The Joy of Glory

Discovering endless joy in the boundless glory of God…

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February 2, 2014

Dear Faith Family of SVCC

*Today, at our annual family meeting, I breifly reflected on many things that happened among our SVCC faith family during 2013.  Below are the thoughts I shared in the form of a letter.

Dear Faith Family of SVCC,

_DSC0152It is difficult to express everything that I feel in my heart about 2013. I think the greatest analogy that comes to mind is that of childbirth…after all, my third little one, Talitha, entered the world this past year. Through that miracle of life I have found myself reflecting again and again on the joy that comes through pain.

Perhaps that is the best way I can describe 2013…it has been a year of joy amidst pain. In our own home we experienced quite a scare through the birth of Talitha as Holly dealt with some serious after-effects of the birth. Our daughter Charis was diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder and our parenting challenges seem new every morning. My brother and his bride moved overseas. And there are various other challenges I will not mention…I do not want this to sound like a list of complaints. It is not.

Amidst all the pain, and I know many of you have endured much greater this year, we have seen the faithfulness of God again and again. He never left us as Holly struggled through birth complications, He is ever present in our parenting and Charis is a constant reminder of his grace, and I praise him daily that my brother and sister-in-law have followed his leading to take the gospel wherever he leads. Without fail, there is joy amidst pain for he is amidst the pain!

IMG_2232At SVCC this year we have experienced pain. I have sat with some of you before surgeries or beside hospital beds and prayed. Some of you have seen loved ones make the transition from this life to the next. There are some which have been hurt by those who they trusted. Many of you have allowed me to see and know you amidst your pain and you have shared in mine…and it has been beautiful for I have seen your joy.

Even when some have felt like there was no joy to be found, I have watched others gather around them and pray for them, fight for them, hold on to them. There have been relationships healed, children born, adoptions granted…both physical and spiritual. We have seen many come to Christ, be baptized and grow in him. Amidst all the pain there has been extreme joy because Jesus is always amidst our pain!

IMG_2233Of course there have been some practical, external things that we are thankful for in 2013. We’ve partnered with Common Thread Community to open a studio, there are nearly 50 musicians involved in the worship ministry, and John-Mark joined us as our worship leader. The women’s ministry had their largest retreat, there are college students coming out our ears, we’re setting up chairs fairly regularly, and there are two new community groups. The youth have grown, I have parents sending me Facebook messages like this, “Is youth group happening tonight…I just need to check because it is my daughter’s favorite part of her week.” The children’s ministry is the same, especially with interact, this past fall we saw our kids really engage through prayer (evidenced by the prayer walls).  We’ve also prayed over Ashford Taylor as she heads to Spain, Carley O’Neal to Australia, and Emily Echevarria to India. All of these things are awesome…massive blessings…but they are only happening by the grace of God!

Any success here is not in how large retreats are or how many chairs we set out…we do not boast in numbers (that’s why we don’t really count them), we do not boast in anything but Jesus…and the only reason I list all of those things is to say…Jesus is at work.  Amidst pain, through pain, we see him at work and we rejoice!

Nothing has increased my faith more this year than seeing you praise amidst pain. I’m not trying to make it sound like this year has been all pain…it hasn’t, but many times you can hear from a church leader and it just sounds like life is totally awesome all the time and that’s not reality. We have had pain this year, but you have praised amidst it all and that shows the world the glory of Jesus unlike anything else!

Praise amidst pain magnifies the majesty of Jesus!

Let’s keep magnifying Jesus! No matter what comes our way in 2014! No matter if the year is awesome or awful, let us be full of awe! No matter if it feels like we are being showered with blessings or if it feels like we are being beaten down by a deluge of suffering…Jesus is with us amidst any storm and he can walk on any amount of water!  Let’s trust him and praise him and make him known to the nations.

I love you all. May his grace be with us,

Jonathan

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January 28, 2014

Meditating on My Mortality

Resolved, to think much on all occasions of my own dying, and of the common circumstances which attend death. – Jonathan Edwards 

Do you ever think about dying? On the whole scale, I think our culture tends to ignore death as much as possible.

We idolize youth and do all we can to maintain looking young! We dye our hair, change our clothes, and even have surgical procedures to disguise the onsetting displays of our mortality.

Why do we do this?  Or…an even deeper question…what does living like this do to us?

284912-graveyard-1319926148-334-640x480I firmly believe that if we live in denial of death, we will not truly be living at all.

I think that is what Jonathan Edwards was getting at in his resolution to meditate on his own mortality. It wasn’t that Edwards was absurdly morbid or wanted to be depressed all the time…no…quite the opposite! He wanted to live fully, and he believed this could only be done (and would only be done) if one were constantly aware of the fact that their life could end at any moment!

Edwards wanted to ingrain into his everyday thinking the commonality of death and that his own would come in a common, most likely, unannounced way.  And, he was not the only person to think in this manner. Many pastors and theologians of old would keep a skull on their desk to daily remind themselves of their inevitable end.  In some way, they apparently found this to be both a helpful and wise practice.

mortalityThis seems so strange to us, but in my own experience I have found this to be extremely freeing and powerful, which is what I think Edwards intended.

I actually talk about my own death often with my wife, Holly, and early on in our relationship she found it to be quite disturbing…but over the years I think she has grown more accustomed to my meditations on mortality and seen what I mean when I say that God uses such reflections to fill my heart with freedom and power.

I feel freed from false priorities. There are so many things that seem so important until you focus on the reality of death. This has a way of rearranging and reorganizing your priorities and it nearly kills your pettiness altogether.

I feel freed from anxiety. There are so many things that I worry about which have no eternal significance. Meditating on my mortality helps me to keep these things in perspective and approach accomplishing them out of a sense of freedom…not fear.

I feel freed from self-importance. It is so easy to have an inflated view of myself. Instead of seeing that I am a part of God’s grand story, I tend to see him as a part of mine. Death has a way of crushing such a perspective. When I think of “great people” in Scripture and how commonly their deaths are reported…it is really humbling. Great people, used in great ways…and in a verse they are gone and the story goes on, because the story is ultimately not about them, but about God! Thinking about my death helps me keep that perspective…it helps me have a right view of God and of myself.

I feel empowered to live. I don’t live each day in a hazy false reality of supposed immortality. No. I live each moment to it’s fullest knowing that it could be my last (or at least this is my goal). Such a perspective does not negate living responsibly and wisely. However, it does free us from many false notions of responsibility and wisdom that are really nothing more than fear. To think often about my death doesn’t depress me, it empowers me to live life fully while I still live.

I feel empowered to love. Each moment I have with people is a precious gift from God and I want to love deeply. Mortality has a way of minimizing the things my kids do to annoy me…it has a way of making my arguments with my bride seem so trivial…and in place of my pettiness, meditating on death has a way of awakening new depths of love within my heart for these amazing people that I did not even know possible.  Thinking about the brevity of life helps me to get over silly little things that so often steal time and energy from my relationships. It empowers me to love.

I feel empowered to laugh at death. If you are still thinking this all sounds way too morbid…consider this with me for just a moment. The real reason reflecting on death is a positive experience for me is because it has been conquered by Christ. Death is not natural! There is a reason we don’t like it and don’t like to think about it…we were not created for it! We were created for eternal-joy-filled living in relationship with God. Death is an unnatural interruption. Yet, Christ has conquered death…it has no victory for the Christian. So I can laugh at death, because it cannot even do to me what it is designed to do! Death is supposed to end life, but for the Christian…death transfers us from life to life. We move into the presence of God…into eternal life. Death cannot even deliver death anymore! The joke is on death and we get the last laugh! Therefore, meditating on my mortality helps me to live life to the fullest now, knowing that true life can never be taken from me!

So I am resolved to mediate on my mortality…for only in light of the fact of death can I truly, fully live.

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December 31, 2013

290 Year-Old Resolutions

ResolutionIt’s that time of year…the end of the year…you know…when everybody makes resolutions.

Now I am not knocking the idea of resolve! Resolve can be a good and godly thing. We should resolve to live our lives in the power of the Holy Spirit unto the glory of God! Yet, most of the time our resolutions are centered around our own desires like losing weight, eating right, watching less TV, or quitting a nasty habit.

All of those are worthwhile pursuits and we are right to approach them with a certain amount of resolve…but my question is do we approach our relationship with the living God with more resolve or even the same amount of resolve?

The most popular new year resolutions concern pursing better physical fitness. While that is important, it cannot hold a candle to the pursuit of holiness (see endnote for clarification).

1 Timothy 4:8
…while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.

If we yearly resolve to pursue temporal, physical benefits, should we not resolve with even more tenacity to pursue the eternal, spiritual riches of Christ-likness!

To help me focus my resolve in the right direction each year…I have developed a little tradition. On New Year’s Eve, I read The Resolutions of Jonathan Edwards.

Jonathan-Edwards-BannerAll you may know of Edwards is some limited exposure to his sermon Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God from a high school literature class, but that is a poor picture of the Puritan Preacher (and likely was taken out of context when explained in your class…as it was in mine).

Jonathan Edwards has had a profound impact upon my life and his resolutions continue to challenge me year after year. He wrote them 290 years ago (1723) when he was only 19 years old and he made it a habit to read them weekly. I’m doing good to read them once a year. I have copied them below in full and plan to pick out a few throughout the month of January and blog my reflections.

If you have the time, I would encourage you to read them in full. The language is a bit antiquated and can be difficult, but it is worth reading slowly and thinking through each resolution. I pray they will challenge you as they do me.

The Resolutions of Jonathan Edwards

Being sensible that I am unable to do any thing without God’s help, I do humbly entreat him, by his grace, to enable me to keep these Resolutions, so far as they are agreeable to his will, for Christ’s sake.

1. Resolved, that I will do whatsoever I think to be most to God’s glory, and my own good, profit and pleasure, in the whole of my duration, without any consideration of the time, whether now, or never so many myriad’s of ages hence. Resolved to do whatever I think to be my duty and most for the good and advantage of mankind in general. Resolved to do this, whatever difficulties I meet with, how many and how great soever.

2. Resolved, to be continually endeavoring to find out some new invention and contrivance to promote the aforementioned things.

3. Resolved, if ever I shall fall and grow dull, so as to neglect to keep any part of these Resolutions, to repent of all I can remember, when I come to myself again.

4. Resolved, never to do any manner of thing, whether in soul or body, less or more, but what tends to the glory of God; nor be, nor suffer it, if I can avoid it.

5. Resolved, never to lose one moment of time; but improve it the most profitable way I possibly can.

6. Resolved, to live with all my might, while I do live.

7. Resolved, never to do anything, which I should be afraid to do, if it were the last hour of my life.

8. Resolved, to act, in all respects, both speaking and doing, as if nobody had been so vile as I, and as if I had committed the same sins, or had the same infirmities or failings as others; and that I will let the knowledge of their failings promote nothing but shame in myself, and prove only an occasion of my confessing my own sins and misery to God.

9. Resolved, to think much on all occasions of my own dying, and of the common circumstances which attend death.

10. Resolved, when I feel pain, to think of the pains of martyrdom, and of hell.

11. Resolved, when I think of any theorem in divinity to be solved, immediately to do what I can towards solving it, if circumstances don’t hinder.

12. Resolved, if I take delight in it as a gratification of pride, or vanity, or on any such account, immediately to throw it by.

13. Resolved, to be endeavoring to find out fit objects of charity and liberality.

14. Resolved, never to do anything out of revenge.

15. Resolved, never to suffer the least motions of anger to irrational beings.

16. Resolved, never to speak evil of anyone, so that it shall tend to his dishonor, more or less, upon no account except for some real good.

17. Resolved, that I will live so as I shall wish I had done when I come to die.

18. Resolved, to live so at all times, as I think is best in my devout frames, and when I have clearest notions of things of the gospel, and another world.

19. Resolved, never to do anything, which I should be afraid to do, if I expected it would not be above an hour, before I should hear the last trump.

20. Resolved, to maintain the strictest temperance in eating and drinking.

21. Resolved, never to do anything, which if I should see in another, I should count a just occasion to despise him for, or to think any way the more meanly of him.

22. Resolved, to endeavor to obtain for myself as much happiness, in the other world, as I possibly can, with all the power; might, vigor, and vehemence, yea violence, I am capable of, or can bring myself to exert, in any way that can be thought of.

23. Resolved, frequently to take some deliberate action, which seems most unlikely to be done, for the glory of God, and trace it back to the original intention, designs and ends of it; and if I find it not to be for God’s glory, to repute it as a breach of the 4th Resolution.

24. Resolved, whenever I do any conspicuously evil action, to trace it back, till I come to the original cause; and then both carefully endeavor to do so no more, and to fight and pray with all my might against the original of it.

25. Resolved, to examine carefully, and constantly, what that one thing in me is, which causes me in the least to doubt of the love of God; and to direct all my forces against it.

26. Resolved, to cast away such things, as I find do abate my assurance.

27. Resolved, never willfully to omit anything, except the omission be for the glory of God; and frequently to examine my omissions.

28. Resolved, to study the Scriptures so steadily, constantly and frequently, as that I may find, and plainly perceive myself to grow in the knowledge of the same.

29. Resolved, never to count that a prayer, nor to let that pass as a prayer, nor that as a petition of a prayer, which is so made, that I cannot hope that God will answer it; nor that as a confession, which I cannot hope God will accept.

30. Resolved, to strive to my utmost every week to be brought higher in religion, and to a higher exercise of grace, than I was the week before.

31. Resolved, never to say anything at all against anybody, but when it is perfectly agreeable to the highest degree of Christian honor, and of love to mankind, agreeable to the lowest humility, and sense of my own faults and failings, and agreeable to the golden rule; often, when I have said anything against anyone, to bring it to, and try it strictly by the test of this Resolution.

32. Resolved, to be strictly and firmly faithful to my trust, that that in Proverbs 20:6, “A faithful man who can find?” may not be partly fulfilled in me.

33. Resolved, always to do what I can towards making, maintaining, establishing and preserving peace, when it can be without over-balancing detriment in other respects. Dec. 26, 1722.

34. Resolved, in narration’s never to speak anything but the pure and simple verity.

35. Resolved, whenever I so much question whether I have done my duty, as that my quiet and calm is thereby disturbed, to set it down, and also how the question was resolved. Dec. 18, 1722.

36. Resolved, never to speak evil of any, except I have some particular good call for it. Dec. 19, 1722.

37. Resolved, to inquire every night, as I am going to bed, wherein I have been negligent, what sin I have committed, and wherein I have denied myself: also at the end of every week, month and year. Dec. 22 and 26, 1722.

38. Resolved, never to speak anything that is ridiculous, sportive, or matter of laughter on the Lord’s day. Sabbath evening, Dec. 23, 1722.

39. Resolved, never to do anything that I so much question the lawfulness of, as that I intend, at the same time, to consider and examine afterwards, whether it be lawful or no; except I as much question the lawfulness of the omission.

40. Resolved, to inquire every night, before I go to bed, whether I have acted in the best way I possibly could, with respect to eating and drinking. Jan. 7, 1723.

41. Resolved, to ask myself at the end of every day, week, month and year, wherein I could possibly in any respect have done better. Jan. 11, 1723.

42. Resolved, frequently to renew the dedication of myself to God, which was made at my baptism; which I solemnly renewed, when I was received into the communion of the church; and which I have solemnly re-made this twelfth day of January, 1722-23.

43. Resolved, never henceforward, till I die, to act as if I were any way my own, but entirely and altogether God’s, agreeable to what is to be found in Saturday, January 12, 1723.

44. Resolved, that no other end but religion, shall have any influence at all on any of my actions; and that no action shall be, in the least circumstance, any otherwise than the religious end will carry it. Jan.12, 1723.

45. Resolved, never to allow any pleasure or grief, joy or sorrow, nor any affection at all, nor any degree of affection, nor any circumstance relating to it, but what helps religion. Jan. 12-13, 1723.

46. Resolved, never to allow the least measure of any fretting uneasiness at my father or mother. Resolved to suffer no effects of it, so much as in the least alteration of speech, or motion of my eve: and to be especially careful of it, with respect to any of our family.

47. Resolved, to endeavor to my utmost to deny whatever is not most agreeable to a good, and universally sweet and benevolent, quiet, peaceable, contented, easy, compassionate, generous, humble, meek, modest, submissive, obliging, diligent and industrious, charitable, even, patient, moderate, forgiving, sincere temper; and to do at all times what such a temper would lead me to. Examine strictly every week, whether I have done so. Sabbath morning. May 5, 1723.

48. Resolved, constantly, with the utmost niceness and diligence, and the strictest scrutiny, to be looking into the state of my soul, that I may know whether I have truly an interest in Christ or no; that when I come to die, I may not have any negligence respecting this to repent of. May 26, 1723.

49. Resolved, that this never shall be, if I can help it.

50. Resolved, I will act so as I think I shall judge would have been best, and most prudent, when I come into the future world. July 5, 1723.

51. Resolved, that I will act so, in every respect, as I think I shall wish I had done, if I should at last be damned. July 8, 1723.

52. I frequently hear persons in old age say how they would live, if they were to live their lives over again: Resolved, that I will live just so as I can think I shall wish I had done, supposing I live to old age. July 8, 1723.

53. Resolved, to improve every opportunity, when I am in the best and happiest frame of mind, to cast and venture my soul on the Lord Jesus Christ, to trust and confide in him, and consecrate myself wholly to him; that from this I may have assurance of my safety, knowing that I confide in my Redeemer. July 8, 1723.

54. Whenever I hear anything spoken in conversation of any person, if I think it would be praiseworthy in me, Resolved to endeavor to imitate it. July 8, 1723.

55. Resolved, to endeavor to my utmost to act as I can think I should do, if I had already seen the happiness of heaven, and hell torments. July 8, 1723.

56. Resolved, never to give over, nor in the least to slacken my fight with my corruptions, however unsuccessful I may be.

57. Resolved, when I fear misfortunes and adversities, to examine whether ~ have done my duty, and resolve to do it; and let it be just as providence orders it, I will as far as I can, be concerned about nothing but my duty and my sin. June 9, and July 13, 1723.

58. Resolved, not only to refrain from an air of dislike, fretfulness, and anger in conversation, but to exhibit an air of love, cheerfulness and benignity. May 27,and July 13, 1723.

59. Resolved, when I am most conscious of provocations to ill nature and anger, that I will strive most to feel and act good-naturedly; yea, at such times, to manifest good nature, though I think that in other respects it would be disadvantageous, and so as would be imprudent at other times. May 12, July 2,and July 13.

60. Resolved, whenever my feelings begin to appear in the least out of order, when I am conscious of the least uneasiness within, or the least irregularity without, I will then subject myself to the strictest examination. July 4 and 13, 1723.

61. Resolved, that I will not give way to that listlessness which I find unbends and relaxes my mind from being fully and fixedly set on religion, whatever excuse I may have for it-that what my listlessness inclines me to do, is best to be done, etc. May 21, and July 13, 1723.

62. Resolved, never to do anything but duty; and then according to Ephesians 6:6-8, do it willingly and cheerfully as unto the Lord, and not to man; “knowing that whatever good thing any man doth, the same shall he receive of the Lord.” June 25 and July 13, 1723.

63. On the supposition, that there never was to be but one individual in the world, at any one time, who was properly a complete Christian, in all respects of a right stamp, having Christianity always shining in its true luster, and appearing excellent and lovely, from whatever part and under whatever character viewed: Resolved, to act just as I would do, if I strove with all my might to be that one, who should live in my time. Jan. 14 and July 3, 1723.

64. Resolved, when I find those “groanings which cannot be uttered” (Romans 8:26), of which the Apostle speaks, and those “breakings of soul for the longing it hath,” of which the Psalmist speaks, Psalm 119:20, that I will promote them to the utmost of my power, and that I will not be wear’, of earnestly endeavoring to vent my desires, nor of the repetitions of such earnestness. July 23, and August 10, 1723.

65. Resolved, very much to exercise myself in this all my life long, viz. with the greatest openness I am capable of, to declare my ways to God, and lay open my soul to him: all my sins, temptations, difficulties, sorrows, fears, hopes, desires, and every thing, and every circumstance; according to Dr. Manton’s 27th Sermon on Psalm 119. July 26 and Aug. 10, 1723.

66. Resolved, that I will endeavor always to keep a benign aspect, and air of acting and speaking in all places, and in all companies, except it should so happen that duty requires otherwise.

67. Resolved, after afflictions, to inquire, what I am the better for them, what good I have got by them, and what I might have got by them.

68. Resolved, to confess frankly to myself all that which I find in myself, either infirmity or sin; and, if it be what concerns religion, also to confess the whole case to God, and implore needed help. July 23 and August 10, 1723.

69. Resolved, always to do that, which I shall wish I had done when I see others do it. Aug. 11, 1723.

70. Let there be something of benevolence, in all that I speak.

 

*Endnote: I do not mean to bifurcate the “physical” and “spiritual” as if the spiritual is superior to the physical. Such theology has led people to neglect the physical as if it didn’t matter for the entire goal was to escape to a superior-spiritual-heavenly realm. Scripture is clear from beginning to end that we were purposefully created as spiritual AND physical beings and the ultimate goal (i.e. heaven) is not a disembodied spiritual realm, but a remade heaven’s and earth which are one. Therefore, care for the physical is extremely important. My simply point above is to highlight the same truth as 1 Timothy 4:8, namely, that we work hard to get temporal physical results that will fade (in this life) with age…while all our striving for holiness brings gain in this life and the one to come.

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