In Response to Evil

Romans 3:10-18 has some surprising words for us...

 as it is written:

“None is righteous, no, not one;
     no one understands;
    no one seeks for God.
 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;
    no one does good,
    not even one.”
 “Their throat is an open grave;
    they use their tongues to deceive.”
“The venom of asps is under their lips.”
     “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.”
 “Their feet are swift to shed blood;
     in their paths are ruin and misery,
 and the way of peace they have not known.”
     “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

Times like today bring us all to sense of awareness, a sense of wondering, "What is the world is wrong with us?"  We wonder what the cure can be for all this evil, the answer to some God-awful riddle.  In this post, I won't get into the philosophical question of evil, but if you interested in why God lets bad things happen, read this post (click here) about why He allows evil .

Aside from theology and philosophy, I want to grieve.  I want to, for some reason, really breath in the breadth of this bad day.  I want to ponder the power of an evil person, and how we could all fall off the sanity train and commit atrocious evil, too.

In countless news stories and web posts, people are seeking the answer to prevent awful tragedies.  Gun control, tighter laws, securer school buildings, more security, these are all well and good, but I can't help but hope there is a bigger and better comfort.

Thanks to brother in law, Trevor, I began thinking about man's ascent.  How we all try every day to create our own utopia.  Whole civilizations want it, and one of the most passionate longings of the human heart is to be in a utopian paradise. C.S. Lewis said:

If we discover a desire within us that nothing in this world can satisfy, also we should begin to wonder if perhaps we were created for another world.

We want to want to really want to strive for perfection, but hey, we can't.  If we could, don't you think you would be over that bad habit you swore you would be over by now?  If we could, would we still have massacres on the news screen?  Would there still be fatherless homes and broken souls?

At some point, we must humble our weary hearts and realize WE DO NOT HAVE ANY CURE FOR EVIL.  That does not mean there isn't a cure.  There is a cure.  Let's give Him a try...

When the world thinks we should keep trying to ascend to Utopia, or Paradise, Jesus LEFT Paradise to bring it down to us.  And if He left there, then we should follow His advice on how to get there.

 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.  For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:6-8

" Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”  -Jesus, Matthew 11:28-30

"I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me."    -Jesus, John 14:6

 "I am leaving you with a gift--peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don't be troubled or afraid." -Jesus, John 14:27

These Bible passages and quotes, however, only apply to those who willingly submit their lives to Jesus Christ and accept that His way is right, and our ways are wrong.  That His love is perfect, and ours is broken.  If this were not true, then why haven't you succeeded in life yet?  Give it up, give your heart over, and find rest, peace, and security in the arms of God.

May God bless the families and lives hurt by today's tragedy, and may the peace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with us all.

"Unrelenting" and "Lovers Work Better" (poems)

I wonder if when I look back I can see you had my back
Being there all long through thick, thin, right, wrong
Wanting more, but never in want, nothing good I lack
Here is my song, o my Lord, let me be on track.

"Here am I!" I yell out, so you start a-sendin'
Ascending my soul to highest mountains, Your love-unrelenting

Simplistic Gospel, never failing, healing hurt, sick, ailing
Yet you make me feel like an alien, here I cannot belong
I will lead and go and even follow, the world's pill- I will not swallow
And when I wallow, please take me back-Grace me with peace to stay on track

This fire flowing in my skin makes my mind wander again
What kind of love would take Deity, to human, make Him akin?
Sweet waves of Spirit, roiling tumble, causing me to stumble, fumble
What words to use? Though oft abused, I rejoice in Heavenly language.

Dancing, spinning, You're never ending
Be my last, my now and beginning
Of Your grace, freely spending
Of my flesh? You're only lending
Of my fate? It's not pending
Of my plans? Always rending
Of Your plans? You are hinting
To lose my life and in You find
My spine, my mind, my ques, my lines, my heart, my hands, my feet, my ties
Whoever said You're impersonal, lies.

___
Sometimes I like complete structure in poetry, but others... the real nitty-gritty lyrics that are tied to my actual life cannot be manipulated into a format.  Call writing a love poem to Jesus girly or lame, but I am certain I have more joy in my life when I find my identity in a God-man who gave up everything He had to ransom my soul.
___


He is my all, I am His son
To make Him proud is what I have become
I strive and toil and work and strain
All day long but He said "That's in vain"

But like drugs to my vein I try all the more
Looking at my sin, I wanna even the score
Do better, read more, make the Bible my core
"All those are good, but do you truly want to soar?"

He speaks so gently, His voice I long for
Behold, all day long He knocks on the door
There is no handle on the outside
So He only asks for us to let Him inside

But I refuse.
I think I have too much to lose.
How can He come in when my house is a wreck?
Filthy with sin and darkness and the rest...

So I work and work and work and work
Checking under tables and beds and search
Thinking for Him to come in I must be the holiest
So I pretend that my life is whole and just

But it is not so with dirty rags I wipe
But they do not clean, they just smear my strife
My life is wasted how can I be better?
All the while He knocks, left out in my weather

With a mighty roar, yet like a gentle song,
He speaks, "Let me in, I will right all the wrongs."
Visions of glory then burst in my sight!
As my God and redeemer erases the night!

The dirt and the mire I once abused and admired
was washed by His love and now has inspired me
To work out of love which is who I aspire to be
Because lovers work better than those who are hired

Being Available, Even on Thanksgiving

This may be the most enthusiastic post I have posted... ever.

 Thanksgiving was great.  Phenomenal time.  Love the fam, yada yada.

As I got back to my home and was settling down for the evening, my friends Mike and Francis decided we would all meet up at the local Waffle House and support one of the many establishments that force poor folks to work on national holidays!

I threw on my jacket and was half out the door of my bedroom when... it happened.  That still small voice of the Holy Spirit said, "Grab a tract and a twenty dollar bill."  Usually I fight things like this because, well, I am dumb.  I was in a hurry, so I grabbed a sweet Max Lucado pamphlet I had that explains John 3:16 and why Jesus died for humankind, stuffed it in my sweet new green jacket, and off I zoomed.

Sitting at the grungy excuse for a restaurant, I ordered some magical "pumpkin spice" waffle and a cup of WH coffee.  "Drinks are on me, boys!"  So Mike and Francis got some, too.  We are heavy coffee drinkers... especially before seeing a new movie.

Our waitress, bless her heart, looked tired.  She had been serving ungrateful folk for the better part of her Thanksgiving.  She was super kind and gentle, despite the surprisingly large crowd gathered there for the holiday's evening.

I paid for our stuff (which at WH never amounts to much of nothing... its like McDonald's and IHOP had a baby and named him Waffle House) and asked the lady if she would take time to read this booklet before she went to bed tonight.

She thumbed through its five or six pages, and asked inquisitively, "What's it about???" with a near sense of urgency.  He prompt seriousness caught me off guard, because normally people just smile and say thanks.

I stammered, "Well, it is about Jesus.  He means a lot to me, and I think this could help you."

Her eyes filled up with the sweet tears of someone gripped by the love of our Heavenly Father as she spilled her guts...

Her life was devastated recently.  Her family was torn apart by a fire in Nevada.  She had two kids, 8 and 7, who made it out alive to be put on life preservers though now they are doing much better.  Her other two children were stuck in the building, and she was unable to get them out.  Now, she carries the guilt, pain, and anger that comes with not being able to save her children.  My heart ached as she softly said, "The guilt follows me. You know, as a mother... because I was supposed to protect them..."

She continued...

"I really needed this.  I need God in my life so bad."

"Jesus is so real and wants to heal those wounds, because, ya know, He is trying to get your attention, and all those events brought you to tonight so you would follow Him.  Can we pray for you..."

I started those words, "can we pray for you..." as she dropped the bottle of syrup on the table and frantically stuck out her hand for me to hold while we prayed.  I had intended on telling her we did not have to right now if she did not want to, but well, she apparently wanted to!

Right there, greasy semi-truck drivers, hobos, waffles, fellow waitresses, and all... we prayed a prayer over this gentle lady.

I love how God does not respect our holidays so much.  He never takes days off.  He, just like the waitress, was working all day.  He brought some peace to that lady tonight.  Will you keep her in your prayers?  And will you make sure you are available for Him to use?