Recently, I have been in situations where people demanded that I perform or respond in a certain way; specifically… their way. Has that ever happened to you?
For most of us, these demanding people come in an astonishing number of personas. They are parents, siblings, spouses, children, co-workers, church members, neighbors, and even complete strangers. These often well-meaning folks usually pressure us with a fairly effective weapon. The club they swing most often is: GUILT.
A difficult thing to remember is that God directs and guides us with love, NOT guilt. People are busy whacking away at each other with guilt, but mostly to get you to do something they want. Or they want you to act or conform to a certain expectation.
Now I KNOW that God has blessed me with an abundance of gifts; both physical and spiritual. I’m also quite aware that God hasn’t blessed me with EVERY gift. Just as I know that I’m not gifted as a jockey or basketball player, I know that I’m also not gifted as a caregiver or a chef.
Here’s an important tip: we all don’t have the same gifts!
What are your gifts? It’s often easier to discern your physical gifts than your spiritual ones. In the past, I might have encouraged you to develop your gifts. And there’s nothing wrong with developing your gifts, but I believe that there’s plenty of evidence that God will fill you with giftedness when you are involved in the plans he has for you. Besides the example of Moses and all the Prophets, take a look at Jeremiah 1:6-10. Listen to where God might be leading you.
And remember: you don’t like it when somebody dumps a load of guilt on you (I know I sure don’t). So resolve to lay guilt aside. Don’t use it against anyone, and don’t let anybody use it against you. The God of the universe yearns for an intimate relationship with you. Celebrate the plans God has for your life… how YOU are part of God’s plan, and celebrate… and share… your gifts!
Every so often somebody sends me a neat little examination of numbers (I’ll get to that in a minute). After having explored the Mandelbrot Set in the eighties, I have definitely been able to see the imprint of an intelligent creator in the mathematical fundamentals of Chaos Theory.
The Mandelbrot Set… what is THAT?
Back in 1985, my friend, Mark Lehman, and I began an exploration of something wonderful. Scientific American had published an article about the Mandelbrot Set and the emerging science of Chaos Theory. It was heady stuff! We read about a number set within the complex number plane which contained an infinite variety of images; images which were amazingly compelling. Seemingly, every image in the natural world could be found replicated within this thing... this Mandelbrot Set.
It’s interesting to note that it is only the computational power of computers that allows us to explore the mathematical underpinnings built into the entire universe… from life cycles to galaxies! A genuine understanding of the math is what steers mathematicians and scientists to see what they call “intelligent design”. Such a breathtaking mathematical ordering of every system in the universe could not be chance, but could only come from the hand of an awesome creator!
One of the most poetic descriptions of the Mandelbrot set is still one of the finest:
“The Mandelbrot set broods in silent complexity at the center of a vast two-dimensional sheet of numbers called the complex plane. When a certain operation is applied repeatedly to the numbers, the ones outside the set flee to infinity. The numbers inside remain to drift or dance about. Close to the boundary minutely choreographed wanderings mark the onset of the instability. Here is an infinite regress of detail that astonishes us with its variety, its complexity and its strange beauty.”
- A. K. Dewdney, Scientific American, August 1985
To try and put the mathematics in laymen’s terms, let’s consider first that the boundary of the Mandelbrot set is an example of a fractal. A fractal is a mathematical object that is self-similar at every level of magnification. Nowhere will you find a fractal with more intricacy and complexity than the Mandelbrot set. And somehow, this infinite complexity is the product of a ridiculously simple formula. The representation of the Mandelbrot set at first appears to be nothing but an ugly bug with warts. But when you zoom in on its edges, incredibly intricate patterns begin to emerge. Spirals, jellyfish, bow ties, and many other beautiful, bizarre objects abound in infinite numbers on the edge of the Mandelbrot set. And everywhere you look, at every level of magnification, miniature versions of the Mandelbrot set keep popping up.
Here’s a quick trip into a tiny segment of the infinite beauty of the Mandelbrot Set:
Now, as promised, here is a neat little examination of numbers. Some of you will pull out your calculator to check on these computations (I know I did), but it all works out. This is really cool and fun. Consider for a moment…
The Beauty of Mathematics!
1 x 8 + 1 = 9
12 x 8 + 2 = 98
123 x 8 + 3 = 987
1234 x 8 + 4 = 9876
12345 x 8 + 5 = 98765
123456 x 8 + 6 = 987654
1234567 x 8 + 7 = 9876543
12345678 x 8 + 8 = 98765432
123456789 x 8 + 9 = 987654321
1 x 9 + 2 = 11
12 x 9 + 3 = 111
123 x 9 + 4 = 1111
1234 x 9 + 5 = 11111
12345 x 9 + 6 = 111111
123456 x 9 + 7 = 1111111
1234567 x 9 + 8 = 11111111
12345678 x 9 + 9 = 111111111
123456789 x 9 +10= 1111111111
9 x 9 + 7 = 88
98 x 9 + 6 = 888
987 x 9 + 5 = 8888
9876 x 9 + 4 = 88888
98765 x 9 + 3 = 888888
987654 x 9 + 2 = 8888888
9876543 x 9 + 1 = 88888888
98765432 x 9 + 0 = 888888888
Brilliant, isn't it?
And look at this symmetry:
1 x 1 = 1
11 x 11 = 121
111 x 111 = 12321
1111 x 1111 = 1234321
11111 x 11111 = 123454321
111111 x 111111 = 12345654321
1111111 x 1111111 = 1234567654321
11111111 x 11111111 = 123456787654321
111111111 x 111111111 = 12345678987654321
Mind Boggling...
Now, take a look at this...
What does it mean to give MORE than 100%?
From a strictly mathematical viewpoint:
What Equals 100%?
Ever wonder about those people who say they
are giving more than 100%?
We have all been in situations where someone wants you to
GIVE OVER 100%...
How about ACHIEVING 101%?
What equals 100% in life?
Here's a little mathematical formula that might help
answer these questions:
If:
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Therefore, one can conclude with mathematical certainty that:
While Hard Work and Knowledge will get you close,
And Attitude will get you there,
It’s the Love of God that will put you over the top!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This last bit is fun, and can be used to encourage us, but it is just one of many substitution games that people play with words and numbers to produce a result that they want to achieve. Do you really believe that God created mathematics and set the universe in motion, so that we could try to fool people about the nature of God with parlor tricks?
With just a few seconds of tweaking, I can use the same trick to produce the answer to the question:
How can we achieve salvation?
I-N-C-H-R-I-S-T
and that is
9+14+3+8+18+9+19+20 = 100%
Yes, we do achieve salvation in Christ, but Jesus commands us to love one another… not trick one another! The bit about hard work, knowledge, attitude, and the love of God is fun, but it is a trick of man… not to be confused with the awesome building blocks of God’s incredible creation… that we dimly perceive as mathematics and science.
This week, as you worship and pray, open your eyes to the awesome wonder and beauty of God’s creation… of which you are a most beloved part. Can you sense the world spinning in its orbit around the sun? Think about our solar system being a speck in the rotating spiral arm of a galaxy. It is just as impossible for you to detect our galaxy’s flight through the universe, as it would be for you to detect the orbit of a single electron about an atom somewhere in your body. We are fearfully and wonderfully made!
In that infinite vastness… whether out to the unimaginable scope of the universe, or inward to the strange atomic forces that are just as unimaginable… in all of that creation God loves you. In all of that infinity, God knows just where you are. Open up your heart, let Christ in, and begin a real relationship with the creator and sustainer of the universe!
What do you say to someone who has just suffered the death of a child... or a parent… or a dear friend? My words always feel so clumsy when I try to console someone who has suffered a loss of a dear loved one. I assure them that they are in my thoughts and prayers, as I’m sure they already know. But that always sounds so hollow to me. A hug, a smile, and a shoulder to lean on, or cry on, are all I really have to offer.
Jesus, on the other hand, offers so much more! He not only stands with us, comforts us, and supports us, but he has bridged the chasm that separated us from God. He didn’t do that for himself… he did it for us… he did it for you!
This week, the words to the contemporary Christian song 'I Have Been There' keep echoing in my head. I find this song by Mark Schultz to be very uplifting, so here’s the video… followed by the awesome lyrics:
In a room without a view
A new mother smiles and holds the tiny fingers
Of her brand new baby girl
Her husband takes her by the hand
So unsure about the future and no money
Can they make it in this world
And they pray, Lord all we have to give is love
Then they heard a gentle voice
Like an echo from above
Oh I have been there
I know what fear is all about
Yes, I have been there
And I am standing with you now
I have been there
And I came to build a bridge oh so this road could
Lead you home
Oh I have been there
He'd been a pastor twenty years
But tonight he sits alone and brokenhearted
In the corner of the church
He's tried to change a fallen world
With his words and with his wisdom
But it seems like it is only getting worse
And he cries
Oh Lord I just don't understand
And then he felt the hand of grace,
And he heard a voice that said
I have been there
I know what pain is all about
Yes, I have been there
And I am standing with you now
I have been there
And I came to build to a bridge oh so
This road could lead you home
Oh I have been there
An older man up on a hill
Holding flowers but he can't hold back the tears
He has come to say goodbye
He thinks about the life she lived
Thinks about how hard it's been
To live without her
Sixty years right by his side
And he cries, Oh Lord I loved her
'til the end
Then he heard a gentle voice say you'll see her once again
I have been there
I know what sorrow is all about
Yes, I have been there
And I am standing with you now
I have been there
And I came to build a bridge
Oh so this road could lead her home
The road could lead her home
Oh I have been there
Well I overcame the cross
I have been there
So her life would not be lost
I have been there
And I came to build a bridge
Oh so this road could lead you home
The road could lead you home
Oh I have been there
Are you in pain? Are you frustrated or depressed? Are you grieving? Are you worried about the future? Messiah Lutheran Church in Yorba Linda is a fellowship in Christ full of folks who ‘have been there’. I invite you to come meet us. I guarantee that besides being welcomed into our fellowship, you will make connections with people that will change your life and lift you up. We are a people that proclaim on our fountain: “Love One Another.” Drop by the sanctuary on Saturday evening, or Sunday morning, stop by the office, or catch up with me in the parking lot.
Jesus taught his disciples in many ways. Often he would use parables to teach them with stories they could understand. In Mathew 6:9-13, however, he gives his disciples (and us) very specific instructions when they ask him how they should pray. He tells them:
This, then, is how you should pray:
“Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.”
I was teaching this to the children this morning, and in doing so, several revelations about prayer came to me. As so often is the case for me, the children are the catalyst in this process. I think I am teaching them, but through them, God teaches me.
This prayer that Jesus has given us is something completely new in the world. It is a different way to approach God. Let’s break it down:
1. Focus. "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven."
Jesus shows us where our focus should be directed: on our Father in heaven. On our Father in heaven whose name is hallowed… sacred, divine, and holy! He also reminds us that as God’s will is respected and obeyed in heaven, so it should also be respected and obeyed here on earth.
That got me to thinking, and I asked the kids: “Should we pray to God to have his will be done for the things we pray for? For example, if I pray: ‘I want a pony. I want a pony. I want a pony. I want a pony. I want a pony.’ Can I change God’s will… by chanting my will over and over?”
Even the kindergarten kids knew the answer to that question: NO! God’s will be done… not mine. And yet, so many times we chant our will (in prayer) to God hoping to save a loved one, get a promotion, land a job, rain destruction down on our enemies, or get some other form of ‘pony’. Jesus clearly wants us to pray in such a way as to fit ourselves into God’s will.
2. Faith. "Give us today our daily bread."
In this simple request, Jesus reminds us that everything comes from God. God is the creator and sustainer of the universe. Every breath we take is a gift from God, not just the daily bread. Jesus reminds us to be thankful; to give thanks to God for… well, everything! If we think we provide for ourselves by our own hand alone, we are sadly mistaken. Daily bread comes in so very many forms. Trust in God, rely on His strength, not yours, be faithful, and don’t forget to give thanks to God.
3. Forgiveness. "Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors."
All of us are imperfect; we sin. Whether you say “debt”, “trespass”, “sin”, or “wound”, the meaning is clear. We are to forgive the wounds that have been inflicted on us by others, before we can ask for (or expect) forgiveness for all the wounds we inflict. No longer is revenge, holding a grudge, getting even, or remembering an offense acceptable.
Jesus died to atone for the sins of ALL people. Is your wound greater than the sacrifice of Jesus? If you refuse to forgive, you place yourself first, and you place yourself outside of God’s grace. Forgiveness does not always come easy. Jesus knew this, so he reminds us to pray for God’s help to be merciful, and forgive.
4. Follow. "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one."
Jesus isn’t saying that we need to beseech God to not lead us into temptation. He is reminding us to follow God. For God doesn’t lead us into temptation, the evil one does. Do we listen to God’s will in our life, or do we put our own will first. Satan traps us into believing that we need to get even, that we can do all things by our own strength, and that where our desires will lead us is more important than where God wants to lead us. It’s simple: If you follow God, he will never lead you into temptation.
The Lord’s Prayer is not an incantation. You don’t need to pray it with any certain inflection. You don’t need to be holding beads, or lighting a candle, or holding your hands in a certain way when you pray.
The Lord’s Prayer is not a chant. Praying it over and over by reciting the words is not praying, it’s just chanting. God doesn’t want us to mindlessly chant words over and over. God desires an intimate relationship with us. In teaching us how we should pray, Jesus instructs us how to get intimate with God.
So, when I pray our Lord’s Prayer, I try to think about what Jesus teaches us about prayer. I focus my heart on God, and ask myself: “How can I draw closer to God’s will in my life?” I give thanks and glory to God for my life and the blessings that flow from His grace. I let go of all the hurts and trespasses; sometimes I have to pray for the strength to let go of some of the hurts. And finally, I ask God to open my heart to more ways I can follow His voice, rather than that of the world or the evil one.
In giving us this single prayer, Jesus gives us the means to move toward the more intimate relationship that God wishes to have with us. Try starting your conversations with God with the prayer that Jesus teaches us to pray every day this week. Think about the four Fs… focus, faith, forgiveness, and follow. See if you notice a change in your attitude. See if you notice a change in your closeness to God. See if you notice an increase of joy in your life.
