Michael Kelley's Blog, page 226
September 5, 2012
“A great meteor or a star rising night after night”
Randy Alcorn recounts below a moving story regarding Jim Elliot’s largely unknown missionary brother Bert:
Thank God. Thank for for the great meteors like Jim, flashing across the sky. And thank God for the faint stars, rising night after night, over and over again.
Perhaps God has, in His wisdom, called you to flash like a meteor. But perhaps you are discouraged that He seems instead to have called you to rise night after night, over and over again.
Please do not be. Instead, continue to rise.
September 4, 2012
What “More” Means and Doesn’t Mean to God
I recall a prayer I used to pray frequently during college, one filled with every bit of angst and emotion I could possibly muster in a given moment:
“God, I want more of you in my life.”
I had heard and sung songs of yearning for more of God. I had read John the Baptist’s succinct statement regarding his cousin, Jesus recorded in John 3:30: “He must become greater; I must become less.” And I had been jealous of other guys in my circle who used to spend hours at a time praying and singing. The conclusion that I came to was expressed in the simple line above. My problem was that I didn’t have enough of God. I needed more of Him.
I’m still okay with the sentiment driving the prayer. I think it is, in fact, a very real statement. It’s an expression of longing for a life centered on the joy that only comes in God through Christ, one that becomes particularly meaningful when paired against the current sad state of one’s soul. So many competing pleasures. So many temptations. So many choices for temporary happiness in exchange for eternal goodness. So, so many.
It’s the articulation of the thing that I’m not sure about any more.
As it stands, that short line indicates that somehow, for some reason, there is, in fact, MORE of God to get. That up until this point, He’s been holding out on me… and maybe you, too. That there’s something else out there.
But that’s not true. Not according to Scripture. Not according to the gospel:
“Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens. For He chose us in Him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love He predestined us to be adopted through Jesus Christ for Himself, according to His favor and will, to the praise of His glorious grace that He favored us with in the Beloved” (Eph. 1:3-6).
“What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He did not even spare His own Son but offered Him up for us all; how will He not also with Him grant us everything?” (Rom. 8:31-32).
God has given us everything He has to give in Christ. It’s ours, as co-heirs with Jesus. We are full and complete in Him. God will not give us more because there is not more to give. Not if we have Jesus.
And yet…
And yet all the things above are still true. There is a vast difference between where we are and where we want to be. There is the continual draw of the world. And there is John’s statement, that he wanted Jesus to increase in and through Him.
And yet there is more.
The more, to God, is not in terms of quality. Nor is it in terms of quantity. It is only in terms of awareness.
The journey to more with God isn’t so much a journey to new places as it is a deeper discovery of where we already are. Any husband or wife can relate to this.
I remember when I married Jana thinking as we drove away from the reception that I was just about there. That I knew her as well as I knew myself. That there wasn’t much (though still some very important things) to discover. And then I woke up the next morning and realized that I was an idiot.
The next few days were a blur, and I remember having this amazingly exciting feeling one morning at breakfast that as well as I thought I knew my fiance, I had only begun to scratch the surface of knowing my wife. And I realized that until death parts us, I had signed up for classes at the school of Jana. I was to be a student of my wife, every day moving deeper and deeper in intimacy and knowledge of her.
See it? The more isn’t that there is someone new. Someone else. It’s not a journey to a different place; it’s a journey to a deeper place. Discovering what’s already there. Knowing deeply what’s already mine.
And the riches of what’s already ours in Christ are inexhaustible.
September 3, 2012
How “The Dark Knight Rises” Should Have Ended
If you haven’t seen the movie, don’t watch this.
But if you have seen the movie, then get ready to think, “Hmmm… Perhaps there were a few more plot holes than I recognized at first…”
Happy Labor Day.
August 31, 2012
Fridays Are For One Question
Clint Eastwood interviewed an empty chair last night at the Republican National Convention.
A little odd, I’ll grant you, but then again – I’d listen to Clint Eastwood read the phone book. Because he’s pretty awesome. Great on screen and in the director’s chair.
So given that Clint is in the news today, I thought maybe we could theme today’s question around him. Love for you to respond if you’ve got a strong feeling:
“What’s the best Clint Eastwood movie – either as actor or director?”
Ready, set, go.
August 30, 2012
The Wonderful Harmony of Vivification and Mortification
That’s a tweetable title for a blog post if I’ve ever seen one.
A couple of definitions today might be helpful. Mortification is about death. Killing sin as violently and as often as necessary. It’s waging all out war against what is contrary to life in Christ. Vivification is more positive. Whereas mortification is about the removal of sin and its causes, vivification is about stirring up your affections for Jesus in a positive manner. It’s about reminding yourself of the beauties and excellencies found in Jesus alone.
These two must work in harmony with each other. Consider, for example, how embittered, dispassionate life would be if all we ever did as Christians was practice mortification. Like those walking around in sackcloth and ashes, we would be devoid of real joy and eternal happiness. Consider, then, for example, how unbridled life would be if all we ever practiced was vivification. Like those who treat sin as a game with no real consequences, we would see the world – and ourselves – through rose colored glasses.
They are two sides of the same coin.
We fight sin. We battle it. We kill it. But anyone who has waged this kind of war will tell you that the removal of any sinful habit, especially one we hold closely to our hearts, leaves an incredible void in its absence. We wonder if we can even go on, for we’ve come to look forward to that sin. We crave it. We think about it and nurture it.
What can fill the void left by mortification?
Vivification.
The void is not only filled, but we find ourselves overflowing. We kill and we fill. We fight and we feast. We remove and we indulge.
August 29, 2012
iPhone 5 Video Leaked!
It’s funny cause it’s true. Now if I can just make this heavy, smart-looking book of theology catch the light just right…
August 28, 2012
What I Learned When My Wife Went on Vacation
My beloved Jana (perhaps now more than ever) went on a well deserved vacation this past week. And when I say vacation, I mean it. She was gone for 5 days to the beach. No children. No me. Just a few other ladies hanging out, eating crab legs, and sitting on the beach.
And I continue to hope that I have not inflicted irreparable harm on our 3 children in her absence. So here’s a few things I learned from my brief stint as a single parent:
1. My wife’s job is hard. Pretty much a no brainer here, especially for you mommy readers. But it shouldn’t go without saying. We have an 8 year old, a 5 year old, and a 2 year old. And they all require attention. Often at the same time. It’s a constant stream of homework, making lunches, piano lessons, cleaning up urine, and anything else you can throw in the mix. It’s a hard job, one that takes great faith, patience, and perseverance.
2. Pancakes are suitable for any meal. I have confirmed this. It’s true.
3. Boundaries bring freedom, not slavery. Our kids live on a schedule. Most homes are like that. This is a good thing, I think, because everyone knows clearly what the expectations are, and having met those expectations, there is freedom. Sometimes, in parenting and for parents too, we think that boundaries bring slavery. We want a free for all with time, money, and energy. But that is a dramatic reversal of the truth. Boundaries are formed from love. They create margin. They guard precious moments. And the discipline it takes to enforce them, on children and yourself, is well worth it.
3. Take a step back and reflect before speaking. I wish I could say that all went perfectly well in Jana’s absence. It did not. More than once I got frustrated, spoke in anger, and later had to apologize to one or more offspring. But the most helpful thing, looking back, was beginning to understand that it’s very helpful when frustrated to take a step back and, just for a second, isolate the true source of frustration. Is it valid? Does this really warrant the level of disciplinary rage I’m about to unleash? Or is this blown out of proportion because Mommy is gone and Daddy is a moron sometimes? Hmmmm…
4. It’s good to be on a team. The “team” thing is sort of a mantra around our house. We often say it to each other just as a reminder that we’re in this together. Same goals. Same purpose. And we don’t have to do it alone. It’s good to be on a team. To know that someone has your back. And fortunately, that someone is home again.
And if my wife asks, we only had pancakes once. Or maybe twice.
What I Learned as a Single Parent
My beloved Jana (perhaps now more than ever) went on a well deserved vacation this past week. And when I say vacation, I mean it. She was gone for 5 days to the beach. No children. No me. Just a few other ladies hanging out, eating crab legs, and sitting on the beach.
And I continue to hope that I have not inflicted irreparable harm on our 3 children in her absence. So here’s a few things I learned from my brief stint as a single parent:
1. My wife’s job is hard. Pretty much a no brainer here, especially for you mommy readers. But it shouldn’t go without saying. We have an 8 year old, a 5 year old, and a 2 year old. And they all require attention. Often at the same time. It’s a constant stream of homework, making lunches, piano lessons, cleaning up urine, and anything else you can throw in the mix. It’s a hard job, one that takes great faith, patience, and perseverance.
2. Pancakes are suitable for any meal. I have confirmed this. It’s true.
3. Boundaries bring freedom, not slavery. Our kids live on a schedule. Most homes are like that. This is a good thing, I think, because everyone knows clearly what the expectations are, and having met those expectations, there is freedom. Sometimes, in parenting and for parents too, we think that boundaries bring slavery. We want a free for all with time, money, and energy. But that is a dramatic reversal of the truth. Boundaries are formed from love. They create margin. They guard precious moments. And the discipline it takes to enforce them, on children and yourself, is well worth it.
3. Take a step back and reflect before speaking. I wish I could say that all went perfectly well in Jana’s absence. It did not. More than once I got frustrated, spoke in anger, and later had to apologize to one or more offspring. But the most helpful thing, looking back, was beginning to understand that it’s very helpful when frustrated to take a step back and, just for a second, isolate the true source of frustration. Is it valid? Does this really warrant the level of disciplinary rage I’m about to unleash? Or is this blown out of proportion because Mommy is gone and Daddy is a moron sometimes? Hmmmm…
4. It’s good to be on a team. The “team” thing is sort of a mantra around our house. We often say it to each other just as a reminder that we’re in this together. Same goals. Same purpose. And we don’t have to do it alone. It’s good to be on a team. To know that someone has your back. And fortunately, that someone is home again.
And if my wife asks, we only had pancakes once. Or maybe twice.
August 27, 2012
What My Children Are Teaching Me About Idolatry
I’ll admit that 3 out of every 5 times we sit around the kitchen table in the morning for family devotion it’s like herding cats. But then there are the fourth and fifth times. Then there are the times when the Spirit of God shines through the mist of all the competing attention grabbers of the world.
Funny thing is that most of the time, at least of late, I feel like those moments of clarity are at least as impacting to me as they are for the kids. Almost like God has something for me in these devotions, too. Huh…
Take last week, for example. Our journey through the Old Testament has at last led us to the book of Daniel – great stories. Kings eating grass, crazy dreams, pet lions, and statues as tall as buildings. These are good moments for the 8, 5, and 2 year olds.
In reading through the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, we asked the kids to think about idolatry. In this story, of course, the idol was obvious – it was a huge, golden statue. But idols today aren’t quite as overt. So we asked them, “Guys, what is an idol?”
We’ve had this question before. They knew the answer: “Anything you love more than God.” We nodded in agreement, but then followed up with another series of questions:
“That’s what an idol is. But are you going to be asked to worship a golden statue today at school?”
Snicker. Snicker: “No, Daddy.”
“But people still have idols today, right?” They were ontop of this one, too.
“Yeah. Like money. Or the Wii.” And then we broke off into a series of ridiculous things that could be idols – everything from a puppy dog to a burrito. The wheels were coming off quickly; time to wrap this up:
“Okay. So those all might be idols. But how do you know if something is an idol? How do you know if you love something more than God?”
There was a surprising silence here. I silently congratulated myself on my superb question asking, and then I got hammered between the eyes with an 8-year-old’s articulation of truth the only way an 8-year-old can articulate it:
“You know it’s an idol if you think you could never be happy without it.”
Bam. There it was. And he was right. The more I thought about it – and I’ve thought about a lot since he said it – I see just how right he is.
Money, sex, power, job, family – which of these things do I hold in such esteem that I don’t believe I could ever be happy without them? There are more of them than I’d care to admit. Now I want to be careful here, lest we spend an inordinate amount of time visualizing our lives without these things, especially if these “things” are actually “people.” And I also want to acknowledge that, especially in the case of people, there’s something unhealthy and maybe even sadistic about weighing each person in your life to see if you could be truly happy without them.
But I also think there was much truth in Joshua’s answer that morning. True contentment; true satisfaction; true worth; true joy; true fulfillment – these are only to be found in Christ. All other things serve to magnify His greatness and push our souls upward in grateful thanks and praise. And if they were all taken away? If there was nothing? If there was no one?
There would still be Jesus.
August 24, 2012
Fridays Are For One Question
There are a few foods, that when added to a plate or existing dish, always… and I’m not making this up… ALWAYS make that dish better.
Like salt.
Or…
BACON.
To confirm my hypothesis, I present this article which presents several delicious baconny dishes including bacon-wrapped, deep fried hot dogs; bacon and eggs ice cream; and the Bacon Bomb: a meatloaf made of ground sausage, pork, and beef then wrapped in a woven blanket of brown sugar bacon strips then slow cooked in a pig roaster.
So let’s talk bacon for One Question Fridays today: “What’s the best dish you’ve ever had involving bacon?”