For His glory

Two posts in less than a week… I must be coming down with something.  Either that, or I’ve come across something that has affected in some profound way.  I’ll let you in on a secret; it’s the latter.

As I was reading through the gospel of John last night with some friends we happened upon the passage describing Jesus’ first miracle, turning water to wine.  Now, there are many themes and life practices we can glean from this passage, but last night, one of the guys pointed out something I’ve not thought of before.

You may or may not have noticed this, but the servants were the only people to really see Jesus’ first miracle.  And so we asked the question, is it even a miracle, if no one sees it happen?  And so we starting thinking, what if our definition of a miracle is a bit skewed?  Now, I won’t deny that Christ’s miracle happened for the express purpose of revealing God’s glory, but after last night, I think there is a little bit more to your every day, run-of-the-mill miracle (if there is such a thing).

A couple things.  First, it was only the servants who saw Jesus perform that miracle.  What if miracles are not meant for the masses, but the select few who God has chosen, who “have eyes to see and ears to hear?”  Second, especially with this miracle, Jesus, in usual fashion, but a powerful example nontheless, took the spotlight off himself and made the wedding party look really good.  By His miracle, Jesus elevated others way above himself.

Which brings us full circle back to the idea that miracles reveal God’s glory.  Perhaps God’s glory is a phenomenon that happens behind the scenes, where only a few people are witness to it.  Perhaps God’s glory is most clearly revealed when the other is raised up.  Maybe God is trying to tell us something through the miracles Jesus performs.  Maybe he’s pointing us to a way of life.  I mean, Jesus himself told us that we would do greater than he.  And I would venture to say, the great challenge there would be for us to have the humility to point the spotlight on someone else…

As far as doing greater things than him… Well, that’s a whole different post.  I’ll have to let that one simmer for a while.  See you in two weeks.  HA.

At long last

I know that there are probably thousands of people who have been clamoring at their computers waiting to here what else I’ve got to say…

And then I woke up realized it’s a dreary Tuesday morning and I’m still helping plant a church and I still have absolutely no idea what I’m doing.

That said, it’s been a while since the last post.  And honestly, I really have no plan for writing today.  I’ll just see what comes out.  I will say this however, I feel that God is beginning to grow in me an overwhelming sense of compassion.  And you may be thinking, “wow, compassion…so.”  I think over the past couple months, especially, my view of life and Godliness has began a shift.

Let me flush this out a bit.  I was asked the other day what I thought about the gay marriage ban being lifted in California… I’ve also received numerous emails bashing anything Muslim because they are ALL terrorists… I continue to get a letter every month or so from a boy name Jensel Jared, who we sponsor in Honduras… I see everywhere this idea of defending our American “rights.”

Most likely I’m not making any sense, but the thing is what is it about humans, and more specifically, those of us in conservative religious sects, that makes us think we are better than some people, we “deserve” to have rights, etc.?

Take a look at Matthew 10, and then tell me if your better than Jensel Jared because he lives in poverty.  Read through Matthew 10 and look me in the eye and tell me if there is something in that passage that says you are better than a gay married couple.  Well, they’re living in sin… SO AM I!!  SO ARE YOU!! Read through the Bible and point me to ONE passage that says, “You deserve to have rights as an American and defend them at all costs.”  And where in the world does it say in the Bible that we are to love only those who think like us, are the same race as us and are Christian?…

Something is missing and I have a hunch what it is…