Joined the Cult

So I have now officially become a member of one of the fastest growing and most vocal cults in our country. I now have a Mac. Recently, I began to make the switch from pc to mac and I’m learning it’s harder than I originally anticipated. Don’t get me wrong, I really like the Mac, but there are some things that I’m still struggling to get used to. I’ve been told by a buddy of mine that for a week or so I’ll be frustrated and then one day everything will just click. I’m patiently waiting for that day.

“I Love You More.”

Last night I went to see “Fireproof”, and for the most part it was a great movie. Of course, like all low-budget movies, there was some acting that left something to be desired. For the most part the characters did pretty well. I must give credit to Kirk Cameron for doing a good job as well. I know that not everyone has seen the movie yet, so in no way will I spoil it, but I do want to share something that stood out to me.

The Christian life is illustrated in an amazing way through marriage. When Cameron’s character throws his computer out and leaves the simple note “I love you more”, I was blown away! He was telling his wife that he loved her more than anything. I began to think of how God has communicated with me. The all-powerful God, the God who owns everything, and reigns over everything chooses to love me more. He goes so far to show His love that He sent Jesus to purchase my life back from sin. In the same way that Cameron discards his computer and leaves roses, Jesus has discarded my sin and left righteousness. In the same way that the character left a note that said “I love you more”, Jesus has left the scriptures that testify “I love you more.”

As I consider what my response to this kind of love should be, I am overwhelmed knowing that I can not respond in an adequate way. The amazing thing about the love of God is that it is not contingent on who I am nor is the maintenance of His love contingent on who I am, it is all based on who He is. My prayer is that God will change my love. Cause me to love Him and not His blessings.

 

Cowards on Board

When you read through the gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John), sometimes you come to a story that just baffles you. Like this morning! I’ve been reading my way through the life of Jesus according to Mark. Jesus had just finished teaching another large crowd. He did it from a BOAT! Jesus was awesome! Joel Osteen has nothing on Jesus! He inspires in an arena, Jesus is a man’s man and taught from a boat! Anyway! As the story goes, Jesus finished teaching and instead of going back to shore where the crowd was, He wanted to go to the other side of the lake to get out of the boat. While crossing the lake, Jesus fell asleep and a bad storm came up. I grew up in Southeast Texas, on the coast. I know exactly how it is when a storm out of nowhere just shows up! It can ruin a day if you’re not prepared. This storm seemingly came out of nowhere, and it scared the diciples to death! The scripture tells us that they went to Jesus and woke Him up saying, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”

They ran to the One who they believed could help them. This totally reminds me of my dog that I had growing up.  I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that my dog liked me, and if dogs have the capacity for love then he loved me. However, when he got hurt or was afraid he without fail tucked his tail and ran to my mom. He believed that she was the one that could take care of him. That could make him stop hurting or make the scary situation go away. The reason he felt that way was because she spent time with him. She held him as a baby and did all the little things all his life to earn his trust. The disciples had been walking with Jesus and had come to believe that He had their best interest in mind. Jesus woke up, calmed the storm, and then set His sights on the disciples.

The scripture tells us that He rebuked them for their lack of faith. He called them cowards, and said “Have you still no faith?” It’s almost as if Jesus was saying, “after all this time together, after hearing me teach you over and over, and after you’ve seen the miracles that I’ve done you still don’t have faith?”  Unfortunately the disciples still didn’t get it, Mark tells us they said, “Who then is this, that even wind and sea obey Him?” What is your fear in life right now? What is your storm that is threatening you? The jacked up thing in all of this is that the disciples actually ran to Jesus when they were afraid, but the scripture tells us that they were shocked that He did something about the situation.

I don’t think that the point of this story is that we shouldn’t be afraid in life. I think there is something called “healthy fear.” I think that the message in this story is that amidst all the chaos that is this world, Jesus is still on the throne. He is still in charge. I think back to the beginning of the Great Commission where it is recorded that Jesus said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” There are times in life that we are to be afraid, but all the time we should remember that God is in control and can bring peace to the cowards.