Craig’s GodStuff Blog

Forgiveness? Who’s Counting?

Thu, 3 Jun 2010 08:17:05 -0700

As I was journaling this AM about the reality of forgiveness, I scribbled down some of these musings. While lopsided as a far as systematics go, it was helpful for me to make the connection between Peter’s question and Jesus’ “storied” answer in Matthew 18:21-35. Enjoy.

The relationship between Peter's question, "How many times shall I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?" and the story that follows is powerful and unique. Although Jesus' story does not mention how many times we are to forgive, it does form the basis as to WHY we are to forgive in such and extravagant manner. The Kingdom of God has a value system at work in it. That value system is that God's infinite mercy and grace must be extended by those who have been recipients of it. In other words, the magnitude of God's giving to us allows us to see ourselves and others in the reality that God does.

What claim could we possibly put on the magnitude of our own pain? What value can we assign to our own injustices either perpetrated or endured? How can we even consider the cost of being hurt or being hurtful? All these questions seemingly dissolve in the light of God's mercy. It is the mercy of God that makes the assignment of cost/value totally meaningless. The hyperbole of the story is indicative of this truth. The value at work here is telling us to not even bother counting. It has no meaning. In the shadow of God's mercy there is no claim we can make on ourselves or others. We simply must confess that all of our games, politics and other maneuvering are vapid in comparison to the very substance of God's wonderful love and forgiveness. Our claims to wrongs, hurts and afflictions are nothing but silly distractions that divert us from the true reality of God's love. In the end, they are about the aggrandizement of self and a coy trick that keeps us from facing the totality of God's gift in Jesus Christ.

Grace Discipline

Mon, 3 May 2010 08:48:53 -0700

I have to admit that, most of the time, I am a slow learner. Although I have been a fair student, I have never really been brilliant in the book smart department. Those who know me well, know that I am not a lover of books. Yes...I do read and read often. When “free-time” is presented to me, learning is not always at the top of the of possible activities in my own life. I learn mostly though living. I like to call it kinetic learning. I seriously think there are more people like me out there than care to admit it. I can learn theories in books and in lectures, but I learn best in settings where I have to fight it out...wrestle with it. At the heart, I am often more convicted by right behavior over right thought. I suppose that makes me a good Methodist. Practical to the heart.

That is what makes this idea of discipline in one’s life so compelling to me. Often as Christians we talk about the importance of spiritual disciplines like prayer, study, fasting, tithing and the sort. I find that no matter how many sermons I preach or how much exhortation I do, folks just don’t seem to engage in these activities as often as they should. So, when I stop to think about it, they learn just like I do. No matter how many pastors and leaders have exhorted me to deepen my spiritual disciplines, I have never really responded to their call. I always thought a discipline is something you did. At least that is what I was taught. “Do this (fill in spiritual discipline) and you will know God in a greater way.” I heard it over and over again. From my first days at a conservative Christian university to seminary and onward. I never knew what that kind of statement meant until now.

Christian spiritual disciplines are not something we do to “know” God, contrary to J.I. Packer. They open us to something beyond ourselves. They create a space to meet God. They, in and of themselves, are benign. When spiritual disciplines are most wrongly used is when we use them to assuage our conscience and appeal to our inner “ego” that we have done something for God. Thus, God is happy and so are we. For years, I engaged in spiritual disciplines in that manner. it was never really about God, it was about me. I prayed, hence I was “spiritual”. I tithed, thus I was charitable. Spiritual disciplines are something we are in stewardship of each day. Like I can use a car to create a terrible accident, so to can I use disciplines of prayer, study and fasting to deceive myself into the delusion of living a life pleasing to God. That is most dangerous of all. To convince oneself of being in harmony with God, when, in fact, you are farthest from it. You would be better off just living fully in sin! Al least you would know where you stood!

What I am learning (not from a book) is that all these disciplines merely open us to God’s grace. There are method of capturing nothing. They are a method of being captured by the living God. This is where the grace intersects the discipline. Practicing any spiritual discipline is simply a matter of letting Christ into our lives. What pastors and teachers told me was true. I just never KNEW how true it was. When I stop trying to “get” from God I find that the Lord Jesus Christ has already given me all things. I am didn’t learn it from a book. I learned it by doing it. So my opinion for the day is give up so you can get started on the journey.

Cold, Clean Water

Thu, 7 Jan 2010 12:08:33 -0800

Today was our last full day in Israel. It is with a sense of bittersweet joy that we prepare to leave a place that now is beginning to feel familiar. Galilee has been refreshing and renewing. No wonder Jesus seldom left here. We began by taking a tour of a town Jesus cursed, Chorazim. Just like Jesus said...gone. From there we traveled north in view of Lebanon for a visit at Caesarea Philippi. This is where the Banias spring begins the flow to the Jordan River. Peter confessed Christ as the Messiah in this northern city. From there we entered the Golan Heights. After passing a few Druze villages we ascended to a great observation point at Mt. tabor. where we viewed Lebanon, Syria and Israel from one point. After our descent and some apples from the local Druze, we ate lunch and made our way to Kursi, the home of the Gerasene Demoniac. No pigs to be found. We ended the afternoon at the Jordan River for the Renewal of Baptism so many had waited for all week. One by one, most of our pilgrims made their way to the VERY COLD WATER and took the plunge at the hands of Pastor Craig. After washing off the Jordan (but not the renewal), we departed for our St. Peter fish dinner at En Gev. Tomorrow we begin the journey home via Nazareth, Megiddo and Mt. Carmel where Ba’al is still in the restroom. After dinner in Tel Aviv we leave for the airport. This will be the last sign on for this pilgrimage. Be blessed in every way. LAX, here we come....as well as a bacon cheeseburger. Here are all the pictures from the near final day.

Jesus Proper

Wed, 6 Jan 2010 10:30:21 -0800

We began a long journey today from Jerusalem to the Sea of Galilee. First a stop at Ancient Bethany to see Lazarus’ Tomb. From there to the oldest inhabited city in the world...Jericho. There we saw a sample of Zaccheaus’ Tree and visited Mt. Temptation, where Jesus went for forty days following his baptism. We then began the trek north stopping first at the Church of the Multiplication where Jesus fed the 5000. A short ride from there was where Jesus appeared to Peter after his resurrection. We then stopped at Capernaum and Jesus’ home base during his ministry. We ended the day at the Church of the Beatitudes. A long day in Jesus’ footsteps, but one of the most rewarding as well. We are staying at a Kibbutz north of Tiberius. Tomorrow we take our last tour before our last night here. Friday night we head home. Here are the pictures from today that tell it all.

Dead...Sea, That Is

Tue, 5 Jan 2010 11:35:24 -0800

Today started like any other day on our pilgrimage. Early morning prayer and then off for a full day. We visited more sites today of a non-biblical nature than we have on any other day of this trip. We started by running into a bedouin with camel who obliged our group to rides and pictures. From there we traveled south to Masada, the ancient Jewish fortress. It is the site of how the “Second Temple Era” came to a tragic end. We then left for the Ein Gedi Nature Reserve and spotted a bunch of great wildlife and the spring King David drank from when fleeing King Saul. We were then off for Qumran, the home of the Dead Sea Scrolls. We ended the day with a little dip in the Dead Sea. When you look at the pictures consider the miraculous powers of the Dead Sea to roll back the clock!