Rouge River Community Church

Friday, February 27, 2009

Numb

Based on 1 Kings 19:4 . You can see the whole passage here: 1 Kings 19:1-18 .

desert alone.jpg

"God. I'm done. That's it. I'm ready to die. Kill me.

Here I've been busy and passionate about your work, about your people, and all I've had is trouble.

Your so called people don't care about you; they are too busy worshiping other gods.

Everyone else who served you is dead. Many of them were my friends. You let them die!

Why do you repay my passion with punishment? Why do beat down the one who carries your message?

God, where are you? All this evil is destroying your people and your world, and you remain silent.

So called learned men deny your existence, and you do nothing!

I am past the point of waiting for you to show up. Following you has been the biggest mistake of my life. No-- following you has made my life a mistake.

So here I am. Sitting in the wilderness, under some stupid bush, waiting to die.

Come on God, I dare you If you won't show up to defend your name and your servants, then show up to kill me.

I'm done with pain, I'm done with life, and I'm almost done with you."

Posted By Andre Lauzon At 11:00 AM • Comments (0) Trackbacks (0)

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Tired

O God! Why is life so hard?
I swim in the ocean of life, but it is as though I am swimming uphill.
God, the current is strong, but it sweeps me away from the safety of your shore.
I am up to my neck, Lord; I don't think I am going make it to land.

God, I can see your lighthouse on the peninsula.
It's light is bright.
It is comfort to the seafarer, it brings him safety in the fog.
But God, I have no boat. I have no way to float.
Your lighthouse, a comfort for others, only reminds me how alone and adrift I am.

I am like the sails of a ship, worn too thin by rain and wind.
I rip easily in the folding, and become useless with age.
I am torn like wet paper; I am thread bare like a worn out sail.

God, I remember the days of my youth.
I could swim far from shore and return without tiring.
Your light was upon my retreating shoulder, and guided me home in the evening.
Joy was my companion as I moved easily through the water.

Lord, I cry to you as I grow faint.
My strength has abandoned me, my strong arms have withered.
God I long for sand under my feet, a dry rock to walk upon.

God, send your rescue ship to me.
Pluck me out of the brine, O Lord.
Place me upon safe ground once again
Put the healing balm on my dry chapped lips
Give me fresh water to drink!
Restore my strength O Lord, according to your unfailing love.

Then will I renew the call of your greatness.
Loud will I shout praises to God the rescuer, God my ship.
Your rock will be the object of praise from my lips.
And hope will overflow my heart once again.

Hear the cry of hope, all you people.
You who are on the ships-
You who paddle the boats-
You who swim in the emptiness-
-all alone.
Call out to God your rescuer,
and feel the sand beneath your feet and walk on the dry rock.

Note: This psalm was written to explore Elijah's feelings of abandonment and fear in 1 Kings 19. I chose a water theme to contrast with Elijah's desert wanderings.

Posted By Andre Lauzon At 9:01 AM • Comments (0) Trackbacks (0)

Friday, February 20, 2009

Lo-ruhamah

Soon Gomer became pregnant again and gave birth to a daughter. And the Lord said to Hosea, “Name your daughter Lo-ruhamah—‘Not loved’

-Hosea 1:6

How did you get your name? For most of us, one or both of our parents named us. Maybe you were named after one of those parents, or a grandparent, or a family friend. Maybe you got your name from an actor or scientist or a politician. Maybe your name is from the Bible. Whatever the case, the name you were given was of significance to those who named you, either in meaning or sound. The Bible is filled with names of real significance.

Hosea was a prophet to the nation of Israel. A book in the Old Testament carries his name. A prophet is a human "mouth-piece" for God. He is supposed to pass on to God's people messages from the Big Guy. Hosea was called upon by God to live out a parable along with the message. Israel was acting like an unfaithful wife, taking on other "lovers", in other words, worshiping other Gods. God had Hosea marry a woman of ill-repute named Gomer. Hosea had to stay with her, even after she went back to prostituting herself. Even though she broke their marriage covenant, that didn't give him the freedom to break it as well.

Eventually, Hosea and Gomer had children. Their son was called Jezreel, as a warning to the King about an upcoming defeat. Their daughter got an even worse name, Lo-ruhamah. The name means "not pitied, not loved". She was named that to demonstrate God's pain over Israel's infidelity. What a name!

Can you imagine carrying a name like that? "Hey, Not-Loved, time for supper!" "Not-Loved! Did you do your homework?" Ouch. My name is Andre, it means manly. The names John and Ian both mean gift. Agatha means good. Irene means peace. What does your name mean? I am sure it is better than not-loved.

I have mixed feelings when I read the first chapter of Hosea. Why would God pick a name like that? It sounds so cruel! Why would Hosea agree? A child's name is really important. I know when my wife and I were choosing names for our children, we thought about meaning and sound. God seems to be sticking this poor girl with a name that would doom her. It hurts my heart to think about it!

I wish there was a happy ending to Lo-ruhamah's story. There is no ending at all. Her story is not resolved in the book of Hosea. In fact, the resolution doesn't come for hundreds of years. Lo-ruhamah was named as a symbol of unfaithful Israel. Israel had broken its covenant with God, and he let them know what they did was wrong. Yet, for centuries further, God upheld his end of the covenant. He was faithful, Israel was not. Then God did something unbelievable, miraculous, awesome. He fulfilled both sides of the covenant. Even if Israel was unfaithful, God would be so faithful, that he would handle both sides of the agreement. He sent Jesus.

Jesus' name means "the lord saves". God became the jilted Hosea, seeking out and taking back the wayward Gomer. He became Jezreel, as symbol of a king's (apparent) defeat. In Jesus' horrific death on the cross, he became Lo-ruhamah, not loved and not pitied. Jesus' sacrifice proved God's love for his people, and provided a victory over sin and infidelity. He saved his people. His name is Jesus.

Posted By Andre Lauzon At 7:30 PM • Comments (1) Trackbacks (0)

Thursday, February 19, 2009

God Doesn't Need Our Skinned Knees

To celebrate our tenth wedding anniversary, Ivory and I went to Montreal. I grew up just an hour from the city. As a teen and young adult, I remember taking the train to see Expos and Canadiens games. I really like Montreal, with its culture and architecture, its restaurants and sports teams (I miss the Expos!). As Ivory's unofficial tour guide, I was excited to show her the city.

We went to churches, restaurants, plays, and other tourist attractions. What a vacation! One of the highlights for me was visiting St Joseph's Oratory (picture left). The largest church in Canada, the third largest dome of its kind in the world! What a building! St Joseph's is situated on a large hill. It is a long way up to the front door. On either side are roads, but right in front are three sets of stairs. The outside sets are for walking up; the middle set is for pilgrims who climb the stairs on their knees. The faithful, often with a rosary in hand, will kneel at each step to pray, before moving on to the next one.

When my father was just eight years old, he had to go live with his aunt in Montreal for a year. Each Saturday she would take him to St. Joseph's to "prier les escaliers"- to "pray the steps". His aunt would tell him that each step and each prayer balanced out some terrible thing he did in life, and that would assuage God's anger at him just a little. If he was especially pious, she said, God would hear his prayers and when he died, he would spend less time in purgatory. Like I said, he was eight.

Although my father maintained a strong affection for his aunt throughout his life, his affection for all things religious, catholic or otherwise, evaporated the year he spent "on his knees".

God does not need our skinned knees to calm his anger. I don't think he is an especially angry deity. The Old Testament portrays him as powerful, even wrathful at times, but it also reveals him to be gentle and even motherly in his care and concern for his children. Yes, he took human life, but at a time and with a sense of justice beyond human reason. The perfect embodiment of God is found in Jesus. Jesus said, "I and the Father are one" (John 10:30). Jesus was kind, compassionate and loving. Yes, he cleared the temple of the money lenders, but remember, he didn't hit anyone. He shooed them away, admittedly in a rather vigorous fashion.

Jesus, the physical expression of God, required no special actions or behaviours from those who would follow him. Just faith. Raw belief that he was who he said he was. Even when he had lived, died and lived again, those closest to him had trouble with even faith. Look what it says in Matthew 28:16-17, "Then the eleven disciples left for Galilee, going to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him—but some of them doubted!" If Jesus was a vengeful, angry God, he would have smoked the eleven disciples right on that mountain. Nothing left but burning sandals! He didn't do that.

God doesn't require our skinned knees as proof of our worship of him; he wants our hearts. Actions we can fake, our hearts are always open to God, the one who created us.

At the River, we are about to embark on a journey into Spiritual Disciplines. The exercises we will explore are not meant to be some secret formula to win God's acceptance, but rather personal points of pilgrimage that help us grow closer to God and his heart, while learning something about ourselves along the way. I invite you to join us during this Lenten season to investigate, explore, question and consider. Come just as you are! Oh! But leave the knee pads at home.

Peace.

Posted By Andre Lauzon At 1:28 PM • Comments (0) Trackbacks (0)

Friday, February 13, 2009

Definitions

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Galatians 5:22-23 (NLT)

fruit 1.jpg

Here are the definitions for the fruit of the spirit that I shared with the River:

Love--- a sacrificial emotion

Joy--- like fresh water springing up from a newly dug well. Or kids jumping through a sprinkler on a hot summer day.

Peace- Means state of national tranquility. Greek word is Irene (more or less). Picture a calm lake making a perfect reflection of a mountain in the background.

Patience- A long, straight road well traveled.

Kindness- "3rd hand"--- helping someone in need without being asked

Goodness- related to love. We get the name Agatha from this word. Picture a mom always sacrificing for her family

Faithfulness- Related to patience. Walking down that long straight road with someone.

Gentleness- "A whisper touch"

Self-control- Masculine word. To be caged or imprisoned for the purpose of beating. Beating can mean to mold or to break. I think in the context, it means to mold.

Posted By Andre Lauzon At 11:55 AM • Comments (0) Trackbacks (0)

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Hmm- That Fuity Goodness.

Note: This is part one of a series on the "Fruit of the Spirit".

"...the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there.

Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives." -Galatians 5:21-25

fruit 1.jpg The Fruit of the Spirit. If you have spent any time around an Evangelical church, you know how the fruit of the Spirit. In my experience, most Christians use 'the fruit' from Galatians 5 as a checklist for proper behaviour. "Uh-oh Charlie, you're not acting very loving--- better work on that fruit of the Spirit." "Well, Becky, you've gained weight-- better refocus on self -control."

As I read Galatians, Paul is irked at his readers for their re-adoption of Jewish practices as essential to win God's approval. Paul is really angry at the legalism that is creeping into this group of churches in the central part of what is now Turkey. But is he only upset because the Galatians are becoming Jewish legalists, or is it religious legalism in any form that Paul is teaching against?

The context of the Galatian letter is Jewish legalism. So, we're OK as long as we don't follow those laws and traditions, right? I don't think so. If Paul's teaching does not have universal application, beyond this one narrow context, then it really has no authority beyond that context. We in the Western Church have heaped traditions and expectations and legalist behaviours on top of the story of Jesus, and have heaped in on so thick, its hard to see Jesus anymore. Worship needs to happen a certain way. Sunday morning services need to have a certain order. The translation of the Bible that the pastor uses better be the right translation. Everyone better be dressed a certain way, and if they don't dress to a certain standard, then they don't really respect God or His church. I say bah!

All of those rules, and dozens more, are relative. It all depends upon one's point of view. It's all a matter of lifting one's tastes above the essential truths of the Bible. What hypocrites we are in the Western Church! At least the Roman Catholics are honest about the place tradition has in their church. Evangelical Protestants rip at the RC's, then go do the same thing in a different way. At least in the Galatians church they were following practices (mostly) mandated by what we call the Old Testament. We can't even say that; our traditions are man made, not God made, then misunderstood or twisted.

The Evangelical church in North America has a real problem. They (I am separating myself from that church-- see this Why I am Post-Protestant for my reasons) can't tell the difference between orthodoxy and orthopraxy. Right belief and right actions are seen as the same thing. Buzzzzz! Sorry Alex, that's the wrong answer.

As I read the New Testament, I see three essential practices for the follower of Jesus; Baptism, Communion and Social Justice. To look at the fruit of the spirit as essential behaviours or practices is contradictory to Paul's teaching in the very letter he lists them. The fruit of the Spirit are soul traits. As God's Spirit lives and works in our very souls, more and more of those fruit will appear. The fruit are evidences, not evaluation criteria.

To think about: Are our expectations of Christians, the Church, and ourselves Biblical or traditional?

Next time we'll dig a little deeper into each of the Fruit of the Spirit.

Peace.

Posted By Andre Lauzon At 11:11 AM • Comments (0) Trackbacks (0)

Thursday, February 05, 2009

Life

"People ruin their lives by their own foolishness and then are angry at God." -Proverbs 19:3

There was a school of psychology bouncing around North America in the 1970's and 80's that became quite popular with the emerging baby boomer crowd. This happened when psychotherapy was all the rage, especially among the elite and affluent. The gist of the approach was to find fault with others for one's lot in life. Not happy? Your mother probably spanked you during potty training. Marriage failing? It's not your fault, your father didn't set the right example for you. On the verge of bankruptcy? It's not your fault, your parents and teachers lied to you when they said that your life could be better than theirs.

You get the idea. The sad part about all of this was people who had been really victimized and needed solid counseling support were lumped in with a bunch of pseudo-victims looking to ease their consciences from lives less than well led. I think half an hour in a confessional would have reaped more rewards than hours of intense "therapy" with some dubiously qualified quack.

I've been pastoring for 15 years. I have met real victims. People who are doing the best they can to keep going in life after incidents of neglect or abuse. I have met many brave and faithful people who have found real inner peace and healing in a relationship with God. I have also met perpetual whiners who believe they are victims in life, without any evidence to back up their claims or attitudes. A note here; I'm not talking about people who are just coming to terms with some awful event in their past and are unable to talk about it. I am not talking about those who are terribly broken inside, and are unable to get perspective on life through the the almost suffocating onslaught of emotions and inner pain. Those I am speaking of here are the perpetually self-centered. Not the victim whose pain overwhelms them to debilitation; rather the pretend victim who is angry and sad when they do not get their way.

Proverbs 19:3 (above) sure hits the nail on the head. Why is it so hard to accept responsibility for our own poor life choices? I have screwed up royally in my life. Huge. Big time. The times I tried to cover up my mistakes with lies or accusations, I inevitably was left with broken relationships and guilt. The times where I have confessed and asked for forgiveness, I've usually received grace from others (definitely from God), and restored relationship. I think the reason I have lied or passed the buck when I have messed up is fear. Deep down, I am afraid of what others think of me. My own insecurities shout-down my morality, and my mistake is compounded.

1John 4:18 says; "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love." The antidote for all of this fear is love. Perfect love. That's the type of love that comes from God. The word John uses for love here means a sacrificial love. A love that sets aside self for the other. A love like Jesus has for us. A love that puts itself up on a cross, unto death, so we wouldn't have to endure that. If you have that kind of love living in your soul, fear has no place to live. When fear is gone, the sense of loss goes too. Suddenly the attitude of selfishness is replaced with one of selflessness. The transformation can appear miraculous.

But- there's always a but- what about those people, who in addition to their self-centeredness, are also, mean, bitter and spiteful? You know the type, those who go out of their way to hurt, belittle and control others. What about those people? I am thinking here about the demoniacs in the region of the Gerasenes in Luke 8. Individuals so evil, so corrupted, that they seem beyond all hope. What should you do with people like that? I think we should give those people a wide birth. Put lots of distance between you and them. that's what the people of the Gerasenes did with the demoniacs. But don't leave it there. Call in Jesus. This is a crisis care situation, and Jesus is the ultimate expert. What I am saying is pray for them. These people have the capacity to wreak havoc everywhere they go, and to cause great pain in everyone they touch. We are weak and flawed creatures. Step back and call in the expert. These people can't hurt Jesus anymore that he has already been hurt. This is a battle between God and them; we need to get out of the way and pray. Just like in the case of the demoniacs, only approach them again when these people are re-clothed in Jesus' clothes (see Zechariah 3 ), and are in their right mind. We need to be cautious and careful and observant as we do re-approach.

It may sound 'unchristian' to do what I am recommending. Some would say, "Andre, what about Jesus' parable of the lost sheep? The shepherd left the 99 to find the one!" My answer is that Jesus is speaking of his own, and he says he is the Great Shepherd. Anytime in the Bible I see people trying to be God, trouble and hardship ensue. It is OK, in extreme cases, to let Jesus take lead while we pray. It is not a failure to do so; it is recognition of reality.

Posted By Andre Lauzon At 11:33 AM • Comments (0) Trackbacks (0)

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