Polytheism is a word we do not think about to often. The word means “many gods.” The term suggests that an individual believes and worships more than one God or Lord. We do not meet many people who are polytheists, here in America, so most of us understand worship as a one on one relationship with a god or divine being. Balance is a word we do understand. Balance means that everything is equal, in harmony, or in order.
In Mark 4:35-41 Jesus sends the disciples across lake Galilee to the other side, at night, by faith. The lake of Galilee is nestled below a range of hills that, due to their position on the lake, create a wind funnel. The wind will blow violently causing waves which can catch a fisherman, in the middle of the lake, off guard. If he is not ready, it will be a scary experience. I live in Portland, Oregon and we have similar winds that whip down the Columbia River Gorge that can knock anyone off their feet when a quick gust hits in the winter. Fishermen in Galilee were used to this. They expected this. But not at night, in the middle of the lake, when you couldn't see.
Contrary to the movies, the wind and waves were not a hurrican with rain, lightning, thunder, and tornado. What happened was that the qind quickly came, shook the boat, the waves came over the small craft, and then it quickly subsided. Yet this time was different.
Jesus called the disciples to go out over the lake at evening. This was an act of faith. The last place you wanted to be when this wind hit. And even worse, when it hit, Jesus was asleep at the stern (where the control stick was). What was the disciple's response? "Teacher, don't you care that we drown/perish?" Jesus had asked them to do what no fisherman would have done. Jesus had called them to trust him at the helm. It was Jesus' idea to go across the bottomliss lake and saddle up for the Great Adventure! Now he was silent, asleep, still at the helm. Sure--he doesn't care!
And Jesus' response: "Shut up and put a sock in it," (loose Greek translation). Then came the challenge: "Why are you afraid/cowardly? Do you still not have faith?" All the work that Jesus had done meant nothing now that they were scared. All the healing, the parables, the teaching was worthless. "He sleeps, he doesn't care." "He's in control, but he lets us suffer."
In a world of polytheism gods had to be awakened. You can see the struggle that the Jews had with believing in one God even in the language they used. The Hebrew word qum appears all through the Psalms. Rise up, wake up, get up. The belief was that God was way away in the heavens asleep. God had to be awakened to come down and deliver us. Elijah tells the prophets of Baal that their god must be asleep or off in the toilet. "Wake up," meant, "You don't see us," "You don't care about us," "We're here, you're there, we suffur, you don't care." Even though God lived among the people they struggled to see that Yahweh was there among them. Silence did not mean that God didn't care.
But God told a polytheistic society, or one struggling with polytheism, "Just because I am silent doesn't mean I don't care." God sees, God hears, God waits, but God still acts. Jesus sees, Jesus hears, Jesus waits, but Jesus still acts. Have faith, don't be afraid, all obeys Jesus. Jesus still sees, still weeps, still rejoices, still responds, still hears, still loves, and still is in control. Silence doesn't mean God is dead--it means that God waits.
Monday, October 31, 2005
Monday, October 24, 2005
Beyond The Rituals:Letting God Reign in Our Lives
The simple center of God's will can be lost in our complication and sophistication. Maybe this story will clarify matters.
A few days ago I took my four year old son and his plastic tiger into my lap, “Josh, what did we do before you were born?”
To which he readily replied, “Work in the garage.”
“Oh. What kind of work did we do?”
“Paint,” He said.
“Well, what do we do now that you have been born?”
He didn’t even hesitate. “Eat.”
“What do we eat?”
“Spaghetti and eggs..(he paused a second, then added) and cereal.”
He then picked up his toy tiger and ran off to play. That was our conversation. I don’t know what he thought I’d asked, or where his answers came from, but he was confident in there accuracy. I chuckled and thought, "I love that kid."
It was a precious moment. Though Josh won’t recall our talk a decade or even a day from now, I’ll never forget it.
Josh and my conversation may resemble our experience someday before the LORD. All that we now so confidently purport about "God" and "Life" and "Meaning" may be viewed in retrospect as childish, perhaps foolish. In fact, we’ll probably learn we didn’t even understand the questions! Yet, I'm confident that our Father who lives in Heaven will have cherished the conversation nonetheless.
Oh! for a child’s heart, a simple faith, a walk with God.
A few days ago I took my four year old son and his plastic tiger into my lap, “Josh, what did we do before you were born?”
To which he readily replied, “Work in the garage.”
“Oh. What kind of work did we do?”
“Paint,” He said.
“Well, what do we do now that you have been born?”
He didn’t even hesitate. “Eat.”
“What do we eat?”
“Spaghetti and eggs..(he paused a second, then added) and cereal.”
He then picked up his toy tiger and ran off to play. That was our conversation. I don’t know what he thought I’d asked, or where his answers came from, but he was confident in there accuracy. I chuckled and thought, "I love that kid."
It was a precious moment. Though Josh won’t recall our talk a decade or even a day from now, I’ll never forget it.
Josh and my conversation may resemble our experience someday before the LORD. All that we now so confidently purport about "God" and "Life" and "Meaning" may be viewed in retrospect as childish, perhaps foolish. In fact, we’ll probably learn we didn’t even understand the questions! Yet, I'm confident that our Father who lives in Heaven will have cherished the conversation nonetheless.
Oh! for a child’s heart, a simple faith, a walk with God.
Tuesday, October 18, 2005
New Site Design
Construction is almost finished.
It's taken a while to put it all together - and it isn't quite all together yet - but the New Wineskins site will soon be moving to its new location at the links available on this page.
Until the database of subscribers and their passwords is moved to the new site, access will be free to all visitors, as I understand it.
There are more articles, more book and movie reviews, more features than previously available online ... and the archives now go back as far as the January-February 2000 issue.
I'll be continuing to add artwork and text to the site and building in new features as time permits. So if you hear some sawing and hammering while you're visiting, that may explain it.
For instance: Not all of the "Writer" listings are in place, nor are the links completed to the "Community," "Culture" and "You" graphics, but they're in process.
Begin your sneak peek by clicking on the "Home" button and enjoy the first two new features of the September - December double issue "In Christ Alone."
And if you run across any knotholes or encounter any unwired outlets, please let me know!
It's taken a while to put it all together - and it isn't quite all together yet - but the New Wineskins site will soon be moving to its new location at the links available on this page.
Until the database of subscribers and their passwords is moved to the new site, access will be free to all visitors, as I understand it.
There are more articles, more book and movie reviews, more features than previously available online ... and the archives now go back as far as the January-February 2000 issue.
I'll be continuing to add artwork and text to the site and building in new features as time permits. So if you hear some sawing and hammering while you're visiting, that may explain it.
For instance: Not all of the "Writer" listings are in place, nor are the links completed to the "Community," "Culture" and "You" graphics, but they're in process.
Begin your sneak peek by clicking on the "Home" button and enjoy the first two new features of the September - December double issue "In Christ Alone."
And if you run across any knotholes or encounter any unwired outlets, please let me know!
Friday, October 07, 2005
Zoe Worship Conference I
If you weren't there, oh man, you missed it. Art, drama, worship, scripture, preaching - Jesus. Let me try to help fill you in.
The best part of the night, bar none, was Donna Hester's incredible drama. She portrayed six women in the genealogy of Jesus from the book of Matthew. Somehow she integrated Rolling Stones music, Jerry Springer, World War II, ironing, hanging clothes out to dry, and a bunvh of stuff with Eve, Ruth, Tamar, Rahab, Bathsheba, and Mary. You will have tears if you get the chance to see it.
Mike Cope retold the Sermon on the Mount in way that could not be legalized.
The worship was strong, moving, and Jesus honoring.
The best part of the night, bar none, was Donna Hester's incredible drama. She portrayed six women in the genealogy of Jesus from the book of Matthew. Somehow she integrated Rolling Stones music, Jerry Springer, World War II, ironing, hanging clothes out to dry, and a bunvh of stuff with Eve, Ruth, Tamar, Rahab, Bathsheba, and Mary. You will have tears if you get the chance to see it.
Mike Cope retold the Sermon on the Mount in way that could not be legalized.
The worship was strong, moving, and Jesus honoring.
Thursday, October 06, 2005
Beyond the Rituals:Letting God Reign in Our Lives
...true stories intended to touch your heart and change your life....
LUKIRO--Africa has a huge orphan problem. This is the story of one rescue attempt…
I saw them coming, a herd of Pigpens -- a cloud of rags, dirt, matted hair, and smiles. Gaunt, covered with more dirt than cloth -- little boys at heart, men in experience, beggars by trade. Lukiro and his orphan buddies slept on cardboard or concrete, played in the alleys, dreamed of living in the world of wealth. Yet, leaving the streets would be difficult--if possible at all.
Donna and I decided to launch a rescue effort. I handed Lukiro and his four friends a bar of soap each. Leading them to a cafe. I instructed the owner: "Each evening, if they have clean bodies, feed them whatever they want. Deliver the bill to me." If they managed this modest change, we’d advance to more substantial ones. My plan seemed fool proof -- but it wasn't.
Two weeks later I found the boys, as dirty as ever.
"Why did you stop batheing?" They shrugged and stared at the pavement. Musa, Lukiro's big brother, mumbled, "The big boys stole our soap."
I bought more soap. A shop owner agreed to collect it for safe keeping. Satisfied that the cracks in the dike were plugged, I left my little friends with smiles on their faces.
Still, new leaks sprouted. Obviously, a new approach was necessary. We focused on the candidate most-likely-to-succeed -- Lukiro.
"Lukiro, hop in the car. I want to take you somewhere." His eyes swelled in proportion to his grin. He couldn’t have dreamed what I was up to. He didn't care. It didn't matter. The thrill of a ride through town was more fascinating than where it lead.
We entered the restaurant. I ordered fried rice, green grams, wheat chapatis, potatoes and cabbage in curry, and a mug of fresh cold milk. Lukiro never said a word. He couldn't -- his mouth stayed too full.
Our plates empty and our stomachs bulging, we sipped our milk together. I leaned forward, my heart throbbing. "Lukiro, listen to me. I want to be your father. I want to take care of you. I want to feed you, buy you new clothes, send you to school, get you medicine when you are sick, and protect you from the mean boys on the street."
He sat silently.
"Lukiro, all I ask you to do is come with me. I have already made arrangements. There is room for you. Lukiro, I will take care of you as if you were my own son. Will you come with me and follow my instruction?"
I gave the words time to settle. He silently drank his milk. My mind leapt ahead dreaming of blessing him with a regular allowance, taking him on vacations, telling him of Christ. My heart raced in anticipation of all we would do as a family, but Lukiro's eyes searched the floor. He did not answer.
"It is too much too quick," I supposed. So I gave him time to think. We would meet at the market in two days. The days passed. I waited, but Lukiro never came.
Sometimes, in the night, in the quiet, in my bed I think, "O Lukiro! How warmly would you have rested last night had you only come to me. Never again would you have known hunger, or fear, or meanness, or poverty. I would have shown you goodness, prosperity, kindness, honesty, and love. Lukiro, I had in mind to do so much for you. You break my heart foolish little boy. You break my heart. What can I do now? You will never know all I’d planned for you."
Sometimes, in the night, in the quiet, in my heart, I consider the things God wants to do for me. "For I know the plans I have for you" declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Incredible isn't it? To imagine that The Father of all that is wonderful and delightful lies awake at night thinking and dreaming of what He can do for me. All I must do is what He says.
P.S. If you are interested in an orphan success story and possibly helping it to continue, I recommend “Made in the Streets Ministry” in Nairobi, Kenya. Learn more at www.made-in-the-streets.org or write them directly at coulston@datastreet.com
LUKIRO--Africa has a huge orphan problem. This is the story of one rescue attempt…
I saw them coming, a herd of Pigpens -- a cloud of rags, dirt, matted hair, and smiles. Gaunt, covered with more dirt than cloth -- little boys at heart, men in experience, beggars by trade. Lukiro and his orphan buddies slept on cardboard or concrete, played in the alleys, dreamed of living in the world of wealth. Yet, leaving the streets would be difficult--if possible at all.
Donna and I decided to launch a rescue effort. I handed Lukiro and his four friends a bar of soap each. Leading them to a cafe. I instructed the owner: "Each evening, if they have clean bodies, feed them whatever they want. Deliver the bill to me." If they managed this modest change, we’d advance to more substantial ones. My plan seemed fool proof -- but it wasn't.
Two weeks later I found the boys, as dirty as ever.
"Why did you stop batheing?" They shrugged and stared at the pavement. Musa, Lukiro's big brother, mumbled, "The big boys stole our soap."
I bought more soap. A shop owner agreed to collect it for safe keeping. Satisfied that the cracks in the dike were plugged, I left my little friends with smiles on their faces.
Still, new leaks sprouted. Obviously, a new approach was necessary. We focused on the candidate most-likely-to-succeed -- Lukiro.
"Lukiro, hop in the car. I want to take you somewhere." His eyes swelled in proportion to his grin. He couldn’t have dreamed what I was up to. He didn't care. It didn't matter. The thrill of a ride through town was more fascinating than where it lead.
We entered the restaurant. I ordered fried rice, green grams, wheat chapatis, potatoes and cabbage in curry, and a mug of fresh cold milk. Lukiro never said a word. He couldn't -- his mouth stayed too full.
Our plates empty and our stomachs bulging, we sipped our milk together. I leaned forward, my heart throbbing. "Lukiro, listen to me. I want to be your father. I want to take care of you. I want to feed you, buy you new clothes, send you to school, get you medicine when you are sick, and protect you from the mean boys on the street."
He sat silently.
"Lukiro, all I ask you to do is come with me. I have already made arrangements. There is room for you. Lukiro, I will take care of you as if you were my own son. Will you come with me and follow my instruction?"
I gave the words time to settle. He silently drank his milk. My mind leapt ahead dreaming of blessing him with a regular allowance, taking him on vacations, telling him of Christ. My heart raced in anticipation of all we would do as a family, but Lukiro's eyes searched the floor. He did not answer.
"It is too much too quick," I supposed. So I gave him time to think. We would meet at the market in two days. The days passed. I waited, but Lukiro never came.
Sometimes, in the night, in the quiet, in my bed I think, "O Lukiro! How warmly would you have rested last night had you only come to me. Never again would you have known hunger, or fear, or meanness, or poverty. I would have shown you goodness, prosperity, kindness, honesty, and love. Lukiro, I had in mind to do so much for you. You break my heart foolish little boy. You break my heart. What can I do now? You will never know all I’d planned for you."
Sometimes, in the night, in the quiet, in my heart, I consider the things God wants to do for me. "For I know the plans I have for you" declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Incredible isn't it? To imagine that The Father of all that is wonderful and delightful lies awake at night thinking and dreaming of what He can do for me. All I must do is what He says.
P.S. If you are interested in an orphan success story and possibly helping it to continue, I recommend “Made in the Streets Ministry” in Nairobi, Kenya. Learn more at www.made-in-the-streets.org or write them directly at coulston@datastreet.com
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