Of Earthly Tents & Heavenly Homes

"Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come." (2 Corinthians 5:1-5)

I've been thinking a lot lately about this one particular passage of Paul's as I watch my grandparents get frail and as I feel my own body get aches and pains in places and ways I never experienced before. Our bodies, as we know them, are meant for temporary living on this earth. They are tents, breaking down through time, but good for withstanding the forces of this world. We endure hardship and pain, storms and rain; we fall down and get up again, in our earthly tents of cells and bone. I long for a body that does not break down, as I look at my grandfather, struggling with cancer, and long for his body to be the same. I yearn for a body that is eternal and bulletproof, just like Paul did. And I know that I will one day receive that body. Something tells me it's gonna look an awfully lot like the one I have now, save for a number of nicks and scratches. Oh, and it will be unbreakable. God has promised. And He isn't in the habit of breaking His promises.

Squeaky Wheels & the Groaning of Time

Ain't technology grand?

Back in 2001 I bought my first computer, an Apple iMac G3 that had a grand total of 13 Gigs of memory and two -- gasp -- yes, two USB ports on it. It was totally awesome! The computer I was using before had barely enough power to run a crock pot and the new machine was so amazing in comparison that I think I did backflips for three months. However, as we all come to find out, new technology is only new from the time you slide the credit card to the time you open the box. After you first turn it on... it's practically obsolete. Each month, technology seems to best its best efforts, from computers to websites to cell phones. My cell phone was purchased in late 2005 -- brand new -- and I was told just recently that it is ancient. Yes, from new to ancient in less than three years. Just today at the church I was confronted with the fact that our auditorium's LCD projectors (which I consider to be totally cool machines) are about to depart to that final microchip destination in the sky, circuit heaven. They are corroding on the inside and their effectiveness is gradually fading away.

Much like all we see around us. Much like you and I.

Yesterday I was bemoaning the effects of time. My grandfather is 83 years young and having some concerning health problems. It seems like only yesterday that I was riding with him on his riding lawnmower, chopping down blades of grass on one of the various lots he owned. Now, he cannot even sit on his mower. His grandsons do most of his yardwork. Time has caught up to him. Just as it will to you and I. But that's our reality here on planet earth. We must live with it, even if we don't like it. Things are breaking down, not getting better. And they will get much worse. Saint Paul puts it this way in Romans 8:20-22, "the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now."

All of creation is suffering as a result of mankind's fall way back in the Garden of Eden. God put a curse upon both man and ground and things have been getting progressively worse. Paul wrote that creation groans in pain like a woman giving birth. It longs for redemption just as you and I long for redemptiion. We long for time to cease and our bodies to rest. We long for renewal of our weary bodies but we know that we will not have such on this side of the eternal line. The planet is breaking down just like I am -- just like our electronic devices are. No, not even computers and LCD projectors are immune to the curse, it seems.

But unlike they, we will be redeemed. Because Jesus paid the debt of our fallenness and became accursed for us. And through faith in Him we will have redemption of both spirit and body. Yes, our bodies will be redeemed (read 1 Corinthians 15 all the way through). Death never had final say over the body. God always did. And our bodies will be raised -- from ash, bone or dust -- and we will be made like new. To walk forever without squeaky wheels and whining joints on streets of gold.

Come, Lord Jesus, come!

Behold, the Bunny Prowleth...

Can't Get Past the Evidence...

"Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the rabbit prowls around like a hungry hare looking for someone's lettuce to devour."
(1 Peter 5:8, from the Gardener's Bible)

I'm Thinking...

... that many Christians have lost their way when it comes to having a biblical worldview of "God and Government." I saw a Christian talk show's newsletter recently and the host wrote, "I believe that this election represents a major fork in the road for America." It sounds exciting but it ignores the fact that God will do with America as He pleases regardless of who wins. It ignores the fact that the two leading candidates for president are both professing believers in Jesus Christ. One candidate is open about his faith and the other more reclusive. But both believe. God's candidate will win this election. He or she always does. In every election. In every nation. We have a sovereign God who sees America on the same level as Mauritania (read Isa. 40). He no longer makes covenants with nations like He did with Israel. He loves and saves individuals and chooses to work through all governments. They are subject to Him. Always have been. Always will be.

... that Derek Webb's album "Mockingbird" is pure prophetic truth. I'm not talking future-telling here nor word-for-word inspiration but instead the words of a prophet calling the church back to holiness and right thinking. It truly is a masterpiece and I hope more believers pick it up and listen. God still speaks through believers. Not like the prophets of old, but He still does it. We would be wise to listen to each other.

... that rabbits love lettuce and I've been losing sleep over the fact that I planted nine romaine lettuce seedlings in my new garden last Tuesday. I expect one or two to disappear one night soon. And I've been told fences won't stop a hungry bunny. Yikes!

Don't Remember This Alamo!

From the files of wacky "evangelists" comes this article about Tony Alamo, a 74-year-old evangelist from California who has an international ministry compound in Arkansas (Why is it that every crazy spiritual figure has a compound?). Allegations of criminal activity have followed Alamo's ministry everywhere he's gone and the latest allegations are perhaps the worst. He even spent four years in prison for tax crimes int he 1990's. Now, the federal government is investigating whether or not children were abused at Alamo's Arkansas compound. In a page from the FLDS Mormons in Texas, Utah and Arizona, the allegations concern the young sexual activity and marriage of girls at the compound. Some girls are alleged to have been married as young as 12 to men more than twice or three times their age. The article I read made me shudder because people around the world consider Alamo to be a prophet of sorts who is to be trusted and followed.

But Alamo is more than a wolf in sheep's clothing. He is a dangerous man to both believers and unbelievers. His Gospel does not include the grace of God in Christ for the believer nor the forgiveness of God towards the sinner. He heavily leans on end times preaching and a "us-verses-them" motif towards the government, the Catholic Church, and towards other religions. He sees the devil everywhere in everything. It is men like Alamo that the apostles and saints of old warned the early church to leave on the street. Don't invite them in.

And certainly don't listen to them. If you want to read the disturbing article, click HERE.

Just Thinking...

... that the stories behind Christmas traditions, whether factual or legend, are almost as fun as the traditions themselves. I was just reading a poem I wrote about jolly old Saint Nick (when he was merely a young, shy bishop) to our writer's support group and the story is just as fun today as it was when I first discovered it four years ago. How quickly we evangelicals tend to throw the baby out with the bath water...

... that our relationships with other people should mirror God's relationship with us. We should forgive, accept, show grace, encourage, look after, etc., each other the way God does for us.

... that what I just wrote is easier said than done.

... that sometimes it is more meaningful to sit and chat with someone than to try to teach them something. Who knows, maybe through the very act of conversation, you have taught them something!

... that legalism kills. So many of my friends and associates have come from a law-driven background into the message of the grace of God but they still struggle with guilt and performance. Rules are nice and they generally keep us away from harm, but they can kill our spiritual energy and prevent us from bathing in the all-sufficient grace of God. It is only by God's grace that we stand and only into His grace that we fall.