May 8th, 2007
Searching For Meaning
We all long for significance, to know that when our lives are over, that we made a difference, that we did something that will make the world a better place to live. We all long for meaning and purpose.
We can look in our lives and see the stories of those who have made a difference – those with such significance, meaning and purpose. There are stories all around us of those people who have made this world a better place to live. We hear of those people striving to find a cure for AIDS and for Cancer. We hear of Bono of U2 – who started the ONE Campaign, and other celebrities fighting to end world poverty and world hunger. We can think now of our own soldiers in Iraq, Afghanistan, and around the world fighting the War on Terror, longing to usher forth peace and security for those they love and even those they will never know. We know of those at Starbucks longing to provide clean drinking water for every community around the world through the Ethos Campaign.
And even within the Movement of Jesus Christ, we can count others. There are the courageous missionaries who have given up the safety and comforts of home to serve on a foreign mission field – whatever the cost, proclaiming the hope found in Jesus Christ. There are our faithful pastors who have inspired us by their lives of faith, love and hope, calling us to live lives driven by the same. There are the catalytic revolutionaries – whether great or small, who dream dreams so big that their lives pull us into the movement, causing us to believe that things could get better.
Each of these groups or individuals inspire us because they have lived lives that have meaning and significance and purpose. They have done something in this world that counts, something that has mattered.
As we jump into the Scriptures we have countless examples of people living lives of meaning and significance. But one of my favorite stories includes four men – who we have come to know well, whose lives had great meaning. The great contrast is, that these men, would never have imagined that their lives would have such meaning from this one story.
In this story, one man led the fight against a great army. Another man outstretched his arms to the Heavens and then took a seat on a rock until Sunset. And the other two men each held up a weary arm of the man sitting on a rock.
Let’s look at their story… in Exodus 17
8 The Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim. 9 Moses said to Joshua, "Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hands."
10 So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill. 11 As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning.
12 When Moses' hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset. 13 So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword.
14 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Write this on a scroll as something to be remembered and make sure that Joshua hears it, because I will completely blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven."
15 Moses built an altar and called it The LORD is my Banner. 16 He said, "For hands were lifted up to the throne of the LORD. The [c] LORD will be at war against the Amalekites from generation to generation."
It might be easy for us to assign value to the roles that Joshua, Moses, Aaron and Hur had in conquering the Amalekites. Of course, Joshua led the fight against the Amalekite army. He had great significance in this event in history. And Moses, yes, his whole life had great significance. But in this story, his role seems minor, really. He just happened to outstretch his arms. But what we know is that Moses’ outstretched arms EMPOWERED Joshua to overtake the Amalekites. In verse 9, Moses COMMISSIONS and RELEASES Joshua for the battle, and in verse 14 Moses AFFIRMS Joshua’s role in what God was doing.
As for Aaron and Hur, their roles could be deemed insignificant, RIGHT? - they only held up Moses’ arms. . .WRONG! We know that their roles had great meaning! If Aaron and Hur had been absent, who would have upheld Moses’ arms? And then would Joshua have lost the battle against the Amalekites? The text tells us that when Moses’ hands grew tired Aaron and Hur held his hands up, one on one side, one on the other. Aaron and Hur each had one hand . . . just one hand. And yet Aaron and Hur had great meaning and significance. Their role was absolutely VITAL. Without them, Moses’ arms could not have stayed outstretched to empower Joshua to win the war.
Aaron and Hur could be deemed key to the ministry, in fact, each of these men could be deemed key to the ministry. Why? Because their role was VITAL, each role was VITAL, each person was VITAL! Without one the impact would never have been so great. Each one was needed, each one had meaning.
Of course, each of these men and each of us, ultimately find our meaning, significance and purpose in the person and life of Jesus Christ. If not for His life, we would be living insignificant lives.
Why did God use Joshua, Moses, Aaron and Hur? And why does God use each of us? For we are just people – people whose lives include stories of brokenness and pain, loneliness and insignificance.
One of my favorite quotes reminds me why God chooses to use each one of us, each one of our stories, each one of our lives, each and every single one.
... Given that there is a God, [that] he cares about humanity, and [that] he is deeply troubled by the human condition, how could God proceed to actively engage the human dilemma? If God refuses to take from us our free will and he refuses to leave the world in its present condition, what can he do?
Here’s an interesting possibility: He could change our hearts. He could take us through a process that would moves us from greed to altruism, that would moves us from indifference to compassion, that would move us from hate to love, that would move us from apathy to activism. If he could change us, he could change the world (other version: By changing us, he can change the world).
There was once a Roman citizen named Saul of Tarsus who was a religious fanatic and murderer, and he eventually had an encounter with Jesus Christ. He is best known as Paul. He turned from a life of condemnation and violence to becoming a champion of love, hope and faith.
It may seem way too simple, but the world will change when we change.
- Erwin McManus, Soul Cravings
This is exactly why God uses us. He takes the brokenness and pain, loneliness and insignificance and so beautifully weaves through our lives hope and healing, to bring wholeness and redemption. By changing us, he is changing the world.
You are change in this world.
You are a Joshua, Moses, Aaron or Hur. YOUR ROLE IS VITAL, YOUR LIFE IS VITAL, YOU ARE VITAL! YOU are change in this world.
Just as each of these men were so key in defeating the Amalekite army, YOU are key in ministry where you are serving. Joshua, Moses, Aaron and Hur each had a vastly different role. Each of you have vastly different role. Each of them were needed and used by God in a mighty way. And just like them, each of you are needed and are being used by God in a mighty way.
You have meaning, significance and purpose not only to God, but to your area of ministry.
Your faithful service to God has played a VITAL role in offering HOPE and HEALING to a hurting world and advancing the movement of Jesus Christ.
Thank you for your faithful service.
May 8th, 2007 © allthis
March 28th, 2007
Core Value #3 - COMMUNITY
COMMUNITY. Authentically sharing life with one another through teaching, fellowship, worship and living.
A couple of weeks ago a friend posed some interesting thoughts in response to the community found in Acts:
In Acts 2:42-47, it basically says that the apostles and the believers devoted themselves to study, prayer, and spending all their time in fellowship with each other. It said that they shared all they had and sold their own stuff to help each other out. My friends have on occasion said that sharing of that nature was commonplace, but I have to disagree. Unselfish love of that nature is just not common, it's not easy and it simply never happens.
I always think it's funny that the apostles and the believers always spent time with each other, but we today get over people so quickly and we forget that we are selfish lamewads who are conditioned to believe that the world is truly about ourselves (I am so guilty of this, so back off me Stone Casting police). We judge easily, we look for ways to be apart, to not talk about what we struggle with, and we cover it up with jokes and nonchalance. Even in their relationships, the apostles and the believers gave of themselves completely. (see http://brittondennis.blogspot.com)
It's always just one line that will grip my soul in every song that I love. In David Crowder*Band's Rescue Is Coming that line says, "And there's nothing wrong with me, I just believe things could get better." This line can still and does bring me to tears. Somewhere deep within I believe that things can be better than they are right now, and I actually believe that I can be that change in the world with the Spirit of God within me.
I believe deep within that the reality of the Acts Church is possible today. What I do know is that living the way of the Acts Church is what truly is life transformational and what creates movement and change in the world around us. In the midst of seemingly meaningful things, it's remembering that people are of the UTMOST importance and that sharing and living life with others is the greatest thing we can do or have in our lives. It's investing our whole lives in Christ in the lives of others without thought to what we will gain. Its about vulnerability and intimacy, sharing our greatest joys and our deepest pains and disappointments. It's about casting aside the fear of being known, I mean truly known. It's about daring to risk in the life of another, knowing that that risk itself may actually cause us the greatest pain we can't even imagine, but walking boldly into the future in obedience, serving others with the love, heart and attitude of Christ. IT'S ABOUT LIVING BY FAITH, BEING KNOWN BY LOVE, AND BEING A VOICE OF HOPE TO THE WORLD AROUND US (http://mosaic.org). It's about letting those things that Paul describes in 1 Cor 13 and 1 Thes 1 define us and represent us. It's about getting beyond ourselves, our ideas of safety and comfort and becoming a disciple/learner of Christ, WHATEVER the cost. It's about passionately pursing the very heart of Christ above EVERYTHING else and letting NOTHING else stand in our way of doing EXACTLY what He calls us to. It's about hearing that whisper and letting it become so familiar that you don't hesitate, question, or pause in response. It's about longing for home - for heaven, and knowing every second of every day that we live in eternity present right now and that WE have the power of God to be the change in this world, to create community like the first church had, and then we will be living more free and alive than we ever could have imagined.
Even though I believe this with all of my being, that we too could have this Acts experience, I find myself lost in the midst of lonliness and pain, wrestling with the reality of community. How can it be that you are in a room with people that you consider friends and still feel alone? That all along, you stand outside of the circle that you long to be integrated COMPLETELY into. That you walk away willingly from those who mean the most to you, who you know and who know you? My heart - it bleeds and I have tried to cry out, but it seems as though no one is really listening. So, what's the point of community then? Is it ever changing and never staying the same? What happens when community becomes merely a group of people hanging out, rather than people actually sharing life with one another?
Now, don't get me wrong - I've seen it, and I've even experienced it. I've dreamed of community like the Acts Church. And every so often I get a sweet taste of it. Like last week, I was talking with a friend about the upcoming transitions in his life. What I merely thought was just a dream needing to find fulfillment, is actually creativity and uniquness expressing itself in a heart that cannot be contained. It's about music, yes, but moreso - the life of worship. It's about passion, and the pursuit of that greatest passion. And it's about life, living free and fully alive.
So I have thought over the week, what makes this experience from last week something that represents the Acts Church Community? I realize that the sharing of life - of thoughts, of experiences, of passion brought understanding and knowing of more than just a dream, but a person. To know and be known. I believe that is a longing placed within each of us, which is fulfilled within community and in the person of Christ.
So, lastly, what about change within and the purpose of community...
I read this excerpt last week from Erwin McManus' An Unstoppable Force, daring to become the church GOD had in mind:
"Whenever we receive new members at Mosaic, we remind them that receiving them into our community is our commitment to inviting them to change who we are, that we may become who God desires us to be. Our commitment is not to clone them to who we already are, but that each person who joins our community is a promise from God that He is not finished with us yet." And so I wonder, can we really do this? Can we really welcome the outsider in - as a promise that God is not finished with us yet, and allow our lives to be radically altered by the Spirit of God indwelling another? I dream that we are able to do this, because in this act there is submission and humility before our creator, there is great faith and trust that things could get better - that we could be better. And I believe there is even beauty. Because, as Erwin says, "A community with the servant heart of God knows no limit to sacrifice, and when its people are doing what God created them to do, there is no limit to impact."
I just believe things could get better.
March 28th, 2007 © allthis