Thursday, August 26, 2010

"Danse Macabre"

I came across a college journal of mine today from a writing class I had at Indiana University. It was fascinating to be reminded of who I knew, what was important to me, and what thoughts I deemed significant to record. I sure wasn't a very good writer.

This is an entry from February 25, 1986 about a piece I still love today, called "Danse Macabre" by French composer Camille Saint-Saëns. With today's technology, you can listen to the piece and read about my 19-year-old impressions of it.

Enjoy!

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"Danse Macabre" by Saint-Saëns is eerie and kind of scary, but it is also playful in parts. The crescendo of strings and timpani are wind in a moonlit cemetery. the flutes and xylophone are skeletons dancing among tilted headstones and dead leaves. As the brass instruments sing a forceful melody, louder and stronger, the cymbals crash and the dance intensifies. The, suddenly, the oboe crows the dawn and a solo violin sighs and cries the end of the dance.
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Tuesday, August 24, 2010

U2

During our family vacation this year we visited the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland, OH. We saw Elvis and David Bowie costumes, footage of Woodstock, and some awesome information about the kinds of music that influenced rock and roll back in the day.

The experience we were most excited about was the U2 3D movie. We had no idea what to expect, but it's one band the whole family likes, and a friend of mine had suggested it. She likes them a whole lot.

After a moment or two of grinning at each other with our 3D glasses on, the movie began. We saw a girl running, the sound of her breathing and heartbeat loud in our ears. We heard background noise of cheering and screaming. The anticipation was building. Within minutes, this running girl was joined by what must have been tens of thousands of U2 fans chanting and jumping in anticipation of the concert about to begin.

When the four icons who make up U2 took the stage the noise was deafening. And with those 3D glasses, it really did seem like Bono was leaning right toward me! While I loved watching these talented guys do their thing, what fascinated me was the crowd. The concert was in Buenos Aires, so I'm not sure how many of the audience members spoke English, but they knew every word to every song from every album in the set. They were on each other's shoulders, shouting, eyes closed, hands raised.

They were worshiping.

The realization was astonishing.

Did it just look like worship based on what I've seen in churches I've attended? Were these kids (and I know that makes me sound old, but there weren't a lot of 40-somethings in these shots...) being swept up in the emotion and experience of something larger than themselves? Had they lost themselves in the music? Were they transported to another sense of being? Had the musicians on the stage captured their hearts in such a way that the only thing for them to do was surrender to the encounter with their bodies?

The lyrics of some U2 songs are downright spiritual, and I know some of the band members have a connection to God that fuels their musical creativity. But what or whom were these singing, crying, arm-waving fans worshiping?
And why do documentaries and individuals love to mock the same behavior when it's in church, directed at the Creator of the universe?

The image and the subsequent thoughts have stuck with me for weeks, as I've realized how legitimate a visceral, overwhelming, and spiritual experience worship can be. But the scary thing is that we were meant for that with God and it's so easy to fall into counterfeit worship of things and people.

I'm not suggesting that all the audience members at this concert were idolators, elevating Bono and his crew to the level of gods. I am suggesting that our emotions can get the best of us and we should be careful to be sure we only give our emotions to the best.

That's Jesus, in case I haven't been clear.

He is the only One worthy of our praise, and we can be completely uninhibited in our worship of Him.




Monday, August 23, 2010

What God does or who He is?

I came across this quote in a book I’m reading and it’s stuck with me in the way the Holy Spirit’s conviction does.

We must decide if we are going to put our faith in what God does or in who God is.” (Pete Wilson, “Plan B”)

It’s always a tricky balance, I think. Do I just want a story to tell or do I want an encounter with God? Do I pray for His blessing but miss out on His Presence? Am I disappointed in circumstances or thankful for His comfort and guidance? Am I concerned with God’s will for my life or simply God’s will?

Then, wouldn’t you know it, I was reading my Bible this morning and this story underscored the issue:

9Now for some time a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and amazed all the people of Samaria. He boasted that he was someone great, 10and all the people, both high and low, gave him their attention and exclaimed, "This man is the divine power known as the Great Power." 11They followed him because he had amazed them for a long time with his magic. 12But when they believed Philip as he preached the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. 13Simon himself believed and was baptized. And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles he saw.

14When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. 15When they arrived, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, 16because the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them; they had simply been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. 17Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

18When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money 19and said, "Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit."

20Peter answered: "May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! 21You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God. 22Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord. Perhaps he will forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. 23For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin."

24Then Simon answered, "Pray to the Lord for me so that nothing you have said may happen to me."

25When they had testified and proclaimed the word of the Lord, Peter and John returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many Samaritan villages. (Acts 8:9-25)

It seems that Simon trying to mix his before and after lives instead of dying to his old life and embracing the new life in Christ he’s been offered. Trying to have the best of both worlds, if you will. Maybe he doesn’t fully understand what it is to walk with Christ and know Him and love Him.

Do I?

It’s a powerful reminder that God is God and He Himself is the prize.

He is my portion and He is sufficient.

Instead, I want to live Paul’s philosophy found in Philippians 3:8

“…I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things.”

I pray that I would always seek God’s face and not just His hand in my life.

That He would be real to me in such a way that I am constantly aware of His Presence and power, regardless of my circumstances.

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Preaching or Serving

Do you know what you were born to do? I mean, have you been in the zone, found that sweet spot of activity or service or ministry that you know God wired you for? It’s energizing and effective; you see it around you and can’t wait for the next opportunity to be there.

Conversely have you labored in an area, at work or at church, that drains you and saps your energy so completely that you know it’s no good for anybody else, either?


There are jobs that simply must be done. That’s life. I don’t feel particularly gifted in cooking or pulling weeds or folding laundry, but what kind of a home would we live in if I didn’t do them simply because I’m not thrilled by them? However, if each of us could know what we do best and what we thrive doing, wouldn’t everyone be better off if we leaned into those activities more and merely did damage control in the others, serving where necessary out of love and motivated by a pure heart, keeping the big Kingdom picture in mind?


The books of Acts depicts many scenes of great community living, not the least of which is this passage, describing some amazing Spirit-led delegation:


1In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Grecian Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. 2So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, "It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. 3Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them 4and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word."
5This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. 6They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.
7So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith. (Acts 6:1-7)
What’s going on here?


1. God is already moving among the believers. Disciples were increasing and spiritual growth only happens at the Holy Spirit’s initiative. There is momentum here as lives are being changed because of the gospel. Everyone involved here had the choice to go along for the ride or step out of the way.


2. Legitimate needs were not being met and there was potential for division. Let’s face it, it doesn’t take much to cause factions or ruffled feathers, even among the most spiritual church family. We’ve all heard stories of churches that have split over whether or not people should clap hands during worship, what kind of carpet should be installed, and who should be allowed to teach up front on Sunday. In the case of the early church, widows of non-Jewish background weren’t being fed and they were depending on the community of believers to provide for them. So not only were people going hungry, there was a potential problem between former Jews and Greeks if this issue of disparate caring was not addressed.


3. The original disciples were hesitant to stop preaching the Word of God. The Twelve, as they were known, had been teaching that the awaited Messiah had come, been crucified, and rose from the dead for the forgiveness of our sins, and they were seeing people’s lives changed because the Holy Spirit was convicting and turning hearts. They were very sure that God had called them, as eyewitnesses of Christ’s ministry, to keep doing what He had called and prepared them to do. They recognized the needs of the church, but didn’t think they were the only ones to fulfill them. Not that the tasks at hand were beneath them, they just knew they weren’t called to do them.


4. The Twelve delegated others to choose men to take care of the problem. Verse 3 gives the criteria: These men had to be full of the Holy Spirit and full of wisdom. They didn’t just pick anybody to put on an apron and start serving meals. (Personally, I’ve been to some restaurants where this is the reigning philosophy in hiring and training. Not the best service or attitudes I’ve encountered in my dining experience. But I digress.) They recognized that all ministry – ALL ministry – is led by and empowered by the Holy Spirit so spiritually mature people must be in charge.


5. Once the men were chosen, the leaders laid hands on them and prayed for them. In kingdom work, there are no menial tasks so the leadership in this community took seriously the service that these new ministers were about to undertake. The beginning of a ministry means something and launching people into God’s service can be a powerful and unifying experience for the community of faith.


6. Others were blessed by the efficient delegation of ministries. Look at the results of everyone doing what they were called to do! The number of disciples increased and formerly wayward or ignorant priests fell in line with gospel obedience! Not to mention that the ones preaching would have felt (and truly been) liberated to preach, preach, preach and the widows weren’t hungry anymore. Everybody won in this scenario.


So what does that mean for us? Are any parallels emerging for you yet?


Ultimately, the picture here is of a church dedicated, above all, to the singular purposes of God’s kingdom and His priorities. When there was an issue, someone brought it to the attention of the leaders, and they took care of it before the rumor mill or the momentum of bitterness could begin. Once God’s servants had been given their marching orders, everyone grew and experienced more of God.


When each of us listens to God and uses the gifts He’s given us, the world is changed! I don’t think I’m overstating this point, either. The world may be changed one neighbor or colleague or friend at a time, but neighbors make up cities, and colleagues make up businesses, and friends make up… well, everything!


It starts with listening to God and knowing how He has created us, uniquely, wonderfully, and fearfully. Then we can test the waters of ministry to see exactly where our gifts, skills, and talents can be best put to use for the kingdom. There are few things more invigorating than saying “no” to something because you have already passionately said “yes”. When we are operating with all engines firing, guided by the Holy Spirit, there is no limit to what God will accomplish! Where are you meant to be?




• Read 1 Corinthians 12. Do you see yourself or your gifts described here? If so, how are you using that gift? If not, what steps can you take to discover it?



• What are the purposes and motivation of using our talents, based on 1 Corinthians 12 and this passage from Acts?


• Is it hard for you to tell people “no”? Why? How could understanding this concept of gifts help you?

Monday, August 16, 2010

Conversation With a Soldier

I sat next to an army soldier on my last airline flight and our 4-hour conversation has been stuck in my head ever since, kind of haunting me. One of those incidents that proves God is busy arranging our schedules despite our best efforts to organize them ourselves.


My new friend had just spent 24 hours at home with his mother in St. Louis after 7 months in Afghanistan. He was dressed in uniform and thrilled to be heading to Seattle to spend a few days with friends before going back to his duties in the field for 3 more months. I'd never had the opportunity to spend so much time with an active duty soldier so I must have seemed quite enthusiastic. The image of children rushing into the arms of fathers coming home from war or men in dress blues surprising fiancées or saying good-bye to friends and family in the airports has always brought a lump to my throat, but one-on-one interaction? This was a first.


Our conversation started with how the war is going. It then led to stories, pictures, and even a video on his laptop of an I.E.D. exploding in front of the vehicle they were driving. I got to hear about one particular soldier who has such a knack for doing what he does in the army that he will probably be hard pressed to find a suitable profession back here as a civilian. Turns out he's an excellent killer.


When I told my new friend that I would love to know how I can be praying for him and the 75 men under his command, he was quick to respond with their information and specific prayer requests, which I wrote in my prayer journal. Once he saw the Jesus fish tattoo on my ankle our conversation turned to more spiritual topics. God. Fear. Pornography. Homosexuality. The more we talked, the more our views diverged, but I was fascinated.


He asked me if Jesus were walking the earth today, where did I think He would be spending His time. I told him I thought He'd be holding hands of those dying from AIDS, or feeding homeless guys at the Union Gospel Mission, or having beers with guys in the Rollin' Log Tavern. That answer seemed to please him. You see, my new friend doesn't actually believe in God, but the idea of Jesus hanging out with guys like him was very appealing.


It's appealing to me, too.


And as a girl who sometimes thinks boys are yucky, 75 of them in the middle of the desert without the means to go metrosexual is not my idea of pleasant. But during the entire length of my conversation with this soldier, I kept sensing God's overwhelming love for him and the guys he serves with. And I was overwhelmed with gratitude for what they're doing so I can live such a comfortable and safe life here.


And I wondered if I had represented Jesus well in our conversation.


Or in my life.


He said I seemed like a "genuine person" and "not too judgmental" for a church lady. Should I be glad? Is there more?


I've been praying for those guys for days now, trying to find specific Scripture to pray for them and to get my head around what life is like for them day to day. It's all part of the journey God has me on and I'm learning to embrace it fully as I go.


Friday, August 13, 2010

Coming soon...

I have been on a 4-week vacation with our family and I will be posting lots of thoughts and experiences soon. Stay tuned.....