how much more will your heavenly Father give

I posted a clip of Voddie Baucham more than a month ago. In it, he half-answers the question of why does God allow suffering to exist by reframing the question around God's sovereignty and turning the question to how is it possible a holy God lets me live. It is a factually correct perspective in the sense that all of us should be grateful for whatever we have, and God owes us nothing at all, and God can do whatever He wants. All of this is true. But two things occurred to me today that make me question the relation of this perspective to the Gospel.

One: I had to inform my employees that they were receiving bonuses, but the bonuses were drastically reduced from prior year amounts. The talking points given to me by HR to recite made it seem like the message I was supposed to send them was "It's a tough economy, you are lucky you have a job, and you are lucky to get any bonus whatsoever." While all of that is true, there is no grace in reminding them of their luck to then reframe their disappointment into some sort of joy.

Two: My daughter was hoping to get new earrings today. After getting her ears pierced several weeks ago, today was the day she was told she would be able to switch from the basic stud to different earrings. Because I was disappointed in one of her school grades, I chose not to get her new earrings even though I had told her we'd consider going afterschool to get some. My reasoning to her was that I was disappointed in her grades, and this was one of the punishments she was receiving. Again, factually true, and a teaching moment that actions have consequences, no doubt. But was there also not a teaching moment here on grace had I gotten her earrings? That she deserved nothing but punishment and instead received a gift of love?

A holy God owes mankind nothing. True. Sinful man deserves nothing but condemnation. True. After the very gift of life and breath, everything after that is a bonus. True. We should repeat these facts again and again because it gives us the proper perspective on God. False.

The good news of God is that despite what we have earned, He loves us and by His loving grace, He offers us abundant life. That is the repeatable message. That He is a loving Father, one who is not prone to reminding us at every turn that everything is His and He can do whatever He wants. That He is a loving Father, one who is not prone to lording His sovereignty and supremacy over us again and again. That He is a loving Father and despite the fact that we disappoint Him every single day with the grossness of our sin, He blesses us beyond measure. That is the Gospel: love and grace and mercy over condemnation. Sorry, Voddie. That's how I choose to remind myself of who my Heavenly Father is, and who my Savior is -- He loves me, not I'm not dead, woo hoo.

so choose life in order that

If you asked me a decade ago if I was in favor of the death penalty, not only would I have said "Absolutely", but I would have volunteered to be the one who pulled the switch. A few years ago my stance softened as I considered Gen18 and read up on Catholic teachings on the sanctity of human life. Evangelical Republicans preach the evils of abortion while ignoring their staunch advocacy of capital punishment, something I was having second thoughts about. This week, a senseless tragedy occurred, and facebook statuses of a large number of my Christian friends railed for the killer to be caught, and when he was himself killed, a surprisingly large number of Christian friends reveled in his death.

Let me be clear on this point: bloodlust masqueraded as justice is terribly wrong.

Second thoughts no longer exist on this issue, as I am convinced there is no reconciling being against abortion with supporting capital punishment. Life is life -- whether it is the life of an innocent one, or the life of the most wicked of us all. Christ came to redeem the lives of both these types. A Christian cannot, cannot root for death to win. That is like rooting for the Empire, or rooting for the Axis. John10 makes the very clear distinction between what Christ brings (LIFE) and what the devil is all about (DEATH). Even when seeking justice, one cannot side with death. Death is the enemy; death is the consequence of sin; death entered the world via liar's lies; death is the opposite of the good news of God.

My heart breaks at injustice, and every inch of me seeks for God to strike down evil. In fact, I pray for His smiting on my enemies. But in the end, my sense of justice is often very different from God's sense of justice. And my sense of proper consequences is very different from God's sense of proper consequences. So rather than think about justice and consequences (of which I am clearly often wrong), far better for me to think about something I do know about -- the good news of God: that Christ came to vanquish death and bring life.

Deut30 presents us the choice to choose between life and death. Not life sometimes and death sometimes, but to choose one over the other. I choose life, the side represented by Christ. And you?

but to save the world

Been a long while, I know. The very strong potential was for that long while to go without end. That potential still remains.

In any case, end or no end, it's worth reading THIS and seeing upfront and center the clear Gospel message. Man dies. Man's death saves the lives of others. This story is extraordinary in and of itself, and it's only a shadow of the true Gospel. In the case of the true Gospel, move from 8 lives to infinity lives. And move from saving the lives of friends and families, to saving the lives of one's own enemies out of sheer love. Story is touching in its own right. The Gospel? Even more so.

There is some subset of human begins who read stories of sacrifice and miss the sacrifice paid for them at Calvary. If only they could see.

I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised

My father passed away two weeks ago today.

That sentence was incredibly difficult to write, as if in the writing I was somehow solidifying the fact and making it impossible to reverse. There is a profoundly deep well of sadness within me, a sorrow through whose shadows my screams find no bottom to that pit. And yet there is clear light amidst this turbulence. They say that trials in life are tests of faith, and over the past two weeks, I've grown to understand that more.

Some view the test of faith like a spelling test -- an examination with a pass/fail score. In your response to trial, do you still cling to that God of yours, or do you abandon Him? And there is that aspect to tests of faith.

Others view the test of faith like an air pressure test on your tires -- a gauge that measures some amount. In your response to trial, how big is your faith? Do you only see God when the streams of abundance flow? Or can you when in the desert, when walking through the wilderness still stay "Blessed be Your name?" And there is that aspect to tests of faith as well.

I have come to also see the test of faith like a rorschach test -- a test after which you learn something about yourself. I've said several times before that I want an unbelievable faith. And this recent test of faith for me has revealed what my faith looks like.

And while my sadness is infinite, I find myself believing more fully in the sovereignty of God than I ever had. I still see the goodness of God. I see the grace He has poured out to me over the last few years and last few months. I see His love poured out on me through His people. I see His heart for the lost, and His love for the found. I see a God whether the sun's shining down or whether the darkness is closing in whose name I can bless. I see a God who I will never be able to outlove who loves me to there and back and to whom I can run and I can run to his heart, a heart big enough for all my shadows I will not despair I will not despair. I love you, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, My God, my rock in whom I take refuge.

against you, He has cleared away

"Forgive One Another" {Eph4:32}
* Lots of words/phrases easy to say -- "I forgive you" is not one of them
- Requires humility to be able to give grace to another who has wronged you
- Corrie ten Boom story
* Forgiveness is commanded; rooted in God's forgiveness of us, and in person of Jesus
- Matt6:12
* Forgiveness is at heart of Gospel {Col3:13}
* No exclusion clauses in command to forgive others
- Matt18:21-22
- Forgiveness towards someone who repeatedly wrongs you does not exclude correction, rebuke, etc
* Forgiveness a heart decision {Matt18:23-35}
* Forgiveness to be given regardless of circumstances {Acts7:51-60}
- Steve Saint story
* Forgiveness done in light of Christ's example {Luke23:34}

on Him, because He cares for you

O little one of infinite sadness, do you not know that all your cares can be given unto Me? Do you not recall that I will sustain you? that I will bear you? that I will shield you with eagles' wings? Do you not know that I derive no pleasure in death? that I long for all to come to Me? Do you not remember that I will defend you? that I will provide for you? that every hair on your precious head was numbered once by Me? O little one of infinite sadness, do you not know that I have great plans, plans for every one, every one, and no ache in you is greater than the one I have for all as well? Do you not recall that I will never leave you, nor forsake you, nor ever let you go? that what once was no longer is? that what once will be needn't burden your soul to break? O little one of infinite sadness, My heart is big enough for all your shadows, do not despair. Do not despair.

do so as one

"Live in Harmony w/ One Another" {Rom15:5-6}
* God is glorified by our unity & harmony w/ each other. People form their opinion about God by what they see in us. {Rom15:5-6,12:16}
* Unity & peace in His family is a big deal to God {Ps34:14, John17:20-23, Eph4:1-6}
* Amount of blessing/disc we receive from God is greatly determined by our harmony {Ps133, Matt5:9, 1Pet3:8-12}
- Like orchestra: diff instruments w/ diff notes/sounds that sound great when played together
- Ed note: The blessing IS the harmonious community
* It takes tremendous effort & sacrifice to maintain harmony w/ everyone {Eph4:2-3, Rom12:18}
* Our ability to influence unbelievers is determined by our unity {Phil1:27, John17:22-23, Acts2:46-47}
* God won't use a person to do His work who has unresolved conflict w/ someone else {Matt5:23-24}
* Lack of unity slows our growth {1Cor3:1-3}
* Practical steps for developing unity
- Realize unity & harmony are possible
- Christ prayed for our unity while on earth -- possibly still prays for our unity; we have supernatural help in this
- 2Cor5:17-18
- Realize unity & harmony not automatic: accept responsibility, pray for it, make every effort

nor do they pick

For some closing at a later date. All about choices.
* Would you rather game
* Football or baseball: no right or wrong
* Salad dressing type: doesn't matter
* Millions of dollars or abject poverty: one clearly better
* What to wear: not final; changes every day
* Heads or tails: not real help to you
* One choice. That has a right answer. That matters more than anything. That results in the glorious riches of heaven. That is permanent, now and forevermore. That will close that gap twixt you and eternity, square with the Almighty forever.

One choice.

he would not have allowed

The clip below is a pretty unique response to the answer of "Why does God allow suffering?" It doesn't answer the question so much as it reframes the issue. Many of the theological questions we ask are human-centric questions. The clip below reminds us that a better answer would be to understand the question from the eternal view.

His disciples were together

"Love One Another" {John13:34-35}
* Doug Nichols testimony
* Thoughts about One Anothering
- Our flesh is selfish and must be trained to put others first
- "One anothering" is a learned habit that becomes a growing skill that evolves into character {Isa1:17}
- Our relationship w/ God is affected by our "one anothering" {1John4:12}
* What does Bible teach about loving one another?
- Command to love given in context of serving
- Called a "new commandment"
- Jesus' love for His disciples the standard for our love for one another {John13:34}
- It begins w/ decision rather than emotion {1Pet1:22}
- Often mentioned in letters to early churches {Rom12:10, 1Cor13, 1John3:11, 1John3:16-18}
- Love for one another the proof we are followers of Christ and has potential to impact world {John17:20-26, 1John4:7-21}