Measure Your “Want To”

You may recall in a recent post on what it means to love God with our mind, the idea of “want to” was positioned as one of the ways to define that concept. “Want to” is an essential component of our faith. It is not an ego boost or a narcissistic display, it is simply a way of stating I am doing this because this is what I choose to do - it is what I want to do.

That concept is not just a half-hearted acquiescence to the truth, it is a choice to follow TRUTH and live according to its mandates. Similar to what the psalmist said, “I have chosen the way of faithfulness; I set your rules before me (Psalm 119:30).”  It is also similar to the charge that Joshua gave to the people of God when he called them to “Choose this day whom you will serve…(Joshua 24:15).”  It was not simply a matter of putting away false gods, it was a matter of choosing to follow the LORD and keep it commandments.

Now, the interesting part about the Joshua chapter is that the people said, “…We also will serve the LORD, for he is our God.” And Joshua’s reply to that was “You are not able to serve the LORD…” And then he enumerates the why. They had a surface “want to” but not a committed “want to.” Their desire was challenged by the integrity of Joshua, and they felt they could muster up to the challenge without counting the cost which was obedience to God and forsaking the influence of foreign belief systems that had corrupted their heart and their mind.

There are times when my “want to” doesn’t quite measure up to expectations. I say, “I want to” but in reality my heart is far from the necessities which would enable me to fulfill what I am agreeing to. In some respects my short-coming is for lack of information, other times, I commitment simply because of an emotional response or coercion of some type, often in a public environment. However, I am not really certain what my “want to” is wanting to commit to or the costs involved in that commitment. But it looks good.

It seems perhaps that expressing a “want to” in response to any type of invitation requires that I know what is expected and how deep my commitment is to follow through. Again, like the situation in Joshua; the people said, “we want to” and Joshua said you, “You are not able…” Not because your want to is wrong, but because you have not fully understood what you are committing to. So he lays out the commitment; the guidelines necessary when one chooses to follow the LORD. In fact, his guidelines are then entered into the Book of the Law (Joshua 24:26). Apparently they are new in some form or fashion. Then the people say “Yes” again and a rock of testimony is set up as a witness to their “want to” being elevated above a mere emotional response.

It doesn’t take a Bible scholar to know that the people of Israel struggled mightily with fulfilling their “want to” after that particular episode. Not so much because the quality of their commitment was diminished, but because the outside influence on their commitment was so strong.  Keeping my “want to” in check is a hard and difficult task. I don’t mean to imply that as an adult I am not capable of fulfilling a commitment. It simply means that the waywardness of my “want to” is heavily influenced by all the other things that are crying out, “Do this. Follow me. Get involved in this. Try this.”  All are tempting in their own right, but detractors from my initial “want to” for following Christ and my commitment to serve him.

In Luke 14, Jesus spells out ”want to” when it comes to being a follower/learner of him.

Luk 14:25-35

Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them,

 

“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.  

Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.  

For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?  

Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’  

Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand?  

And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace.  

So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.  

“Salt is good, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored?  

It is of no use either for the soil or for the manure pile. It is thrown away. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

Now, it is imperative that I cast my “want to” up against that challenge. My heart will almost always say, “YES.” My will, however, falls short on many occasions. It is hard. To think otherwise is to misunderstand what it means to be a follower/learner of the Christ.

Spiritual and Political

There is an interesting article by John Ortberg that was published in Leadership Magazine (on line version).  It focuses on the church’s role with regard to politics.

I found it an interesting read simply because the church we attend as a “don’t speak” position when it comes to politics and many social issues. Which if fine, it just seems a bit contrary to what I might call whole-life thinking.

If, or when you read Ortberg’s article you will see that he takes a similar position and presents some very valid arguments. However, there is one comment that seemed unusual to me.

So we read about the issues. We debate. We learn about policy. We pray. We speak respectfully in the public square. We vote at elections. We serve on councils and cabinets. We preach [in the church] (my note) about God’s concern for peace and justice and generosity and righteousness.

What struck me as unusual is how does a person get that involved in their community (politics) and keep an antiseptic approach to the believing community (church)? I suspect it is the same way persons become so immersed in the believing community and then sequester their beliefs when it comes to the marketplace. It is much like the politicians, most of the major candidates so far, Romney was the most obvious about it, say….I am a Christian but I will not allow my personal beliefs to influence my policy making.  How in the world does that work?  That may not seem to be an unusual position since the church has done a very good job of approaching life from the opposite perspective - I am a Christian, but don’t worry, it won’t impact any other area of my life except those times between 9:45 and Noon on Sunday and the occasional Wednesday evening.

Have we compartmentalized our lives to such a degree that one area does not - cannot - or will not leak over to the next? Let’s think about it — isn’t abortion both a political and spiritual issue?  Isn’t homosexuality both a political/social and spiritual/moral issue? Aren’t drugs, drunkenness, prostitution, and the like both political/social and spiritual/moral issues? Can a Christian truly support abortion and not be in a contradictory state with the Bible?  Are moral issues such as homosexuality strictly cultural issues?  Can we allow error, such as sexual deviance is “hard wired” and since God made me that way there is no reason to change and let it stand?  If people in the marketplace and some churches are saying culture has changed and biblical beliefs need to change along with it - shouldn’t a call be going out saying that is not true? Or is that political?

In a perfect world with perfect leaders, it is true that the Kingdom of God would not be realized. And yes, as Ortberg pointed out, if the political landscape was perfect at every level, does that mean my life would be lived in a way that is pleasing to God? Probably not. But I’m for giving the first part of that a shot, I already know how challenging the second is.

Oliver Stone’s “W”

What ever happened to respect for the President of the United States?  What ever happened to the United States of America?

From Saturday Night Live spoofs, to so-called journalistic documentaries by pseudo-journalists like Micheal Moore, to bias television coverage and now, a film - due out in October - about a sitting President that will leave little question about the writer’s or directors intent, not to mention the timing.

Now don’t get me wrong. I am not a big fan of President Bush or his particular policies. However, he is still the President of the United States and deserves a least a level of respect due his office.

I know America is the self proclaimed “land of freedom” and free speech has it’s day, but this is pushing the edge of the envelope. Besides, is would seem the only people interested in this film would be detractors from the President and why in the world would they want to spend their money to see a film about someone they dislike in the first place. Supporters of Bush would not be interested either for obvious reasons.  So where’s the market for this film? Is it “undecided voters”? I would hardly think so. Why would they make up their mind based on a fantasy film. Oh, that’s right, they will be making up their minds based on a fantasy anyway. Either the fantasy that Obama is not a socialist or McCain is too old to be President and a clone of Bush.

It is bad enough that we have had to suffer through almost two years of political BS, now the message is being taken to the theater. Good grief, is there no safe haven from all of this?

Naked

I suppose the timing might be appropriate to make some observations about Job’s naked in - naked out comments when confronted with the fact that he had just lost everything. And I do mean everything. Of course, that situation sets the stage for the on-going discourse between the sufferer and his three well-intentioned “friends”. The gist of the discussion is simply this; Job must have done something - committed some kind of sin - to deserve the punishment he was enduring. Job’s position was basically, I am innocent and he desperately cries out to have his day in court with God.

Being financially bankrupt is one thing. Being spiritually bankrupt is something entirely different. Job’s buddies were trying to convince him that he was both. If he would just acknowledge that, confess his sin, and seek God, than everything would be restored and he would find a renewed harmony with God. Seems easy enough. Then again, it was far removed from the actual situation that Job found himself in. However, it is not unlike contemporary Christianity, where sin is the root cause and confession is the cure. If it were  that simple, fine, but it’s not.

I am a sinner. There is absolutely no doubt about that. I continue to sin, there is little question about that. I suspect I will always be a sinner, struggling to do what is right and always falling short. Naturally, some would say that Christ’s death and resurrection took care of that malady, but there is something about that panacea that seems a bit off kilter. There is no doubt that Christ’s sacrifice on the cross paid the penalty for my sin. Nevertheless, that does not free me from the struggle of sin and its consequences. If it did, than “cheap grace” is indeed the way to happiness. However, the responsibility I bear as a child of God does not end with the resurrection of Christ. If anything, that is the beginning. That event, in some sense, throws me smack dab in the middle of my sinfulness and keeps me mindful of my inability to live in a way that glorifies Christ.

Job was experiencing what he was experiencing at the very suggestion and acquiescence of God. He had done nothing other than to be “…blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil (Job 1:1).” So when the Adversary, Satan, implied that Job was in that condition simply because God protected him and blessed him and given the opportunity would denounce him, God basically said, “Give it your best shot.”

Satan’s observation is profound. More than that, it was insightful regarding the human condition. Do we love and serve God because of what we receive or because he is God? The answer of many, including myself, wants to be “We serve God simply because he is God.” However, were you to peel back the layers, the discovery might be that many serve God because of what they expect he will do for them.  That is the naked truth.

Yes, I am in that camp often. I suppose I should be ashamed to admit it but actually it is rather freeing. That does not imply that I like that type of awareness, it simply means that knowing it allows me the opportunity to deal with it.

There are days when I, like Job, wish that death would remove me from this dilemma, or times when I regret the day of my birth. Then again, there is something about Job’s inner man that is attractive and strong. An example that says there is hope for folks like me. Job lived in such a way that allowed him to confront that which seemed beyond confrontation. A wholeness that said, like Yogi Berra, “It ain’t over til it’s over.” One more day, give it one more day was Job’s position in spite of his awareness - naked in, naked out. My goal is to make it one more day.

Mind This

The other evening, a friend and I were discussing, for lack of a better term, discipleship. Our focus was centered on the shema(Deut. 6:4-5). When we were talking about it, I was quoting the OT verses and he was quoting Jesus’ statement which includes the word “mind”. (A word not in the original Shema, but apparently added in the Septuagint. “Mind” is included in both Luke and Mark’s account of Jesus’ statement but not in Matthew’s.)  Our conversation centered on what it meant to love God with your mind.

This is a hard thing. Naturally, when “mind” is introduced to the concept of discipleship, the focus is rightly centered on knowledge/understanding. That does not mean “emotions” are left hanging, it simply means the focus is not on “I know that I know” because I have experienced it and am emotionally vested, rather I know that I know because I have sought it out and have concluded that it can be no other way.  The critical piece to employ in both camps is that similar to the Boreans, they were set to examine the Scriptures daily to see if what they heard was so (Acts 17:11). Often, however, emotion and experience take precedence and knowledge becomes at best, a nice to have.

An emotional investment in belief and understanding is good and a valuable part of our Christian experience. But it is important to remember Paul’s admonishment to not be “conformed to his world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind (Romans 12:2). That is how we prove, approve, and determine the will of God and establish what is good, acceptable and perfect.  Therefore, it is more than just the “heart, soul, and strength” - there is the “mind” and it is oft left to beg for its share of attention in genuine discipleship.

What does it mean to love the LORD our God with all our mind? As my friend and I  talked about it, some of my thoughts were from a “want to” perspective. To love God with my mind means that I have a deep seated “want to” to know Him, understand His word, and yes, experience His presence. The other side of the conversation was directed to the study, examination, and coming to an understanding of God’s teaching. Both accurate from the standpoint of what the writer of Deuteronomy was attempting to stess regarding the commandments of the Law and the instruction for Israel to teach them diligently, talk of them, bind them, and write them on their heart, “lest (they) forget the LORD (Deut. 6:11).”

In my own pilgrimage, I am learning that knowing the what and why of my belief systems is essential to growing in Christ. That does not mean I divorce myself from the heart side, it simply means that I have chosen not to divorce myself from the mind side. I want the meat of the word, not just milk. I want to understand the scope of God’s involvement in history not just focus on my decision for Christ and think discipleship is listening to sermons and having cookies and juice fellowship. I want to ask the “why” and not simply focus on the “ooh and ah”.  I am also learning that this is hard work, challenging work, and sometimes frustrating work. Nevertheless, as Eliphaz said to Job, “As for me, I would seek God and to God I will commit my cause… (5:8)”