Eating a Chair

The books are collecting around my bed and I love it. Bill Hybel's "Just Walk Across the Room" that I am not currently reading is on my night stand along with "The Great Controversy" that I am currently reading. Those two books are on top of Sanctified Life that is just a great book to have handy. Then leaning up against my night stand is the volume "History of the Reformation" by J.H. D'Aubigne, who E.G. White quoted extensively in "The Great Controversy." Then in front of the night stand on the floor is a small miscellaneous selection with a collection of Robert Frost's works, one of C.S. Lewis titles, the testimony of Sandi Patty, and then one of my favorite collection of essays form Robert Fulghum. It is from this final book I got my idea of eating a chair.

Fulghum tells of giving a ride to two college students headed to their summer job. Their philosophy teacher had given them an extra-credit assignment: Do something unique and memorable-not dangerous or foolish, but something creative, inventive, and instructive. They were to write up what they learned and how to apply it to their philosophy of life.

So. They are eating a chair.

They bought a plain wooden kitchen chair and using a rasp have been turning it into sawdust. Then at every opportunity, granola in the morning or salad in the afternoon, they would sprinkle it on their food. When Fulghum met them they had eaten a leg, two rungs, and a back piece.

Had they learned anything. They said so. They learned how "amazing long-term goals can be achieved in incremental stages. Like how something seemingly idiotic affects your thinking about other things you do... Some things cannot be had except on a little-at-a-time, keep-the-long-goal-in-mind, stay-focused basis."

I think I am going to eat a chair.

Sounds like what it is to be… All About People.

To Watch or Not

Two things have struck me as profound this week while thinking about the coming Apocalypse of Jesus Christ.

One is the theories surrounding the year and/or date of the 2^nd coming. The voice on the other side of the radio said Jesus will be arriving in the spring of 2011. I pondered that. And then I am told that thanks to an expiring Mayan calendar we know that the end of the world will actually be in the winter of 2012 (Y2K anybody?). I pondered that. So we read, therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. (Matthew 24:44) So here’s what I am thinking – if some think Jesus might come in 2011 and others say 2012, but the Bible says He will come in an hour as “ye think not,” then we are left with what? 2010 or 2013 and beyond. Really. Jesus could come this year. (You may now argue that since I am thinking 2010 it nullifies that as an option). But let me counter with the 2^nd subject of my ponderings this week.

Each of the great Christians I can think of – Peter, Paul, John, Luther, Miller, etc. have all lived expectant of Jesus coming in their lifetime. So the answer to the dilemma is not thinking of when he will come but believing (used synonymously with living) that he will come at any time. The error that Jesus is pointing out (in Matthew 24 and recorded in Luke) is not the error of believing He will or could come at any time, it is living under the assumption that he won’t come at a certain time.

Keep watching, Jesus is coming.

IT WILL MOVE

Have you ever heard of a moving city? Sound like something that hasn’t happened since the Native Americans had free reign of North America. Well, Chile has heard about it. The violent 8.8 February 27^th quake moved the Chilean city of Concepcion at least 10 feet to the west. Although 500 times stronger than the 7.0 earthquake that hit Haiti in January, the tragedies were much less. But Chile wasn’t done; this morning (March 11) 3 strong quakes, all above 6.0, struck the country. If it’s not Chile or Haiti, it’s China, or Indonesia, or Turkey, all within the last 60 days.

People are concerned. After the memorial service this week, honoring the life of Albert Becker, while we were still standing next to the tombstone, I was asked – what do all these earthquakes mean… is it the end? Jesus actually tells us exactly what these mean, “For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.” (Matthew 24:7,8) The very next thing Jesus says will happen is persecution for those who are faithful in obedience and faith to Jesus. Earthquakes are not the final bell, but are the warning indicators. Something is coming.

So what about a moving city? The Chilean city of Concepcion isn’t the only one I have ever heard about: And I John saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. (Revelation 21:2) There it is, the New Jerusalem will move, not 10 feet, but from heaven to earth. The beloved disciple follows his announcement with a reminder that when the New Jerusalem moves, there will be no death or sorrow.

OBSERVANCE

This last week, a couple of different friends sent me a link to the same blog. So I took the hint, copied and pasted the link, and “met” Chris Knight. Knight both a journalist and a Christian and uses this blog to share his personal thoughts and feelings. Let me share the link:

http://theknightshift.blogspot.com/2009/09/its-not-saturday-worship-its-sabbath.html

I have reread this blog entry several times over and think it might be just about the best review of the Church I belong to written my a non-Seventh-day Adventist.

Let me summarize his story:

Chris is invited by someone to attend a Seventh-day Adventist Church down in North Carolina, he admits he knows very little about this denomination, and decides to investigate. While claiming to have toured the denominations what he found in his words was -

“The Seventh-day Adventists are among the most Berean-minded [Biblical reference to those who faithfully study their Bibles] followers of Christ that I have had the pleasure of meeting. The central tenet of their faith is "The Bible, and the Bible alone", and to this they strive utterly to hold true.”

Knight concludes his blog writing “During my visit with the Adventists, I saw a very real and sincere hunger for Christ that... and I am disheartened to say this... is all too absent in our world. For the Adventist, it is about Christ and diligently searching the Word of God for guidance and wisdom. In a day when so much of modern Christianity seems to follow fleeting fads and fading fashion.”

I am proud of our community, not because we are in any way elevated, but because we are taking the Word of God seriously… and surrendered to it allowing it, that is Him, to dictate our lives.

BLESSING

I remember flying with 30 or 40 Jewish teens. Their destination was an international conference just for Jewish young people in Chicago. They explained the goals and programming of the conference including the agenda for Shabbat. My two row-mates and I shared freely during the flight so in our approach I had to ask; “what does Shabbat mean to you as an individual?” The young man was candid in his reply that it really meant nothing and he viewed it as mostly a tradition. But then he added that it remains a highlight of the week because on Friday evening his family will come together and connect before dispersing for the weekend activities.

This is the same practice seen in many homes in Jerusalem at the beginning of each Sabbath. Families come together and fathers bless mothers and mothers bless fathers, parents bless children and children bless parents. “Blessing” is a tradition not like the Christian tradition of praying for each other but rather applying Biblical passages of blessing to the individual. For example the father would bless the mother speaking or singing verses from Proverbs 30 exalting her virtues and expressing his appreciation of her.

I don’t know how far back this tradition goes, but it has the taste of creation. It fits within the picture of God to envision Him doing just that every Sabbath for us – extolling our virtues and expressing His appreciation for us. Go ahead, reflect the image of God by blessing your child, your parent, your spouse, and your God.

JUST LIKE JESUS

Haiti has gripped our attention and galvanized our hearts. And the headlines and stories coming out of that country are heart-breaking. I am proud of what individuals, churches, communities have done. Could we do more? Always. But both individuals within and the Seventh-day Adventist church organization have responded, reached out, and helped. I am proud of that. It’s not over; we all realize that the recovery and rebuilding will be a long process.

I only want to stop long enough to call us to consider ourselves. Are we “reacting” or is this who we are? Haiti needs our help, but we need a change in culture. Responding to a disaster is necessary and good, but it’s not all good if we that is how we live our lives. Jesus didn’t live that way, just responding to disasters. He lived his live serving one by one, and many of those “ones” didn’t know or feel they were in need. Everyday, he was all about people.

I praise God for the direction this church is going: Last year, the church in a business meeting voted that we would take a step of faith that allows God to fulfill His promises. We decided to take 10% of all income to the local church and dedicate it for reaching people with the gospel in this community. This money will be used at the board’s discretion for personal and public activities to win people to Jesus. God blessed our finances and so we again this past month, January, the church in business voted to commit an additional 5% of the church finances to be spent on community project(s) serving and loving our community.

We will respond, but we will live. Living as Jesus did, all about people.

Haiti

In a video clip I was recommended to, I watched footage from the camera of a U.N. peacekeeper soldier standing on a street in Port-au-Prince taken only moments after the 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck last week. The lens gives a 360-degree view before centering on what was a cathedral, and while the dust is still thick, shows bewildered pedestrians on their knees, arms outstretched to the only thing still standing in this destroyed place of worship – a ceiling high crucifix.

With the picture from this video in my mind I have been reading the hourly updates posted on CNN. I was overwhelmed today reading the reports: 10:37 p.m. -- Two children were pulled alive, 8:40 p.m. -- woman in her 70s who was rescued from rubble, 12:53 p.m. -- A 2-year-old girl named Carla rescued from rubble, and on the clips go. Most one at a time, sometimes two, but always just a few. While the searchers keep searching, but we… we can keep praying, and keep giving.

Soon there may be teams that we can join to go, but right now we can give. You know may know someone (Laura Van Aken in our church community has contacts), and ADRA (Adventist Development and Relief Agency). ADRA is our faith community’s rapid-deployment emergency response organization, and with the monumental need for food, clothing and water in Haiti, our contributions are essential. Giving is simple, go to www.ADRA.org and click on the “Donate Now” icon.

The Seventh-day Adventist Church as an organization, has already given to the immediate and committed to hundreds of thousands of dollars more to help rebuild the Adventist community there (There are - 335,000 members, 473 churches, one hospital, one university, and two grade schools) rebuild so they can begin to reach out and serve the rest of their communities.

We can’t give up, shut up, or let up for the cause of Christ. Keep searching, keep giving, keep praying… in Haiti and in our community.

Sabbath School

Mrs. Cook was like the sunrise, every Sabbath morning she would walk into our Sabbath school class with a handful of felts (remember those) and a warm smile. She was short, a bit chubby, but beautiful in every way. Each Sabbath she would interrupt our teacher to steal our imaginations away to places like India, Africa, Asia, and South America and amaze us with stories of others learning about Jesus. I have been to some of those places now…and I hope Mrs. Cook and the rest of my Sabbath School teachers know… what a wonderful job they did! We have a fantastic Sabbath School leadership team here, I am thankful for them. Here is what they wanted to tell us….

Making a resolution (New Year’s or otherwise) implies that we can accomplish whatever “we” set out to do. This is probably the reason most self-made promises fail. The ‘resolvers” often announce their intentions without asking for any accountability, so with no one checking on them, the “resolver” can cheat without reservations.When making resolutions, the Bucks County Church Sabbath School leadership relies completely on God, and we have seen His blessings in extraordinary ways. Our giving to the community in food and monetary donations has tripled over the past year. Fifty-seven families were given food baskets filled with love and promises. The Christmas Giving Tree supplied five families with a total of sixteen children with items that were needed. This included at least four gifts for each child, and money for other needs –a total of $1,000 donated by the church membership. The Penny Fundraiser, a new project for local Evangelism, exceeded the goal of one mile, thanks to many prayers, preparation, and dedication. Many blessings have been received from programs which include Unity Day, The Christmas Play, Bonfire Fellowship and Heroes’ Day. Programs by Sabbath School have encouraged Baptismal Studies resulting in sixteen baptisms over the past five years, and plans are being made for additional baptismal classes in 2010. The Sabbath School Ministry is accountable to everyone attending Bucks County Church. High expectations and heavy responsibilities aiding spiritual growth of families are taken very seriously by members of The Sabbath School Department’s Leadership. It is our prayer and trust that these and additional programs will continue in 2010. With God’s direction, all members of church and community will be blessed as we “resolve to seek God in serving our community, you and your children.”

The Sabbath Department

Nervous

A decade ago I was in Reading, CA interviewing for the job of youth pastor. I was nervous, we were all nervous. It was the final days of the 20^th century… and Y2K was looming. Although more unassertive, this new year of 2010 holds just as much chanciness as the infamous New Year’s Eve of 1999.

What is it, you know… “it.” The one thing we need to know going into 2010, I believe unabashedly “it” is this:

There are precious promises in the Scriptures to those who wait upon the Lord. We all desire an immediate answer to our prayers, and we are tempted to become discouraged if our prayer is not immediately answered. Now my experience has taught me that this is a great mistake. The delay is for our special benefit. Our faith has a chance to be tested to see whether it is true, sincere, or changeable like the waves of the sea… faith strengthens through continual exercise.

We must pray more and in faith. We must not pray and then run away as though afraid we should receive an answer. God will not mock us. He will answer if we watch unto prayer, if we believe we receive the things we ask for, and keep believing and never lose patience in believing. This is watching unto prayer. We guard the prayer of faith with expectancy and hope. We must wall it in with assurance and be not faithless, but believing. The fervent prayer of the righteous is never lost. The answer may not come according as expected, but it will come, because God’s word is pledged.

Wait for the Lord, not in fretful anxiety but in undaunted faith and unshaken trust. (Our High Calling 134)