Posted by Chris on Sep 19, 2011 in
God,
Life I have always read a lot of books. I love having books around and talking about books. I think that bookshelves are the best way to decorate a house. So the idea of digital books didn’t used to be too appealing to me. However, during my trip to Fuller, I was embarrassed to see so many people carrying iPads and Kindles, while I had a second suitcase full of books. This was compounded by a 200 page , two column PDF that I had to read on my Macbook. Partially joking and partially exasperated I tweeted:
This has been a tough summer. In many ways, I feel like God has put me on hold. I’ve been waiting a long time for a lot of things, trying to be faithful with what I do have. But living in between is tough, and it’s worn me down.
The question that comes to mind is “why isn’t God working in my life?” I hear stories of God providing in emergencies, providing opportunities for vocation, or providing little things. It would be a lie to say that God has never worked in my life this way, but it feels like it’s been a long time.
Last Sunday I was handed a box that had been shipped to an old residence. I wasn’t expecting anything, much less the 1/2 lb. e-ink masterpiece I had been pining for. Shocked, I raced home and dug through my receipts just to make sure I had not accidentally bought it. Nothing. I tore apart the box for a shipping form, and saw my address and a short line that said:
#alwaysask
I’ve spent the last week attached to the little gizmo. A co-worker saw me smiling and said: “You look like you’ve got a new girlfriend.” I’ve devoured two books already.
It hasn’t fixed any of the problems that have got me down. But it is a reminder that God is out there, he listens, and other people do, too. I may have some complaints, but I have a good life. While I may still be on hold with God, I feel like he’s letting me know that he hasn’t gone anywhere. He cares. He wants to take care of me. Maybe he’s just waiting for me to let him.
#alwaysask
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Tags: books, depression, God, MAGL, prayer
Posted by Chris on Aug 8, 2011 in
Culture,
God 
When Rick Perry asked Texans to join him in prayer and fasting he added the words “like Jesus did.” The implication is “if Jesus were in our situation he would and pray and fast.”
Perhaps that is true. Jesus was a Jew and prayer and fasting was a historically accurate response to calamity.
The problem is that Perry claimed that his rally was to pray and fast like Jesus did.
So how did Jesus pray and fast? Well he doesn’t have much to say about it, except in Matthew:
“When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”
So, if Jesus didn’t want people to show off their religiousness by fasting, would he record a video about fasting and put it on Vimeo for the world to see?
Would Jesus rent out an arena for thousands to join in a fasting event?
What do you think Jesus would say to Rick Perry about this event?
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Tags: fasting, Jesus, politics, prayer, Rick Perry
Posted by Chris on Mar 29, 2011 in
God,
Life We are His portion and He is our prize,
Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes,
If grace is an ocean, we’re all sinking.
[youtube]JoC1ec-lYps[/youtube]
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Tags: David Crowder, depression, doubt, Faith, Hope, How He Loves Us, John Mark McMillan, Kim Walker, prayer, songs
Posted by Chris on Oct 22, 2010 in
God,
Life 
I’m currently working on a Master’s of Arts in Global Leadership, and occasionally, I’ll share some thoughts from what I’m learning.
We hear it all the time “All you have to do is just talk to God.” But let’s me honest, it’s not that easy. ”Just sit down and have a conversation with someone you don’t see, and who probably won’t respond to you in an audible voice” isn’t helpful advice.
Even Jesus wouldn’t give advice like that. When he was asked how to pray, he gave his disciples a model. Another model that Christians and Jews have practiced for millennia is praying the psalms.
Maybe the the problem is that we have trouble putting ourself in the place of the writer and his experience. We may read a psalm of praise, but not feel like we have something to praise God for. We may be having a really great day when we come across a psalm of lament. We may read an imprecatory psalm, but have no true enemies.
The problem is, like so many times in our culture, our individualism. Praying the psalms won’t work if it’s just about us. However, the psalms do give us the tools we need to truly pray for others. Next time you have a friend who is struggling, dedicate sometime to pray through psalm 89, where Ethan, the writer, accuses God of negligence, and asks for help. Next time you know someone who has something to celebrate, pray through Psalm 95, and rejoice for them.
In this way, we not only have words to say, but a reason to say them.
Related posts:
-Why God Doesn’t Talk To You
-Why God Hasn’t Forgiven You Yet
-What Would Patrick Pray
-My Kind of Woman (Pt.1) and (Pt. 2)
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Tags: MAGL, pray, prayer
Posted by Chris on Aug 20, 2010 in
God 
Recenly, I knocked out Dallas Willard’s Hearing God and The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence. Both books deal with communicating with God, and have a lot of insight on the barriers and benefits to it.
Willard suggests that rather than asking the question, “Why doesn’t God talk to me?” we should ask the question “Why should God talk to me?” As he always does, Willard breaks these mystical concepts into clear relational processes. We never ask the question, why would a stranger, who I have no interaction with talk to me? Rather, we will here from God, as we do life with him in the kingdom.
Although I have some struggles with the image of piety that Brother Lawrence projects, he offers an excellent example of how to do life with God. He spent much of his life in a kitchen. He would start his time there with prayer, asking God to be with him as he made omelets. Afterward, he would review his day, what went well, what did not, and share that with God.
Maybe God just wants to be treated like everyone else who is a major part of your life.
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Tags: 40 Books in 2010, Dallas Willard, Hearing God, prayer, The Practice of the Presence of God, Willard
Last Sunday I was handed a box that had been shipped to an old residence. I wasn’t expecting anything, much less the 1/2 lb. e-ink masterpiece I had been pining for. Shocked, I raced home and dug through my receipts just to make sure I had not accidentally bought it. Nothing. I tore apart the box for a shipping form, and saw my address and a short line that said:
