciples argued over their own greatness. Finally, when they were headed up to Jerusalem, James and John made their ego-driven request for the seat of power. Let’s take a moment and unpack each of these moments.

* Caesarea Philippi (Mk. 8:31-38). In clarifying his role as the confessed Messiah, Jesus points to discipleship. He links his impending death, his first prediction, to those who wish to follow him. If Jesus is going to the cross and his disciples are going to follow him, then following in his footsteps means suffering even to the point where you’re willing to sacrifice your own life. Discipleship demands us to choose to loose life in order to gain it, which is exactly what Jesus did by going to the cross.

* Capernaum (Mk. 9:30-37). Instead of contemplating Jesus’ second prediction for his death, they decided to argue over who is the greatest among the Twelve. So Jesus, assuming the role of authority and of a Rabbi by sitting down, takes a child into his arms and tells them to become like this child. Such a move says nothing about innocence but about status. Unlike today where children are often propped up and showcased, first century children were rarely seen and never heard from. They had no say and no power in society. At best they were a symbol of hope (e.g. oldest son will inherit a double portion). Becoming a child means giving up rights, power and status, which is exactly what Jesus did by allowing himself to be vulnerable to the suffering he experienced at the cross.

* Jerusalem (Mk.10:32-45). After Jesus makes his third, final and most graphic prediction of his death, James and John requests seats of power and authority. Jesus’ response asks them if they can drink the cup he drinks from and be baptized with the baptism he undergoes. While they agree they can, they don’t grasp Jesus’ point. The “cup” and “baptism” is his suffering that was at his door and the disciples will participate in that suffering as well. Jesus’ final conclusion to the discussion is claiming that he came to serve not to be served, and to give his life for others.

This past week I was watching a mini-documentary that followed one person’s journey through the Holy Lands. They called it “Following in the Footsteps of Jesus.” They went to the Jordan River, Jerusalem, temple mount and Gethsemane. I can imagine that something powerful occurs when you step into those historical places. Then again, something even more powerful occurs when followers follow Jesus in his footsteps by embracing his sufferings.

Soli Deo Gloria!
(i.e. only God is glorified!)

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Sound of Silence

When the disciples were crossing the Sea of Galilee, they found themselves in the midst of a terrible storm. Fishing boats could hold a dozen men. Life jackets were yet to be invented and the men in the boat had little by way of flotation devices. Between the winds, rains, crashing waves and screaming men the only quietness present was Jesus sleeping in the stern. Once awake, Jesus called for the quiet (Mk. 4:39) and the sound of silence was heard.

Elijah was on the run. The loud voices he heard threatened his existence. Though he carried a victory trophy off of Mt. Carmel, his victory lap wasn’t fueled by cheers but jeers. Queen Jezebel intimidated, pressured and made impending threats against Elijah. He stopped listening to God and only heard the voice of fear. So he ran to Mt. Horeb where he encountered God. Only when God came to him, not in the loud fires, earthquakes or wind but in a gentle, quiet whisper (1 King. 19:12) was the sound of silence heard.

The Psalmist recites the mighty works of God. His power is unmeasurable as he causes desolation, and bring wars to an end. God, he declares, will be exalted among the nations. God’s actions are clearly noise-making and attention grabbing. However, the charge given for us is “be still, and know that (he) is God” (Ps. 46:10). Only in our own stillness can the sound of silence be heard.

The noise level in our society has been documented. We get up in the morning and turn the television on. We jump in our cars and the radio entertains us. The factory, the school, the office, the store and the city congestion is filled with noise and very little chance to quiet the noise. At the end of the day the television is turned on again until we head to bed but not before turning some music on as we fall asleep. Where do we find the sound of silence?

I’m really no different. I work better with music, both in the office and in the yard. When I work out I have my earbuds tied to my music of the moment. I like having the radio on NPR news or syncing my music while driving down the road. I feel the sound of silence is almost disturbing, but may be necessary.

The Psalmist describes the righteous as one who “meditates on God’s law day and night” (Ps. 1:2). The meditation forces an individual to shut the rest of the world out in order to allow God’s word to penetrate his/her heart. With the noise and distraction removed, one can devote his/her entire focus on God and to try understanding what his will is for our lives. We meditate on his word. We process its meaning. Once confronted with his truth, we change our lives. We find that moment in the sound of silence.

We live with far too much noise yet we’re so conditioned by the noise. The noise we allow to penetrate our lives shapes our world view and is far more pervasive than we’re often willing to admit. While this has always been true, we may be facing epidemic proportions for a couple of reasons.

For one, the electronic devices we own, particularly our cell phones, could be triggering our brains to produce dopamine. In other words, we’re getting a burst of feel-good energy by tuning to our phones to check our FaceBook status or to read an article or to see the pictures on Instagram. In other words we’re getting a high and we’re wanting to experience that high over and over again. And if we’re not getting something from our phones, as some might argue, why do we struggle to walk away from them?

Secondly, the twenty-four hour news cycle has elevated and exasperated negative news stories which prey on our emotions. Because of lack of downtime, we’re not given any recovery to process the information effectively. Not only the news itself, but the news organizations fill their evenings with pundits whose messages have to be crafted in a way to draw you back into their viewership (talk radio programs employ the same tactic). They do this through anxiety and manipulation. Thus, it’s mostly fear-mongering and “worse-case-scenarios” while villainizing and dehumanizing opponents. It appeals to our sinful nature, and like an animal thirsty for more blood we tune in day after day after day. Such negative and constant diet of fear messages shapes our world view, robs us of joy and terrorizes our soul.

One way to combat the negativity and fear that permeates throughout our day is to lay the phone down, turn off the noise and pray. Meditate on Scripture and its message of faith and hope. Pray that you will not leave God for the drama, but stay in the security of his arms. When you sit in the sound of silence long enough, you’ll begin hearing his voice (Jn. 10:4).

Soli Deo Gloria!
(i.e. only God is glorified!)

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Something Awesome * Something Breathtaking * Something Terrible

The mouth of the Columbia River is treacherous and considered the most dangerous water to navigate in the world. The deep strong river water currents collide with the Pacific Ocean waves making navigating nearly impossible. Most ship wreckages occur from running aground because of the large sediment deposits made by the Columbia.

The clear threat to the shipping lanes forced lighthouses to be built on the Oregon and Washington sides of the Columbia River. However, one more lighthouse was needed to ensure the safety of the ships, and the only location adequately positioned was a bolder named Tillamook Rock, shaped like a sea monster and located a mile off the Tillamook, Oregon coastline.

The year was 1879. Construction on the site began with surveying, building a temporary housing for the workers, dynamiting the rock to provide a level foundation to erect a permanent lighthouse structure. Between the running current and cold winds, danger lurked at every step. The Oregon coastal waters near Tillamook hover at fifty degrees year-round (ten degrees colder for winter months and warmer for summer months) making its waters miserably cold at its best. Fog rolling in severely limits vision. Storms made securing the rock nearly impossible as the crashing waves easily topped the six stories that comprised the rock.

For some 500 days crews diligently worked on converting the mammoth rock into a home base for the Tillamook Lighthouse. Even though modern advances of technology (by our standards) eluded the workers and the building was conducted by “primitive” methods, death claimed no workers; local Oregonians refused to help in construction because they feared the dangers. As for the weather conditions, combined with the isolation from civilization for those working at the facility, the lighthouse earned the nickname, “Terrible Tilly.”

Terrible. Only in the sense of something awesome and breathtaking. I think of those words used to describe the sea monster monument off the coast of Oregon.

Terrible. Only in the sense of something awesome and breathtaking. I think of qualities easily associated with God.

When we come into the presence of God we stand before someone so awesome it is beyond measure. He is “the Lord Most High who is the King over the entire earth” (Ps. 47:2). As our understanding of the world and universe continues to expand, so does our understanding of a God who called all of this into existence. Instead of seeing God as smaller – too small to create – we find a God who is far greater and more powerful than we can ever imagine.

When we come into the presence of God we stand before someone who takes our breath away. The Psalmist describes the heavens as declaring his glory (Ps. 19:1). Words cannot express our thoughts or imaginations when we look into the sky and watch the rising sun’s colors . . . or mesmerized by the fall colors on the trees . . . or star struck by the constellations . . . or fixated on the mountain as they touches the sky . . . or the beauty of a river cutting through the gorge . . . or studying a robin building a nest in the apple tree of your front yard. When we experience those moments, we’re getting a reflection of the glory God bestows, and even that is breathtaking.

When we come into the presence of God we stand before someone terrible, not in the since of evil but in the sense of his holiness. His holiness is a raging fire which consumes all evil and sinfulness. Awesome, as a word to describe God, can be interchanged with “terrible” (e.g. Psalm 47:2 in the KJV uses “terrible” where the NIV uses “awesome). Thus, God is to be feared, respected and revered. Flippant following will only end in a terrible crisis.

1957 saw the Tillamook Lighthouse decommissioned as the expense to maintain her far exceeded the appropriate and reasonable funds. But with her always came qualities we find in God: something awesome, something breathtaking and something terrible. And like God, she’ll be there forever.

Soli Deo Gloria!
(i.e. only God is glorified!)