Wonders Never Cease by Tim Downs

Does Leah truly see angels or are they figments of a damaged mind or an over-active imagination? Do angels even exist, and if they don’t, why are people so excited to read about them? Liv Hadyen’s best-selling novel It’s All About You is a run-away success, but the story behind the novel is one of greed and stupidity in a tale of both selfishness and hope. Tim Downs’ carefully-crafted characters are easy to both like and dislike. From the mysterious Emmett to the irascible Kemp, Downs creates people who come alive as you read. While the twists in this book weren’t all that surprising they were no less satisfying. And the premise of Liv Hayden’s successful novel leads to the comparison of a self-centered life (it’s all about you) to the one Rick Warren shows us in The Purpose Driven Life (it’s not about you). This is the first Downs novel I have read and I found myself checking out the other titles at the end of my edition. I would recommend this novel to anyone. I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I am under no compulsion to write a positive or negative review of this book. The opinions expressed are exclusively my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

Eating the Word

How do you read your Bible when you are doing devotions? Recently I read the letters of Paul in chronological order. I’ve noticed, though, that I have a pre-determined way to read them; by chapter. Big chapter or small, I read a chapter at a time and stop.

We often view our Bible that way, by chapter and verse. We’ve been brought up to follow the breaks in the passages, breaks inserted by those who edited the Bible. We even preach that way, taking small passages rather than entire chapters or books. Eugene Peterson’s paraphrase The Message broke through some of those barriers, yet for many it’s difficult to get past the structure of the Bible. Unfortunately, that structure can sometimes get in the way of the Spirit's speaking.

I had an interesting conversation with an employee at my work last week. He had been looking a little tired, so I asked him if he was OK. He told me he had not been getting enough sleep lately, so I asked him why. He said, “it’s an interesting story if you have a minute.” I hate to pass up good stories, so I took a few minutes to listen.

“I was born and raised as a Catholic in the Dominican Republic. As children we were never allowed to have a Bible in the house. Only priests could have the Bible. The only time we heard the Bible read was at Mass.

One summer I attended a Vacation Bible school offered by a Protestant organization and as part of that program they gave me a New Testament. I began to read it and couldn’t put it down. I had to hide it from my parents; we weren’t supposed to have Bibles in the house. I would wait until I went to bed, then pull the covers up and read the Bible underneath them. I knew if my parents found the Bible I would get punished and have it taken away from me.

I couldn’t stop reading. I didn’t worry about chapters and verses, I was reading whole stories. I would start reading and sometimes would read through the whole night. By the time I was in eighth grade I knew the entire New Testament, having read through it several times.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t getting enough sleep and it was beginning to show at school. The teacher called my parents and they determined that there must be something mentally wrong with me, so they sent me to a psychologist. I knew then I would have to admit what was going on; I told the doctor about my Bible-reading. Of course, he made me tell my parents.

From that time on I have had a voracious hunger to read God’s word. I don’t just read a few verses or chapters; I sit down and read whole books at a time. I don’t’ think people realize what a blessing it is to have the freedom to read your Bible anywhere, anytime.”

Our conversation made me wonder; how big is my appetite for the Word? If I’m honest with myself I have to admit, I fill myself up on other things and don’t leave room for the Word. I fool myself by thinking “it’s a Christian book with Bible quotes, that’s the same as reading the Bible, right?” Reading Christian books can expand our spiritual horizons and challenge us in our daily life, but it can’t take the place of reading the Bible.

I pray that God will give me the appetite for His Word that my co-worker has, and that I may read it with the same passion, understanding that in it I find the very words of God.

Lady in Red

She kneeled on the stairs in the front of the sanctuary, her low-cut tight-fitting red dress clinging to her dark black body like a scarlet letter. Her bright dress and dark skin stood in glaring contrast to the subdued hues of the sanctuary and mostly-white tones of the congregation. She kneeled with eyes squeezed shut, hands upraised, ready to receive the benediction as if it was forgiveness.

No one left their seat but there was little doubt that most eyes were watching her; she was hard to miss. We stayed seated, confined to our pews, wondering who she was and why she was kneeling up front, questioning how she came to be in our church that Sunday morning. Imagining without knowing the kind of life she must lead and filling in the blanks with all kinds of sordid details.

The Spirit nudged me, spoke to me, prodded and pushed me. Go kneel with her. Kneel beside her so she is not alone. Kneel beside her so she knows the church is really people, not the preacher or the building but people who live in God’s forgiveness. Kneel beside her because you’re no better than she is, need to surrender your life as much as she does, need the same measure of forgiveness.

The Preacher began the benediction.

“May the Lord bless you and keep you and cause His face to shine upon you…”

Everything in my heart and soul said go up there, do it. But my head said no. If you go up there every one will stare at you. You’re not supposed to leave your pew. Just wait it out, the benediction will be over and we’ll sing the closing song, “bless the Lord oh my soul and all that is within me bless His holy name.” All that is within me was struggling, longing to have the courage to kneel with this woman and make her feel welcome in His presence.

I felt no peace and never left my seat. “…and give you His peace. Amen.”

We sang the doxology and I walked out of church.

I wonder what happened to that woman.

Christmas Contrast

Karl reached for his fourth sugar packet, a furtive stretch while Kerry was giving their order to the waitress. Having snatched a packet and he slowly moved his hand under the table. Out of her watchful sight he tore the top off the packet, waiting for an opportune time to add it to his cup. They were eating at Russ’s. Again. While his wife chatted amiably with the young waitress he chanced it and quickly poured the sugar into his coffee. As if the added sugar could sweeten his sour mood.

When she had ordered their dinner Kerry turned back to her husband. She noticed the empty sugar packet tucked under his plate but said nothing. She might mention it when he complained about gaining weight over the holidays. But it was Christmas, and he was her husband, and she loved him.

“Karl, I don’t know why you are so upset about this. People have a right to believe or not believe whatever they want.”

“He just ticks me off, that’s all I’m saying.” Karl stirred his coffee as he spoke, a frost of vanilla creamer swirling in the cup. “Every year he sits out on the Christmas party. Every year he refuses to be part of the gift giving. Every year he gives his little speech on how not everyone believes in Christmas, how we have to be respectful of other people’s points of view.”

Kerri could see he was getting cranky, but she spoke anyways.

“Well, people do have the right to believe what they want, and we should be respectful of their beliefs. He seems to be OK with you believing.

“Oh, I’m respectful,” Karl replied. “If he wants to be an idiot and not believe in Christmas, I can respect that.”

Karl could feel the anger rising in him. He stirred his coffee harder, sloshing it over the side and onto the table. His blood pressure must be up again. Try as he might he just could not understand it; Silas was a normal guy, how could he not believe in Christmas? If he was Jewish or Muslim or something maybe it would make sense, but he said he just wasn’t religious.

Christmas carols played on the overhead speakers. The waitresses wore Santa hats and had Christmas pins on their blouses. Christmas lights were strung throughout the restaurant and a beautifully decorated tree stood in the foyer. The mood of the others in the restaurant reflected a general feeling of good will among men.

Night came early and Silas settled back in his easy chair. He hit the menu button and scrolled past all the Christmas specials and programs. He finally came across a Discovery Channel special on the origin of the universe. He was always fascinated with these types of programs. A bowl of soup and a chicken salad sandwich balanced precariously on a tray on his lap as he settled in to watch. He had picked up a couple of packs of those Christmas Jingles cookies. They were 50% off at the Market around the corner. He planned to have a couple for dessert later that night. That would be the closest he would come to celebrating Christmas.

Karl checked the bill to make sure the amounts were right. Not bad, $16.50 for the two of them.

“Kerri, what’s 15% of $16.50?”

She smiled at him. She knew he was horrible at math, and notoriously cheap.
“Five dollars.”

Karl flinched momentarily, his wallet open. “Seems like a lot. You sure?”
“Yes, Karl, I am sure.”

Karl reluctantly left a $5.00 bill on the table and left to pay the bill. Kerri caught up with him by the register. When he turned to put the change into his pocket she stopped him and pointed to the small canister on the counter. He dropped the coins in the canister and pocketed the bills. Without hesitation she reached into his pocket, pulled out the remaining $3.00 and slipped the bills into the canister.

Silas watched the special, noting the beauty of the pictures and the strength of the theory. He was amazed at minds that could make sense of the complexity, could help understand how such order came about after such a massive explosion like the Big Bang. Having finished dinner he made some tea, then listened to NPR while he nibbled on his Jingle cookies. One good thing about Christmas; he got good cookies. Snow fell softly outside his window. Colorful lights from the neighbor’s house illuminated the banks of snow in his back yard. The quiet and beauty of the night calmed him.

They drove home, their favorite Christmas CD in the player. Kerri snuggled up close, her hand in Karl’s. She quietly hummed along with the music. Snow was falling in soft, wispy flakes. Colorful stockings outlined in white lights hung from each telephone pole along the road. The quiet and beauty of the night calmed even Karl’s sour mood. Don’t believe in Christmas; too bad for Silas. He didn’t know what he was missing. Tomorrow morning they would go to church and listen to the Christmas story. That afternoon the kids and grandkids would stop by. He loved to watch the grandkids eyes as they opened their presents. Karl was notoriously cheap (frugal, he liked to say) but not when it came to the grandkids. Their wish was his command.

Silas read a chapter in his book before getting ready for bed. After a shower and a good tooth-brushing he headed off to bed. Visions of exploding stars and swirling galaxies filled his head as he drifted off to sleep.

Tomorrow was Saturday.

Arriving home Karl and Kerri watched a little TV. Its A Wonderful Life was on again and they sat on the couch together to watch. When the movie was over the switched off the TV and headed to bed. Kerri put on the nightgown she had bought for herself, elegant and soft, and surprised Karl with a kiss in the hall as he headed to the bedrooms. Karl had visions in his head, and they were of more than sugarplums as he followed her into the bedroom. He left the Christmas tree lit so it would greet them the following morning.

Tomorrow was Christmas day.

UnChurch

I just finished the book UnChristian, following Pagan Christianity a few months ago, and I wonder, can church as I know it ever reach the Busters and Mosaics?

What would that church have to look like? What would be core values?

To battle the perception of the church as antihomosexual a core value would have to be not accepting or rejecting a person due to their sexual orientation. The church would have to be a community that opens it's arms to everyone, understanding that we are all in different places in our faith journey, and providing opportunities for everyone to use their gifts in loving obedience to God.

To battle the perception that the church is judgemental a core value would have to be the ability to accept everyone, working to develop vibrant personal relationships between all of its' members. It's ministries would have to be intentionally multi-generational, fostering relationships between all ages, races, and genders.

To battle the perception that the church is hypocritical a core value would have to be honesty and integrity, modeled in leadership, reinforced in teaching, and expected of everyone. Members would have to be willing to hold themselves accountable to each other.

It would have to be unlike any church I've been to, willing to lay down what it has always seen as "church" in the interest of reaching those for whom Church is a dirty word.

I wonder what it would look like. Would there be sermons, homilies, teaching times, shared teaching? Would there be sacraments, and if so, which and how? Singing? Band? Internet, videos, powerpoint? Where would it meet, a home, a public building, a coffee shop, a sanctuary?

The challenge is huge and somwhate frightening and exciting and stimulating, the goal to create an UnChurch to battle the UnChristian label. And yet if what Kinnaman and Lyons have learned is true, do we truly have a choice?

And Hope Will Never Disappoint

I live in the great state of Michigan, a state where the economic emergency is having it's full affect. It's difficult to read the news every day, wondering if it will all collapse. Are we heading for another depression?

It's New Years Day and Israel and Gaza are lobbing bombs back and forth at each other. The TV shows tanks lined up, ready for an oncoming invasion. Neither side is backing down. Will there be no peace?

AIDS has gone from being a gay disease to an epidemic that is wiping out fathers and mothers from millions of children if Africa. With all of the advance in medicine can't we end this epidemic?

Our young people are leaving the church in droves, finding it irrelevant or unable to satisfy their desire for freedom. Truth is a relevant thing, not a given. Are our children really destined to repeat every mistake we've ever made?

It's enough to drive a man to despair. Yet it's the words of a guy named Paul that bring us light in this darkness. In a letter to the church in Rome he wrote "Suffering produces character, and character perseverance, and perseverance, hope. And hope does not disappoint."

May those be the words of your New Years resolution. Always hope, never be disappointed. Let that hope lead you into the new year in 2009.