Prayers for Folks in Washington

What devastating news we continue to hear out of Washington state.  It is hard to fathom how a mountainside could give way with such power that it basically erased a small town from existence.  At the very least 24 people are dead and dozens are still missing. Houses and businesses were completely leveled, cars crushed, people buried.  All of this happened in an instant.  It is hard for us to fathom these kind of images and stories coming within the borders of the United States.  I, at least, tend to think of these sort of natural disasters happening somewhere else in the world.  It is just so incredibly heartbreaking.

In times like these, a lot of people want to know why God allows things like this to happen.  If God is so powerful and so good, then why didn't God hold up that mountainside or keep it from raining so much that this could happen.  For me, it is very difficult to find any kind of satisfying theological explanation of tragic events such as these.  Although it is equally tragic, whenever a human being or human beings does something evil and kills other people it is much easier to explain theologically.  That person or people or nation sinned and their sin caused death and destruction.  We can't blame God for the freely chosen sinful actions of human beings, whether as individuals, groups, or nations.  But what about when people didn't do it? Sure, there are reports coming out that an engineer cautioned years ago that this mountainside could possibly collapse at some point in the future.  If those reports are credible then those who could have done something about it but chose not to are guilty of sin.  However, blaming someone doesn't negate the fact that the side of a mountain simply fell off and buried a town. Why did God create a world that is so fragile?  This is a tough reality to reconcile with traditional Christian faith.  I can't give any sort of definitive answers to this but I do want to shed light on a few things we might be able to learn from this tragedy in Washington state.  Some of them are theological and others are more scientific or sociological. Also, some are frightening and others are encouraging.

1.  No matter how technologically advanced we get, nature is still more powerful than we are and always will be. We are little specks on a big planet, which is a little speck in a big solar system, which is a little speck in a big galaxy, which is a little speck in a big universe. This should be humbling to us and it should instill in us a sense of awe and a healthy fear.

2.  We do live in a "fallen" world, although we may interpret what "fallen" means in a few different ways. What I mean by that is that we live on earth, not in heaven.  Although in Jesus Christ, the Kingdom of God has begun to spread through the world like yeast in bread or seeds on the ground, we still live on an imperfect, often violent, planet.  The Apostle Paul describes this in Romans 8 by saying, "We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains."  What he means by this is that the pain, destruction, and decay that are a part of planet earth pain that is leading toward eventual joy. Paul thought that was going to happen during his lifetime, although as we know it didn't turn out that way. Many scientists think this is just pie in the sky wishful thinking.  Whatever else it is, however, what I call it is hope.  Although some might call me illogical or irrational, I refuse to live without hope.  As Samuel Johnson once said, "Hope is necessary in every condition.  The miseries of poverty, sickness, and captivity, would, without this comfort, be insupportable."  

3.  We should recognize that none of us are guaranteed tomorrow.  James puts it this way: "Come now, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a town and spend a year there, doing business and making money.'  Yet you do not even know what tomorrow will bring.  What is your life?  For you are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.  Instead you ought to say, 'If the Lord wishes, we will live and do this or that'" (4:13-15).  I have always thought it was pretty cheesy and unrealistic when people say, "Live everyday like it is your last."  Well, that just doesn't make any sense to me.  If I lived every day like it was my last I wouldn't go to the gym or eat healthy or go to work or empty the dishwasher or send my kids to school or let my wife walk out the door to go to work or shovel the dog poop in the backyard.  If I lived every day like it was my last nothing would ever get done.  However, I do kind of get what that saying is talking about, and to tell you the truth it really does work in regard to two very important areas of life, actually the two areas of life that Jesus says are the most important: love God and love others.  

Whenever we see horrible tragedies like what happened in Washington, as we mourn for them we should also be drawn to be in right relationship every single day with God and others, especially our families.  I'm about to get Baptist here for a minute, but although I'm a pretty progressive Christian I 100% believe that it is best to get right with God now as opposed to later.  As Paul says, "See, now is the acceptable time; see, now is the day of salvation" (2 Corinthians 6:2).  As Jesus says, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news" (Mark1:15) and "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me" (Luke 9:23).  If you're waiting until tomorrow to get right with God then you're betting all your money on a horse that might not even be in the race.  As Paul says, "We entreat you: be reconciled to God.  For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."  If you haven't already, do this today, right now.

We never know what will happen tomorrow or even later today.  Because of that we should never leave loving words unspoken between us and our families.  Don't let your family members walk out that door or hang up that phone without telling them that you love them.  Don't end a conversation on angry or mean words.  Those may be the last words you speak to that person.  I take this very seriously, and I have for a long time.  I am around death enough that whenever my wife and/or kids go to sleep, whenever they walk out the door, or whenever I walk out the door, I always say something to them that they will cherish in their hearts if I don't come home that day or that I will cherish in my heart if they don't come home.  "I love you... You mean the world to me... I'm proud of you... Have a great day... God bless you."  The only words that you are guaranteed to be able to speak to your loved one are the words you are speaking to them right now. Don't waste those words.

Finally, do not withhold forgiveness and reconciliation from others, whoever they are.  You don't know that you'll have a "someday" to forgive them or to come back into relationship with them.  I'd be a rich man if I had a dollar for every time I've heard someone say something like, "I wish I would have just swallowed my pride and gone to see her.  I had no idea something like this would happen and I'd never have the chance to say I'm sorry [or I forgive you]." Again, today is the day to be reconciled. Tomorrow may not exist for you. That may sound scary and depressing, but it is true. 

4.  Keep trusting in God anyway.  I talked about this one at length in the Lenten Luncheon talk I gave a few weeks ago over at Grace United Methodist Church.  Mature faith keeps trusting even when the valley of the shadow of death is so dark you don't know where to take your next step.  As the prophet Habbakuk wrote thousands of years ago:

Though the fig tree does not blossom,

and no fruit is on the vines;

though the produce of the olive fails,

and the fields yield no food;

though the flock is cut off from the fold,

and there is no heard in the stalls,

yet I will rejoice in the Lord;

I will exult in the God of my salvation.

Illogical?  Possibly.  Wishful thinking?  Could be.  But do you have a better option, a better way to avoid despair, a better way to keep moving forward, a better way to live with hope?  I know that I don't.

5.  The proper response to those who are suffering is not to attempt to explain their suffering, but rather to experience that suffering with them. The word "compassion" literally means "to suffer with." The truth of the matter is that we don't know why this happened. All we know is that they are absolutely devastated and in unimaginable grief.  Because of this, so are we.  We silently walk the road with them.  It didn't happen to us. Therefore it is their difficult path to walk but we can walk it with them by praying for them and hurting with them.  

Sad, sad stuff.  I hate to watch it.  But although we don't understand it, we can still grow in the midst of it.

Grace and Peace,

Everett

Seek and You Shall Find

This past Sunday I preached on John 3:1-17, which was the passage assigned to the second Sunday in Lent in this particular year.  I have learned (the hard way)that when the assigned passage is long that I must pick whatever seems to be the most important theme or verse from that passage and just preach it (using the other verses as context).  There's just not time in one sermon to touch on everything that is covered in seventeen verses.  So this past Sunday I chose to concentrate on John 3:3, "In reply Jesus declared, 'I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.'" (NIV).  The NRSV offers it as "Jesus answered him, 'Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.'"  Regardless of which translation you prefer, they mean the same thing.  Although I usually like the NRSV better, in this case I think the NIV is probably more accurate based on Nicodemus's response in John 3:4, which makes more sense (to me anyway) in response to "again" rather than "from above."

I recognized (and mentioned) that "being born again" is not a phrase that many PC(USA)Presbyterians use or find comfortable.  A lot of that has to do with the cultural-political use of that phrase, but I don't think that is totally it.  I think there are other factors at work as well with many folks in the PC(USA)and other kinds of churches I'm sure.  A lot of us don't like it when we are challenged to understand and embrace the fact that the overwhelming witness of the entire Bible, especially the teachings of our Lord Jesus, say that our faith and discipleship cannot be just one more thing we do.  Our discipleship must be the defining force in our lives.  In all four gospels, along with grace, mercy, and love, Jesus also teaches repentance, costly discipleship, and dying to self.  This is tough for us to hear.  We want Jesus to be our friend we can call up whenever we're available.  But according to the Scriptures that is not the kind of relationship Jesus expects. He expects dedicated discipleship that dedicates all aspects of life to God.

After I preached, someone came to me experiencing some very real spiritual anxiety.  After our conversation I thought about it more and emailed the following response to that person.  I'm much better (and wiser) when I can think for a bit and then write it out.  My sense is that this person is not the only one that left with a bit of anxiety.  I'm not sorry for that, however.  It is my firm belief that the gospel, when faithfully preached, will always comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.  We all need to be challenged in order to grow.  Think of our muscles.  The only way to grow muscles is to rip them a little bit (but not too much).  It is the same with our souls as well.  If I did not preach challenging sermons, none of us would grow past an immature spiritual infancy.  We would simply listen to sermons that merely confirm our own preexisting beliefs and biases without holding them up to the gospel.  I want to share my response to that very sincere person.  I have removed anything that would identify the person.  I do this only because I think it could be helpful to others.  If this is something you're experiencing, just pretend it is addressed to you.


Dear _________

I sense that you are experiencing some spiritual anxiety right now. Last week you said that you wanted to "really, really believe.”  Today you wanted to know what would happen if you hadn’t been born again (or born from above) or regenerated before you die.  I really want to put your mind and your spirit at ease.

First, we have to be careful not to merely equate what Jesus calls “the kingdom of God” with heaven after we die.  The way that Jesus presents the kingdom of God (or kingdom of heaven as he calls it in Matthew) it is not merely heaven somewhere else and sometime later.  The kingdom of God should be equated with life as it exists when God is in charge and things are done God’s way.  This exists perfectly in heaven but through Jesus it has broken into our world. So when Jesus says we must be born again to see the kingdom of God, Jesus isn’t necessarily saying, “You must be born again to go to heaven,” although that is a part of the bigger picture. In essence, Jesus is saying, “You must be born again to experience and participate in life as it exists when God is in charge and things are done God’s way.  This is for now and for later.”  What Jesus calls being “born again” has as much effect on our life now as it does after we die.

Second, we also have to be careful not to limit faith to believing things in our heads.  Faith is really less about believing this and that (although that is important) and much more about trust.  Trust keeps going after belief gives up.  Sometimes I personally have trouble believing some of the things about Jesus.  However, I have come to the point where even if I have trouble believing them now, I still trust God that they are so.  Then I always come back around.  So don’t work so hard trying to convince yourself to believe certain things.  Instead continue to build a relationship with God through Scripture reading (Philippians is a great place to start), through spiritual reading (I can lend you a book), through corporate worship on Sundays, through spiritual conversations (like this one), and through prayer and silence. As you come to trust God more and more, believing won’t be a problem anymore.

Third, I really want you to know that I do not think you need to be anxious.  You are seeking.  You want to know God more.  You want to grow in faith.  This is the number one evidence that you have had a regenerative (born again) experience even if you didn’t have some dramatic conversion.  If it hadn’t happened, you wouldn’t care about knowing God. As I said earlier, John Calvin felt that if you are worried about whether or not it has happened to you that is a great sign that it has.  It is the Holy Spirit that draws us toward God.  So if you are being drawn toward God (which I think you are), the Holy Spirit is working in you.  It is the Spirit that is whispering to you at this time in your life, “Hey, _______, I love you.  Get to know me better.”

The Scriptures promise us, “If… you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul” (Deuteronomy 4:29), “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13), “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened” (Luke 11:9).  You are asking, seeking, and knocking.  That is good.  All this is not so we will go to heaven when die (although we certainly have that hope as well).  All this is so we will love God and loving God is how we see the kingdom of God here and now as well as there and later.

If you only remember one thing from this letter, remember this:

Wanting to love God is a form of loving God. Although you may not be where you wish you were in regard to your faith, the very fact that you know this shows that you are, in fact, on the right path.  Calm your spirit.  Be at peace. Just keep seeking God like you are now and I promise, you’ll continue to find God little by little.

Grace and Peace,

Everett

Our Town is in Trouble

This past Sunday evening I attended a community meeting that was held in the sanctuary of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church.  The reason for the meeting was to discuss a disturbing and terrifying problem that we face in our town and in our county: the rampant use of heroin and other illegal drugs.  The meeting was attended by more than 100 people, many of whom have lost a family member or friend to a heroin overdose in recent years, many of whom have a loved one who is currently addicted to heroin, and many of whom are recovering heroin addicts themselves.  The sheriff and many sheriff’s deputies were also present.

During the two hour meeting, which was organized by a local woman whose daughter is currently in a rehabilitation facility because of her heroin addiction, we heard heartbreaking stories of local people—our neighbors—dying from heroin overdose.  Although I’d seen articles in the paper, I didn’t really start to realize how bad the heroin problem was in town until I spoke with church member and sheriff’s deputy, Bruce Stolsenberg, and he filled me in.  I still didn’t really grasp the magnitude of the problem, however, until I attended the meeting at St. Andrew’s.  Washington Court House and Fayette County are in the midst of an out of control full blown heroin epidemic.  Surely not our little Mayberry of a town, right?  Sorry, folks, this town isn’t Mayberry anymore.  Drugs are way up.  Drug deaths are way up.  Theft is way up.  Child Neglect is way up.  Prostitution is way up.  Our town is in critical condition and just covering our ears and eyes and trying to wish ourselves back to the 1950’s isn’t going to do anything but cost more lives.  To be painfully honest with you, I came away from that meeting very concerned about raising my family in this community.  That’s how pervasive and aggressive this problem is.  It was absolutely terrifying to hear what is going on all over the county, but some of it not very far from the church and manse.  

So what can we do here at First Presbyterian Church?  Ultimately I don’t know what we can do, but I have come up with a few ideas for starters.  Here they are:

   1.    Get your head out of the sand.  Realize that this isn’t just someone else’s problem.  This is your town, your home.  Your kids and grandkids are at high risk of being exposed to heroin and other illegal drugs just by the fact that they live in Fayette County, Ohio.  Also, just because you’re not poor living in a rundown trailer doesn’t mean you or your kids aren’t at risk.  Most of the folks at the meeting came from the middle class.

   2.  Show up at community meetings.  If you aren’t a part of the solution then you are a part of the problem.  Don’t go to these meetings to judge or shame people.  Don’t even go to talk.  Go to listen.  God gave us two ears and only one mouth for a reason.  Hear what your neighbors are going through.  Hear what your kids are exposed to.  Keep a look out for the next meeting, which is supposed to be held at one of the school buildings in early April.  When we find out the date, we need to make a huge effort for every FPC member to be there.

3.  Heroin abuse often begins with the abuse of prescription opiate painkillers.  If you have any painkillers sitting around your house from past surgeries take them to the police department or sheriff’s department as soon as possible.  Do not leave them lying around.  Holding on to them is like holding on to a lit match in a town covered in gasoline.  Get rid of them today.

4.  Build people up.  Tell young people how proud you are of them.  How much of a blessing they are.  Help them set attainable goals.  Take an interest in them.  It came up again and again that people usually start abusing drugs because they feel worthless.  Someone at the meeting said something to the effect of, "There is a dark cloud over this town.  The reason the drug dealers knew they could sell a ton of drugs here is because so many people in this town have no job prospects, no direction, and no hope."  That's the perfect recipe for a drug epidemic.

5.  Pray.  Start today.  Start right now.  Don’t stop.  Pray without ceasing for this county, for this town, for these families, for those who are addicted, for those who are taking it one day at a time trying to stay clean, and pray for the drug dealers.  Pray that the Holy Spirit would break through their frozen hearts and convict them of the evil they are committing and that they would repent, turn themselves in, and give life to others for a change instead of dealing out death.

    

    May God hear our prayers,

    Pastor Everett