Flag in Church

There has been a lot of talk lately about whether or not the U.S. flag should be displayed in our churches.  I consider myself patriotic.  I served 6 years in the army.  I have a son who sacrificed his way of life when his hummer was hit by an IED in Iraq.  I tear up when the National Anthem is played.  However, I have found myself questioning why when I preach on Sunday morning there is an American flag behind me.

The first thing that comes to mind is how does or would the flag make an international visitor feel?  Are we saying by displaying the flag that Christians should buy into the American way of life?  Some people may suggest that if they don't like it they can go back to their own country, but is that really how Jesus would respond.

The second thing that comes to mind is how does the presence of such a flag help us worship Jesus?  If it doesn't and I can't think of a way it does, why is it there?  Where did the tradition come from?

Many Christian churches will celebrate the 4th of July this Sunday with a Patriotic themed service.  They will celebrate how we loved our enemy and turned the other cheek...er, wait...

Brokenness

I spent a short time in the emergency room last night...long enough for me to wonder how many of our "emergencies" are a result of brokenness.  One 30something year old was in the ER with suicidal thoughts due to alcoholism.  Another man was there because he was found unresponsive and naked in his front yard, due again to alcohol abuse.  These two emergencies bummed me out.  My spirits were lifted when a young woman came in obviously in labor.  Her husband looked stressed as she barked out orders to him.  In between her breathing exercises and bouts of contractions she smiled at me.  I smiled back and asked if this was going to be her first.  She shook her head and held up four fingers.  Wow!  I thought she is way too young to have four children!  I went back to being bummed as I heard her tell the receptionist that she has not been receiving prenatal care and does not have a family doctor.

I sat back in my chair and wondered if the church might be a little like the ER.  Then I thought sadly the church is too much like the ER...people seeking a quick fix to their symptoms without the necessary healing of the ailment.  I imagined Jesus in the ER asking people "Do you want to get well" (John 5:6).  Then I imagined them beating around the bush with an answer that basically cried "just fix my current symptom and I'll be fine".

God wants us to be healed holistically from our brokeness...not to simply slap a few bandaids on when the pain becomes unbearable.  God wants us to have peace, yet there is so much brokenness.  How do we become healed?  The answer isn't through alcohol, the answer isn't through pain pills, the answer isn't through a lust filled relationship, the answer isn't through buying more.  The answer is through Jesus...do you want to get well?

Paradox

I once remember saying "my scientific mind will not allow me to become a Christian."  I mean come on: three equals one, virgin and mother, human and divine, oh please that is just insulting to my intelligence and to the scientific method!  Little did I know my intelligence was simply a product of being taught Greek philosophy where A has to be A and A cannot be B.  That intelligence told me things like the Trinity and the Incarnation were nonsense.  Therefore I reasoned science and Christian religion were just not compatible.

My tune changed later in life when I embraced Christianity.  My motto was theology is the study of God through Jesus, and science is the study of God through nature; if they are incompatible than you either have bad theology or bad science.  And I still believe that, but instead of trying to have an answer for everything I have learned to embrace the mystery.  But how if science and theology must go hand in hand?  Shouldn't there be nice little formulas and equations that form an answer for everything?  And shouldn't everything be able to be "proved" by the scientific method?

I recently read this paragraph: "Quantum physics and astrophysics are filled with similar logical impossibilities.  Much of the universe seems to feed on paradox and the mysterious--everything from black holes to dark matter to neutrinos, which are invisible and weightless and yet necessary to keep matter and anti-matter from canceling out one another.  They have to be there--things don't make sense otherwise--but no one can prove it, because the scientific method cannot measure it or know it, except by its effects.  We have all heard how light is both a wave and a particle, and scientist long ago gave up trying to prove it was just one or the other.  It is clearly both--and at the same time!"  (emphasis mine)

Perhaps the world, the universe, isn't as cut and dry, black and white, either or as we once thought.  Why then as Christians do we feel the need to think everything has an answer and needs defended?  Why can't we embrace the paradox?  Why can't we embrace the mystery as the mystics of old did?

The Parable of the Biker

It was a beautiful day when a Christian decided to take his new Harley Davidson motorcycle out for a ride.  The weather was perfect as he zipped down some back country roads, but then he came upon some traffic. The person driving the car in front of him was going way too slow for his liking, but the double yellow line in the road stated that it was unsafe to pass.  After a few moments of grumbling the biker thought who decides that it is unsafe to pass here?  They don't know my driving skills, who are they to determine I can't pass safely.  And on that thought the biker kicked down a gear and safely passed the car.  A great whoosh of endorphins flooded the biker upon making the pass--he had never felt so alive.

It wasn't long before he came upon another car going too slow for his liking and there was that blasted double yellow line again!  He remembered the whoosh and once again threw caution to the wind.  He kicked it down a gear and rolled into the throttle before jumping across the double yellow line to make the pass.  Just as he was passing the car another car came over the hill.  He twisted the throttle with urgency and dove the motorcycle in front of the car he was passing seemingly missing the oncoming car.  His adrenaline was kicking so strong that he didn't realize the tip of his left handlebar grazed the driver side mirror of the oncoming car.  He let out a great laugh (in joy and relief) and continued his journey.

The mother driving the oncoming car watched in horror as her mirror exploded and sent shards of glass into the backseat where her children were.  She rushed them to the hospital where they were stitched up and taken care of.  There would be no long term injuries other than the scars they would carry with them the rest of their lives.

Pain

I am guilty...I rejoiced in someone else's pain last night.  I celebrated when Lebron James' team lost in the finals.  I didn't celebrate a Maverick's victory, I didn't even celebrate a Heat loss, I celebrated Jame's misery.  Why?  Is it because I think he is egotistical?  Is it because I think he is selfish?  Is it because I think he is cocky (c'mon King James, really?)?  It it because I am jealous that he is making millions playing a game (hmmmm)?  Even if all those reasons are true, it gives me no right to celebrate his pain or rejoice in his hurting.

What causes humans to rejoice in the pain of other humans?  I'm not sure but I would guess we are the only species that does that.  The old phrase comes to mind: misery loves company.  A friend of mine put it this way: those who are hurting hurt others.  We pass along hurt like it is a virus (maybe it is more similar than we realize).  I don't think we do it intentionally but we do it.  What would happen if we nipped it in the bud and refused to pas it along?  Could we eradicate it like the small pox virus?  Could we at least minimize it so that it isn't a plague?  Imagine what would happen if when we are hurt we passed on love instead of pain?  It will not be easy, but I think it would make for a wonderful world to live in.

The BIG Three

If you know me you know that my two favorite "things" are Jesus and lifting heavy objects.  They don't really go together on first thought, but as I've grown in both spiritual and muscular development I've realized they have a lot of similarities.  Both require discipline.  Both require passion.  Both take commitment.  Both offer amazing rewards.

For many years I really couldn't put on much muscle.  I worked out hard, read the magazines, but nothing seemed to work.  I know muscle maturity played a part, but there was also something else missing.  Then I talked with a powerlifter at Iron City gym in Pontiac, MI and he said you need to devote yourself to the Big Three: Bench Press, Squat and Deadlift.  Up to that point I had been doing a lot of isolation and specialized exercises.  I took his advice and couldn't believe the great gains I made not only in strength and size.  The Big Three have been a staple in my muscular development ever since.

I wonder what the Big Three exercises of spiritual development would be.  There are a lot of different spiritual exercises and practices available.  If you could only participate in three what would they be?  Or  if you had to recommend three to someone struggling to draw close to Jesus what would they be?  Looking forward to seeing your thoughts on the Big Three of spiritual exercises.

Two Pitbulls and a Cold

Not too long ago I laid in bed with a horrible cold/flu/food poisoning.  I ached all over and couldn't keep anything down.  The TV was on but I couldn't really concentrate on what was on it.  Besides the TV my other companions were my two pitbulls, Milo and Omega.  Milo cuddled close to me and had no desire to leave my side.  Omega laid at the foot of the bed with his head cocked listening for any sound that was unusual.  When he heard something he bolted from the bed on full alert patrolling the house for any would-be intruder.

In my over-the-counter cold and flu medicine stupor I thought how although I appreciated Omega's guardianship his constantly getting up and down was annoying; besides I didn't really need defended.  I did, however, enjoy Milo's presence--even if he was sleeping.  I then thought how God probably enjoys me in the same way.  God may appreciate my attempts at theology, evangelism, and apologetics, but he doesn't need any of it.  What God really desires is my presence.  God delights in spending time with me.  What an awesome thought!