Be Still: Psalm 46:10

            I have learned a lot about rest and fun this semester that I have found very useful, especially for my own spiritual life. The best verse that I know for this is from Psalm 46:10:

10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
    I will be exalted among the nations,
    I will be exalted in the earth.”

            This verse says that we need to be still and rest in our knowledge of God's might and glory. At first, this may look like a verse that is only telling us to slow down and take a breather, but there are deeper levels behind what this means. There is more to rest and peace than emptying one's mind. In fact, there is a whole view of prayer, spiritual discipline, and worship  known as contemplative prayer, that is rooted in the heart of this verse, among many others.
            The discipline of rest, both physical and spiritual, recognizes that God is still in control, even when we are not busy bearing fruit in ministry. The "radical" Christian movement posits that we need to use every waking breath and dollar for God's glory. One way I used to argue this point to myself is that there are dying people out there who wish they could live intentionally while we waste the same amount of time doing nothing. The same thing applies for some poor people who would not waste their money on fun or entertainment if they had some. However, if you follow this line of thought out to its logical conclusion, you find that spending any time or money not doing something eternally-minded would be sinful. This would mean no more games, eating food more expensive than a dollar or two, or sleeping more than what is minimally required to function. Of course, you would tell me this would be a horrible idea, but why? What reason would you give me? Would it be a reason that God would give me? You only live once? But, if I only live once (before heaven), then that makes my argument stronger, not weaker. If we have a reason, it should be one that glorifies God, and, heads up, such a reason exists and is shown by the scripture above and below. Now, before I get  into my explanation  let me make it clear that most people struggle with not being intentional enough, (so the "radical" movement has been a major blessing for the American church) but there are many of us, including myself, who have struggled with guilt whenever time or money is wasted for this reason. In fact, much of my current semester in seminary has been growth along these lines.
               When we have fun, it celebrates the fact that God values us more than the fruit that we bear in our ministries. God wants us to understand both that He loves us and that He doesn't need us to accomplish His goals. He wants us to be partners with Him in ministry as well as allow us to enjoy this privilege, but we also see that He values more than the "radical" Christian life. For instance, why does beauty exist if God doesn't care for more than ministry? Fun and Beauty can heal the soul and help it grow. In fact, God says that people who don't enjoy life are wasting it. Look at Ecclesiastes 6:1-6:

1 I have seen another evil under the sun, and it weighs heavily on mankind: 2 God gives some people wealth, possessions and honor, so that they lack nothing their hearts desire, but God does not grant them the ability to enjoy them, and strangers enjoy them instead. This is meaningless, a grievous evil. 3 A man may have a hundred children and live many years; yet no matter how long he lives, if he cannot enjoy his prosperity and does not receive proper burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he. 4 It comes without meaning, it departs in darkness, and in darkness its name is shrouded. 5 Though it never saw the sun or knew anything, it has more rest than does that man— 6 even if he lives a thousand years twice over but fails to enjoy his prosperity. Do not all go to the same place?

         and Ecclesiastes 5:19:

 19 Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God.

          God wants people to enjoy life because it acknowledges that He loves us and that He is actively interested in our lives being happy (as much as I like talking about the superiority of joy to happiness). However, we do not take this to the extreme of the (horrible) Prosperity Gospels that are popular these days and treat God like a self-serving vending machine. One only needs to continue the most recent scripture quote to see this in verse 20:

20 They seldom reflect on the days of their life, because God keeps them occupied with gladness of heart.

            We also know that the call to follow Christ is one that can call us out of our comfort zones, possessions, relationships, and life/career goals. Two such examples are Luke 9:23-25:

23 Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. 25 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self?

          and one of the less known Biblical promises: 2 Timothy 3:12:

12 In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,

          So, there is a level of discernment here. We are called to enjoy ourselves, which is known as the Discipline of Feasting (as opposed to Fasting), but there are many (if not most) who need to learn how to Fast for the kingdom. A fancy word for this is Kenosis: emptying our lives of even morally neutral things in order to make room to spend the freed up time and money on eternal things. So, in conclusion, there is a balance between the two that needs to be discerned through prayer, time in the Word, and discernment with other believers. If you find yourself needing to Feast and recognize God's love and presence here and now, let me suggest the following discipline: This is a chant (if that word scares you, you can make this a song and sing it) that you can repeat as often as you want and can be done alone or in groups:

Be still and know that I am God.
Be still and know that I am.
Be still and know.
Be still.
Be.

Peace of Christ to you,
Simeon Snow

Preach the Word: 2 Timothy 4:2

          One of my favorite sayings is that every day is a ministry in it's own right. A verse that helps bring out what I mean by that is 2 Timothy 4:2:

2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.

          First, let me describe the context of the chapter surrounding this verse. Before this verse, we are given a sense of God's judgement at the end as well as the placement of all actions within the larger narrative of eternity. Afterward, we are told that people will not listen to sound logic for long, but will surround themselves with friends and messages that only confirm what they already believe. Because of eternity and ever-hardening hearts, we are to consider and apply Paul's words to our lives.
           First of all, we are told to preach the word. This is excellent advice in a time when we are looking for the best and latest Christian author, whether John Piper, David Platt, or Donald Miller; we can get swept up in making the message of the Bible so contemporary that we lose touch with the original author: God. The Bible is more than a text book that can be better understood through a Sparks Note (watered down) version that presents the basic ideas of any given book in a series of points and summaries. Instead, the Bible is a living, breathing text that invites us to interact with God on a deeper level rather than assume we have Him pinned down. Check out Hebrews 4:12:

12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

One of the deepest joys of reading the Gospel books (Matt, Mark, Luke, John), in particular is that we can never really pin Jesus down; He's always full of surprises and often says things that we have a hard time fitting into a comfortable box.
         The next thing we are told to do is be prepared in season and out of season. This means that we need to be growing in our relationship with God and in general maturity whether or not we know that people are going to be listening to us speak about our faith, whether as a sermon or as a testimony. God often calls us to speak into people's lives when we aren't expecting it; many times we never find out the impact our words have made. However, if we, as Christians, say that God is eternal, or alive at all times, then that means that God is alive right now and, if we say that God is also at all places, then that means that God is present with you where you are right now. This shouldn't just be an intellectual idea that stays up in the sky and believed only to avoid being a heretic. Instead, these ideas have implications for our every day lives. You may be surprised to learn that God is active with you in your boring work place or when you are having fun, whether working on your budget or watching television. There are various ways that God speaks to and connects with us in everyday life. Also, however, He wants us to attend to what He is saying. By recognizing how God is present in a situation, we choose to delight ourselves in Him and find deeper meaning in all of life. Look at Psalm 37:4:

4 Take delight in the Lord,
    and he will give you the desires of your heart.

          God and eternity being in the every day is more than a matter of enjoyment, however: It is also a matter of responsibility. Consider Deuteronomy 6:6-7:

 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

         We need to be willing and able to have deep conversations about God wherever He may place us and no matter how ready we feel. Our paths will cross with people who are desperately in need of interaction with God that might be difficult for them to cultivate on their own. However, the solution to this isn't to walk around with a curriculum that we want to teach people written on the back of our hand or stuffed away in our pocket: This is dead religion that tries to bear fruit in people's lives whether or not God is present in the moment. The difference with living, breathing ministry is one's own living, breathing relationship with God. This is one of the reasons why it is so important to be paying attention to God in the everyday. For instance, if you are learning about being a better listener, God could act in several ways to use this to bless others: someone might be going through a loss and need to be listened to rather than advised; you might need to be a good steward of your education and make sure to pay attention to what your teachers are saying and allow their words to go deeper inside yourself; you may sense that something is wrong during the day and decide to stop and listen to that feeling rather than assume that it's just a feeling and run on with your day. This is but one of many scenarios where paying attention to your everyday life can open yourself to a move of the Spirit.
         Finally, we are told to teach, rebuke, and encourage with great patience and careful instruction. I see this as speaking to more than full time ministers. These words, especially since they are to the minister named Timothy, could be thought of as only to ministers, but, considering that Paul's admonitions that eternity affects everything we do and that our time is quickly running out, it would be wise to consider that we should consider these words as well. However, how are we to do that if we are not regularly speaking in front of congregations or have the authority given by the title 'Pastor' to speak into people's lives? We do this by discussing what we believe with our Christian brethren and bringing our own spiritual journeys into every day life, whether to the dinner table or as a curious thought brought up on the way to church. Like the Deuteronomy verse I quoted says, we should talk about these things when we sit at home and when we are on the road. Also, look at 1 Timothy 4:16:

16 Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.

          This verse assumes that people will be listening to us and this is an excellent assumption to make. When we live in season and out of season, we assume that we will teach people what we believe whether or not we mean to. Thus, we need to be actively searching out what we do believe about God and what calls He makes upon our lives so that the lessons people take away from time with us will draw them closer in their relationships with God. However, what we learn from the last phrase of 2 Timothy 4:2, "with great patience and careful instruction" should be that we will never be able to control other people. Having a spiritual conversation does not mean that you have automatically made the other person more spiritual or closer to God. What it does mean is that you have been a faithful steward of the blessings that God has given you today. So, in conclusion, meditate on the same verse in a larger context:

 1 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.

Peace of Christ to you,
Simeon Snow

Receiving Children: Mark 9:33-37

          This week's text is from one of Mark's calls to discipleship. It gives us a real window into what the heart of a disciple should look like. Mark 9:33-37 says:

33 They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” 34 But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest.
35 Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.”
36 He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, 37 “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”

          Here, we see an argument erupt among the disciples because they are trying to figure out who the most spiritual disciple is. One can only imagine the criteria that they had laid forth: Understood the most lessons? Most compliments by Jesus? Most popular with the crowds? There doesn't seem to be any solid way of settling the point, so most of the disciples must have imagined that they had some chance at the top spot. After Jesus gives a direct rebuke for their way of thinking, he puts a child in front of them and asks them to receive him because it means the same as receiving Jesus and His Father. So, what does the child have to do with being the very last and servant of all?
          An insight that I've recently gained about this passage is the role of the child in ancient society of Jesus' time. Nowadays, we look at childhood as something to cherish and lavish with love and gifts. Back then, however, children were viewed as non-persons with little value outside of what they could contribute to work. If they ever get in the way of a lesson or meeting, the first thought was to kick them out, without regard for the feelings of the child. Here, in the deepest moments of Jesus' training, the child would seem to be out of place, especially during a moment of rebuke. There is serious work to be done and no one has time for a child. However, Jesus points out that being a good disciple requires receiving children, otherwise known as the non-persons of our own society. So, a more modern interpretation of this passage might have Jesus putting a prisoner or homeless person on his knee and telling us that we must receive them and that we also receive Jesus and His Father when we do so. 
           When we see that even children are supposed to be seen as contributors to our community, we stop worrying about who contributes the most to the bottom line. Value and membership in our churches and social groups should not be based on who has the most to contribute. In fact, how we view contribution should be radically different. God requires us to value people with new eyes. We are no longer to look for the smart, religious, well-dressed or popular people to pay the most attention to in our social settings. This implies that these people are less in need of God's grace or can somehow add value to themselves outside of what God has done for them. When we make time for the social outcast among us, we make a value statement: we accept you because God accepts you. Any lack on your part doesn't take away your value, but is an opportunity for us all to grow in love and compassion.
            This, then, should also reflect on how we value ourselves in addition to other people. Jeremiah 9:23-24 affirms this:

23 This is what the Lord says:
“Let not the wise boast of their wisdom
    or the strong boast of their strength
    or the rich boast of their riches,
24 but let the one who boasts boast about this:
    that they have the understanding to know me,
that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness,
    justice and righteousness on earth,
    for in these I delight,”
declares the Lord.

             We are not to value anyone based off of wisdom, strength, or riches (even if this is spiritual wisdom, strength, or riches). Each person is fully able to contribute to the kingdom of God. This can be seen even more if we look at the Beatitudes in Luke 6:20-26:

 20 Looking at his disciples, he said:
“Blessed are you who are poor,
    for yours is the kingdom of God.
21 Blessed are you who hunger now,
    for you will be satisfied.
Blessed are you who weep now,
    for you will laugh.
22 Blessed are you when people hate you,
    when they exclude you and insult you
    and reject your name as evil,
        because of the Son of Man.
23 “Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets.
24 “But woe to you who are rich,
    for you have already received your comfort.
25 Woe to you who are well fed now,
    for you will go hungry.
Woe to you who laugh now,
    for you will mourn and weep.
26 Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you,
    for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets.

          There is more at play here than just the possession or lack of money. Here, we are seeing God rescuing and valuing the people that society would normally cast away as worthless. Don't be fooled into thinking I'm asking you to do something simple, like volunteering for an hour or two to serve homeless people behind a barricade (as good as that actually is). Instead, the people you see and come into contact with on a daily and weekly basis need to be valued and loved. God calls us to look on the outcasts of our own circles with new eyes of love and acceptance. Let us move forward in God's way.
           In conclusion, let us meditate on Psalm 86:11-13:

 11 Teach me your way, Lord,    that I may rely on your faithfulness;give me an undivided heart,    that I may fear your name.12 I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart;    I will glorify your name forever.13 For great is your love toward me;    you have delivered me from the depths,    from the realm of the dead.

Peace of Christ to you,
Simeon Snow

Mere Words: Proverbs 29:18-19

         Here, I would like to think through a pair of verses that are found in Proverbs 29:18-19. These verses have great thoughts to offer on the use of words in being a leader. They can be helpful, but need to be supported by a more varied leadership style. Not only so, but being a wise influencer of others requires one to think through both one's words and actions. Here is the passage:

18 Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint;
    but blessed is the one who heeds wisdom’s instruction.
19 Servants cannot be corrected by mere words;
    though they understand, they will not respond.

          Like earlier walks through Proverbs, these verses are being interpreted in light of each other, thematically, rather than because the author intended them to be so. They are held in isolation, but let us see what cross-pollinating these plants reveals to us.
          You may have heard the first part of verse 18 before: it tells us that we need to give a clear vision for others to follow. Otherwise, the lack of clear direction will lead several people to make up their own path; it is impossible to follow a lead that one does not understand. However, there is more to that verse: it also says that one is blessed if she follow's wisdom's instruction. Other translations say "keep the law". This means that there is more to being a good follower and a good leader than simply the correct use of words. The passage tells us that words, especially words of revelation, are important. However, if one doesn't have a religious compass to give guidance in the absence of other's clear direction, such as wisdom or the law, there is more to fear than lack of direction. We, as leaders, need to help people use their Christian compasses for themselves. Leaders make bad visions and plans all of the time. Just because there is order and obedience does not mean that the right words are being obeyed. This is what leads me to the next verse.
           In verse 19, we see that servants need more than just words in order to progress or change. Forgive me, but I will use the word "people" instead of "servant" from this point forward since I believe the wisdom of this parable is universal. Why do people not listen to words alone? I think a strong reason would be because the hearer of the words does not know if these are words they should follow. If you look at the servant as disobedient or stubborn, the passage could be read that the person is motivated by self-interest and laziness. However, it does not need to be so. It could also be a lack of trust in the adviser's words. This would naturally stem from a leader who only puts effort into crafting wise words. A true leader helps his followers explore the truth and is a companion on that journey. If we want them to sense our sense of direction, we need to include them in on the decision making and discernment process. This advice is for more than just ministers: Anyone seeking to grow and mature the people around them (which, by the way, should probably include you) needs to consider these insights.
          More verses that speak to this theme are Proverbs 10:19-20:

19 Sin is not ended by multiplying words,
    but the prudent hold their tongues.
20 The tongue of the righteous is choice silver,
    but the heart of the wicked is of little value.

           and Proverbs 12:23:

23 The prudent keep their knowledge to themselves,
    but a fool’s heart blurts out folly.

          Again, these verses emphasize that one cannot help others by simply multiplying his words. The passage from Proverbs 12 even adds onto this by saying that our words are limited, even if all of them are wise. It does not matter if we have all the knowledge and wisdom in the world. Funny enough, we need to speak into people's lives by listening to them and engaging them in dialogue. A lot of wisdom is dialectical, that is, gained through relationship and conversation rather than in teaching alone. The above verses, Proverbs 29:18a and Proverbs 10:19 tell us that there is much value added to people's lives through our tongues. However, this approach needs to be enriched through involvement in people's lives. Even punishment should not be done through a monologue: Good punishment involves the person being corrected in a conversation and, hopefully, is part of a larger dialogue that has been present before and will be present after the punishment. Although we don't assume our words are inerrant, our monologues about our opinions and how people should live their lives prove otherwise. Again, while these can be helpful, we also need to include our ears in the teaching process. We need to step off the soapbox and walk alongside the people we teach with an eye to the Word and an ear to the student. This can be known as mentoring, discipleship, or spiritual direction. Most Christians you engage in relationship with will have heard several sermons by now and not a few have read their share of books. There are plenty of good places where people can be monologued, many times to good effect. This is needed, but people's growth will be stunted if they are not allowed to wrestle with God for themselves. While this can be done alone, we, as mentors, disciplers, and spiritual directors provide a great service and boon to those who seek to know God better just by being present. By being a sounding board and by engaging the student with probing questions, we can foster and mature the seeking process.
Peace of Christ to you,
Simeon Snow

Sanctifying Community: Colossians 2:2-4

          I find the verse for today very surprising; it confirms what I had previously known just from experience, but I never expected to find it so directly put in scripture. Colossians 2:2-4 says:

2 My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments.

           This verse tells us that we can grow in all wisdom, knowledge, and understanding by being engaged in Christian community. I don't just mean growing from a sermon or being enlightened by a particular worship song, though these settings are part of what I have in mind. To be more accurate, I mean any gathering of believers. It says that if we are encouraged in heart and united in love, we grow in understanding. This doesn't mean that we have to listen to a logical message with explicit take-aways. Rather, we can grow in our maturity just by being united with like minded Christians, whether in a house church or a mega church. This is part of a beautiful theme in scripture that points to the direct impact that our companions have upon our character. 1 Corinthians 15:33 says:

33 Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.”

          Also, Proverbs 13:20 says:

 20 Walk with the wise and become wise,
    for a companion of fools suffers harm.

         These verses really ask us to consider who we are spending time with and how they are shaping our relationship with God and our relationships with others. Let us pray for wisdom and discernment about what we should do in our relationships this week.
Peace of Christ to you,
Simeon Snow