Happy Friday
But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. Jesus (1 John 3:17-18)
Knowing God’s Will: Among the questions I am asked, one of the most common is: how can I know God’s will? My advice is pretty consistent: 1) pray; 2) study the Bible; 3) talk to godly and wise people; 4) fast. I then add two thing; 1) wait if you can, but step out when you need to make a decision; and 2) though I occasionally “hear” God’s voice (not audibly, but powerfully), most times I do not. However, I generally come away from the time of seeking him feeling that the process was a win, because it reshaped me. This week I heard someone say that we need to reach the point of “indifference,” which they said is wonderfully modeled by Mary. When the angel Gabriel tells her that she has found favor with God and will conceive and give birth to a son (Jesus), she says, “I am the Lord’s servant. May your word to me be fulfilled.” Indifferent can be a blasé word. But that is not it’s tone here. Mary is not indifferent to her assignment. She is indifferent to her own agenda and willing to do whatever is asked. May we all move into that space.
What is America Asking? We can learn much about America by asking Google what Google is being asked. At this moment – i.e., six months through 2018 – the most common queries are about the following: in music – Ariana Grande and Lady Gaga; in pop culture – Matt Lauer and Meghan Markle; in tech – iPhone X; and in “general” two questions rise to the top: How do I make slime? And, how do I lose belly fat? By way of comparison, in 2017 we asked: How far can North Korean missiles go? How much will the wall cost? How many refugees are there in the world? And how do hurricanes form? In case you were wondering, the word most commonly typed into the Google search bar is… YouTube, followed by Amazon. Porn is number twenty.
This Week’s Sign that the Apocalypse is Upon Us: In “The Acceleration of Just About Everything,” James Gleick notes that, “the ‘close door’ button in an elevator is the one most likely to have the paint worn off.”
Higher Ed: According to a new poll, both left and right are mad at Higher Ed. Over 90 percent of Dems think it cost too much, while nearly three-fourths of Repubs believe the classroom is too politicized. The latter group also feels that “uncomfortable speech” is too restricted.
Quotes Worth Requoting: The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it. Thoreau
Willow’s Global Summit: In last week’s update, I mentioned that I was attending Willow Creek’s Global Leadership Summit, albeit cautiously. Given their recent spate of problems, I wondered if they were positioned to teach others? I came away thinking the answer is yes. The event was not perfect, but after an opening apology – in which they accepted fault, vowed to get better and explained steps they were taking to be more transparent – they provided two days of helpful content and coaching. Notes from the summit are here.
Additional Questions: A few weeks back, I listed my Eight Big Questions. I also invited you to send me yours. Many of you did. A few stood out for me: 1) Will the pace of change slow down, or is an accelerating pace of change the new normal? 2) How will the US Presidency change after Trump? 3) When and how will tensions in the Middle East abate? 4) How does the aging, mostly financially unprepared to retire, population of the United States change our country?; 5) Given that global church leadership is shifting South and East, how will that change the nature and focus of the church?
Mission Impossible: I have two thoughts after seeing MI # 5 – Fallout. First, I am jealous of Tom Cruise’s ability to run and jump. He and I are the same age, and no amount of camera angles could make me look that cool. {BTW, when did Cruise become cool again? He was written off after jumping on Oprah’s couch. He’s back to being a box office draw. May we all rebound so well.} Second, I am unsettled by movie previews. It’s not that they leave me discouraged by how dark and mindless the upcoming movies are, it’s that they are so effective at making me want to see them all.
Prayer: Thanks for Praying for Serve Your City. We had close to 1,000 people serving at over forty projects. Good stuff.
Closing Prayer: Dear Lord, today I thought of the words of Vincent van Gogh: “It is true there is an ebb and flow, but the sea remains the sea.” You are the sea. Although I experience many ups and downs in my emotions and often feel great shifts and changes in my inner life, you remain the same. Your sameness is not the sameness of a rock, but the sameness of a faithful lover. Out of your love I came to life; by your love I am sustained, and to your love I am always called back. There are days of sadness and days of joy; there are feelings of guilt and feelings of gratitude; there are moments of failure and moments of success; but all of them are embraced by your unwavering love. Amen. Henri Nouwen (1932 – 1996).