the Most Rev Justin Welby told Prince George’s parents and godparents that they had a “simple task” to “make sure he knows who this Jesus is”. He added: “Speak of him, read stories about him. Introduce him in prayer. Help him to grow and flourish into the person God has created and has called him to be.”Instructions fit for a king.
The Powerful may scheme, but cannot crush Christianity.Philosophers may pontificate, but cannot “out-truth” Christianity.World Religions may spread, but cannot overcome Christianity.Professors may lecture, but cannot unravel Christianity.Persecution may kill, but cannot annihilate Christianity.Bad preaching may undermine, but cannot undo Christianity.Politicians may legislate, but cannot reduce Christianity.Riches may seduce, but cannot outlive Christianity.Empires may consolidate, but cannot subjugate Christianity.Lies may confuse, but cannot unravel Christianity.Fear may disquiet, but cannot destroy Christianity.Heresy may darken, but cannot untruth Christianity.News outlets may ignore, but cannot dismiss Christianity.Moralists may mislead, but cannot proxy for Christianity.Rulers may outlaw, but cannot vanquish Christianity.Sin may instigate, but cannot overpower Christianity.Satan may tempt, but cannot unseat Christianity.No empire, no country, no sin, no spirit, no lie, no religion, no philosophy, no thought, no school, no law, no edict, no emotion, no sentiment, no feeling, no ruler, no emperor, no king, no politician, no initiative, no discrimination, no nothing and no one can unravel Christianity. Every enemy of Christianity shall fail. Every foe is left undone.
So, expect to be encouraged (and possibly prayerful) as you follow these recently posted links to read about author Malcolm Gladwell's return to his evangelical roots, comedian Lee Mack's willingness to read the Bible, and David Mitchell's rebuff of atheism and his honesty about wanting to know that there is a God.
For Your commitment to us even when we wander astrayThe past three weeks have been the most difficult I have ever gone through. These three weeks have been filled with illness, the terrible-three’s (the terrible-two’s are an out-and-out lie), a friend suffering the consequence of sin, a ministry I am a part of reeling in confusion and pain, having to cancel a trip to celebrate my parents 60th birthdays, and our family experiencing the emotional roller-coaster of finding out we were pregnant only to be told the pregnancy was ectopic and could be life-threatening to my wife if it was not ended.
Needless to say, I have had enough.I know I am not alone. As trying as the last three weeks have been for me, I know some people who have dealt with far more for far longer. But that doesn’t change the fact that this has been painful for me and my wife. In the face of all this, I can honestly say I feel no pressure to be the “pastor” and have the answer for this. Honestly, even as a pastor, I have no answer for this. My questions before God about the reality of what my family has experienced over the last three weeks are the exact same questions anyone would ask.Not only am I okay asking those questions, but I think there is something holy and sacred in being courageous enough to ask them. Don’t be fooled, those questions are only to be asked by the courageous. It is easy to spout trite Christian platitudes designed to make people feel better with bumper-sticker theology. But insipid axioms do little in the face of the actual brokenness of the world. It is more courageous to ask the hard questions of God and wait for him to answer than it is to find hope on the side of coffee mug. Asking those questions requires courage because, in the end, it is very likely they will not be answered.
- Why?
- Why not step in?
- Why not act?
- Why wouldn’t you make it right?
- Why couldn’t you part the clouds and provide a moment for us to catch our breath?
- Why everything at once?
- Why?
Ultimately, it isn’t about the questions. Behind the questions is a deep current of emotion threatening to overtake us. But too often, when the fracture in the universe threatens to swallow us up in pain we fail to get fully present to our emotions. In those moments I think we do one of two things. Either we ask the questions but never investigate what emotion is driving those questions, or we resort to some banal Christian slogan to try and make us feel better.
This experience forced me to look at one such statement that gets spouted often when people go through a lot: God won’t give you more than you can handle. If I may be so bold, let’s just call that what it is...
You can read the rest - and hard-hitting, but ultimately helpful it is - here.
"The critical question for our generation—and for every generation— is this: If you could have heaven, with no sickness, and with all the friends you ever had on earth, and all the food you ever liked, and all the leisure activities you ever enjoyed, and all the natural beauties you ever saw, all the physical pleasures you ever tasted, and no human conflict or any natural disasters, could you be satisfied with heaven, if Christ were not there?"
"...Christ did not die to forgive sinners who go on treasuring anything above seeing and savoring God. And people who would be happy in heaven if Christ were not there, will not be there. The gospel is not a way to get people to heaven; it is a way to get people to God. It's a way of overcoming every obstacle to everlasting joy in God. If we don't want God above all things, we have not been converted by the gospel."
