New Year's Revolution

No Sandanistas in this blog. No ETA anarchists either. Not even any Marxists or Leninists. No, in this blog it is PURE revolution. For me, tonight, that means...more death - to self that is. Ya, for a while I was thinking I was making pretty good progress and all and then God holds up the mirror of His word and BAM! I realize how much of self is in my life. In my thoughts, in my actions, in my giving, and ESPECIALLY in my praying.

I am going to attempt to be much more other-focused in my praying this year. I hope I succeed. I am getting a bit "fed up" with me at this point. So, I bow before my omniscient and all loving God and ask for the skill of the Great Physician to extract more of me from my prayers.

Trent

We Don't Need a King

Over the recent holidays, I watched the Lord of the Ring Trilogy. It took me two days but I was glad to watch the three films together. It helped bring closure to the first two films.

In the first film a character called Boromir was intrduced. He was a son of an area in this ficticious loand called Gondor, a place of men. His father and his family were entrusted with the responsibility of stewardship of the kingdom until the true heir to the throne returned to claim his throne. The problem was the king had been gone so long and Boromir's family had been serving as stewards for so long, that the race of men in Gondor no longer expected a king nor in fact even wanted a king. They had been doing just fine without a king so in fact they indicate that they do not need a king. Those of you who have seen the movie will remember the scene well.

As I watched this scene unfold, I was struck hard by the parallel to our own day and times. Most people in our world are not looking for the return of the King of kings. In fact, they would agree with Boromir and his ilk that suggerst we do not neede a king. Before I lash out at such people, I am forced to ask myself a question or two.

Am I truly needing the King of kings in my life? Do I live my life in such a way as to be desperately seeking His reign in my life? Or, like the stewards of Gondor, have I usurped the right to rule on the throne of my life?

These questions I am pondering this day, and likely a few more days.

May God grant to me the desire to see His reign accomplished in my life each day.

Trent

God is not an American

Having lived overseas for more than 21 years I have come to the obvious understanding that God is not an American. I may have actually thought that as a youngster, I can't really remember. But clearly He is not an American. Nor is He Chinese, Russian, German, Bosnian or Macedonian. God is God. He is above and over nations and cultures.

Then why is it, I wonder, we tend to think that God is an American and supports everything American. Does our sense of "manifest destiny" still apply to todays American culture? Surely not! I cannot believe that God favors a country that heaps enormous amounts of selfishness and greed on itself while ignoring the genuine physical, emotional, spiritual and financial needs of its own people; let alone the millions that face abject poverty overseas.

Don't misunderstand me. I AM an American. And I am sometimes proud to be an American. But when I return to America after long stints overseas, I see America in a different light than I used to. I find myself wincing at the attitudes of Americans that "can't do" without 55" HD plasma televisions while at the same time ignoring the poor and disenfranchised.

I appreciate our freedoms and know that fredom is not free. I know all that. But surely we have exchanged our freedoms for a license to do whatever we feel like doing. THAT is what makes me know that God is not an American.

Trent

Treadmill or Moving Sidewalk?

In church yesterday, the pastor had a great picture of looking at life. He compared our existence to that of either being on a treadmill or on a moving sidewalk. The treadmill, while having certain health benefits, does not get you anywhere. In spite of walking or running for 5 miles, you wind up in exactly the same place where you started. If you exercise in a gym or health club, you are tempted to look at others and see how fast or slow they are going. He suggested that this is what many believers do. They live their lives putting out a lot of effort, comparing themeselves to others, but never really getting anywhere.

In contrast to that is the moving sidewalk that actually transports you from one place to another. One of the interesting points that he made was that it only goes where the creator of the sidewalk determines it should go. When you reach the end of these machines there is often a voice indicating that you are reaching the end. The voice never asks, "Where would you like to go next?" It only goes where it was designed to go. Applying this point he suggested that as believers it is actually liberating to be on one of these because we are freed from always trying to work for God. Instead we are carried along by God to the place of His choosing.

It was a great message. As I reflected on the message throughout the day, I came to the conclusion that generally speaking, I am on the moving sidewalk. Occasionally I take a stint on the treadmill, but overall I am on the moving sidewalk. Praide God. How about you. Which one are you spending more time on today?

Trent

Evil or Wasting Time

I picked up the book Blue Like Jazz the other day. I was confronted with an old truth in the opening paragraphs of the second chapter. Miller says that the devil is not so interested in getting Christians to commit some heinous sin as he is in getting them to just waste time.

Ouch! That was like a two-by-four to the head. I have been reflecting on that ever since I read it. Thoughts of what are my time wasters. That is easy to identify. But more importantly and tougher to get a handle on is WHY do I waste my time on those things? Is it that I am so shallow that I gravitate to time wasters? Is it that I am so busy at work that I feel I need to spend time in mindlessness? Is it a way to unwind? Until I come to grips with the WHY, the WHAT is always going to be a challenge.

Trent

Hit by a Freight Train

God showed up at chapel today. After a week of having multiple student groups over to the house, I was pretty bushed. How awesome to get to chapel for worship. After 45 minutes of being in God's presence, the worship leader dismissed us. But no one wanted to leave. And many didn't. Some had to due to classes, but even some of those hung around and prayed.

As I was sitting medeitating on what God was doing, a young man, from my class, came up and sat down next to me. He said, "I fell like I just got hit by a freight train." It was in the moments AFTER the service when the worship leader was singing about freedom that my young friend was struck full force by God's love and grace. As is true with many of us, he had been trying to live for Christ on his own. He wasn't making much progress. As he was singing the words "freedom," God came to him, in a powerful way. With tears streaming down his cheeks, he said, "I'm not supposed to cry." After assuring him that it is indeed OK to cry, we chatted about God's grace.

God moved in his heart in a deep way today and I am so thankful to be there to see God at work. What a joy to see students come to the end of themselves and recognize (remember) that it is Christ in me the hope of glory!

Keep praying for God to show up on campus. In chapel and in classes too!

Trent

No Growth Without Change

This week in my Culture and Communication class, we looked at dominant and co-cultures. One of the points we discussed was the need for dominant cultures to be open to change, especially in light of the many co-cultures that surround us.

I had the unfortuante opportunity to relate a true story about a church that had been experiencing rapid changes to their neighborhood. Rather than change and adapt in order to grow, this church resisted change and wound up shrinking incredibly. I am NOT in favor of change just because we CAN change. There must be compelling reasons to change. Certainly this church had those reasons. But they did not change. What a tragedy.

As I reflected about this truth, I am forced to ask myslef this question too. There will not be any significant spiritual growth in me nless I am willing to change. Change behaviors, attitudes, thoughts, actions, etc. I liked the discussion much better when it was directed ELSEWHERE. Now I need to point in at myself and undergo the process of change, so that I can be conformed to the image of God's son. It's happening, I know. But I sense there is much more change ahead for me.

Pray for me to identify the changes that are needed and then have the grace to actually make those changes.

Trent