Graduate 105: Bagger Vance, A Case Study in Existentialism

Having just finished a course on Martin Heidegger's Being and Time, it was quite startling to happen across a film (just by chance) in which the basic concepts that are dealt with in that book are so strongly exemplified. Martin Heidegger (1889-1976) is recognized as the father of existentialism, a movement in philosophy that has become extremely influential in the wider western world and has shaped much of the twentieth century and will doubtless continue to do so into the twenty-first. Popular existentialism has tended to emphasize the importance of individual choice and commitment in shaping the course and direction of a person's life; authenticity, taking responsibility, rejecting limitations and boundaries--these are some of the key characteristics of its familiar form. In The Legend of Bagger Vance (Director: Robert Redford. PG-13, Some Sexual Content), these values and ideas are expressed with remarkable clarity and force. I would highly recommend the film and encourage viewers to think carefully about the themes that are being conveyed therein.

In this entry, I will review the main points of the storyline and highlight areas where the existential themes are especially evident and explain the content and details of what is expressed, drawing connections with the ideas of Martin Heidegger and Soren Kierkegaard.

--

The Legend of Bagger Vance (which is based on a novel by Steven Pressfield, though I will deal only with the film version) begins shortly after the turn of the century and tells the story of Rannulph Junuh (Matt Damon), the rising golf star of Savannah, Georgia. He is extremely successful as a young man, winning the heart of well-to-do socialite, Adele Invergordon (Charlize Theron), and is very popular among the townsfolk. But all that is changed by the first world war. The devastation and brutality that he experiences on the front lines absolutely break his spirit. At one point, he is the only one of his company to survive a particular engagement; and though he is still celebrated as a hero, in his heart, there are deep wounds and scars that he seems unable to come. He does not return to Savannah for a decade and, when he finally does, he is reclusive and withdrawn.

But all that changes with the onset of the Great Depression. With no tourism, the Invergordon family is made all but destitute; and in a desperate attempt to draw visitors and reinvigorate the town of Savannah, Adele decides to sponsor a golf tournament between the two greatest golfers of that time, Bobby Jones and Walter Hagen. But the townsfolk insist that there must be a representative of Savannah in the tournament (someone to show those Yanks what the South is made of) and soon they are knocking on Rannulph Junuh's door. Through a series of events, Junuh agrees; but there's still a problem. His spirit's still broken; he's lost his golf swing. How is he going to pull himself together for the tournament?

It is at that moment that a figure emerges from the darkness of the night to offer his caddy services to Mr. Junuh. The man goes by the name of Bagger Vance (Will Smith).

--

At this point, I will break off to deal more directly with the background of existentialism as part of laying a foundation for thinking about what follows in the film. This treatment will not be complete; frankly, it may also not be correct. I plan to reread much of this material in the near future. Much of this is from memory, but I think I am right and I think it will be helpful and if I'm wrong I'll write about that later. In fact (I'm writing this sentence after having written the entire blog entry) it is probably best to think of these as my own thoughts with slight references to established philosophers' ideas; I will not claim, at this time, that what I write reflects their views; however, I have borrowed material from them and used it to make my points.

To appreciate what about existentialism is important and interesting for understanding this film, we must go back to Soren Kierkegaard (1813-1855), whom some call the grand-father of existentialism. He did not actually write about existentialism, but his ideas directly influenced Martin Heidegger and others who would write about it. Of particular note, for our purposes, is his short work, Fear and Trembling.

Now Kierkegaard was a Christian (of a sort), however, many of his books were written under a pseudonym, Johannes. And Johannes was not a Christian. The play on perspectives is interesting because it allows Kierkegaard to describe Christianity from a non-Christian's perspective, with interesting results.

Two figures in Fear and Trembling are significant for us to consider here; they are the Knight of Resignation and the Knight of Faith. Each of these, we may usefully (if imprecisely) say, represent different levels of spirituality. The first is not very difficult to grasp; the Knight of Resignation is the individual who is looking forward to the afterlife. He recognizes that the hope of the future life is so much greater than the present life that he places no value on the present life. He holds everything in this life loosely, recognizing that it is only fleeting and temporary. He accepts suffering when it comes because he is most concerned with the future life. This is an important step in any person's spiritual development--the realization that the present life is only temporary and fleeting and that we should place real value on eternal things and future things. But Kierkegaard emphasizes that that is not the highest level of maturity. There is a still greater level that is reached only by the Knight of Faith. The irony is that though he is more 'mature' than the Knight of Resignation, he is not, thereby, more 'resigned'. Just the opposite, in fact. One might say that the Knight of Resignation has his head always in the clouds--always looking to the far and away future and not paying attention to the here and now. But for the Knight of Faith, the here and now is just what he is concerned with. Of someone so supremely 'spiritual' one might expect that he would walk around with a halo around his head and floating six inches off the ground; but, no, he is just as solid as the rest of us. He is comfortable and at home in the world. And the irony is that he, as 'spiritual', is more at home in the world than the people who are of the world.

Certainly there is a sense in which the unspiritual person is "at home" in the world. After all, he does not believe in an afterlife. All he has is "this life" and "this world". And, yet, the unspiritual person also finds himself as being not "at home" in the world. This is a great irony that is well-documented by thinkers and writers and poets and artists and philosophers throughout history. For the unspiritual person, even though "this world" is all there is, "this world" is still not a safe place to be. This world is full of threats and dangers--people who want the same things we want, people who want to take advantage of us, people who want to use us, people who want to hurt us. Nature is also a source of danger--earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes. Much of the unspiritual person's life, then, is dedicated to and focused on trying to carve out a safe place within the world.

Now the Knight of Resignation takes one step beyond the unspiritual person. The Knight of Resignation recognizes that the world is not a safe place, but he can live with that reality and even face the dangers of life because he is looking to a world beyond "this world".

But the Knight of Faith takes still one more step beyond the Knight of Resignation. This is what Kierkegaard's narrator marvels at, because he doesn't understand it. Someway, somehow, the Knight of Faith is able to live in this world and be "at home" in this world. For the Knight of Faith, the world is a safe place. He doesn't fear the things that the unspiritual person fears; but he doesn't not-fear the things of the world because he's "resigned" to them either. Somehow, the Knight of Faith is so "in tune" with the world, so "at harmony" with the world, so "at home" in the world that it is a safe place for him.

This "at-home-ness", this "harmony", expresses the ideal toward which, I expect, many of us strive and long. Yet it remains elusive for so many. To be "comfortable in your own skin" might be another way of putting it.

These key aspects of the Knight of Faith are what Heidegger tries to capture in his account of authenticity in Being and Time. He describes the "Moment of vision" as a condition or state in which, given one's goals and ends, the world presents itself to one as a supremely conducive environment for the accomplishment of those goals and ends. It is a picture of total harmony in which one's desires find the means of their fulfillment immediately at hand and available. There is a tone of perfect confidence and contentment and peace and security.

Isn't that what we all want? Isn't that what we all need?

Isn't that what Rannulph Junuh needs?

--

The Legend of Bagger Vance uses golf as a metaphor for life. When Bagger first happens upon Junuh, he says, "They say you can tell a player by his grip. A man's grip on his club--like a man's grip on his world. Rhythm of the game--just like the rhythm of life."

And in Junuh's case, his golf grip does reflect his grip on his life and on the world--it ain't good. He's out of harmony, out of sync. "The trick is to find your swing," Bagger says, "Somewhere in the harmony of all that is, all that was [and] all that will be." His picture is all-encompassing; he knows that Junuh fits somewhere in the world and he aims to help Junuh find that place.

Bagger is a total contrast to Junuh. Bagger embodies peace, contentment, confidence, serenity. This is variously and humorously demonstrated throughout the film. Early on, as Junuh begins to feel the pressure of the people's expectation, Bagger comments (seemingly randomly), "That is some storm heading this way." There isn't a cloud in the sky at that point, so Junuh takes him to be referring to the upcoming match and his own unpreparedness. Even as he packs his bags in an attempt to run away from his problem, Bagger is totally relaxed. Junuh's about to run out on the tournament and Bagger asks whether he can keep Junuh's extra pair of shoes. Of course, Junuh eventually does come back and commits to playing the game... and a rainstorm really does show up, just as Bagger predicted.

There's a young kid, Hardy Greaves, who is a big fan of Junuh's and wants to help out, but hasn't got the nerve to ask to be his forecaddie. So what does Bagger tell him? "I ain't got time to sit around and wait until you [decide to ask] so this here is what I'm proposing. I'm going to assume that just about the moment you get up the nerve to [ask] is going to be just about the same moment I'm going to tell you 'yeah'." It's a silly example, in some ways, but it also reinforces the point that Bagger Vance is completely at home with himself and the world and the people around him. Nothing ruffles him--in contrast to Junuh is ruffled by just about everything.

One of the most important dialogues is between Bagger Vance and Hardy Greeves, the night before the tournament as they survey the course together. I shall attempt to reproduce the significant portions here.

[The two are taking a short break and Bagger is coaching Hardy on his putting.]

Bagger: Golf course puts folk through quite a punishment. It lives and breathes just like us.

Hardy: You think Junuh can win?

Bagger: Yeah, if he finds his authentic swing.

Hardy: Authentic...?

Bagger: Inside each and every one of us is one true authentic swing. Something we was born with; something that's ours and ours alone; something that can't be taught to you or learned; something that's got to be remembered. Over time the world can rob us of that swing, it gets buried inside us--all our could-a and would-a and should-a's. Some people can forget what their swing was like.

[During this time, Hardy has been trying, unsuccessfully, to putt the ball into the hole. Bagger picks up the balls and tells Hardy, ]

Bagger: Keep swinging [the putter].

Hardy: But I don't have any balls.

Bagger: Don't worry about hitting the ball or where it's going to go. Just swing the club. Feel the club. ... Close your eyes.

Hardy: (perplexed) Close my...?

Bagger: You can't make the ball go in that hole. You have to let it.

[Hardy closes his eyes and swings the club as Bagger encourages him to enter into the moment, to listen to the sounds of the knight, feel the weight of the club, keep swinging the club... keep swinging that club until you're part of the whole thing, he says. Mantra-like, he speaks as Hardy, with eyes closed, swings the club back and forth. Bagger drops a ball in front of Hardy, and Hardy hits it into the hole.]

It is no accident that the film-makers set a strongly mystical-tone to this scene. Bagger is a kind of mystical character. Or, put another way, he seems to capture something of what the mystics were always pursuing.

The question is: Does it make sense, what Bagger is saying? Think about that and we'll return to discuss it later.

--

The first round of the four-round tournament goes badly for Junuh. He is agitated and uncomfortable. At bottom, it becomes clear, he has unresolved issues (both in his life and in his game--again, the analogy at work). And unless they are resolved, it seems, Junuh will surely lose the match.

Things begin to turn in a conversation between Junuh and Hardy in the locker room.

Junuh: You really love this game, don't you.

Hardy: It's the greatest game there is.

Junuh: You really think so?

Hardy: Ask anybody. It's fun. It's hard. You stand out there on that green, green grass and its just you and the ball and there ain't nobody to beat up on but yourself. Just like Mister Newman keeps on hitting himself with the golf club every time he gets angry; he's broken his toe three times on account of it. It's the only game I know where you can call a penalty on yourself if you're honest, which most people are. There just ain't no other game like it.

Accountability is a strong part of philosophical existentialism that has been lost in its popular form where people tend to talk about an individual's ability to be whatever he wants to be; popular existentialism is very sloppy in this way. But philosophical existentialism, especially as Heidegger approaches it, is firmly grounded in rules. To be a golf player is to play by the rules of golf. To take up or choose or claim a particular identity is to conduct oneself in a manner in keeping with that identity. Certainly it would sound very foolish for me to say that I am a philosopher who never writes papers, attends conferences, teaches classes, or knows who Plato is. Those are the very things that make a philosopher a philosopher. Again, recall that popular existentialism is not keen on limits and boundaries so it is fitting that this film should use golf as its metaphor, a game in which one is not so much in competition with other people as with oneself.

This point will reemerge later.

It is during the second round that things begin to change. Junuh reaches to take a club from Bagger, but Bagger stops him...

Bagger: I think it's time.

Junuh: Time for what?

Bagger: Time for you to see the field.

Junuh: (exasperated) The field--I see the field. It's 445 yards long; it's got a little red flag at the end of it; it's twelve strokes ahead of me. Come on.

Bagger: (stopping him again) That ain't it. 'Cause if you was seeing the field, you wouldn't be hacking at that ball like you was hacking weeds out from under your front porch.

Junuh: Just give me the club.

Bagger: (as if relenting) Sorry I brought it up. You go on. You go ahead and hack away.

[But after a moments thought--knowing how badly he's done and how things aren't likely to change...]

Junuh: Alright, what's the field.

Bagger: Fix your eyes on Bobby Jones. Look at his practice swing. Almost like he's searching for something. Then he finds it. Feel that focus. He's got a lot of shots that he could choose from, but there's only one shot that's in perfect harmony with the field. One shot that's his. Authentic shot. And that shot is going to choose him. There's a perfect shot trying to find each and every one of us. All we have to do is get ourselves out of its way and let it choose us.

Bagger: Look at him. He's in the field.

Bagger: You can't see that flag as some dragon you've got to slay. You have to look with soft eyes. See the place where the tides and the seasons and the turning of the earth all come together--where everything that is becomes one. You've got to seek that place with your soul, Junuh. Seek it with your hands. Don't think about it. Feel it. Your hands are wiser than your head ever will be. I can't take you there, Junuh. I just hope I can help you find a way.

[Again, the tone becomes mystical as Bagger's voice, mantra like, fills the air and as the camera shifts to scenes of nature and the surrounding world. Junuh finds his swing and his game is transformed. He comes back from twelve behind and things begin to look almost optimistic for him.]

I didn't comment on it when I first mentioned it, but the whole idea of an "authentic shot"--and the use of the word "authentic" to describe it--is just about the biggest, brightest neon sign that one could post to indicate that existentialism is at the heart of this movie. Authenticity--owning one's life, being responsible for choices and actions and their reflection on one's identity--is key. But notice, also, the close connection between authentically owning oneself and harmony with the rest of the world. There's one shot that is in perfect harmony with the field and it is when the individual is centered that he is able to be so in harmony with nature as to recognize what course of action is appropriate.

--

Another key turning point takes place in the third round. Junuh has regained his confidence; but in doing so he has become over-confident. And in a rash move, he winds up sending his ball into the trees. As he searches through the undergrowth beneath the shadows of the trees, he begins to hear voices. The shouts of men, the blast of artillery, the sound of gunshots. He hears the voices of his comrades, shouting, crying, dying. In a moment, the weight of his broken past and the weight of the tournament come bearing down on him and he doesn't have the strength to continue. Suddenly Bagger appears beside him.

Bagger: You gonna be wanting a different club there, Junuh?

Junuh: I can't do this.

Bagger: (casually) Well, you might just loose your grip up a smidge. You know, a man's grip on his club is like a man's grip...

Junuh: That's not what I'm talking about.

Bagger: (more seriously) I know.

Junuh: No, you don't.

Bagger: What I'm talking about is a game. A game that can't be won, only played.

Junuh: You don't understand.

Bagger: I don't need to understand. There's not a soul on this entire earth that ain't got a burden to carry that he don't understand. You ain't alone in that. But you've been carrying this one long enough. It's time to go home and lay it down.

Junuh: I don't know how.

Bagger: You got a choice. You can stop or you can start.

Junuh: Start?

Bagger: Walking.

Junuh: Where?

Bagger: Right back to where you always been and been standing there still, real still, and remember.

Junuh: It was too long ago.

Bagger: No sir, it was just a moment ago.

Bagger: Why don't you come on out of the shadows, Junuh. It's time for you to choose.

Junuh: (as he looks at the impossible shot necessary to clear the trees to the green) I can't

Bagger: Yes, you can, but you ain't alone. I'm right here with you. I've been here all along. Now play the game; your game, the one that only you was meant to play; the one that was given to you when you come into this world. You ready? Come on, take your stance. Strike that ball, Junuh. Don't hold nothing back. Give it everything. Now is the time. Let yourself remember. Remember your swing. That's right, Junuh. Settle yourself. Now is the time.

[And Junuh does make the shot, against all odds. He's found his authentic swing.]

The image of a game that can't be won but only played is also strongly existential. Heidegger, who speaks of identity in terms of possibilities envisions one's ownmost possibility as one toward which one can only reach but never attain. There is always striving, always moving, always chasing, and no end to the process. After all (again) it would not make sense to speak of a person who became a philosopher and then stopped writing papers, attending conferences, reading philosophy books, etc. To stop doing those things is to stop being a philosopher. There is no state that one reaches where effort is no longer required or called for. There is always moving forward toward the end or the goal.

The final test and turning point come at the last hole in the last round of the game. Junuh is still a stroke behind his two opponents, but there's still a chance for him. But when removing some stray pieces of grass from around his ball on the green, the ball shifts.

Junuh: (to himself) The ball moved.

Hardy: (softly) No.

Junuh: It moved. I have to call a stroke on myself. [Turning to walk toward the officials, Hardy runs up beside him.]

Hardy: No! No, don't do it. Please, don't do it. Only you and me seen it and I won't tell a soul. Cross my heart. Ain't nobody going to know.

Junuh: I will, Hardy. And so will you. [As he walks off toward the officials, Hardy runs back to Bagger.]

Hardy: You've got to tell him not to do it, Bagger. It's just a stupid rule that don't mean nothing.

Bagger: That's the choice for Mr. Junuh, Hardy.

[And Junuh does take the penalty. And it is at that moment that Bagger chooses to make his exit.]

Junuh has demonstrated that he is prepared to live authentically--by the rules. He is owning the game, owning his identity, owning himself. Bagger's coaching work is done. Junuh is reconciled to himself, to the demons of his past. He is ready to face the world, he has the sight and ability to grasp what is necessary in each moment. Again, recall Hardy's words from earlier about his love of golf and the accountability that is built into the game. By accepting the penalty and not hiding from the potential shame of losing on account of it, Junuh has demonstrated that, like Bagger, he is once again "at home" in the world.

--

The Legend of Bagger Vance is compelling and moving. But does it make sense? I return to that question. Having finally committed to writing just some of the thoughts that are buzzing around in my head (to analyze this material well would take much longer) I realize that there are gaping holes in what I've offered as background. (By that, I do not mean that what I said is wrong, only that it requires much more expansion.)

The film certainly captures very true aspects about human nature--about brokenness and the scars that men and women carry. In the character of Bagger, we see an ideal for which so many people search; he arouses a deep longing in our hearts.

But recall what I said about Kierkegaard and Fear and Trembling. Bagger Vance is very similar to the Knight of Faith. But what is significant about the description of the Knight of Faith is that it is from the perspective of an unspiritual person. Johannes does not understand how the Knight of Faith does what he does and one is left wanting an explanation. I think the same is true of Heidegger's descriptions of the authentic person. He captures some of the characteristics but cannot say how to reach that condition or state. And even though, I think, the film-writers try to get at the heart of what it means to be "at harmony" and "at home" in the world, they really don't succeed. The closest they get is some vague ideas about union and harmony with nature. Certainly we recognize that many of us are not in harmony with nature; certainly we want to become at home in nature; but how? Is it by direct engagement? Or something else?

What Johannes failed to realize (and Heidegger and the film-writers as well) is that this condition of peace, serenity, contentment, harmony, etc. is not one that comes from direct engagement with those entities. Rather, it is tied to one's relationship with God. God is the one who is in control of nature. When one is in harmony with God, then, one will be in harmony with nature. Understanding this basic truth resolves one of the major dilemmas of the alternative view; after all, it doesn't seem possible to be in direct relationship with nature. Some of Bagger's language seems to suggest that it is possible to connect directly, person-to-nature. But I think it makes much more sense to say that we can connect with God (who is actually a person) who is in control of nature.

When one is properly related to God, then all the rest of the pieces of the puzzle--life, nature, people--fall into place; because God is the source of all things. Then is one truly at home in the world, in one's own skin, in the plan and purposes of God who created all things and sustains all things by his sovereign will and grace and love.

--

God is in this place,
And that reality, seen and understood by the grace of God in Christ Jesus through the work of the Holy Spirit, makes all the difference in the world.

Graduate 104: BT 02: Sec. 01

Introduction, Chapter 1. The Necessity, Structure, and Priority of the Question of Being
Section 01. The Necessity for Explicitly Restating the Question of Being

In Being and Time, Heidegger sets out to revive and treat the question of the meaning of being, which, he says, has been simultaneously ignored and taken for granted in the history of philosophy. Now for those who are not practiced in philosophy (and even for me) the "question of the meaning of being" can strike as particularly obscure and difficult to grasp, even just as a question. What are we asking when we ask, "What is the meaning of being?" Unfortunately for my readers, my understanding is still too vague to give any very concretely helpful answer. Investigations of this sort go back to Plato and Aristotle and those in the Medieval era (including Thomas Aquinas) who commentated on and developed their work.

It will be part of Heidegger's task to clarify just what is being asked. That will be especially important for making clear how past investigations into the meaning of being have gone wrong. But for now, it will be enough to offer a few initial ideas as a way of sparking thinking along these lines: to begin with, being is that attribute or characteristic (where these words are treated very loosely) of existent things in virtue of which they "are" in the most fundamental way. (It is not erroneous to see a close connection between 'being' and the various forms of the verb 'to be', though that connection must be clarified.) Take an apple; it is possible to say many things about an apple: "The apple is red." "The apple is falling." "The apple is sweet." "The apple is next to the orange." But behind all these statements about the apple, lies a more basic and fundamental truth that can be expressed (albeit somewhat awkwardly) by the assertion, "The apple is." In this last usage, the verb "is" seems to be used in a manner different from all the other uses. For instance, we could deny all of the first four statements and still be speaking of an apple (a green, stationary, tart apple that is sitting next to a watermelon, for instance). But could we deny the fifth statement and still be speaking about "the apple"? It seems not, since to deny the fifth statement is to deny that there is any apple (within the particular context of discourse). This meaning of this most basic or fundamental "is"-ness is the subject of the current inquiry.

It is the very basicality of this concept that makes it so difficult to define and grasp. Heidegger says, "It is said that 'being' is the most universal and the emptiest of concepts. As such it resists every attempt at definition. Nor [so it would seem] does this most universal and hence indefinable concept require any definition, for everyone uses it constantly and already understands what he means by it." (BT 21/2) Heidegger's point, of course, is that people do not, in fact, understand the meaning of being; but what about the rest of what he says.

How should we understand being's universality? Well, being, presumably, belongs to every existent thing, but not as just another property. It doesn't make sense to say, "This apple is red and sweet and round and--oh, by the way--it exists." That last point is already presupposed. There is no "category" of existent things that can be held up alongside another "category" of non-existent things--not in the way that one can conceive of a category of red things and another category of non-red things. Being (which is closely related to existence) is universal and belongs to every thing that "is"; but for just that reason, it is difficult to define. Part of what makes possible defining something as "red" is the ability to contrast what is red with what is "not red". But no such contrast can be drawn in the case of "being" and "not being", so the universality of being does not, of itself, automatically, yield an understanding of the meaning of that being.

Next, Heidegger comments on being's purported indefinability. Again, being cannot be defined in terms of entities or existent things within the world. One can't, for instance, divide all the objects in the world into a set of categories: red things, blue things, round things, hot things, existent thing. That last category is simply not a category like the others. Being cannot be defined as just another object within the universe; nor is it a property that is instantiated in objects like other properties (redness, blueness, hotness, and roundness). But, Heidegger wants to make clear, it is not enough to say that being is undefinable and leave it at that. Rather, what we have seen is that being is not definable as an entity or as a property; it still remains to be seen whether there is some approach that will yield a definition of being grounded on some different basis.

Finally, Heidegger comments on the idea that the concept of being is taken to be self-evident, that is, that everybody already knows what it means. Certainly we do use the verb-form "to be" all the time and are able to communicate with it. Heidegger concedes that, "Whenever one cognizes anything or makes an assertion, whenever one comports oneself towards entities, even towards oneself, some use is made of 'Being'; and this expression is held to be intelligible 'without further ado', just as everyone understands 'The sky is blue', 'I am merry', and the like." (BT 23/4) But this is exactly what sparks the question for Heidegger. How is it that we possess such a mastery of this expression and yet are not able to define it or grasp its essential meaning. Heidegger will not be content until the meaning of being has been laid bare; but to do that, the question must be properly formulated and the inquiry grasped transparently. That is the topic of the next section.

--

God is in this place,
And that reality, seen and understood by the grace of God in Christ Jesus through the work of the Holy Spirit, makes all the difference in the world.

Graduate 103: BT 01: Preliminary

So I have an idea for a series of blog entries in which I treat the material in Martin Heidegger's book, Being and Time. This would be a very long series, since the work is divided into 83 separate sections and the Macquarrie/Robinson translation runs to almost 500 pages. The idea is that writing up and synthesizing the material that I am reading might help me to process and come to a better understanding of it. Of course, without reading the original alongside my write-ups, it is unlikely that readers of my blog would be able to follow what I am saying and commenting on. Still, it might prove interesting for some and I would still be able to benefit from the writing practice.

So, here we begin. I won't say a lot now. Some readers will note that I am posting this on the night of Christmas Eve. (What a nerd I am.) What follows, in this entry, is the Foreword to Being and Time. If you don't quite understand what's going on (and decide you want to read more anyway) I will probably post more background in later entries. But not too much tonight. (It's Christmas Eve for goodness sake!)

--

" 'For manifestly you have long been aware of what you mean when you use the expression "being". We, however, who used to think we understood it, have now become perplexed.' [quoted from Plato's Sophistes, 244a]

Do we in our time have an answer to the question of what we really mean by the word 'being'? Not at all. So it is fitting that we should raise anew the question of the meaning of Being. But are we nowadays even perplexed at our inability to understand the expression 'Being'? Not at all. So first of all we must reawaken an understanding for the meaning of this question. Our aim in the following treatise is to work out the question of the meaning of Being and to do so concretely. Our provisional aim is the Interpretation of time as the possible horizon for any understanding whatsoever of Being.

But the reasons for making this our aim, the investigations which such a purpose requires, and the path to its achievement, call for some introductory remarks." (BT 19/1, Foreword to Being and Time)

--

No where is it more important to remember and keep in mind, than when thinking deeply about philosophy, that God is in this place, and that reality, seen and understood by the grace of God in Christ Jesus through the work of the Holy Spirit, makes all the difference in the world.

Graduate 102: Advent, Day 25 (Christmas Day)

The Birth of Jesus
John 1:1-18; Luke 2:1-40; Matthew 2:1-23

We finally come to the end of this series and the culmination of all this preparation. We saw how God created the world as a home for people to dwell in and share in His work; but the first man and woman rebelled against God and humanity has been rebelling against God ever since. We saw the serious consequences that follow from disobedience—in terms of judgment and punishment as well as in the brokenness and pain that have become endemic to our world. We saw the beginning of God’s unfolding plan of redemption: he established a people and nation in the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. To them he revealed His model for a thriving and abundant human life. But they could not maintain that model and standard; in fact, they regularly turned from God in various attempts to resolve their problems and needs by other ways and means. And the natural result of turning away from God continued to be persisting brokenness and pain and hurt and dissatisfaction and unfulfilled needs. Time and time again God would call His people back to Himself, and time and time again they would turn from Him. But the prophets spoke of One who would permanently establish God’s rule among the people’s of the world. That One would be the hope and salvation of mankind.

In John 1 we learn that that savior, that messiah, is none other than the Son of God, Himself; the very One who created the world and everything in it has entered it in order to redeem it. “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (v. 14) This is the “good news” that the angel proclaimed to the shepherds and to which they also responded with the words, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.” (Luke 2:14) We see from the very outset that the message truly is for all peoples, inasmuch as it is first delivered to the ears of lowly shepherds. “This narrative would have challenged the values of many religious people, who despised shepherds; shepherds’ work kept them from participation in the religious activities of their communities.” (194, IVP Bible Background Commentary of the New Testament) Since they strayed outside of the religious norms of the Jewish people, the shepherds are the last people that anyone who is anyone would expect to receive an important prophetic utterance or angelic invitation. Notice, here, the irony and the contrast; it is the religious leaders, who even know where the child is to be born, (Matthew 2:4-6) who neglect to seek out the very Messiah for whom they have been hoping and waiting. Instead, lowly shepherds and pagan astrologers are among the first to adore Him. Luke names two other individuals who recognize the infant Messiah by the guiding hand of the Holy Spirit: Simeon (just another man from Jerusalem) and Anna (who, while a prophetess, would have been taken much less seriously than a male prophet in the Jewish tradition).

The challenge is written all over these passages: What will you do with this infant who is born in a manger, reared in poverty, and raised in obscurity? Will you ignore or discount Him as the religious leaders did? Will you attempt to kill Him or otherwise do away with Him as Herod did? Will you fall on your knees before Him in adoration and worship? Will you share with others the good news of God’s salvation—the hope of humanity?

Again, John says of Him: “He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not known Him. He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born not of the blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” (1:10-13)

Will you receive Him? Perhaps you recognize the brokenness of this world. So many people are desperately struggling just to get by. Most of us grasp, intuitively, that something is terribly wrong with our world. The people of the first century certainly recognized it; and we can still recognize it today. A few, in the first century, recognized that Jesus held the answer and solution—that He was the answer and solution; the question is: Do you recognize that today?

Of course, the birth of Jesus Christ is just the beginning. At the age of thirty he gathers a group of followers and proceeds to turn the world on its head. He preaches a message of hope that is nothing short of life-transforming for those who will receive it and embrace it. He opens the door for men and women to enter into relationship with God and participate in His work and live the full, abundant life that God intended from the very beginning for humanity. His message is so effective that it rouses the jealousy and anger of those whose livelihoods have come to depend upon the brokenness of humanity. Jesus is betrayed, falsely accused, condemned, and crucified; but even death cannot master Him. The power that imbued Jesus, the power that He proclaimed and preached and granted to His followers, the power of God Himself—how could death ever hope to conquer it. Jesus rises from the dead and ascends to the right hand of the Father where He sits today; but by the Holy Spirit, He is made present with us still. And the power and life that He offered to His disciples is available to us today—to those who will accept and follow and submit.

This is what we celebrate at Christmas—hope, salvation, life, power, joy, peace, deliverance, redemption. Most of the world missed it; only a few recognized it—that this infant born in a stable, wrapped in swaddling clothes, and lying in a manger was the Son of God come to deliver us. How will you respond?

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God is in this place,
And that reality, seen and understood by the grace of God in Christ Jesus through the work of the Holy Spirit, makes all the difference in the world.

Graduate 101: Advent, Day 24 (Christmas Eve)

Joseph
Matthew 1:19-25

Joseph doesn’t get a lot of airtime in the gospel birth-narratives, it seems to me. He is mentioned only very briefly in Luke’s account. His longest time in the spot-light is in these seven verses at the beginning of Matthew. And when set alongside marry who conceives miraculously by an act of God and has received much veneration as a result throughout church history, Joseph can seem to be a relatively minor player in the gospel story.

Of course, nothing could be further from the truth. Over and over we’ve seen that there are no minor players in God’s plans. It is no small thing that Joseph stepped out in faith and took marry as his wife. It is no small thing, in the culture of that time, that he abstained from consummating his marriage until she had given birth to the Christ-child. It is no small thing that he continued to receive instructions from God and responded in faith to God’s call on his life. Joseph received dreams and visions and angelic visitations.

On the other hand, no “songs” of Joseph are recorded (like those of Mary, Zacharias, Simeon, and the angels). In fact, not one word of Joseph’s is recorded in the gospels (so far as I can remember; correct me if I’m wrong). But I think we would be gravely mistaken if we concluded, thereby, that Joseph did not play a significant, even pivotal, role in redemption history. He raised the Messiah. He taught Jesus his first lessons.

Many people wonder about the thirty years that fill the gap between the birth narratives and the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. Doubtless, those were years dominated by interaction between Joseph and Jesus as they worked together as carpenters. Those were the years in which Jesus was formed and molded into the man that we first see at his baptism by John the Baptist. It is inconceivable that Joseph should not have had an enormous impact on the development and personal formation of Jesus Christ—and yet we don’t hear about it.

That’s often how it is. We don’t hear about all the background, all the details. In biographies and histories, we only get the highlights, the big moments, the exciting events. The rest is ‘tedious’, ‘uninteresting’, ‘more of the same’—but that is exactly what is so vitally important. Jesus’ own ministry was shot through with periods of intense prayer and time away from the crowds in fellowship with only his closest disciples, but we don’t usually hear about that.

If it weren’t for Joseph, things might have gone very differently; and yet we hear so little about him. I wonder if he knew that would happen when he chose to take Mary as his wife. I wonder if he knew that he would be taking second place to Mary in prominence; after all, she was the one who would be with child by the Holy Spirit. I wonder if he knew—like John the Baptist knew when he told his disciples, “He [Jesus] must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:30)

Maybe he knew; maybe he didn’t. But he remains an example, in either case, of a what a man can accomplish who is committed, not to his own advancement or fame or prestige, but to the work of God. That work, we celebrate tomorrow. That work, we are also called to participate and partake in.

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God is in this place,
And that reality, seen and understood by the grace of God in Christ Jesus through the work of the Holy Spirit, makes all the difference in the world.

Graduate 100: Advent, Day 23

Zacharias and Elizabeth
Luke 1:1-25, 39-80

Like Mary, Zacharias (sometimes “Zechariah”) and Elizabeth also serve as models of a man and woman well-pleasing to God. Luke calls them “righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord” (1:6)—phrases reminiscent of statements made about Job, Noah, and Abraham. (188, IVP Bible Background Commentary of the New Testament) The parallels between the account of John’s birth and of the birth of Isaac to Abraham and Sarah are especially strong. In addition to the very practical consequences of failing to produce an heir, Zacharias and Elizabeth also face cultural disapprobation as barrenness was often treated as judgment for sin. But, as in the case of Isaac and Samuel, Luke makes clear that Elizabeth’s barrenness is not a result of any sin, but part of God’s plan.

The gravity and importance and significance of this child-to-be-born, is underscored by the severe consequences that follow from Zacharias’ doubt. However, even that spell of muteness is turned to God’s purposes as the first words that Zacharias utters, after many months of silence, are spoken in praise of God—words of hope and deliverance and joy and thanksgiving and celebration.

Elizabeth, also, is transformed by the experience of seeing God work in her life. She, too, receives of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. She recognizes the mother of the Messiah nine months before He will be born.

Recognizing God’s movements in our world is no small thing. It is a gift of God. Thirty years later, in the course of His earthly ministry, Jesus will ask His disciples: “Who do the multitudes say that I am?” to which they will reply: “John the Baptist [raised from the dead], and others say Elijah; but others that one of the prophets of old has risen again.” He will then ask: “But who do you say that I am?” And Peter will answer: “The Christ of God.” (Luke 9:18-20) In Matthew’s version of that event, Jesus will follow up by saying,

“Blessed are you, Simon Barjona [i.e. “Son of John”], because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter [which means, “a stone”], and upon this rock [referring to Himself] I will build My church; and the gates of Hades shall not overpower it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” (16:17-19)

That is just a small glimpse at what life in the kingdom of God is like. It is one of abiding in the ever-present Spirit of God. It is one of power and confidence and hope and joy. It is one of communion with the creator of the universe. It is not religion; it is not ritual. What Zacharias and Elizabeth experienced was not religion or ritual, but dynamic, interactive, personal relationship; it transformed their lives, the nation of Israel, and continues to transform and impact the world today.

This is what Jesus came to bring—dynamic, personal, interactive, intimate relationship with God. This last point cannot be overstated. There is such a strong tendency to take the claims of Christianity and water them down—to convert them into safe and mundane platitudes. Nothing could be further from the truth. Jesus came to bring life—life abundant. The question is, Will we receive it?

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God is in this place,
And that reality, seen and understood by the grace of God in Christ Jesus through the work of the Holy Spirit, makes all the difference in the world.

Graduate 99: Advent, Day 22

Mary
Luke 1:26-56

What is the mark of the man or woman whom God is able to use and work alongside in his unfolding cosmic plan? Is it education? Social status? Family history? Material resources? Talent? Experience? Vast stores of wisdom and knowledge? Over and over we have seen how God works through the unskilled, those who are not well-attached, those without status or wealth or special gifting or experience. What does it take to become involved in God’s plan and purpose? Mary shows us; when she learns what God desires of her, in response, she says, “Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; be it done to me according to your word.” (1:38)

Does this mean that God cannot or does not use our talents, abilities, resources, giftings, and position? Certainly not, but what we must remember is that it is not because of those things that God uses us. He uses us when and because we are willing to be used by Him. Talented and gifted people—He can use if they are willing. Untalented and ungifted people—He can use them also and, sometimes, they are more willing to be used than those who are “talented” and “gifted”. There is nothing to indicate that Mary was a woman of any note or significance. Yes, when the angel greets her, he says, “Hail, favored one.” That she was favored was no credit to her but to God’s sovereign choice and decree.

That’s another important thing to remember about God’s work in the world. Since He does not choose us because of our abilities, nothing critical hangs on our abilities. As long as we are faithful and submit and obey and follow God’s leading, He who began the work will carry it to completion. We don’t have to worry about managing and bringing about results; that is another pattern that we’ve seen throughout the Old Testament. It is only with God that “nothing will be impossible.”

Mary’s song (the Magnificat) is one long series of praises to God for his care and provision. By no means does any of this imply that the road before Mary would be easy. (Imagine trying to convince people that you were pregnant by the Holy Spirit.) But her singular focus and her willingness to be used by God cause her to stand out as one of the most significant figures in the history of the world.

How will we respond to God’s call.

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God is in this place,
And that reality, seen and understood by the grace of God in Christ Jesus through the work of the Holy Spirit, makes all the difference in the world.

Graduate 98: Advent, Day 21

John the Baptizer
Luke 1:57-80; 3:1-20; 7:18-30

Luke 3:1-2 are an especially striking set of verses. In addition to situating the narrative within a particular time-frame, they also make a significant theological point. The opening lines are one long list of the Who’s Who of Israel in that time—Tiberius Caesar, emperor of Rome; Pontius Pilate, governor of Judea; Herod, tetrarch of Galilee; Philip, tetrarch of Ituraea and Trachonitis; Lysanias, tetrarch of Abilene; Annas, recognized high priest by the conservative Jews; Caiaphas, appointed high priest by the Roman government—all the major political and religious leaders of that time. But to whom does the word of the Lord come? Not to Caesar, not to Pilate, not to Herod or Philip or Lysanias, and not even to Annas or Caiaphas, but to John.

Who is John? The son of Zechariah—who belongs to the priestly division of Abijah, one of twenty-four priestly divisions—not a man of particular note or distinction. Yet God chooses him (John), before he is even conceived, to be the herald of the Messiah. We will look more closely at the announcement of his birth in a couple days, but we can see from Luke 1:66 that people recognized, from the events surrounding his birth, that he would be significant.

As a man of about thirty, he is recognized by the people to be a prophet of God, which is highly significant. The people understand that God has not spoken to the nation of Israel through a prophet (in the Old Testament, pre-exilic pattern) for some four-hundred years. What does it mean that a new prophet has emerged? Clearly powerful movements are afoot.

Jesus underscores that very same point when he says of John, “I say to you, among those born of women, there is no one greater than John; yet he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.” (7:28) John marks the end of an era, just as Jesus marks the beginning of something new—a new way of access to God’s kingdom, to relationship with God, and to life abundant. John is the last of the forerunners before the radical in-breaking of the Kingdom of the Heavens.

Have you heard the message? Have you embraced it?—like those who listened to John’s words and were prepared, thereby, to receive what Jesus brought and offered? Are you prepared to receive it, though it does not come with the endorsement of the world’s authorities? Have you followed the building, growing, emerging, unfolding picture of God’s plan that will be revealed in the coming few days. It’s only four days until Christmas.

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God is in this place,
And that reality, seen and understood by the grace of God in Christ Jesus through the work of the Holy Spirit, makes all the difference in the world.

Graduate 97: Advent, Day 20

Returning and Rebuilding
Nehemiah 1:1-2:8; 6:15-16; 13:10-12

The book of Nehemiah covers the period, roughly, from 457 to 432 B.C., after the Jews have been allowed to return to their homeland by a Persian decree; but the city is still in a state of disrepair and vulnerable to the hostile people-groups surrounding it. This book is about how God raised up a leader to guide his people in this time.

Nehemiah’s example is instructive. His immediate response to the news that Jerusalem is still broken and endangered is to go before God, in repentance and submission. Then, throughout his interview with King Artaxerxes, he calls on God and recognizes His work in his situation. (v. 4, 8) What is remarkable is that the king is so willing to grant Nehemiah’s requests; the restoration and reconstruction of Jerusalem is funded out of the king’s treasure. Supplies are drawn from the king’s resources and forests. And despite the opposition and threats and disruptions and schemes of the surrounding nation, they are able to finish the work of reconstructing the wall in fifty-two days. What can explain or account for the Jews’ remarkable good fortune? Nehemiah credits the Lord.

Not only does he credit God, but he also sets about reinstating the policies and instructions that God had given to his people. We see in the last reading that he sets in order the Levitical priesthood and sees to it that they are properly provided for. Of course, this is necessary if the people are to continue in obedience to God. Otherwise they will just fall away from God again as they have done before.

We also, need to be conscientious about ordering our lives in such a way that we do not wander away from God. It’s so easy to do if we do not deliberately put in place ways to keep God’s desire and will before our minds. Even with the advent of Christ, our human nature and the need for patterns and habits does not change. Spiritual disciplines and active engagement with Scripture and prayer and community are vital for sustaining power in the kingdom and a constant flow of grace from God.

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God is in this place,
And that reality, seen and understood by the grace of God in Christ Jesus through the work of the Holy Spirit, makes all the difference in the world.

Graduate 96: Advent, Day 19

Watching and Waiting
Habakkuk 1:1-3:19

This is the one advent reading that covers an entire book of the Bible. The first two chapters involve a back-and-forth between Habakkuk and God (They each speak twice); the third chapter is a hymn of praise to God. In his opening speech, Habakkuk asks a question that many of us have asked at one time or another: why does God allow wickedness to continue in the world. People suffer and are cruelly treated and oppressed and harmed in various other ways by other people. In his own time, Habakkuk was witnessing the wickedness and injustice of the people of Judah.

In His first response, God reveals that He will send the Chaldeans (i.e. the Babylonians) to punish the people of Judah for their injustice. But Habakkuk is not comforted by this revelation, for the Babylonians are a still more wicked people than those of Judah. “Why,” he asks, “art Thou silent when the wicked swallow up those more righteous than they?” (1:13) But, then, notice what he does after posing this second question to God; notice what he says:

“I will stand on my guard post
And station myself on the rampart;
And I will keep watch to see what He will speak to me,
And how I may reply when I am reproved.” (2:1)

He stands and waits for the answer. And when God does answer, He does not give Habakkuk a direct answer. Instead, He offers various warnings against those who act wickedly or hastily or unreflectively. The point is, perhaps, not obvious, but extremely important.

Oftentimes, when we “ask” God why things go badly, what we really have in mind is to ask why things are not going the way we want them to. But God is not beholden to our plans and agendas; He has His own and His desire is that we should become involved with them. Yet, very few of us are willing to watch and wait to see what God is going to show us and reveal. If we don’t get satisfactory answers on our timetable, we end up rejecting or disbelieving in God. It takes great faith—trust and confidence in God’s goodness—to follow Him even when we don’t know what’s going to happen, because we believe that He knows and is in control. (2:4) Indeed it will be over six hundred years after Habkkuk’s interaction with God before the Savior, Jesus Christ, is born in the manger. Would you be willing to wait that long for the fulfillment of God’s cosmic plan?

Later, after Jesus’ ascension, the author of Hebrews will speak in praise of the men and women of the Old Testament who followed God in faith and confidence. He says of them, “And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised.” (11:39) That is, in their lifetimes, the thing that they were hoping for and waiting for was not revealed. In many cases, it was revealed hundreds if not thousands of years after their death, but they were an integral part of bringing about the fulfillment of that promise.

Imagine if Noah had refused to trust in God? That would have been the end of the human race right there. Imagine if Abraham had refused to trust in God? There would be no nation of Israel and no Messiah. Imagine if Moses had not trusted in God? The nation of Israel would not have been freed from slavery. Without Joshua’s faith, the people would never have taken the promised land. None of these people saw the final result of the work--Jesus Christ, the Messiah--to which they were contributing; but by their faith they became participants in it and were blessed through it.

The shift in perspective is radical. Seeing God’s plan—a truly cosmic-scale plan—and realizing that we have an opportunity to be a part of it. But if that is to be, we must also be prepared, like Habakkuk, to watch and wait on God.

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God is in this place,
And that reality, seen and understood by the grace of God in Christ Jesus through the work of the Holy Spirit, makes all the difference in the world.

Graduate 95: Advent, Day 18

Tears for Jerusalem
Jeremiah 1:4-10; 2:4-13; 7:1-15; 8:22-9:11

The prophet Jeremiah lived through the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple in 586 B.C. by the Babylonians. (440, 472, Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible) In addition to the book of Jeremiah, it is thought that Jeremiah also authored the book of Lamentations, which is largely composed of elegies for Jerusalem. The blow to the people of Israel, by the destruction of the temple, was enormous. Yet it was the most natural consequence of their constant disobedience and unfaithfulness to God. By the standards of the cultures and religious communities surrounding them, their practices were perfectly normal; but God had called His people to be different from the cultures surrounding them, and this is what they failed to do.

Notice the way that God reasons with Israel in chapter 2:

“What injustice did your fathers find in Me,
That they went far from me,
And walked after emptiness and became empty?”

The question, of course, is rhetorical—there was no injustice or failure on God’s part that prompted the people to stray from Him. God did not fail to care for His people or let them down in some way that would have legitimately prompted them to seek the aid of other gods.

Pointing this out may be helpful for thinking about the relationship between God and the evils in the world. Many people look at the pain and suffering and wickedness in the world and conclude that God must not exist as a result. In effect, they answer God’s question, above, by citing the injustices of the world as reasons for turning away from God. But are those ‘injustices’ the result of God’s failings or of our failings?—that is what is key. Go back to Day 10, on the Ten Commandments. God says that the best, most fulfilled and worthwhile life is one in which God is at the center. If we fail to place God at the center, is it any wonder that things go badly? Is it any wonder that we suffer? Of course, there is more to take into account in a comprehensive theodicy; but I think we need to stop and take seriously how much our human decisions really do contribute to the problems of the world.

Needless to say, Jeremiah was not made popular by preaching this message of the need for repentance and warning that destruction would follow failure to turn back to God. He suffered brutal treatment at the hands of his own people for proclaiming the truth. The truth is still not popular today. Sometimes it takes something startling, something shocking, something… painful to make us realize the truth. The people of Israel and Judah were exiled to the lands of the Assyrians and Babylonians. And Jeremiah says in chapter 9:

“Oh, that my head were waters,
And my eyes a fountain of tears,
That I might weep a day and night
For the slain of the daughter of my people.”

The consequences of wickedness, of sin, of trying to make the best of this broken world out of our own strength and resources are tragic—because our own strength and resources are not enough and, thus, are doomed to eventual defeat. But there is hope. Jesus understood and proclaimed and articulated that hope in the simple phrases: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” (Matthew 5:3-4) Of course there is nothing blessed about being poor or being in mourning; but Jesus announces that such people are not excluded from blessing or closed off from blessing. The punishment that God brings on Israel is not the end of the story. The suffering that we face in our lives as a result of our failure to acknowledge God as Lord and King—that is not the end of the story. In the Kingdom of God, that Christ came to proclaim, there is hope for restoration, renewal, healing, and even new creation.

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God is in this place,
And that reality, seen and understood by the grace of God in Christ Jesus through the work of the Holy Spirit, makes all the difference in the world.

Graduate 94: Advent, Day 17

Before the Throne
Isaiah 1:10-20; 6:1-13; 8:11-9:7

Apologies for my neglect the last couple days. In the process of trying to wrap up term papers, I was finally brought to the point where the expediency of that project forced me to set aside the blogging. Now the papers are done (or at least the one remaining is not due for a few weeks) so I can resume. I shall insert the missing entries at a later point. For now, we’ll just continue from day 17. I’ll also post the list of remaining readings in case there are any future lapses (though I doubt there will be).

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Recall the account of Elijah on Mount Carmel and the challenge that he made to the people. (Since today’s entry is being posted before the entry on Elijah, you’ll have to look back at the passage for the first time—1 Kings 18:17-46) “If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” (18:21) But Israel continues to waver. Keep in mind that God’s expectation of His people is unusual when set against the backdrop of the general religious atmosphere of the time. Burnt offerings, for instance, were the “meal for the gods” that accompanied petitions as a way of currying favor by meeting a need that only the worshipper could fulfill. (IVP Bible Background Commentary, 585) Such offerings have a decidedly instrumental function; and one will likely offer burnt offerings to different deities in order to obtain blessings from and be on good terms with all. But God is not satisfied with such offerings. He expects the total and undivided commitment of His people, and in the absence of that, offerings and sacrifices and religious rituals are a burdensome and hateful thing.

What God desires is relationship; He will not be content with our using Him just to achieve our own ends and desires. Do we understand what is being offered us in relationship with God? Do we understand what and who it is that we slight when we treat God as just our errand boy or gofer? Isaiah gets a small glimpse of this God and he is all but completely undone. So often we stand, as if in judgment of God; as if expecting him to account for his actions and management of the cosmos to our satisfaction. What would it be like to stand in the presence of this God? Consider, that He is the one who made you, who gave you life, and sustains you. Every breath is a gift from Him. Every good thing you have in life is from Him. Imagine, if you will, what it would be like to stand before a person who has loved you all your life; who has been genuinely concerned for you and actively contributed to your welfare as long as you’ve lived; who has always been open, honest, and transparent with you; who has stood by you through thick and thin; who has sacrificed so much for you and would sacrifice everything for you; imagine standing in the presence of such a person and knowing that you have betrayed him, that you have maligned him, that you have not appreciated him; that you have spoken badly of him. Your (and my) reaction might be very close to Isaiah’s: “Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips”. And my little imaginative exercise does not begin to capture the complexity of the actual case with God.

Marvel, then, that the same God whom we have so offended is the one who offers and makes possible our forgiveness and atonement. It is nothing that Isaiah does that makes him clean; it is what God does. But instead of relying on God, so many appeal to the wisdom of the world in its various forms. The God who would be our refuge, our sanctuary, is instead seen as a stumbling stone on the way to acquiring satisfaction by our own means. Because it doesn’t fit our expectations; because it isn’t in line with what we want—we are blind and deaf to it.

Lord God, open our eyes to see what You are doing. Open our ears to hear and receive the true good news. Soften our hearts to understand what we cannot understand on our own but only by Your Spirit.

Way back in Genesis we saw the beginning of the brokenness and fallenness of humanity. People have been searching for the solution to that problem ever since. Isaiah speaks of the solution that God offers, in hope that some will hear and receive:

“The people who walk in darkness
Will see a great light;
Those who live in a dark land,
The light will shine on them.
…
For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us;
And the government will rest on His shoulders;
And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.”

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Day 18 - Jeremiah 1:4-10; 2:4-13; 7:1-15; 8:22-9:11
Day 19 - Habakkuk 1:1-2:1; 3:16-19
Day 20 - Nehemiah 1:1-2:8; 6:15-16; 13:10-12
Day 21 - Luke 1:57-80; 3:1-20; 7:18-30
Day 22 - Luke 1:26-38
Day 23 - Luke 1:39-80
Day 24 (Christmas Eve) - Matthew 1:19-25
Day 25 (Christmas Day) - John 1:1-18; Luke 2:1-20; Matthew 2:1-12

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God is in this place,
And that reality, seen and understood by the grace of God in Christ Jesus through the work of the Holy Spirit, makes all the difference in the world.

Graduate 93: Advent, Day 16

(This is going up on 28 December 2007. I didn't realize that I neglected to post this until now. It's still being formally dated as 16 December 2007. Sorry about the lapse.)

God’s Faithfulness and Deliverance
2 Kings 18:1-19:37

There is a point about the history of the nation of Israel that I have neglected to mention which could lead to confusion since I have also not been very precise in how I have spoken in the entries that follow the ascendancy of King David. (Recall, that this post is actually going up after day twenty, so I’m back-tracking somewhat.) Under the reigns of Saul, David, and his son, Solomon, the nation of Israel was one united kingdom. In 928 B.C., owing to Solomon’s poor leadership at the end of his life, political upheaval, and a struggle for succession to the throne, the nation was divided. Judah and Benjamin became the nation of Judah and the other ten tribes formed the nation of Israel. The books of Kings and Chronicles record events in both kingdoms and some of the prophets of the time were active in both Israel and Judah.

The Israel of this period was ruled by consistently poor kings, beginning with Jeroboam who, for political reasons, refused to allow His people to worship in Jerusalem (which was in the territory of Judah) and set up alternative places of worship contrary to God’s commands. King Ahab, with whom Elijah was in constant tension, was a king of Israel (873-852 B.C.) Because of their consistent disobedience, God handed the nation of Israel over to the Assyrians in 722 B.C. So we read:

“Now it came about in the fourth year of King Hezekiah [of Judah], which was the seventh year of Hoseha son of Elah king of Israel, that Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against Samaria [capitol city of Israel] and besieged it. … Then the king of Assyria carried Israel away into exile to Assyria. (18:9, 11)

Judah had an inconsistent record. Some of their kings followed God and some of them did not. As a result, the nation of Judah outlasted the nation of Israel by almost a hundred and fifty years, as well as the Assyrian empire which fell to the Babylonians around 609 B.C. But because they also failed to continue to follow God faithfully, after the example of Hezekiah about which we read, the nation of Judah was exiled to Babylon in 586 B.C.

Again, in the case of Hezekiah, God demonstrates His faithfulness and power. He is both able and willing to intervene and help and care for those who choose to follow Him and put their trust in Him. It is not as though God would like to help us, but cannot. That was probably the worry of Hezekiah and his people as Rabshakeh told them about all the other peoples whom they had defeated and whose gods had been of no help to them. Even in the face of eventual punishment and exile, in 19:30-31, He speaks of a surviving remnant that will be preserved by “the zeal of the LORD”. Over and over, the people and challenged—and we are challenged—to take seriously in whom we will place our confidence.

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God is in this place,
And that reality, seen and understood by the grace of God in Christ Jesus through the work of the Holy Spirit, makes all the difference in the world.

Graduate 92: Advent, Day 15

Elijah
1 Kings 17:1-16; 18:17-46

Elijah is the second of three miracle-working prophets in the Old Testament. (The other two are Moses and Elisha.) Part of what I especially like about Elijah is the radical freedom that he evinces. Notice what he says at the beginning of the reading: “As the LORD, the God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, surely there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word.” Did you catch it? Not by God’s word or by an angel’s word, but by my word. What arrogance! What audacity!—to claim such authority and power over nature! Or is that, perhaps, just a tiny glimpse of what God’s desire is for us and what it means to really live in the power and kingdom of God?

It’s important to keep in mind that God will not be controlled and will not be bound by human will or presumption; and yet, some people take this so far as to make God completely inexplicable, inscrutable, and incomprehensible. Yet, over and over, in Scripture, we meet men and women who are enabled to do extraordinary things because they know God. Elijah’s knowledge of God’s will and his ability to orient his own life around that will is what gives him his radical freedom and confidence. That’s why he’s able to say to the Widow of Zarephath, “Go, do as you have said, but make me a little bread cake from it first, and bring it out to me, and afterward you may make one for yourself and for your son.” If you were in that widow’s place, would you have trusted Elijah’s word. This was to be their last meal and Elijah, to all appearances, was asking them to sacrifice that for his sake. But what is the truth behind the appearance?—that it is no sacrifice at all to offer what God has given us in the knowledge that He will take care of us. And God does take care of that widow and her son as we see.

Contrast their belief with the attitude of the nation of Israel in general. They haven’t been trusting, radically, in God. They’ve been hedging their bets; they’ve been trying to play it safe; and they’ve been dishonoring God as a result. So Elijah brings them this challenge: “If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Ball, follow him.” It’s simple, straightforward, yet somehow we manage to make it so much more confusing. We try to draw from multiple sources to build a solution to our problems; but God will not accept that. When we think seriously about what was involved in sending His Son to earth to die on a cross, the idea becomes even more absurd. If there were other legitimate ways to gain happiness and fulfillment and righteousness, then why would God send His only begotten Son to suffer and die a brutal death? It would be totally unnecessary. The truth is that there is only one answer to the problems that we face in life—to the problem of sin. Israel and Judah kept turning away from that solution, trying to manage their own destinies and prosperity, and it fell to pieces around them. People, today, try to manage their own lives in their own ways, and face similar problems. Elijah reminds us, yet again, that there is only one answer, one hope, one source of true grace, hope, love, and salvation—and it is God’s way.

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God is in this place,
And that reality, seen and understood by the grace of God in Christ Jesus through the work of the Holy Spirit, makes all the difference in the world.

Graduate 91: Advent, Day 14

The House of David
1 Samuel 16:1-17:58; 2 Samuel 5:1-5; 7:1-29

The first kingly dynasty in Israel is very short-lived. Because of his disobedience, God removes the throne from Saul’s family even before his reign has ended and gives it to another. He sends the prophet Samuel to the tribe of Judah, to the town of Bethlehem and instructs him to anoint the eighth son of Jesse as the future king. Though King Saul is friendly with David in these first few chapters, he soon turns against him—recognizing the signs of God’s favor on Him and feeling the threat to his own authority. It will be yet another sign of the way in which Saul has strayed from God’s plan.

Contrast that with David’s attitude on the battlefield before Goliath. Where does his confidence lie? “You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel”. (1 Sam. 17:45) He, too, strays periodically from the straight and narrow way, but each time returns. Samuel calls him a man after God’s own heart. (1 Sam. 13:14)

It makes an enormous difference—how malleable one’s heart is to the touch of God. If we are preoccupied with our own projects and agendas and refuse to bow to God’s call, we will soon find ourselves working against God’s will for us. By contrast, if we make it a priority to pursue God’s calling in all things—the possibilities of what God can do through us are endless. This is as true in ministry as in the rest of life. Consider that David desires to build a temple for God, but is forbidden; he understands who is in charge and submits to the Lord’s direction. Instead, God promises to establish David’s house: “And your house and your kingdom shall endure before Me forever; your throne shall be established for ever.” (7:16) Whose plan do you think was better?

The prophet Isaiah will later speak of the ruler who will come from the house of Jesse—from the family of David. (Isaiah 11:1-10)

Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse,
And a branch from his roots will bear fruit.
And the Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him,
The spirit of wisdom and understanding,
The spirit of counsel and strength,
The spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.
And He will delight in the fear of the LORD,
And He will not judge by what His eyes see,
Nor make a decision by what His ears hear;
But with righteousness He will judge the poor,
And decide with fairness for the afflicted of the earth;
And He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth,
And with the breath of His lips He will slay the wicked.
Also righteousness will be the belt about His loins,
And faithfulness the belt about His waist.
…
They will not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain,
For the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD
As the waters cover the sea.
Then it will come about in that day
That the nations will resort to the root of Jesse,
Who will stand as a signal for the peoples;
And His resting place will be glorious.

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God is in this place,
And that reality, seen and understood by the grace of God in Christ Jesus through the work of the Holy Spirit, makes all the difference in the world.

Graduate 90: Advent, Day 13

The First King
1 Samuel 3:1-21; 7:1-10:9

The rise of the prophet Samuel marks an important turning point in the history of Israel. He is the last of the ‘judges’ (God delivers Israel from the Philistines through Samuel in Ch. 7) and the first of the ‘prophets’, (9:9) who function as spiritual leaders apart from the (newly established) political monarchy and the Levitical priesthood. One might expect that a man as significant and influential as Samuel was endued with a special knowledge and relationship to God. But when God first calls to Him, at the ‘inauguration’ of his prophetic ministry, Samuel does not recognize his voice; the Scripture records, “Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, nor had the word of the LORD yet been revealed to him.” It is by the ministrations of Eli, the priest, that Samuel first comes to interact directly with God. Praise God for the men and women who mentor us in our journey of faith; who, by their wisdom and experience are able to guide and direct us. Praise God, also, for His patience with us. Though Samuel fails to recognize Him three times, God is still willing to work with him—and to work with us when we don’t get things right.

But contrast the shape and direction of Samuel’s life with that of the nation of Israel. Why do they want a king? And why is Samuel upset by this? Before Samuel, there was no centralized governmental system that unified the tribes of Israel. This would seem to make them especially vulnerable to attack and invasion; and, indeed, they were repeatedly attacked and invaded and oppressed by the surrounding peoples—but not because they lacked a centralized political structure. The book of Judges makes very clear that the reason they were attacked was because they turned away from the LORD. Over and over, we see that when they repent and call on God for help, God sends them deliverers, in the form of the judges. “The judges did not serve as heads of government in general but did have the authority to call out the armies of the tribes. Prior to the monarchy, no one from any one tribe would have been able to exercise such authority over another tribe. God was the only central authority. Therefore, when a judge successfully rallied the armies of several tribes, it was seen as the work of the Lord through that judge.” (246, IVP Bible Background Commentary. See also 291-292.) Israel’s problem was not primarily political; it was spiritual. But in 1 Samuel 8, the people opt for a political solution—“Now appoint a king for us to judge us… and go out before us and fight our battles.” (8:6, 20. Compare Exodus 14:14.)

It’s all-too-easy to misconstrue our spiritual problems as primarily political, social, economical, psychological, or as anything else other than spiritual. This error is further aggravated in our modern culture by a failure, in some circles, to recognize the reality of the spiritual at all. The message and ministry of Jesus should remind us (though they have been interpreted in a variety of other and conflicting ways) that our one and only hope lies in relationship with God. He, alone, can meet our needs.

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God is in this place,
And that reality, seen and understood by the grace of God in Christ Jesus through the work of the Holy Spirit, makes all the difference in the world.

Graduate 89: Advent, Day 12

Gideon, the Judge
Judges 2:6-23; 6:1-8:28

There is so much that could be drawn from this material, I really don’t know where to start. After the death of Joshua, the nation of Israel enters a long period in which they go back and forth between following God faithfully and straying from him to worship and follow other gods. At no point do they cease to follow God entirely, but they combine the worship of God with the worship of Baal and Ashteroth and other deities. That is why they are described as “playing the harlot after other gods.” (The modern equivalent might be, “cheating with other gods.”) This is clearly contrary to the first of the Ten Commandments in which God states clearly, “You shall have no other gods before me.” Back and forth, back and forth. Yet, it is impossible to point the finger derisively at this people’s stubbornness without feeling without the sting of that rebuke in our own lives and communities. Two questions: How often and easily do we stray from the path that God has marked out for us? And how well are we doing at training and encouraging our brothers and sisters and children in the ways of God?

I do not think that one can seriously review these stories of God’s deliverance without marveling at the extent of His mercy and grace as over and over the people turn from Him and then cry out for deliverance. And God raises up a deliverer in Gideon. Again, we see the Great Reversal in this “valiant warrior” whose family is “the least in Manasseh” and is the “youngest of my father’s house” and is met by God’s messenger while hiding his grain in the winepress. Moreover, God takes an army of 22,000 and whittles it down to 300; that is his fighting force—and they defeated an army of over 120,000.

There really is too much to treat here—about trusting God and the assurances that God gives and participating in God’s work and stepping out in faith and standing strong in adversity and allowing the Lord to fight for you and recognizing the handiwork of God and God’s faithfulness. Are you getting the impression that it’s really all about God? Because it is. (Compare Luke 15:11ff—the parable of the prodigal son.) Again, I cannot but marvel at the goodness of God towards His people. It gives me that much more hope that He will stand by me as I slog through life—because of who God is.

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God is in this place,
And that reality, seen and understood by the grace of God in Christ Jesus through the work of the Holy Spirit, makes all the difference in the world.

Graduate 88: Advent, Day 11

The Battle of Jericho
Joshua 1:1-11; 6:1-20

It has been over four hundred years since Jacob brought his family down out of Canaan into Egypt. For forty more years, Moses has led the people of Israel through the wilderness. Now, finally, they are preparing to enter and take the land that God promised them.

Now it may occur to some, who are not already familiar with this account, that as long as the distance between Egypt and Canaan may have been, it certainly would not take forty years to traverse. And, indeed, it did not, but when they were first brought to the threshold of the land, the people turned back for fear of the inhabitants of the land and even rebelled against the leadership of Moses and Aaron. (Numbers 13-14:45) Because of their disobedience, they were condemned to wander for forty years in the wilderness and denied entrance into the land for that time. In light of this, it stands out as especially significant that in His opening words, God reminds Joshua three times, “Be strong and courageous.” The last time, he gives the reason why: “for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

Where does your strength lie? Where does your courage come from? When life gets hard, when unexpected troubles or difficulties arise, when challenges become insurmountable and threaten to overwhelm—where do you turn. Again, it’s important to remember that nothing has change about the land in the last forty years of Israel’s wanderings. The walled cities are still there, the mighty warriors—everything is the same. The only difference is that this time the people are choosing to rely on God; and that makes all the difference. That’s why the Ark of the Covenant is at the center of the military procession. Over and over again, in Israel’s early wanderings and throughout its history, the absolute centrality of the presence of God with his people is emphasized. (See Exodus 33 for an example.) That is where the hope and confidence of the people lies; not in their own strength, but in the God who saves.

The name, “Joshua,” (Yeshua) means “God is salvation.” It reflects well his enduring trust and confidence in God, alone. From the people whom he led would one day rise another man by that name—“Iesous” in the Greek, but more familiar to us as “Jesus”. He would come to “save His people from their sins”. (Matthew 1:21) We may not need to conquer walled cities in our day-to-day lives; but our need for strength and courage from God is just as great. May we find assurance and comfort in that.

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God is in this place,
And that reality, seen and understood by the grace of God in Christ Jesus through the work of the Holy Spirit, makes all the difference in the world.

Graduate 87: Advent, Day 10

The Ten Commandments
Exodus 19-20:20

Throughout their history, the people of Israel have revered and upheld the “Gift of Law”. But I fear that even many in the Christian community (not to mention the world generally) have lost sight of this. Dallas Willard describes the Ten Commandments (roughly paraphrasing from memory) “God’s best ideas about how to live the good life.” Does that ring true as you reflect on the Ten Commandments?

Think about it. Philosophers since Plato and Aristotle have recognized that, as a general rule, everybody wants to be happy. Nobody wants to lead a miserable, unsatisfying, unfulfilled life. But how to go about attaining that good life—that is the question. Many people think that the good life consists in having the same things that other (apparently) happy people have; so they are consumed with desire for those things. Some think that the good life consists in the acceptance and approval of other people; so they ingratiate themselves (often disingenuously) to people who seem to be important. Still others think that success is the key; so they push and bully and manipulate others in order to get ahead. Many, believing that happiness is all-important, are led to ignore and neglect the interests of others (even their own families) in order to satisfy this deep-seated craving of theirs. And what is the result? Are these people happy? Are these people satisfied?

The Ten Commandments sum up God’s best recipe for how to live the best kind of life. It is a life free of worry, fear, guilt, deceit, hate, and shame; it is full of satisfaction, fulfillment, love, grace, charity, and kindness. The first step to this life: place God at the center. That’s the first four commandments in a nutshell. Jesus would later encapsulate them in this statement: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” (Matthew 22:37) After that: love your parents; respect the life and property of others; be faithful to your spouse and family; conduct yourself with sincerity and integrity; do not compare yourself to others. (See Matthew 22:39)

“But,” you may ask, “if I am always looking out for others, who will look out for me?” You don’t have to worry about that—that is the point. In agreeing to follow and obey God, the people of Israel were trusting in God to take care of them. Indeed, it is only when we feel the pressure of needing to take care of ourselves that we are tempted to disobey these commandments.

The great tragedy is that none of us has been (or is) able to keep these commandments perfectly on his or her own strength. As a result, that life of contentment and satisfaction is lost to us. That is what Jesus Christ came to change. He says, in the Sermon on the Mount, “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill.” (Matthew 5:17) And again, “I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly.” (John 10:10) The Gift of Law finds its fulfillment in Jesus Christ. (Galatians 3:24)

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God is in this place,
And that reality, seen and understood by the grace of God in Christ Jesus through the work of the Holy Spirit, makes all the difference in the world.

Graduate 86: Advent, Day 9

The Exodus
Exodus 12-14:31

Do you recall my saying, in the first Advent post, that Christmas is about celebrating that God did for us what we could not do for ourselves? In this passage, we see the inauguration of another celebration of God’s deliverance and salvation. The people of Israel, after spending four hundred years in Egypt—unable to leave because they had been enslaved—are finally released. And not just ‘released’—the Egyptians urge them to leave and give them gold and silver and clothing to such an extent that it is said of the Israelites that they ‘plundered’ the Egyptians. But, then, notice what happens.

At the Red Sea the Israelites are confronted, once again, with a situation that they cannot resolve by their own power. They face the sea on the one side and Pharaoh’s army on the other. What is their response to Moses? Did you catch it? “Is it because there were no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness?... For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.” Did they forget about the plagues? Did they forget about how they plundered the Egyptians? Did they forget about the Passover? And in such a short span of time? Did they forget about the pillars of cloud and fire that were leading them even up to that very moment on their journey?

It’s easy to deride the Israelites for their lack of faith. How could they not believe after all they had seen? But isn’t that often the way it is with us? I find that I have such a short memory for God’s action in my life. Oftentimes that becomes an issue around paper-writing time each semester or term. Hasn’t God provided in the past? Don’t you think He’ll take care of things this time around too?

Here we see God fulfilling a promise he made to Abraham back in Genesis 15: He is bringing the people of Israel out of Egypt and preparing to establish them as a nation. Yet again, God demonstrates His faithfulness, trustworthiness, and goodness. And He demonstrates them again in the Incarnation and in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. The question is, Will we remember those—not just in this season, but throughout the entire year?

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God is in this place,
And that reality, seen and understood by the grace of God in Christ Jesus through the work of the Holy Spirit, makes all the difference in the world.

Graduate 85: Advent, Day 8

Moses’ Call
Exodus 2-4:20

Again we see God working through a particular person to accomplish His will; but very important to remember on this point: it is God’s will and not the will of any man or woman that is being carried out. This comes across in interesting ways in this story, as when Moses asks for God’s name. “Names in the ancient world were believed to be intimately connected to the essence of the individual. Knowledge of a person’s name gave knowledge of their nature and, potentially, power over them.” (IVP Bible Background Commentary, 80) One way of reading Moses’ inquiry is as an attempt to control God; he’s being called into a dangerous situation and wants to be able to invoke God if he ever finds himself in a tight spot. (Compare Genesis 32:24-32.)

But what does God reveal His name to be? “I AM WHO I AM.” Another way to translate that: “I WILL BE WHO I WILL BE.” [In effect, “I will not be manipulated or controlled.”] God is not a genie that comes whenever Moses rubs the lamp to do whatever he needs. He will not be conjured by magic spells, nor bound by any physical instrument. (The one time that Moses does use his staff—the symbol of God’s presence and power among the people—as a kind of ‘magic wand’, the consequences are severe. See Numbers 20.) Does this mean that God cannot be trusted or relied on? Certainly not! God has revealed Himself, over and over, to be faithful in keeping His promises; and He follows through for Moses as well.

Trusting God is often hard. We want assurances; we want guarantees. We want to know that God will get us out of the tight spots that we get ourselves into and can’t get out of ourselves just when we want to get out of them. (Did you catch all that?) But God refuses to be that “Get-out-of-jail-free” card for us; refuses to be the cosmic butler, or the celestial vending machine. Is that because He doesn’t love us or because He doesn’t have our best interest at heart or because He can’t be trusted? No—just the opposite; he desires so much more for us—the very best for us. He desires to be in relationship with us, and you can’t be in relationship with a genie, a card, a mere servant, or a vending machine; and His faithfulness and goodness are manifested over and over and over again in Scripture and in the lives of those who do commit to following Him.

It’s so easy to get locked into our own plans and projects and expect God to help us accomplish what we want to accomplish; and we lose sight of the fact that Heaven itself is available to us. Moses caught a small glimpse of it. “Earth’s crammed with Heaven, and every common bush afire with God; but only he who sees takes off his shoes.” (Elizabeth Barrett Browning) What would it mean to really see the whole world as full of the presence of God? But that is impossible as long as we are looking just to our own projects and trying to strong-arm God into doing just what we want Him to do.

Jesus came to earth to open to the way for us to be in genuine relationship with God. Only by allowing God to be God in our lives can we experience the full richness of that relationship. Only then can God use us to accomplish the remarkable things He desires for us. We must first take off our shoes.

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God is in this place,
And that reality, seen and understood by the grace of God in Christ Jesus through the work of the Holy Spirit, makes all the difference in the world.