ViralHOPE.

I've been reading this book called ViralHOPE by JR Woodward. The book is based on a series of blogs he hosted by contributing writers from around the country during the 2009 Easter season. The entry below is written by John Chandler, a pastor from a start-up church in Austin. I really enjoyed reading his entry. It is a good reminder that's God's work is not done, and I am thankful to be apart of it.

THE GOOD NEWS for Austin
By John Chandler

The question of Good News is an acknowledgment that not all is well. It is a question of longing, of ache; that, in all of the brokenness, we might grab hold of something better. It is a question of whether faith, hope, and love exist, and whether or not longing for them is worth the trouble.

I say it is.

Good news begins with a grasp of faith, peering backward and trusting that a loving God has been at work in the world. It means going back to the beginning and affirming that this God of love sang this world into being. G.K. Chesterton wrote: "The difference between construction and creation - is that a thing constructed can only be loved after it is contracted; but a thing created is loved before it exists." We being by understanding that a loving God put this world into motion, put breath into our lungs.

But with that, we hold the tension that this good creation of a loving God isn't working as it should. Somewhere along the way, things went wrong. Just as we trust that a loving God created all, we also hope that this loving God is not finished. And God is not finished. God is repairing. God is recreating. God is restoring. We look forward to the time when this work will be complete. All will be made new. A new Heaven and a new Earth will come together, and God will once again dwell among the people.

We look back with faith, and forward with hope. But in the present, we look for God's presence. God's love is not limited to the creative work of the past, or in promises of what is to come. God's hands are all over creation and the role of the church is to participate with God as a loving presence in the world - to put Good News on display. We see how sin has corrupted both individuals and the structures of society; each of us is a broken reflection of who God made us to be, as is the space that exists between us.

But even in that broken state, God invites us to partner in this grand project of repair. We repent that we have turned away from God. We labor to restore broken souls and relationships to what God intended for humanity. We lovingly announce God's ongoing work in the world. We work for justice to mend the tattered fabric of our culture."

Building walls.

"We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians; our hear is wide open. You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted in your own affections. In return [I speak as to children] wide your hearts also." -2 Cor 6:11-13-

Human beings are designed to be relational. That's why we have texting, Facebook, and email to socialize with one another. We have a hunger to connect to one another. I think, however, fear and pride threaten to keep us in bondage to isolation and self-protection. So we put up walls. To some degree, how well other people know us is our own responsiblity. We have to risk opening up to let others in. Of all people, I think believers are called to live in open honesty and accountability with one another. We cannot shut everybody out and expect to have an open relationship with God.

Knowing God.

"The Heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they display knowledge.

There is no speech or language
where their voice is not heard.

Their voice goes out into all the Earth,
their words to the end of the world.

In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun,
which is like a bridegroom coming forth from his pavillion,
like a champion rejoicing to run his course.

It rises as one end of the heavens
and makes its circuit to the other;
nothing is hidden from it's heat."
Psalm 19:1-6

Last night I was thinking about the fact that we can KNOW God. Honestly....there is no greater privilege that we have than knowing our Creator. And there is no greater tragedy than failing to develop a relationship with Him. He has made himself known to mankind and provided all that is necessary for a relationship with Him. Still, people foolishly refuse his offer.

The other night I was talking to a friend I grew up with and I just got really sad about their life. They have heard Truth over and over again....but walked away from a relationship with the Lord to chase after worldly persuits. It's heartbreaking to watch someone's life sprial downward into sin and have a skewed understanding about Truth. It's like, the more ignorance overpowers our capacity for understanding, a hardness of heart develops. We all have a hunger for something to fill our emptiness but so many people don't recoginze that only the Lord can do it. Sometimes I just want to shout at my friend "GOD HAS MADE HIMSELF AVAILABLE TO YOU!! PAY ATTENTION! STOP LOOKING EVERY WHERE ELSE!!!!!!!!"

God desires a relationship with us. He desires it enough to give his own Son to make it possible. When you realize the cost Christ paid on the cross for you, how can you turn your back on that?

what the what?

I just logged into my facebook to see that I had a new friend request. Elated, I clicked on the alert to see the mystery person who wanted to make our friendship know to the internets world only to discover that the friend request came from my 72 year old grandma.

I laughed and thought "Certainly this can't be real. Maybe one of my cousin's is trying to be funny."

Upon further inspection of the profile I discovered it was real. My evidence came from some of the stuff my grandma wrote on her profile. I don't think she knows you shouldn't give out such personal information to the world of the internets.

It's still funny in my head that my grandma is on facebook. I can only assume she has heard talk of this social networking website from her card club friends. I can also assume that she will forget her password by next week Tuesday.

Aren't grandma's cute?!

good friday.

I haven't blogged in a while; you can call me lazy. I'd like to call myself busy. With all the wedding's coming up and helping out with the big day(s), I haven't had a lot of time to just sit and think and write. Until today. My company is closed today and for that, I am very thankful. What a wonderful day to sit and spend time with the Lord and reflect on what today is really all about.

Easter always really gets me thinking about Jesus on the cross and how those few days impacted humanity more than any other single event in history. Ever. I've never seen the Passion of the Christ [I probably never will], because just the idea of watching a Hollywood production of what Christ did and how much he suffered makes me cringe. Not in a way that makes me ashamed of Mel Gibson for thinking he could accurately capture those days; but in a way that I know the reality of what really happened is far more horrific and painful than anything that can be presented on the big screen.

I've been reading through Matthew and Jesus praying in Gethsemane and then being nailed to the cross....the events that happened....and I think "Why would you do that for me?" It is humbling. God's mercy extends more than I'll ever understand. The power of the cross and what Jesus' blood did is almost overwhelming. Here are just 5 things we have because of Him:

1. We have redemption: "Knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot." 1 Peter 1:18-19

2. We have forgiveness: "In Him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of his trespasses, according to the riches of His grace, which He lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight." Eph 1:7-8

3. We are justified: "But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have no been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by Him from the wrath of God." Romans 5:8-9

4. We have reconciliation: "For in Him, all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on Earth or in Heaven, making peace by the blood of His cross. And you, who were once alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, He has now reconciled in His body of flesh by His death, in order to present you Holy and blemless and above reproach before Him." Col 1:19-22

5. We are sanctified: "So Jesus also suffereed outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood." Heb 13:12


HAPPY EASTER!

I mailed my tax information to my dad today in hopes that he'd file them for me the second he receives them. While that probably won't happen [mostly because I am pretty certain I forgot to put a stamp on the envelope I sent them in....so I'll be getting them returned to me first] because he has other important things to do like.....you know, DAD stuff.


I love tax season. It's like playing the lottery all year long. I'm not really clear on how deductions, itemizing, dependents, blah blah tax words blah blah boring boring things work...but my dad is magic. Every year he tries to make me guess how much of a refund I'm going to get. I always play it safe and say "Oh....maybe just $200? or $150?" just so he can get excited to tell me how much it is. I love my dad because he humors me and plays along. And, because he knows how to file taxes!

make a joyful noise.

You know....most people probably sing louder than they should.
Especially when no one is around.

Right now I am listening to someone sing at top of their lungs to their iPod.

They might be unaware that I can hear them [I am slightly out of sight].....or maybe they just don't care because their so caught up in the music. It's terrible though. Even turning my own music up to max volume won't drown out the off-pitch vocals I'm experiencing right now.

There's something to be said about singing though. I mean REALLY singing. Have you ever heard a song and just really connected with the words? Like the person that wrote it was in your head and wrote down everything you were thinking and feeling and wrapped it up neatly in a powerful little melody? I have. Those are songs that we can connect with. And it just feels really good to let it all go and belt out the words at the top of your lungs like singing that loud is going to somehow make that song yours. That sounds silly....but I know you've done it.

Yesterday I read Psalm 13:5-6

"But I trust in your unfailing love;
my heart rejoices in your salvation.
I will SING to the Lord,
for He has been good to me."

Over and over again in the book of Psalms David writes of singing to the Lord. Sing of what the Lord has done. Sing because He is good. Sing His praises to the nations. Sing because He longs to hear you. When you stop and think about it, those things....those praises and proclimations of what God has done....those are the things we should be singing at the top of our lungs and making our song........regardless of whether or not we know anyone is around to hear us.