Come Make a Place in Me

What will we pray this Christmas?

Sam Harris, my favorite neo-atheist says confidently, "minds cease to exist when bodies cease to function." He says this as if it were an irrefutable fact of science.  However, the scientific community really has no language to describe consciousness, or mind.  Harris' assertion, while giving comfort to college age rebels who are "losing their religion," must remain an assertion.

I believe, by faith, that our hearts are God's home. I believe that our souls are immortal, and that we are in danger of leaving ourselves under God's eternal judgment on sin if we "live and let live" in our relationship with God. There's a nice Christmas present.

Of course there are many responses to the notion that sin leads to judgment. In much of theistic Judaism, finding a way to keep Torah, a way to be faithful to God's law, is a key to overcoming the gulf between God's holiness and our weaknesses. In Islam, God is focused on our striving for obedience to the commandments revealed to the Prophet.  If one is obedient enough, then God may be merciful to a person on judgment day.  Doesn't that sound hopeful?  In other religions, heartfelt sacrifice and worship, along with proper offerings, will appease whatever deities there are in one's sphere of life.  One other answer is that sin isn't our immediate concern, but we ought to focus on the alleviation of suffering in the here and now.  

It is abundantly clear that scripture says we are much more than our material selves. While avoiding simple dualism, the Bible tells us that we our bodies are the temple of the holy spirit (I Cor. 6:19). We are told that we have early tents, in which we groan (2 Cor. 5).  We long to have a house in the heavens, made not with hands, but by God. God teaches us that there are two aspects of humankind, body and soul.  In fact, we are lights that have been lit by God Himself (Prov. 20:27)!  So we should realize that all of us, the whole person, belong to God (I Cor. 6:20).

Somehow or another, Augustine and Pascal (those often quoted) said that there was a place within ourselves made for God.  The ideal state of a person is that God dwells within, for the redemption of the person and for the glorification of God who gives us life.  One favorite phrase is, "Our souls are restless until they find rest in thee." 

I firmly believe the Christian answers to life better fit the evidence that human history provides for us.

So at Christmas time, may we all say to God, "come make a place in me."  One of our Christmas songs at church this year says, "as you did in the manger, come do it all again.  Show us your grace, come make a place in me."  Finally, the song declares, "there is room in my heart for you."

My hope is that you'll join with me in praying through Christmas with those words of faith in your soul.

Beck, Baptists, and Bandwagons

I heard this past weekend there was a big rally in Washington, D.C., featuring a talk show host.  Sounds amazing, that a talk show host would draw such a big crowd.  I'd expect someone else, but the talk show host is a guy named Glenn Beck.  When I first heard of Glenn Beck, his network was in the process of launching his TV show.  I listened for a second or two, and turned it off.  Since then, I've heard a few of his opinions, mostly as a way of confirming why I turned his show off.  I found his logic more than questionable, his conclusions unlikely, his tone irritating, and his communication style patronizing.  Just me, I guess...

...because lots of religious people (like me) seem to love him, and are following his lead!  In fact, on the video from last weekend's rally, I saw lots of famous preachers standing behind Glenn Beck.  I saw John Hagee, David Barton, one of Jerry Falwells' sons, and a few other familiar faces.  I feel safe guessing that Dr. Richard Land was there somewhere, thinking he was representing the millions of Southern Baptists. (I later checked, and to my horror it is not only true, but he is one of the people out there on the media selling how awesome the rally was. *I give up.*)

I hear Beck is a former Roman Catholic and a practicing Mormon.  I also heard clips of him praying, and preaching about what is right and wrong in churches.  I think he must be a leader of preachers and churches now, rather than a talk show host.

Glenn Beck must have good credentials.  He must have some spiritual gifts and training that have been recognized by churches.  He must have a great Christian testimony and be involved in reaching out to those who don't know Jesus Christ as Savior.  He must have compelling ideas that are truly of God, since he has so many famous preachers standing behind him. 

It may be a matter of debate, but I'd guess none of the above are true. 

What is true is that Christians need to submit their minds to God, and must live and act and have their being in Jesus.  Christians must think, and must rely on their theological grounding and cultural savvy to assist in living out a God centered view of life.  Jumping on a bumper sticker bandwagon is no substitute.  To have a vicarious Christian life is to live on the ragged edge of disaster.

Sincere Christians must ask: Who is driving this bandwagon, and why?  Further, is it not the responsibility of famous preachers to lead Christians and save the world by methods more spiritual than those of Glenn Beck?

I'll conclude this ramble with Matthew 16:23: But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God's interests, but man's." Not only this but also Romans 12:2:" And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect."

God bless- now please go pray and think.

Happy because of Jesus,
Pastor James Jordan