Moving Toward Life

Makai

This past Monday, I got a Golden Retriever puppy.  He is nine weeks old and his name is Makai (a Hawaiian word meaning “toward the ocean.”)  My wife, who spent several years of her childhood in Hawaii, named him.  I call him “Mak” for short.

I had forgotten how much fun (and how much work) a puppy can be.  When Mak is not in his crate I have to watch him constantly.  He can so quickly wander, and because he is still in the process of housetraining, he is prone to “accidents” if I don’t get him outside in time to “do his business.”

This morning, Mak was with me in the kitchen as I was packing my lunch. I was making a ham and cheese sandwich and my puppy was looking up at me with his “puppy dog eyes” licking his chops.  I wanted a small piece of ham from the sandwich I was putting together and I was going to give him a small piece of ham as a reward for being a good dog.  But suddenly, Mak noticed a dried up raisin that had fallen on the floor and was just out of reach under the refrigerator.  Mak feverishly scratched and whined and tried to get his nose under the refrigerator to get that raisin.  At the same time, I was trying to get his attention so I could give him a nice piece of ham.  But he wouldn’t respond to me.  He was obsessed about that raisin.  I finally gave up and just put the ham on my sandwich.

I thought about how we are all sometimes like Mak.  We get so focused and sometimes obsessed about “lesser things” that we miss out on some of the best things that God has for us.  I don’t know about you, but there have been times in my life when I have been preoccupied with the trivial raisins just out of reach and missed out on the wonderful gifts that come from the hand of God.  And like Mak, I am quick to wander.

One of the reasons I value our weekend worship services so much is that it helps me get my focus where it needs to be.  I find that when I pull away from everyday life and settle down in God’s presence, I find the peace and perspective I so desperately need, and I am then better able to discern the truly important things from the lesser things.

Of course, there is much more to being the Church than just gathering for weekly worship, but I do find that weekly worship together is a cornerstone of my life and my faith.  I hope it’s the same for you and I hope I will see you at Ebenezer this weekend.

Health Care Reform

Many of us are aware of that President Obama signed into a law one of the most significant pieces of legislation in several decades.  The health care reform act will have a huge impact on our nation.  The debate over this particular approach to health care reform was fierce and lengthy. In talking about the health care reform bill, Speaker Nancy Pelosi declared that most religious organizations, including the United Methodist Church were in favor of its passage. Jim Winkler, the General Secretary of the United Methodist Board of Church and Society praised the action of the House of Representatives, stating that it affirms the United Methodist Social Principles, which declares that health care is a basic human right. It is important that I, as a United Methodist Pastor, clarify these comments so that there is no misunderstanding among those who are members and attenders of Ebenezer United Methodist Church. First, Speaker Pelosi is doing what politicians sometimes do: making assumptions that support her opinion.  In truth, the United Methodist Church has not made an official pronouncement on this particular health care legislation.  It is incorrect and misleading for Speaker Pelosi to state that the United Methodist denomination is in favor of this health care reform act. There may be some United Methodist pastors and leaders who are in favor of the legislation that was signed by the President, but these pastors and leaders can only speak for themselves, not for the entire United Methodist Church Jim Winkler is correct in stating that our United Methodist Social Principles affirm that health care is a basic human right.  However, our Social Principles do not declare that “government mandated health care” is a basic right, or that sweeping health care legislation that passes by a narrow margin along partisan lines is good for our nation. A person can be in favor of affordable and accessible health care for all, and still not be in favor of the health care reform act. I do not know all of the details of this huge new healthcare reform act (I am afraid that most of our national leaders don’t know all the details either).  What I do know is that the United Methodist Church did not and does not specifically endorse this legislation.  Some United Methodists celebrate what has happened; other United Methodists shake their heads in disappointment and frustration.  Whichever camp you might find yourself in, you should know that there are good United Methodist Christians who agree with you and other good United Methodists who disagree with you. The issues we face as individuals, families and as a nation are complex and challenging. I pray regularly for the leaders of our nation and our United Methodist denomination.  I will continue to pray.  But when leaders misrepresent the truth or make assumptions that are not accurate, I feel the need to speak out and let you know.   So the next time some politician or some United Methodist leader steps up to a microphone and makes a declaration about what the United Methodist Church supports or endorses, take it with a grain of salt.  And in the case of this health care reform act, take it with a whole salt shaker (but be careful, too much salt isn’t good for your health).

Discovering Truth

I’ve been reading a very challenging book entitled “The God Who Is There” by Francis Schaeffer.  In this book, Dr. Schaeffer chronicles the philosophical change in thinking that moved our culture from understanding truth in terms of right vs. wrong, to viewing truth as something we create based on our experience.   Research seems to support Dr. Schaeffer’s contention.  More and more people in our modern culture tend to agree with the idea that there is no such thing as “absolute truth” and that truth is really just an individual’s interpretation of reality based on his or her perspective and circumstances.  With this “relativistic” view of truth, the goal is not to discover truth, but to be tolerant of every other opinion, because truth is really just a matter of opinion.

While I am willing to acknowledge that opinions and perspectives are important, I always get concerned with the claim of many modern “intellectuals” who declare that there is no such thing as “absolute truth” and that nearly all viewpoints and opinions are equally valid.   To say “there is no such thing as absolute truth” is actually a claim of absolute truth.  What these so-called intellectuals are really saying is, “the only absolute truth is that there is no absolute truth.”  These modern philosophers of relativity are using the standard of “truth” to try and prove that there is no “truth.”  In logic, this is called a “self-refuting statement,” which is a statement that contains a contradiction within itself and is therefore not valid.

I prefer a different approach, one that Dr. Schaeffer recommends: “there is absolute truth, but it sometimes takes effort and work to discover the truth.”  The intellectual rigor involved in searching for the truth is not merely an academic exercise, but a moral and spiritual adventure that has enormous consequences for our lives, our relationships, and our eternal destiny.

In reading through the Gospel stories, I am struck by a phrase that Jesus uses over and over again.  Jesus says, “I tell you the truth…”  Jesus was not offering an opinion, a viewpoint, or a perspective to be considered.  Jesus was claiming to tell us the truth about himself, about God, about how life works, and about what awaits us beyond this life.  In one of his most powerful teachings, Jesus said, “if you do what I teach, you will truly be my students.  Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

I am so glad to be Pastor of a Church where we openly proclaim to a mixed-up culture that there really is right and wrong, good and evil, truth and falsehood.  That doesn’t mean that we are judgmental, intolerant, legalistic or narrow-minded.  It also does not mean that we have nothing left to learn.  It does mean that we recognize the value of truth and we are committed to humbly search for truth.  Our search begins with Jesus, and when we get beyond religious opinions and actually start doing life the way Jesus teaches us to do life, we discover the truth that sets us free.

I hope you are discovering truth as you read through the Lenten devotionals during the week and reflect upon how the truth is impacting your life.  I also hope you will be with us for worship this weekend as we celebrate the truth of God’s presence and goodness in our world.  Is there such a thing as “absolute truth?”  Here at Ebenezer, we say, “absolutely.”  We are discovering that truth together, sorting out the big questions of life, and learning from first-hand experience that when we are students of Jesus, we discover the truth, and the truth sets us free.

My Thoughts on "Avatar"

So James Cameron, director of the blockbuster film, “Titanic” has come out with another blockbuster, “Avatar,” which will probably surpass Titanic and become the greatest financial success in the history of filmmaking.   This movie will make tons of money.

As a film, the visual effects are stunning.  I saw it in 3-D, and was totally impressed.  Computer special effects have come a long way in the past decade, and I must admit that I could not tell the difference between the computer- generated effects and the actual scenes shot on location.  This film clearly sets a new standard for the industry.

But the story line of the film is sooooo predictable, and so typically “Hollywood.”  First, the religious overtones of the story are a blending of Hindu and New Age Spirituality.  The indigenous natives (who inhabit the planet where the story takes place) are called “Na’vi,” and they practice a form of Pantheism or Animism (take your pick) where every tree, rock and animal is imbued with a “spiritual energy” that comes from “Eywa” the Mother Goddess present in all living things (analogous to “Gaia” the Goddess of ancient Greek Mythology and modern New Age Spiritism).

The implied message here is that this form of Pantheistic Spiritism, that recognizes the divine presence in all living and created things, is far more enlightened and far superior to the archaic superstitions of monotheistic faiths (such as Christianity) which claim that there is one God who created all things, but the things created are not God, only expressions of God and reflections of God’s power and wisdom.   If you have seen Kevin Costner’s “Dances with Wolves,”  or the Disney movie “Pocahontas,”  you have basically got the plot for “Avatar.”   I grow weary of movies that make is seem that unless you believe every plant, animal and rock is somehow part of God (rather than a creation of God), then you will not properly care for creation and you have no real appreciation for the earth.   The truth is, Christianity is very “pro-environment,” because we believe that God has entrusted us with stewardship of creation (Genesis 1 & 2).   I am fine with religious pluralism, and James Cameron has a right to espouse his religious views.  But I grow weary of religious condescension, where the so-called “enlightened ones” want to try to prove the superiority of “earth worship” over Orthodox Christianity. 

The other issue I have with the movie is the political/economic message.  The antagonist, or “bad guy” in this movie is the greedy white-man capitalist who wants to destroy the natural beauty of the planet and strip mine the forests in order to obtain valuable minerals.  Of course the capitalist has hired military mercenaries (mostly former Marines) who seem to gain great pleasure out of killing and destroying whenever possible.    Let’s see, how many times have we seen this stereotype in the last 20 years?  

Hey, I get the fact that Capitalism, as an economic system, can be corrupted by greed and selfishness.  But the truth is, every economic system can be corrupted by greed and selfishness. I recently returned from Cuba, a nation that has been dominated by Communist Socialism for the past 50 years.  In Cuba, you have a very small number of wealthy people surrounded by huge numbers of very poor people.  Not exactly the Utopia envisioned by Marx.   Like any economic system, Capitalism requires checks and balances to protect the environment and to protect other people from being used and abused, but so does every other economic system. , Note to Hollywood: Can we please stop it with the “Capitalists are evil money-grubbers who destroy the environment for the sake of profit and will stop at nothing to get what they want” motif?   

 Maybe I’m just becoming a grumpy old man.  Maybe we need movies like “Avatar” to remind us to be more tolerant of others and more respectful of “Mother Earth” and less greedy in our pursuits of financial gain.  But after watching James Cameron’s latest film, I left a bit irritated.  The visual effects were stunning.  The plot was predictable, and the message is becoming a Hollywood cliché.   Still, it will make James Cameron a lot of money.  I wonder if this makes him a “greedy capitalist”?

Help the People of Haiti

I'd like to invite you to join the efforts of the Ebenezer Church family in
collecting supplies for health kits for Haiti

Is Pat Robertson Trying to Answer the Wrong Question?

Once again, Christian evangelist and former presidential candidate, Pat Robertson, finds himself in a firestorm after his comments on the earthquake in Haiti.  On his “700 Club” television show,  the Rev. Robertson connected the devastating earthquake with a “curse” that has been placed upon the island nation of Haiti going back to the time of Napoleon, when apparently some of the Hatian leaders made a “pact with the Devil” and embraced “voodoo” as the primary religion.

The responses to Pat Robertson’s comments have been swift and loud.  He has been condemned as a “racist,” a “bigot,” and a “religious nut” among other more colorful comments.  We are also reminded of similar comments Pat Robertson has made in the past, such as when Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon suffered a stroke in 2006, and Robertson claimed it was God’s judgment on the Prime Minister for compromising with the Palestinians.  When Hurricane Katrina struck, Pat Robertson declared it was God’s judgment on America for a variety of sins.  In the wake of the terrorist attack on September 11, again the Rev. Robertson claimed that it was God’s judgment on America for the “liberal political agenda” being pushed primarily by the ACLU.

As a United Methodist Pastor, I cringe when I hear Christian leaders like Pat Robertson make such statements.  As I study the Bible, there are some areas of agreement that I have with the Rev. Robertson.  I agree that God does judge sin at some point, both in our individual lives and in our collective lives as a society.  Practicing “Voodoo” is clearly a sin.  But I find it difficult to believe that the natural disasters or cataclysmic events we experience are a part of God’s wrath or punishment.  My advice to Pat Robertson and to every Christian on the planet is to be humble enough to acknowledge that we don’t have all the answers when bad stuff happens.  Perhaps we can learn from tragedy, perhaps we can find ways to prevent some future tragedies, but let’s not assume that every earthquake, volcano, terrorist attack or cancer diagnosis is some kind of “message from God” that we are being punished for a particular sin.  In offering his opinion about the ultimate cause of the earthquake in Haiti, Pat Robertson is trying to answer the wrong question.  The important question is not “why does suffering and tragedy happen?”  but rather, “how should I respond to suffering and tragedy?”

When people ask me, “why do bad things happen?”  My simple answer is this:  “because this is earth, not heaven.” Tragedy and suffering are a part of life on earth.  If you want a pain-free, problem-free, tragedy-free existence, you’re gonna have to wait for heaven.  Until then, we’ve got life here on earth, which is not perfect and will not be perfect. When bad things happen, we tend to want to focus on the question, “why did God allow this to happen?”  But the more important question is, “how does God want me to respond to this situation?”    The real issue is not God’s motive (which is a mystery beyond our comprehension) the real issue is our response to suffering, tragedy and injustice.  We can sit around and play guessing games that condemn other people (or even sometimes blame God), or we can roll up our sleeves and be part of a compassionate and helpful response.

The Church I serve is not asking, “why did God send an earthquake to Haiti?”  We are not asking, “why does God allow this kind of suffering and tragedy?”  Those are questions without clear answers, and when we try to answer them, we usually end up looking like fools.  The question we are asking is this: “how does God want us to respond to the earthquake in Haiti?”  And our congregation is praying, gathering financial resources, and collecting supplies to help alleviate the suffering.

I have no big issues with Pat Robertson most of the time.  In many ways I respect the good work he has done in many parts of the world.  And I am sure that his relief organization “Operation Blessing” will provide lots of supplies and support to the suffering people in Haiti.

But I do think that Pat Robertson, and all of us who love God, need to be careful in trying to assume we know the answer to the “why” question in situations like this.  To try and answer the “why” question makes us look like judgmental idiots.  Let us instead focus on a more important and more practical question:  “how does God want us to respond?”  Then we will be on the right track.  After all the old hymn we like to sing is not, “They’ll know we are Christians by our answers.”  It is,  “They’ll know we are Christians by our love.”

Trying something new

I'm trying something new with the blog. This week, I'm sending a video version.  Let me know what you think of the new format.  

Hooray For Good Movies

I’m not much of a movie-goer.   I’m not exactly sure why that is.  As a preacher, I can appreciate the power of a good story that is told well.  But for me to see it on the big screen, it has to be an exceptional movie; except for Thanksgiving weekend.  Just about every year at Thanksgiving, Lynn and I load up the car with our kids and drive to West Virginia to spend Thanksgiving with my mom.   After enjoying a meal and rooting against the Dallas Cowboys, there isn’t much to do.  But there is a movie theatre nearby, so we usually go to see a movie.  Sometimes we see a good movie, sometimes we end up stuck in a bad movie.

This year, we actually went to two movies, and both of them were (in my opinion) outstanding.  On Thanksgiving night we went to see “The Fantastic Mr. Fox,” which is a stop-motion animated movie about a fox who tries to give up stealing from farmers, until he falls “off the wagon” and starts stealing again.  My description here does not do the movie justice.  It was an absolute hoot.  I thoroughly enjoyed it, and laughed out loud several times.  The movie is based on a children’s story, but this film does a great job of appealing to all ages. Themes of conflict, redemption and justice are woven together in a meaningful way.  This is a movie everyone in the whole family can enjoy.

The day after Thanksgiving, we went to see “The Blind Side,” the movie based on a true story about Michael Oher,  a homeless young man who was adopted by a wealthy family and then eventually became an All-American offensive tackle at Ole Miss and a first round draft pick of the Baltimore Ravens.  The story was heart-warming, Sandra Bullock gave a very good performance, and Tim McGraw (the country singer) did a fine job of acting in this film as well. That’s the first time I’ve seen Tim McGraw clean shaven and not wearing a hat.  I am a fan of his music, but I almost didn’t recognize him.

Themes of overcoming adversity, being generous and kind, working hard and making good choices are all a part of this movie.  I left the theatre inspired and thankful (but I’m still not a Baltimore Ravens fan).

Hey, I’m no movie expert, and I don’t spend a lot of time discussing the subtle nuances of filmmaking, but these two movies were worth my time and my money (actually, my wife’s money; she treated).  I still have serious issues with the modern movie industry, but if studios will put out more films like “The Fantastic Mr. Fox” and “The Blind Side,”  all I can say is “hooray for Hollywood!”  But I’m still not touching that movie theatre popcorn!!!

The Greatest Dog Ever

About one month ago, I had to endure the very painful and unfortunate experience of euthanizing my dog.   Jake was a Golden Retriever, unusually large for his breed (over 110 pounds).   My wife Lynn picked him out from a litter of pups back in March of 2001.  Over the past 9 years, Jake has been a faithful companion, a playful friend, and a joyful presence in my life.   He loved our entire family, and our entire family loved him, but there was no doubt that Jake was my dog, and I was his master.

 

I always knew that the day would come when Jake would die.  The vet told me years ago that a Golden Retriever rarely lives past 11 or 12 years, but a very large Retriever like Jake would be lucky to make it to 10 years.  Jake missed his tenth birthday by just a couple of months.

 

Even though I knew the day would eventually come, I was not prepared for the deep sense of loss that I felt, and still continue to feel.  For some people, and I guess I must be one of them, a dog is not just a pet, a dog is a vital and important part of the family.  The devotion and unconditional love that a dog offers is an amazing taste of grace in a world where sometimes grace is hard to find.

 

People have asked me if I will get another dog.  Someday, I probably will.  But I am in no rush.  The truth is, I don’t want another dog, I really want Jake back.  But I know that isn’t going to happen, and I so I want to take my time before getting another dog.

 

People have also asked me if I believe that dogs go to heaven.  I don’t know if all dogs go to heaven, but I believe Jake will be there.  Frankly, I am not sure it would really be heaven for me if he weren’t there to greet me someday.

 

I am also very aware that the death of a dog cannot and should not compare with the death of a spouse or a child.  As a Pastor, and as someone who has experienced the death of a parent, I understand the grief and loss that such experiences bring.

 

But here is my point: death comes to all of us eventually.  We might grieve the loss of pets and the loss of loved ones, but there will also come a day when someone will grieve the loss of us.   As a Pastor, I deal with death all the time.  But I also deal with the hope and promise of eternal life that my faith in Christ offers to me and to all those who will trust and believe.   I am not an “end of the world” fanatic, but I am a “death is inevitable” realist.  Over the course of 9 ½ years, I watched Jake frolic as a puppy, settle down into middle age, slow down in old age, and struggle to breathe as cancer invaded his lungs.  I also held him in my arms and said a tearful goodbye as he peacefully drifted away.  My final words to my dog were these: “I love you big boy, and I’ll see you on the other side.”   Those words were not just the emotional babblings of a grieving dog-lover, those words were the ultimate bedrock of faith upon which my entire life is built.

 

As I write these words, it is the day before Thanksgiving.  I am preparing to drive up to Arlington Cemetery to conduct a funeral for a woman who lived into her 80’s.  I will speak the promise of resurrection to the family and friends gathered around the grave.  I will say, “we are not in the land of the living moving towards death, we are actually in the land of the dying moving towards life.”    And as I say these words, I will think of those I have known and loved, who have already experienced the inevitable reality of death.  I will also acknowledge that someday I will die.  But most of all, I will be grateful for the new life that awaits me on the other side of death, and the dog who will be there to greet me.  He will no doubt want me to take him for a walk, and I will gladly take him.  But he won’t need a leash in heaven.  He will be truly free, and so will I. 

 

Biggest Decisions of My Life

One of my favorite quotes is by Stephen Covey, “Our behavior is a function of our decisions, not our conditions.”   I like that quote because it recognizes behavior as a choice we make, not simply a reflexive response to our conditions.  To be fair, I think we must acknowledge that our behaviors are impacted by our conditions, but the opposite is also true, our conditions are impacted by our behaviors.   And it all hinges on our ability to make wise choices, or decisions.  Perhaps this is why the Bible so often encourages us to “get wisdom” and to “seek after wisdom.”  Wisdom is, in part, an ability to make good decisions.

As I anticipate my 50^th birthday this summer, I have been looking back on some of the most important decisions I ever made, to see how these decisions have impacted my behavior and my conditions.

Of course, the best decision of all was to accept God’s offer of grace and mercy, and to make a commitment to Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.   In some ways, this decision has affected every other decision, because I began to seek God’s wisdom for every area of my life.  I haven’t always done what I knew was the right thing to do (I still sin), but I do a lot better than I would if I tried to live by my own sense of wisdom.

Another great decision was to ask Lynn Davis to be my wife.  At the time I was 24 and she was 21.  Here we are 25 years later, and we are still going strong. We have two wonderful children who are now in college.  I feel very blessed to have a strong family.

Another great decision was to be an avid reader.   I don’t read novels and fiction books, I tend to read history, theology, biography, philosophy, psychology, and of course books on Christian living.  For many years, I have made it a commitment to read at least one marriage book per year.  I still need all the help I can get in order to be the best husband I can be, but reading marriage books has  made me a better husband than I would have been. 

One more great decision was to exercise regularly.  I lift weights and run at least 5-6 times per week.  I’m not going to win any contests, but I am in good shape for a guy pushing 50.  The exercise helps me to sleep better at night, and actually gives me more energy during the day.  Plus it is a great stress reliever.

A close walk with God, a happy marriage, a curious mind, and a healthy body; these are all wonderful conditions that I am currently enjoying.  But they all began with a decision that led to behavior.

Of course there are lots of conditions in my life that could use some improvement, and they are also a function of choices and decisions I have made.  The bad news is that parts of my life aren’t as they should or could be.  The good news is, I can begin to experience positive changes  if I will make wise decisions and apply a little self-discipline.  And if there are areas in your life where you would like to change, you can do the same.  That’s the beauty of life, and that’s part of the joy of living.  We can always get better, because God offers us His grace and because our behavior is a function of our decisions, not our conditions.

What big decisions have you made and where have they led you?  I would love to hear your story.