Nowhere to Go but Up, a book by Kevin E. Ruffcorn

There are many divergent views on the subject of Hell today. There are many who struggle with how to explain the existence of Hell in a universe created and sustained by a loving, omnipotent God. It is a subject that invites well-considered, balanced and thoughtful treatments of the topic. "Nowhere to Go but Up" falls far short in all three of those categories.

I received a copy of "Nowhere to Go but Up: The Power of Living in God's Love, Rather than Fearing God's Wrath" in exchange for an honest review. I must confess that reading this book left me more than a little bit disappointed. I can say from the outset that I do not share the author's views on the existence of Hell or the lack thereof. By the same token, I do not share the traditional Christian view of Hell either, if by traditional one refers to the gruesome pictures of the all-consuming lake of fire so dramatically described in Jonathan Edwards' "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God." My disappointment is with the manner by which Ruffcorn seeks to convince readers that Hell is not an actual place but rather an invention of the imaginations of Christians who found it a convenient way to control the behavior of others.

In order to perpetuate his life of thinking, rather than deal with actual issues with regard to Hell, Ruffcorn chose to deal with a caricature of Hell that deems Hell to be a horrible place where "bad" people go. Later, in talking about some of the divisiveness that comes as a result of belief in Hell, he extends that caricature to add wrong-thinking Christians to the list of "bad" people the church has consigned to everlasting torment. Such harsh line-drawing does little to advance his argument. Likewise, his simple pronouncement that he has proven Hell does not exist is neither helpful nor factual. He has expressed an opinion, and a poorly substantiated one rather than offer a helpful discussion.

In support of his arguments, Ruffcorn makes sweeping statement, especially in the section on the Bible and Hell, with no support. On pages 40 and 45 he makes statements reflecting the idea that "most scholars" or "many scholars" believe ideas that support his thesis without offering a single example. Perhaps he can reach those conclusions because he limits his reading of scholarship to only those with whom he agrees. That really should not be surprising, because Ruffcorn does something similar with Scripture. He chooses those portions which support his hypothesis and ignores others, sometimes even if they are part of the same biblical conversation. For example, in his discussion of verses in John 3 he says on at least three occasions that God neither judges nor condemns people, he only loves them. He makes the further implication that because God does not condemn, there is no such thing as ultimate condemnation. He quotes John 3:16-17 which says "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him." First of all, this passage does not refer to what God does, but to what the Son was sent to do. Second, the very next verse says that condemnation is, in fact a possibility. It is not a condemnation that God willingly inflicts on people, but rather one which we inflict on ourselves...not because we do "bad things" but because we choose not to believe. John 3:18 goes on to say, "Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God."

While the reality or nature of Hell is not a frequent topic of Scripture, the necessity of belief for salvation is central to the biblical message. Therefore, such topics as separation from  God, however we would choose to describe it, is an important subject for open discussion and understanding. Unfortunately, I do not get the sense that "Nowhere to Go but Up" will further that discussion significantly.

There's a God in My Closet-by Ben DeLong...a review

I received an e-copy of the book, There's a God in My Closet, in exchange for an honest review. I have to confess that I have some mixed reactions to this book. I realize that most people speak of mixed emotions, but that isn't the case for me. On an emotional level I found myself sympathetic to DeLong's struggles with a skewed view of God and of himself, struggles which he acknowledges and is courageously confronting. I rejoice with him in newfound insights and see so much about his journey that is hopeful and encouraging.

I do have mixed reactions to the book however, based on the purpose for which a person might be reading.

As a personal memoir, DeLong tells a compelling story about confronting the ways in which past misconceptions about himself and about God colored his self-concept and his marriage. Those misconceptions found themselves intensified as he confronted behaviors that were potentially destructive to him and his relationships. Reading his story as a memoir is a very personal and sometimes emotional journey. As both a person of faith and a pastor, I found myself deeply invested on a personal level in DeLong's struggles both with himself and with his concept of God. It is certainly encouraging to follow the transformation of his personal relationship with God.

I have greater difficulties with DeLong's book in the manner by which he assesses Evangelicalism. As he paints a picture of a vindictive, vengeful God dripping with wrath...the proverbial "monster" in the closet of his imagination...he indicts his Evangelical background for putting this idea in his head. First, his descriptions of the church in which many of his conceptions were birthed seems to be more of a caricature than a complete picture. I have no reason to doubt the accuracy of anything he said about his church experience growing up. I remember a number of similar experiences and teachings myself, but they certainly were not the totality of the experience. Just as a caricature lifts out certain physical characteristics of a person and exaggerates them, I sense something similar happening here. Beyond that, I would consider much of what DeLong said about his church experience to be characteristic of Fundamentalism rather than Evangelicalism. I come from an Evangelical tradition and pastor an Evangelical church and the vast majority of the negative concepts of God which DeLong attributes to an Evangelical perspective are foreign to what we believe and teach. Therefore, I would have to say that as a commentary on Evangelicalism I find the book to be seriously lacking in perspective.

Finally, if reading There's a God in My Closet from a theological perspective, I think there are a few problems. I am not sure whether DeLong would consider his book a work on theology, but any time one begins to speak about the nature and character of God one is doing theology. I really believe that DeLong's emphasis on, and description of the love of God is spot on. I do wish there was more emphasis in pulpits of love as the motivation for everything God does, even judgment. His sourcing for this concept of God makes me a little uncomfortable, however. Colossians 1:15 tells us that the Son is the image of the invisible God. As I was reading DeLong's writing, however, I sometimes got the feeling that in his conversation about God he was treating God as the invisible image of the visible Christ. If one is a very strict Trinitarian and holds firmly to Christ's teachings that "I and the Father are one," that shouldn't seem to be a problem. However, especially later in the book, DeLong engages in supposition and borderline psychoanalysis of Jesus, his motivations and reactions. This gives us more of a picture of who DeLong thinks Christ is. This shaping of Christ as we understand him is something we all do. However, if we begin understanding God as a reflection of the image of Christ, we come dangerously close to recreating God in our image rather than allowing him to recreate us in his. That may seem to be a minuscule issue, but I have heard too many people dismissively proclaim God to be okay with any form of immoral behavior because Jesus ate with tax collectors and prostitutes during his earthly ministry. Allowing our ideas to be the grounding for an understanding of the nature of God can be a slippery slope.

I believe we need to have a little more objectivity undergirding our discussion of the nature of God. That leads to the last theological caution I have with regard to There's a God in My Closet. DeLong's approach to Scripture bothers me. While I understand that it is not helpful to have a "flat" view of the interpretation of Scripture, I also understand that if we do not view the entire Bible as inspired and authoritative we can too easily fall into the trap of making ourselves the arbiter of what is inspired and what it not...what is Scripture and what is not. Rather than wrestling with (especially Old Testament) pictures of God that do not fit his paradigm, DeLong too quickly dismisses such challenging parts as a "product of the times." If we understand love to be the center of the Divine nature, we may be tempted to see some of the more harsh writings of the Old Testament as problematic. If, however, we take both the authority of Scripture and the love of God as axiomatic, I believe we can wrestle with those Scriptures and emerge, not just with our understanding of a loving God intact, but with a revolutionary picture of God's extraordinary redemptive plan. For example, although I agree with DeLong's view that the Scriptures teach that God's salvation is not limited by time on this earth, and that the Bible indicates the possibility that repentance and salvation can occur even after physical death, I do think that the existence of an eternal place of punishment and separation from God is an essential part of God's loving nature. If our opportunity to choose to accept God's salvation is eternal, our opportunity to reject it must also be eternal. Otherwise God would not love his creation enough to allow us to choose him.

I would recommend There's a God in My Closet to any mature believer who wants to be inspired by a story about someone's journey away from faith and back to it again. I was inspired by DeLong's story, and it kept me reading on even when I had some theological issues with some of the things that were being said. I commend DeLong for his honesty and transparency as he challenges us to think about the actual sources of our picture of God.

Book Review: In Search of Deep Faith...A Pilgrimage into the Beauty, Goodness and Heart of Christianity by Jim Belcher

I can't really say that I have ever read a book quite like this one.  In Search of Deep Faith is a spiritual biography, a well-told glimpse into the great heritage of Christian faith, travelogue and narrative account all at the same time.  Jim Belcher tells the story of a faith pilgrimage that began for him and his family at a time when he was, by his own admission, tired.  After 10 years of planting, growing and leading Redeemer Church in Newport Beach, California he said, "I was exhausted.  I wasn't burned out or washed out of struggling with my faith.  I wasn't bitter or angry or trying to run away.  I wasn't at a crisis point or lost or in need of direction...I was simply worn out, depleted...I needed time away, to rest and to contemplate."  He realized that a two-month sabbatical probably would not be enough.  He needed a furlough, a year to recharge.  Since that would not be a practical proposition for the church, so Belcher stepped aside from his church leadership and he and his family started a year-long adventure of discovery and renewal.

As I was reading, I was struck by the realization that the life-changing aspect of this pilgrimage actually began when Belcher severed ties with the security of his current ministry.  He was launching out without a familiar destination to which he would return.  The journey became its own destination.  That was a powerful image for me.

Throughout the family pilgrimage that began in England and then moved through France and into Holland, Poland, Germany and Austria, the Belcher family followed a path that was established by people who had been influential in Jim's life.  In this book Belcher offers a historical glimpse of the likes of Thomas Cranmer, Sheldon Vanauken, Robert Louis Stevenson, C.S. Lewis, William Wilberforce, Vincent van Gogh, Andre` Trocme`, Corrie Ten Boom, Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Maria von Trapp.  He takes us to Oxford, London, Paris, Provence, Auvers, Le Chambon, Haarlem, Ravensbruck, Berlin, Buchenwald, Flossenburg, Berchtesgarden, Salzburg, Heidelburg and Normandy.  This is a collection of interesting people and interesting places, but it is the way the story unfolds that makes this book what it is.

In the telling of his story and the story of his family, Belcher alternates between historical vignettes and present-day experiences.  He tells the stories about what happened historically in the different places they visited and he reminds us of the life and legacy of those whom he has considered mentors in his Christian pilgrimage.  He also talks about how the family's encounter with the faith, the struggles, the triumphs and the tragedies of all the people listed above began to shape their own faith and their own personalities.  What emerges is a true pilgrimage of faith that invites the reader to join along.

I must confess that my linear chronological thinking was initially challenged when the book moves from Thomas Cranmer forward to Sheldon Vanauken, then back to Robert Louis Stevenson (Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde) and once again forward to C.S. Lewis before going back to William Wilberforce...and so on.  I wanted the stories to unfold in chronological order but as the spiritual pilgrimage began to unfold I was immersed in a path that is marked spiritually, not chronologically.  It begins with a look at our spiritual roots, moves on to a consideration of beauty and then goodness.  The culmination of the journey overlooking the cliffs of Normandy is a fitting climax, for there we see how goodness and even beauty can emerge from unspeakable suffering.

In Search of Deep Faith challenged me to examine the roots, the nature and the steadfastness of my own faith.  I heartily recommend this book.  The writing is engaging and the message is powerful.  As the story concludes, Belcher borrows an image from the closing scene of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, as the brave mouse Reepicheep is leaving Narnia to go live in Aslan's territory... "We had gone, like so many pilgrims before us, to "Narnia" to get to know God better.  We had gone on this pilgrimage to encounter him in new ways, and we had.  We had hoped this adventure would help us desire him and his kingdom more, and it did.  We had sought, on this quest, to be shaped by our roots, our journey and our destination, and we had been.  But now it was over.  And as sad as we were to leave, it was time to go home to our own country.  And there we would get to know him even better."  This sentiment is similar to my feelings as I read the last page.

Reflections After the "Big Game"

So, with a lot of other people who have ties to Baltimore, I stayed up way too late last night (about 35 minutes longer than intended) to watch the Super Bowl game in New Orleans.  Watching the celebration on the field and in the streets of Baltimore took me back to the excitement following the 2000 Super Bowl victory.  This one was a lot more tense and I have to confess that I was entertaining thoughts of a successful San Francisco comeback and a less-than-satisfying end to a challenging season.  After the exciting conclusion, however, it was almost impossible to settle down enough to sleep well.  As I was awake in the wee hours of the morning, I had the opportunity to reflect on some lessons learned from this year's Super Bowl.

In 1996, when the City of Baltimore had a brand new football franchise, their first NFL draft took place.  Ozzie Newsome, who was a great player with the Cleveland Browns and a member of the NFL Hall of Fame, was instrumental in putting together the draft that year.  With the first pick of the 1996 draft, the Ravens picked Jonathan Ogden from UCLA.  The Ravens used their next pick to select Ray Lewis from the University of Miami.  As of February 3, 2013 here is how those two picks have turned out...Jonathan Ogden was named to the NFL Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility on Saturday, February 2, 2013.  The next day Ray Lewis played what was to be the last game of his NFL career.  He led a defense that made a last minute goal line stand to preserve the second Super Bowl trophy for what is still a relatively young franchise. Over the years Ozzie Newsome, now the General Manager of the Ravens, has proven time and time again that he has a keen ability to identify potential in young players.

Moving forward a little bit...In 2008 John Harbaugh became the head coach of the Baltimore Ravens.  In the draft that year the Ravens selected a quarterback named Joe Flacco from the University of Delaware.  The Ravens' starting quarterback at the time was Kyle Boller and their backup was former Heisman Trophy winner, Troy Smith.  Through a series of unlikely events (a season-ending injury to Boller and a debilitating illness to Smith) a rookie head coach and a rookie quarterback started the season that had the potential to be a disaster.  Instead, they won their first game (the only time a rookie head coach and a rookie quarterback have done that) and went on to make the playoffs, eventually to lose to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Championship Game.

Even though Flacco's numbers were not that impressive his first year (equal number of touchdowns and turnovers and less than 3,000 yards of total offense) he was named Rookie of the Year.  Even with that, no one would have been surprised if the Ravens had opted to go after a "big name" quarterback in the off season.  In the years since, even though the Ravens have made the playoffs every year and gone to the AFC Championship Game three out of the five years, there have been continual echoes of dissatisfaction with Flacco's leadership.  In spite of the critics, Harbaugh stuck with his quarterback, who is now not only a Super Bowl champion, but also the Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl 47.

On the other side of the field on Sunday night was Jim Harbaugh, the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers.  Just three months earlier, Jim Harbaugh made one of the more controversial decisions in recent football memory.  When starting quarterback Alex Smith went down in a game with a concussion, Harbaugh brought in the young man he was grooming to be the quarterback of the future for San Francisco.Collin Kepernick had been selected in the second round of the NFL draft a year earlier.  He came out of the University of Nevada, Reno...hardly a major national powerhouse.  When Smith recovered from his concussion, everyone assume that he would resume his leadership of the team.  After all, he had led them to the NFC Playoffs the year before, making it all the way to the Championship Game before losing to the eventual Super Bowl winners, the New York Giants.  It has generally been tradition in football circles that a starting player does not lose his position due to injury, but because of play on the field.  Harbaugh bucked the tradition and name Kaepernick as his starting quarterback.  Alex Smith was not happy and more than one sports commentator questioned Jim Harbaugh's decision.  In spite of that, Harbaugh stood by his decision.  Even when the 49ers had a dismal beginning to the Super Bowl game on Sunday night, Harbaugh never showed a lack of confidence in the man he had chosen.  As a result, Kaepernick led the biggest comeback in Super Bowl history and brought his team within one play of snatching victory from the jaws of defeat.

That's a lot of sports trivia, but here is what I took away from the game on Sunday night.  The gift that Ozzie Newsome, John Harbaugh and Jim Harbaugh share is the ability to see the potential in others.  Newsome saw the potential in Ogden and Lewis at the outset of their careers.  He saw the potential in an untried and relatively inexperienced coach in John Harbaugh.  For his part, John Harbaugh saw the potential in a less-than-flashy, inexperienced quarterback named Joe Flacco.  Even when there were plenty of people who would have cheered a decision to change quarterbacks, he stood by his player because he knew that Flacco could be something special.  Such insight must be inherited, because Jim Harbaugh also saw the potential in a young man name Collin Kaepernick, and even though people questioned his decision, he never wavered.  He knew that Kaepernick had the potential to be the amazing player he has become.

When God created you and me, He intended us for a purpose.  He placed within us the potential for greatness in whatever calling He placed on our lives.  Even when we fumble and fall along the way, He still sees that spark of something special He has created within each one of us.  The way may not always be easy, and there may be times when it seems as if there is no way God should continue entrusting us with His great purposes, but He stands by us...and the Holy Spirit is always ready to help us be all we can be for the Kingdom.  He sees us, not as the bumblers who stumble along the way, but as the amazing people He created us to be.

This truth raises a challenge to each one of us.  The people around us may sometimes frustrate us or disappoint us but we should never give up on them.  We are called to stretch and see the same potential in others that God sees in them.  Likewise, in those inevitable times when we stumble and fall, we should not give up on ourselves.  God never does.  He sees the potential He has built into each one of His amazing creatures!

Progress

I recently read some material that caught my attention immediately.  Sometimes we come across an idea or an expression that seems to be right on target.  Here is what I read...


"When someone desires a thing too much, they at once become ill at ease.  A proud and avaricious person never rests, whereas those who are poor and humble of heart live in a peaceful world.  Individuals not yet dead to themselves are easily tempted and quite overcome by small and trifling evils.  Their spirit is weak and still in the thrall of the senses and physical passions.  They struggle to abstain from worldly desires, and so are upset when denied them, and so quickly angered if reproved by anyone.  Yet when they grasp their desires, they are overwhelmed with a heavy conscience; because though they followed their passions, they did not find peace.
True peace of heart is found in resisting passions, not in satisfying them.  There is no peace in the being of a worldly individual, given over to external attractions; but there is peace in the one who is fervent and spiritual."

The writer of those words has his finger on that which causes so much heartache in the lives of countless people today.  It is as if he has been eavesdropping in the office of counselors dealing with couples who have seen their relationship tainted by infidelity.  Perhaps he was overhearing the conversation of someone who has lost everything in the quest to make more money, buy a bigger house or a bigger car.  Maybe he was sitting in as a pastor gets a phone call about a church member who has decided to leave a congregation because the church "just doesn't seem to be meeting my needs."  Such passion for personal satisfaction and pleasure is the hallmark of our society today, isn't it?  In reality, the quotation above came from Thomas a Kempis.  He wrote them most likely in the early 15th century (the first manuscript of the work appeared in 1418), long before Columbus sailed from Spain or Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses on the door of the Wittenburg church.  If you want to read it for yourself, the book is "The Imitation of Christ."  You can find the words in Book One, chapter 6.  It was originally written in Latin, but the words above came from a new edition from Simon Parke that was published in 2011.

We like to think that we invariably make progress in our lives.  We learn more things about the world around us.  We think that each successive generation is better, smarter, more accomplished than the one that went before.  Isn't it interesting to discover that the essential nature of human beings has not changed in 600 years?  "The Imitation of Christ" was written during a period of history we call "The Dark Ages."  This was supposed to be a time when Europe was in the doldrums politically, intellectually, artistically and spiritually.  What does it say about 21st century society when we have not progressed toward spiritual and emotional contentment beyond where we were in the Dark Ages?

The truth we find in the Scriptures, in the 15th century reflections of Thomas a Kempis or even in the writing of contemporary authors today has not changed.  The greatest contentment and spiritual fulfillment is found in devotion, first to God, then to others and lastly to ourselves.  For all our supposed progress, far too many of us have failed to grasp that point, even today.  Not impressed comparing today with 600 years ago?  Go back 2000 year and hear Jesus speak about true contentment... "What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?" (Matthew 16:26).  Still not impressed?  Go back around 2500 years and hear Solomon say, "Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with vexation and chasing after the wind." (Ecclesiastes 4:6)

True progress, measured in peace and contentment, comes only when we understand that there is no possession that can bring us real happiness.  No matter how much we get, how powerful or prominent we become, no matter how nicely things "line up" in our lives, we will not be truly content until we are content within.  The words of Thomas a Kempis are as true today as they were 600 years ago, "There is no peace in the being of a worldly individual, given over to external attractions; but there is peace in the one who is fervent and spiritual."  When we understand that, maybe we will have finally, for all our accomplishments, truly made progress.

Devastation...Terrible But Not Total

Like many others, I have been watching with utter amazement the paths of destruction left by the storms that hit the midwest and midsouth over the past several days. The scenes of entire communities leveled is at the same time heartwrenching and awe-inducing. The hearts and spirits of many rose and fell with the story of a baby that was seemingly spared the destructive wrath of the tornado, only to learn of her death at the hospital in Louisville.

I have heard reporters describe the scenes they are covering as instances of "total devastation." The destruction wrought by these storms is indescribable and many towns and families are devastated...but total devastation? I think not. In order to be totally devastated, one must be robbed of all hope. There have been plenty of pictures and stories in recent days that tell the story of human character and strength even in the midst of unspeakable sadness.

One such scene occurred in Henryville, Indiana at 9:00 a.m. on Sunday morning. The Catholic church in the town was largely spared by the storm that hit the community and the faithful of that parish...and of other denominations as well, gathered to worship and to pray. From the time that the storm had passed, the volunteers in that church had fired up the grills and stoves and ovens and begun to prepare food for anyone who needed it. A community that was licking its considerable wounds was also counting its blessings and caring for one another. When people care for one another like that, even the worst devastation is not total, because there still is hope.

I saw an interview with a man in Elizabethtown, Kentucky. His home had been destroyed. He was talking to a reporter about what he had seen and heard as the storm approached. As he told of how everything he had was gone, his voice began to crack. Nearly in tears, the man said, "I've never asked anyone for nothing in my life." He walked away from the camera a few steps and with a look that seemed to be a mixture of hurt, anger and outright defiance he said through clenched teeth, "...and I'm not going to start now!" This man had suffered devastation that hurt him to the very depth of his being. Yet, as long as he had the strength of character to say that he would prevail over his circumstances...as long as his spirit was unbowed, the devastation was not total.

Major Robert Marchanti of the Army National Guard was murdered by a coward in Afghanistan who shot him and a fellow officer in inhuman and incomprehensible retaliation for the accidental burning of some copies of the Koran. During the years in which we lived in Baltimore, MD we had the brief pleasure of being acquainted with him as our youngest daughter's P.E. teacher in elementary school. Maj. Marchanti was in Afghanistan for the purpose of training Afghani security forces so that they could provide a secure future for the people of that nation. Last Christmas, he told his wife, Peggy, that he was encouraged by how well his charges were progressing. He wanted to do something for them to show his gratitude for their hard work. His wife had heard that there were a lot of almonds in the region, but that the men didn't have anything to open them with. They had to resort to cracking them open with their shoes. Mrs. Marchanti boxed up a bunch of nutcrackers and sent them to Afghanistan as gifts. Barely two months later, on February 25, her husband had been killed. To have someone you love murdered by those whom they were trying to help and those to whom you had shown such kindness would certainly be devastating. She harbors no rancor toward the people among whom her husband was serving. She and her family are heartbroken, to be sure; their loss is devastating. However, as long as they have, as Martin Luther King, Jr. said, the "courage to love," that devastation is not total.

Whether the challenges and heartaches we face are meted out by the forces of nature, illness or the cowardly acts of other human beings, God has given us the capacity through His Spirit to grow beyond the hurt and reach for that which heals. As long as He reigns in our hearts, no devastation is every total. Plenty of people have set very good examples for us in recent days. May we have the good grace to pray for them and the good sense to follow their example.

Getting the Message from the Vineyard

Scripture Passages: Isaiah 5:1-7; Psalm 80:1-2,8-19; Hebrews 11:29-12:2; Luke 12:49-56

If you are, or have been a parent, you have most likely encountered the following scenario. Your child has been told pointedly that a certain type of behavior will bring swift punishment. You barely have time to get the words out of your mouth, when the child proceeds to do exactly what you forbid him or her to do. Although you are still stunned at your child's willfulness, you follow through on your word, and the punishment is administered as promised. How does your child respond? Does your child say "Thanks, Mom (or Dad). I know I deserved that. I appreciate your loving me enough to set me on the right path"? (If you ever get that response, make sure to record it...you'll be famous.)

When they are corrected or punished, most children express resentment or anger. They are certain that they have the most unfair, meanest parents any child could ever have. They break the rules and then get angry with their parents for enforcing the rules. It doesn't really make sense. You promise something as a parent, and when you keep your promise the kids think you are terrible!

As amusing, or infuriating, as this behavior may be, it isn't really anything new. We were like that when we were children and we can see from the Scriptures that God's people have followed this same path of behavior since the beginning of their relationship with Him. (By the way...we still do.) In Isaiah 5:1-7 we have recorded some poetic verses known as "The Song of the Vineyard." It is actually a parable. The Lord plants a vineyard and does everything necessary for it to produce the best grapes. In spite of all His efforts, however, the crop is always horrible. Isaiah asks, "What would a prudent farmer do?" The answer is simple...the prudent farmer would tear everything down and go somewhere to start all over again. It is at that point that Isaiah reminds God's people that they are the vineyard in question. God has called them into existence from nothing, and they have failed in their obedience.

If you set Psalm 80 and Isaiah 5 side by side you can see an interesting picture.Psalm 80 speaks from the other perspective of the story pictured in Isaiah 5. In Psalm 80 the people of Israel are saying, "Lord, you have done miraculous things to call us into existence and sustain us. Why are things so bad now? Why are our enemies defeating us? Don't You know that our suffering might cause people to question Your goodness?" The people of Israel sound like the child who is screaming that Mom and Dad are mean when they hand out the punishment promised for disobedience...even though they disobeyed.

How often do we approach our own behavior and commitment in a similar fashion? We know that disobedience will cause calamity in our relationship with God, but we disobey anyway and then wonder why we don't enjoy God's peace and presence in our lives. A better question to ask would be, "How do we avoid such calamity in our lives?" In Luke 12:49-56 Jesus says that we have to make a clear choice. In fact, the very fact that Jesus came, died and rose again means that no person who has lived since those events occurred is free from making some sort of choice. We sometimes try to straddle the fence and delay either our decision for Christ or our commitment to obeying Him, but even that delay is a choice...it is saying "no" for the time being. If we turn our back on Christ, like the people of Judah in the Song of the Vineyard, we should not be surprised (like those who speak with astonishment in Psalm 80) when punishment or chastisement comes as a consequence.

How do we make the right choice? We can follow the advice of Hebrews 11 and 12. We can take note of the manner in which the great figures of the Bible put their faith into action. We can follow their examples and make the conscious decision to anchor our lives, our hope and our obedience in Jesus, the Founder and Finisher of our faith.