God's Promises

Maybe you're a little bit like me in that you find some of God's promises to be particularly exciting.  Or gratifying.  Or comforting.  Or hope instilling.  When we get to know the living God, there are several things that change.  Among them are our perspectives. Let me explain.

In a true relationship with the living God, my perspective changes regarding who I am.  I begin to see the limitations of my power and ability, and the ugly truths about my sinful nature.  You might say that I start to get a reality check.

In a true relationship with the living God, my perspective about who God is also changes.  I begin to know His nature and His character.  Having intellectual knowledge about such things as the fact that God never, ever changes ... helps me to understand how God thinks about my perspectives, my circumstances and even my relationship with Him.  Again though, it is a reality check.

In a true relationship with the living God, my perspective about life in general changes radically.  Having no fear and not being intimidated by the challenges and strife of the modern world, I learn to be at peace regardless of what my circumstances would suggest.  I have more confidence in the promises of God. 

I'm reading through the Bible right now, start to finish.  Slogging through the Old Testament can be a bit challenging.  I mean it's hard to stay engaged when it parts of it can seem so abstract to my current reality.  But I see the nature of God.  And it encourages me greatly.

This morning I was reading in Ezekiel.  God had disciplined Israel for its flagrant and continuing sin and rebellion.  But given that Israel's suffering had achieved its purpose (to move Israel to repentance), God had something to say about how life would be now.  Look at what He has to say to the Israelites about what their lives will be like.

"I will show how holy My great name is.  And when I reveal My holiness through you ... then the nations will know that I am the Lord.  Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean.  Your filth will be washed away, and you will no longer worship idols.  And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you.  I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.  And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regualtions.  And you will be my people, and I will be your God.  I will cleanse you of your filthy behavior ... the ruins will be rebuilt ... and everyone will know that I am the Lord."  - Ezekiel 36:22-38

So did you catch all that?  Look at God's words.  He acknowledges my sinful nature, my disgusting thoughts, my hardened heart, and my filthy behavior.  But He boldly announces my cleansing.  He casts a vision for me that is filled with hope ... and even wonder.  The ruins of my life will be rebuilt in a manner that will let everyone know that He is the Lord and that He is my Lord.

I have to tell you, I don't think it could be any more exciting than that.  I actually find myself feeling sorry for people who "grew up in church" or who never had an amazing conversion experience.  Jesus said that people who have been forgiven much tend to be the most grateful people.  I definitely fit into that category.

I've been forgiven so much.  I've been forgiven more than most people.  And I know it.  It compels me to live for Him each day.  It compels me to break into song nearly every day, praising the name of God. 

There are people who meander through this life without God.  They call themselves atheists or agnostics.  Honestly, I don't know how they do it.  If I didn't have God and His wonderful promises, along with His transforming power, embracing love and magnificent strength ... well I shudder to think what my life might be like.

When we know how saved we are - when we know how forgiven we are - we can embrace who He's made us to be.  We will be His people and He will be our God.  And because of that, the whole world will know that He is the Lord.

Oh, praise Him!  Oh, praise Him!

God Hates Haiti?

Millions of Christians and Muslims debate whether adherents of the two faiths worship the same god. Lately, I’ve been wondering if I worship the same god as some other Christians. For example, take Pat Robertson. Please.

On his television program this week, the reverend and onetime U.S. presidential candidate discussed the devastating earthquake that leveled much of Haiti, leaving tens of thousands of people dead and many more injured.

“Something happened a long time ago in Haiti, and people might not want to talk about,” Robertson said. “They were under the heel of the French—you know Napoleon the third and whatever. And they got together and swore a pact to the devil. They said, ‘We will serve you if you will get us free from the prince.’ True story. And so the devil said, ‘OK, it’s a deal.’ And they kicked the French out. The Haitians revolted and got something—themselves free. But ever since, they have been cursed by one thing after another.”

Was Robertson telling the truth? Here are historical facts: The Haitian Revolution, led by slaves, took place from 1791 to 1804. The region, Saint-Dominique, was a French colony. The rebellion broke out in the aftermath of the French Revolution, which advanced the philosophy that all human beings are endowed with God-given rights. As the slaves launched their revolt, some of them turned to the only god they knew, seeking blessings in a ceremony led by Dutty Boukman, a Voudo (voodoo) priest.

Implications of the Haitian Revolution were enormous. The revolt eliminated slavery on Hispaniola, the island where Haiti is located. Haiti became the first democracy in Latin America, and democracy spread throughout the region. The revolution even strengthened the United States, because it led to the Louisiana Purchase, through which our country bought what became 13 states west of the Mississippi River for $15 million—or 3 cents per acre.

So, according to Robertson, God continues to “curse” Haitians in 2010 because their ancestors—impoverished slaves, yearning to breathe free—turned to the only god they knew anything about, leaning on beliefs that sprung from African animist folk religion. God drops buildings on children because of an event that took place 219 years ago. Oh, yeah, and back then, God took the side of slaveholders instead of slaves. And that same God plays favorites, allowing the United States to close the best real estate deal in history while punishing the Haitians for the very act that made the real estate deal possible.

That’s a god with which I’m not familiar.

Maybe Pat Robertson worships a made up version of the Old Testament God, remembering parts of verses, such as, “God stores up a man’s punishment for his sons,” (Job 21:19) or “The fathers eat sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge” (Ezekiel 18:2). But those verses don’t even reflect the God of the Old Testament, who forsook the notion that people are punished for the sins of others (Jeremiah 31:30, Ezekiel 18:4). So it would seem that Pat Robertson is simply making up his own god and loosely basing it on the real God who is.

Fortunately, I—and millions of Christians like me—worship God who loves, suffers and weeps with the poor. And since Haitians are among the poorest on Earth, we’re confident God’s divine heart breaks for them, as do ours. Many Haitians have turned to Christ and now worship this true God of love as well. This is not a god who directs natural disasters to afflict the innocent. This is not a god who holds 200-year-old grudges. This is the God whose wrath kindles against the arrogance and mean judgmentalism of the proudly religious, like Robertson, but melts with the tears of Haitians.

Heaven only knows how much damage is done by the theological regurgitation of Robertson. But now, the rest of us must bestow Christ’s love upon Haiti. It's simply too bad that Pat Robertson isn't willing to love the Haitian people like the real God, our heavenly Father, commands us to.

Influential People

Have you ever noticed that certain people come into and out of our lives throughout our lives ... and they seem to have wildly different levels of impact on us. There are many people in my life. Many of them have been there in the past too. I suppose hundreds, at least.

But as I look at them, I notice something peculiar. It seems that only a handful of them fall into some category that I think differently about. They are different from the hundreds. The impact they made on my life is different than even family could have had. I wonder if I've ever really taken the time to consider why that is.

To be sure, I think very fondly of them. In some respects, these were people who gave me hope. I made a list of these people this week. I was surprised at the length of the list. It's relatively short. And I was surprised at the criteria - the common theme.

They were among the many people who've taken the time to get to know me. But they did it differently than everyone else I've ever known. It's as if they singled me out ... to make an investment in me.

I think they took a risk on me. They made a bet on me. They could have lost big time. But they didn't. They gave me grace (i.e., unmerited favor) --- but it paid off for them. Let me share a couple of them with you.

Leah Johnston was my English teacher in the 8th grade. I'd had a very difficult time in 7th grade and was an emotional mess. She saw something in me though. I was selected to step out of her class twice a week to go and tutor second graders in reading. It made me feel special. It gave me hope. In years past, more than once I've said Mrs. Johnston probably saved my life. If it weren't for her giving me some hope, I suspect I would have continued to spiral badly downward.

Fred Terwilliger was my boss at a Chrysler dealership. I had wanted to try my hand at selling cars. I got a job with a high volume dealer, totally botched it and got fired. But Fred took a risk on me. He took me under his wing, hired me, mentored me, humored me and helped me learn to have some confidence in my own abilities. He used to call me "Herbie." I've never been sure why. But I will always fondly recall Fred. He could have called me anything he wanted to.

Daniel McBride was one of my customers at the Chrysler dealership. He was an old man, in a wheel chair. He'd been successful and I believed him to be wealthy at the time. He must have bought three cars from me in the course of a year. I look back and wonder if his kids didn't think him a bit cynical squandering that money on new cars. But he would have me bring the cars to his house. I would sit in his living room and ask him questions about life. My own father had died when I was quite young - so I had a lot of questions. I was a simple car salesman, but Mr. McBride took a chance and invested in me. It was 1977 --- and I still remember him for that.

Terry King was my boss at a mortgage company in Houston. I had moved there with no job. I was desperate. He had no job for me, except for an opening for a typist. But he let me take the typing test, hired me, and I ended up with a solid career in that industry. In the few short years I worked for him, he had to tell me to dress better, coach me on how to handle myself, and mentor me in several unusual ways. (I was pretty clueless!) I tracked him down in San Francisco last October. I hadn't seen him since 1984. We spent a couple hours talking and I thanked him for giving me such a wonderful start in life. I will forever be grateful.

Are you starting to see the pattern here? Ordinary people. Ordinary encounters. But extraordinary results. To be fair, these are not the only people who've cared about me, invested in me, taken a chance on me or tried to give me hope or mentor me. So why are they different? There about 8 of them in total. Most of them were in a position of authority over me. But they used it in extraordinary ways.

I'm still noodling on this and trying to comprehend what God has been doing in my life. I'm beginning to suspect that among the dozens of people God has used to minister to me over the years, these eight were "special agents" of His handiwork with me. I'm so grateful for that. And it makes me wonder if He might be using me as a "special agent" of His handiwork in someone else!