Interruptions in Heaven or God's Biggest Fans

First, in order for you to “buy this” I think I may need to point out some things about Heaven which you may not have thought of before. Do you realize our longest and most detailed view into Heaven is during what is perhaps the most important ceremony to have ever taken place? It is the revealing of The Lamb that was Slain and the opening of the seals which only He could open, it is “The End Times,” which are just that “times” that are temporary.

Now think for a moment about the most important ceremonies which go on in your church, for instance weddings or funerals, if someone were to only be present during those times would they have an accurate picture of what your church normally is? Would they not likely come away thinking it's rather formal or somber rather than a mixture of formal, somber, joyful, fellowshiping, and all the other circumstances which happen in your church's walls?

Keeping the above in mind, now read the rest.

I watched a recent interview of Taylor Swift. As she came out from the back and then periodically throughout the interview the cameras would pan the audience. In this video and in others I have seen throughout the years of different stars, I was utterly amazed that anyone can get so excited merely to be in the presence of another human being that, in reality, they don't even know. To have one of your biggest wishes to be that famous person just touch your hand or (gasp!) give you a hug; to have one of the things you want most in to have a picture made with this person standing next to you.

You've been around those types of people, those people whose excitement is infectious; who though they may not quite convince you to show as much enthusiasm as they, still cause you to show more than you ever would otherwise. If nothing else you smile at their antics and their delight. Their delight in seeing a friend's baby for the first time, of seeing a long-lost loved one, of going on a trip, to a concert of their favorite band, or even going to a place you've gone with them a hundred times before.

Though a small part of you may think they're ridiculous and silly, you still may cherish a memory where you caused that excitement in them, when you made it to the luggage area and where gathered in their arms or when they saw your first child and they seemed to really realize it was the most perfect baby in the world (unlike some other friends and family). One of my very favorite memories is from an “overly” enthusiastic greeting that I received from one of my best friends in college after she first saw me after break; she caught sight of me as I came around a corner, ran to me and almost knocked me over by jumping into my arms.

Some of us, when we get to Heaven, are quite likely going to fall down on our faces before the throne or at the very least hang our heads a little bit, because we can't quite accept that we're allowed to look into the face of God, need reminded we're perfect enough to actually be in the presence of Perfection. Likely, it will be Christ who approaches us and gently lifts us up, or raises our chin and looks us in the eyes with a smile on his face to assure us that we are, in fact, wearing his perfection and that it has become our own.

Then there will be the other type. The type who in death, as in life, have enthusiastically embraced their newness, who truly know they are perfect in Christ. I believe this type will burst into the Throne Room, oblivious to all the solemnity and almost bowl Christ over in their embrace. I suspect that the first few times this occurs after a more somber soul has just recently arrived, there is a sense of shock until they realize that this approach to Christ is just as perfect as their own.

Now, I know that some of you may have a hard time buying into this interruption thing but, if you allow yourself to think about it, can you really imagine Peter or Mary Magdalene first greeting Jesus in any other way? On earth Peter threw himself out of a boat (in his excitement maybe he briefly thought he would again be able to walk on water) in order to get to Jesus sooner and Mary wouldn't stop clinging to her Lord when she first saw him.

I can see Peter running towards Christ yelling, “I made it! Thanks to you I made it!” and Mary embracing and maybe even kissing Jesus (in a purer way than we can even understand before we are given new bodies not made of flesh) saying, “Now you have ascended, is there any reason now I cannot cling to you to show my thanks and love?”

If you still do not believe in these interruptions which I fancy sometimes happen, perhaps my last thoughts will convince you. Have you had anyone in your life who, though grown, has the mind of a child? Who has held onto a child's enthusiasm? Who never developed past a certain point? Have you seen their excitement when they successfully tie their shoes or button all their buttons all by themselves? Or finish a race (and it doesn't matter what place they come in)? Do you really think these innocents will care for propriety when they see something beyond their wildest dreams? See the one who created them and are finally able to understand how he has used their “imperfections” to make them into exactly who he wanted them to be and how their differentness help to shape so many others in their lives for the better? Do you think they will hang their head? No, they will probably shout “I'm here, look at me!” and demand high fives of the Heavenly Host on their rush to their Heavenly Father's throne.

Speaking of innocents. What of those children who knew no real family on earth, who left life early because of neglect or war or famine? While on this earth Christ said, “Let the children come to me for Heaven belongs to such as these.” Will he not say the same in Heaven? When one of those young souls are welcomed home, will his lap not be waiting? I think those starved souls will see Him seated and know exactly what he wants, for it is part of what they were created to want, to be loved and touched and cherished.

Yes, I believe Heaven is about worship and praise. Yes, Christ and his Father are more majestic than anything we can begin to imagine, more awe-inspiring than our minds can now comprehend. But also our God is Love and we are reminded again and again that we are the Bride of Christ. The Church's relationship to Christ is compared to the relationship of a husband and wife and I firmly believe that we are called to try to work on and perfect our relationships here because they can better teach us how to relate to our Creator and will allow us to have a better relationship not only here but also There.

I do not think I will run into Christ's arms or run to hug my Father's knees but I do not think I will be too shocked when I see some of my Family do those very things. Then I will know some of God's biggest and most enthusiastic fans have just walked or rather ran through Heaven's door.

Life and the Significance of Creating Earth

In my last post I spoke of our life on earth and how its significance pales when compared with the life that is to come and, in a way it does, but it may also be that our brief time here might be the most important part. Just think, something about our experiences here are so significant and worthwhile that God was willing to risk our eternal soul in order for us to have these earthly experiences.

He could have (and did in the form of angels and other heavenly beings) simply made us purely spiritual beings, could have skipped earth and just had us in Heaven (that's not to say that we couldn't have still rebelled, obviously some of the angels did, but I think our rebellion would have been less likely and maybe the angels rebellion as well). But he created earth and, though he may not have originally created it with death, decay, and temporariness, he knew it would become such. He knew that our bodies would break down, knew they were fallible, and the world we live in breakable but he was willing to risk it, risk us because there is something here which we can gain.

I won't pretend to know what that gain is, but I will attempt to guess. First, maybe it was just so the God-head could enact the ultimate display of love through the life and death of the Son on earth. If the world had never been created, if the eternal Heaven was all there ever was, God could tell his creatures “this is how much I love you, I would become temporal, fallible, breakable, 'temptable.' I would be broken for you, allow you to tear my heart to pieces, and then offer to save you. I would be a sacrifice for your sake” and it would be no less true than it is now, but in acting that out on this little ole earth I think it changed something about reality, about how heavenly creatures view the God they worship and creates a relationship for us to God that otherwise would be impossible (and I'm not just talking about how that Gesture solved our fallenness).

A life here on earth also perhaps allows us to appreciate certain aspects of God which we would not find as awe-inspiring had we not experienced decay, fallenness, the breaking down of all around us, and pain. Perhaps through our seeing so much imperfection, we will better be able to see perfection.

The Triumphal Procession

We, as Christians, are like those being lead in a triumphal procession as the ones who were defeated, who should be hanging our heads, only to discover that through our surrender and defeat, we have been granted a freedom that is far beyond what we had before; a victory greater than any defeat we endured. 

As we progress in our procession our clothes slowly change. The old cord about our waist becomes a Belt of Truth, the rags draped around our shoulders become a Breastplate of Righteousness, our tired feet feel as if they have wings of Readiness, on one hand our manacle becomes a Shield of Faith, and the other turns into the Sword of the Spirit, our bowed head momentarily falls a little lower with the added weight, but then we realize our shame has been replaced with the Helmet of Salvation. We look around us in wonder to discover that we, the conquered, the broken have become the Conquerors and, instead of being sentenced to a life of crushing slavery, we have been elected Ambassadors of our Conquering King. With this armor thus in place we must remember that we do not fight our fellow man, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” As well as all our other clothing and armor, we must remember to also clothe ourselves with “compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” 

Those once corrupted with Darkness become a Shining Light to the world and through all our attire aforementioned we reflect the Glory of our King.

Why an Eternal Worship Service Wouldn't Be Too Bad

Some people don't necessarily want to go to Heaven because they think it is going to be an eternal worship service with everyone saying “Holy, Holy, Holy” over and over and over again and then over again and again. Personally, I think there's going to be more to it than that. But, if there's not, I do not think that worship will ever grow boring and here is why.

I believe every beautiful thing you have ever seen, every majestic sight, everything truly wonderful thing you have experienced is merely a small manifestation of God for he has revealed a portion of himself in those things. Take the all of creation, all of its complexity, its beauty and its wonder, they are but echoes of what make up God. This is the Being upon whom you will be looking. To forever look at his face is to forever see new and different aspects of beauty, of power, of glory. We will not be singing “Holy, Holy, Holy” in English or any other earthly language, but rather learn the “real word,” that sound which most truly expresses the sentiment of “HOLY” and, knowing that word and gazing at God we shall say “Holy” over and over again because each moment gazing at Him is a moment in which we are better learning how perfectly that word fits Him. We will roll the word around in our mouth as if savoring a good wine, thinking, “this is what Holy means and who it is truly referring to.” We will say “Holy,” “Perfect,” “Pure,” Majestic,” “Merciful,” and so many other words because as we learn those True words we will see them personified before our eyes and will not be able to help but say them. God is the seemingly ever changing and truly unchanging God, he will forever seem to be new and changing because of his vastness, his splendor, and majesty.

If we “have to" forever stand, kneel, and fall before God, I do not think our spirits will mind, for that is what they were created to do, to worship God while in his presence, gazing upon his beautiful and loving face.  

God's Justified Egocentrism and How it is a Manifestation of His Love

Think back on your life, to when you were small. When you weren't being selfish, you wanted to share with those you cared about. If you were eating something good, you wanted to share it with your mom. If you were watching your favorite cartoon, you wanted your dad to watch it too. You wanted to share that flower you found, that rock, that bugger out of your nose. Because sharing something you thought was wonderful is what you did with those you loved. As you got older this trend continued. You shared your favorite music with your friends, your favorite shows, your special spot, your favorite game. When you had a significant other, if you experienced something wonderful, discovered something beautiful, you likely wanted to share it with that person. You wanted to share the beauty of the sunset, the wonder of the stars, the vastness of the Grand Canyon or the delight of New York. 

We wish to share the best things with those we love. We wish for them to feel the joy, happiness, bliss, and delight that we experienced when we encountered those special things. Now think of God, he is the Being from which all of those truly wonderful things you want to share streamed from, they flowed out of him and had their origin in his nature. He's the best thing around, the most beautiful, the most perfect, the most wonderful and oh so many other things. So, because he loves us, he seeks to share himself, he seeks to show himself to us, he desires to bring us into Heaven so we can look upon his face. Everything we have delighted in sharing with those we love are derived from him. Yes, he may be egocentric, but it's because it is really all about him, revolves around him, streams from him, comes back to him. He asks us to look at him not because he is selfish or vain but rather because he loves us and he knows that, truly, there is nothing else we would rather see, nothing else we could delight in more, he shares himself with us because that is the best he has to offer and it is far better than anything we ever attempted to share with those we love...except perhaps seeking to share him as he has shared himself with us.

Asking Questions and Speculations About Heaven

I know some people aren't comfortable with speculating concerning religion, heaven, God, etc. (I'm thinking about some particular people at my church:), but I read C.S. Lewis as I grew up and probably 70% of his theological works are speculations based on logic and ponderings, struggles and faith. I grew up loving the Psalms, where questions abound and Psalmists aren't even opposed to yelling at God and they yell some pretty strong things, but you know what? God preserved those questions for us.

In things relating to salvation, yeah, it's dangerous territory to start speculating but in terms of relating to God, I honestly think, more than anything, he is amused by our speculations of him as a Father or Mother would be assumed at the speculations of their young children. I think if he didn't want us to ponder him and who he is, he would have only given us the Word and not also revealed so much of himself in the world around us and through our interactions with other human beings.

In terms of what heaven will be like, in the end I don't think it really matters, we will all be wrong, because what awaits us is beyond imagining, is beyond our comprehension. I take the Bible's physical descriptions of heaven "with a grain of salt" because, personally, I don't think jewels are very pretty and I am not impressed by gold. I think what was trying to be conveyed is that it is a place of beauty beyond compare, where there is no want or squalor...and so much more.

With that preface, on to more speculating.

I have often heard people say, "When I get to heaven I'm going to ask...," but it seems like the persons intent is to ask it right then, right when they get through the gate or even when they're standing in line at the door. If you read the Psalms, you God is comfortable with questions, he doesn't always answer them, but David asked a lot and he was called a man after God's own heart.

We are going to be an eternity in heaven, a "time" so long that it ceases to be measured. I think there will be time enough for every question and that we will hear every other persons questions and that we will be encouraged to ask more questions and have innumerable questions answered without even asking. Why? Because through our questions we will understand God more fully, through others questions we will understand him even more fully, and to understand God more fully is to better be able to praise him, because we will better understand why he is to be praised. I think heaven is partly going to be a show and tell of how God worked in your life (what you understand of his work before your questions and even more after your questions have been answered).

I think one of the experiences of heaven is going to be looking back at our life through the eyes, maybe not of God (because even our "indestructible" souls would probably explode or something), but through the eyes of heaven. I think we will see how everything effected everything and everyone else, how everything was connected together. I think at first we will be consumed with an almost overwhelming sadness, for we will see all the opportunities lost, all the good deeds prepared for us that were left undone. Now, before you tell me, "There's no tears in heaven," let me finish. I think we will then be be shown the picture more fully, that things will be pointed out that we didn't notice at first glace. I think we will be shown how God "has caused all things to work for the good of those who love him," how God managed to take our feeble attempts when we tried our best and caused everything to work out beautifully, to realize he made our individual imperfections into a whole that is perfection.

So keep on saving up your questions and, when we get there, don't be scared to ask...but maybe wait awhile, merely gazing at the face of God will probably answer thousands of questions we never knew to ask.

Also, try to look at your life and the lives of those around you through the eyes of heaven. Try to think, "How is God going to use that in the picture?" "How is God going to use that aspect of that persons life for the ultimate good?"

Maybe sometime soon I'll make everyone nervous by devoting a post to trying to describe God, but I think this is enough speculating for now. :)

P.S. I think if I do have a "crown" it's going to be made of something living with leaves and flowers incorporated in...and maybe have a hummingbird nest on it as well. Whatever it is, it will match me better than I could ever match it myself and yours will match you.

The Word That Never Came

I wrote this a few years ago for another blog. As I was re-reading it before I used it for a Lord Supper talk this past Sunday, I realized the ideas for it were strongly inspired by a skit I was a part of at Bible camp years ago. I don't know the name of the skit or who wrote it...so that's the best I can do in giving credit.

The Angel Michael stands in readiness with legions of angels flanking him and standing at his back. At any moment they expect the word, they are constantly on edge, leaning forward in their strain to hear, in case it is said in a whisper. They heard their Master crying, in so much pain he seemed to be sweating drops of blood. They do not understand his words to the Father, do not know what horrid thing Christ will face which causes him to say, “Not my will be done, but yours.” Michael cannot stand to see his Lord in such pain by himself, the Lord’s silly disciples are asleep instead of attending to the task Christ set them, so Michael comes to his side and reminds him he is not alone. “Whatever needs done, we can help you, you know what strength each of us has.” Christ looks to Michael with pain in his eyes, knowing he must face this task alone, but thankful for the comfort Michael has tried to offer.

Christ returns to his disciples, they are asleep, again. He rouses them and points to the torches coming up the road, to the mob coming through the shadows. Christ asks whom the mob seeks, they answer and Christ says, “I am he.” They fall to the ground from the power of his words, but foolishly still want to take him. Michael smiles and readies himself when he sees Peter draw his sword, now Christ will give the word. Instead all Peter’s clumsy attempt produces is a loss of an ear and, to Michael and all others amazement, Christ heals the injured man and allows himself to be taken.

All the humans who are with Jesus do not understand and flee; where is the warrior king they were expecting? Why is the Messiah going quietly? Even the angels do not know the plan, but instead of fleeing they surround their Lord more closely until he silently tells them to retreat a little and stand their ground, for his captors are losing their nerve. The captors do not see the angels but can feel their suffocating power.

A man, a mere puny man dares to call his Lord a blasphemer so Michael raises his sword to deal a killing blow, thinking, “Surely he will now give us the word.” Instead, Christ simply stands there as the supposed priests strike the King and spit in his face. One of the angels meekly asks, “Do you think he somehow lost his ability to speak?” not believing his Lord would allow this to happen to himself.

The nightmare of a night continues, the angels, of course, not growing weary but some of these ancient, almost timeless beings begin for the first time in their existence to feel impatient, as their Lord undergoes more accusations. Some begin to doubt the wisdom of God, why did he decide to become a being limited in power anyway, a creature who can be broken, hurt, and killed?

An angel yells to Christ as Christ is being beaten, “We are still here, can you not talk? Why Lord, why are you allowing them to do this? Just give us a sign.” Ending with a desperate, almost helpless voice, “We are still here…we are ready to stop all this.” But the Master of all still does not stop the blows and torture. And still the nightmare continues, more mocking, more accusations, more misunderstanding on mans part and the angels and finally, heresy of heresies, a sentence of death on the most innocent man who has ever walked the earth.

The Lord is forced to carry his own cross and falls beneath its weight. A tear slides down Michael’s face, the angels are crying at seeing their Lord so weak, knowing full well how strong he could be if he would only summon the power into himself. They are crying because he seems so alone, yes, they are standing all around, but the humans, the foolish humans whom Christ came to save are treating their Messiah as a thing of utmost contempt.

The nail is posed above Christ’s hand and Michael yells to his legions in a voice which shakes the sun, “All ready now, the word must come, has to come.” The hammer strikes, again and again, on to the other hand and a nail through the feet…still no word comes. The universe looks dark to the angels eyes, everything seems wrong, as if wrong has finally won, as if the Traitor has somehow cheated God and has finally gotten his way.

Michael and his legions surround the hill, keeping the sniveling, snickering demons away from the angels Lord. Michael looks into the the face of the devil and sees the smile on his face, his sneer thinking he has finally won. The sky seems to match the devil’s mood, for it seems the very sun has forsaken the sky and darkness appears to reign over the light. Michael’s face is grim but he says, “It isn’t over yet, we are only waiting for the word and all this will stop, then you will not be smiling anymore.”

Twice now the Lord has spoken and were it not for the lightening reflexes of the angels the universe would be no more, for when they saw his mouth begin to open the angels began to make their move, only to stop themselves and hear with disbelief the words which came from their Lord, words of forgiveness instead of a command.

Final words come from the Lord’s mouth, “It is finished.” The angels see that life has left the Savior’s body. “What is finished?!,” all their throats yell with a voice so filled with grief, confusion and power that it rips the world in half.

Michael hangs his head and says to his army in tones of sadness and shame which makes creation tremble, “Somehow we have failed.”

If only our Savior would have yelled or whispered to the waiting angels, “Now!,” the world would have stopped, the skies would have melted and the ones who were crucifying our Lord would have turned to dust before the angels fury…but that word did not come, Christ did not stop it all and God did not destroy the world because of the monstrosities committed against his Son that day. Instead, Christ died, taking our sins, our guilt for every sin we have ever committed upon his shoulders in hopes that we would look at that act of love and be won by it to an everlasting life spent with the Father and the Son.

Of course I do not really know what Michael or the other angels were really feeling, but even if they did know the plan (which God seems to like to have some mystery about him, so maybe they did not know), they must have felt helpless. Even with all their power, they could not take away the pain Christ was experiencing, they were not allowed to strike down the ones who were mocking the One they loved. The gift of Christ’s life which he gave, the gift which allows us to be born clean and pure into eternity, did not only cost Christ and God. It also cost the angels the pain they felt, and the women's pain who loved Christ with their all, and the men's pain who had put all their hope in Him. Happily, the seeds of their pain lead to more joy than the universe can contain, to a realized dream of God’s that will one day unite angels and man before His throne, to live forever sharing with each other the portion of God which they understand better than any other being because of the experiences they have had. And what an amazing dream that is.

An Explanation for Soulmates, Kindred Spirits, and Opposites Attracting

God is the totality of goodness, a more complete person than any human could ever be, encompassing all (good) aspects of what makes up personalities. What if our soulmate, our kindred spirit are those whose souls contain the same echoes of God, those same aspects of God that he instilled in our own soul? Our soul sees the same reflection of God in another as we see in ourselves and delights in the familiarity, bonds together because they are made of the same stuff. What if the reason why opposites sometimes attract is because we recognize those aspects of God in another that we are lacking in ourselves and we are seeking a complement, so that by joining our souls we can be made more whole, more fully understand the God we seek to know?

This can be a good thing. In soulmates and kindred spirits we find an understanding heart, someone we can relate to close to perfectly, who views the world as we do, and looks towards heaven with similar eyes. With our opposites we can learn more about the world, we can become more intimate with aspects of God with which we are very unfamiliar, our souls can become more rounded.

It can also be a bad thing.

Without God or with minds shut to his guidance, kindred spirits can unite with ours and determine that the rest of the world is weird or strange, we can convince each other God is just so and nothing else, we can focus together on some aspects of God and not realize there are others that we are completely ignoring.

Without God, when opposites attract, it may be that we are seeking to make ourselves more whole, more rounded, to fill a hole that we cannot fill because it is different and other than our self. But though with God this person can help make us more whole, can help to round us, can help to fill the hole inside us that we do not fully understand; without Him the pieces just won't fit, they may eventually jar and clash together because we each cannot understand why we're both still so incomplete.

Maybe “soulmate” should not only pertain to the kindred spirit types, maybe a mated soul can be an opposite. Kindred souls you can lay one on top of another and they will match, they're hard to distinguish as more than one soul so, in that sense, they are one. Opposite souls you put side by side and they help to fill in each others gaps, you look at them and see a completeness, in that sense, the two make up a one. As a lover, a spouse, I think there would be advantages and disadvantages to both, each would help you grow in different ways, each would challenge you in different ways.

In friendship, I think it is important to have both types, those you can comfortably blend with and those who help to fill in your gaps.

P.S. I know people are never fully kindred spirits or fully opposite spirits, no matter what there will always be little parts that do not match up...with whatever type you are matching.

"Our Father is Younger Than We" or How God is Like a Child

The following is one of my very favorite quotes:

A child kicks its legs rhythmically through excess, not absence, of life. Because children have abounding vitality, because they are in spirit fierce and free, therefore they want things repeated and unchanged. They always say, “Do it again”; and the grown-up person does it again until he is nearly dead. For grown-up people are not strong enough to exult in monotony. But perhaps God is strong enough… It is possible that God says every morning, “Do it again,” to the sun; and every evening, “Do it again,” to the moon. It may not be automatic necessity that makes all daisies alike: it may be that God makes every daisy separately, but has never got tired of making them. It may be that He has the eternal appetite of infancy; for we have sinned and grown old, and our Father is younger than we.

• G.K. Chesterton, Orthodoxy

I have no idea where I first came across it, I know it was years ago and, at various times since then, the line “for we have sinned and grown old, and our Father is younger than we” passes through my mind. I really have no concept of time (with the exception of being on time for things, normally early), days, months, years, they don't mean much to me. Part of this is because I have a very horrible memory, so I think I live in the present more than most. Because of this poor sense of time, in some ways I feel ageless but there is another part of me that for a very long time has felt so very old. I remember the first time I read the Lord of the Rings and Legolas first ventured into Fangorn Forest and said something like “This forest is old, it almost makes me feel young again,” a part of me longed to walk there, for I wanted to feel young again, too. Perhaps it is sin that ages our souls, I can see how sin would make them feel worn out, weary, and old. Yes, souls are made of immortal stuff, but sin is the most corrupting thing in the universe and souls weren't meant to rust by it.

I also love the idea of God making “every daisy separately,” the idea that perhaps he paints each sunrise in the morning and the setting sun at night, sculpts each snail shell from the inside out. Children thrive on routine, on familiarity, on “doing it again,” but they also have a great sense of wonder, a love for the new, novel, and surprises; they have to, so many things are “firsts” each day of their life. Well, I think God is also childlike in this sense, he may paint the sky every morning and evening, but he never paints it the same way twice. He may follow a template when fashioning a snowflake, but each is a little different. He may shape each human in a basic human shape, but each of us are unique in uncountable ways. God may be all-knowing but maybe, just maybe, one reason he created us is because he hopes to be surprised. Maybe this explains “God's Hope in Man” that I talked about in a past blog post (on another blog, I'll repost it to this one sometime soon). He gives us the resources to reshape the universe and he's hoping we'll take up the spade and start digging, building, tearing down, and making new.

My Response to “Marriage Isn't For You”

I'll freely admit, I've always been a hopeless romantic, just ask the girls I wrote poems and letters to oh so long ago. The first time I read the Marriage Isn't For You post, I read through it with a smile on my face, but then before I hit the “share” button, I thought about it some and read it again. After reading through it again something didn't sit just right with me, but I didn't realize what it was until I had read through a bunch of the comments (I don't recommend reading through the comments of anything that has gone viral, it can make you start questioning the sanity and decency of humanity).

All one comment said was, “Marriage is for God,” yeah, this is true, but without expounding, no one knows what the crap you're talking about. Another comment was fairly long but they wrapped it by saying, “God is happiest when we are happiest.” And that caused me to realize what didn't feel right about the post, my “hang-up” word was “happy.”

I went to the Bible to try and learn God's purpose for marriage and, if you simply read Paul's reasons, it's actually a little depressing for a hopeless romantic. Basically, Paul encourages people to stay single, but if they can't control their “passions,” they should marry as a way of having a righteous way of dealing with sexual urges. Well, that's not very romantic and if that's the only reason someone is marrying me, then I think I'll pass. So I went back further, to the verses where God talks about creating Eve. God said “it is not good that the man should be alone” so he paraded every creature in front of Adam that he might name them; even after that, God didn't think their was anything suitable to be a companion for man, to be his “helper” (which the word “helper” here is used elsewhere as a term referring to God as our helper, it is a term of honor). A cat or dog wouldn't do away with man's being alone; even though God walked in the garden with Adam, that didn't take care of Adam being “alone.” So God created Eve to be his companion and to chase away his loneliness.

I think God creates some people with a longing for companionship (an aspect of this being physical intimacy) which cannot be fully filled, while in this flesh, by God or anything else. Maybe it is a weakness, maybe it is better to stay single, if you can, so you can more fully devote yourself to God; but God has his writers again and again compare the relationship between Christ and those he has saved to the marriage relationship. In other words, God thinks marriage is something beautiful that can exemplify aspects of Christ's love as no other thing can.

Why did I get hung-up on the word “happy?” Because I don't think it dives deep enough. First I'll say, maybe the author of the post did intend a deeper meaning, but the commenter I spoke of did not. I'm not sure where and when this idea that what God wants most for us is for us to be happy slipped in, but it's wrong. Christ promised us peace and joy, but he also promised trials and persecutions to those that would follow him.

This next thought was influenced by C.S. Lewis and one of my Bible professors in college, but I think it is also implied in the Bible, “Count it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete...” James 1:4. The idea is that this world is a schoolroom in which our souls are shaped into beings better suited to heaven, better suited to see God and praise him. C.S. Lewis and many others think suffering is one of God's greatest tools in this shaping (that's not to say he is always the cause of the suffering, only that he uses it).

In one of those poems I wrote when I was young, I spoke about wanting to shield the girl from all pain but of also wanting her to grow, so instead of promising to shield her (which is an impossible promise anyway), I promised to be with her through her pain, to walk beside her.

So why do I think we should marry? To fulfill a longing only another human can fill, and to fill that longing in them. To paint a picture to the world of what Christ's love for his church is. An addition to this painting can be made through having children and your love relationship with them, but if you can't/don't have kids, just focus on making your painting the most beautiful it can be.

Through all of our experiences I think we have the potential to learn aspects of God we could otherwise not learn, that we will one day share with one another once at our heavenly home. If you stay single and Christ is your sole lover, you will learn aspects a married person will not learn. If you marry, through that relationship, you will learn aspects of God's love you would learn no other way. Through having children, you would learn other things. And on and on, in all parts of our life.

So, I'm sorry, dear, wherever and whomever you are, but my primary goal is not to make you happy. A teacher once shared with me that when Paul said,”Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her...” what he was saying is that I should live and love towards you in such a way that will make you whole and perfect, so that your soul is better suited to heaven, so that by the time I'm done loving you on this earth, you will be an even more beautiful bride for Christ. My primary goal is to walk beside you, whatever emotions you are feeling, no matter how dark the trial is. I cannot and will not shield you from all pain, but I will experience it with you, try to see the light in the darkness with you, even if it takes years and years and even if we still have to search for it in heaven. I hope we laugh a lot with each other, cause joy to spill from one another's hearts and faces. I will try to love you in such way that makes you more beautiful than you are, more ready for heaven. I hope you will do the same for me.

All that to say, marriage is a tiny bit for me, a little bit for being a light to the world, mostly for you, and all for God.

The Innocence and Purity of God and Those Who Can Truly See It

This, and probably other posts in the future, are pure speculation. They aren't based on any Scripture but are rather shaped by my view of God, what I know of him, and, perhaps, a little by my overactive imagination. When I've written different things in the past, I've been a little nervous that people will think me a heretic, and yet, I write. I figure if I am too far wrong someone will, hopefully lovingly, correct me. :)

I don't know how God will manifest himself in Heaven, I lean towards thinking that he won't be one single being seated on a throne in front of us all the time, but rather sometimes will be multiple (somethings?) so he can be more personal with those he has gone through so much effort to save. If he is simply always seated on a throne in front of us, with us in constant praise, I think that will be enough, but that is a post for another time. In this post I want to talk about babies and those with developmental issues. I've been wanting to write this for a few days, but during the lesson tonight, my dad said, “If you stop to think about it, there's going to be a lot of babies in heaven,” which caused me to want to write it more. Why? Because it's about what I think those babies are doing when they get there, when they get Home.

When babies go to Heaven, when those who are developmentally challenged go to heaven, those who are innocent and pure; when they see God, I think there is a squeal or yell of delight and a rush to hug God's knees or jump into his arms. Why? Because their soul sees an echo of themselves in God's soul, actually more than an echo, they see that upon which their soul is based, that which their innocence and purity is an echo of. If they made it to earth, if they lived here for a time, and their eyes had sight to see, all adults are but a shadow of that innocence and purity which God's soul radiates like the sun. They can look into the face of God, with eyes unclouded by any type of fear, and see themselves most reflected back. They recognize God because they can know in a way, that will perhaps take us an eternity to learn, that he and they are one, they are copies of him. They will look at him with the delight of a child, as only a human child can delight, and he will look back at them with equal or even more delight in his eyes.

I think children and those who are developmentally challenged will see God in a way that they will have to teach us, for their purity and innocence was never marred by sin and filth. I know we are fully purified by Christ's blood, I know we are made new, but I still think they will have lessons to teach us.

That's not to say their way of seeing God is better or more perfect, because I think our experiences here on earth, our joys, sufferings, loves, and struggles with hate and other things, will allows us to see aspects of God in ways that I'm not sure we will ever be able to truly teach those innocents, especially those whom have only known the perfection of heaven. But this is covered in a blog I did a couple years ago, so I'll dig that up, improve it, and share it, for this was not the primary thought of this post.

I know we will all be joyous in Heaven, but I think that all the children there, children in age and children in thought, might just have us beat by a few degrees in terms of expressing that joy, for they will fully recognize their Abba as they first look upon his smiling face.

I'm a little disappointed by this, I can't convey how wonderful I think it will first be when children see him, the joy I think will radiate off their faces. Just try to picture it and Someday it will be more than imaginings.

A Communion Thought

I did the devotional thought for Communion on Sunday, I thought I'd share on here what I shared then. I originally wrote it for a Communion thought I did in Ukraine in 2009.

When I am thinking and praying as I take the Lord's Supper each week I do not always just think about Christ's death and resurrection; but also sometimes think of the life he lived and remember the fact that he did live a life in the flesh on this earth.

We serve an Almighty God and, though he knows everything, sometimes, when we are suffering, we may be tempted to think he does not know what we are going through and that he cannot know how we feel because he has never experienced it. But as well as coming to earth for the obvious reason of saving us, I also think Christ lived a life in the flesh for this reason, so that when we cry to him and say God cannot not know how we feel, he can whisper gently back to us that he does, for he has felt it, too.

While on this earth Christ actually dwelt among us, the Son of God lived day by day feeling sometimes hungry and sometimes cold, feeling the hard ground beneath his back as he slept in the wilderness and the warmth of the sun on his face in the morning. And he did not live in a palace while here, being served by humanity, but was born to a somewhat poor family and continued to live in poverty his whole life, even when he could have charged so much money for the thousands he healed.

While Christ was here he was tempted and tried; he was doubted and ridiculed by the very ones he loved; he was made fun of and called names which where lies; he was shunned and rejected by the very nation of people who should have recognized him as their Savior; and then, then the most innocent man to have ever walked the earth was beaten because of jealously and died a lawbreaker's death because he was hated by those who claimed to serve his Father most faithfully.

The most pure Being to ever walk the earth took the sin and filth of those hypocrites upon himself, he took our guilt and failings upon himself. And as Paul says in 2 Corinthians, he who had no sin became sin for us. We serve a God who was not only willing to die to save us but was also willing to live to save us, to dwell among us for a time so that by seeing Christ and his actions, we might see the Father. So that through seeing Christ' blood, sweat, and tears and hearing his words of love, we could see the kind of God we serve and the type of God we are loved by. Finally, he lived here in the flesh so that we may look at his life and see how God wishes for us to live and love and strive to serve him.