A New Life Conversation

Little things

2011-07-18T22:33:00.000-07:00

Wow. Those names are challenging-especially when you read them out loud as we did around the supper table. But beyond the names we were intrigued by the details, the little episodes interspersed among all the dividing of land. We wondered why the story of Caleb's daughter making her special request for land was in there. Was it just special provision, or sly dealings, or family competition? I don't know. I imagine there was plenty of competition and jealousy - and greed I suppose. What interesting detail have you noticed?

Military musings

2011-07-14T23:37:00.001-07:00

I am so intrigued by how closely the conquest of Israel is connected to God even while there is the gritty narrative of Israel's battles. So when Joshua defeats the five kings of the south I'm sure he did a fine piece of military strategy - and were we to give the history account probably would have detailed more of it. But the biblical accounts turn around and says "oh and God caused it to hail so bad the hail storm actually killed more men than the Israelite soldiers." God wins! Some hailstones those were!! Oh, and earlier when the Gibeonites tell their ruse the narrator mentions that the Israelites asked all the right questions - "but didn't inquire of the Lord." In other words, they were really turning into a crafty military machine compared to when they started out in Jericho - but that just isn't the point. Their connectedness to God was the point.

What impressions or insights have you had this week? Respond to this post or email me. I'd love to hear.

2011-07-10T00:01:00.000-07:00

Are We There Yet

2011-07-09T23:49:00.001-07:00

I love the title of this new series. The creative team came up with it as I explained to them my vision for these messages. "Are We There Yet?" describes what the Israelites may have felt - and what we feel as we envision and live the life of faith. I find myself impatient with my own faith and so easily discouraged.

As we read these books (Joshua through 2 Samuel) discover something of the nature of faith when it meets the harsh realities of life. I hope you can then share them in this blog.

The reading schedule shouldn't be too bad this summer. Hint: week 5 is really light and should allow you to catch up or read ahead. Enjoy the summer reading!

2010-07-22T07:40:00.000-07:00

Wow, I just love that story of the burning bush. I have a photograph in my living room entitled "the burning bush" by Fatali. It reminds me of this story - a story about God's call on the life of Moses. And the call that God has on my own life. I need reminding because I'm not very good at trusting. And when God leads you have to trust in order to follow. I also need to keep reminding myself to "pay attention" and watch out for "the burning bush." The story makes note that Moses had to "turn aside" to go over to the burning bush. It wasn't directly in his path, he had to be looking around. When God leads you have to be paying attention in order to follow. Good on Moses for paying attention. Although it still took a lot of convincing on God's part to get Moses to follow. I'm sure all the excuses seemed logical to Moses. My excuses alway sound logical too. But when God leads you have to submit in order to follow.

2010-07-13T23:45:00.000-07:00

Wow, that story about Dinah is quite something, eh? Startling in its violence and harshness. Perplexing in what it's trying to convey. Anybody have ideas why this story would and should be included in the story of redemption? I guess the Bible doesn't flinch when it comes to dealing with the sin and misery of our lives. And the question of 34:31 ("was it right to let our own sister be treated that way?") is almost haunting. I mean, the reaction went beyond what would be called for - certainly in terms of human justice measurements, wouldn't you say? And the deceit - ohh - just like their father, Jacob. Seems like a central characteristic of that family - maybe even of God's family in general. You think?

Anyway. As you might tell, I have to get reading to stay caught up here. The above was reflection on reading from last night. Hope you are hanging in there. Let me know what you are thinking about reading these big chunks of the Bible.

2010-07-09T10:33:00.000-07:00

The story of Hagar and Ishmael (Genesis 16) is so dark and haunting, but when you see God's love in that story it becomes more hopeful.

What would it be like to learn to live with the same compassion that compels God to reach out to people on the outside? What kind of ministry is it when we think merely about how comfortable we can be in the pew – or in the pulpit, for that matter?

There are people, who like Hagar, with lives so full of misery, shattered by circumstances that maybe they have even brought upon themselves. And they need to hear God calling to them, “Where are you going?” and “Where are you coming from?”

Do you think we could be God’s voice in this community? I think so. That’s why our motto for ministry is “Touching Lives with the Transforming Love of Jesus.” That’s what makes the huge commitments of time, talent, and money worth it – to be able to hear people speak in some fashion the words of Hagar: “I have now seen the One who sees me.”

2010-07-05T14:14:00.000-07:00

I hope you've had some good reading experiences in Genesis so far. It kind of reads like a Shakespearean tragedy so far. A wonderful set up - but you just know that it's going to get bad. And it does! From sibling rivalry that ends with murder - to the whole world doing evil and getting wiped out for it - to human beings conspiring to reach God - that is, seeking to control him.

You just don't want to read anymore, except that you have to find out what happens. And actually there are hints already about what's going to happen. I was thinking about that verse in Genesis 3:15. I know it's an important one because Bible teachers and professors told me so. But as I read it again it struck me that God had to put a division in place between good and evil. "I will put enmity between you and the woman." God says. Otherwise we would have carried on living in this world without a thought to whether something was good or bad.

Sometimes I'm struck at how even best intentions are stricken with evil. I usually lament that. But I guess we should be glad we can notice that kind of thing. And then turn to God to save us. That's what the stories of Cain & Abel, the flood, and the Tower of Babel are about - not just retelling the tragedy, but turning our faces back to God who meets us not to condemn but to save.

Week 1

2010-07-02T10:22:00.000-07:00

Hey, I'm really excited about the responses I've received on this summer reading project. There are quite a number of people following through with the readings. Excellant. Sorry if you have tried to follow on the blog and can't comment. I'm no expert in these things and don't know what the problem is. You can email me, like Olaf Marcus did. He wanted to comment on the Van Egmond comment on the blog. Here it is.

Wanted to answer the Vanegmond note . . . By telling them that they can
find the geographical place of the tree of life right around their diningroom
table , When they read their Bibles.

That may well be the best answer since attempts to determine Eden's geographic location are pretty unsuccessful. The description of Eden in 2:10-13 seems pretty detailed, but we just don't know the rivers that are called Pishon and Gihon. We do know about the Tigris and Euphrates, and assuming that they were downstream from the river that flowed through Eden (see vs.10) a best guess might be that Eden was in northern Mesopotamia or Armenia.

I hope you enjoyed reading the creation accounts again. I did. Putting aside all the controversey about "creation-science" (which I don't think Genesis 1&2 are at all about) I found it inspiring and worshipful. I liked that experience.

2010-06-27T08:09:00.000-07:00

This post marks the beginning of another message series at New Life Church: "Ploughing through the Pentateuch." Let me suggest some questions that you might want to answer and post back. But I'll answer them first for myself and give you a sense of what I'm thinking and anticipating with this series.

What do you think of reading through the first five books of the Bible in one summer?

I want us to know the story of salvation. The good news shows up in the
Bible already "in the beginning" not just in the New Testament. I hope we
get a sense of that story - maybe in a fresh way. To read the Bible
as a story helps us to avoid treating it like a rule book - which is how it
often is applied - especially the Old Testament.

What about reading through bigger chunks of the Bible - or do you normally read 5 chapters at a time?

I get kind of annoyed with myself that I can sit and read a good novel - big
chunks at a time. But when I read the Bible I can't wait to finish my daily
reading so I can get on with the day. So this is going to be some
discipline for me. I also have to realize this isn't a modern novel.
The modern novel has been perfected for marketing and movie-making purposes
(think about the term, "a quick read" - something the Bible isn't!).
It definitely helps to have the observations of others to guide us in that
reading. For example, in reading Genesis 1 it helps to recognize a
structure in the chapter otherwise it doesn't make sense. If God created
light on the first day, what was he doing creating light on the fourth
day? Well otheres have observed that the chapter starts off with a
comment - "the earth was formless and empty" (vs. 2). Then the rest of the
chapter outlines how God formed the earth and filled it. Days 1-4 have to
do with structure (forming). Days 5 & 6 have to do with filling the
structures of creation. Recognizing this feature helps me to
read the chapter with a sense of greater expectation, that it's not just a
newspaper article. Something bigger is being told here.

Are you scared about getting to Leviticus?

Yes. I read the whole thing once before in seminary and I only remember having a
miserable time with it.

Well, let me know what you are thinking. I'll do my best to keep you inspired to read, but I'm going to depend on your comments back to keep me inspired to keep on blogging. Whew. It's going to be quite the summer! Keep on ploughing!

Christmas Wonderings

2009-12-23T00:24:00.000-08:00

I'm crazy busy preparing messages for Christmas services so as I'm reading Isaiah 40 I have Christmas at the forefront of my mind. My reflections led me to a couple of observations. As I read verse 12 and following I was thinking of the contrast between God described so majestically and what it meant for God to come down - "merely" (but not really) to "comfort" his people. More about that in my Christmas day message. But the contrast arrested my imagination and I was startled with the realization of God's reduction. Wow! And then I was also wondering about that image at the beginning of the passage about making the path straight and making rough places plain, and the rest of that image. I'm wondering what that actually refers to. Why is it "in the desert"? And for exactly what reason are we called to smooth out the valleys etc.? Just caught myself wondering and wandering about that today.

Hey - I hope your Christmas preparations have been going well and that this reading of Isaiah 40 has helped you in those preparations. Peace and blessings to all of you. I'll post one more time on this passage and then we'll move on to other things. Any feedback for keeping this blog going?

2009-12-17T08:23:00.000-08:00

Thanks for those of you who have offered some reflections and comments. Very helpful to hear perspectives as we live with the passage. Speaking of which, I'm getting to the point where there's a familiarity and anticipation of the passage that extends beyond reading into everyday life. Last night when I reflected on the days events I thought of the passage and was encouraged with the images of God that came to mind. In the worries I gained assurance that my God is really big. In the satisfaction of achievement I was reminded, "To what do you compare God? (vs. 18). It made me thankful that I actually can know God because he revealed himself through Scripture. That was encouraging because I tend to stay in the realm of critical thinking, always reflecting and challenging my own thoughts of faith. I was glad I could rest in the knowledge of God. Thanks again for the help through the comments that were made.

2009-12-08T09:03:00.000-08:00

I find myself eager to read the first part of chapter 40 (1-11). It reveals my kind of God - a God of comfort and compassion (for the times I screw up), a God of promise (for the times I feel insecure), a God of power and strength (for the times I feel discouraged). Curiously I find myself suddenly bored with the passage after verse 12. I know what's coming, after having read it several times now. I can summarize it with a phrase: "God always wins." Maybe that sounds cynical to you (and it is) but I was surprised to read that exact sentiment expressed in verse 27 when Isaiah calls out the complaint of the people: "We think God's forgotten about us." I guess it's a fairly typical response to getting to know God. When he's there for us we are pleased. When it appears that he hasn't done anything for us lately, we easily turn sour with the complaint, "No fair, God, you always win." And I can imagine his response with a twinge of frustration, "You're right, I always win because it's my game." (vs. 28). And then I think Isaiah is right - we start to turn sour because we're recognizing our own weakness, "but those who trust the Lord will find new strength (vs.31)." Good thing it's God's game or I would be forever the loser.

Speaking vs. listening

2009-12-03T08:57:00.000-08:00

Thanks everybody for checking out the blog, and for those of you who have carried the convertsation forward. I'm gathering you don't have to sign up to post a comment so go to it. I do like it when you become a follower so I know who's committing to the daily reading. If you've been reading through Isaiah 40, what's your take so far. Pretty cool passage eh?

Already when I was working on the passage for last Sunday's message I had been struck by how often there was a reference to speaking and the human voice in the first 11 verses. Vs. 2 says speak tenderly, vs. 3 says, "a voice is calling..."; vs. 6 a voice is urging someone to speak again, vs. 9 extols the one who makes the big declaration, "Here is your God!" The second half of the chapter is quite different. There's no announcement theme nor an invitation to speak. Rather, there's the sentiment that its time to sit and listen. Especially if you look at vs. 21 and vs. 28, which are a kind of refrain you get the feeling that if you are willing to slow down and reflect a little you'll have a better sense of what God is up to. Or conversely, if you are not willing to listen its unlikely you'll have anything to say but the complaint of vs. 27 - God doesn't hear us, boo-hoo!

Funny eh? That's what we're trying to do on this blog. Sit and listen with a daily reading of the passage, and then post your comments and speak your mind.

Reflections on Isaiah 40

2009-11-28T17:45:00.000-08:00

Hi. Welcome to this blog. I'm hoping that this can be a venue to further some discussion on things we talk about at New Life Church. Currently this blog will be devoted to some reflection on Isaiah 40. The concluding message in the "State of the Heart" series at our weekend services focused on Isaiah 40. We talked about how we can't fix the brokenness of our hearts, but we can prepare our hearts to receive the Saviour.

Here's the plan:

Read through Isaiah 40 each day from now till Christmas. Do it once a day so that you get the feeling you are living with the passage. You'll be surprised what kinds of things stand out or impress you at different times.

Use this blog to participate in the reflections (by signing up on this blog). I'm going to post a reflection at least once a week, and I hope that you will comment with your own reflections.

My expectation is that with this excercise we'll prepare our hearts with a greater sense of expectation for a Saviour, and with a more solid assurance that God will save us from all our brokenness. May you persevere with faith, hope, and love this Christmas season!