A Perfect Game

Though I am not a big fan of baseball, the news caught my eye. “Perfect Game!”   The report informed me that out of about 235,500 Major League Baseball games played, just 24 have been “perfect.”  What does that mean? A perfect game is one in which no batter on the opposing team reaches a base during the full 9 innings. Last night, Yankees pitcher, Domingo German, did it!  Not one player from the Oakland A’s reached a base- not from a hit ball, a walk, being hit by a pitch, or an error.

Perfection is a tough standard. A person who sets herself up for perfection is likely to feel overwhelmed, perhaps even depressed. It is often difficult to measure perfection when we adopt the accomplishment or achievement of others as the standard of for ourselves, though we do not have their experience, skills, or opportunities. What is perfection?  A perfect score on a math test is indisputable.  A perfect baseball game cannot be argued, but much of the time ‘perfection’ is more like ‘better than.’  We live a healthier and more focused life if our goal is personal best rather than some kind of perfection based on comparison. The idolatry of perfection will surely destroy any hope of a joyful, committed, and fulfilled life. Striving for it will make us perpetually desperate, anxious, and cranky!

Instead of looking for perfection, we should ask these questions of ourselves.

Who does God want ME to be?

What gifts and callings has He given to ME?

Where am I in life right now and am I making the most of the realities of the PRESENT?

This idea of perfect success shows up too often in parenting. We can't let our kids be ordinary (almost a curse word to some!) because to do so is to fail to push them to their potential. So, adopting a false standard of success, we turn them into crazy competitors who don't know the joy of doing anything just 'for the fun of it;' who spend the rest of their lives living on with stress and anxiety.   Why don’t we ever just say,  "Just play baseball and enjoy it, son." Oh no, we have to ruin Little League for him, making a 9 year old kid play the game like the destiny of the universe rides on whether his team wins!  A man who coached kids for years told me how the impossible standards of some parents ruined the game for so many. He told me that he wanted to remind those parents that the odds of their little boy becoming a Major League Baseball player were miniscule so let them play and enjoy their childhood.

We will not rejoice in who we are because if we are always focused on what we could be... if only…  

Many spouses suffer under the strain of being compared to that one that is 'so perfect.'
Your husband will never win your heart if you expect him to be Jesus, Brad Pitt, and Superman, rolled into one perfect man.  
Your wife cannot possibly keep a Martha Stewart home, look like a supermodel, and have the compassion of Mother Teresa everyday. 
Would we destroy what could be a great relationship, missing the treasure we have, because our expectations are skewed by our cultural expectations?  

The joy of Christ and His love will be lost to stress and strain IF we measure and compare ourselves to others. God's will is that we surrender to the Spirit's call and allow Him to use us - just as we are, right where we are- for His purposes.  In Romans 14, Paul teaches us that we must never compare ourselves and our gifts to others. The passage directs us to stop judging others and ourselves, understanding this:  "While we live, we live to please the Lord. And when we die, we go to be with the Lord. So in life and in death, we belong to the Lord." (Romans 14:8, NLT)  Our grade of success is set by the One who knows exactly what we can do, what we are called to do, and how we are gifted to do those things.  The approval or condemnation of the crowd has little meaning for the true servant of Christ.

Perhaps you are surprised that I would applaud mediocrity. If that what you think I am doing then either I have communicated poorly or you have come to the wrong conclusion.  It's not mediocrity that I'm urging on us today. It is acceptance of who God created us to be, our gifts and abilities, so that we can live with contentment and joy. God has a plan for each one of us, and we can't all be a CEO, an astronaut, or a famous leader.  If we attempt, in the name of excellence, to be someone that we are not called or equipped to be, we will miss out on the great joy that comes to those who are humble - that is, no more and no less than God calls them to be.

Ask God who He is asking you to be, without comparison to some external standard of 'excellence.' Rejoice in the spiritual gifts and opportunities He has presented to you and be the person He wants, not the person others are demanding you become. Give up the need to be recognized, to 'win' the award, to earn applause - except the applause of Heaven earned as we perform for the Audience of One. In this humility and contentment we will find that life is much more pleasant for us and for all those around us. Give up perfection and I am convinced that you will accomplish more, with greater effectiveness, because you are living for God. What He blesses in us is of lasting value!

Here is the word from the Word for today. May the Spirit’s wisdom own our minds and hearts. "Be sure to do what you should, for then you will enjoy the personal satisfaction of having done your work well, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else." (Galatians 6:4, NLT) "Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful desires will harvest the consequences of decay and death. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. So don’t get tired of doing what is good. Don’t get discouraged and give up, for we will reap a harvest of blessing at the appropriate time." (Galatians 6:8-9, NLT)

(Video of this blog at this link)

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Beautiful Things

All this pain,

I wonder if I'll ever find my way?

I wonder if my life could really change,

At all?

 

All this earth,

Could all that is lost ever be found?

Could a garden come up from this ground,

At all?

 

You make beautiful things,

You make beautiful things out of the dust.

You make beautiful things,

You make beautiful things out of us.

 

Hope is springing up from this old ground,

Out of chaos life is being found,

In You.

 

You make me new, You are making me new!

You make me new, You are making me new!

 

Lisa Gungor | Michael Gungor

© 2009 worshiptogether.com songs (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)

CCLI License # 810055

Who Do You Say that I Am?

In February, when traveling in Israel, I visited the northern most part of the country, a rural region that lies at the foot of Mt. Hermon, a snow-capped peak. The headwaters of the Jordan River bubble up from the ground in beautiful springs. There are ruins of Greek and Roman temples to their god and it is a place for Christians to visit. Why?  Mark’s Gospel tells us of an important moment there. "When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:13-16, NIV)   His question hangs before each one of us! “Who do you say I am?” 

For three years Jesus lived with those men, eating with them, walking together, doing life. They knew Him as a man from Capernaum, a laborer turned Teacher, but was there more? In that remote region, He asks them to reflect and the Spirit moved on them. Peter is the first to say it – “You are the Christ!” 

Christ! We hear it too often as profanity, spat out in a moment of frustration or anger.  But it means ‘anointed One,’  (the Hebrew equivalent is Messiah). Peter’s declaration is that Jesus is more than a Man; He is God’s Son, bringing God to us. He did not just figure that out or toss it out as a possibility. He was convinced by the evidence and the Holy Spirit that Jesus was the long-awaited Savior of Israel. The carpenter they knew so well was more, much more.  This declaration is the heart of our faith!

Who do you say that He is?  Is He a good moral Teacher?  Is He an unfortunate noble man who became a martyr? OR is He the Christ, the living God among us, who gave Himself to reconcile us to our Creator?

Not so very long after that pivotal day in Caesarea Philippi, after the Crucifixion and the Resurrection, Peter was bringing the Good News to Jerusalem. Arrested and brought before the ruling council. They asked him by whose authority he was acting, he replied with boldness. "They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this?” Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed, then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. He is ”‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone.’ Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:7-12, NIV)

Michael Horton asks us to consider that we might drift towards a “Christ-less Christianity.”   “Christless Christianity is internal rot. It tries to use the name of the Lord Jesus Christ as a means to better oneself. It turns His church into little more than a platform for self-help seminars and self-affirming messages. At the heart of Christless Christianity is self-worship, dressed up in Bible verse pieces to make it appear spiritual.”  If we read the Gospels like we read Aesop’s fables;  good moral lessons but not as truth, we gut our faith. The true wonder of the Gospel is the message that God came to live among us, fully human yet fully divine, that He offered Himself a sacrifice to restore what sin had robbed from us, and that because He lives, we will live also. 

So, Who do you say He is?  He is the Lord of Glory, the Savior of the World, the Hope of all who seek Him.  Let’s not slip into a religion that replaces Jesus with some shadow of Himself, that reduces Him to a form or ritual, a mere tradition reserved for Sundays and church buildings. Let us pursue as Christ, the living God.

The word from the Word says that "Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before God made anything at all and is supreme over all creation. Christ is the one through whom God created everything in heaven and earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see—kings, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities. Everything has been created through him and for him. He existed before everything else began, and he holds all creation together. Christ is the head of the church, which is his body. He is the first of all who will rise from the dead, so he is first in everything. For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and by him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of his blood on the cross." (Colossians 1:15-20, NLT)   This is the Gospel!

(Video of this blog at this link)

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In Christ Alone

In Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light my strength my song
This Cornerstone this solid Ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love what depths of peace
When fears are stilled when strivings cease
My Comforter my All in All
Here in the love of Christ I stand

In Christ alone who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save
Till on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live

There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victory
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ

No guilt in life no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life's first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
Till He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I'll stand

Keith Getty | Stuart Townend © 2001 Thankyou Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)

CCLI License # 810055

Wise and Insightful!

I knew an older man I’ll call Stan.  God brought him into my life at a time when I was wrestling with myself, my call, and some difficult inner questions. He had lived a simple life in terms of earthly wealth and acclaim but when I became better acquainted with him, I found out that his counsel was sought by leaders of nations, that he sat at tables where the toughest foreign policy issues were debated.  In our conversations his words were direct, but kind; without any attempt at sophistication, yet often profound; grounded in his deep faith and the tattered little Bible he carried with him at all times.  I have no idea what Stan’s IQ might have been, but he was one of the wisest persons I have ever met.

Are you wise? Wisdom is not to be confused with great intellect or advanced formal education. Smart people are not necessarily wise people! Remember Solomon’s prayer when God offered him any gift he desired? He asked God for wisdom to be a good leader of the people, but he did not request that he become ‘smarter’ than others. Wise people know that they may not be the smartest person in the room so they work to gather information, to gain counsel, for their decisions. They possess not just information but experience. They understand that life requires more than pure logic, that there are complex factors that shape the life we lead.  Interestingly to me, I discovered that the  word “wisdom” is mentioned in the Bible just over 200 times, but the word “smart” isn’t used once. (Search done using the NIV translation!)

Christian friend, God gives the gift of wisdom!  An Ivy League degree is not required. You need not have test results that are near perfect in order to live wisely. David sang of God’s work in the life of those who love Him. "The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The commandments of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are clear, giving insight to life." (Psalm 19:7-8, NLT)   

James plainly tells us "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind." (James 1:5-6, NIV)

Godly wisdom demands humility and obedience. My friend, Stan, whom I mentioned a moment ago, was amazingly humble, never seeking the place at the head table, never pushing his own agenda, never boasting about his resume or accomplishments. He served God and people with joy, in the smallest ways.  He committed his life to Christ, even as he lived with rich experiences that engaged the world around him, but his first and highest principle was to let God lead, to discover the mind of Christ for each and every day of his life.

Our world is consumed by  “sophisticated” foolishness. We are seduced by a hundred voices that whisper lies about life’s meaning, about our personal choices, about what is good, right, and true into our ears. My prayer is that God will grant us wisdom, preserving us from being the whiz kids of the world even as we become the grounded people of wisdom who are able to sort through the conflicting counsel that comes our way.

Here is a song from the Psalms. This word from the Word is thought-worthy. Spend some time meditating on this godly wisdom, then influence your circle of friends and family with the wisdom of God.

"Blessed is the man who
does not walk in the counsel of the wicked
or stand in the way of sinners or
sit in the seat of mockers.

But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.

He is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers.

Not so the wicked!

They are like chaff that the wind blows away.
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish." (Psalm 1, NIV)

(Video of this blog at this link)

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The Way Of Wisdom

The way of wisdom starts out

With a step of holy fear

And it makes its way alone

By every good word that you hear

It has to do with passion

And it has to do with pain

It has to do with One

Who has both died and rose again

Died and rose again

 

And the Way of Wisdom is living

The Path of Peace is forgiving

Behold a Man of Meaning

Behold He is the Lord

 

The Way of Understanding lies

In not how much you know

For the Pathway is a Person

That you come to love and so

You can stop pretending

That it all depends on you

For it's not how much you love

As much as how much He loves you

How much He loves you

 

The Way of Wisdom beckons us

To find the end of fear

That perfect love pursues

For Wisdom did not come

To simply speak the words of truth

He's the Word that makes us true

 

The Way of Wisdom starts out

With a step of holy fear

That's only the beginning

And there's much more that is clear

The path leads on to love

And love is fearless in its ways

For Love Himself was not afraid

To die that we'd be saved

To die that we'd be saved

 

Behold He is the Lord

 

 

Michael Card

© 1990 Birdwing Music

CCLI License # 810055