The God of the Bible Makes Sense.

      This is my 50th blog post. I've enjoyed immensely this outlet for the conveyance of biblical truth and perspective. And I have equally enjoyed interacting with many of your thoughts in the comment threads and in personal emails or Facebook notes. In no way do I pretend to have all of the answers or the uniquely biblical perspective in any given situation. But so far, this experience has been one of great advantage for me. It has forced me to dig deeper and study harder than I ever have before. For that especially, I am grateful.
       When deciding on the topic for this blog, I wrestled with may possibilities. But after much deliberation, I decided to address the perspective of fallaciousness toward the biblical account, as applied by the popular culture. Over the past one-hundred years or so, and exponentially increasing by the year, there has been suspiciousness, and even outright denial of biblical truth. The idea that the Bible could contain the historical account of the beginning of life, and even more suspiciously, an accurate historical narrative concerning the plan and involvement of God for the salvation and restoration of mankind, has been deemed illogical. In academia, it is largely believed that the Bible and science don't mix - That faith is pitted against logic - That to believe in the God of the Bible is to turn away from reality.
       In this blog, I would like to demonstrate that the opposite is true. Namely, that science and all of its discoveries leads us to the God of the Bible - That to believe in scientific claim in place of Scripture is illogical - That God Himself is the ultimate reality, and that which denies Him is fallacious itself.

Part I. There Is A God.
       Academia would have us believe that all of life that exists and has ever existed has come about by pure chance. The alignment of certain criteria at just the right time throughout history has ultimately formed us as we are today - and in this same manner, we continue to evolve. Instead of attacking all the specifics here (because there are MANY good books which address these issues in their entirety), I would like only to address the logic behind the claim.
       First, we must establish a clear understanding of worldview. Worldview is how we "view" the world. It has been metaphorized as the "glasses through which we see the world." I am a biblical Christian. Every event that takes place in the world, I see through the the lens of scripture. An atheist would see the same events in a completely different perspective, or at least to a different degree.
       Short example: A powerful earthquake hits Japan. I see it as part of God's historical narrative - and ultimately as a sign that Jesus is coming back soon (based on several passages of scripture from the Bible). An atheist would see it as tectonic plates rubbing at fault lines and nothing more. I also believe in these mechanics. No question there... but I see it as part of a bigger picture. 
       Allow me to also testify that science is a GOOD THING! I believe that the God of creation instituted these scientific laws and facts (which we discover from time to time) in order to allow the universe to function as He desires. Discovering God's scientific laws leads us into a deeper understanding of His order, design, and omnipotence.
       That being said, there is a significant problem with a purely scientific worldview. The general, overarching conviction of a purely scientific worldview is that nothing comes from nothing. Matter does not generate itself; it can only be formed from other matter. Logically, this presents a big problem...
       According to the theory of evolution (secularly held as fact now, although there are immense holes in the theory), humans and monkeys evolved from a common primate - which evolved from Amniotes - which evolved from Tetrapods - etc., etc., etc... until we get back to some ambiguous single-celled organism - from there, scientists are unsure of the process by which carbon-based life began. The biggest difficulty with this theory is the problem of a "First Cause."
       Let's say the universe was created by a "Big Bang" of sorts... What existed that produced this bang? I know, I know... Nitrogen and Hydrogen in space. Well, where did the Nitrogen and Hydrogen come from? And where did the space come from? At some point, one must believe (have faith) that something (possibly elements, some matter, or minimally - space) "just was." This belief is logically inconsistent with the purely scientific worldview. In other words, it is illogical to hold a purely scientific worldview. Essentially, the scientific statement would be something like, "I believe in evolution, and that matter only comes from matter. But I believe that the first matter came from nothing." Science cannot explain the problem of the "First Cause." It is impossible.
       Instead, from scientific discovery, we can determine that it is more logical to believe in creation. Einstein's Theory of Relativity is an incredible example of this. There are many aspects to this theory, but one conclusion (widely - almost uniformly - accepted by scientists) is that time, space, and matter must have all come into existence at the same point - because they cannot function independently of each other. Following this to its logical conclusion, if all three of these elements came into being at the same point, the undetermined "First Cause" who/that would be responsible must be outside of their (the elements') restrictions. He/it cannot possibly be restricted by the aforementioned elements because He/it existed before they came into being.
    

       A purely scientific worldview is inherently illogical.

It violates its own bases of conviction.

       However, if I believe in an all powerful God who created the universe (those elements of time, space, and matter), then it is perfectly logical for me to believe that He formed the world and everything in it in six days, as scripture describes. There is no logical inconsistency there.

A biblical worldview is logical.

It does not violate its own bases of conviction.

       At the very least, it is undeniable that holding any given position on the origin of the universe takes some amount of faith. Those with a scientific worldview have faith in their logic, their ability to understand the natural world, their theory, nature itself, or some combination of these. Those who hold a biblical worldview have faith in the God of the Bible.

Part II. He Is The Ultimate Existence.
       Since, as above proven, it is more logical to have faith in a supernatural Being than to not have faith in a supernatural Being, we should at this point deduce some things about this Entity - so that we can more clearly understand our own purpose.
       The unmitigated nature of this "First Cause's" creation (the bringing about of time, space, and matter) reveals some important qualities of It. Firstly, It is omnipotent (all-powerful). It created everything that we know. The Creator of something is not confined by its limitations, thus, It is more powerful than the natural world's restrictions.
       Secondly, It is orderly. Its creation functions within and through systematic order - elements, physical and natural laws, rotations and revolutions, etc. Whatever this Being is, It is obviously orderly.
       Thirdly, there is an element of design. This Being created time, matter, and space to work together and purposefully. Since the three (according to the accepted Theory of Relativity, as above mentioned) elements of time, space, and matter work together purposefully, there is a personal dimension to the creation. There was a reason that the creation was brought about. And since they work together so essentially, it is logically deducible that the Creating Being designed them to function in that manner.
       Fourthly, this Being is the owner of existence. If It created existence, It is the rightful owner of that existence. All that there is, which has been made under Its authority, rightfully belongs to It.
       Lastly, this Being is eternal. Not only pre-existent, but also ever-existent. Remember, time was one of the elements brought into existence by the Creator. Therefore, It (the Creator) is not confined by its (time's) limitations. The Creator has always been, and always will be.
       If this Being, the "First Cause," is eternal, omnipotent, orderly, and purposeful, then it is the highest, and most absolute representation of reality that exists. Since It is before all, and has the power to end all, then there is nothing more "real" that Itself. It is the ultimate expression of what power is. It is the ultimate expression of what design is... of purpose, of order... of existence. It is more real than anything else that exists. This Being is the ultimate existence.

       Thus, if this Being were to reveal more of Its nature or character, then It would also be the most perfect representation of whatever aspect it reveals. If love is part of Its character, then It is the purest representation of love. If morality is part of Its character, then It is the purest representation of morality. And so forth. In every aspect, It is "holy" - meaning, set apart.

Part III. His Creation Messed Up.
       If this Being made everything for Its pleasure, and put incredible thought and creativity into the intricacies involved, then how grand it was for It to enjoy Its perfect creation! It must have been glorious to interact with, hold, and enjoy what It had purposefully made. But what would happen if this creation rebelled against its Creator? That which the Creator had made perfect would become stained, scarred, and fallible.
       The Bible tells us that creation was made with freedom of choice. And because that creation chose imperfection over perfection (selfish desire over the Creator's perfect plan), it is now fallen to a degree. Adam, the first created human, walked and talked with the Creator. This is perfectly logical - seeing that Adam was an unstained representation of the Creator's being. Adam and Eve came to call this Creator "He," and "God." And who would know the Creator better than one who walked and talked with Him? But Adam chose to rebel against God. He disobeyed because of his temptation to be like God. Adam sinned against his Creator.
       Because of this single event, creation is no longer what the Creator made it to be. If the Creator is the ultimate expression of morality, then that which rebelled against It would inevitably be immoral. If the Creator is the ultimate expression of love, then that which rebelled against It would inevitably be unloving. Its perfection - creation's imperfection. Its purity - creation's impurity. It's holiness - creation's unholiness. This presents a catastrophic problem. How can That which is the purest expression of perfection condone or entertain imperfection? How can That which is the purest expression of morality condone or entertain immorality? Enter the great divide. An all-powerful Creator separated from His creation by its rebellion.

HOLD ON A MINUTE... Time Out, Tony! What about the countless evidence that humans evolved from a primate? And the evidence for an earth that is billions of years old? And since the Bible was written a few thousand years after it claims creation happened, how can we be sure of its accuracy?


EVIDENCE for human EVOLUTION - What evidence? Show me the remains/bones of the various stages between primate and humanity. There are none. We have remains of primates (maybe even extinct primates), and we have remains of human-figured people. We do not have remains of anything between. Surprised? This is one of science's greatest fallacies. The evolution of humans from primates is speculatory at best.


EVIDENCE for an old EARTH - "Carbon Dating." Scientists, for 50-65 years now have believed they can determine the age of carbon-based organisms by determining the breaking-down of carbon in their remains. First of all, let me say that this is also a theory, not a fact. There have been multiple credible scientists who believe that carbon breaks down at differing rates in reference to the age of the remains. For instance... it may break down twice or ten times as fast once it passes two thousand years old as it does once it passes fifty years old. There is no proof. Secondly, let me assure you that carbon dating has had its own laughable mistakes. I CHALLENGE YOU - if you don't believe me, please click HERE to read an article which explains some major mistakes of carbon dating, and gives objective examples of its carbon dating mistakes made recently. (Here is an interesting, but short, article from the New York Times testifying to these assertions - just in case you are interested.) (Here is an article revealing some of the mistakes with carbon 14 dating and dinosaurs.) 


ACCURACY of the biblical ACCOUNT - Adam walked and talked with God. He got his information from the Source. According to the historical data in Genesis 5, Adam walked and talked with Methuselah for 243 years (243 years of telling the creation account first hand). Methuselah walked with Shem for 98 years, and Shem with Abraham for 150 years. That's only three generations between Adam talking with God Himself and Abraham fathering the nation of Israel. The Hebrews were an oral culture, priding themselves in storytelling. There is very little chance of inaccuracy here, and if an inaccuracy was taught, it would have quickly been corrected by someone who had heard the story from an earlier source.
       Are the old ages a difficulty for you? In Psalm 90, Moses writes that God limits a man's years to 70 or 80 years. This tells us that he knew exactly what he was writing when he recorded (in Genesis, as its author) the ages of these men of old. Why do we no longer live for that long? - the influence of sin has scarred every aspect of creation. Death entered the world because of it; as sin's and imperfection's influence perpetuates, its effects multiply.

Part IV. God Reveals Himself More Fully to His Creation.
       With humanity fallen, and God's perfect creation only a shadow of its former self, the Creator
of all things decides to reveal Himself more fully to His creation. As time, which God created along with matter and space, elapsed, He would show more and more of His character and reality to His creations. The individuals with whom He spoke recorded His words on scrolls and tablets. They were hand-copied over the years with incredible accuracy, as archaeological studies have shown, and are more reliable than any other document from antiquity...

       Over 5,500 original manuscripts of the New Testament books exist, having been handwritten over a 50 year period (50A.D. to 100A.D.) in their original language, Greek - at 99.5% accuracy. For a comparison to how this compares with other documents widely accepted by academia as accurate and reliable, click Here. <--- But I warn you, it is difficult to deny their accuracy after you read this stuff.


       Well, there you have it. Believing in the God of the Bible is logical. He and His revelation to mankind (the Bible) can be and have been upheld by scientific discovery, archaeological finds, historical records, and mathematical statistics. What else do you need?


Grace and Peace,
Tony
    

Two to Tango

       A friend of mine came up to me the other day and (jokingly) said, "Hey, we [he and his wife] need some counseling. When can she start?" Funny, I thought... He was joking about it, but I think this is usually the mindset of many of my clients. Especially in crisis marital counseling (CMC).  In CMC, there is, situationally, an offender and an offended. Because the crisis is usually very recent, the offended feels like he or she has every right to be offended, and that the counseling process is mostly for the offender. It's almost like the offended is saying, "We need counseling. When can he (or she) start?"

       The first one or two sessions (depending on the breadth of the presenting conflict) is usually spent on the presenting problem. What happened? How long has this been going on? How did it start? How does it make you (offender) feel? How does it make you (offended) feel? It almost feels like the old game, Twenty Questions. One of my first goals is to get the offended to see what pushed the offender to this action. I haven't had even one offended come to me expecting to be counseled on how he or she contributed, or is contributing, to the problem. But alas, it takes two to tango.


       This is one of those "general" concepts. There are a few cases where the offended party has done absolutely nothing wrong. In fact, I'm thinking of one right now. A woman whose marriage is obviously damaged by things her husband has done, but who herself, has no fault as far as I know. It happens. But almost always, there is fault on both sides.

       Never does this fact (that fault can be found on both sides) excuse the offender of what he or she has done. Throughout life, circumstances will change, people will "do you wrong," ups will become downs, and downs will become ups. No circumstance can "MAKE" you react in any given manner. You can choose to respond to any stimuli biblically or un-biblically. Your actions are your own responsibility - even in the least desirable of situations. But that's a different blog...

       So with whom are you experiencing a relational conflict of some kind? Has he offended you? Do you feel like you have every right to feel offended? - Careful, because once you've given yourself license to feel offended, it's only a short trip down the same road to bitterness and revenge. Emotions are good. They give you insight into your thought patterns. If you "feel" offended, ask yourself why. Why do I feel this way? What has he done that is not sitting right with me? Why does that action/word/attitude offend me so? Then comes the "BIG QUESTION."

       Why did he act/speak in this manner? Or why is his attitude this way toward me? There are infinite possibilities. Perhaps what you are perceiving is a part of his personality structure. Does he have a dominate personality while you have an interpersonal personality? If so, the way he relates to you will be different from the way you relate to other people. Maybe he's not trying to be offensive at all. Maybe it's just his way of communicating. Have you considered the option that whatever he did to offend you could possibly have not been directed toward you at all? Maybe you were hit by stray fire.
       In any case, answering this question involves empathy. A walk in his shoes. A reversal of roles. It may be scary, but get into the thoughts and feelings of the offender. Does the negative action/speech happen after a certain stimulus that may trigger a certain negative feeling (pain, anger, resentment, confusion, threat, etc) in the offender? Can you do something to suppress this stimulus? Are YOU the stimulus? Is there an aspect of your personality that you need to put in check when dealing with him or her?

       Very rarely (not "never," but very rarely) is there fault on only one side of a conflict. Especially if it has escalated into a battle. One of the first things you need to do in conflict resolution is explore the possibility that you may be contributing (or have contributed) to the problem. After all, it takes two to tango.

ROMANS 12:

¹⁷ Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. ¹⁸ If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. ¹⁹Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord...

 ²¹ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Grace and Peace,
Tony

      

  

Be Still and Know (Psalm 46)

       I am blessed to have such an incredible working relationship with the high school right down the road from our church. Their Choral Director is my church pianist... and is absolutely phenomenal in both capacities. More than an excellent choir director, this woman is a true witness for the Lord right where He has placed her. Our church choir is going to sing a new piece entitled Be Still this Sunday. She (the HS choir director) is doing the same piece with her varsity choir for UIL this year, and invited me to come work with them a bit today during class time. This Sunday, several of their choir members will join our Worship Choir here at Calvary to present Be Still together.

       Today during the High School choir's rehearsal time, I was moved by the Spirit of God. I read to them the Psalm from which this phrase "Be still and know that I am God" comes (Psalm 46). They are incredible musicians. But more than that, I could honestly feel the presence of God as I saw many of them worshipping Him and approaching His throne of grace while they sang. An incredible feeling to experience in a High School choir room, for sure.

       We use this phrase quite often, as Christians... "Be still and know that I am God." It is directly applicable to countless situations. Especially when calamity strikes. However, it is necessary to understand that we only have part of the picture. As humans, we only see in tunnel-vision.
       When catastrophe comes, whether in my family, my church, or somewhere far removed, I am inclined to first think of how it affects me personally. Then, I can branch out to how it affects those closest to it. And eventually - if I'm big-pictured enough -  I can see how it affects people/conditions all over the world. However, I can never see the complete picture. Tunnel-Vision is part of our human nature. Even if I am the most empathetic of humanity, that only means that my tunnel is slightly larger than most others'.

       When catastrophe hits, people have many questions. The one I hear the most is something like, "Why would a loving God let this happen?" Have you ever heard someone ask that question? Have you ever ASKED that question? I know I have (heard and asked). The most truthful answer I have for that question is always, "I don't know." I cannot pretend to be God. His ways and His thoughts are much higher than my own (Is 55:9). At best, I might have an educated guess or presumption about what God might gain in any given situation, but what seems right to me often proves useless (Pr 14:12 and 16:25). After all, who can declare God guilty of anything (Job 34:29)?

       Often times, we have to remove ourselves a bit from the grand complication. There must be something greater going on. Surely there is a greater purpose, a larger picture of which this disastrous instance is only but a stroke on the canvas. Is it possible to not understand, yet have peace and comfort at the same time?

       Psalm 46 is too long for me to post in its entirety. And I don't want to do it injustice by selecting verses or snippets. I'd rather you read the whole thing yourself. So, here, read Psalm 46 from your Bible... or if you wish, follow this link to read it online... then come back and finish the blog:

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+46&version=NIV

       In light of recent events... especially considering the earthquake and tsunami in Japan this year, the earthquake in Haiti last year, and the tsunami in Indonesia a few years back... this Psalm, if you'll let it, can do your heart a world of comfort. Well, it has for me anyway.

       In a world scarred by confusion, disaster, and calamity, God is our refuge and strength. Ever-present. Even when the earth trembles, mountains tumble into the sea, waters roar ferociously, and war encompasses the nations... God is at work.

His plan is unscathed. 

His character is unchanged. 

His grace is unyielding. 

His love is unmoved. 

The Hebrew word translated "Be Still" in verse 10 is the word raphah. Here are the definitions:

1) to let drop, abandon, relax, refrain, forsake

2) to let go

3) to refrain, let alone

4) to be quiet

       I can't imagine being a father looking out over the rubble that once was my home - with my wife and children at my side... or possibly not even knowing if my wife and children were alive. I just can't fathom the depths of that situation. My heart hurts for those in every country who are scarred by recent tragedy. My children and I pray for them every night.

"Let go," says God. "Relax." "Be quiet." "Be still." "And know that I am God."

       When we're right in the middle of a stressful, frustrating, or dangerous situation, it is very difficult to just "let go." By nature, our tunnel-vision kicks in and leads the charge against the knowledge that God is still God. We focus on the immediate. The imperative. And the unknown. In this passage, God is saying to back up and get some perspective.
       This is not an uncommon concept. We have many techniques, such as counting to ten, taking deep breaths, or reciting a favorite poem, that help us to slow down a bit and gain a bigger perspective. We apply these techniques constantly in our lives. Massive catastrophe takes the same diligence. Instead of allowing our anxious, confused minds to dictate our thought processes and guide our movements, we muse learn to "be still, and KNOW that He is God."

       In every given disastrous situation, there are many uncertainties. If there is nothing stable on which to ground ourselves, we lose track of reality. I was conversing with an ex-airplane pilot this week who reiterated to me at one point the importance of the phrase, "trust your gauges." When you're in a stall or lost in clouds as pilot, you can't always trust intuition, sense of direction, or feeling. But you can always trust your gauges. Much like this, God is always trustworthy.

       The ultimate reality is that God has not changed. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. And when everything else in your world is shaken, moved, toppled, or washed away, He remains stable. When everything else is questionable, God is constant. Because of that, even in the most dire of circumstances, when we just don't understand what's happening or why, we can "be still." We can back up from the situation and gain a God-sized perspective. As Paul put it in Philippians chapter four, we can have peace which passes understanding.

       He is present in our pain. Available in our distress. Strong when we are weak. A refuge when we need shelter. Give of your time and resources in aid, yes. Be empathetic, absolutely. Pray, imperatively. But above all else... Be still, and know that He is God.


Grace and Peace,
Tony

Reality Check

       Aaron (my 4 year old son) is in this stage where he wants to know what's "real" and what's "not real." He asks about things like dinosaurs, bank robbers, super-heros, China, volcanos, and a long list of other random things - - - "Is _______ real, Daddy?" And if it is not real, I'll respond in the negative and he'll follow it up with the statement, "But _________ is real." I'll agree and affirm his differentiation. You would think this game would be simple, but I assure you, it's not. Here's a sample conversation:

"Are dinosaurs real, Daddy?" - - -
"Well, they are real, yes, but they're not alive anymore."
"Well if they're not alive, they're not real."
"That's not necessarily true, son. Things can be real but not alive."
"Are you sure, Daddy? That doesn't make any sense." - - -

Some of my deepest existential discussions are with my four year old son.

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    We were in a discussion in Sunday School this morning about "other gods." It was only a minor portion of our lesson, and it didn't last very long, but I haven't been able to shake it yet. There are many religions out there. Many things, persons, entities, and images that people either consider or treat as "gods." You've heard it, and I've said it... "The god of Islam is not the God of the Bible." "The Hindus have many gods." "Humanists believe we are our own god." I'm not trying to get caught up in the difficulties of language here. But every time I say something like that, I kindof cringe a little. Why?...

       The God of the Bible is the ONLY God. There is no other. Put simply, the "god of Islam," the "gods of Hindu," etc, do not exist. They are not "REAL," as Aaron would say. They are, in reality, not gods at all. Isaiah communicates God's words very clearly on this subject:

"I am the first and the last. There is no God but Me... Is there any God but Me? There is no other Rock; I do not know any." - Isaiah 44:6, 8 

    

      I've heard famous preachers, teachers, and even presidents say things like, "The gods of Islam and Christianity are the same." No, they're not. And I've encountered a growing number of people who believe, with all sincerity, that many of the world's religions serve the same god, but call him by different names. In fact, I specifically remember hearing Oprah Winfrey say on her show one time, "... there are many paths to what you call God... her path might be something else, and when she gets there, she might call it the 'light'..."

       I teach private lessons on the side. Trombone, Euphonium, and Tuba to be specific. Every student of mine, at some point (usually when working through scales and the Circle of Fourths) calls the key/scale of "Eb" by the name of "E" or the key/scale of "Ab" by the name of "A." I tell them, "No, that's not right." Sometimes it takes a few minutes before they see what's going on... but in the end, they begin to understand that you can't call "Eb" an "E." They are two different notes. Two completely different key signatures; one has three flats, and the other has four sharps. Not even close to the same. If they persist in the error of their ways, I'll start calling them (the students) by the wrong name. If his name is Terry, I'll call him Tom. They never like that much. But they eventually learn.

       It's more than semantics. It's about reality. No matter how many times you call an Eb an E, the Eb does not change into an E. And if you call it by the wrong name one hundred and fifty three times, you will be wrong one hundred and fifty three times. An Eb is not an E. An Ab is not an A. Reality is not dependent on your perception or your understanding of it. It is what it is.

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       Yahweh, the God of the Bible, is the only God. There is no other. You can call someone or something else a god all you want, but that does not make it a god. You can build a monument, start a religion, carve a figurine, erect a statue, and worship something tirelessly. But it does not become a god. I can't change reality. There is a God. He is the God of the Bible. And there is no other.

       This is not to get you to stop using the phrase, "the god of Islam," or the "gods of Hindu," etc, etc, etc. I understand completely the limitation of language. But sometimes, we as Christians need to back up from these arguments a little bit and participate in a reality check of sorts. Let's get the larger picture here:

       People are worshipping non-gods. They may be worshipping a figure from history, a statue, a carving, an idea, themselves, etc... but whatever it is, it is NOT God. In fact, it is not "a god." There is but One.


Grace and Peace,
Tony

  

Start to Finish

       I'm not a runner. I tried earlier this year, but it's just not my "thing," you know what I mean? I'd like to say it's because I have bad knees or an aching back or something, but really, it's just because I'd rather read or do something (anything) less physically demanding. That's awful, isn't it? However, the sport does provide some significant parallels for the Christian's spiritual walk. Paul uses the running analogy many times in his letters.
       I've learned - from my extensive running habits (*cough, cough*) - that there is significance in merely finishing the race. It provides a sense of accomplishment at the very least. We've probably all heard the Derek Redmond story from the 1992 Olympics. He tore something while running, and his dad met him on the track to help him finish the race. If you haven't heard the story, look it up sometime. It's very inspiring.

       In any case, when we start something, the goal is to finish it. There are those of us who sometimes get half way through a project and never complete it... but that is probably not the plan from the beginning. Most commonly, when we start a task, we have an end product in mind.

       Christian, do you know that this is exactly how God sees you? He has begun something amazing in you. He has been molding and shaping you. Guiding and directing you. Providentially acting on your behalf. And the day He started this work, He had an end in mind.

"I am sure of this, that He who started a good work in you 

will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." 

- Philippians 1:6

       You've heard this verse before, no doubt. But have you really thought about what it means? Recently, this verse has been my life support. There are times when I look at where I am and think, "Where am I going?" There are other times when I look at where I am and think, "How did I get here?" Not that where I am is bad or undesirable. It is my pleasure to serve the Lord faithfully wherever I am and in whatever stage of life I find myself. 

       But, like everyone else, there are times when I wonder why exactly God chose to call me "out of darkness and into His marvelous light." What am I worth? Why me? Is this where I'm supposed to be? Am I in the center of Your will for my life, God? Or am I missing something? 

       Then I'm reminded that it was not I who started this race. It was God. The race I'm running is God's race. He is the one who started it, and He is the one who will finish it. That gives me incredible comfort. On my own, I tend to fall down, ease into the lane next to me, tear a ligament, or sometimes even run the wrong way on the track! But when God is the one running the race... when He is in charge... when I allow Him to run the race He started in me, things seem to make a lot more sense. 

       I can't pretend to have any of the answers. And the simple thought that this is God's race doesn't exempt me from feeling uneasy or eager at times. You know how it is when you're reading a good book; every chapter you read fills you with anticipation for the next. When I allow God to carry out the work He has begun in me, His plans always leave me excited and curious about the next chapter. 

       Paul was confident that God, who began the good work in the church at Philippi - as well as in the Christians who formed it - would carry on to completion that which He had started. You know what that tells me? God has a finished product in mind for me. When He began His work in me, He did so with a picture of the finalized result in His head. He knows how my race will finish. So who better to let run it than Him?

       Every step of this race leads me progressively closer to that final product... that day when Jesus Christ will greet me at the feet of my Heavenly Father... that day when the race of my life will have been run, and when I will desire nothing more than to hear those words, "Well done, My good and faithful servant." What a glorious day that will be.

I trust that God's plan was not to run my race halfway through and then give up on me. 

I trust that He desires more for me than stagnation or complacency. 

I trust that what He has started in me, He will finish.

What about you? 

Grace and Peace,

Tony

I Missed the Potty.

       I wish I could have been there. Then again, maybe I don't. Just a picture would have been nice. Hmmmm... no, a simple narrative was definitely best. My youngest son, Aaron, is so resourceful. One day last week, Vanessa called me at work and told me a story that still has me laughing today. Allow me to share:

       In the middle of the day, Aaron came down the stairs with just a shirt and underwear on - a rather normal occurrence in our home, really. Vanessa noticed that his underwear had been changed, so she asked why. He said, "I was using the bathroom, and I missed the potty." Once again, a normal occurrence in our home - if you have boys, you understand. Almost reflexively my wife asked, "Did you get it on the floor?" To which Aaron replied, "Yes ma'am - just a little bit." So Vanessa really didn't think anything about it. She decided she would go up there later on and clean it up.

       Not too much later, Ethan used the bathroom (in their bathroom), came downstairs and said, "Mommy, our bathroom stinks!" She decided she would go clean it before it made the entire upstairs uninhabitable. As she's walking up the stairs, she almost loses it over the rancidity. She walks in the bathroom to see two separate little pieces of toilet paper lying on the floor covering a dual surprise. Yeah, that's right... Aaron hadn't missed while going "number 1." He missed while going "number 2." GROSS!!! <-- There, I said it for you. There were two pieces of excrement lying on the bathroom floor with a single strand of toilet paper gently covering each. My son - again - so resourceful.

       I imagine you have the same question I had after I recomposed myself and recuperated from the splitting pain in my side wrought by incessant laughter: "How do you 'miss' the potty while going number 2?" Friends, the world may never know.

       "Tony, are you going to form this into an analogy that exemplifies a scriptural truth?" I must admit that I'm tempted. In fact, as I began to write this blog, I had every intention of doing just that. But I think this one can just stand on its own. Hard to follow that act.


Grace and Peace,
Tony