reblog: The Beautiful Paradox of Good Friday and the Final Words of Jesus Originally posted on Good Friday - April 2, 2010 I was chatting with a friend on iChat earlier this morning and I wanted to recognize this important day but somehow “Happy Good Friday” just seemed inappropriate so I settled on a rather weak and cliche “God bless you and your family today.”  It’s the best I could come up but I meant it knowing today should be a day of sober reflection for every follower of Christ. Even the name “Good Friday” is paradoxical.  It’s a good day for us but it wasn’t so good for him. But I also find that Jesus’ final words carry a bit of paradox that a lot of people can relate to and resonate with.  I know he was fufilling prophesy but it doesn’t diminish what I believe Jesus was really feeling in that moment and was honest enough to come right out with it… Matthew 27:45-46: From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land. About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi,lama sabachthani?”—which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Have you ever felt this way?  Ever felt like Almighty God was letting you down?  Ever wondered, “What in the world are You waiting for? Step in and DO SOMETHING!” I know I have.  But, I love how God in his wonderful grace and mercy has placed things in his Word so human and so raw.  It’s not the glossed over Gospel that is often times presented today.  It’s real.  It’s gritty.  It’s to be wrestled with and grappled with. The Beautiful Paradox of Good Friday and the Final Words of Jesus can be seen in his follow up to this incredible feeling of despair… Luke 23:44-46:  It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour, for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two.  Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last. The same God who Jesus felt had left him out to dry, was the same God he committed his life to… committed his spirit to… committed his pain to… committed his trust to. Jesus is our perfect example.  He’s the essence of beauty and life.  So… May you, on this day, even though you feel forsaken and torn and broken and bruised… even by God himself… turn to Him because he’s good.  He’s loving.  He’s faithful. And He cares for me and you.
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reblog: The Beautiful Paradox of Good Friday and the Final Words of Jesus

Originally posted on Good Friday - April 2, 2010

I was chatting with a friend on iChat earlier this morning and I wanted to recognize this important day but somehow “Happy Good Friday” just seemed inappropriate so I settled on a rather weak and cliche “God bless you and your family today.”  It’s the best I could come up but I meant it knowing today should be a day of sober reflection for every follower of Christ.

Even the name “Good Friday” is paradoxical.  It’s a good day for us but it wasn’t so good for him.

But I also find that Jesus’ final words carry a bit of paradox that a lot of people can relate to and resonate with.  I know he was fufilling prophesy but it doesn’t diminish what I believe Jesus was really feeling in that moment and was honest enough to come right out with it…

Matthew 27:45-46: From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land. About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi,lama sabachthani?”—which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

Have you ever felt this way?  Ever felt like Almighty God was letting you down?  Ever wondered, “What in the world are You waiting for? Step in and DO SOMETHING!”

I know I have.  But, I love how God in his wonderful grace and mercy has placed things in his Word so human and so raw.  It’s not the glossed over Gospel that is often times presented today.  It’s real.  It’s gritty.  It’s to be wrestled with and grappled with.

The Beautiful Paradox of Good Friday and the Final Words of Jesus can be seen in his follow up to this incredible feeling of despair…

Luke 23:44-46:  It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour, for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two.  Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last.

The same God who Jesus felt had left him out to dry, was the same God he committed his life to… committed his spirit to… committed his pain to… committed his trust to.

Jesus is our perfect example.  He’s the essence of beauty and life.  So…

May you, on this day, even though you feel forsaken and torn and broken and bruised… even by God himself… turn to Him because he’s good.  He’s loving.  He’s faithful.

And He cares for me and you.

“Crumbs of Hearsay” “I admit I once lived by rumors of you; now I have it all firsthand-from my own eyes and ears! I’m sorry-forgive me. I’ll never do that again, I promise! I’ll never again live on crusts of hearsay, crumbs of rumor.” - Job 42:5-6 I wonder how many of us live on “crusts of hearsay and rumor” of who God is, what he is like, and what he expects and requires. It’s not lost on me that Job’s revelation comes after much suffering, pain, and subsequent wrestling and even accusing God. And so I wonder… Could it be that suffering is the only gateway to firsthand knowledge of our Creator?  Could it be that failure is actually the only stepping stone to a deeper understanding? I realize this is not a very American view of Christianity and certainly not a Pentecostal one.  In a culture (even church culture) that idolizes success as the primary thing, suffering is to be avoided, spurned, rebuked, and cast off at all costs. But, might we corporately and individually be living on “crumbs of hearsay” and missing out on true relationship with God and each other as we rush through moments and seasons of struggle that assault our sense of justice and what we think we’re owed? In our attempt to “cast off sin” quickly, could it be we are not learning anything about ourselves as we abort the process of understanding the very brokenness that drives those appetites and lusts? Like an anorexic model, we choose appearing pretty and “all together” while we settle for the malnutrition of mere “crumbs”. With Job, may we echo a new prayer in church life that says…  “I’m sorry-forgive me.  I’ll never do that again, I promise!” because our hunger to know God “firsthand-with our own eyes and ears” is greater than our desire to avoid all pain in order to project the image of put-togetherness and perfection.
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“Crumbs of Hearsay”

“I admit I once lived by rumors of you; now I have it all firsthand-from my own eyes and ears! I’m sorry-forgive me. I’ll never do that again, I promise! I’ll never again live on crusts of hearsay, crumbs of rumor.” - Job 42:5-6

I wonder how many of us live on “crusts of hearsay and rumor” of who God is, what he is like, and what he expects and requires.

It’s not lost on me that Job’s revelation comes after much suffering, pain, and subsequent wrestling and even accusing God.

And so I wonder… Could it be that suffering is the only gateway to firsthand knowledge of our Creator?  Could it be that failure is actually the only stepping stone to a deeper understanding?

I realize this is not a very American view of Christianity and certainly not a Pentecostal one.  In a culture (even church culture) that idolizes success as the primary thing, suffering is to be avoided, spurned, rebuked, and cast off at all costs.

But, might we corporately and individually be living on “crumbs of hearsay” and missing out on true relationship with God and each other as we rush through moments and seasons of struggle that assault our sense of justice and what we think we’re owed?

In our attempt to “cast off sin” quickly, could it be we are not learning anything about ourselves as we abort the process of understanding the very brokenness that drives those appetites and lusts?

Like an anorexic model, we choose appearing pretty and “all together” while we settle for the malnutrition of mere “crumbs”.

With Job, may we echo a new prayer in church life that says… 

“I’m sorry-forgive me.  I’ll never do that again, I promise!” because our hunger to know God “firsthand-with our own eyes and ears” is greater than our desire to avoid all pain in order to project the image of put-togetherness and perfection.

We Shouldn’t Be Surprised by Trials I’ll never forget when I heard the news.  It was in an emergency room and I thought maybe I was facing the wrong way.  Or maybe the doctor was talking past me to another parent.  I was so taken aback.  So caught off guard.  Shocked… surprised… stunned… …numb. Thinking back on that moment years ago, I understand it. It’s only natural to be shocked to hear your child has cancer.  But what if isn’t?  What if being caught off-guard by trials is more our conditioning from the influences of Western culture, both secular and religious.  What if our world is rocked because we have a skewed definition of what we “deserve”? We’re good at marketing Sometimes I think we do a better job of marketing the Bible than we do believing it or walking it out.  Take this for example… John 16:33 - I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” (emphasis mine) See that middle part right there.  The part where I used the nifty CMD+I trick.  We like to leave that part out.  It doesn’t market very well, especially that “sorrows” bit.  I mean, that’s the opposite of the canned “I’m blessed, brother. And, you?” Psalm 46:1 - God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. The fact that God is “this” means we must go through “that.”  And “that” stinks.  Sometimes very, very badly. We shouldn’t be surprised… …when trouble comes.  But often times we are.  Maybe I was caught off-guard because deep down I really believed God owed me something.  He would never let that happen to me… to my child… to my family.  But that’s not what he promised.  Seems like I’m really good at marketing as well. What he did promise however is that He’d be there.  My personal experience was that I never felt like he was.  Like wandering in the desert with no help or end in sight.  But looking back, I know He was and is. If you’re going through it… Here are a few things I’ve learned: God doesn’t “owe” me anything I’m normal. Pain, deep pain, is part of the broken human experience. Give yourself permission to experience all the emotions that come with what you’re facing. Ask for help. Pray honestly.  Even is it’s simply, “Help us…” It’s worth hanging in there with the relationships that matter… even when it’s toughest. It won’t happen overnight.  It may take years so settle in for the long haul. You probably won’t feel much simply because your body, mind, and spirit are all wired together and clarity doesn’t come easy but…  God is real. He does love you. He’s not blind even when he’s silent. He’s working on your behalf even now. He believes in you even when you don’t believe in him. If you’re not going through it… this is for you: One day, and probably soon… you will be. Until then… 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 - All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort.  He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.  (emphasis mine)
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We Shouldn’t Be Surprised by Trials

I’ll never forget when I heard the news.  It was in an emergency room and I thought maybe I was facing the wrong way.  Or maybe the doctor was talking past me to another parent.  I was so taken aback.  So caught off guard.  Shocked… surprised… stunned…

…numb.

Thinking back on that moment years ago, I understand it. It’s only natural to be shocked to hear your child has cancer.  But what if isn’t?  What if being caught off-guard by trials is more our conditioning from the influences of Western culture, both secular and religious.  What if our world is rocked because we have a skewed definition of what we “deserve”?

We’re good at marketing

Sometimes I think we do a better job of marketing the Bible than we do believing it or walking it out.  Take this for example…

John 16:33 - I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” (emphasis mine)

See that middle part right there.  The part where I used the nifty CMD+I trick.  We like to leave that part out.  It doesn’t market very well, especially that “sorrows” bit.  I mean, that’s the opposite of the canned “I’m blessed, brother. And, you?”

Psalm 46:1 - God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

The fact that God is “this” means we must go through “that.”  And “that” stinks.  Sometimes very, very badly.

We shouldn’t be surprised…

…when trouble comes.  But often times we are.  Maybe I was caught off-guard because deep down I really believed God owed me something.  He would never let that happen to me… to my child… to my family.  But that’s not what he promised.  Seems like I’m really good at marketing as well.

What he did promise however is that He’d be there.  My personal experience was that I never felt like he was.  Like wandering in the desert with no help or end in sight.  But looking back, I know He was and is.

If you’re going through it…

Here are a few things I’ve learned:

  • God doesn’t “owe” me anything
  • I’m normal. Pain, deep pain, is part of the broken human experience.
  • Give yourself permission to experience all the emotions that come with what you’re facing.
  • Ask for help.
  • Pray honestly.  Even is it’s simply, “Help us…”
  • It’s worth hanging in there with the relationships that matter… even when it’s toughest.
  • It won’t happen overnight.  It may take years so settle in for the long haul.
  • You probably won’t feel much simply because your body, mind, and spirit are all wired together and clarity doesn’t come easy but… 
  • God is real.
  • He does love you.
  • He’s not blind even when he’s silent.
  • He’s working on your behalf even now.
  • He believes in you even when you don’t believe in him.

If you’re not going through it… this is for you:

  • One day, and probably soon… you will be.
  • Until then…

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 - All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort.  He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.  (emphasis mine)

reblog: Where would we go? an iChat conversation

Originally posted April 30, 2009:

ME:  in spite of the failures and pain… we’ve been through some real life and here I am at this table and I look over and maria an ben are there
and all day long he’s been wathcing josiah videos on the ipod and asking questions about God and heaven
and life
and I’m like.. you’re five

FRIEND: HES YOUR SON

ME: and I’m just so thankful that we’re here
and not divorced or dead
or whatever…

FRIEND:  your an atchison

ME:  that in spite of it all… he’s a good God
he’s a good God

FRIEND: atchisons survive hell
you told us that

ME:  and he loves us… me… so much

FRIEND:  yeah he does
dude, he loves ME .. like .. . i have so much malice
and so much hate
and i dont want to
im just being real
and he still loves me,
shows me compassion

ME:  grace

FRIEND:  for sure

ME:  what a word

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