From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. Psalm 61:2
In Psalm 61, David cries out for help. If you’ve spent any time in the Psalms you know that’s not unusual. To read the celebrated leader’s prayers is to know that he spent a lot of time begging God for aid. What stands out for me here is his request to be placed “on a rock that is higher than I”. This is code for perspective – which we all desperately need. In fact, often times all we need to weather a storm is a perspective a few degrees elevated from the one we have. You can call this “God’s view” or an “eternal perspective”. Both work. Lord, let me stand on a rock higher than I.
Reformation > Revival: Many pray for revival – as we should. But what we really want is reformation. It’s not just people making an initial decision for Christ. It’s lots of people acting more and more like Jesus.
Remember You are Dust: About 1,000 years ago, the church set up Lent, a 40-day period for reflection leading up to Christ’s crucifixion. The hope is that during this time we might personalize our role in Christ’s suffering – i.e., to realize that he did not die for the sins of the world, but he died for my greed, my pride, my lust, my anger and my smallness. Some people give something up. Others take something on. No one should think that in doing so they are earning God’s favor or seriously identifying with Christ’s suffering. The goal is to be reminded of His suffering. At Christ Church we held a handful of Ash Wednesday services and a couple hundred people got in line to receive ashes in the sign of the cross. It is one of the most counter-cultural moments of the year. In an era where we people are used to being told that they are wonderful, special, gifted, precious, beautiful and above average, I say, “remember, you are dust and to dust you will return.”
Avoid Contempt: Arthur C. Brooks, who is stepping down from the American Enterprise Institute to teach at Harvard, recently wrote a piece for the New York Times about contempt. In it he argues: 1) things are worse than at any time since the Civil War; 2) the problem is not incivility or intolerance, but contempt; and 3) that we can and should move through this time of polarization. Brooks observes that each side believes that it is driven by benevolence, while the other side is evil and motivated by hatred. He then claims that the answer is not to disagree less – since disagreements and competition are essential to excellence in democracy and economics – but to disagree better. He advises us to “make a commitment never to treat others with contempt, even if we believe they deserve it.” When people treat us with contempt, Brooks encourages us to “respond with warm-heartedness and good humor.” After all, “No one has ever been hated into agreement.” BTW, I suspect – but do not know – that Brooks is a Christ-follower.
We Become Like What We Worship: A while back, philosopher James K.A. Smith wrote a book called You Are What You Love. Both John Piper and G.K. Beale have books out with a similar title, We Become What We Worship. I’ve skimmed two of the three, but can’t imagine anyone does a better job of making this point than C.S. Lewis, when, in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (a book in The Chronicles of Narnia series) he has Eustace Scrubb turn into a dragon.
What Do Bill Maher, Sam Harris, Richard Dawkins and the Apostle Paul Have in Common? They all hate religion. Each realizes that religion can turn you into a bad person. Worse yet, a bad, yet self-righteous person. Religion caters to the worst parts of us – e.g., pride, self-centeredness, bigotry, etc. In short, it turns us into Pharisees. The Gospel teaches the opposite of religion.
Workaholism: If you missed Workism is Making Americans Miserable, which ran in last month’s Atlantic, you should read it. It is always interesting to see the business and cultural elites jump on a biblical bandwagon. It’s available here.
The Emptiness of Getting What You Want: As long as you think you might achieve your dreams it’s possible to experience your emptiness as drive, thereby remaining oblivious to your deep thirst for God. Those who reach their goals – and those who quickly realize that they never will – are fortunate in that they have a better chance of realizing that only Christ will satisfy. Michael Keller is among those who note that it’s possible to chase the wrong answer to the right question.
The Center of the World: Five centuries before Christ, Greek philosopher Anaximander constructed the first map. He made Miletus – a city in western Turkey where he lived – the center of the world. Perhaps his decision was less ego than experience. What’s your excuse? BTW, I think all educated people know deep down that Chicago is the real center of the world.
Closing Prayer: O God, the light of the hearts that see you, the life of the souls that love you, the strength of the minds that seek you; from whom to turn is to fall, to whom to turn is to rise and in whom to abide is to stand fast forever: grant us your blessings as we offer up our confessions and supplications, and though we are unworthy to approach you or to ask anything of you at all, hear and forgive us, for the sake of our great High Priest and only Mediator, Jesus Christ your Son. Amen. Augustine (354-430)