paravanes:meditations

"There in the ground His body lay Light of the world by darkness slain: Then bursting forth in glorious Day Up from the grave he rose again! And as He stands in victory Sin's curse has lost its grip on me, For I am His and He is mine - Bought with the precious blood of Christ ." --from In Christ Alone , by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend What I am and what I become is no longer a reflection of what others have done to me. Instead, who I am is a reflection of what I do, what I choose, as I live with and in Christ. Sin's curse has lost its grip on me. Sin may land, but it cannot hold and it cannot stay unless I allow it. I may experience pain and unfairness because of my actions or the actions of others. Still, sin's curse has lost its grip on me. I can be cleansed, rebuilt, restored, and made whole over and over in Christ. Even in my own faulty choices, sin's curse has lost its grip on me. I can see my faults and failures--God will show them to m...

Sunday, April 25, 2010 is Parental Alienation Awareness Day . Parental alienation happens when any trusted adult (ex husband or wife, former lover, aunt, uncle, grandparent, family friend, caregiver, etc.) carries on a campaign of words, attitudes, or actions which undermine a child's love and respect for a loving, well-meaning parent. This may happen in high conflict divorces in which one parent wants to appear to be "the good one" or wants to rearrange a court ordered custody arrangement. There is an ongoing debate about whether parental alienation is a syndrome. I am not entering that debate here. It is certain parental alienation is a process and creates a result of disturbed and damaged relationships between children and the targeted parent (the parent who is the object of denigration, ridicule, exclusion, or unjustified anger). Commonly, the "ex" in a relationship is the one who engages in trying to "win over" a child by alienating that chi...

From The Cost of Discipleship , by Dietrich Bonhoeffer : "Faith is only real when there is obedience, never without it, and faith only becomes faith in the act of obedience." Another way of saying this is a phrase I heard one of my Bible teachers quote years ago: "Faith alone saves, but the faith that saves is not alone." We have celebrated Easter, or Resurrection Sunday. What does it all mean, and what does it have to do with the demand of obedience? Who is this Jesus Christ who rose from the dead? He is God. We have two options in how we respond to this truth. We can reject it, and say: "Not for me." Or, we can obey Him. Faith without obedience is faith in something or someone else other than Jesus Christ. Faith without obedience may be foolish presumption, thoughtless self-confidence, or mindless group-think. Do we want to be "saved?" What does it mean to be "saved"? Among many things, it means the freedom to do what is right, as def...

Eight years ago, this week, my father passed away. I always remember him more closely during spring, and during the time of Easter. It's common for children of all ages to say our parents' lives have inspired us. Now that both of my parents have passed, I can say it's also useful to see how the deaths of those we love inspire us as well. As much as I would like to doubt it, I realize I didn't know my parents as well as I imagined. So much of their lives were lived in places I didn't go, or couldn't see. Decisions were made in contexts and perspectives I didn't fully understand or appreciate. Outcomes were often misunderstood, or my perception of those outcomes was limited, skewed, or even absent. There is, however, something about watching someone die that gives you a deep insight into who they are. In the face of death, it's difficult (and some might say, needless) to put on and keep up the appearances we often feel are necessary when we are concerned a...

Mary Magdalene, after the crucifixion and resurrection, tells the other apostles, "I have seen the Lord!" This is the most powerful testimony one can have. "I have seen the Lord." A famous radio evangelist said he saw Jesus enter the evangelist's room, sit at the foot of his bed, and speak directly with him. Did he? I can't pass judgment on what someone believes about what they have seen. I can only judge if the statements are credible, meaningful, and relevant. That is the standard we should expect when we tell someone, "I have seen the Lord." I have seen the Lord at work in my own experience. I have seen Him soften my own heart, and the hearts of others I have prayed for and with, so that together we can consistently demonstrate more of His character and less of our own. I have seen the Lord at work in my own will, slowly and permanently changing my preferences to His preferences. I have seen the Lord enable me to forgive the unforgivable and ove...