Author: Wick

Husband, Father, Pastor, Missionary, Writer, Poet, Friend, reader, coffee enthusiast, hockey Wing-Nut, musical participator, etc...
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Forgiveness vs. Escapism

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“Because the sinless Savior died, My sinful soul is counted free;
For God, the Just, is satisfied, To look on Him and pardon me.”

I remember being young (I know, 27 is totally not at old, thanks). When I was a kid, and I’d do something stupid and selfish, or something I knew was wrong. Not simply because “mom didn’t want it done”, but something that actually offered to injure a relationship with a family member or a friend at school. I would feel horrible. But sometimes, something like that would be done, and I wouldn’t get caught. You know the feeling of waiting, wondering if you’ll get caught?

Then that moment, where some other kid gets the blame/punishment. Or better yet, no one notices at all and/or chalks it up to randomly happening. In either case, you know you’ve escaped. There will be no punishment. Maybe you feel bad for the poor kid that got blamed, but you figure it’s better than you – and he probably did SOMETHING to deserve it right? You’ve escaped. It’s as if it never happened. Freedom of guilt = freedom of conscience, right?

I think sometimes we’re tempted to treat the sin/broken relationship we’ve been forgiven of that way. At least, I see it in teens sometimes, and it seems a popular place in the faith journey. I have been forgiven of my sins, and I do a sort of arm pump saying, “Yessssss!” I’ve escaped. I’m free from the punishment. My focus is on my freedom/separation from punishment.

But the forgiveness God offers us is more than that. Not that it’s completely easy to understand/grasp. But that Jesus would willingly offer His sinless self out of love to carry our sins. That God would offer His son (however that all works) as a sacrifice. Thankfully, He was also resurrected so that the one who bore our sin now stands as our Lord and represents us before the Father.

However it all works, and however it all can be talked about in words – I’m grateful for the illustration of Love that communicates. I pray that I can be faithful to the Love that’s been shown to me, and that I might even be used to illustrate that kind of love to others…

May we remember this week….we have been forgiven, not “let off the hook”. There’s a lot of Love going on here. 🙂

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Prayer as Activism

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So Tuesday was a refreshing day in many ways. We spent time together with pastors from all over our conference, focusing on prayer for specific things, and talking about what prayer is. Some words were a good reminder.

It was pointed out that many times when we think about prayer, it’s a relational thing. People ask, “How’s your prayer life?” and by that question they mean, “How’s your relationship with God?” or, “How close are you with God lately?”, etc.

We think, “I need to work on spending more time in prayer.” Usually, that ends up meaning something like, “I feel distant or disconnected from God somehow, and want to work more purposefully and devote more time to building that connection.”

There’s nothing wrong with these thoughts. Prayer IS relational, and the more time/frequency we spend drawing close to God in prayer can be a catalyst to great Kingdom living.

But prayer is also functional. If we believe that God can move through the fabrics of this world, to give confidence, to give hope, to give love, to reveal Himself in our hearts and minds – then we have to believe God can move in physical ways also. If God can impact the tangible world in any way at all, then He can impact the world in ANY way. We believe prayer tugs at the fabric of both the physical and supernatural realms (or possibly the realm that is both as one). Even if we can’t understand every aspect of it, and some things that happen offer to be explained away scientifically – we believe God can be, and is often involved.

I need to do more of this kind of praying. Proclaiming God’s Kingdom as existing in the world around me on a daily basis. In my home, in my car, at my workplace (even though it’s a church), when I’m out and about, etc. God has initiated His Lordship over all creation, and is calling us to proclaim it not only in deed, but in word. Specifically, spoken word. God’s a big fan of saying things out loud. He spoke in Genesis, and things came into existence. He spoke throughout the Gospels, and healing came.

Can I pray silently/reflectively/meditatively in my head, just between God and myself? Yes. And this kind of prayer is important. But it’s also very easy for me. What I need to work on, and as part of my LENT commitment to being less socially appropriate – I will pray out loud more often. Look out creation.

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"People Who Drink Alcohol Are Stupid"

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Subtitled: “How NOT to talk about your faith.”

So this past Monday I’m in Greenville, IL. A city that has been dry (alcoholically) for a long time. When in line to pay for my gas, I hear the cashier tell the man in front of me in an excited tone, exactly when they will begin selling alcohol. His response?

“I’m not excited. You think I’m excited? Tell me one good thing that’s EVER happened because of alcohol.”

She just kinda stared at him in disbelief, finally responding: “Um, I’ll get paid?”

It was tempting to join the conversation, but as he continued to rant and throw his nose in the air (with just enough religious elitism to make you throw up a bit), it was obvious there would be no reasoning. What did I want to say?:

“Um, how about historical data that shows many people stayed alive by killing bacteria using beer/wine? How about every professional sport you enjoy watching, and probably many other aspects of our lives that are funded in large ways by alcohol profits? How about recognizing that alcohol as a product is not where the problem solely lies?”

I think most alcohol that I’ve ever tried tastes gross. I do think it should be less available. As a Free Methodist, I’ve committed to a lifestyle that is free from it. But I also recognize that yelling at a gas station cashier didn’t look a lot like Jesus.

As he walks out, and I hand the cashier my card she says, “*&$, wonder what his problem is?”

My response: “God knows.”