I'm spending the week in Wilmore, Kentucky (where it is way too cold) at one of my on campus seminary classes at Asbury. The class is Sacramental Theology which is basically teaching on the theology behind the sacraments of communion and baptism in worship.
Theology, particularly sacramental theology, is one of those topics that unfortunately divides the Body of Christ. We argue over who is right and who is wrong. Who baptizes correctly and who does it incorrectly? Who serves communion the right way and who serves it the wrong way? We have denominations whose very foundations were formed on an argument over the practice of the sacraments.
Dr. Robert Stamps is my professor and this is what he shared with us first thing this morning: "Theology must be as beautiful as it is correct." Why? Because on the day I stand before God I will not be stating, "I was right!" Instead, I will be exclaiming, "How beautiful!"
What is right about theology is how beautiful it is. How beautiful it is that we are invited into a relationshing with God the Father, through Jesus the Son, with the Holy Spirit. And that God gives us these sacraments - communion and baptism - as a means of grace to enter into His presence. Most of the arguments we have regarding the practice behind the sacraments, are so minor that they have nothing to do with the salvation story that God gives to us. In fact, most of the arguments we have in the church have absolutely nothing to do with entering into the relationship with the Father, through the Son, with the Holy Spirit but are mere distractions (spiritual warfare if you will) to detain us from enjoying His presence!
I say it is time to gaze on how beautiful God is and lay down the pride of having to be right about how we think about God. Maybe the cold is getting to me, but I think one day we will ALL realize, that we are ALL wrong (in some way) about how our limited human minds think of God.
What do you say?
Monday, January 11, 2010
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Resurge
A new year brings with it new beginnings...thus a fresh start to blogging my journey.
I am captivated by stories of new beginnings and I'm currently reading a book about a great come back story. Josh Hamilton's biography Beyond Belief: Finding the Strength to Come Back outlines his entry into professional baseball as the number one draft pick in 1999 and his fall to drugs and alcohol in 2002 followed by his resurgence as center fielder with the Texas Rangers. I was fortunate to hear Josh speak live at the Catalyst Conference in Atlanta this past year (where I also got him to autograph my book and a baseball!). One of the things that struck me about Josh's testimony was what his focus was on while he was struggling with the drugs and alcohol. He spoke of being able to move through that challenging time in his life by keeping his mind fixed on the vision that lay ahead of him. He knew that he needed a fresh start and he was able to get it by focusing on the promising future that God had in front of him.
I wonder if that is the same focus Nehemiah had in his story. The news he received of Jerusalem's walls being destroyed (Nehemiah 1:3) was certainly disappointing, depressing, and challenging. His initial reaction was to mourn, fast, and pray (Nehemiah 1:4) and I wonder if it was during this time that God began to give him vision that allowed him to move through this challenging time and eventually return to Jerusalem and lead the surge to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem.
What is it we focus on during our most challenging times in life? Is it the challenge itself or is it the things that lie ahead for us? What does God have in front of us?
I am captivated by stories of new beginnings and I'm currently reading a book about a great come back story. Josh Hamilton's biography Beyond Belief: Finding the Strength to Come Back outlines his entry into professional baseball as the number one draft pick in 1999 and his fall to drugs and alcohol in 2002 followed by his resurgence as center fielder with the Texas Rangers. I was fortunate to hear Josh speak live at the Catalyst Conference in Atlanta this past year (where I also got him to autograph my book and a baseball!). One of the things that struck me about Josh's testimony was what his focus was on while he was struggling with the drugs and alcohol. He spoke of being able to move through that challenging time in his life by keeping his mind fixed on the vision that lay ahead of him. He knew that he needed a fresh start and he was able to get it by focusing on the promising future that God had in front of him.
I wonder if that is the same focus Nehemiah had in his story. The news he received of Jerusalem's walls being destroyed (Nehemiah 1:3) was certainly disappointing, depressing, and challenging. His initial reaction was to mourn, fast, and pray (Nehemiah 1:4) and I wonder if it was during this time that God began to give him vision that allowed him to move through this challenging time and eventually return to Jerusalem and lead the surge to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem.
What is it we focus on during our most challenging times in life? Is it the challenge itself or is it the things that lie ahead for us? What does God have in front of us?
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