Thanks for sharing the impact your experience in Rwanda had in shaping the ways you see God is at work reconciling the world to God's self in and through Jesus. Your mention of God's wrath reminded me of the ways those who dehumanize and hate others use God's wrath to legitimize their thoughts and actions ("the curse of Ham" - for example). I'm reminded how careful I need to be when I speak of God's wrath. It helps me to see God's wrath as wrath against sin and sins awful impact on both human with God and human with human relationships - not wrath on humans. Thoughts of 'God's wrath' bring to my mind the family's of Korah, Dathan and Abiram in Numbers 16. Were Korah, Dathan and Abiram's wives and children wiped out because of God's wrath on them? God's wrath against the actions of Korah, Dathan and Abiram's actions is understandable. God being angry with their wives and children is not. Perhaps God's wrath allows that God holds some anger about the awful cost God's reconciling the world to God's self brought within the God's trinitarian self - the cost of the Father denying the Son. This cost of self emptying love provides convincing evidence to me that God's wrath is not wrath on people.
Thanks. I know that, for me, humility is very, very hard when my heart and head are invested in a heated debate. Thanks for highlighting the way human humility invites a Holy Spirit shaped future.
A number of years ago I landed on a document entitled "The Cost Of Being Black". The document listed opportunities provided to white Americans but not black Americans. Examples include
- the right to stake a mining claim
- the right to stake out and make a land claim
- the right to receive the post WWII GI bill given to help returning soldiers get loans to purchase a home
The list is long. I don't remember everything on the list. I do remember that "the cost of being black" was not taught in any significant or memorable way at the Christian day schools I attended. What I do remember is that from the beginning the loudest voice in our country - and consequently the most power in shaping the systems that govern the politic and economics is the white man voice. The white man voice wrote treaties with native Americans - the white man voice decided to allow women to vote - the white man voice wrote and enforced Jim Crowe laws in the south - the white man voice decided and enforced the segregation of day schools - the white man voice at Chase bank decided to loan 1.9% of mortgage loans to Black families and approx. 80 % of mortgage loan money to white families in my city that is about 30% African American. The white man voice decided that the war on drugs could best be fought by incarcerating African American teens and men.
Just as significant- the white man voice failed to speak against the violation of treaties - the white man ignored and failed to enforce the post slavery promises made to former slaves.
For many people returning to normal means returning to a world shaped by the 'loudest' and wealthiest voice - the white man live.
thank God - more and more people recognize that the kingdom we prayerfully seek is not a kingdom shaped by the loudest, wealthiest and most powerful voice. Normal in the kingdom of God takes place when the loudest voice gives away power - lays down their life even - for their neighbor. It will take a huge - beyond our imagination - power shift for a recognizable shift in the nature of race relationships in this country. I am hopeful that the loudest voice may be ready to do more than than simply lament and listen. I'm praying that the loudest voice will lay down its power - like Jesus did. I trust that God will do more than we - who have taken and held on to power - are even willing to imagine - for the sake of the kingdom of God.
Each year during Holy Week - usually on Good Friday - I read through the book "We Call This Friday Good" - by the late Dr. Howard Hageman. Hageman, who served as a pastor in the Reformed Church of America and served as president of New Brunswick seminary - writes about each of the 7 words Jesus speaks from the cross. His writing helps connect me anew with the humanity of Jesus. Each year, as Holy Week draws near, I find myself eager to again listen and experience anew the deep love of Jesus.
At Many Peoples Church we carry a rollover benevolence fund that serves that purpose. We initially set the fund up with $ 1,000.00. Over the last 8 years since we began meeting for worship, at least 6 church members, and several community neighbors have borrowed from that benevolence fund. Their reasons were much like the case study you described. We ask people to sign an agreement that underscores 2 things - 1 - their commitment to repay the amount according to the terms they agreed would work with their budget And 2 - they understand that failing to repay will mean that we will be unable to help others from this fund. The fund depends on their repayment.
So far, 3 out of 4 people have repaid the loan. We feel like the benefits far outweigh the possible 25% losses. It's a model Habitat for Humanity uses for home loan repayment. This models adds an element of sustainability to charity. That feels very much like the model used by the early church - a model that depends on healthy 'receiving' and 'giving' by God's people.
Ruth and I have the same kind of anniversary in 5 days. This year is will be 18 years since Annie moved to greater glory. The hole her absence left is still huge - but as you testify - God continues to add new and precious experiences of life around the hole. There's more than the hole - yet nothing ever replaces all the ways Sarah and Annie imacted our lives when they were still with us. Six months after Annie died, we gathered to remember what would have been her 13th birthday and to celebrate her much too short life. I remember the first words of a prayer our friend Heidi Hofman offered at our 'would have been her' birthday gathering and grieving. Since Annie'd death - 2 of Heidi's own sisters have gone to glory as well. Heidi's started her prayer this way: 'God - we don't know which planets or stars Annie may be exploring today - but do please remind her that we love her and miss her a lot.' Those prayer words so blessed me. They remiind me of something John Calvin himself taught - that our resurrection begins with our death.
So, I wonder what planet or stars Sarah and Annie may be exploring today. I picture Annie calling my dad over to look at something she discovered in the 'resurrection world' that is already her home. It's not complete yet - the resurrection world. It's waiting for us - we who still serve in this world filled with foretastes of our eternal home.
Thanks for sharing some of the foretastes God provided you and Liz through Sarah.
Thanks. Your reflections on 'moral illness' reminded me of listening to the 1O commandments every Sunday morning. They were always read before the prayer of confession - as a 'teacher of sin.' I remember, and have often pondered the phrases following the second commandment - "for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments."
I've wondered about the various ways 'media' - in all its various forms - has become a 'parent' for some - a parent with limited - and in some cases no - moral boundaries. Media often reminds me of the phrase the writer of the book of Judges aptly uses for a 'morally ill' society; "There was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in their own eyes."
Much to ponder - and then translate - and then proclaim in light of the Good News.
I've often thought that, as children, learning the flood account in Sunday School, we were never taught about God's grief. We learned about God's anger - though the account says God grieved. It seems that we also were never taught that, after the flood, human hearts had not changed. It was not true that the 'good guys' were delivered. After the flood, the account says, 'Our thoughts were still evil all the time.'
It's God's heart that was changed by the flood. God's heart moved God from "grieving" to God saying "never again." God's heart said 'I'll take the punishment' humans deserve and invite them to live under my promise.
Posted in: From Dehumanization to Human
Thanks for sharing the impact your experience in Rwanda had in shaping the ways you see God is at work reconciling the world to God's self in and through Jesus. Your mention of God's wrath reminded me of the ways those who dehumanize and hate others use God's wrath to legitimize their thoughts and actions ("the curse of Ham" - for example). I'm reminded how careful I need to be when I speak of God's wrath. It helps me to see God's wrath as wrath against sin and sins awful impact on both human with God and human with human relationships - not wrath on humans. Thoughts of 'God's wrath' bring to my mind the family's of Korah, Dathan and Abiram in Numbers 16. Were Korah, Dathan and Abiram's wives and children wiped out because of God's wrath on them? God's wrath against the actions of Korah, Dathan and Abiram's actions is understandable. God being angry with their wives and children is not. Perhaps God's wrath allows that God holds some anger about the awful cost God's reconciling the world to God's self brought within the God's trinitarian self - the cost of the Father denying the Son. This cost of self emptying love provides convincing evidence to me that God's wrath is not wrath on people.
Posted in: Asking the Dr. Phil Question
Thanks!
Posted in: Discerning the Leading of the Spirit at Synod
Thanks. I know that, for me, humility is very, very hard when my heart and head are invested in a heated debate. Thanks for highlighting the way human humility invites a Holy Spirit shaped future.
Posted in: Jesus’ Unbelievable Message
Thanks Rudy.
Pray you and your family are well and that you may be passing through Chicago for a visit soon.
Posted in: We Must Not Go Back to Normal
Thanks Mark.
A number of years ago I landed on a document entitled "The Cost Of Being Black". The document listed opportunities provided to white Americans but not black Americans. Examples include
- the right to stake a mining claim
- the right to stake out and make a land claim
- the right to receive the post WWII GI bill given to help returning soldiers get loans to purchase a home
The list is long. I don't remember everything on the list. I do remember that "the cost of being black" was not taught in any significant or memorable way at the Christian day schools I attended.
What I do remember is that from the beginning the loudest voice in our country - and consequently the most power in shaping the systems that govern the politic and economics is the white man voice. The white man voice wrote treaties with native Americans - the white man voice decided to allow women to vote - the white man voice wrote and enforced Jim Crowe laws in the south - the white man voice decided and enforced the segregation of day schools - the white man voice at Chase bank decided to loan 1.9% of mortgage loans to Black families and approx. 80 % of mortgage loan money to white families in my city that is about 30% African American. The white man voice decided that the war on drugs could best be fought by incarcerating African American teens and men.
Just as significant- the white man voice failed to speak against the violation of treaties - the white man ignored and failed to enforce the post slavery promises made to former slaves.
For many people returning to normal means returning to a world shaped by the 'loudest' and wealthiest voice - the white man live.
thank God - more and more people recognize that the kingdom we prayerfully seek is not a kingdom shaped by the loudest, wealthiest and most powerful voice. Normal in the kingdom of God takes place when the loudest voice gives away power - lays down their life even - for their neighbor. It will take a huge - beyond our imagination - power shift for a recognizable shift in the nature of race relationships in this country. I am hopeful that the loudest voice may be ready to do more than than simply lament and listen. I'm praying that the loudest voice will lay down its power - like Jesus did. I trust that God will do more than we - who have taken and held on to power - are even willing to imagine - for the sake of the kingdom of God.
Posted in: What Are the Most Meaningful Parts of Holy Week and Easter to You?
Each year during Holy Week - usually on Good Friday - I read through the book "We Call This Friday Good" - by the late Dr. Howard Hageman. Hageman, who served as a pastor in the Reformed Church of America and served as president of New Brunswick seminary - writes about each of the 7 words Jesus speaks from the cross. His writing helps connect me anew with the humanity of Jesus. Each year, as Holy Week draws near, I find myself eager to again listen and experience anew the deep love of Jesus.
Posted in: Interest Free Loans From the Benevolence Fund?
Phillip,
At Many Peoples Church we carry a rollover benevolence fund that serves that purpose. We initially set the fund up with $ 1,000.00. Over the last 8 years since we began meeting for worship, at least 6 church members, and several community neighbors have borrowed from that benevolence fund. Their reasons were much like the case study you described. We ask people to sign an agreement that underscores 2 things - 1 - their commitment to repay the amount according to the terms they agreed would work with their budget And 2 - they understand that failing to repay will mean that we will be unable to help others from this fund. The fund depends on their repayment.
So far, 3 out of 4 people have repaid the loan. We feel like the benefits far outweigh the possible 25% losses. It's a model Habitat for Humanity uses for home loan repayment. This models adds an element of sustainability to charity. That feels very much like the model used by the early church - a model that depends on healthy 'receiving' and 'giving' by God's people.
John Hoekwater
Posted in: Sarah's Death Four Years and Two Months Later
Thanks Karl!
Ruth and I have the same kind of anniversary in 5 days. This year is will be 18 years since Annie moved to greater glory. The hole her absence left is still huge - but as you testify - God continues to add new and precious experiences of life around the hole. There's more than the hole - yet nothing ever replaces all the ways Sarah and Annie imacted our lives when they were still with us. Six months after Annie died, we gathered to remember what would have been her 13th birthday and to celebrate her much too short life. I remember the first words of a prayer our friend Heidi Hofman offered at our 'would have been her' birthday gathering and grieving. Since Annie'd death - 2 of Heidi's own sisters have gone to glory as well. Heidi's started her prayer this way: 'God - we don't know which planets or stars Annie may be exploring today - but do please remind her that we love her and miss her a lot.' Those prayer words so blessed me. They remiind me of something John Calvin himself taught - that our resurrection begins with our death.
So, I wonder what planet or stars Sarah and Annie may be exploring today. I picture Annie calling my dad over to look at something she discovered in the 'resurrection world' that is already her home. It's not complete yet - the resurrection world. It's waiting for us - we who still serve in this world filled with foretastes of our eternal home.
Thanks for sharing some of the foretastes God provided you and Liz through Sarah.
Blessings,
John
Posted in: Mental Illness or Moral Illness?
Karl and Mark,
Thanks. Your reflections on 'moral illness' reminded me of listening to the 1O commandments every Sunday morning. They were always read before the prayer of confession - as a 'teacher of sin.' I remember, and have often pondered the phrases following the second commandment - "for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments."
I've wondered about the various ways 'media' - in all its various forms - has become a 'parent' for some - a parent with limited - and in some cases no - moral boundaries. Media often reminds me of the phrase the writer of the book of Judges aptly uses for a 'morally ill' society; "There was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in their own eyes."
Much to ponder - and then translate - and then proclaim in light of the Good News.
Thanks for prompting this kind of reflection.
John
Posted in: Sermon Based Small Group Experiment
Thanks Drew.
I'm very interested in following your posts.
Posted in: Sermon Based Small Group Experiment
Thanks Drew. We are going to get this kind of small group started at our church as well.
John
Posted in: The Genesis Flood and the Gospel Narrative
Thanks Paul.
I've often thought that, as children, learning the flood account in Sunday School, we were never taught about God's grief. We learned about God's anger - though the account says God grieved. It seems that we also were never taught that, after the flood, human hearts had not changed. It was not true that the 'good guys' were delivered. After the flood, the account says, 'Our thoughts were still evil all the time.'
It's God's heart that was changed by the flood. God's heart moved God from "grieving" to God saying "never again." God's heart said 'I'll take the punishment' humans deserve and invite them to live under my promise.
Praise God for God's compassionate heart.
John