Protect and Serve

When you read the words "Protect and Serve" you may think of law enforcement ... and rightly so.  In 1955 the Los Angeles Police Department sought departmental input regarding a motto that could be both remembered and foundational for their department.  The winner was named and in November of 1963 Protect and Serve was adopted and the motto for the LAPD.  I like it, and we see that same motto appear on law enforcement vehicles all across America.  But what I discovered last week was even more informative.

In Genesis 2:15 God's word uses 2 Hebrew words ... avadh and shamar.  Shamar means to protect and avadh means to serve.  While these words are meaningful coming from the perspective of law enforcement, they mean so much more coming from God, especially since God is using these words to describe human responsibility and purpose.  Let's unpack them a bit!

Why would God ask Adam to protect (shamar) the garden?  What can he do?  If you look deeper into the word, you find that the word here is a little like tending a flock or being guardian over something that is unable to fully protect itself.  My brother is one of the people in charge of forest-protection in California.  They have been working, through proper management and control-burns, to have enough fire-breaks and underbrush-control to keep forest fires at bay.  But California is a massive state, and it has been virtually impossible for them to achieve even minimal protection for the forest there.  Wildfires have been disastrous.  Solutions have not been easy.  The garden is big ... our efforts are small.  I wonder, in Genesis, if God is pre-warning Adam of other intrusions into the garden, such as serpents?

Adam is also asked to serve (avadh) the garden.  Isn't it interesting that God asks Adam to place himself in the position of a servant in relation to an inanimate garden?  Or is it inanimate?  Does God view the garden, even the world, as something that has order, life and purpose?  God does tell Adam to subdue or govern the garden.  But in Hebrew the idea of rule and governance is caught up in the idea of being responsible for the welfare of the thing you govern.  Judges were to provide for the welfare of their people.  Micah described God's 'Great Requirement' as loving justice, doing mercy and walking in humility with God.  Jesus said, in Matthew 22:11 "The greatest among you will be a servant."  Do you think God is (through the fabric of His Holy Word) trying to tell us something profound about His intention for us?  We are not bigger that our garden, the world we live in, the people we are given, the context into which we are placed!

Someone asked Nick Saban why his process of leadership worked so well.  He said ... "Don't think about winning the SEC championship.  Don't think about the national championship.  Think about what you need to do in this drill, on this play, in this moment."  Translation ... "Do your job!"  I wonder ... if Adam, Eve, Randy, Sally, Nicey, Angel, Jason, Tina, Ryan, Andy, Jane ... all of us ... just kept this mantra before us ... "protect and serve the garden" ... how would that impact our little part of God's creation?  The truth is (whether you agree or not) God's instruction to Adam has implications about every one of us.  Environmental implications.  Social implications.  Spiritual implications.  Business implications. Life implications.

We have been given governance over 'the garden.'  We are to protect and serve.  Maybe if we took this task seriously and, on every play, just did our job, we could make a difference.  God seemed to think so!  So should we!  Randy

Work and Order

I know you are looking at the blog title and saying, "Wow, what a fun topic!"  Most today don't seek out work and don't like the perceived restriction of order.  We have convinced ourselves that freedom is somehow connected to "doing what I want."  But do you ever wonder if we are all somehow connected to a larger plan, a larger purpose and a bigger dream than our own wants?

If you start the Bible from the beginning, you will find that it doesn't take long for God to proclaim some of the reasons He created humans.  In Genesis 1 we find that we are made in the image of God.  I have thought that if we somehow took all of the good things in all of the people who have ever lived and put them on display, we might get a small peek at a reflection of God ... like the moon reflecting the son or a child reflecting a bit of its father/mother.  This is, by God's account, a good thing.  But there is another thing happening in Genesis.  The story of creation is being told in simple terms so that we might grasp some of what God is like and what people are like ... how God created us.  That calls me to one verse in Genesis 2.  "God took the man and set him down in the Garden of Eden to work the ground and keep it in order (Genesis 2:15, The Message)."  So much about God and people is contained in that short verse.

1. God's placement - Did you note that God "Set him down in the Garden of Eden?"  God, in His purpose and wisdom, placed the man in the garden.  The Bible talks about God moving nations, kings and events ... and we find a singular person, Adam, placed by God into the garden.

2. God's priority - God has 2 things Adam is supposed to do.  First, he is to 'work' the garden.  The Hebrew word is Avadh.  It implies both toil and serving.  The King James Version uses the word 'dress.'  I understand this well, since, as a child, I worked many hours in my father's garden.  I hoed clods, pulled up weeds and sweated in the hot North Carolina sun.  I liked the fresh vegetables, but wasn't so keen on the work it took to get them!  The second priority we find is 'order.'  Keeping the garden in order means that God had a plan and an intent as He created the garden.  It wasn't random.  God seems to want order.  The very first thing that happens in Genesis 1 is God brings order to what the Bible calls, "formless and empty."  God fills the emptiness and gives order to the formless.  And God gives Adam instructions to 'keep it that way.'

3. God's beautiful plan - I remember planting, working, growing and picking vegetables from my own garden.  It was hard work.  But if you worked hard enough and came to the garden as a servant of something bigger than yourself, it would produce good things.  You might even come to the realization that God had created the things you were planting to have the right amount of care, the right amount of water and the right amount of sunlight.  The plan for a good garden is something designed long before you were born ... it goes all the way back to the Garden of Eden.

Here is our disconnect.  We think our freedom is the license to place ourselves wherever we want doing whatever we want.  We are in charge of placement and we even tell ourselves, "I can go anywhere I want!"  We establish our own priorities, ignoring the things that are important to God.  We have our own plans and forget the plans of one who desires to give us a hope and a future.

I say all this to remember the Biblical beginning and end of things.  If you read Revelation carefully, you will see that God brings things full circle.  In Revelation 22, the chapter begins with "The Restoration of Eden."  It is a stark reminder that God will bring to pass what God desires and has designed.  God has a place to which He brings His people (His Bride), a priority that will certainly be realized and a plan that will happen.  So ... will we serve/dress God's garden ... will we work to make God's plan happen ... will God's priorities become our priorities?  In the formless, orderless void we see swirling in this world, will we be agents of working God's fields so that God's order will be restored?  Randy

Power and Proclaimation

There was a mighty struggle happening.  The Egyptian Pharaoh was intent on keeping his slaves, his workforce and his power over Israel.  God had called Moses, a flawed, stammering and less-than-perfect spokesperson, to demand that the Hebrew people be released from captivity.  I am sure the people were asking, "What is going on?  What is God's purpose in the plagues (they were right in the midst of God's real/physical plights on the Egyptian leader and people).  Why is God doing this and what is God's plan?"

I think we ask some of these same questions.  "Why are events unfolding like they are?  Why are evil people and evil happenings rising up?  What is going on?  Why is God allowing this and what is God's plan?"  We ask, pretty much, the same questions.

Exodus 9 provides a clear, concise and direct answer to the questions above.  "But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth (Exodus 9:16)."  This little passage says volumes about why we are here and the purpose of a great and awesome God.  Let's break it down.

First, all of this ... our world, events, history, future, people, nature, and even our deepest thoughts are all about God.  God's plan (according to Jeremiah 29:11) is for goodness and a future for us.  But it is God's plan.  It is for us, to benefit us, but it originates from God.  The lesson?  Find God in God's plan and find freedom, blessing and purpose there.  Henry Blackaby repeats this often in the book and study series "Experiencing God."  He would say, "If you want to find God or be found by God, jump into God's plan."

Second, God wants us to understand that He desires for us to see/know/experience/believe/trust His power.  To the Hebrews in Egypt, God is saying ... "You see what is happening around you.  Do you believe?  Does any of this show you My nature?  Do you see how I have come to rescue you?  Do you trust Me enough to leave the familiar and enter the unknown?  Do you think My power is sufficient to rescue, sustain and deliver you?"  These are the embedded questions in the theophany, terror and wonder of what is happening in Moses' Egypt.  They are the same questions God might ask about today.  We sing about our belief, but do we really see/know/experience/believe and trust God?

Finally, God wants to be known by the proclamation of His mighty deeds and the praises of His people.  Sunday we will enter the Family Life Center (9am) and the Sanctuary (11am) and proclaim and praise.  We will do this by singing.  We will enter His presence in prayer.  We will give to God's cause.  We will invest our voices, our thoughts, our attention and our hearts.

"Lord ... we hear Your voice in these words from Exodus.  We understand the call of freedom.  We acknowledge we must leave the familiar to find the extraordinary.  We know the dangers, and yet we will still choose to go ... deeper into Your word ... deeper into Your plan ... higher toward your kingdom.  We will look for You, seek to know You, hunger to experience You, faithfully believe in You and, with childlike devotion, trust You.  Help us Lord, for all of these things are difficult for us.  In the words of Rich Mullins we ask .. 'You who live in radiance, hear the prayers of those of us who live in skin.'  Thank you for listening Lord.  Let us, in our lives and in our actions, show Your power and proclaim you to all of the nations of the earth."  AMEN

Breaking Out

We are all intrigued by stories of prison escapes.  In one Top 10 list, movies like The Great Escape, Cool Hand Luke, The Shawshank Redemption and Escape From Alcatraz are included.  For comedic relief, I might add O Brother Where Art Thou.  But we truly are suckers for a story of a falsely-imprisoned person going free.

On this Sunday where July 4th (Independence Day) falls on a Sunday, it is appropriate to look at the Bible and what it says about freedom.  For God's Word is all about freedom.  A universal freedom desired by God for everyone.  A freedom that knows no social status or caste system.  A freedom that cannot be contained by borders or even our fallen world.  Best of all, it is a freedom offered to all who ask, even though we are guilty of a myriad of sins against God's plan for us!

Galatians 5 is all about calling people to freedom.  It begins by saying that our freedom is purposed by our savior, Jesus.  "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm then, and do not let yourselves be burdened by the yoke of slavery (Galatians 5:1, NIV)!"  The Message puts it this way, "Christ has set us free to live a free life. So, take your stand!  Never again let anyone put a harness of slavery on you!"

Paul is writing about the propensity of humans to go back to the familiar and, possibly, easier choice.  If all the people around you are following the Jewish law, it is easier to do the same yourself.  It is hard to change and follow a new way, even if that way leads to freedom.  I am sure that many, in those days we fought for independence, said, "If we fight, some of us might die!  If we make the British mad, payback will be painful!  If we resist, we will be punished."  For many, the status quo is more palatable than the unknown.

Paul reminds the people of three things (at least)!

1. DON'T FALL - "I suspect that you never intended this, but this is what happens.  When you attempt to live by your own religious plans and projects, you are cut off from Christ and you fall out of grace (Gal. 5:4, The Message)."  I prefer to think of grace raining down on every square inch on the face of the earth, and we (by returning to our old habits) put up an umbrella.  God wants you to be drenched, overwhelmed and swept away by grace, into the fullness of life!

2.  LIVE FREE - "My counsel is this: Live freely, animated and motivated by God's Spirit!  Then you won't feed the compulsions of selfishness (Gal. 5:16, The Message)!"  Freedom in Christ leads us to bear fruit that is eternal, contagious and freeing to others!  The message and demands of freedom spread and fill us as Americans.  Let's remember that this is who we are!

3. FIND PURPOSE - "It is absolutely clear that God has called you to a free life (Gal. 5:13, The Message)."  I wonder what would happen if we, the Church, became so led by the Spirit that our God-inspired longing for freedom would burst out and flow into the world?  For that is us as Christians, and that is us as a nation.

I read a story by a Canadian, pushing back at critics of America.  The man told us, as a nation, to stand proud that we have rebuilt other countries, forgiven trillions of debt of both friends and foes, given our treasure for the freedom of others and even sending aid to mortal enemies when disaster happens on their shores.  In this story, the writer describes how we (Americans) have not held freedom as a possession to be hoarded, but counted it as a universal and natural law that is planted/contained in every human heart.  So, like Christ, we offer that great possibility to even those who oppose us.  And, in the thankless and sometimes flawed way we offer this precious thing, we profess what Jesus and Paul knew way back then ... "it is for freedom that Christ has set us free!"  Let's rediscover that purpose and rediscover the source of true freedom ... Christ!  We have broken out of that jail, left the prison bars behind.  Let's never go back!  Randy  

Chosen Witnesses

There is a commercial on now where Charles Barkley is taunting children because he is chosen 1st in a pick-up basketball game.  Charles has a knack for being funny and self-deprecating at the same time.  It is why he is loved by so many!  But did you know you were 'chosen'?  And ... chosen for a purpose!

We continue our series on God's purpose and finding our niche within that purpose.  Isaiah 43 is filled with the purpose of God as the prophet lays out God's plan for salvation and restoration of Israel.  And that plan is for us too!

Here's the kicker on what Isaiah is saying.  God's word tells us about the plan.  God's word shouts to the heavens about God's purpose.  So why are so many lost, wandering and (in the words of the prophet) "walking in darkness (Isaiah 9:2)?  Here is my theory!

The clothes dryer at the parsonage wouldn't shut off.  I could have called the repair person, but that would cost at least $250.  So, I did what I often do when I have something break down these days.  I went to YouTube.  Sure enough, someone else had this issue and there was a video that showed me just what to do.  In the time it would have taken to call, schedule, meet and wait for the repair person (not to mention the time it would take to get the part) I ordered the part, spent 15 minutes switching out the old part, and repaired the dryer.  I was able to do this because someone had taken the time and energy to describe the problem, offer a solution and tell me exactly what I needed to do.

Our world has a problem but also a solution.  God creates us.  God places us in a world where He is growing us from the image of God into the likeness of Christ.  God gives us His word and His Son to show us how we can become used, useful and usable by God.  God gives us a message of hope, healing and wholeness.  And God calls us to Himself.  In the words of what I said in the baptism of Mary Griggs yesterday, "all of this is God's gift, offered to us without cost (at least to us)."  All of these are tools God provides so that we will seek and find our place in God's plan.  Because God has created us to be His witnesses!  We have Good News and we (if we are to follow God's plan) must tell!

God says "you are my witnesses (Isaiah 43:10)!"  That means you and me.  We are the tellers of God's truth, sharers of God's saving way and doers of God's word.  This is how we witness!

God also says, "you are my servants (Isaiah 43:10)."  We weren't made to serve our possessions, our recreational desires, our political persuasions or our idols.  We were created to serve God, and God only.

And our message, though it gets garbled in denominational politics, secular interests and personal prejudices, is simple.  God gave it to Israel direct, in Deuteronomy 6:4.  "Hear, O Israel, the Lord your God is one (the only) God."  God gave it to Moses at a burning bush when He said, "I am the God that exists (Exodus 3:14)."  God showed it from the cross as a Roman soldier kneeled and said, "Surely this is the Son of God (Matthew 27:54)!"  And God gives it to you and me through word, presence, community, and His unfailing love.  You are blessed because you know this!  You are chosen witnesses, here to serve God.  You have everything you need for this task.  So, let's get to work!  Randy 

The Glory of The Lord

Isaiah's ministry begins with the theme of God's glory.  The prophet is in the temple and sees the Lord, the train of His robe filling the temple, and seraphim calling out "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty ... the whole earth is full of His glory (Isaiah 6:3)!"  Isaiah sees the glory of the Lord and he is 1) undone, 2) humbled, 3) called/drawn to following the Lord wherever God desires ... "Here I am Lord ... send me (Isaiah 6:8)."  The themes of God's power, provision, creative intention and glory continue throughout Isaiah.  Glory is used over 50 times in Isaiah's prophecy.

This week we will continue our study of purpose passages in Scripture.  What is God's purpose in the world?  Why does God think we (people) are placed in the world?  In Isaiah 43:5-7 we find a beautiful expression of God's purpose.  It clearly states that we were made for God's glory.  But what does "glory" mean here?

The Hebrew word means weight, power, splendor, brightness and many other hyperbolic expressions.  God's glory is associated with power in battle, radiance that is so powerful it cannot even be looked-at directly, beauty so magnificent it is merely reflected in the most beautiful scenes of nature, and salvation so unbelievable we cannot find words to express it.  In Isaiah it fills everything with God.

So in this powerful, magnificent and world-filling word, how can God say that you and I are created for His glory?  We can barely get along with each other.  We have trouble focusing on God enough to make worship even a minor priority.  We love seeing God's weightiness and majesty in a sunset, but this passage seems to call us to BE God's glory.  How does this happen?

I think this means something simple but powerful.  We become expressions of God's glory (why we were made) when we:

1. Become agents of God's salvation, becoming conduits for God to pour His love, life and Spirit into the people we meet.

2. Become doers that express our faith by doing what Jesus taught us.

3. Become lovers of 'the things above' like life, sacrifice, giving, serving, kindness, patience, joy, prayer.

4. Become lovers of the people (nations) that God said He 'so loved' that He gave Jesus for our forgiveness, pardon and eternal life.

I love that term "weight" as a description of God's glory, because I think our ability to be what Isaiah 43:7 says, "all who claim God as their God," adds weight to God's mission, plan and power in this world, so that we can all dwell with God in the world to come. Today, try being an expression of God's glory, so that His power, weight, majesty and magnificence is expressed in some small way by you (and me).  Randy 

To Praise

I love our verse this week!  Isaiah 43:19-21 is an expression of God's grace, provision, transformation and purpose.  Here is this VERY good word ... "See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up!  Do you perceive it?  I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland!  The wild animals honor me, the jackals and the owls, because I provide water in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland, to give drink to my people, my chosen, the people I formed for myself, that they might proclaim my praise!"

What a verse filled with blessing and calling to each of us!  I have said, ad nauseam, that we often seek our purpose by seeking it in self, in our passions, and in our humanism.  Here, God tells us some things about ourselves, that direct us to find our purpose in the God that made us.  And, since "a little child will lead them (Isaiah 11:6)," what better way to seek the truth of this passage than to be in worship Sunday as our children lead us in song!  And as we enjoy the children, let's think of how these 2 passages dovetail with each other.

1. We are formed.  Created.  Part of God's good intent.  We are not stamped out as widgets, assembled as identical, rote, uninteresting things.  We are people, formed in God's image, reaching toward the likeness of Christ.  C. S. Lewis said we are not cattle to be herded toward a destination.  We are unique, special individuals, woven together in our mother's womb, fearfully and wonderfully made (Ps. 139).

2. We are made FOR God!  Not for slavery, some other person, or the world.  We are made by God and for God.  So, when we seek purpose, do you think it would be appropriate for us to seek that in and from the maker?  I think so!

3. We are made to proclaim God's praise.  Nicey Eller spoke about Pentecost and said that the "fired-up" disciples emerged from the house and spoke in all appropriate languages about the mighty things God had done!  We are made for this praise, which is why we lose something in our Christian walk when we become convinced we can "do" church without fellowship and contact with other Christians.  We were not made to "do" church ... we were made to "BE Church."

Sunday (both services) our children will lead worship.  They will read Scripture, pray, sing and be in the context and spirit of praise.  It is one reason we are all stirred-up when we hear them sing and see their enthusiasm.  Carolyn Arends writes (in "What We Hope For") "we start out so innocent and wise, till we cut the world down to our size, we still have that wonder in our eyes!"  You were made by God, for God, "that you might proclaim His praise!"  So ... do it!  Randy