Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.
Psalm 100
We are never ordered to worship, but we are frequently ordered to worship God. This is not because He needs the encouragement. Rather, it is because He loves us, and He knows that our lives only truly work when we rightly order our loves.
Dallas Willard 2.0: Among the late USC philosophy professor’s insights, few seem as prescient as his argument that we must “ruthlessly eliminate hurry from our lives.” To be clear, Willard wasn’t arguing that our pace of life was a physical problem, he simply claimed that we cannot expect to reflect and grow unless we slow down. A growing number of people – both Christian and secular – are now echoing his call. This article from The Atlantic makes a related argument. (It may be worth a moment of reflection if you believe that you are too far behind to read an article advocating reflection).
Clowns to the Left of Me, Jokers to the Right: In an effort to better understand the pea soup we are swimming in, I have been listening to both sides of the talk radio dial. I do not recommend it. For starters, it’s depressing. Secondly, it’s misleading (numerous studies suggest 75 percent of the country is simply keeping their head down because they do not want to rile the fringe.) Finally, it cultivates pride. I quoted the refrain from Joe Egan and Gerry Rafferty’s 1972 song, because that is how I feel when I listen to those who disagree with me. “Why can’t everyone be as thoughtful and wise as I am?”
Ten Second Rule: In last week’s sermon, I shared a surprisingly simple yet helpful path forward. Instead of trying to figure out a comprehensive plan, I’ve started asking: “What am I reasonably certain Jesus would have me do for the next ten seconds?” It’s not a perfect way forward, but in his book on obedience, The Ten Second Rule: Following Jesus Made Simple, Clare DeGraaf builds a case for utilizing this simple question.
Jud’s Homily: Two weeks ago, I noted two friends had been tragically killed in a car accident. John Ortberg delivered the eulogy at their funeral two weeks ago. I am still thinking about it. You can read it here.
Quotes Worth ReQuoting: The world breaks everyone and afterward many are strong at the broken places. Ernest Hemingway
The Church as Melting Pot: Christ Church was recently awarded a small grant to explore an intersection of faith and science. The money – which originates with the Templeton Foundation but is being governed by the Carl Henry Center – is being given to us for two reasons: first, after years of asking scientists to study faith, Templeton thought it was time to have people of faith assess science; secondly, there is a belief that the church is one of the last truly interdisciplinary places around. The university is supposed to be that, but it turns out that very little unifies the university any longer. We will be using the money to study mental health, bringing together a theologian, a few big Pharma researchers, a psychiatrist, a therapist, a neurosurgeon, a theologian and a social worker.
Without Comment:
- Malnutrition is the single greatest health inequity in the world. Bill Gates, after noting that 1 in 3 children today are either undernourished or overweight.
- According to a Georgetown Institute of Politics and Public Service survey, the average American voter believes the U.S. is “two-thirds of the way toward the ‘edge of a civil war.’”
- The average American watches five hours of TV a day, and the average American 21-year-old has spent 10,000 hours gaming – which is more time than they have spent in middle school and high school combined.
- For the tenth straight year, women earned the majority of doctoral degrees. (Note: women outnumber men in grad school 139 to 100).
- Amazon lists over 860,000 self-help books for sale.
Canadian Cannabis: This week marks the first anniversary of Canada’s decision to legalize recreational marijuana. It turns out that all ten of the leading cannabis producers have lost money. Apparently pot jokes are easier to manufacture than pot profits, and the kid selling behind the high school can sell weed for less than the dispensary paying high taxes. Who knew?
A Firefighter’s Observations: I occasionally ask people how their job is changing. What I frequently hear are reports about the impact of technology. Last week I asked a firefighter. He noted two significant changes concerning the medical calls they respond to: 1) a growing number of issues involving the elderly; and 2) a big spike in the number of psych calls.
Closing Prayer: Open the eyes of our hearts to know you, who are the highest of the high, the holiest of the holy. You bring down the haughtiness of the proud, and thwart the schemes of the dishonest. You raise up the lowly and cast down the lofty. Riches and poverty, death and life, are in your hand. You alone can discern every spirit, looking into the depths of every soul. You protect those in danger, give hope to those in despair, and guide every creature on earth. By your power the nations of the earth can flourish and increase. Grant us, Lord, we beseech you, your grace. Pity the poor, encourage those who are sad, enlighten those whose spirits are in darkness, heal the sick, guide the confused, feed the hungry, release those who are unjustly imprisoned, support the weak, comfort the faint-hearted. Let all the nations of the world know that you are God, that Jesus Christ is your child, and that we are your people. Amen. Clement of Rome (died 96).