All Saints Day

Happy All Saints Day, world.

This holiday is virtually unknown to people. Because of this particular Roman Catholic mass, the holiday we all know as Halloween exists.

On Saturday, I took the bus with to go see my friends Peter and Leslie. On that bus I was with Elvis, The Cheshire Cat, and a Rastafarian. I also ran into a guy who had danced in a musical with Patrick Swayze, but he wasn’t in costume. Seriously though people, he was crazy enough that he should have been. So lets just say…. Halloween brings on a very colorful public transportation experience.

To be honest… I am not a huge fan of Halloween. Instead, I choose to celebrate Reformation Day. This was the day that brought forth the Protestant Reformation in Germany that eventually spread to the rest of Europe. Luther nailed his 95 Theses, a list of grievances against the Roman Catholic Church, that brought forth sweeping reform in Europe. The Bible was translated into common vernacular. The way man understood the Bible changed. With the Word of God in their own hands, people no longer relied on clergy to tell them what Scripture meant. They understood that Christ was their true Great High Priest, and they needed none other to go between them and God. Because of this Reformation, people began to embrace these five principles: Sola Fide, Sola Gratia, Solus Christus,  Sola Scriptura, and Sola Deo Gloria.

People were freed from the bondage of legalism, sin and death by faith in Christ.

You can read Luther’s 95 Theses here and the cry of the Reformers, the Five Solas, here.

Seminary Starts

I guess my last post was a false alarm…. I received an e-mail from my pastor advising me the whole matter was a joke.

Heh, some joke.

Anyway, enough of all of that. Today my darling Scott will begin his first regular seminary courses. I am really excited and proud of him. I have confidence he will walk out of his Master’s degree a smarter, stronger, and sharper Christian.

Also, this whole time thing? We will have to work harder.

Scott and I seem to get along so well because we value the same things in a relationship: communication, loyalty, transparency, time investment. For me, I go beyond thriving on it;  I must admit I covet my partner’s time and attention.

Since we starred our “more than  friends” season of our relationship at the beginning of his summer, Scott and I have had lots of unbudgeted time to devote to one another. With it, we were able to get to know one another and grow closer than some people might be able to in our situation. After a small scheduling issue Saturday, Scott and I realized that our quality time was going to be much less spontaneous and more calculated, more structured. My heart felt a dull ache. I have had to do this before, I share my guy with homework. I KNOW Scott doesn’t want to leave me behind in the dust, but there goes that oh-so-familiar fear of wondering if I am going simply have the leftovers of the time. Once Scott and I were off the phone, I realeased my rush of emotion and shed a few tears. I couldn’t help but wonder when I wasn’t going to need to share Scott.

After my tears were shed, I realized a few things. When Scott is in Seminary, he has homework to do. I want to support him in this process, and it would require some sacrifices. That I understood and really, I desire to do so. As I looked at the road ahead, should the Lord deign we stay together, someday Scott will be in pastoral ministry. At that time, I will be sharing Scott with his congregation. As much as I enjoy the work of the ministry, I don’t want to be married to an absent husband. There is nothing in the world that indicates to me this will be a problem, but I wondered if I would have the “not wanting to share” struggle in the future.

Then it hit me. I am sharing Scott now.

Why, of course. I will always be sharing Scott, for he belongs to the Lord.

Was I willing to share Scott with God? Rather, was I able to accept God’s gift of Scott on God’s terms?

My desire for Scott’s time and attention is  not bad… but it can cross the line of covetousness rather easily. Also, he is not completely mine. So in reflection, Seminary is not going to be just a refining process for Scott… it will be one for me as well. The Christian walk demands conformity to Christ. We don’t have to have His personality or His physical appearance, but the indwelling Holy Spirit  molds us after His character. This process, called sanctification, requires that we figurately put tendencies and desires not after the image of Christ to be put to death.

This too must be cruficied, for not only does Scott belong to the Lord Jesus; so do I.

So hopefully, this Seminary career will teach me not only how to love and desire Scott after the character and example of Christ, but how to love God after the character and example of Christ.

Vacation Blogging Interruption Brought To You By Angela

Upon arriving home from work yesterday afternoon, I found Angela on my Itteh Bitteh Lenovo (aka LENNY). Did she ask me if she could use it? (Oh come on now, you must know the answer to this question, right?) She glanced up, saw me, and hurried off it, apologizing profusely. “I needed to check my e-mail. I had 177 e-mails,” she explained.

I was perplexed. Why so many? Should I even ask? Probably not. But curiousity killed the blonde, so I did.

“Oh, it was reponses from guys on Plenty Of Fish (a dating website, FYI) she responded airily. “I needed to respond to some. Not many of them were cute.”

I should have stopped, but I can’t seem to. Talking to this woman is like watching a trainwreck. You know you should look away, but you can’t. So down the track our conversation went. “Why do you need Plenty of Fish when you and Angel are back together?”

“Oh, he needs his space,” Angela replied. I can’t help but wonder… why does a guy who sees his girlfriend once every two weeks need more space? Wow…

Eventually, Angela’s verbal diarrhea lapsed into work. She told me her new job had a call center in Colorado Springs, and she might try to transfer there in six months, if she is eligble. This would only be two hours from her daughter. Angela said she misses her daughter and wants to be closer. That’s all well and good, but didn’t she just say two months ago that she can barely handle her? A child is not a toy you can toss aside when you get bored. Angela has even already told her daughter she might try to move to Colorado. Way to get you daughter’s hopes up and crush them when you don’t follow through.

Angela also discussed starting technical school again in September. A few days ago, she was considering re-taking driving school then. For a thirty six year old woman, she can’t seem to find a direction or make up her mind. If she moves to Colorado, I will celebrate because I will be rid of her, but she never sticks to a plan or really makes up her mind. She is an unstable person, blown about with every wind.

It makes me thankful that I havr the Solid Rock to stabilize me. Cause really, were it not for Christ, I probably wouldn’t be much different. I am prone to being fickle, impatient, emotional, and impulsive. Christ not only provided my salvation, but my foundation and stability. When life around me is unpredictable, God is unchanging.

In the end, annoyance should instead provoke me to prayer. Please pray for Angela too.

Maranatha’s Ministry

Today is the last night the Maranatha Baptist Church’s youth group is in town. I hope to say goodbye after this and then its off to get Kristin at the airport for our fun-filled weekend. (Utah? You have been warned. The Lucys are here.)

I could tell you all kinds of rambly stories of the fun we had together. It could take forever to document in words all the songs sung, the stories told, the lessons learned, the memories made. Instead, I will show you.

They sang.

They worked.

They taught.

Two childen came to a saving faith in Christ.

They toured and learned.

These kids came here wanting to change lives. What they found was that they were changed by God. This trip was as much for them as it was for us. They walked away with a deeper understanding of how God works in the hearts of man. I was reminded of zeal for evangelism and ministry. Also, it reminded me of why I miss home so much. These kids were friendly, warmhearted, and ready to work. How deeply our society lacks those things!

Maranatha kida, you will be missed!

Next, though, look out for less serious posts. With Kristin coming to town, excessive silliness isahead! Watch out Utah…. the Lucys are being reunited!

Nothing Between

Today I spent several e-mails discussing Christian concepts with a member of another religious view of my own, where the teaching of the priesthood is central in his view. The concept of the priesthood has been reverberating in my own Scripture reading as I just finished Numbers and am now in Deutereomy. I was challenged to think of my own views of priesthood. This song came to mind. I hope you enjoy, then read the Scripture passage below it that inspired this song.

Ok, so what exactly is a priest?

I am going to explain this in the simplest way possible. A priest is one who goes on your behalf before another. In the case of Israel in the time before Christ, it was a member of the tribe of Levi who would offer sacrifices before God to cover sin.It is my belief we no longer need this. Here, have a read of Hebrews 4:14-16:

Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

And why was the sacrifice of Christ on the cross enough to atone for sin? Let’s look at Hebrews 10.

For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect.  For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins. 

 Therefore, when He came into the world, He said:

        “Sacrifice and offering You did not desire,
        But a body You have prepared for Me. 
        In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin
        You had no pleasure. 
        Then I said, “Behold, I have come–
        In the volume of the book it is written of Me–
        To do Your will, O God.”‘

Previously saying, “Sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings, and offerings for sin You did not desire, nor had pleasure in them” (which are offered according to the law), then He said, “Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God.”  He takes away the first that He may establish the second. By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.

Once for all. We don’t continually need to offer Christ as a sacrifice. We do not need a member of our family to be our go-between with God.

Need some more proof? Lets look at Hebrews 10: 19-23

Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.

I hope these Scriptures speak for themself. Not only is faith alone in Christ alone sufficient for my salvation, but it is all the priesthood I need. But seriously, why would I want a man to go forth on my behalf, when I have Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, to act as my Great High Priest? Christ alone, my friends. There is nothing between the Father and I, thanks to the sacrifice of Christ. Solus Christus!