Pilgrims On The Way

dimanche, mars 13, 2005

Obedience and Grace

Inspired by this morning's sermon on Moses leading the Israelites through the wilderness, I had a thought or two re: our "wilderness" journey. (Yeah, in a way we'd consider ourselves in a dry, barren place... waiting/trusting for daily "manna" to sustain us; tempted, at times, to "return to Egypt" where things were a little more predictable and we could survive by self-provision.)

Um, ... yeah, where was I... Obedience- desired by God much more-so then sacrifice. And what does that look like? Do we always get a clear command/instruction to "go here", "do this", etc? Sometimes we do, and then we had better obey or God, in his holy and righteous sovereignty, will call us to account for disobedience. (That could be yikes! for us, like it was for Moses who struck the rock instead of speaking to it as the Lord had asked him to. His disobedience cost him personal entrance to the promised land.)

However, more often then a clear instruction, I think we get an 'open page' on our journey, in which we have to make choices (*I used to love the "choose your own adventure" books- now it means so much more to make good choices). Not in ignorance- left to our own devices. But choices made using the "equipment" God has been giving us during our 'walk' with Him thus far: wisdom not of this world (see James 3:13-18); desire for the things of God; "juice" from the Vine to make us fruit-bearing; the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God; council from godly brothers/sisters in Christ; and many other "tools", not the least of these being the Holy Spirit, who gives us discernment, teaches us Truth and encourages us on the way.

All this to say that Jer and I have felt that we haven't been handed a sheet of instructions from the Lord on our journey. And sometimes we feel like we're waiting and waiting for a command to obey, so as not to make a wrong step. Yet, there have been very few so-called "commands". Instead, we're learning that by using the "equipment" God has given us, we can take this journey with courage and boldness, knowing that God is before us, behind us and beside us. He is allowing us to make choices. And there is always GRACE for us along the way. We can never be perfectly wise, but God is gracious to us as a Father- desiring to see his children mature in their process. The onus is on us, however, to remain "equipped"; stay connected to the Vine, pray, listen, and continually desire His council and the Word He has already spoken to us.

*Tanya

Posted by Jeremy J Harnett :: 6:17 p.m. :: 2 comments

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samedi, mars 12, 2005

My Paraphrase

Paraphrase of Matthew 6:19-25; Luke 12:33-34; 11:34-36; 16.13

Do not be deceived: security and personal fulfillment is not found in your assets and success. Do not become consumed with amassing investments here on earth, where stock markets crash, homes burn to the ground and luxury vehicles get stolen. Hummers and Street of Dreams homes do not bring lasting joy; stocks and bonds cannot save your soul.
Develop your heavenly portfolio, where all your investments remain secure and safe forever, bringing you a great return. For wherever you invest the most is where you set your heart and mind. We all know people who chase the proverbial carrot on the stick, seeking wealth in get rich quick schemes. Do not be hoodwinked: keep a level head and your line of sight clear.
What you see is what you get. If you close your eyes to the beauty around you and focus only on the fluctuating digits of your bank account balance you live in dismal darkness. The glimmer from your hoarded gold is no light at all. In the end you will discover your wealth is nothing more than a fool’s gold. A heart and mind consumed with monetary gain and material acquisition is like a dark, damp and cold basement. Only eyes open wide in wonder, beholding how birds and grass alike grow and flourish without so much as a bead of sweat, let pure sunshine into the soul.
Simply live: live simply. Liquidate your assets, throw a party and invite the poor. Give it all away! Houses age and dilapidate, Lexus’ rust and die. Invest in others and their needs and so expand your heavenly investments. Free yourself from the curse of greed and materialism. Your great supply may be at the expense of another’s basic needs. So give it back and so find what it means to truly live. True happiness is rooted beyond the temporary but finds expression in the ordinary. For what you value is where your heart and mind are.
Think of it this way: you cannot be a Toronto Maple Leafs fan and Montreal Canadians fan at the same time. For you will hate one (and hate is not too strong of a word) and love the other. You will be devoted to one (accessorizing your home with team paraphernalia) and despise the other. Now, in the same way you cannot serve both God and money.

I had to pick a parable or story of Jesus and do a paraphrase of it so that it would be more understandable for my contemporary's. I hope I did it justice and don't end up burnt at the stake. Jer

Posted by Jeremy J Harnett :: 10:22 a.m. :: 1 comments

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vendredi, mars 11, 2005

Some Thoughts I found Encouraging:

“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.2 “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you” (Matthew 6:1-4 ESV).

“It is a tacit criticism of the folly which often holds sway over men, to think they have wasted their efforts if their prowess is not watched by a crowd of witnesses. Thus God says, He does not need a great light to recognize a good action, for He can see the things that appear to be hidden in the dark. There is no reason why we should think things are lost when they escape men’s sight, and do not get a testimonial, for the theatre of God is in the hidden corners, and it is a splendid cure He applies for healing the disease of ambition, to recall us to the powers of God’s vision, who can make all vain-glory vanish from our hearts, and disperse it altogether.”1

1. John Calvin, A Harmony of the Gospels, Matthew, Mark, and Luke Volume 1 , Calvin’s Commentaries, trans. T. H. L. Parker and ed. David W. Torrance and Thomas F. Torrance (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1972), 202.

Jeremy

Posted by Jeremy J Harnett :: 3:01 p.m. :: 0 comments

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mercredi, mars 09, 2005

More Lenton Dialogue... which really only scratches the surface of a BIG ball of wax!

I'm beginning to see much more about fasting then I ever have. Well truly, I'm seeing beyond fasting in the common understanding of the word, to a lifestyle of 'fasting', or rather, denying myself. I'm not sure if I can, as of yet, fully express where I think my lesson is headed, but I know I'm beginning to take this fasting more seriously- as a commitment to principle. Specific, designated times of fasting will continue to be necessary at times. But beyond that sort of 'denial', I want to learn how to live with/do with less. In our over-indulgent society, doing with less could be beneficail to our state of health, which is really quite poor. But even- especially-ethically, and this is where I'd like to concentrate my dialogue, doing with less can be a practical expression of my concern for the greater world (beyond the ME!). <*note: the following 'rebuke' can come across pretty strong at time. Please pray about these words and discern what the Spirit is showing you as wheat versus chaff!>

I recently heard a crazy statistic that North Americans consume 80% more than the population of India (with other non-western countries in similar stats). That is hidious. We're not talking only consumption of food (which is a gluttunous fact anyway), but in lifestyle consumerism in general. We are an obese nation in the way we treat ourselves... and we call this freedom. We hear around us, "How blessed we are to live in, and be citizens of, such a prosperous and safe country (US & Can)." And yes, we have it good here; too good. We forget, or ignore the fact, that so much of what we call 'good' and 'abundant' here is either being horded to ourselves, or worse yet, is being stolen from other countries- other people (slaves, or desperately poor, yet hard-working men, women and children who weren't so "blessed" to be born in a country such as ours.)
If you're not convinced yet that GOD is into ethical living, check out Isaiah 58: (especially this part)

"Is this not the fast which I choose,

To loosen the bonds of wickedness,

To undo the bands of the yoke,

And to let the oppressed go free,

And break every yoke?

Is it not to divide your bread with the hungry,

And bring the homeless poor into the house;

When you see the naked, to cover him;

And not hide yourself from your own flesh?"

I can almost hear God shouting: "Look around you North America! Your greed overwhelms your religious acts. You step on others less "blessed" than you in order to give yourself the so-called "blessings". Do you really believe these are your blessings when they come from your own foolishness and wickedness?"

"That a lifestyle of serving the poor rather than consuming another commodity should be called a "fast" is not so strange after all. Most of our life is a gorging of one artificially inflamed appetite after another. Any alteration of this pattern for the sake of ministry is a "fast" -- and one that would please God more than a hundred skipped lunches with a view to more pizza at supper." (John Piper- A Hunger for God)

Or, even on an environmental front, how are we ignorantly raping and abusing the earth for our conveniences? (not a wonder that all of creation is groaning as it waits for it's redemption!)

"I came to realize that every transaction with money is also a transaction with the earth. The items I buy are made from raw materials and resources from the sacred earth. Since I was taking the earth's resources for my pleasure, I felt commanded to use them consciously and carefully. Helen Keller once said, "Not until we can refuse to take without giving can we create a society in which the chief activity is the common welfare." It became clear that my choices about what items to buy and what resources to use needed to be in alignment with my values of giving, as well as taking, so that everyone in the world could not only survive but thrive." (An essay by: Evy McDonald- Simpler Living, Compassionate Life)

As I have been confronted with this concept in a big way lately, I have also realized that our economy/society really doesn't make ethical living easy:
*everywhere you look something new and exciting is being advertised
*the latest styles/brands in clothing and products beg us to 'keep up with the times', and look good/fit in
*even buying items on sale, or at less expensive stores (ie Wal-mart) typically means the product we're buying only payed the little boy in China a meager penny for his work- and our comfort!
*ethical awareness is not handed to us like the spoon-fed philosophies we hear from our bill-boards and tv ads: You deserve it!
*alot of our everyday 'needs', 'habits' or pure indulgences are really unethically based (ie. coffee, chocolate, clothing etc)
*to choose to buy ethically may mean either doing without something we are used to doing with, OR it may mean paying more for something that we are sure is produced ethically (ie. San Miguel Coffee).
*either of these previous options will require some research; to educate ourselves on what products are benefitting everyone in the chain- from the worker in the field, to the consumer in our home.

All of this puts a huge responsibility on us because awareness must lead to action. We cannot hide behind 'ignorance' any longer; though it may be 'bliss' for us, it may be 'hell' for someone else. Ignorance doesn't really get us 'off the hook' in matters such as these; it really only gives us the title of 'foolish gluttons'.

This is hard information to choose to act upon. It means change; uncomfortable change that... I don't know if I want to make.

I've really wrestled with this issue lately. I mean, I grew up living simply- doing with less then most of my friends and their families. Aren't we simple enough? As a matter of fact, due to current financial strain, we're being forced to do with less then I'd like to already. I don't want to have to 'hunt' for ethical chocolate chips which could quadruple the cost of the no-name brand I can just barely afford as a treat once in a while...
How do I make these kinds of choices: where/how to shop? Must I research the origin of every product I drop into my shopping cart to ensure it's source is from an ethically pure situation?

After talking with some dear lady friends who also evaluate such issues 'with a grain of salt', I must say that some of the stress/guilt/worry(and these have definately been a part of my wrestling) has been lifted! I'm seeing that we all need to (I need to) do the best with what we've been given. Stress/guilt/worry should not be my motivation. How can I be a wise and discerning steward with what I've been given- financially, informationally, ... even with my time. One fellow (founder of San Miguel coffee) spoke in Jer's class several weeks ago on this very topic. He suggested that as we become increasingly aware of unethical choices we make, we can make a 5% change each year: ie, 5% of our grocery budget is directed ethically. Soon these choices will be our natural passion and inclination.

"(God) says that fasting is meant to awaken us to the hunger of the work, not just our own hunger. And he says it is a heart-cry not just to savor the goodness of God in our bounty, but in the power of love to live for the sake of others." (John Piper- A Hunger for God)

As I continue to live in pursuit of Christ's likeness- as he cared for his neighbours and the world around him- I will be led/convicted/honored to make small changes that will effect lives... but especially my life as I learn that there is more to this life than satisfying myself. This is a principle that I desire to live my life by.

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 1 Cor 10:31

Posted by Jeremy J Harnett :: 10:53 a.m. :: 1 comments

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