Drowning in affluence

Oh to see the struggle
Of a soul that knows not
Its desperate needs

It is surrounded by food
Filled with first- world problems
And drowning in its own affluence

Gasping for air- for something
That its money cannot give
The languid soul ceases to live

Instead it stops flailing
For this unrecognized need
And makes just enough movement

To have a stable and steady
Source of mediocre existence
Just enough to be called a soul

Just enough to be called alive
Just enough to take comfort
In all that money can buy

Protecting its investments
And avoiding all risks
That would threaten its enterprise

Making a pretense
That it doesn't need anything
That this gaping hole

Shaped like a cross
Is just
The soul's imagination

Now and then this opulent soul
Scrunches up in confusion
When seeing a soul running free

On calvary's shore
That Christ has meant
For every soul to be free

Not just show bread

Show bread, also known as Shewbread or The Bread of Presence, is an Old Testament (OT) Jewish custom that has made a come back in many of our New Testament Christian lives.

What!?

Yes- many of us carry around the Bible, which 

(a)  is the word of God that reveals Jesus as the living bread (John 6:51), and ,
(b) Jesus says is more sustaining than earthly bread (Deuteronomy 8:3, Matthew 4:4),

as if it were for consuming only on the sabbath day, and then putting it back on our shelves or tables once we get back home from church. The process repeats every week, and has become part of a nonchalant walk with God who is not the center of our lives, but rather a consultant.

Even in the OT laws, show bread was meant to represent humanity's constant need for God, with the priests eating it on the sabbath day after placing freshly-baked loaves on the table as the Great I Am asked that this bread be in His presence continually (Exodus 25:30).

After receiving Christ, one understands that this show bread mentioned in the OT is actually an image of Jesus being continually in the presence of God, and who is broken for humanity's need for salvation from their original sin. And get this- we are asked to partake of this very living bread (Luke 22:19)!

But do we only partake of Jesus and His living Word only on certain auspicious days, when we are asked to take communion or during Sunday sermons?

Strangely, a certain OT king named David, who is not a priest, but a fugitive of Saul (1st Samuel 21:6), leads the way in setting an example for the Church on when and how to partake of the Bread of Presence, or in our case, the Bible. Jesus gives us this critical Bible study hint, about David and the Show Bread, as He declares to the religious leaders that Jesus has been given authority over the Sabbath (Matthew 12, Mark 2:26, Luke 6:4).

In 1st Samuel 21, David has gained fame after slaying Goliath and many other enemies of Israel, and this new, young, warrior brings the older Saul to an envious rage that pushes Saul towards trying to murder David. David flees Gibeah, returns, and then flees again after being warned about Saul's intentions of killing David by Saul's own son Jonathan, and is now hungry and desperate for help. He can't go back home and put his family in danger, and he can't go back to work in Saul's palace, so where does he go?

As pointed out by Max Lucado in his book, "Facing your Giants," David does not waste any time in going to the House of God to get help. He asks Ahimelech for bread, and makes things slightly awkward for the priest. The only bread that Ahimelech has on hand is the Bread of Presence that has been set apart for priests, as described in the very strict OT laws mentioned above. Yet, Ahimelech realizes that the bread, which is the representative answer for humanity's need for God, is truly needed here by this human flesh in front of him in the form of David.

He hands the Bread of Presence to David, and thus through mercy breaks the pattern of using the Show Bread for display purposes and priests- establishing by example that the Bread of Presence should be made available to everyone who is in need of God. Now David didn't just see the Show Bread with his eyes, but partook of it with his most intimate of the five senses, ate of it, tasted it, and digested the bread so it became an organic part of his own body and life.

So how can we, who are not priests, follow David's example? Maybe only priests and pastors are allowed to eat of the Bread of Presence, like in the OT? This is why what Jesus did for humanity is so radical- He serves as the only high priest (Hebrews 4:14-16) whom we have to go through, and furthermore, he calls the Church a royal priesthood (1st Peter 2:9)! 

As Jesus tore the veil from top to bottom after His death on the cross, and then defeated death through His resurrection, he made all those who believe in this resurrection reality a royal priesthood. This identity is given to all those who recognize their brokenness due to Original sin (Genesis 3) and accept Jesus as the ultimate sacrifice that absorbs their sin as Holy justice took its course on the cross, and therefore is the only way humanity can come into a right relationship with God once again (Hebrews 9).

Wow. Now this is some good news as we start 2018. The Bread of Presence that was once reserved for priests to put on display and then symbolically eat to represent humanity's spiritual need for God as analogous to their physical need for food has now become offered as a gift to:

EVERYONE through Jesus's death on the cross. 

So for those of us who believe that Jesus's resurrection has put us once again into holy communion with God, may we eat with enthusiasm our Bible daily with the Holy Spirit as our study guide, comforter and convictor. May we not just talk the talk but live out what Jesus asks us to do as an organic part of our lives! May we not just treat it as a showpiece but as a way of life that changes us as we eat it and partake of Jesus and His Holy Spirit. Thank you for the Holy Spirit's guidance as we read the Bible that helps mold us so we can Love God and love our neighbors more. Lord may you help us walk with You as our center as we read, eat and treat the Bible with reverence and awe everyday. Thank you God for our fresh, fragrant, delicious, daily bread and not stale, for display only, day-old bread. Amen.

Summertime in my mind

Song link

Summertime in my mind

When God is by my side

Summertime in our mind

When God is by our side

Summer is joy

Snow is pain

Summer, summer, summertime

To live is Christ
And to die is gain

Summer, summer, summertime

My cheeks are frozen

My tears are blue

Summer, summer, summertime

When my heart is heavy

I lean on You

Summer, summer, summertime

Summertime in my mind

When God is by my side

Summertime in our mind

When God is by our side

When God is by our side

It's summertime in our minds

It's the

Dead of winter

Snow is falling

But summertime's in our mind

The storms keep coming

The wind is blowing

But summertime's in our mind

This aint no rental

The fight is mental

So have 

Summertime in your mind

Summertime in my mind

When God is by my side

Summertime in our mind

When God is by our side

Thank you God

For this gift of song

Summer, summer, summertime

We praise you God,

All day long

Summer, summer, summertime

Step out in faith (Matthew 14:22-33)

Matthew 14:22-33

Song link

Is that you my Lord?
Calling to me
Can I walk to You?
Amidst all this sea

This tiny boat I'm tired
Of holding me in
Of keeping me from you
But I hear you say:

Step out of the boat
And onto the water
I call you my son
I call you my daughter

You know that I'm
Always around you

Bigger than the
Waves that could drown you

I made the earth and the
Sky that surrounds you

So put your trust in Me
And your faith will see
The Truth
My love for you

But my feet are small
Not made for these trials
And my heart is weak
My flesh in denial

Will you lead me
Safely to shore
Casting my doubts aside
I step out and hear you:

Step out of the boat
And onto the water
I call you my son
I call you my daughter

You know that I'm
Always around you

Bigger than the
Waves that could drown you

I made the earth and the
Sky that surrounds you

So put your trust in Me
And your faith will see
The Truth
My love for you

Thank you Jesus

You're the one true King

Please take my Faith

As my offering.

Why do we ask questions?

Seriously though- why? Why do we ask questions?

I was praying about attending a recent conference when the Lord put this question into my mind.

I had no idea why people asked questions. Since I believe that God created me that way I am, I also believe that He gave me my abilities. This included my ability to ask questions.

One of the professionals I met at the conference, Amber, said that God gave us an ability to ask questions as an exercise of humility.

How profound! Yet, my insides screamed, "If only we looked at it that way!"

I have seen so many scientists ask questions to show off and seem smart, or even carefully construct questions to intimidate a speaker to show his or her ego is bigger than yours.

This exercise in humility has ironically been used as a defensive weapon to shield our insecurities, afraid that someone will notice our Goliath-sized imposter syndrome. So we ask questions to help us hide our insecurities as scientists rather than be free and humble enough to confront ourselves, our mistakes, and our work.

So I agreed wholeheartedly with Amber: God gives us the ability to ask questions so we can learn to be humble and vulnerable about our world and our role in the world as we seek answers to those questions.

"But why do we ask questions?" the Lord asked me again during the conference banquet.

We? So far I thought God has asked me that about humans alone!

"Lord, not only do I not know why I ask questions, I don't know why YOU ask questions!" I answered. I mean, it's God! Surely He does not need an exercise in humility beyond the death of Jesus on the cross for the sake of humanity! The once united trinity of Father, Son, Holy ghost was broken for a moment in response to humanity's sin, and offered as a sacrifice on our behalf!

Why does God ask questions? Are we, who are made in the image of God, asking questions for the same reasons (minus the fact that we actually don't know the answers)?

Another way of asking this version of the question is: Why would someone ask a question that they know the answer to?

One obvious human reason would be to show off and sound smart.

Another would be to cause fear as a response.

But my answer came during a lunch conversation where I realized, God asked Adam and Eve where they were (Genesis 3:9), Cain where his brother was (Genesis 4), and Sarah why she laughed about God's promise of a son in her barren womb (Genesis 18), not because God wanted to show off or cause fear in their hearts.

God asks questions as an invitation for relationship with Him.

God invites us to ask questions.

God loves that we ask questions because He loves us!

God created humanity with an uncanny ability to ask the questions that even led us down the wrong path(s), but He still allowed the ability to ask questions to continue.

Jesus asked questions as a way to let the woman at the well know a) that he knew her life but most importantly, b) that He cared for her. He cared ABOUT her condition. (John 4)

The theology of fear and intimidation has nothing to do with the questions God asks humanity, and they should also not have anything to do with humanity asking questions about what is around us.

To take it a step further, what if humans asked questions as a way of relating to each other, to the world around them, and finally, as a way of relating to God?

Whether or not a scientist believes in Jesus, the act of asking a question, any question, is an exercise in relating to our Creator.

Asking questions helps humanity relate to God.

Do you agree with these assertions? I am open to your feedback. Please feel free to comment.

God of Hope (Romans 15: 1-20)

Song link

Romans 15 link

May the God
Of Hope above
Fill us up with
Joy and peace as we,
As we trust in Him.

So that we
May overflow
With the hope and power
Of the, of the Holy ghost.

May the God
Of Hope above
Fill us up with
Joy and peace as we,
As we trust in Him.

So that we
May overflow
With the hope and power
Of the, of the Holy ghost.

We who are strong
Ought to bear with the weak and
Live not please ourselves

As Christ stands up for God
Let us love neighbors
Build them up and
Stand up for them!

May the God
Of Hope above
Fill us up with
Joy and peace as we,
As we trust in Him.

So that we
May overflow
With the hope and power
Of the, of the Holy ghost.

For all that is written
Written from the past
Is there so we learn
Our roots

Our roots of faith and
Endurance
Taught in the Scriptures
So we may have Hope.

May the God
Of Hope above
Fill us up with
Joy and peace as we,
As we trust in Him.

So that we
May overflow
With the hope and power
Of the, of the Holy ghost.

May the God of our endurance
Give us one mind,
One voice to glorify

Glorify the God and
Father of our Lord
Lord and Savior
Jesus the Christ.

Accept one another
As Christ accepted us
In order to bring
Praise to our God

So we can preach the gospel
Where Christ is not known
Bringing glory
In service to God!

May the God
Of Hope above
Fill us up with
Joy and peace as we,
As we trust in Him.

So that we
May overflow
With the hope and power
Of the, of the Holy ghost.

May the God
Of Hope above
Fill us up with
Joy and peace as we,
As we trust in Him.

So that we
May overflow
With the hope and power
Of the, of the Holy ghost.

Whose I am (Acts 27)

You're my child
I'll never let you go
You're my kin
I've placed my light within


What if I face the unknown

You know I'll be right here


What if I am afraid

I'll take away your fears


What if I lose my way

I'll guide you back to shore


How will I face the darkness

I'll help your light shine bright


You're my child
I'll always be your Hope
I have placed
Eternity within