a high thought for today

Often we miss focusing on the fact that God made and loves us. We are His and not our own. Bask in His gentle, caring nurture and protection [i.e. love].

Life is all about God. He made it. He is the author of it. Our life will return to its rightful owner. We are not the end all. He is. He is also the beginning and the middle.


Chuck Colson writing about G.K. Chesterton:
It was realism that was behind one of Chesterton’s most famous writings. When the Times of London invited leading intellectuals to write about what was wrong with the world, Chesterton’s contribution was a short letter that simply read: “Dear Sirs: I am. Sincerely, G.K. Chesterton.”

It’s difficult to imagine a more succinct articulation of the Christian worldview. Which is why Orthodoxy is one of the 10 best books I’ve ever read and ought to be on your reading list, and why Ken Boa should be your guide.

Love Ya',

Scott

Jesus Prayed for Our Unity - Why?

Within just a few hours of going to the cross, Jesus prayed for the unity of those who would follow Him. Three of the gospels tell us that Jesus prayed to be relieved of the burden of going to a death by crucifixion. Yet, He relented and obeyed God the Father knowing that is was necessary. There was no other way that broken, self-centered, sin-filled mankind could be forgiven and restored to a relationship with the perfect God that made us. It is this same God, the One and only, that we ignore most of the time attempting to find ways to fulfill our emptiness with everything else except Him.

Jesus agreed to complete the task that He descended to earth to carry out. Only the gospel [good news] of John lets us in on His prayer that His followers would be unified as He and God the Father were one. One what? Only a fool would claim that we could be God like They are God. Only within Christianity is there a One God made of several beings or persons. Odd. Christianity is a pluralistic monotheism. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit combine to make up the One God of the Bible. God has chosen to reveal Himself in this magnificent work of literature that tells His story of creation, fall/rebellion, redemption/restoration, and the future end of the universe and beginning of a new eternal one that will no longer contain flaws--sin.

Still, one what? Jesus prayed that we would be one as He and the Father are one. The church: Jesus' followers; is disjointed, schismatic, separated, split, denominationalized, protested, reformed, argumentative, individualistic, etc. Many churches or groups of churches claim to be the one true church. So all the others must be wrong. We have many First Church of somethings and a few seconds, but I don't know of any thirds, fourths or higher numbers. Churches argue over many differing doctrinal issues: end times, spiritual gifts, free will versus predestination, types of atonement, how far the redemption applies, etc. ad nausea. There is some unity about Whom Jesus is and that He alone can save lost souls. His death, burial and resurrection tie us together.

But did Jesus' prayer fail. It doesn't look like Christ's followers are one of anything. All seems divided. We are all one big fight. Did the Father say "No" to Jesus' prayer? Where is the evidence of this oneness? Are we to do something to be an answer to this prayer? Is that why John included it? Jesus prayed that we would be one so that the world "may know that you [Father] sent me [Jesus] and loved them [Christ followers] even as you loved me." No wonder the world has such a difficult time believing our message as we live divided and proclaim that Jesus is the only way to God.

What are we to do to be one as He prayed for us?
Can you imagine how messed up things would be if Jesus had not prayed for our unity?

We do see glimpses of this unity when we surrender the things that divide us and focus on the centrality of Jesus to our faith. It is only when we surrender our arrogance and learn to lovingly care for one another that we see lived out an answer to this prayer. It is only when we commune and serve together for the glory of God and not ourselves that we see why He prayed for unity and oneness. There is incredible joy in seeing this prayer answered in the affirmative around and through us.

What walls do we need to take down to make John 17 a reality?
Who do you need to work with, serve alongside, forgive, apologize to in order to bring about Jesus' desire?



P.S. Happy 49th anniversary to my Mom & Dad. That's unity. It is a little taste of heaven here on this divisive, divided planet.

Planned Parenthood Real Life

What an interesting case study in social acceptance. Planned Parenthood was started as an experiment in eugenics to eliminate the inferior as they defined it: poor, unhealthy and minorities. If someone was less than functionally healthy [then - "genetically unfit"; today - "viable"], they were to be eliminated. Survival of the fittest. Founder Margaret Sanger: "More children from the fit, less from the unfit -- that is the chief aim of birth control." (Birth Control Review, May 1919, p. 12)

So what are they now. They cry loudly for reproductive freedom and women's rights over their bodies. They have nice sounding ads for their services which are heavily funded by the federal government. One of their branches offered gift certificates for their services this last Christmas. They celebrate George Tiller as a hero. His murder was wrong. His 50,000 abortions is honored as caring for women.

So last night at a house church my wife, Darla, shares her painful story of being used by a boy, getting pregnant and then being told by him to get an abortion. She went to Planned Parenthood with some of her other church girlfriends, who it turns out, were also getting abortions. Darla felt trapped and isolated; forced into making this decision to get rid of what she knew was a baby. She describes her experience as feeling like cattle herded through, processed, and kicked out. None of the staff would look into her eyes. It was just a money making procedure in a callous, sterile environment. There was no care or compassion for the individual. After her procedure, she was still drugged and groggy when made to leave the facility with no aftercare. She was accosted by protesters on the way out. Where were they when she needed help before?

22 years later the emotional pain of the experience was finally dealt with as she went through the local Crisis Pregnancy Center's Post Abortion Counseling and Education [PACE] group Bible study. She wrestled through this painful experience knowing that she had terminated a baby, that her parents missed out on a grandchild. She dealt with apologizing to God as she asked for forgiveness and healing. She described it as some of the most painful weeks of her life as she dealt with the long hidden guilt and shame. Now she wants to help others who have also hidden their memories under the cloud of freedom of choice.

After she told her story a young lady shared a similar experience. At 17 she got pregnant by a boy she was trying to hang on to. She had no one else. Her mom had kicked her out. He did not want the baby. Nor did the boys parents. She went over to their house for dinner and was encouraged to abort the baby and promised that if she did, the boy would marry her and later, when they were ready they could start a family. That lie lasted until she was in process at PP for the abortion. She wept at the ultrasound as the babies 5-1/2 month old form was visible and at the sound of the heart beating that she says she will never forget. She was abandoned and trapped, so she went through with it. None of the staff made eye contact. She was pushed through and then out. She hates what she did. She is learning to forgive herself.

PP won't tell the millions of stories like these. They won't tell you that abortion dramatically increases the risk of breast cancer due to the mess it causes with a woman's body. They won't offer what people really need.

I don't understand.