Author: Wick

I often find myself in the position parents all throughout time have been in, explaining a large word or concept to my 4 year old in ways she can grasp.  The word we were discussing was the word “patience”.  A word her daddy needs to work on every bit as much as she does.  The phrase I came up with to help her understand was simply, “patience means it’s okay to wait”.

But we were reminded by God’s word yesterday, there’s much more to it than that.  In Exodus 24, God calls Moses to the mountain to meet with him.  Moses goes, and ends up having to wait 6 days before God reveals himself.  As they’re meeting together on the mountain, the people of God find themselves waiting 40 days and 40 nights, and they grow impatient.  It seems not only here, but throughout scripture, God’s people should be those who not only “know how” to wait well, but look forward to those times of waiting. 

This seems to be appropriately against the normal pace of an instant gratification world.  The culture of hurry, and filled schedules.  It also seems like a very important/beneficial time to embrace the concept of “waiting”, as we begin the season of Lent this week.  We wait, and deny ourselves certain things until the celebrations of Easter week.  We know there will be much to celebrate, and what we will celebrate together gives us strength and reason to remain faithful today.

The people of God in Exodus 24 lost sight of that.  In chapter 32, we read a disappointing scene where God’s people have lost patience in waiting for Moses.  In their impatience, they’ve created an idol to give them spiritual gratification immediately.  I don’t think it’s much of a stretch to say, many times we Jesus-loving church goers find ourselves with the same desire for instant spiritual gratification.

But what about the faithfulness of God that comes after a period of waiting?  All of creation waited for Christ to come, and oh how things have changed!  The people of God wandered in the wilderness, waiting to enter the promised land.  Jesus spent his time in the wilderness, being tempted by Satan and spending time apart with God – preparing him for his earthly ministry.  Noah and his family waited through the storms, and waited even beyond that for the water to recede, in order to experience the covenant living of God.  Abraham and Sarah waited quite longer than they expected, to experience the beginning of God’s faithfulness to His word.

In each of these, the wait was much more than “okay”.

May we be people who are not only experienced in, but filled with anticipation by…waiting on the Lord.

We did it. Thanks in large part to all of the family and friends who helped out throughout the past 16 days – we survived. Things have not been the same, for sure, and we can’t wait for mommy to come home! But there’s definitely a sense of accomplishment at being able to say to your wife “Sure hun, go ahead on that 16 day mission trip on the other side of the world…we got this.”

We knew it was important. Not simply for Sarah’s sake, but for that of our family. This experience is only the beginning of wrapping our family around a larger purpose, a larger story. God will continue to use this.

One of the things Sarah did, the creative mom that she is, to help our girls with the time she’s away; involved a paper ring chain. Each link had something written on it, communicating love to her family, and suggesting some fun endeavor for that day. They loved each one, and got excited as the chain got smaller and smaller, knowing mommy was coming home on the last one!!

One of the links said “Make a dance video”. Now, we dance around the house on a regular basis. These girls love to dress up, start the music, and spin around. So here’s what we captured…(spliced in some footage of Sophie’s birthday at Chuck E. Cheese also, where her response to the big mouse is PRICELESS!)

Yup.  I went there.  A topic that seems easily swallow-able to some, and completely taboo to others.  Black and white to many, and quite gray to their friends.  I’ve got friends both Nazarene and Free Methodist (and other too, for that matter..but most of my connections run in the Free/Wesley/Metho/Naza/Luther-type doctrines.

There are some both in occupational ministry, and outside it who believe Christians should advocate abstaining from alcohol.  There are others who are in ministry or members in denominations that hold the stance of advocating abstinence, who have a drink once in a while.  I think most of my readers can agree on the point that alcohol can be a very damaging substance, and the openness to it in someone’s life can lead them and those they love down paths of brokenness and pain.  The question then becomes, as a church (small “c”) that desires to help members both old and new toward following Christ in a way that life doesn’t naturally want to on it’s own….what do we say, and what do we not say?

I’ve heard the arguments against “legalism”, and I agree – we do not want to make a list of “do’s” and a list of “don’ts” and reduce all of faith down to that.  But I also believe that following Christ includes quite a bit of sacrificial obedience in ways we do not “naturally” feel like doing.  Many these days do not want to “seem fake” and make seemingly “Holy” decisions when they don’t actually feel like it.  In His book “Small Faith, Great God“, NT Wright calls this “hypocrisy” that Christians should be glad to be labeled with.  He points out that many times we raise “authenticity” above obedience to God.  That when we follow Jesus, and experience His Spirit, we are transformed but we are still human.  We need the constant work of His Spirit to continue in us because left on our own, we have selfish and unhealthy desires.  If there was no need for the Spirit beyond an initial work, we’d merely be satiated animals, not humans choosing to follow Christ toward completion and Kingdom.  We are called to be different, and made free to celebrate life unlike the world’s patterns of celebration/enjoyment. 

But Jesus drank alcohol, even in a day where drunkenness was popular.  The ill effects of alcohol existed even then, and are spoken of/against throughout scripture.  As many are quick to point out, the Bible does not say the words “don’t drink alcohol”.  What if my family or close friends own a winery/brewery?  What if having a beer with someone might make them feel you’re easier to relate to?  What if I actually enjoy unwinding to a smelly glass of fermented liquid?  I don’t want to seem “fake” and pretend to be Holy when I’m not.

While still many people, having read this far into the post will be thinking either, “sheesh…just throw it out already”, or “man, just swallow it down and get on with it.”  After all, there are much more important matters than worrying about what words we write on paper about what choices a member of our part of the body of Christ should make.  Feel free to close this window now.

Current Free Methodist wording states: “As concerned Christians, we advocate abstinence for the sake of health, family and neighbors. Moreover, we see the adverse social consequences as so pervasive that we seek by advocating abstinence to make a united social witness to the freedom Christ gives.”  Here is a proposed change that offers new wording (not abstinence, but “consider the effects”) to this year’s General Conference.

And current Nazarene wording:  “In light of the Holy Scriptures and human experience concerning the ruinous consequences of the use of alcohol as a beverage, and  in  light of the  findings of medical science regarding the detrimental effect of both alcohol and tobacco to the body and mind, as a community of faith committed to the pursuit of a holy life, our position and practice is abstinence rather than moderation.”

So what do you think? What does your glass say?

I do believe that what we confess, and what we pour, should probably move toward alignment.