The Adventure of Discipleship

Following the strategy of the classic game of Clue, we need to identify not only how God has shown up in our lives but where He has shown up:  in the hall? The study? The lounge? Let me suggest three places we should look to see God’s fingerprint:  the natural, the supranatural, and the supernatural. 

The Natural

A pantheistic worldview believes that God is nature and, therefore, not distinct from it. Deism believes that God was the creator who set the cosmos in motion, but now He is simply a distant landlord… no longer intervening or interacting with His creation.

 In contrast, the Christian faith believes that God not only created the universe, but He is distinct from it and directly involved with it. The belief that God is sovereign means that nothing large or small happens that does not have God’s fingerprint on it. Neither luck nor “mother nature” is a viable concept in the Christian faith.

The natural world we live in has a rhythm and predictability that gives us a sense of security and comfort. These factors have also motivated early scientists to study and identify the natural laws that God established to govern the physical universe. The predictability of those laws has made it possible to explore space, develop medical cures, and advance in technology. Modern scientific discoveries are based on the assumption that what we observe today will still be true tomorrow. King Solomon agreed with that assumption. “What is happening now has happened before, and what will happen in the future has happened before, because God makes the same things happen over and over again” (Ecclesiastes 3:15 NLT).

However, to the follower of Christ, consistency does not eliminate the belief in an ever-present God in our everyday, ordinary lives. The Bible claims that God not only created the universe, but He is presently holding it together. “…all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together (Colossians 1:17).

The natural world is the starting point for discovering and appreciating the touch of God on our lives. But the fingerprint of God is also seen in the supra-natural and the super-natural.

The Supranatural

Supranatural is the plus factor, going above and beyond the natural.   It reminds me of the fast-food marketing gimmick of “supersizing” your meal. In religious life, we use the term blessing. We consider people blessed when something happens beyond what would typically be expected. For example, when a farmer harvests his crop and gets 300 bushels per acre rather than his usual 200, he feels blessed. 

Supranatural events function within the known laws of nature and social relationships. For example, when we ask God to bless our family or friends, we ask for better than average results. We are not expecting God to step outside the known laws of nature but rather . . . .well, bless them!

For example, Jesus fed the 5,000 with the resources of five loaves and two fish. Not only did everyone have enough to eat, but there was also extra for a “to go” box for their trip home. Jesus applied a multiplication factor to the natural available resource resulting in a supranatural event… touched by God.

When God’s multiplier is greater than one, we consider the outcome a blessing. But when it is less than one, it is a discipline. In either case, God shows up. Consider Israel’s situation at the time of Haggai the prophet.

This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: Look at what’s happening to you! You have planted much but harvest little. You eat but are not satisfied. You drink but are still thirsty. You put on clothes but cannot keep warm. Your wages disappear as though you were putting them in pockets filled with holes (Haggai 1:5-6)! (See also Isaiah 5:3-6)

A multiplier of less than one in the Old Testament was often in the form of a drought and the resulting famine. Usually, it was precipitated by prolonged disobedience.   When God’s people did not obey or heed warnings from the prophets, famine was the wake-up call.

The Supernatural

We think of the supernatural as events that step outside of either the natural or supra-natural. These are events that have no explanation within the known natural laws. Sometimes supernatural has been attributed to events for which people are ignorant of their cause. For example, centuries ago, a comet in the sky was a supernatural event that caused great fear. With little understanding of our cosmos, the event seemed supernatural. Today, however, we know that comets are relatively common events, and we know why they occur. Supernatural is the term we apply to events that occur without a known explanation: outside the laws of nature.

In the biblical narrative, God steps into His created, predictable natural order and acts supernaturally. For example, Jesus claimed divinity during His earthly ministry by stepping outside the natural order and causing events to happen that were supernatural. The resurrection of Lazarus comes to mind. Had Jesus arrived on site earlier and healed Lazarus, it could have been considered supranatural, a blessing. But when He delayed, and Lazarus died, Jesus raising him from the dead was a miracle – a supernatural event.

“Breakthrough” is the name of a movie made about John Smith of St Charles, MO, who in 2015 fell through the ice in a local lake. He was underwater for 15 minutes, and his heart had stopped beating for 43 minutes. When his mom arrived at the hospital, she prayed, asking God for a miracle. His vitals immediately responded, and, in a few days, he was fully conscious. He had a complete recovery and now readily shares his story. The doctors have no natural explanation for what occurred. It was a supernatural event indicating the fingerprint of God.

As dramatic as supernatural events are, and as much as we desire them, their impact seems to have a short shelf life. Reflecting on the Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt, I notice that after the supernatural damming of the Red Sea and a dry seabed crossing, it didn’t take long for the people to revert to their old ways and views of God. So, God repeats the supernatural with a dry river crossing at the Jordon River. This time, however, He has them set up a monument so they would remember and pass this supernatural event on to the next generation. The Old Testament prophets constantly challenged the nation of Israel to remember what God had done.

In the game of Clue, the deed is done in only one room, but God has manifested His glory in every place. God is present in the natural, supranatural, and supernatural. His fingerprint is everywhere if we take the time and effort to look for it. 

So, what do we do once we identify the fingerprint of God? You may want to read David’s example in 2 Samuel 22, where David investigated and discovered God in the landscape of his life.

For Reflection

1. Reflect on a time recently when God touched your life with a plus factor of the supranatural.

2. Which of the three (natural, supranatural, supernatural) do the Psalms

primarily refer to?

The Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) TV series and its various adaptations have been one of the more successful genres in recent decades.  The basic idea is that in a one-time (crime) event, the “who done it” is not apparent.  It assumes the perpetrator did not leave his business card behind, but he did leave some evidence.  Forensic science has come a long way from the magnifying glass of Sherlock Holmes, but the aim is the same:  find the evidence.

In the last blog, we looked at the demonstration of God’s glory.  Now I want to look at our response to His demonstration:  investigating His glory through the lens of faith.

Fingerprinting was one of the first forensic techniques used to identify perpetrators.  This technique goes as far back as the 1800s.  However, forensics took a massive leap beyond fingerprints with the discovery of DNA.  Because of its specificity, DNA has helped both convict and “unconvict” many accused.

Since Christ promised to be with us wherever we go, we should feel confident that He will show up regardless of the circumstances we find ourselves in.  The only question is how.  When He is not apparent, we need a Spiritual Christ Scene Investigator (S-CSI).  And every S-CSI needs the equivalent of a spiritual magnifying glass to see the evidence that is there but not always obvious:  a magnifying glass of faith.

Our culture often implies that only religious or superstitious people live by faith.  “Normal” people live by facts.  But a quick look at several definitions of faith can help us dispel this myth. 

The assent of the mind to the truth of a proposition advanced by another; belief, or probable evidence of any kind.¹

Faith (GR: Pistis): primarily, “firm persuasion,” a conviction based upon hearing.²

The confident conviction of an unseen reality based on the integrity of another.

Faith Principle #1:  Faith is the lens that allows us to see what is real but invisible.

Our eyes are perfectly designed receivers to see the spectrum of reality made visible from the radiation or reflection of white light.  Likewise, most of our space telescopes are receivers of white light, allowing scientists to discover amazing facts about distant stars and galaxies.  The Hubble telescope, for example, outside the earth’s atmosphere, uses visible light lenses to detect distant solar objects.  It has sent back pictures from outer space with outstanding clarity since 1990. 

But white (visible) light is only a small part of the electromagnetic spectrum.  Almost all objects on earth and in space also radiate and reflect infrared light which is invisible to our natural eyes.  With a longer wavelength, infrared light can penetrate cosmic dust clouds, allowing scientists with an infrared lens to see with what was previously hidden.  Scientists are hopeful that the recently launched Webb infrared telescope will be able to see into deep space and display reality undetectable even by telescopes like the Hubble.  The key is in the type of lens they look through. 

Reality is made visible in space or life with the proper lens.  In addition to our eyes, God gives us the lens of faith with which to see what is real but hidden from our physical senses.  We need the spiritual eyes (lens) of faith if we are to see God’s glory.  God is not hiding from a seeking heart. . . . just from an indifferent one. 

In Jeremiah, God said, “‘You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13).  And the writer of Hebrews said, “Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for the one who comes to God must believe that He exists, and that He proves to be One who rewards those who seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6). 

We all live by faith every day. 

1.  We believe in things that are real but unseen based on the word of experts and people we trust.

2.  Our physical senses do not detect all that is real.

3.  Many discoveries about one-time events in fields like geology, criminology, and history, are made through the lens of abductive reasoning³ rather than physical evidence. 

Consider these statements from Scripture:

By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing Him who is unseen (Hebrews 11:27). 

These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth (Hebrews 11:13). 

The heavens tell of the glory of God; and their expanse declares the work of His hands.

Day to day pours forth speech, And night to night reveals knowledge (Psalm 19:2). 

Faith Principle #2:  Faith does not create reality but discovers it. 

So we fix our minds not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.  For what is seen is temporary but what is unseen is eternal (2 Corinthians 4:18). 

We have an example in the Old Testament story of Elisha and his valet hiding out in the town of Dothan, trying to avoid the Syrian king who was out to kill them.  One morning they wake to find their city surrounded by the Syrian army.   The valet panics, but Elisha appears calm and relaxed, casually drinking his mocha coffee.  The valet suggests that Elisha needs to start looking at reality and make a plan to escape.  But instead of panic, Elisha prays for the lens of faith.  Now when the servant looks out the window, he sees more than the Syrian army.  He also sees God’s army (See 2 Kings 6).  God was present all along . . . just unseen by the casual observer.

Faith does not pretend something is true when it is not.  We don’t create reality by our faith; we only see the reality that is invisible without it.  We usually struggle to see the unseen reality because God doesn’t show up in the way we expect Him or when we expect Him.  For example, God came down with fire when Elijah confronted the prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel.  But later, Elijah was surprised when God didn’t show up either in the storm, fire, or earthquake.  Instead, He spoke to Elijah in the gentle blowing wind.  In these cases, we need to look for His fingerprint through the lens of faith.

Also, God often does not show up when we expect Him.  Remember the story we mentioned in a previous blog about Jesus’ delay in helping Lazarus.  His delay was not from disinterest but for a greater demonstration of His glory.  Abraham, a paradigm of faith, struggled with God’s timing.  Forty years is a long time to wait for God to show up.  Impatient, Abraham made some choices that still affect us today.  The lens of faith sees God at work even when there is little evidence when all we have is the quiet voice of His promises or the confident conviction of His nature. 

Returning to our S-CSI, if we are to discover God’s presence in the landscapes of our lives, we will need to investigate His glory using the lens of faith.  Otherwise, like the two men on the road to Emmaus, we may not recognize Him even though He is there.

^1.  Webster Dictionary

^2.  Vines New Testament Word Studies

^3.  Abductive reasoning:  A logic that determines the best possible explanation from the available evidence.

For Reflection:

1.  What keeps us from recognizing God’s presence in our daily lives?

• What is a personal example of God showing up in the “still small voice”?

Today, palladium is the most expensive precious metal on the planet.  Discovered in 1803, the demand for the metal has risen exponentially as new uses for its chemical properties are discovered.  Businesses are increasingly using palladium in electronics, jewelry, dentistry, and primarily in the automotive industry for catalytic converters to change harmful gases into beneficial ones. 

However, gold was the most precious and coveted metal for most of history.   History is replete with examples of people’s efforts to obtain precious metals.  Conquistadors braved the unknown, invaded continents, and enslaved civilizations in their search for gold and silver.  The discovery of gold in America in the 19^th Century significantly changed our country’s population distribution.  It started with the discovery of gold in Georgia (1820s) and the resulting redistribution of the southwest native Indian population.  Next, the California gold rush of the 1850s and the Yukon gold rush of the 1890s brought hundreds of thousands of people migrating to the west hoping to get rich. 

When Old Testament writers wanted to identify the value of godly wisdom, they symbolized it using the most valuable and precious metal of their day: silver and gold.

Wisdom is more valuable than gold and crystal.  It cannot be purchased with jewels mounted in fine gold (Job 28:17).  For wisdom is more profitable than silver, and her wages are better than gold (Proverbs 3:14).

The Bible describes wisdom as valuable and rare because it is not native to the human heart — foolishness is.  The writer of Proverbs states that “foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child” (Proverbs 22:15).  We, for example, never had to teach our kids how to be foolish!  The warning is that since foolishness is our default condition, it will persist unless replaced by wisdom.  

The proverb that I often quoted to my teenage children summarizes the book of Proverbs: “It is not illegal to be foolish, but it is expensive.”  I also stressed that they didn’t have to validate the proverb themselves; there were plenty of examples of their friends making foolish decisions from which they could gain wisdom.    

The term foolish in Scripture has a range of meanings, from evil and rebellious to thoughtless or even silly.  Generally, it means “thickness” of mind.  The Greek word MOROS, from which we get our English word moron, means dull, silly, or stupid.  A general definition of foolish that would apply in most cases is “the lack of commonsense perception of the reality of things natural and spiritual.”¹ The Wisdom Literature of the Old Testament (Job, Proverbs (especially), Ecclesiastes, and Psalms) deals significantly with the contrast between the wise and foolish. 

Jesus testified that foolishness is not just a childhood trait.  In his parable of a rich man presuming the longevity and meaning of life, a man stockpiles wealth for a comfortable retirement.  However, God said, “You fool!  You will die this very night.  Then who will get everything you worked for?’  Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God” (Luke 12:20-21). 

Foolishness is a byproduct of our broken relationship and rebellion against God.  Cut off from the Source of truth and arrogantly confident of our own ability, we are shortsighted and blind to God’s design for life.  “Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is” (Ephesians 5:17).   Without intervention, childhood foolishness will follow us throughout life, wreaking havoc and robbing us of the abundant life God desires for us (John 10:10).

In the life of David, we have an example of how foolishness can follow us into adulthood.  In 1 Samuel 25, we have the story of two foolish men and one wise woman.  In the narrative, David is trying to avoid confrontation with King Saul, who is seeking to take his life.  He believes God will deal with injustice, so there is no need to seek personal vengeance.  David leaves King Saul and justice in the hands of God.  Yet in 1 Samuel 25, David and his men are rebuffed by Nabal, a wealthy, arrogant rancher whose livestock David has been protecting.  David’s answer is a path of foolish revenge.

Graciously, God sends Abigail, a woman of wisdom and the wife of Nabal, into David’s life.  Two foolish men are on a collision course, each for different reasons:  Nabal out of arrogance and David out of revenge.  In the story, with Abigail’s help, David recognizes and repents of his foolishness and lives.  Nabal, however, persists in it and dies.  Foolishness unchecked is very expensive!

Here are some observations about foolishness from Scripture.

• It is our natural, default condition (Proverbs 22:15).
• It results from our rebellion against the Source of truth and choosing evil (John 3:19).
• It brings grief to ourselves and those around us; it is expensive (Proverbs 10:1).
• The foolish seek wisdom in all the wrong places (Job 28:19-20).

Wisdom

If foolish is the “lack of commonsense perception of the reality of things natural and spiritual,” wisdom is its polar opposite:  the exercise of discretion.  Wisdom requires both understanding reality and the discernment of the best means to achieve a worthy outcome.

Although foolishness is part of our default DNA, we need not be victims of it.  The book of Proverbs tells us that the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding” (Proverbs 9:10).  However, although wisdom is available to anyone, it does not come automatically.  Proverbs highlights the challenge of gaining wisdom.  Notice action verbs in the following passage.

My son, if you will receive my words And treasure my commandments within you, Make your ear attentive to wisdom; Incline your heart to understanding.  For if you cry out for insight, And raise your voice for understanding; If you seek her as silver And search for her as for hidden treasures; Then you will understand the fear of the LORD, And discover the knowledge of God.  For the LORD gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding (Proverbs 2:1-6, emphasis added).

Scripture promises that we can gain wisdom by intentionally and diligently looking in the right place.  On the other hand, foolishness comes from doing nothing and reaping the costly consequences.  In the personification of wisdom in Proverbs, wisdom promises that when she is ignored, neglected, and mocked, there will come the point at which she will no longer be available. 

Because I called and you refused, I stretched out my hand and no one paid attention; And you neglected all my advice, And did not want my rebuke; I will also laugh at your disaster; I will mock when your dread comes, When your dread comes like a storm And your disaster comes like a whirlwind, When distress and anguish come upon you.  Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; They will seek me diligently but will not find me (Proverbs 1:24-28).

Here are several observations from an overview of wisdom from Scripture:

• Intelligence, age, or experience are not substitutes for wisdom (Luke 12:21).
• Wisdom can be obtained, but it cannot be bought or sold (James 1:5).
• Wisdom is more valuable than palladium (Proverbs 3:14).
• It is a bi-product of the fear of God (Proverbs 9:10).
• Wisdom is accessible to everyone and can be missed by anyone.
• Wisdom will multiply your days and add years to your life (Proverbs 9:11). 
• Wisdom is available for the asking from the right Source, under the right conditions (James 1:5).
• The fruit of wisdom is increased wisdom (Proverbs 1:5).

Joyful is the person who finds wisdom, the one who gains understanding.  For wisdom is more profitable than silver, and her wages are better than gold.  Wisdom is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her (Proverbs 3:13-15).

¹  Webster Dictionary 1828

For Reflection

1.  What are other characteristics of the foolish?

2.  Who do you know that you would consider wise and why?

There are four primary Greek words for love that express the wide range of meanings of that term, whereas we only have one in English.  The words are not like mathematical words with exact meanings, like the square root of nine is three. Instead, relational words have lots of overlap and shades of meaning that make them challenging to interpret without context.

The following are the four words Greek words with a “nonmathematical” definition.

• Agape:  A sacrificial love
• Storge:  A family love
• Phileo:  A friendship love
• Eros:  A physical love

Scripture only uses agape and phileo to describe love relationships; however, the other two expressions are evident in the narratives even without using the word.  Our Christian culture focuses primarily on agape love, both in how God loves us and how we are to love God and others.  John is the New Testament writer where the love theme is the most prevalent.  He is the one who informs us that God loves the world (John3:16) and spends most of his first letter explaining the importance of agape love.

We often overlook or minimize the importance of phileo love in our relationship with both God and each other.  Several passages draw attention to the differences between agape and phileo.  The most familiar is the dialogue between Peter and Christ after the resurrection.  Jesus asks Peter if he loves (agape) him, and Peter responds with, “You know I love (phileo) you.”  In 2 Peter 1, Peter instructs us to add to our faith certain traits.  The final two traits are phileo and agape love.  It is clear by their juxtaposition that there is a distinction, and both have importance.

In our journey of discipleship, we begin based on the agape love of God, which is unmerited, sacrificial, and universal.  But discipleship also includes phileo love.   Without friendship love, we will miss an essential experience for which we are designed.

Friendship love exists within the Trinity (John 5:20) and surprisingly is part of our faith-based relationship with God.  During Christ’s final days with his disciples, he said, “For the Father Himself loves (phileo) you, because you have loved (phileo) Me and have believed that I came forth from the Father” (John 16:27). 

Scripture refers to only a few people as friends of God:  Abraham, Moses, David, and Lazarus.  Yet Jesus said this to the disciples in the upper room,   “You are my friends if you do what I command you.  No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you” (John 15:15).  Christ now extends the privilege of friendship to his disciples.

Notice that the friendship between Christ with his disciples resulted from following him for three-plus years.  This friendship was not automatic but the result of the disciple’s alignment with Christ and his kingdom.  It is Christ’s relationship with a certified disciple. (See TAD blog 34)

It is an amazing and humbling thought that God wants both an agape and phileo relationship with us.  Friends enjoy being together just for the benefit of the company.  Friends often hang out together with no agenda.  A frequent picture of discipleship is where Christ rides with us as we try to pass our driver’s license exam.  He is the cop with the clipboard, looking for infractions so he can either pass or fail us.  But the friendship (phileo) love implies he enjoys riding along with us, not as a cop, but for the pleasure of our company.

The thought that Christ is emotionally attracted to us and wants to be with us because he likes us may be a new idea.  Friendship implies he likes us because he made us and because of what we are becoming, even with our flaws.  His friendship love celebrates progress, not just perfection.  Friendship love implies our relationship is a source of joy to him.

Friendship with Christ, however, is not one of equals.  His friendship does not make him my “buddy.”  He remains the sovereign Creator, and I remain his creation.  The writer of Hebrews says that we can come into his presence boldly; it does not say casually or irreverently. 

Friendship love is also critical to our interpersonal relationships.  Sadly, most of us have many acquaintances but too few friends.  The narrative of David and Johnathan in the books of 1 and 2 Samuel gives a beautiful picture of friendship love.  Not only did they support and encourage each other, but they also didn’t compare or compete with each other.  Their friendship was not judgmental or critical; it was indifferent to either position or power.

After reflecting on friendship love from the perspective of Scripture and life experience, here are several observations:

1.  Friends accept each other the way they are while celebrating what they are becoming without comparison, competition, or criticism.  Friendship removes the “if only” from the relationship. It does not mean friends are naïve about each other’s weaknesses, but the imperfections do not hinder the relationship.  Friends can sometimes be brutally honest and say it like it is, but their honesty is therapeutic, not condescending or judgmental (Proverbs 27:6). 

2.  Friends invest in each other’s emotional bank account, limiting withdrawals and maximizing deposits.  We each have an emotional checking account where deposits and withdrawals are constantly made.   The balance in that account affects our emotional well-being. For example, when more is withdrawn than deposited, we can feel discouraged, depressed, or angry.

Many sources have checkbooks on our account:  events, spouse, children, health, God, and friends.  Each of them is making deposits or withdrawals every day. So when we are having a “good day,” it probably means that our emotional checking account has a strong balance; more is coming in than going out.  Interestingly, the value of a deposit or withdrawal (from whatever source) is determined by the exchange ratio we give it.

.

Friends are vital since they make more deposits than withdrawals, and we give them a generous exchange ratio.  For example, if a friend does ten things wrong but one thing right, we think, “See, they really do care for me.”  But if a non-friend does ten things right and one wrong, we think, “See, they don’t really like me.”  Friends get the benefit of the doubt.

3.  Friends forgive forward.  When a friend forgets our birthday, we simply choose not to be offended. When friends are short, rude, ill-tempered, we don’t complain but instead think, “this too will pass.” With a friend, we are not easily offended. 

4.  Friends are reliably consistent.  Proverbs 17:17 says, “A friend loves at all times; a brother is born for adversity.”  Friends show up — when we are celebrating or hurting.  We know that when we make a 911 call to a friend in the middle of the night, we will be met with, “What’s going on and how can I help?” 

Webster defined friendship as “One who is attached to another by affection; one who entertains for another sentiments of esteem, respect and affection, which lead him to desire his company, and to seek to promote his happiness and prosperity.”  One of my favorite friendship quotes is, “A friend overlooks your broken fence and admires your garden.”

For Reflection

1.  What were the friendship factors between David and Johnathan?

2.  What are the other qualities of deep friendships?

Our life stories are made up of defining moments of various intensity and duration.  There are two words for time in the Greek language. One is chronos time, the linear duration of time expressed in hours, days, and weeks.  Chronos is where we get the word chronometer:  a watch or timekeeping instrument.  In Hebrews 5:12, the writer says, “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God.” Time in this verse is chronos time.  In other words, enough linear time has elapsed for you to be mature teachers.

Another Greek word for time is kairos.  Kairos time refers to a moment, season, or opportune time.  Kairos is not concerned with the length of time but with the significance of the time.  While chronos is quantitative, kairos has a qualitative meaning.  Paul uses kairos time when he said, “For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly” (Romans 5:6).

Our lives are made up of both chronos time and kairos time.  Our life story is the sequence of events over a linear period of chronos time.  But our life song is composed of those significant moments or seasons of kairos time, which I will call our defining moments.  These moments may be of short duration (moment) or longer duration (season).  In either case, what happened in the defining moment is what’s important, not the length of it.

(Note:  In Rethinking Discipleship:  The Quest, I identified the seven defining moments (kairos) in the life of Christ that makes up the gospel). 

Scripture is primarily the record of defining moments of men and women who encountered God in kairos moments.  It takes some effort to put the defining moments of Scripture into a chronological sequence.  This is especially true of the life of Christ.  The four Gospels focus on the kairos moments of people encountering Christ.  When each event occurred in the sequence of Christ’s life is generally less critical than the recorded encounter.

Defining moments in the Old Testament are sometimes identified with alters, monuments, or feast days. 

An altar was used either for sacrifice, adoration, or worship.  During Abraham’s lifetime, he built five altars that testify to different defining moments.  Isaac and Jacob built only one each.  The difference could indicate the loss of spiritual dynamic of the patriarchs that occurred over (chronos) time.  Abraham’s fifth altar was on Mt. Moriah.   When God provided a ram substitute for Isaac, “Abraham called the name of that place The LORD Will Provide, as it is said to this day, “In the mount of the LORD it will be provided” (Gen 22:14).

When the Israelites crossed the swollen Jordan River to enter the Promised Land, God told them to pick out 12 stones and place them as a monument to remind future generations of what God had done. Thus, altars and monuments were helpful visual reminders of God encounters.

The Old Testament also tells of feasts and celebrations as ways to remember God encounters.

The week-long Passover Feast is probably the most notable.  It served as both a reminder and a celebration of Israel’s deliverance from Egypt by the power and sovereignty of God.  Observing the history of Israel in the Old Testament, it is easy to correlate the spiritual health of Israel with whether or not they kept the Passover.

The New Testament “communion” or “Lord’s Supper” is a celebration to remember Christ’s sacrifice on the cross.  Paul quoting Jesus’s words reminds us of its purpose: “And when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”  In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me” (1 Corinthians 11:24-25).

Throughout Scripture, God tells us to remember.  The most obvious reason is that we are prone to forget. However, our God encounters, when God uniquely steps into our world, are to be remembered because they play a vital role in our spiritual health. 

To compose our personal life song, we need to remember and identify defining moments where God showed up displaying a quality or trait.  He wants us to personally discern those traits as they build our faith and trust in him.  To do so, we need to keep several factors in mind. 

1. God is always present.  Christ’s promise to his past, present, and future disciples was that he would be with them to the end of the age (Matthew 28:20).
2. God shows up in particular ways in our defining moments.  However, we do not always recognize his presence because he often does not show up in the way we expect.
3. We are often so focused on getting out of our defining moment (especially when it is uncomfortable) that we fail to look around to see God’s touch. 
4. We fail to look through our lens of faith, so we miss the supernatural by focusing on the natural.

Ezra gives us an excellent example of Israel’s life song in the book of Nehemiah.  Having rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem, a revival breaks out as the people gather to repent and confess their sins.  As the Levites read from the Book of the Law, they are rehearsing Israel’s life song.  Read Nehemiah 9 and notice how they connect the events (defining moments) with the touch of God.

In contrast, CNN would have reported the story as a series of natural events:

• A slave people revolted and left Egypt
• They traveled across the Sinai desert in search of a new home
• Moses, raised as an adopted Egyptian, was a dynamic leader who led them.
• Along their journey, the Israelites encountered various threatening obstacles that they tenaciously overcame.
• After 40 years, they settled in a place they called the Promised Land. But, unfortunately, the local inhabitants were not very excited about their arrival, so they put up a strong but futile resistance.

Compare the CNN version with Nehemiah 9.  Notice that in Ezra’s version, each defining moment reflects on how God shows up.  Ezra turns Israel’s life story into a life song.  What is remembered is less about the events and more about the touch of God.  The events were simply the laboratory for discovering the nature of God.

For Reflection

1. Think of a defining moment in your life when God showed up in a special way.

Think of a defining moment in your life when God seemed to be absent.

• What are some reasons we are told to remember?  “Remember His wonderful deeds which He has done, His marvels and the judgments from His mouth” (1 Chronicle 16:12; Deuteronomy 8:18). 

“Amazing Grace” is probably the most well-known and beloved hymn to come down through history.  It has been an inspiration to old and young alike for over 140 years.  The lyrics and music seem to touch something deep within us.

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound

That saved a wretch like me

I once was lost, but now I am found

Was blind, but now I see

First published in 1779, this ageless Christian hymn continues to stir people’s hearts. Its moving text came to life seven years earlier, by the hand of the English clergyman, John Newton.  It gained popularity in America through Baptist and Methodist preachers who frequently used it in their services.

Despite its author being a former slave trader, it would become a well-known anthem of the civil rights movement years later.  Across two centuries, there have been more than 20 melodies associated with the beloved hymn, but the words remain the same.   “Amazing Grace” is the testimony of a man who encountered God and passed his God-experience on to future generations in a song.  It helps to know the back story, but it is not essential; the words speak for themselves. As a result, many have made “Amazing Grace” their testimony even though their life story is very different from John Newton’s.

About a century later, another familiar song, “It Is Well with My Soul,” was penned by Horatio Spafford (1828-1888).  Although not as well-known as “Amazing Grace,” this song also captures the testimony of one man’s journey of faith, and it has resonated with millions down through history.

When peace like a river, attendeth my way,

When sorrows like sea billows roll—

Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say

It is well; it is well with my soul.

Horatio Spafford was a successful attorney and real estate investor who lost his fortune in the great Chicago fire of 1871.  About the same time, his four-year-old son died of scarlet fever.  Hoping to catch a breath of fresh air, he sent his wife and four daughters on a ship to England, planning to join them after he finished some pressing business at home.  However, while crossing the Atlantic Ocean, the ship with his family collided with another vessel and sank.  More than 200 people lost their lives, including all four of Spafford’s daughters.

Surviving the tragedy, his wife, Anna, sent a telegram from England to her husband with the poignant words: “Saved alone. What shall I do?”

While on his voyage to join his wife, Spafford crossed the very spot where his family had drowned.  Reflecting on God, his life, and faith, he penned the words of “It Is Well with My Soul” which continues to touch the hearts of so many.

Frequently, hymns have had a backstory that formed the incentive for the lyrics.  Each verse would proclaim a different tribute to God and his character, followed by the chorus giving the central theme of the hymn.  Whether we know the backstory or not, these songs are powerful because their lyrics (and music) draw us into the author’s experience of God.  In some way, their story becomes ours.

The Psalms in the Old Testament are a collection of “Sacred Songs.”  Each Psalm is like a verse of a hymn, reflecting the author’s encounter with God.  Most of us have been deeply touched by a particular Psalm that reflects our situation and experience. 

Most of the Psalms are ambiguous regarding the backstory, but sometimes with King David’s Psalms, we can identify the circumstances behind them.  Nevertheless, the words are meaningful even without the story because it invites us into a fresh look at God through the lens of another person’s experience with God.  In the context of my previous blog, “Closing the Gap”, each Psalm is a declaration of “God is…” and “God is my…”.

 A case in point comes from the opening lines of Psalm 40. 

For the music director. A Psalm of David. I waited patiently for the LORD; And He reached down to me and heard my cry. He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the mud; And He set my feet on a rock, making my footsteps firm (Psalm 40:1-2). 

In this song, notice the use of personal pronouns:  I and me.  David does not give us the details but enough of the backstory to know there was a defining moment when God showed up in a particular way.  In this verse of David’s Sacred Song, he discovered God as his Rock, the One who lifts up and gives firm footing even in challenging circumstances.  David is giving testimony to not only who God is but what he has personally experienced regarding the character of God.

Perhaps this is why when you or I need encouragement and perspective during a difficult moment in our own lives, we are unlikely to turn to 2 Samuel and read about David’s life mission.  But we have all gone to the Psalms to read about David’s encounter with God. 

Notice David goes on to say his purpose in writing this Psalm. 

He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God;

Many will see and fear and will trust in the LORD (Psalm 40:3).

David wants his Psalm to be a catalyst for others to find their own God-experience: their own “God is my….”.  In turn, they would compose and sing their song.  David had a vision for generations of people composing and playing their personal Sacred Songs. 

Our life story is important to us and maybe to our children, but it will quickly fade away.  Even our carefully designed scrapbooks will soon become irrelevant.  Few of us have illusions that the Disney Corporation will come knocking on our door to do a movie of our life story.  Our life mission, vital as it is to us, will soon be eclipsed by the next generation’s mission.  Our life lessons may even serve as an encouragement or warning, much like Solomon’s book of Proverbs.  But our most significant contribution is the life song that we compose and pass on to others.

I will be developing the concept of a life song in upcoming blogs, but for now, let me briefly describe what I mean by the term.

Life Song

What is true about the nature and work of God that we have discovered/validated through personal experiences and are now able to share with others.

The Apostle John puts it this way:

What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life—and the life was revealed, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was revealed to us—what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ (1 John 1:1-3).

While our life story can bring inspiration, our life lessons can bring motivation, our life mission can bring admiration, however, our life song brings illumination regarding the very character of God.  Our life song relates how God showed up in the defining moments of our life journey so that others can make the same discovery.

For Reflection

1.  Reflect on a time when a particular Psalm was important to you.  Which one?  Why?
2. Is there a hymn or praise song that has lifted your soul at a difficult time?  Which one?  Why?

How far is the distance between “God is…” and “God is my…?”  The first is a belief; the second is a conviction.

Two of life’s most important questions are “Is there a God?” and “If so, what is he like?”  Sitting in the sauna at our community center one day, I initiated a conversation with a young fellow “sauna sweater.”  During our conversation, I raised my ensign flag, mentioning that God was an essential part of how I lived my life.  After a few minutes of silence, he asked, “Is he good?”  I was surprised by the question since I assumed everybody believed that he was good if there was a God.  However, this young man was not at all sure.  Even for us, no matter where we are on our spiritual journey, the question of the nature of God is relentless.  How we answer is life-changing.

Theology is the study of the nature of God revealed primarily through the narrative accounts of Scripture.  The Bible either directly states or tacitly implies attributes about God.  Because we so easily create a distorted caricature of God, we need to study and continually build an accurate biblical theology.  However, once we have the correct theology, we also need to discover the reality of God through our own experience.  We don’t start with our experience to form our understanding of God, but we do need to take the revealed truth of God and experience it in the laboratory of our ordinary lives.

God’s nature is revealed in several ways in Scripture. One is through statements where God describes himself and declares, “I am…”  The most common declaration in the Old Testament is “I am the Lord your God.”  A second way God reveals his nature is through the testimony of his people.  The prophets often declare, “God is…”  For example, Isaiah describes God in six ways in just one verse.  “For your husband is your Maker, Whose name is the LORD of hosts; And your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel, Who is called the God of all the earth” (Isaiah54:5).

A third way Scripture describes God is through the personal “God is my…”  I think the reason we find the Psalms refreshing, especially in a crisis, is that we get a mixture of the “God is…” and the “God is my…”: a combination of both belief and conviction. 

Psalm 91 combines the God is… and the God is my…:

I will say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust!”  (3)  For it is He who delivers you from the snare of the trapper And from the deadly pestilence.  (4)  He will cover you with His pinions, And under His wings you may seek refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark. Psa 91:2-4 

Jesus declares, “I am the good shepherd” (John 10:11); the writer of Hebrews declares God is the God of peace and the great Shepherd (Hebrews 13:20), however in the familiar Psalm 23, David testifies, “The Lord is my Shepherd.”  David discovered that the God who was the shepherd of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob was also his shepherd.  

David knew that between the God who is… and the God who is my… there is a gap that needs closing.  That is why in Psalms 8:4, David challenges us to “… taste and see that the Lord is good” (Psalm 34:8).  It is an invitation to move beyond an intellectual belief to an experiential faith of personal conviction.

One of the ways God reveals himself to us in Scripture is through his names.  Names in the Bible context are used not only for identification but for revelation.   The names of God in Scripture are a way for God to reveal Himself in the form of a promise.  When God called Moses to lead Israel out of captivity, Moses asked, “Who should I say has sent me?” God’s response was to give his unique, personal name: I AM.   It was a promise to be all that Moses and the people would need along their challenging journey.  God would replace the god caricatures acquired in Egypt with the character of the God of their fathers. 

As I was growing up, church attendance was frequent and mandatory.  In addition to multiple services on Sunday, there was one on Wednesday night.  The Wednesday evening service was for the few highly committed adults and their reluctant children.  I remember this venue consisting of a few piano-led songs, an “in-depth” Bible teaching by the pastor, followed by congregational prayer.  But in between the songs and the message, the pastor would ask for “testimonies.”  I could easily drift off into “la-la land” for most of the service but not during the testimonies. 

People would stand up, often with tears, and tell how God had recently shown up in their lives.  They told of answers to prayer, scripture verses made real, and God encounters worthy of praise.  The in-depth Bible teaching was about the God is…, but the testimonies were about the God is my…

Recently I have reflected over the names of God using “God is…” statements in Scripture.  Many of these names are given to God as a result of an encounter with God.  Name that could be called testimonial names.   The Song of Moses is an example.   Reflecting on a 40-year journey in the desert, Moses wrote:

For I proclaim the name of the LORD; Ascribe greatness to our God!  The Rock! His work is perfect, For all His ways are just; A God of faithfulness and without injustice, Righteous and upright is He (Deuteronomy 32:3-4).

Earlier, when Moses, Joshua, and the people of Israel were victorious over the Amalekites, Moses built an altar to God and named it “The Lord is My Banner” (Exodus 17:15).  The altar and name were a testimony of what God had done for them.  They would be a reminder of what God would do for them in the future.  The altar has long since disintegrated into dust, but God’s name lives on as a reminder of what he has done, can do, and will do for each of us who “call on his name.”  The critical question is can we say, “He is my banner?”

There are specific names of God:  Almighty, King, Creator, Jehovah, Lord, etc., and there are testimonial names such as my healer, my fortress, my shelter, or my lamp.  Some of God’s names are formal such as the Christ (Matthew 1:16), while others, like a friend of sinners, are more implied (Matthew 11:19).  Each name adds greater revelation and a different perspective to the nature and person of God. 

Although there are over 100 names of God given in Scripture, they are not exhaustive, especially the testimonial names.  A few years ago, while I was going through a challenging life chapter, I reflected on how God showed up for me.  None of the familiar names seemed to fit what I was experiencing.  I wanted him to be my deliverer, to get me out of the pain and struggle.  But that was not how he showed up.  Then a name came to me out of the boxing culture: Corner.  A corner in the boxing world is a person permitted to be present in the fighter’s corner of the ring during a boxing match to provide advice and assistance to the fighter.

At that time, I felt like I was in a spiritual boxing match.  When the bell rang, I would go to my corner of the ring, sit on my stool, and get assistance from my “Corner-man.”  He would patch me up, give me instructions, pat me on the back, and send me back into the ring for another round.  At the end of one particularly tough round, he whispered to me, “You are dropping your left hand (of faith).  Keep it up! Lead with it.  You are back on your heels and too defensive.  Move to the offense.  Lead with the promises I have given you.”  Then the bell rang, and I was once again back in the fight.

Leaning into the character of God at defining moments along our journey of faith closes the gap between belief and conviction, between the God is… (concept), and the God is my… (experience).  

For Reflection

1.  What aspect of God’s nature has been evident in your life recently?

2.  Has there been a time in your life when the Good Shepherd showed up in such a way that you would say, He is my Shepherd?”

“The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat” was a phrase made famous by Jim McKay, the iconic sports journalist for ABC’s Wide World of Sports.  Thrill and agony are not only valid for the sport’s participants but sports fans as well.  It is interesting to watch the audience at the end of a sporting event.  One group is ecstatic, joyful, smiling, hugging their neighbor (the thrill of victory). In contrast, the other group is sober, stunned, depressed, looking at the ground on the way to the parking lot (the agony of defeat). 

Vicarious Entertainment

One of the reasons we identify with and follow a sports team is to experience vicariously (hopefully) the thrill of victory.  Merriam-Webster defines vicarious as “experienced or realized through the imaginative or sympathetic participation in the experience of another.” 

In 2020, Kansas City Chief’s fans experienced the vicarious thrill of victory as “we won,” and the team claimed that year’s Super Bowl for the first time in 50 years.  A year later, it was the agony of defeat, “we lost.”  The Chiefs were demolished in Super Bowl LV by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31/9.

Entertainment in all of its expressions (sports, movies, books, plays) provides a vicarious experience as we imaginatively participate in the experiences of others.  When we read a novel, we can identify with one of the characters and live in our minds and emotions the adventure and drama of the story.  Growing up, my western hero was Roy Rogers.  Every Saturday morning, I watched his TV show and carried my vicarious experience into the backyard with my official Roy Roger’s hat and BB gun.

Vicarious living can be motivating as well as entertaining.  One of the values of an exemplary life is that people connecting vicariously with the story are motivated to achieve similar acts of virtue and accomplishment.  The story of Seabiscuit, the champion thoroughbred racehorse of the 1930s and 40s, is a classic example.  His story, captured in books and movies, tells the drama of a horse who overcame great odds, defeating the Triple-Crown winner, War Admiral, by four lengths in a 1937 match race.  The experts considered Seabiscuit too small, his owner too inexperienced, his jockey too big, and his trainer too old.  Yet this underdog horse had a heart that wouldn’t give up, perfecting the strategy of coming from behind. 

Suffering through the decade of the depression, Americans identified with the disadvantaged Seabiscuit.  Millions of people tuned into that famous match race and vicariously won right along with the “Biscuit.”  A horse became a vicarious inspiration for many who steeled their hearts to overcome and win.

Vicarious living can be entertaining and motivating but detrimental when we substitute imagined experiences for real, first-hand ones.  Rather than a story that motivates personal achievement, it can become a substitute story.  We can passively live our lives vicariously through the achievements of others.  We can imagine our physical conditioning as we sit on the couch, eating nachos and watching our favorite football team sweat it out on the gridiron. 

Our atonement is vicarious, but our discipleship is not.

Christ’s death on the cross as a vicarious (substitutionary) atonement is a primary tenant of the Christian faith.  Christ takes our sin and gives us his righteousness as a double vicarious substitution.  His experience becomes ours through repentance and faith.  Christ’s vicarious atonement is not just a motivational story of self-sacrifice but a real accomplishment with life-altering results.

Discipleship, on the other hand, is not a vicarious experience. It is not something to be experienced through the lives of others but rather encountered first-hand.  The exemplary lives of others should motivate us to imitate rather than substitute their experience for ours.  The writer of Hebrews drives this point home when he says, “Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith” (Hebrews 13:7).  Inspired by their courage and obedience, we imitate their faith, resulting in our own experiences with God. 

Every generation needs its own encounters with God.  The Israelites who left Egypt’s captivity encountered God’s power personally at the Red Sea crossing.  Except for Joshua and Caleb, all those adults died before the Israelites entered the Promise Land.  God then provided the next generation with their own experience of God’s power as they crossed the flooded Jordan.  After the miraculous crossing, God tells the leaders to set up a stone memorial at the crossing site so that future generations could hear about God’s power.  The memorial was a reminder that the God who delivered “in the old days” could still deliver today.  Each successive generation needs their own Red Sea and Jordan River experiences.  They need to know that God not only delivered in the past but continues to deliver today. 

During the first year after Jesus called his initial disciples, they just watched in amazement.  Then one day, with a hungry audience of thousands sitting on a hillside listening to Jesus teach, their training took on a new level (Matthew 14:13+).  Sensitive to the needs of their audience, the disciples suggest that Jesus come up with a meal plan.   He had cast out demons, stilled the storms, healed the sick, and even fed multitudes.  He could do it again.  However, they were surprised when he turned to them and said, “You feed them!” 

In another situation, Jesus sent out the 12, and later a group of 70 disciples (Luke 10) to do what he was doing.  Luke records that they returned with joy, exclaiming, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us (emphasis mine) in Your name!”  Imagine the difference in their faith as they went from believing that Christ could move mountains to believing they could also move mountains – or at least some hills.

Following their partnership in the miraculous feeding of five thousand hungry people, the disciples found themselves out on the Sea of Galilee, rowing into a severe storm.  Out of the mist, they see Jesus walking towards them on the water, defying the known laws of physics.  Eleven men were impressed at this new display of Christ’s power.  Peter was more than impressed; he was motivated.  For eleven men, the vicarious experience of seeing Jesus walk on water was enough but not Peter (Matthew 10:28).  He wanted to experience Christ’s power first-hand.  And you know the rest of the story.

After the wind is still, the waves are calm, and Peter is back in the boat, the eleven men had a worship service (Matthew 10:33).  They had seen a miracle, but Peter had experienced one.  A faith lesson from these stories in Matthew 14 is “You can either witness a miracle or participate in one.”  As Jesus trained his disciples, he gave them opportunities to not only witness God’s power but to experience it first-hand.

First-hand discipleship was not a New Testament idea.  In the Old Testament, God wanted each generation to know him not simply by reputation (vicariously) but by experience.  In his closing words in the book of Deuteronomy, Moses gave instructions for the future kings of Israel.  He warned them of things they should not do (multiply horses, gold, and wives) but one thing they all should do. 

Imagine how the history of Israel would have been different if each king had written out his own manuscript copy, interacting with the priests as he reflected on its truths.  God wanted each king to know him personally and intimately, each new generation experiencing God’s reality.

Discipleship is not a vicarious experience; it is intimately personal.  God wants every generation to “taste and see that the Lord is good” (Psalm 34:8).  Our mentors, shepherds, and leaders should be catalysts, not substitutes for personal discipleship.

For Reflection

1.  How can we use others as catalysts rather than a substitute?

2.  Describe someone along your spiritual journey who was a catalyst to your steps of obedience and faith.