That's not fair...

…fair has been a word in the political news lately. Fair doesn’t really exist. Fairness ended in the Garden of Eden. Consider this what is fair to me most likely is not fair to you or in your eyes. When you were a child you hit your sibling back just as hard as they hit you right? RIGHT? Wrong, you hit them harder because you wanted them to hurt more than you. If you get off on a traffic charge that is only fair. But, if someone else gets off on a traffic charge that is not fair. It was fair in their eyes but not in yours. That is why I think fair doesn’t exist. When we use that word we somehow forget that sin is a part of our equation.

In this world sin infests, infects and affects everything. Land, sea, air water, relationships, wars, government everything is corrupted by sin, our sin because it comes from us. We are selfish egotistical beings by nature. I have said it before you don’t have to teach a two year old how to be selfish. You teach them how to share and they don’t want to do that. So, fair is not really a concept in reality. I think the word we actually use when considering fair is equal.

We want everyone to have an equal level field of play, equal opportunity and equal possibilities. I don’t want to get what’s coming to me or to my friends or family. I don’t want lung cancer for the lifelong smoker. I don’t want an accident for the drunk driver. I don’t want them or me to get what’s coming to me. See, I really don’t want life to be fair. Fair for someone else but not for me. What I deserve in the way of pain and punishment is far less than what I get.

However, there is another word not so much in the media but in the BIBLE. It is a word we toss around like a dog’s chew sock. It is grace. Sure we sing it is amazing, wonderful, fabulous and marvelous but do we know it is all of those things and more. Have we ever seen its beauty? Its beauty is that it makes life NOT fair. Ah, for the sweet, sweet sound of grace!  

Because of grace I’ve been set free. Because of grace my sin is forgiven, because of grace what I deserve has been assumed by another Christ. Grace makes life not fair. Where grace exists fair does not, equality yes, but fair no. I’ll take a world of grace over fair any and every day.

I may not be happy WITH it but I will be happy IN it!

Yesterday on Facebook...

Well really this story begins last Sunday. As part of our worship our Children’s Director (Dara Cox) asks all of us “what has God done in your life this week” or something to that affect. People share their ups and downs and amazingly so God’s grace acting in their lives. Every time we tell THOSE stories we PROVE the Gospel is real and alive. Following this moment of Heaven, Dara shares from her life and thoughts. This past week she spoke of how good seems so inadequate to describe God as in “God is so good.” Now those are Bible words but even to me good seems a little plain for God. Your know, how was your day “good” is not the same as God is Good. God and my day do not compare and my day was only good and God is…so beyond that. So……..

I put on my facebook page a note asking for people to fill in the blank God is __________ and leave their word in the comment section. I have 15 comments.

God is: merciful, forgiving, the great I AM (I guess one word went out the window), all, fantabulous (from a teacher type, is that a word?), outrageous (mine), it, here, patient, indescribable, wild, awesome, never ending, everything, and everlasting.

Later in the day I thought how dumb that exercise was to try to describe the CREATOR in one word. Why had I even done that? That is impossible. How do you describe the indescribable much less in one word? You can’t or at least I cannot. It is an IMPOSSIBLE task. So why do it?

Why? As I thought about it, it is good for me to make a list to describe God in a word or simple phrase. The Old Testament is filled with words that describe God as peace, sustainer, provider, deliverer, age to age, strong refuge etc as men experienced God and named him as their experience. It’s good for me because the list will grow long, never ending. It will keep me always looking, expecting, experiencing and focusing on God and his identity in my life at each and every moment. I will come to see more how infinite and omnipotent God is and how much more there is to know Him through His Son.

To know Him through his Son, that’s why he came. Pursuing us from heaven down the mountain we tried to climb so that we might know Him through His Son. Sounds like the Gospel to me. So…

God is ______________! (Start that list today)     

It's Friday the 13th again...

Yep another one has come around the first of 2012 and surely not the last. Some say it is an unlucky day! A believer of Jesus lives with a purpose (to glorify God) by a plan (HIS) so luck has nothing to do with anything. Friday the 13^th is just the day before the 14^th and the day after the 12^th. However it is FRIDAY.

Last evening I was talking with friends about how God works in lives and we thought through this plan idea of HIS. Have you considered how God has worked in your life in the past? As you consider that I think you will find a pattern that is common. Not the rule but common to how He deals and reveals himself to you. I believe that holds true to how he speaks and leads as well. Now this is unique to the individual. Let us not forget that God designed us each with our own DNA. No one else has it or has had it or will ever have the same DNA as you (broke the mold and everything). God deals with each of us uniquely but with common patterns. Now as the disclaimers go I must add this that past practice is NOT a predictor of future happenings. We are talking about God here with infinite creativity and capacity. But, he does, for our benefit, use patterns that are common to each life. Have you considered what those are in your life?

It might take a friend to help you sort through them but it is worth it. As we discover His pattern in us, it helps us recognize Him at work in the present and the future. Not to mention how our faith is solidified and strengthened by the understanding that God is at work in and through us. Yes, it is faith but NO it is not luck. Remember I said we live on purpose by a plan. Not our own plan or purpose but rather God’s plan and purpose designed for the best in us, for us. HE has plans to prosper us. No superstition involved, no luck needed, my God has a plan and I have purpose.
A couple of incidentals: thanks for the encouraging words regarding this article. I continue to be amazed that anyone reads this much less likes it.

This came my way yesterday via facebook:

Bible Study Planet
Only Jesus can turn a mess into a message, a test into a testimony, a trial into a triumph, a victim into a victory.

I heard of this on Air1 Tuesday:

ESPNChicago.com | December 19, 2011

Either Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher forgot Tim Tebow was a quarterback, or a little sarcasm crept into the visiting locker room on Sunday after the Denver Broncos captured a 13-10 overtime victory.
"He's a good running back ... He does a good job for them," Urlacher told reporters when asked about Tebow.
When asked what he thought of the passing of Tebow, who was 21-of-40 for 236 yards with a touchdown and an interception, Urlacher praised Tebow's scrambling ability.
Tebow was told about Urlacher calling him a running back and did not take offense.
"Coming from a really good player, that means a lot," Tebow said.

His ability to manage his tongue is more impressive than his abilities on the football field!

Should I have the same presence of mind BEFORE I respond.