God & Man

It is dark and quiet in the Fisher house this morning. . . I am going to soak up these precious few moments before Erin becomes Mom and spend some time alone with Jesus. I'm not sure how long I'll have, so I'm going to get straight to the point here.

I have been reading a fabulous book called "ReJesus." I absolutely love it. One of the main points the author makes is totally convicting and is transforming the way I view Christ. I'll paraphrase as best I can. . .

Jesus was both God and man. Somehow, miraculously, he was 100% God and simultaneously 100% man. I don't know how that worked exactly, but finding that even balance of Jesus' deity and humanity is crucial to understanding who he really was.

Some of us (as individuals or as congregations) tend to overemphasize one of the aspects of Jesus' character over the other. We focus so greatly on his deity that we lose sight of his humanity, or we make him so human that he no longer holds the place of God. I believe (as does the author) that most Christians in America have done the former.

We have so focused on Jesus' deity that we have forgotten that he was also completely human. This is huge, because each aspect of Jesus' person shapes the way we respond to him. When we focus on Jesus as God the result is adoration. When we focus on Jesus as man the result is imitation. We, as Christians, are called to do both.

When we see Jesus solely as God, then we only have to adore him because we could never be him anyway. We gain a false sense of confidence in our Christian lives because it feels right to simply adore Christ. But the bible teaches all over the place that we are supposed to actually live like Jesus did! Jesus himself said that we could do even greater things than him (Jn 14:12)!!

I long to adore Christ in the deepest parts of my soul, but I also recognize that he lived his life on this earth as a man -and in that capacity I am called to follow in his footsteps.

Today, remember both sides of the person of Jesus and live out both callings of the Christian life.

Adore him, and then go and be him.

We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. The man who says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is
not in him. But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did. 1 John 2:3-6

Like A Child

We really tend to over complicate life sometimes. Personally, I like to analyze life's experiences to the point where absolutely nothing actually makes sense anymore (well, I probably shouldn't say "I like to," because it is a really rather annoying habit that I seem incapable of breaking).

So, after recognizing and admitting that tendency (which is the first step in recovery, yes?) I am trying to find ways of keeping simple what is meant to be simple. One example?

God's love.

There is so much about God that I will never fully understand; never successfully analyze and compartmentalize. But God's love is something that we can all know quite simply to be true. It is unchanging, unfading, and completely unrelated to our own personal consistency in loving Him.

That is awesome, is it not?

Last week we got a new children's bible in the mail. It has silly illustrations and retells many of the bible's great stories in language that children can understand. I was excited for Caleb to have another avenue of learning about the God who became man and walked on this earth to rescue him. What has surprised me, though, is how it has provided an avenue for me to do the same.

Reading a children's bible is kind of like figuring out a Connect-the-Dots puzzle after you've spent 10 weeks laboring over the New York Times Crossword Puzzles. It is a complete change of pace that is refreshing, simple, and yet surprisingly deep. To be completely honest, the author's depiction of God's love after the story of Noah's Ark brought me to tears. . . good tears - you know, the kind that flow out of the pure joy of an overwhelmed and thankful heart.

It has been a crazy few weeks in our home. I think it only felt crazy because we just came back from a week of vacation over Christmas. . . But what I cling to on those days when things are chaotic and I can't catch my breath is the simply profound and eternal love of my Savior.

Jesus loves me, this I know.


Just knowing that this is true brings a peace that passes all understanding, and it gives perspective when life becomes complicated.

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:38-39

Praying that you are soaking up the love of Jesus today and allowing the knowledge of His love to uncomplicate the messes that you face - no matter how complicated they might seem. . .

Exposed

I threw out the entire contents of my makeup bag this morning (including the bag itself). I have never worn tons of makeup, but the contents of that bag have provided a lot of security and comfort on days when I feel slightly less than stellar.

I would really love to tell you that I threw it out on principle alone; that it was my small act of rebellion against the priorities and values of this world. I would love to commit to never wearing makeup again, never worrying more about my physical appearance than the hungry, hurting, and hopeless people in my midst.

I would love that.

But, the truth of the matter is that I have this persistent eye infection that has come back for round two and my makeup bag could very well be hosting this little bug and causing the reinfections to occur. So, wisdom says - throw out the makeup bag and start all over.

The other truth of the matter is that once this infection is gone I will be purchasing new makeup, and I will once again place a small amount of my trust and faith in that makeup to help me feel beautiful when my insides feel like mush. There really isn't anything sinful or wrong with makeup in and of itself, you know.

But in these in between moments, I am kind of excited to be exposed. I am looking forward to spending a little less time in front of the mirror, worrying about superficial, worldly things.

Who needs makeup anyway? We are all beautifully created in the image of our Savior.

So here is a little challenge for the day: go naked. Don't paint your face, worry about the zits, or take any second glances in the mirror. Don't allow the unrealistic expectations of this world to make you crazy. . . You are beautiful just the way you are.

Then, tomorrow, when you inevitably open the makeup bag to miraculously fix all of the fatal flaws on your perfect face, just remember that it was actually kinda ok to be exposed.

Coming Out

We have to admit that there is an immeasurable distance between all that we read in the Bible and the practice of the church and of Christians. This is why I can speak validly of perversion or subversion, for, as I shall show, practice has been the total opposite of what is required of us.
- Jacques Ellul

I have been convicted lately. I'm beginning to feel like my words are more powerful than my life; my verbiage more passionate and Christ-centered than my actions. There is, in other words, a gap between what I say, and what I do. Its not an intentional gap, but it exists none the less.

Mainly, I think I'm pretty good at living like Jesus when it comes to individual and private matters. I'm a great rule-follower (and rule-maker for that matter) and I sincerely love and adore my Savior.

The problem is that when I look at Jesus I see someone who wasn't just about an individual and private faith (the kind of faith that I possess so easily). When I read the Gospels I see not just a good, moral guide but a radical, passionate example of what true life really is. I see what faith looks like when it is applied in all of life's varying circumstances. He created a community; one filled with messy, messed-up, rejected, poor, filthy sinners! He poured out His love and mercy on the people in His midst. And while He did make time to privately, individually connect with His Father - that alone time was just a part (not the crux) of His life on earth!

Honestly, I think I do it because it is easier. Its easier to be moral than compassionate, and its easier to be a good steward than radically generous. But the more that I think about it, the more I see that the easier road is way less fulfilling than the path of Christ.

My resolution this year is to actually live the faith I possess outside of the private boundaries I had previously established. Jesus paints a picture of how hugely important it is for us to be living a real faith in the real world, with real people, who have real needs in Matthew 25. . .

"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you? "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.' "They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?' "He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.' "Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."
Matthew 25:34-46

A Year of Jesus

The coming of the new year has always created within me a strange combination of excitement and disappointment. I tend to wake up on on New Year's Day with the unfortunate realization that not much has actually changed and I am still quite the same person as I was the day before.

Maybe that feeling stems from my tendency to create resolutions that are far beyond my ability to reach with any consistent success. . . I do recognize that its ok to fail, and that creating a resolution is simply putting feet on good intentions, but it is still quite frustrating to be continually reminded that some things just might never change.

I think the other frustrating thing about New Year's resolutions is that they tend to pull all of our focus inward toward ourselves. Our resolutions are about us; how to lose weight or gain weight, how to build up our savings account, find a boyfriend, get a job or get through a whole year without missing one single day of Bible reading.

Not that any of those things are bad. It is good to be healthy and pursue wisdom in how we live our lives. But I think that when the ball drops at midnight there might be something greater for us to imagine. . . I think the journey might get way more exciting if our goals moved from personal development to world change.

Now, I know what you're thinking. If I can't manage to read my bible everyday how on earth do I plan on changing the world? Simple.

My resolution becomes about God's plans for this world and not my own. My goals change from being a better person to living more like Jesus. The results are much the same, but the motivation is completely different. When we long to be molded into the image of Christ rather than simply becoming better people, or focus is usually on God's big picture rather than our own small story.

The greater motivation for changing our lives (and consequently changing the world) comes when we see the hundreds (and thousands and millions!) of people around us who desperately need someone to paint a more accurate picture of Jesus.

So, that is my resolution this year. I want to know Jesus better and be brave enough to actually live like him. It is going to take a whole lot of guts, and it will require some letting go of things I really like. . . But when the countdown begins at the end of 2010, I will be way more excited to look back on a year where I lived recklessly and passionately like Jesus - loving the lepers, giving generously to the poor, and bringing hope and healing to the lost - than I would looking back on a year where I gained 5 lbs, did a devo every morning, and exercised with marginal faithfulness.

That, friends, is my plan for changing the world. Now, I'm just going to have to get on my knees and beg my God to begin by changing me.

Here's to making 2010 one wild and crazy ride. . . are you with me?

Plan B

It is 7:30 on Christmas morning. I'm sipping a delicious cup of Kringle Kreme coffee, watching the blustering wind bend and shake the trees outside, enjoying the twinkling lights of the Christmas tree, and washing the pillow that Caleb just threw up on.

Too much information?

Well, I have to be honest, it seems like holidays are just not in the plan for the Fisher family this year. Over Thanksgiving when Caleb and I were sick, I was so disappointed; frustrated that the wonderful plans we had made were tainted by an unexpected interruption.

This time, I think it is ok. I don't always learn from the lessons God tries to teach me. . . and even when I do I very quickly forget. But over Thanksgiving, I think I actually learned.

I learned that making plans is fine as long as we hold them loosely, because a thousand different things could happen to change them. There is no reason to be disappointed when things don't go our way because quite often in the end, they go better! And even when they don't, there is so much to enjoy and savor - even in the yuck.

Its ok that Caleb is laying in my bed with the throw up bowl on Christmas morning. Santa can come tomorrow, Colorado will be waiting, and the delay of our vacation is just a way of extending our anticipation.

God's ways are better than mine, and I'm glad that my plans don't always come through. All that matters is that Jesus came on this beautiful morning 2,000 years ago to make a way for me. . . a way that nothing - not sickness, sadness, or even death - can hinder, or alter, or interrupt.

I hope no one in this house is sick next Christmas, but if one of us is, I hope I remember to find joy and peace in Jesus, not in plans that have no warranty and no guarantee.

Merry Christmas.

Love from our house to yours. . .

Emmanuel

I remember the day in college when it finally clicked that the God of Universe was living and moving inside of me. I can still feel the instant joy and excitement that totally consumed me when I first understood that truth. . .

Unfortunately, just as easily as I remember that truth, I forget it. I can go through out my day functioning as if this body was totally my own and my choices completely mine to make. Usually I regret most of the choices I make on those days. It isn't a burden to walk with God - it is the most fulfilling and joyful way to live. . . and yet I forget.

What would it have been like to be alive when Jesus came? I definitely have a "grass-is-greener-on-the-other-side" mentality about that. I mean, come on. It must have been so much easier to remember Jesus when he was actually standing next to you, right? Oh, those disciples had it good. . .

Except then I read the bible and see that the disciples were totally confused and clueless most of the time, and I have to admit that if I was alive when Jesus was here I might have actually thrown stones at Him. He wasn't popular. And it certainly wasn't easier.

No, we have it much better now. We have the whole story, and we have this God who came down to rescue us from our sins living inside of us when we trust in Him. We have it good.

We will have moments of spiritual amnesia at different points for the rest of our earthly lives. . . but the more we remember Jesus, the more that we look upon God's face and seek to know Him more and live for Him more fully. . . well, the more we will understand the joy that comes from living out the purpose for which we were created - and the more we will remember.

This Christmas, try to remember that Jesus came for a reason. He had a job to do. It was a rescue mission that has been unparalleled in all of history. He was and is Emmanuel, God with us.

Remember that Jesus is the reason we live, breath, move, and have our being. Jesus is our Savior, our King, our brother, and our friend.

In the chaos of the parties and presents, try to find a quiet moment to thank Jesus for pocketing His God-card and humbling Himself to become a mere man. He did it for you. He did it for love.

Turn your eyes upon Jesus
look full in His wonderful face,
and the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.

Merry Christmas. . . May God bless you, each and every one. . .