The Golden Calf

In his 1952 book, Your God is too Small, J.B. Phillips raised eyebrows as he confronted the all-too-common proclivity to ascribe human-like limitations to our infinite God. Cultural characteristics, hereditary and experiential baggage is strapped on to our imaginary deity - forged as if a golden calf, or unconsciously surrendering to the celestial apparition.

I have a complementary take on the matter. I contend that many Christians who are scripturally literate, and even seminary trained, are prone to over-emphasizing certain attributes of God. Doing so to the detriment of the fully-orbed picture as revealed in Scripture invariably yields a wee God, a God to our liking.

For example, Christians who have adopted strong Calvinist views of God often strongly favor this profile: disciplinarian, righteous, vengeful, selectively merciful, sometimes generous, deterministic. Those who are of the charismatic stripe overwhelmingly emphasize intimate, fatherly, forgiving, merciful, friendly, joyful, and freely giving.

Bottom line: Excluding facets of our Father that are supernaturally revealed in Scripture is a flaw that cultivates error, lack of love, division and carnal living. Let us pray Paul's prayer in Ephesians 1 often, that God might open the eyes of our understanding so we may know Him in all his brilliance, glory and life-changing power.

Awesome God

God is awesome. If you can't quite grasp this statement (not that any one of us can do so fully), read this and watch the embedded video.

Hat tip: Jeff Gray

"Three Dollars Worth of God"

This poem by Ken Holland entitled "Three Dollars Worth of God" causes me to wince a bit. Lord, help me say "Yes, Lord. Whatever you have for me, I am your slave, you are my master!"

I would like to buy three dollars worth of God, please.
I would like to try just a little of the Lord.
Not enough to explode my soul..or disturb my sleep.
Not enough to take control of my life;
I'll keep just enough to equal a cup of warm milk.
Just enough to ease some of the pain from my guilt.

I would like to buy three dollars worth of God, please.
I would like to find a love that's pocket-sized.
Not enough to make me love everyone...
Not enough to change my heart.
I can only stand just enough to take to church when I have the time,
Just enough to equal a snooze in the sunshine.

I want ecstasy, not transformation...
I want the warmth of the womb, but not a new birth.
I would like to purchase a pound of the eternal
In a paper sack guaranteed or money back.

You see, I would like to buy three dollars worth of God, please...
I would like to hide some for a rainy day.
Not enough to make people see a change in me,
Not enough to impose responsibility...
Just enough to make church folks think I'm ok.
Just enough to exhibit once a week on Sunday.

I would like to buy three dollars worth of God, please.

Hat tip: Travis Wigington

J.B. got it right!

J.B. Phillips - I owe him a great debt. He wrote a book in 1952 of the same title as that of this blog. One of those rare titles that makes the content of the book secondary. (Another such title is A Long Obedience in the Same Direction, by Eugene Peterson. Wow, I get it. I great description of the life of the Christ follower.) Anyway, here is a list of attributes we've ascribed to our too-small-god:

Phillips emphasizes that your God is too small if:
1) He is only a resident policeman- Slaps your hands, but does not save.
2) Parental hangover- Hand-me-down convictions....and not your own.
3) Grand old man- Spoils you, but no discipline.
4) Meek and mild- Good words, but God is more than that.
5) Heavenly bosom- You cannot hide from life, for life is real!
6) God in a box- Too small of a concept...and letting Him out only on Sunday.
7) Managing Director- He not only directs, but goes before us to direct our way!
8) Second-hand God- Never made Him our own...hearsay only.
9) Perennial Grievance- Gripe, but no grip on life.
10) Pale Galilean- Too weak to help much.

Let us no longer hold such views of our mighty God, the Lord of Glory!

Hat tip: Travis Wigington

Daily Meditations

With help from A.W. Tozer

I praise you and worship you, O God! My day begins and ends acknowledging and submitting to you as my Almighty Creator, omnipotent Yahweh I AM THAT I AM, the God of the burning bush, the speaking God.

You are the ultimate reality, The God who is immanent in the universe, and in the quantum universe within each atom – who transcends the plane of matter and mind and simply IS, not limited to what I can conceive. You will not be remade and defined in my own image, and “your Word of Truth is not conformed to my experience.”

Your unseen world, Lord, “is present, not future. It parallels our familiar physical world, and the doors between the two worlds are open.” Heb. 12:22-24

I bow before you and ask that you continually bathe me in your forgiveness. For my sinful acts. For my willful omission

Give power, Lord, to break through the veil – the veil of “hyphenated sins of (my) spirit, things I am, not just things I do: Self-righteousness, self-pity, self-confidence, self-sufficiency, self-admiration, and self-love”. I confess this by your grace alone.

May I be receptive to your Holy Spirit, who makes your presence and kingship known always. By Thy Spirit, help my heart hunger for you alone. Do not allow “ignoble content (to) take the place of burning zeal.”

Personal Intercession and Supplication

Work: I expect that the fruit of my labor be initiated by Your manifest presence, empowered by your Spirit, and marked by a peculiarly Christlike life. I’m not satisfied to “divide my sacrifice on the altar, and rearrange and count the pieces with never a care that there is not a sign of fire upon the top of lofty Carmel.” I want my work to be an expression of your will and power.

Marriage, Parenting, Friendships: Help me lay down my shield, tear down my walls. May I connect with my Wife, my daughters, my friends, your people and your world – emotionally and spiritually. May my heart burn as your heart does for the sheep in your pasture.

Emily – Peace and joy. Love for you alone. Show her (and me) where you are at work, and how she should join you. Open and close doors as you lead her where she is to use her enormous gifting. Help her lavish love on her kids. Give victory in her personal struggles. Protect her from the evil one, and keep her safe.

Elizabeth – May your Word be her rudder, and your Holy Spirit be the wind in her sail that waxes and wanes. May her gifts be turned outward to bless many. Teach her to be hungry for you, and to be fed only by your presence and faithful obedience. Lead her, Lord, guide her. Protect her from the evil one, and keep her safe.

Tori – Strengthen her in her walk with you, Lord. Put an insatiable hunger in her heart for you and your Word. May she be content and joyful in you alone. Help her in her struggles, empower her to express your Glory through the gifts you’ve given her. Lead her, Lord, guide her. Protect her from the evil one, and keep her safe.

Patrick: Vindicate him, Lord. Glorify yourself through him. Protect him and fill him with love, joy and peace.

My family, Franklin and Bradford: Draw them deeper, and give peace and joy in return. Protect them from the evil one, and keep them safe. Shine your wisdom on Joe, keep him grounded, and use him mightily as you give him prosperity.

MFBC: your precious local bodily expression. Lead us into the path of your blessing. Help us lead your sheep with wisdom. With your fire. With desperation and abandon. May we die to ourselves and to our dreams. Oh God, provide all we need for what you want us to do, that you alone might be glorified through the Church. Money, gifts, desire. Fill us with your Holy Spirit. Grant us your empowering presence, especially as we gather in your name. Teach us to pray. Teach us to love. Teach us walk-on-water faith. Guide, lead, provide for Bruce and our elders. Also, my team, staff, volunteer leaders and the weak in our midst. Free our people from the grip of cultural materialism and self absorption.

In the Beginning, God...

A fascinating exchange - a "young earth creationist" and a Christian microbiologist who believes the God of the Bible and evolution are compatible realities:

http://blog.beliefnet.com/cgi-bin/mt/mt-search.cgi?tag=Creationism&blog_id=47

Why meaning, why not nihism

"If the whole universe has no meaning, we should never have found out that it has no meaning: just as, if there were no light in the universe and therefore no creatures with eyes, we should never know it was dark. Dark would be without meaning." - C.S. Lewis