LXVI...From Garden to City

So yesterday, our church started a church-wide campaign to read throught the Bible together. They called it LXVI: From Garden to City (fromgardentocity.com). Anyway, today's reading was Job 1-3. I’ve always hated the book of Job. We have this tendency to think that God has our (my) best interests always at heart…and Job is the biggest example of what a load of crap that is. The book kind of highlights what I see as a petty nature to what is almost a game between God and Satan. Job 3 is one of the most depressing chapters in the Bible (and it's a game!), but this is going on all the time, right? This is the biblical example of bad things happening to good people…and basically it’s all about God (it’s not about us!). Anyway, Job mirrors the behavior of a person that’s completely in touch with God and in-line with the fact that we exist to revel in him…not the other way around. I definitely have difficulty with people who lose a child or are going through some horrible time and keep the Christian happy talk going…so not there myself. But Job, in chapter 3, basically says ‘this sucks…I wish I’d never been born’…but I love the rest of his reaction in 1:21 and 2:10. He said “The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord…Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?” Love that perspective even though it would be so hard to keep…especially with our western mindset that God is all about making my life better. How shallow would God be if was just the genie that we have in mind when we go to church…when we have our occasional prayer? I still hate the book of Job…but I love it too.

frustration and mission

had a difficult talk with Sara last night. definitely happens sometimes when i'm on the road. some times (like last night), it's because one of the kids is just continually doing things that aren't ok and...being kids...they just can't seem to get the idea that they need to stop it. so, seeing that i'm not there, Sara gets to deal with all that with no break and it can be crazy frustrating. not sure i could do it. so often she thinks i take this for granted, but i truly respect who she is and what she does...she's an epic woman that (like many women) can't seem to see how amazing she is and the beauty that she brings to the lives of the people around her.

so this morning, i was listening to matt chandler from the village church while i was running and his message was about living on mission. he talked about how everything about us is the way it is because God had something in mind for it...our bodies, the time we live in, the people around us, the place we live and work, everything. i often try to make it seem like my job is something that i endure so i can make money that i can put to use in the the things that are actually important to me (God, family, random indie music, etc.). but this is so contrary to what is true! i am in my job...i fly airplanes...i'll go to new jersey in may because God wants to drop me in a new environment with the goal of pointing at him! i don't have to get up in people's face about it, but i need to embrace God as part of ALL of my life instead of compartmentalizing work, and home, and God, and whatever. i need to go into my house today (hopefully i can make it home in the aftermath of the blizzard)... anyway, i need to go into the house with the primary goal of pointing at God...showing the grace and love of God to my amazing wife, to my children. i think that if we can embrace this, then alot of the frustration that is so present in life will just melt. it is NOT my job to force my kids into some moral standard. it is my job to point them towards God in a way that they will see his love as the most important thing in this world. so easy to type this...now i (we) just need to live it...