Premature Desperation

Many people in the Twin Cities area and northwestern Wisconsin followed the story of an autistic man lost after straying from a camp between Grantsburg and Trade River, Wisconsin. It was part of our discussion at a family graduation Saturday afternoon. Despite the searching of hundreds of people, the man was not found until a week later, still alive. That was Sunday evening. He is now recovering. We may never know his adventures of that week.

Read more at http://www.burnettcountysentinel.com/ (still a featured story as of this writing) or http://www.twincities.com/ci_9669321

Part of the drama of the story is that there was discussion to call off the large-scale search after Sunday's efforts. He was found Sunday evening. I understand some of the difficulty in those decisions. And I probably would have supported any decision to continue or discontinue the large search efforts. I understand they may have had some feelings of desperation and hopelessness.

But the whole situation got me thinking (a dangerous thing). I have been with extended family five of the last six weekends for graduation parties. If I am truthful, I have to admit that in many cases I have given up hope for them. And quite possibly, I just don't care enough. Let me elaborate.

In most parts of the United States, and certainly in this area, a person can gain some knowledge about Christianity quite easily. There are Bible-believing congregations and fellowships scattered all over. Radio and TV and the Internet give us 24-hour-per-day teachings and encouragement. Theoretically, most of us have at least one person we can look to as a representative of Christ for us. I know I, and others, misrepresent him terribly at times. And the message presented does not always appear to be relevant. But those issues are for another blog article or two someday. But the point is that for most of my readers, the gospel, the good news, is accessible.

Still many reject it. God in his wisdom and love wants relationships built on love and commitment, not coercion. So he lets us choose. We can live in a committed relationship with him, or choose a life separated from his love and power and goodness. And that choice will follow us after death. We will be with him or separated from him. It is our choice.

I know that God can see people's hearts far better than I. But it appears many of the people I know have little interest in a life devoted to God and his purposes. There are numerous reasons for that, which I won't get into at this time. Without that relationship, they will have a very limited experience of the love and power of God working in them and through them to touch the lives of others.

It is easy to conclude people will never change. It is easy to assume they have no desire for change. But assumptions can often be wrong.

I admit I have often become complacent with people's choices and kept silent in both words and actions. Some would say that response is respectful. Some may say it is good Scandinavian behavior to be quiet. But the true motivators for us believers being silent may include things like lack of caring, lack of love, lack of mercy, fear of rejection, pride, fear of failure, insecurities about our communication skills, insecurities and guilt about past behavior, a lack of understanding of God's love and power available for them, and many more reasons. When it comes right down to it, many of us believers are quietly letting those around us suffer from a life without God, now and for eternity.

I believe in the prophetic and dreams and revelations. Some of the revelations with the most impact are the continuing revelations of what is inside us. Fortunately, God seems to space out those revelations over time as layers of our lives are revealed. Some of the revelations are good things we fail to see in ourselves as well.

Since some of my readers are family and friends and possibly coworkers, they are probably wondering what is next. I am wondering too. But I know I need to start caring more. Or, in some cases, I have been caring but I need to express that care more.

There has been some progress this week. Praying over the workplace led to a breakthrough in a frustrating phase of a work project. And one person nearby sold their home that had been on the market for months. Jesus taught that the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand, present with us. My prayer is that the power and love and grace of the Kingdom will be present in our lives in the coming days, starting with now.

As long as people are alive, let us not give up hope for them.

Sloppy Wet Kiss

Like a sloppy wet kiss...

As I read the lyrics, I had to smile. This wasn't from a CD of love songs. Those were the lyrics on the screen at the front of the church.

I was enjoying passionate worship with a group of mostly twenty-somethings. They needed no prompting to cry out with passion and tears "Oh how he loves us. Oh how he loves us."

How can I describe the love God has for us, the love he has for you? It is lavish, passionate, compassionate, never-ending, and always faithful. Like a flooding river, it just flows and flows and flows. It is full of mercy, pure, tender, and so much more. It is amazing. It is simply outrageous, in a good way. It is both powerful and gentle. Let him wrap his arms around you and hold you safely in his arms.

"I realize how great your affections for me....
So heaven meets earth like a sloppy wet kiss
And my heart turns violently inside of my chest.
I don't have time to maintain these regrets when I think about the way...
He loves us, Oh how he loves us..."

~ How He Loves Us by John Mark McMillan

Listening to the song again tonight, it brought tears. The lyrics aren't necessarily profound. But there is power in the passion and, for me, the memories of that recent evening.

Here is a version similar to the way I heard it live with a band and a young lady singing with passion:

The song is mostly background for this one. Crop out the last minute or so and this is a powerful
statement that few churches would dare attempt. Grab a Kleenex. If your browser has a zoom
feature in the lower right (or Ctrl+), you may wish to zoom in to 150 or 200% for reading.

Here is a version by the songwriter with some background behind the song:

ELCA Strays... Again....

As you may have read in the news today, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) once again became even more accepting of sin in their leadership. And quite possibly, hopefully, even more congregations will abandon the denomination and its course.

The ELCA will not allow congregations or synods to confront or discipline pastors in homosexual relationships. Although they were careful to avoid the word "condone", in practice they are essentially approving something God has clearly said is wrong and contrary to his design. I guess they feel they have more wisdom about creation than the Creator. They apparently know what is true better than the one who called himself The Truth. Pride comes before a fall.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20227563/

Comments are at
http://boards.msn.com/MSNBCboards/thread.aspx?boardid=1085&threadid=368175

There were a wide variety of opinions on MSNBC. I didn't read them all. Jesus is loving. But he is also righteous and holy and just.

Here is my post from page 28 over there:

This is sad. But at least the ELCA has made it even more clear how little they regard scripture. Jesus was accepting in some regards. But he also spoke of a wide path to destruction, division within families when one chose to follow him, and other teachings that some will go to heaven with him and enjoy a relationship with him in this life. And some will be separated from him in hell.

Even though some Lutheran pastors believe all people are going to heaven, Jesus never taught that or even implied that. Throughout history, God has always wanted a chosen people set apart for a close relationship with him. And integral in that relationship is living a life that pleases him. As the Bible puts it, "And this is love for God, to obey his commands." It is a faithful loving relationship that is in some ways similar to wanting to please and honor a spouse.

And that relationship with God is closely tied to the concept of marriage. It is designed as a man (symbolized by Christ) and a woman (the bride represented by the Christian church that seeks to love and please him).

Despite what the official reading may be, when a group cannot confront their leader about wrong-doing, that is a crippled organization. When a leader is likely headed for hell, how can he or she teach through knowledge and example the way to a deep relationship with Jesus and a future in heaven?

My prayer is that God will stir hearts and do whatever is necessary to get the attention of those ELCA leaders before they bring greater punishment upon themselves. The people in the pew deserve better.