Say Salmon Swim Upstream…Salmon Schwim Upstweam

Oct 9, 2009 | Stories, The Good Word

One of my professors at the University of Edinburgh talked a lot about the significance of the narrative of the salmon. He thought it was sad that farm-raised salmon never get the chance to experience the narrative of the wild salmon — the true story of their destiny. Whether or not you would like to call it a narrative, the story of the salmon is really cool. There is actually a spot in Scotland where you can see them jumping up a waterfall and trying to make it upstream to spawn. While the story might be a complete nightmare if you have a lisp…it’s still a great stowy! You see, while most fish tend to go with the flow, the salmon start making their move upriver in the fall of the year, and when they feel they’ve found a good spot, they’ll lay their eggs. Often, they’ve gotten themselves so far upstream that by the time they’ve finished spawning, they’re in a high eddy where they can’t exactly get back downstream again. So they die there, but as their bodies decompose, they make the water extra-nourishing for the little eggy salmon waiting to be hatched. Their eggs are (hopefully mostly) safely kept there until it’s time to hatch, when they instinctively will begin the journey downstream to some more spacious waters, and the cycle will start over again.

There’s a beautiful spot at the Hermitage in Dunkeld where you can watch the salmon jump, and Mark took me there once a few years ago. It was amazing to see the fish trying to make it up this gushing waterfall, where they would honestly have to do a triple jump to make it to the top.  I don’t think I ever saw one make it, but it was really entertaining to watch them try! Ooooh he almost made it! Ouch that one just faceplanted into a rock! But the fact that they have that amazing story, which as far as I know is unlike any other, makes them unique and special, and maybe even extra tasty.

The story of the Woman at the Well is similar — and yesterday’s blog (heck, a thousand blogs) couldn’t fully cover it. Something else that was really significant about the story was that Jesus was totally swimming upstream throughout His interactions with the Samaritan woman. In His day, it was not common for Jews to speak to Samaritans — they didn’t even want to go near them. Instead of treating the Samaritans like fellow human beings, they treated them like the red-headed stepchildren of the faith — they thought they needed to be treated like rubbish and totally ostracized. The Jews and Samaritans were constantly squabbling and bickering. Many a Jew in Jesus’ day would rather die of thirst than ask a Samaritan … especially a woman .. and one of questionable character at that, to draw a drink of water.

There’s probably not a lot to be surprised about in her response — “Um…like…aren’t you a Jew? So…ugh…why are you asking me for water? You guys don’t normally even want to be seen on the same hillside as us.” Jesus told her that if she knew with whom she was speaking, she would be asking Him for a drink of living water. She liked that idea, until Jesus suggested that she bring her husband and come back. She tries to skirt her ‘issues’ by simply saying she doesn’t have a husband. Jesus reads her mail and says, “Yeah…you’ve already had five, and you’re not even married to the guy you’re with now.”

Instead of outright telling Jesus to get our of her sauce, she just changes the subject, by bringing up part of the argument that has been going on between the Jews and Samaritans for ages. But once again, Jesus is not caught up in the cultural dilemmas of the day. Here’s how Matthew Henry puts it:

Jesus did not try to convince her of her schismatical belief system’s faults, but her conversion came about because He showed her her own ignorance and immoralities, and her need of a Saviour.

Although there are a thousand sermons to be preached on this simple interaction, here’s the place I’m headed: Jesus was not caught up in the cultural customs of His day. And that meant He was free to engage anyone He wanted, anywhere He wanted — Jew or Samaritan, Mute or Leper, Tax Collector or Prostitute. What does that say for us? It says to me — pay attention to where the customs of your culture might take you. Those customs might lead you in a different direction, and on a different path from the one the Lord would have you take. Has your culture made you think the best place for a woman is in the home? Has your culture made you believe that people of a different ethnicity are incapable or intellectually inferior? Have the common customs of your locale made you think there are places you shouldn’t go or people you shouldn’t help? And more significant, has your culture perhaps convinced you that you don’t actually have to make Jesus your Lord, and you can still call yourself a Christian?

We should constantly challenge our ways of thinking in light of the Truth of the Gospel. The Truth is, we could perhaps consider ourselves salmon. And our true destiny is to live, contrary to our nature, in the call of God. Our true destiny is to swim upstream, and live, not according to our sinful nature, but according to the leading of the Holy Spirit, in obedience to God. And a life lived to God is a life lived upstream. If you are living in obedience to God, it is not likely that you will be doing the same thing as everyone around you. It is likely that the walk God has for you will be more of a challenge than a lazy afternoon ride on a raft headed with the current of the little stream He’s placed you in.

The cross is a heavy object. Carrying it is likely to bring you to places of resistance — places where it is difficult to lift this heavy object and bring it with you — places where it would be easier to turn back, to put it down, or to keep walking without it.  If you should decide to put it down, to go with the current, and to keep on as you always were, you might still be swimming, but you’ll be swimming in nets on the farm…and you’ll never brave the open waters to live out the story God has for you.

Take an opportunity to swim upstream today. And please let me know how it goes.

Are you Thirsty?

Oct 8, 2009 | South Africa, Stories, The Good Word

Mark and I were out at a restaurant the other morning (the one where I paid a whole dollar for honey with my tea) to read our Bibles and have a cup of tea. When the waitress came back with the tea and we’d pulled out our Bible, she asked what the Word was today and for us to teach her something from the Word. Mark smiled and asked if she was a Christian, and she said (with some sense of uncertainty) “I believe that I am.” It was an interesting answer and I’m not sure whether she was simply being humble in calling herself a Christian or whether she was actually uncertain of whether or not she was a Christian.

After she walked away, we talked about it for a little bit, and got into the Word for ourselves for a while. We talked about the Transfiguration described in Mark 9 — why it happened, and why Jesus chose those three disciples to be the ones to see it. At the same time, the waitress’s answer to our question was in the back of my mind and each time she came back to check on us, I looked for an opportunity to engage her in further conversation about it. She was gone before I knew she was there each time, and finally when we were about to leave and she’d brought the bill (with my dollar honey on it!) she asked what the Word for today was.

I’d begun writing a few Scriptures down on some slips of paper I had in my purse to encourage her about her faith, and so we told her I was busy writing it down for her, and we would have it for her when we had the bill. I chose a couple of simple verses about being a Christian, about hearing and doing the Word, about confessing and believing, and just wrote a simple encouragement along with them. She thanked us and took the check while I nipped to the loo quickly before we left.

While I was away, Mark listened to one of the other customers chatting with the waitress nearby. The customer was explaining to the waitress all the benefits of drinking soda water — how good soda water is for your skin and your health, how it will give you a longer life, and so on. After I returned and we were leaving the restaurant, the waitress came up quickly and joyfully and said, “I do believe!” And we both said, “That’s great! That’s really great!” And we were on our way.

What was so interesting was the juxtaposition of interactions this sweet girl had had over the course of her morning. There are so many people who believe they have the ‘keys to life’ and will give you advice about how to enjoy a better life, how to find health, wealth and happiness. But this life is so fleeting — so many of these recommendations will make no difference when this life is through.

When Jesus spoke with the woman at the well in John 4, He offered her water which meant she would never thirst again. We had the opportunity to encourage the waitress about that water, the eternal life and salvation that we have in Jesus. As we walked away and Mark shared with me what had happened, we marveled at the difference between what the world wants to tell you about how to have a great life, and the true promises that are only found in the abundant life of a person who walks with Jesus.

The Sermon in a Nutshell: This world is filled with promises — and other people will gladly tell you how to live your life if you let them. But I’m confident that abundance, joy, contentment and peace are found in Jesus and nowhere else. If you receive His living water, that is, if you receive the gift that is Jesus, and His Holy Spirit, it will satisfy your soul — and you will begin to realise that the things the world wants to offer you are altogether a worthless lot of rubbish compared to the glorious riches available to you in Christ. If you’re thirsty, that’s the best water you can find!

xCC

Crumbs From Your Table – U2tastic

Oct 3, 2009 | Stories, The Good Word

I really, really enjoy the band U2. Are you a fan? One of their songs came on the radio once, and I said to my sweet friend Shelley, “I love U2.” And she said, “Aw, I love you, too.” Seriously. That was funny. One really cool song on their How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb album is called Crumbs from Your Table. And one of the most powerful lyrics comes from the chorus: “You speak…in signs and wonders. But I need something other. I would believe, if I was able, but I’m waiting on the crumbs, from your table.”

If I could hazard a guess, since the musicians in U2 are fairly faith-filled guys, they are speaking about a very cool story that is recorded in Matthew 15, and in Mark 7. I promised yesterday I’d talk about the woman whose faith was proved and improved, and this is her story. She was a Syro-Phonecian, in case you were wondering, and her daughter was demon-possessed. Okay before I lose you, tune in the story gets better.

I guess when Jesus showed up on the scene miraculously healing people and speaking with all this power and authority, word kinda got around and people started taking notice. This woman from Canaan was one of those folks who took notice, and when she heard Jesus was going to be around, she was on the first camel headed in his direction. When her camel finally got there, she came to Jesus with a fairly simple request. My daughter is sick, and from what I’ve been hearing, you are able to make her better. Would you please?  It reminds me of this little mouse in Asher’s Jungle Babies book. Tangent! The little mouse is the last little creature in the Jungle Babies book, and he says, “I’m a Jungle Mouse. I like to eat cheese. If you have some, could I have it please.” I think it’s kind of forward for the mouse to just ask for my cheese if I have any, but I guess he likes it, and he’s saying please so, yeah, if I had some, I’d probably give it to him. He’s a cute mouse after all.

But back to Jesus. This sweet little S-P lady shows up all gentle, humbly honouring Jesus and, perhaps like the Jungle Baby Mouse, says, “If you do that, could you for me please?” I’m sure you’re expecting the next line to be, and so Jesus did, the end and they all lived happily ever after till the end of their days. But I’m afraid it’s not so!

Jesus didn’t even say, “Ugh…no.” At first He didn’t even answer her! But she kept bothering him and His disciples got really bovvered and said, “Well heck, if you’re not gonna help her at least tell her to ske-daddle!” And Jesus said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

But she persisted and kept worshiping and saying, “You have cheese and I love cheese, please please please!” Well not exactly but you get the idea. And then Jesus said, (and I’m not making this up, this is actually in the text) “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.”  To which she replied (seriously) “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” And Jesus answered and said to her, (back to me paraphrasing) “Wow! You have really, really great faith! Let this thing you’re hoping for happen for you just like you hope it will.” And her daughter was healed right then.

It seems like Jesus was being harsh with this woman. He was sent first to the lost sheep of Israel, but did he have to be so abrupt about it? In actual fact, Jesus actually proved and improved her faith over the course of this conversation. She believed Jesus was good. She believed He was able to do what she hoped He could. And even when it appeared on the surface that He might not be so good to her, she pressed on, and continued believing He was good. The text says she worshiped Him even more after He said no. I wonder how often some of us might receive the things we are believing God for if we would press in — if we would not give up and lose heart because on the surface things are not looking so good. Her perseverance paved the way for an incredible miracle, and for her story to be spoken of for centuries to come. Her faith has been spoken of ever since this incident occurred. And she received what she believed she would — she went home to a daughter, well and whole.

If you don’t believe that Jesus was who He said He was, you might be asking for a sign — for God to show up with some sign, like some magic trick that would confirm your faith. If you want someone to just prove to you that He’s real, or explain how bad things happen if God’s good, you are probably waiting on crumbs from God’s table. You could be enjoying the meal that’s on the table — the full feast of the goodness of God, but you are asking for crumbs before you’ll believe. If you’ve made it far enough into this blog to still be reading at this point, and you aren’t already following Jesus, I’d like to issue you a challenge.

The Good News is God has more than crumbs for you — He has a life of faith for you, greater than any magic trick, or sign or wonder. And if you diligently seek Him, He will reward you for it. That doesn’t mean you’re going to be able to levitate heavy objects or bend a spoon with your mind. But it does mean you can find peace, joy, and wholeness in the presence of God. The Bad News is, whether you want to admit it or not, you are a sinner. You have done things wrong, and you’ve offended a Holy God. Although your personal belief may be that God doesn’t exist, take a second to consider the possibility that you’re wrong, and the possibility that your incorrect presupposition could have eternal ramifications. We are all sinners in need of a Saviour, and there’s only One who paid the price for our forgiveness. If you diligently seek Him, you will find Him. And He’ll have more than crumbs at the table for you when you show up.

xCC

Job and Jesus

Oct 2, 2009 | Stories, The Good Word

If you’re ever thinking about digging into the Bible for the first time, but don’t know where to start, I highly recommend Robert Murray M’Cheyne’s Bible Reading Plan, which you can find here. You’ll read about four chapters a day, and by the end of one year, you’ll have read the Old Testament once, and the New Testament and Psalms twice. Not only was M’Cheyne a wonderful and fiery preacher of old, but he was also a Scotsman, and the Scots will always hold a special place in my heart.

Mr. M’Cheyne has directed me to Job this week – well not exactly since I am going through the plan in order, but I didn’t start on the first day of the year. Anyway, I’ve just started The book of Job, and along with all the things I shared about working through in this post, it just adds to the depth of paradox and challenge that is involved in deeply grappling with a personal faith in God, when bad things happen in the world. (You can see this post for more grappling. And if you thought this post was about faith and your occupation…sorry about that! Maybe later.)

If you don’t know the story, Job is basically about this really great guy who has a ton of rubbish rubbish RUBBISH stuff happen to him. He’s really well off, a family guy, a person of great integrity… I guess in the South we might call Job a good ol’ boy. And in one no good, very bady day, he loses all his stuff and then his family in these terrible ‘freak accidents’ which are actually at the hand of the devil, but clearly allowed by God, and then even his health is in such bad condition he’s sitting in ashes cursing the day he was born. (And this cosmic altercation is also stuff for another post, because I’m still grappling to make sense of it.)

The amazing thing about Job, unlike myself in most ‘unpleasantries’ is he asks this simple question that really challenges me profoundly: “Shall we accept good from God, and not evil?” Which I guess is basically like saying, “So it’s all good when everything is good … and when everything is good we believe God is good. But if anything bad happens, we immediately question the goodness of God. Isn’t that sort of hypocritical?” (I chatted more about this in this post a while back.)

I was thinking about Job’s struggles and saying, “God, why would you allow such a thing? I mean seriously, Job was a really good guy. Why would you allow him to be afflicted to such an extent?” It was then that I realised the incredible amount of good that has come over the history of time since Job’s story was written down. How many people have been encouraged, comforted, and even challenged in a good way, because of what was written about Job? And in the end, it is clear that Job was a righteous guy all along. (I highly recommend reading the story to see what happens.) There is incredible redemption, and Job gets a better perspective of the God He worships than he ever had before. Did the story end with Job saying, Dern, that was so great, let’s do it again? I don’t think so. But God proved and improved his faith because he was willing to suffer and still honour God.  [This reminds me of the Syro-Phoenician woman Jesus met – the topic of proving and improving faith is something I would like to talk more about tomorrow!]

What’s so beautiful is that Job is actually a type and shadow of Christ. The number of people who have read his story – the world will never know. It’s one chapter of the bestselling book of all time, so odds are the count is pretty high up there. And it’s been around for a couple thousand years. Bonus. Job’s suffering and the redemption his story depicts have probably challenged billions of people over the centuries, and met other people at the lowest point in their lives, where they could hopefully say, “You know, there was someone once who had it worse than me, and he made it through.”

Job may not have wittingly suffered for the cause of the millions who would be encouraged by his story, but He does point to the One who would ultimately suffer and die for the sins of the world, the One who was completely righteous and without sin. God Himself came and suffered – more seriously than Job – in taking on the sins of the world. And when He looks back on the experience, I think He’s the only One who would say, “For you, I’d do it again,” and actually mean it.

xCC

INVINCIBLE or Pwetty Pwetty Pwincess

Sep 26, 2009 | Stories, The Good Word

The story of Esther always gets me excited. It’s like the Old Testament Jewish version of the Princess Diaries with Anne Hathaway. Sometimes you just need a reminder that if God is for you, no one can stand against you. And in Esther 6, I enjoyed that reminder today.

The backstory is, the Amalekite called Haman worked for the king, and he had a major superiority complex. Haman got a big promotion, and the king decreed that people would have to bow and pay homage to him. However, Mordecai (Esther’s cousin) would not bow down and pay homage to Haman, because he would only worship the true God, the God the Jews believed in. Haman was, shall we say, ‘bovvered’ and began conspiring to take Mordecai out — and the rest of the Jewish nation with him. Not long before that, Mordecai had discovered a conspiracy to assassinate the king — I know, the story just keeps getting better! And he alerted the king’s men, so that the plot was foiled. Meanwhile, Esther (who has risen to the position of Queen because the previous Queen wouldn’t honour the king, and was deposed) is trying to figure out how to save the Jews.  So that should catch you up, basically.

In Chapter 6, the king finds out that Mordecai saved his life, and realises, “Ugh, guess I oughta do something for the fella who done saved my life.” So he asks Haman for some suggestions. Since Haman thinks the king must want to honour him, (a la, “Who is more honourable to the king than me, awesome Mr. Haman?”) he comes up with this awesome idea to parade the fellow the king wants to honour around the town in a royal robe the king has worn, and on a horse the king has ridden. And one of the most noble princes should go before him saying, “This is how it’s done when the king wanna honour someone!”

So, guess what? Mordecai receives the honour that Haman thought he was planning for himself, and Haman ends up being the guy who has to holler all around town, “This is how it’s done when the king wanna honour someone!” Haman is totally ashamed and runs home to his wife to cry his little eyes out.  When he shares the whole story with his wife, and his wise friends, their response is this (pay attention this is the best part!) “If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, is of Jewish descent, you will not prevail against him but will surely fall before him.” The people in Haman’s day recognised that the Jews had a certain invincibility — the blessing of God was on them, and the curse of God was on their enemies. Haman was actually a descendant of the Amalekites, who were enemies of the Jews in generations previous — so he basically stood no chance.

This was such an encouragement to me because the promise of God for His children thousands of years ago is the promise of God for His children today! Even the things your enemies might fashion against you, God can use to bring about good for you.  (See also Psalm 91. If you read on in Esther, you’ll see how amazingly well all this comes together). Carrying on from the theme yesterday, God is able to work all things together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purposes. And as the story continues, He does, in amazing ways, in Mordecai’s life. That means that we can trust God, even in situations that look difficult, even in situations that are hard, awful, sad or even life-threatening, because He intends to take care of His children, whom He loves. And He will!

Mordecai loved God and risked His life in obedience to Him. God honoured him, and brought about the demise of his enemies. Take the tough route today! Honour God no matter what doing so might cost you, and trust Him to bless you for it. If you are willing and obedient, You shall eat the good of the land. That’s a promise.

xCC