Hosanna! God save us!

Hosanna!

It echoes through the ages. 2000 years ago as a crowd of people shouted a refrain written by King David a thousand years before. And even today we repeat these words.

Hosanna!  God save us!

The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!”

Matthew 21:9 NIV

The shouts sound out from an excited crowd that is slowly making it's way down the Mount of Olives and is entering the city of Jerusalem. 

Hosanna! 

People from all over the country have come up to the city to celebrate and today is the day they will be selecting their passover lamb.

Hosanna! 

Perhaps there are different people in the crowds,  parents concerned about their children and details of the holiday, rural folk overwhelmed with crowds and sort of chaos, some that are excited and anticipating all that is coming. 

Yet there is a tension, Jerusalem isn't exactly free. The Romans are still here and they are watching, making sure that things don't get out of control.

Hosanna! 

God save us!

Save us from this oppression as you saved Israel from Egypt so long ago.

Hosanna! 

God save us! 

Save us from our struggling, from the hardships, from the foriegn nations,  save us! 

Hosanna!  God save us! 

Perhaps we are crying this too. 

God save us! Save the vulnerable from sickness. Save our communities from this pandemic.  Save our nations from economic disasters. Save those who are working on the front lines. Save those who are grieving. Save those who feel like they are going crazy. 

Hosanna! God save us! 

But then Jesus pauses on his descent down the Mount of Olives and weeps.

As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes.

Luke 19:41‭-‬42 NIV

Did the people understand what was happening? Did they think that this king, riding in on a donkey was going to save them from the Roman empire and heavy taxation? 

Did they think that this miracle worker was going to save the sick and suffering from their pain here on earth? 

Did any of them realize what he was coming to Jerusalem to do? 

Hosanna! God save us!

There was nothing else that could save us from the penalty and guilt of sin. Only God could do that and Jesus, being fully God, was the only one who could save us. 

Just as the passover lambs in Egypt saved those who were in each house, Jesus is the perfect passover lamb whose blood saves all.

Hosanna! God save us! 

As we cry out those same words this year. 

Do we realize what is real of importance? 

Are we crying out more for God to save us from a virus? God save us from chaos and need. God save us from uncertainty and loneliness. 

God, thank you that you have paid the price and saved us from sin. 

And through all of this chaos, need, uncertainty and loneliness I long for God's  redemption and trust that He can save us from all this, yet even through all this, I will praise His name, for through Jesus Christ we are saved!

Hosanna! God save us!

Psalms 118:22‭-‬29 NIV

The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; 

the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes.  

The Lord has done it this very day; 

let us rejoice today and be glad.   

Lord , save us!  Lord , grant us success!  

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord . 

From the house of the Lord we bless you.  

The Lord is God, and he has made his light shine on us. 

With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession up to the horns of the altar.  

You are my God, and I will praise you; 

you are my God, and I will exalt you.  

Give thanks to the Lord , for he is good; 

his love endures forever.

Have Peace - you will suffer

When we think of the resolutions we make, they are positive. We want to be better, stronger, greater, ect. Most of us don’t make resolutions like, I want to suffer more, or I want troubles, but in the Christian life, we are told that we will have troubles.

So how do we reconcile this idea that we should strive to better, that we should desire to the best that we can with the gifts and talents that God has given us and the fact that we are going to have trouble?

The burden of the resolution often results in failure sometime later. The gyms are full in January and by March…. They are almost back to the normal crowd. But Jesus told his disciples that all these troubles would come – so that they would have peace.

You’re going to suffer! Have peace… it doesn’t quite sound right….

Working at a Christian camp from time to time we were encouraged during difficult times that when God is working in such significant ways, we shouldn’t be surprised that the devil puts up a fight. So yes, if we are doing God’s will, we will have trouble! Take courage, you’re on the right path!

Perhaps the fact that we will suffer can help us shape our goals and resolutions better. I will strive to maintain a healthy body so that I  can glorify God and maybe learn better self-discipline in the process. But I know that I will age and my body will break and I look forward to the new body I will receive in heaven.  I commit to managing my money more wisely – so that I can be part of Christ’s Kingdom coming here on earth.  I commit to spending more time with family and friends instead of screens because God loves people, not pixels.

So how does your faith impact your resolutions?

Are the resolutions we make a way of once again dying to sin and picking up our cross and following Christ?

How will you react when you can’t keep your resolution? When we fail? When we grow old?

John 16:33

³³ “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

A Quiet Day - A Holy God

Yom Kippur - The Day of Atonement

The Judgement Day.

Here is Israel Yom Kippur is a very quiet day. It is a very Holy day.
Israel as a nation, all Jews are repenting of their sins. It is a day filled with prayers and fasting.
The atmosphere reminds us clearly God is Holy and our sins stand in the way of that.

I've been thinking of it lately, our protestant Christian churches love to celebrate our closeness and the love of God.  It is a good thing. Christ died that we CAN be with Him.  We have a hope of life eternal. We have the promise of new life, and the Holy Spirit dwelling within us.

But I wonder if we can get too comfortable with it? If we can emphasis feeling close to God in so great a way that we neglect to remember that God is Holy. If we emphasis God's grace and love in such a way that neglects to identify and call out sin and that it has no place with a Holy God?

So how can I balance the tensions between Holy and Loving? How can we live in celebration and not forget the weightiness of our transgressions?  Can the picture of God as our Father help? A father who loves us, but not to forget a father that holds all authority. In working that out, we have the confidence of a father's unconditional love and the  motivation of father who has ultimate power.  And driven by the knowledge of God's holiness - we are driven to strive to be holy as He is.

It's life in a tension. But God has not left us with only remembering a Holy God - less than a week from today will be Sukkot - feast of tabernacles, a 8-day celebration of God dwelling with his people.  It's a beautiful tension.

A thought on time - Exodus 12:1

Passover.  It is one of the appointed times.  One of the festivals that God appointed for the people of Israel to keep every year. It reminds me of a conversation that we had early this year while reading the weekly Torah portions.

It was Exodus 10-13. The story of the final plague and the exodus from Egypt. And at the beginning of chapter 12, God gives the people of Israel their first command. He realigns their calendars. 

Not the first time God talked about time, in the garden of Eden, the first thing God created was day and night, and on the fourth day, planets and moons to tell time, and in the seventh day he made time holy,  the only thing in creation to be made holy.

At the first passover they are commanded to re-align their calendar with God's. Restructure their week, their year, their festivals and celebrations and time is no longer to calibrated by the Egyptian gods, the Nile and it's cycles, but instead it is to be calibrated to the moon, the sun, the movement of the planet and seasons, the objects that God created with the purpose to tell time. 

Today, the concepts of time are varied. Fleeting, precious, valuable, something to just get through or simply something you never have enough of. 

There is a whole genres of literature and entertainment based on things like space- time dimensions, time-travel and the like. 

But what we rarely call time - holy. 

Why? 

Is it because it might demand more of us? In an age of quick, instant, fast paced and individual interests to set aside time is a costly demand.  We manage our time very carefully. We know how long it takes to get from here to there, how long can we sleep in, how many time can really press snooze and still get where I need to be on time. We know how to effectively accomplish things we need to. We count the hours we work, and calendars and day-planners are often not far away. 

I've encountered the idea going without time. At camp it happened a couple time while out-tripping that we wouldn't look at watches or the time and just take the day as it goes. It is freeing in a way, but if God created time and order, what if it isn't about getting away from keeping time - but rather about what we are keeping time for. 

"You're wasting my time...."  I have heard this phrase a lot. It is an attitude that I have found within myself. It goes hand in hand with "my time is valuable". The commonality - 'my time'.  

Who possesses time? 

Do I ultimately own the time that is given to me?  It is as if a kid is holding onto their allowance, buying candy and refusing to share it. As if they automatically forget where the money first came from. 

If time was the first thing that was called holy, is it not the most valuable gift that we can give back to God?  It is like the same lessons we use about money or possessions - that what we have is not really ours, but blessings from God for which we are called to be good stewards of.  

The difference - even if you don't have money - everyone has time. 

When God created the world - before the fight with evil even began - he ordained one of every 7 days to be holy. And in a world that struggles with evil constantly I struggle to give time, even part of the 7th back to God. 

And not giving as in hands off - do as you will with it time - but as time to stop, and rest. To remember that I did not create this time. It is not calibrated by my events or tasks. It doesn't bring attention things I think important, but rather, points to something, someone bigger.
It is a valuable blessing of which I am commanded and privileged to partaking, the time given to me, and the time given to those around me.  

Even in the time I 'give' to God, I find I can still be caught up in the busyness.  I let what I do define who I am, rather than seek to find who I am in Him. 

It is easy to point to the passage about worshiping God in every aspect of our lives. 

Yes, I believe we ought to do that. 

The word used for worship in Exodus is the same word for serve, or work, it is active or doing something. And just as the Hebrews left Egypt to go worship in the desert and once they were gone, there was no going back, the nature of our call to worship is life long. Paul changes the language and call us to be living sacrifices.
Yes, worship God in whatever you do - but do not do in order to take away from time with God. 

I can give money or things - I just let it go. But to really give time , it opens up a space in which something may happen. I may see something or hear something that I don't want to see.

 And so in a way I can see how that might be intimidating, but when we worship - it is not only what we give to God. 

When we open up that space, the time, the time that God has already declared holy, God is already there and although we might see something we don't want to, more than that, God meets us there because He has an undieing love and incredible faithfulness to those who He has chosen.

Easter in Jerusalem

So this is probably one of the busier weeks here in Jerusalem. The Jews are celebrating Passover or Pesach, the Western Christians are celebrating Easter Weekend and the Eastern Churches will be celebrating Easter Weekend this coming weekend.

There is always a long list of services or events to chose from in which to participate.

Thursday evening I joined Christ Church in their Maundy Thursday Service and walk to the Mount of Olives. On the way there we saw one of the Othodox groups going to the Church of all nations for a service. Their singing was beautiful!

Walking up to the Russian Orthodox Church's garden

The stars were bright 

Some flowers in their garden

Good Friday - I joined Christ Church again for their service. It was also the beginning of Pesach and our church does a Pesach Sedar.  This is a time to retell the story of the Exodus, and that is what we did. It is no coincidence that this holiday celebrating freedom comes at the same time as we celebrate Christ's victory over death.

 Sunday Morning - Catching the sunrise on my way to the Garden Tomb

I think this is one of the bigger gatherings on Easter Morning. 6:30am Sunrise service at the Garden Tomb.  Good worship and celebration time.

The trees catching the rising the sun.

The message was given by Rev. Simon Ponsonby from Oxford. 

We celebrated at school with an Easter BBQ - games, food and finished with worship together. 

But most importantly,

His is not here. 

He is Risen!

Grace for a Man like Barabbas

Matthew 27:26 Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.

This story has been on my mind lately. A group of people that prefer to have a murder released to them in exchange to have teacher, the Messiah crucified. 

I realize for a long time I have seen this story as an example of how twisted and lost the people were, that they would be capable of asking for the release of a murder and exchange for Jesus. All the while I held to the knowledge that God is sovereign and this was all part of His plan to redeem His people, I glanced over the idea that maybe this story is also a picture of God's grace as well. 

From the story it appears that that Jesus and Barabbas were in the same place at the same time. Being presented to the people. Pilate, trying to convince them to let this innocent man free, chooses the worst of the criminals that he has available and offers a choice to the people.  

Jesus and Barabbas standing next to each other.  If there was a limit to God's grace - if there was one thing that Christ didn't die for - it would probably be this. Inciting protests and murder, setting the stage for continued violence and tensions between the ruling power and the people. (And although the specifics are different - I wonder if the current tensions in Israel and Jerusalem  may communicate some of the same emotions and tensions that existed then)
Jesus didn't say a word. Being the son of God he had every right to say something. To use this platform, to announce his purpose, to lay out the stipulation and details of the covenant he had come to renew. But he didn't say anything. 

If Barabbas was beyond Jesus' grace I imagine he would have said something. He could have said something like - "Ok, I came to offer grace to all people, but you, you have destroyed the lives and families of hundreds of people, you have disturbed the peace, at least you must realize the gravity of you actions before I extend my grace." or "My grace is for all - except the worst ones."  or even "Pilate - did you really have to go this far to bring out the worst?! I can extend grace to thieves and tax collectors, prostitutes and sinners - but this guy! he has murdered and probably doesn't even regret it!"

But Jesus didn't say anything. Maybe he didn't say anything, because the worst of sinner, the most despicable criminal is still within the limits of God's grace. Everyone, who  still has breath in their lungs is within those limits. Both the thieves on the crosses and the man name Barabbas in Pilate's court were enough for Jesus to go to the cross. 

I find that it is easy for me to say these things, to know in my head that God's grace is for all, no matter to what 'degree' of sinner they are (if there really is such a thing). But when it comes to real life it is much harder to wrestle with. In the past month there has been a string of attacks in Jerusalem carried out by Palestinian extremists.  Recent conversations have been around how sever ought their punishment be or what type of justice is needed. Most often the attacker has been killed so the punishment is against their family, who often celebrate the martyrdom of their family member.  

Justice is needed, if we want a  civil world, we can't just dismiss it  in the name of grace and pretend like it is all OK. But the question remains with me, how ought we act or respond in ways that recognize that the grace we received is also showed to the worst of us.  If we are it image bearers of God, how do we show the God's grace is also to them? We are the messengers of God's grace, simply carriers, we do not have the authority to change or alter the contents of the message we carry. We do not have the authority to place limits on it,  or fences to Barabbas' out. If we start to place limits on grace, we better be careful, because with our tendency to portray our lives better than they really are, likeliness is that the limits we place on it would exclude ourselves. 

I don't have answers yet, but I don't want to fall into the trap of using terms and language that clump all Palestinians or Arabs into the same group as the extremists, and on the hand I don't want to become so skeptical as to avoid the truth. Maybe it is the fine balance of speaking the truth in love and Paul talks about in Ephesians.  I haven't figured it out, and I feel that it may be a lengthy journey,  but by God's grace, may we learn how to show love to the Barabbas's.

This rain is a blessing,

I woke up early this morning, and after stepping outside I turned back to grab my rain coat. Rain coat on I headed to meet the bus for the short term group to make sure everything was in going well for them. Thankfully this all happened during a break in the rain, so they weren't wet getting on the bus. I felt bad for them, they were north of the city, and from what I recall, some of those sites don't have much cover if it decides to rain. Couldn't it wait to a better time?

Back on campus and the rain continues, on and off, sometimes heavier, sometimes just misting. Everyone inside, trying to stay dry. The seasons are definitely changing.

I have always viewed rain as a necessary blessing. It was a critical part of life, it is a need - for water, and God gives it in its due season. This could not be truer here. Last winter was particularly dry, and if there is another dry year, things won't be good for agriculture. The land depends on the winter rain, the rain in its season.

At lunch it came up that because of how far east we are - we don't tend to get the heavy downpours, rather we get sprinkles and rain, then a little later some more sprinkles. This too is a blessing. The land is rocky. If water comes too fast it can't soak into the ground - even in land where it isn't rocky. A rainy day is better to water the plants than all of it as once.

And then there are the unexpected blessings.

Today is Friday. Tensions have been high in Jerusalem this last week and a half. Lives have been lost, and violence has broken out mostly in the East parts of the city. There are extra police - and they were getting ready for Friday - the day of traditional prayers. One of the news sites I looked at mentioned that the Palestine's were being encouraged to have a 'Day of Rage' against the events that have happened over these past weeks. In particular the temple mount being completely closed yesterday.

Mid-morning, while working in the office and seeing the rain, during a heavier rainfall, it occurred to me. If anything is going to discourage a 'Day of Rage' or riots and protest. A persistent, cold, wet rain will do better than anything else. (In addition it makes the rocks very slippery - I'm guessing it is harder to run too)

Maybe God knows our true need better than we do. A day of violence and protest won't do any good, probably only end up getting more people hurt and killed.  Maybe God know and is able to enact the simplest, yet most effective way of dampening the rage, all while nurturing the land. This rain wasn't a surprise, we knew it was going to be a wet weekend, but maybe God's greatest blessings can be found in the ordinary things.

How simple is it to overlook the blessings in life? To simply stand by and see it as an ordinary thing, good in itself, but when God uses it, it can be so much more.

'and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace'

I was reading this passage over, and in the light of recent news reports and conversation about peace, it stands out.

Peace. It seems that our world is anything but peaceful. It doesn't take long to find stories of how peace is shattered. Tensions are high, the attack in Ottawa, the light-rail attack in Jerusalem, the continuing devastating attacks in Syria, the uncertainty of ISIS, the spread of Ebola, and numerous other events, long-term and sudden crises that can shake up close to home or far away.

Stand your ground. It is a phrase that is used earlier in this passage. Soldier are ready before the battle even begins. They are familiar with their equipment, of which their shoes are an important part. They may have walked many miles in those shoes before they see anything. Just as in your favourite running shoes, you know when they start to loosen up in places, how to adjust or tighten the laces to make it feel 'fitted' again.

It seems that we often wait until a time of turmoil to think about and seek 'peace', but if we have a gospel of peace, should we not familiar it before? Should we not know where we stand and what this gospel require of us? Have our shoes become loose in ways that we don't know how to fix?

The other day I had a conversation with a group of fellow students about peace and what it looks like. As foreigners we don't have the ability to fight the local fight for peace. It isn't our fight, we are merely bystanders, who can encourage, but we can't solve it alone. And while this isn't our fight, we can't take a role of apathy either, our role is different.

In the conversation it came out that Christ didn't concern himself with the nationalistic vision of Israel - to get rid of the Romans, but rather many of his teachings are concerned with the relationship closer to you, making peace with a brother, loving a neighbor, respecting authority, or welcoming children.

When considering this - the turmoil that happens - it is within a large picture, it concerns people on a nationalistic level.  Yet it seems to impact us on a individual, all the while, think about yesterday, my relationship with people I came in contact with didn't change at all because of it. I was no more or no less at 'peace' with anyone I talked to, yet my mind was more consumed with thought and concerns of 'peace'.

What if this gospel of peace is more concerned with the relationships of the people around us than the lack of conflicts on a national level. What if we were more concerned about the persons who we came in contact with, that the big scary 'thing' 'out there'.

Feet fitted with the readiness.  Knowing where I stand before I try to fight. I know 'gospel' means good news, and I know that Christ is the Prince of Peace. The good news of peace. Peace on all levels. Paul reminds us that our sins have been paid for and we can be at peace with God. If we use that peace to define peace, just as we use the model of God's love to define real love.  (we love because he first loved us)

If we are at peace with God, we truly have little to worry about. We know the bigger picture. God will win the victory. Our Father knows what we need, and will provide it. Therefore if we are certain of this peace, it should show up throughout our lives. and just like ebola starts with one case and spreads, maybe peace should be the same way, starting with each person who fearlessly declares the mystery of the gospel to spread peace within their circles of contact.

I am not saying these things to belittle the events that are happening. We are commanded to 'pray on all occasion, with all kinds of prayers and request,'  but we also have access to the greatest peace and maybe in the times of turmoil, the greater the contrast, and the greater message.

Rhythms and Complacency

I love rhythms.
I think most people like some sort of rhythm, even if it is a rhythm of spontaneity.

I have a normal time of waking up,  I have a normal breakfast time, place to eat and people I eat with. I tend to go for the same foods, the same beverages, and when I find something enjoy, I need a good reason  to try something else. I have a system of keeping my life organized so that I know what to expect and can plan for tomorrow, next week or next year.

Life in Israel has shown me a little about the feasts that God told his people to celebrate. Two seasons of celebration. On in the spring starting with Passover, and one in the fall starting with Rosh HaShanah, Now we are back to 'normal' days. They actually have a word or a phrase referring to the 'times after the holidays'.  The time when life starts to fall back into the normal rhythms of a work week (however than be defined here), schools start classes again, and life begins to fall into an expected rhythm.

I have heard the example of life being a combination of 'mountain-top' and 'valley-low' experiences, yet the way I experience it, it isn't always climbing or running down, there is a lot of flat land to cover too. And maybe the life on the flat-ground; the places where there is nothing really spectacular, and nothing really tragic, where our true character and endurance can be strengthened. The times when it is easy enough to do it on my own, not 'spectacular' enough that all would automatically recognize it as a miracle of God, and not lonely or hard enough to signal my heart that I need to turn to God or I'll never make it through.

Life likes the flat grounds. Even in real life, road, trails and natural routes like to follow the flat ground - it is easier to walk a mile of flat ground around the mountain than to go half a mile straight over it. In life - we get through the valley and aim for the places we know what to expect. We breath a sigh when vacation ends and life returns to normal. We settle in when school starts back up, as difficult as the change is, or tiring a Monday morning, we appreciate the 'getting back to normal'.

So rhythms - on the flat ground, the rhythms that give shape to our days weeks and years. They show a lot about what is important and how who we are. What are our priorities and what do we value? Some of the rhythms of my day and week I wish that I had better control of, getting homework done so I can sleep on time, making sure I can spend time in the word of God, being intentional about spending time with people.

There is a temptation to let my life fill up with rhythms that are so predictable that I don't keep time open for the unexpected and the time to really grow in faith and understanding.  Yes, on flat ground we could cover twenty miles in a day, but you'll learn a lot more about yourself, the people around you, and the path you are on, if you only go ten.

The Bible study I go to starts out usually by asking what has gone on in the past  two weeks, what have we learned, or what has God been showing us. Thinking about those questions has made me realize that the flat ground is an interesting time where there is potential for great benefit, but also potential for none at all.

One aspect of the rhythms in my life is a rhythm of 'distractions' - things that fill my time with really little to no benefit on long-term goals or present situations. The tv shows that I enjoy, a game I play on the computer, the logic puzzles, or pleasure reading are not 'bad', but if I were to let them take up all my time, they would be considered as such.  On a mountain-top or a valley-low, these could very easily be dropped out, but it is on the flat ground where they fill up my time. On the 'flat ground' I can let complacency take lead because it isn't hard work, I can let myself slip into a rhythm that doesn't allow time for important things.

On the other hand, 'flat ground' could be a time of benefit. It can be a time where, if I am intentional, I can learn a rhythm that supports what is important to me, and values what I want to value. Maybe it is the little things, like getting up a half hour earlier and spending a little time in God's word, or maybe it is not checking facebook another time before I start my homework. Or sticking to going to be on time instead of watching that one episode.

God gives us seasons and places to which he has called us. Each has it's own rhythms and pace. But God is bigger than the situation we are in, and as children of God it is to our benefit that we can see a the bigger perspective. Maybe the best rhythm for me is to go ten miles a day well, than 20 miles fast, anyways God never said that the winner was the one who went the furthest, just to run this race well.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. - Hebrew 12:1-2

Rosh HaShannah - fresh starts and God's love

Yesterday was Rosh Hashannah, the Jewish New Year.

We celebrated with a group of friends and dinner together! It was a lot fun. I enjoy celebrating these holidays, not just for the sake of extra holidays, but they seem to be very applicable to New Testament as well.

It is a celebration of new starts and making things right. From my understanding it starts a season of  making things right with each other before Yom Kippur - the day of Judgement. It is a time of celebration, but also has a piece of introspection attached to it.

This music video might give you an idea of what Rosh Hashannah is celebrating

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlcxEDy-lr0&feature=youtu.be

My thoughts go back to forgiving.
It is hard. It is more than I'm sorry, it is more than pretending it is alright. It is a deep down heart change that refuses to look at that person as an enemy but pleads with God to let me see that person as God sees them. And however long that process takes, however painful that it is, pursuing that perspective until when I think of that person I think of them I no longer think of them with the hurt they caused, but as one loved by God.

When I neglect to extend forgiveness I have neglected to recognize that they are also a child of God. I have forgotten that I too was in that place totally undeserving of grace. In a way it requires humbleness to forgive, because to truly forgive is because we have been forgiven first.

1 John 4:19 We love because Christ first loved us. 

All too often I don't pursue or reject forgiving, I just ignore it. I avoid confrontation. I would rather just pretend it didn't exist and walk away and maybe someday it will all be better. But as a Christian, covered by the grace of God's love I'm called to extend it to others.  Maybe the grace they see from me is the only shadow of God's grace they will see, and to cover them in that shadow I must be close to them.

These thought have been rolling around in my mind over the past couple years as I struggle and learn more about forgiveness and God's love. It is easy to say these thing as concepts, just like the rich man with whom Jesus talked could accept the command 'love your neighbour'. But the part that he struggled with was when it was further define who his 'neighbour' was.

What if God loves... the perpetrator of evil?
What if God loves... the radical terrorist?
What if God loves... the government who is allowing so much injustice?
What if God loves... the one who hurt your family or friend?
What if God loves... the one who hurt you?
What if God loves... the one who is still hurting?
What if God loves... the person I hate?
What if God loves... me?
       God does.

Forgiveness is not justifying their actions. It is not saying that it is ok! God never said, "It's all ok" he said, "go and sin no more". If we stop counting their actions and starting asking how God ought to have us love them then maybe we can start in a better place. Maybe the best way to love someone who is hurting you or who has hurt you includes setting up and supporting appropriate boundaries like not being alone with them.  Maybe it includes taking a stand and voicing the truth. But above all, it is to seek restoration rather than retribution.

In any case, if we want to truly love and extend God's grace to our neighbours, it is not going to be a cookie cutter "I'm sorry" and  "I forgive you". It seeks the best for them, it seeks to love them as Christ loves them. It is to desperately pursue a perspective that they are actively loved by God and to respond to them in an appropriate manner.

Sometime I see or hear of people who feel ostracized from a Christian communities because of their past or their history. Their participation and freedom is limited, instead of finding ways to welcome and support them. All the while they are told that God can save everyone - and even the vilest murder can be accepted into the Kingdom of Heaven, but they fail to be accepted them into the kingdom of heaven here on earth. So, either we don't really believe that they will be accepted (Romans 10:13), or we don't believe that the kingdom of heaven is here (Luke 17:21).

I want to see more communities that embraces the truth that God change hearts and celebrated that God makes beautiful things out of our broken pieces.

It is hard. But within that difficulty I have learned more about God's love for me in ways I can't describe, and the value of forgiveness, both towards me and from me.

This might be some heavy thoughts at a time of celebration. But rejoice in this, if you have accepted Christ, you are covered by his grace. You are forgiven, and if those are just words, ask that He shows you value of that forgiveness. As we understand and can rejoice in the grace that covers us, let us freely give.

As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give. Matthew 10:7-8

The Next Chapter

So a lot has happened over the past while and I am in a place where I am looking forward to what is to come. Eager anticipation is probably the best way to describe it.
This spring I will have completed four years at Redeemer studying Youth Ministry. I am excited for that. It has been a good four years, the classes and profs have been great. The community is definitely something that I will miss. I am looking forward to my final semester that is coming up and the classes that I get to take. I'm sure that it will teach me even more and will be good.
This past spring I had the opportunity to travel to Israel for a two week study tour. It was with 'That the World May Know Ministries'. It was an amazing trip. I learned so much and saw many different places that brought the scriptures to life. The places, the people, the culture, it all is intricately woven together to create the Bible that we study.
After returning home I started to entertain the idea that I could go to school in Israel. I had heard of a school in Jerusalem and so  I looked into it a little. The programs sounded really interesting.
I tucked the idea away for a while. I wanted to make sure I wasn't thinking about it just because we had a good time in Israel so I didn't say anything to anyone until at least a couple months later, but a couple months later I was still thinking about it, and kind of excited about it.
Through much prayer and consideration I continued to look at going to school in Jerusalem as an option. I talked with people around me and everywhere I looked it made sense to at least apply to go. The only thing that continues to nag at me is the fact that I can't see exactly where this is going to lead to.
In late October early November I completed the application and sent it in. I wasn't that long before I got a package back in the mail that included an acceptance letter. Along with the acceptance letter was a set of maps and a couple books that I get to go through before I go to Jerusalem in September.

So for now I have to get a bunch of paper-work in order, work through the books and continue to get excited about what God has in store. 

In the mean time I will complete one more semester at Redeemer (I'm really looking forward to the classes I get to take), graduate in May and find somewhere to work for the summer. 

I am looking forward to this next chapter, seeing what all God has in store and where this might lead me too. 

Who God is

God the Father has often been associated with being sovereign, in control of everything, above all. It gives me a certain sense of freedom to consider that the God that I love and I worship would be sovereign over everything.
My emotions, my struggles will never change who God is. 
My opinion of how thing ought to have been done, how things turned out and what God should have done will have no impact on who God is. 

If I am angry at God, that cannot change who he is.  
If I am lonely, that will not change who God is. 
If I am distracted, that will not change who God is. 
If I am overwhelmed, that will not change who God is.
If I struggle to believe, that will not change who God is. 
If I am happy and joyful, that will not change who God is.
If I am tired, that will not change who God is. 
If I am hungry, if I am needy, if I am independent, that will not change who God is.

My perception of who God is, whether be good, or be negative, cannot change who God already is.
I can struggle with Him, because I know I will not break Him. I can fight until I understand a little more about who He is, and in that process, I am sure I will find out a little bit more about who He has made me to be. 

¹¹ Here is a trustworthy saying:

If we died with him,
    we will also live with him;
¹² if we endure,
    we will also reign with him.
If we disown him,
    he will also disown us;
¹³ if we are faithless,
    he remains faithful,
    for he cannot disown himself.

2 Timothy 2:11-13

Israel - part 1 the Shephelah

This week I just got back from a trip to Israel. It has been a long time in the coming, and it was an amazing trip. We learned so much while we were there. We got to see so many different places and things. All the pictures that we have in our minds has already been making the Bible come alive. I am continually surprised about how much of a difference it has made learning about the Jewish setting of the Bible. I hope that by putting up the pictures and explaining a little bit of the stories that we were told, perhaps you too could see a little more.

We landed at 7am at Tel Aviv after flying through the night. We landed ready to hike.

The first place we went was Tel Gezer. A tel is an unnatural hill where different cities or towns have built up layers over many years. This one dated back to the time of Solomon. We sat in the city gate area, which you could see some of the structures still. We talked about what it meant to be a disciple and what it is to follow our rabbi. We also talked about being a city on a hill.

On the other side of the hill there were standing stones. They were put up there to tell a story, but we don't know what story they told. We reflected on who are 'standing stones' in our lives and who can we be 'standing stones' for.

After lunch we visited a place called Zorah. It over looked the Shephelah (the foothills) and part of the coastal area. It was the area in which Samson lived. It was also the area where the Jewish people with their worldviews would often meet with the people living on the coast with their different worldview. We talked about who was influencing who and asked the question, 'How is our shephelah doing?'
It was quite warm that first afternoon being out in the open and it was quite a climb to get up there.

The second day we started by going to Beth Shemeh. It was just across the wadi from Zorah. It was a Levitical town and  through the layers that were found there, they found the percentage of pig bones ( a non-kosher animal) clearly showed how obedient the people living there were to the law.

After seeing a little bit on top of the tel, we went down into the cistern which was quite large.It is remarkably well preserved.

After that we hiked up to another old city. The city  was Saarayim and it overlooked the Elah valley. It was in the valley where David fought Goliath. We talked about throwing stones and throwing them that the world might know there is a God. I also found it surprising that David was likely only about 10 years old

That afternoon we got to see a very well preserved olive press. They were often in caves because it would be easier to control the temperature in a cave, especially in a country that is often hot.

The last place that we visited in the Shephelah was Lachish. It was another tel that was quite tall. We weren't able to go all the way up because they were doing work on it. It was the place were they found some letters dating back from the time when Assyria took Israel which Hezekiah was king.

With that we headed south to the Dead Sea and the desert.

excited to learn

This weekend there is an RVL conference at my home church. We will be spending a couple days just learning more about the Bible and the Jewish perspective that Jesus had while he taught and lived here on earth. I've been to a couple before and I continually am getting more and more information, but I find that the more I learn, the more I realize that I don't know. The more I see how small I am and how big God it.

Last night we had a meeting with Ray for the Israel Trip coming up in about 2 months. It was exciting, there were lots of people there and it was a good time of conversation and learning. Ray shared a story of an encounter that he had with an Muslim guy while in his small vineyard. The man squished a grape and pointed out the two seeds inside the grape. With great challenge with the language barrier, the man finally communicated:

"I count seeds in grape, but only Allah (God) counts grapes in seeds." 

I can count the people at the conference, I can count the people in the youth group, the kids that come out, the lives that are changed, the perceived success, my grades in school, the papers to complete,  but I can only can count that. God counts more than that, his harvest spans what I cannot conceive. It is greatly humbling to see think that God knows the fruit of the seeds, He already knows what is going to come.

Every fruit bears seeds, I pray that I may bear plenty of fruit, plenty of seed that God can use.