Tuesday, June 23, 2009
The shadow proves the sunshine
Listening to "The Shadow Proves the Sunshine" by Switchfoot. Wise words, those are. At first listen I just dismissed it as being some happy, fluff song. Then I thought about those words and how they relate to God's glory and promise of His plans for each of us. The shadows in our lives are no fun, but our longing for sunshine is proof that we were not created to live in darkness but to be children of light. No one is satisfied with constantly living in shadow and that is a testament to the inherent knowledge that there is better offered to us. Not everyone knows what that better offer is, but it remains, bought and paid for in full, freely offered to us in the blood of Jesus Christ.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
True Life: I'm a 35er/Cribs
DISCLAIMER: This one is mostly for Mom, Dad and Carrie because they're the ones who have heard the most about my room and will not see it for a while. Still, all are welcome to look.
I'm really enjoying this whole living off campus business. I went grocery shopping today, for myself, and felt very grown up. Finally, right? The following are pictures of my room. I love it and wish I could spend more time there, but painting houses for Best of Athens Rentals takes a lot of hours out of my day. Making enough money that I'll be able to save some though, which is nice and necessary.
I'm really enjoying this whole living off campus business. I went grocery shopping today, for myself, and felt very grown up. Finally, right? The following are pictures of my room. I love it and wish I could spend more time there, but painting houses for Best of Athens Rentals takes a lot of hours out of my day. Making enough money that I'll be able to save some though, which is nice and necessary.
Monday, June 15, 2009
God’s glory will go to no one else
The God of everything: Alpha, Omega; beginning and end. Creator of all things, most of which we cannot even understand. Father, Abba, SAVIOR. All glory is owed to God, but still sometimes we try to take some of it for ourselves…
The thing is, NOTHING and NO ONE is more worthy of glory than God and what’s more, NOTHING will receive more glory than God.
Isaiah 13 talks about the day of the Lord, when God’s wrath would be poured out on Babylon. It doesn’t paint a comfortable picture. Lots of freaky nature stuff going on, people being impaled. Terror, mayhem, destruction on a sinful people.
Isaiah 14 contrasts this as it is prophesied that “the Lord will have compassion on Jacob; once again he will choose Israel and settle them in their own land.” The people of Israel, God’s chosen, will be set.
Verses 3 and 4 say “On the day the Lord gives you relief from suffering and turmoil and cruel bondage, you will take up this taunt against the king of Babylon:…”
And literally a long taunt is spelled out to rub into the kings face that he has been cut down and defeated. It’s really one of the most intense taunts I’ve ever seen. Worse even than the heartbreaking “Start the buses” when your high school basketball team is about to have their tournament run cut off.
Verses 13-15 say “You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountains. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’ But you are brought down to the grave, to the depths of the pit.”
See, the king even referred to God as “Most High,” but clearly did not revere Him as such- he wanted to be equal to Him. Still, no one will receive the Glory owed to God. The king did not have a right view of God and was summarily dishonored, mocked and destroyed.
So was Jesus.
But Jesus IS God, so clearly He has the right view of God. This did not happen to Jesus because He was sinful. He wasn’t. At all. Jesus was dishonored, mocked and destroyed FOR US, because we, like the king, sin. We give glory to all sorts of things ahead of God, be it our flesh, our hearts, our own righteousness, the list goes on. We sin. But God, overflowing with goodness and mercy, extends grace our direction through the death and resurrection of Christ.
Some questions I’m asking myself:
-In what ways am I not submitting to God?
-Are there things that I think I can handle or do better than God?
-What does that say about my view of God?
The thing is, NOTHING and NO ONE is more worthy of glory than God and what’s more, NOTHING will receive more glory than God.
Isaiah 13 talks about the day of the Lord, when God’s wrath would be poured out on Babylon. It doesn’t paint a comfortable picture. Lots of freaky nature stuff going on, people being impaled. Terror, mayhem, destruction on a sinful people.
Isaiah 14 contrasts this as it is prophesied that “the Lord will have compassion on Jacob; once again he will choose Israel and settle them in their own land.” The people of Israel, God’s chosen, will be set.
Verses 3 and 4 say “On the day the Lord gives you relief from suffering and turmoil and cruel bondage, you will take up this taunt against the king of Babylon:…”
And literally a long taunt is spelled out to rub into the kings face that he has been cut down and defeated. It’s really one of the most intense taunts I’ve ever seen. Worse even than the heartbreaking “Start the buses” when your high school basketball team is about to have their tournament run cut off.
Verses 13-15 say “You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountains. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’ But you are brought down to the grave, to the depths of the pit.”
See, the king even referred to God as “Most High,” but clearly did not revere Him as such- he wanted to be equal to Him. Still, no one will receive the Glory owed to God. The king did not have a right view of God and was summarily dishonored, mocked and destroyed.
So was Jesus.
But Jesus IS God, so clearly He has the right view of God. This did not happen to Jesus because He was sinful. He wasn’t. At all. Jesus was dishonored, mocked and destroyed FOR US, because we, like the king, sin. We give glory to all sorts of things ahead of God, be it our flesh, our hearts, our own righteousness, the list goes on. We sin. But God, overflowing with goodness and mercy, extends grace our direction through the death and resurrection of Christ.
Some questions I’m asking myself:
-In what ways am I not submitting to God?
-Are there things that I think I can handle or do better than God?
-What does that say about my view of God?
Friday, June 12, 2009
West Virginia, cheap beer and minor league ball
Last night I had the honor and privilege of going to Charleston, W. Va. for a West Virginia Power baseball game. The Power is the 'A' affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. It was Buck Night at Appalachian Power Park, which meant that tickets, hotdogs and drinks (beer included) went for a dollar each.
West Virginia, low-level professional baseball and cheap brewskies make for an entertaining evening, I promise.
The evening, in which we celebrated Nick's "Day of Jubilee," was hallmarked by plastic horns that almost everyone except our group bought. Several times throughout the evening I heard "This horn cost me three beers!" These plastic instruments were used in a variety of ways, but the two most amusing ways were when a guy bonged a beer with one and when another guy blew the horn right in the ear of the pitchen warming up in the bullpen with each toss.
The highlight of the evening, for me at least, was the national anthem. It was played by a pudgy rocker on an electric guitar who began and ended by walking around behind home plate with a hand in the air "rock saluting" the crowd of 300 people. As you can see, we all got a kick out of it.
4 hours total in the car, 2 hour rain delay. Well worth it.
West Virginia, low-level professional baseball and cheap brewskies make for an entertaining evening, I promise.
The evening, in which we celebrated Nick's "Day of Jubilee," was hallmarked by plastic horns that almost everyone except our group bought. Several times throughout the evening I heard "This horn cost me three beers!" These plastic instruments were used in a variety of ways, but the two most amusing ways were when a guy bonged a beer with one and when another guy blew the horn right in the ear of the pitchen warming up in the bullpen with each toss.
The highlight of the evening, for me at least, was the national anthem. It was played by a pudgy rocker on an electric guitar who began and ended by walking around behind home plate with a hand in the air "rock saluting" the crowd of 300 people. As you can see, we all got a kick out of it.
4 hours total in the car, 2 hour rain delay. Well worth it.
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