Uncertainties

I’ve recently been preparing for our upcoming quarterly office meeting. Like most companies, our typical agenda involves general updates on the state of the firm and the status of various initiatives and projects. As I prep for this next meeting, there seems to be a growing undercurrent of anxiety in the office regarding our future workload. Every design and construction company has the same challenge of continuing to find and win new work as current contracted work ends. The graph of how the efforts of current contracts end over time is often referred to as the “going out of business curve”. Unfortunately the recession has turned this figurative statement into something all too literal for many in our industry. Our firm is in a good position, but there is always a level of uncertainty about the future. My hope for the coming office meeting is to combat the negative and counterproductive speculation with accurate information that focuses us on doing what could and should be doing and rather than worring about the things out of our control.

Of course there are no shortages of other topics that have a similar sort of uncertainty. The economy (national and international), the upcoming election, the growing deficit, poverty, natural disasters, terrorism, the environment, health/disease, our family members and our interpersonal relationships are all topics fraught with uncertainties. I think it is important to be aware of uncertainties as they can fuel wise action, but we have to guard against being consumed by them.

If we don’t acknowledge the uncertainty and fragility of things, our “certainty” can become a huge risk and blind spot. Do you remember all the publicity around the predicted Second Coming of Christ about this time last year? While I would have welcomed it to be true, I didn’t subscribe to May 21, 2011 being the date (Matt 24:36). Even so, I was intrigued with the reports of what those who did believe the certainty of the dates and what they had done in approach of “the end”. I read of one man who quit his job and took on debt to take his family to see the Grand Canyon. Another used his life savings to rent billboards to warn and encourage repentance. As I considered the stories I had an awkward mix of pride and humility. I was glad that I had not been so foolish but at the same time questioned if I was living with intention and conviction. Was I making time to spend quality time with those I love while I have the time? Did my checkbook reflect my beliefs? What’s the balance of living like there might not be a tomorrow (since there might not) with wise preparation for the future?

Jesus focused on these questions about the future, uncertainties and how we should live in chapter 24 & 25 of Matthew. I’d encourage you to read it, but my summary of what Jesus is saying to us is; “Don’t panic, endure and pray. Know that you’ve been entrusted with important relationships and resources. Be willing and able to accept the responsibility to manage, invest and feed rather than assuming someone else should & will do it. Be ready and prepared for different possibilities and potentials. Focus on helping those in real need, rather than focusing on yourself and your own little world.”

I’ve got a long way to move these words into action, but I’m more and more convinced that all our uncertainties are a call to trust God first, act faithfully to help others second and worry about ourselves last.

Good and Simple

I was recently talking to a friend about how his eldest son would soon be graduating and heading off to college.  He said how he wished he had more time to spend with his son.  His desire did not seem to be about regret as he spoke fondly of the time and activities they had spent together, nor was it about the need for more time to parent/train/educate his son for “the real world” - the energy was a simple desire for more relationship.  He talked with pride about how his son had made pretty good choices and seemed to be as interested in hanging around him and the rest of family as his high school friends. 

What he expressed was wonderful, but was also unfortunately odd to me as it seems a majority of teenage kids aren’t that interested in spending time with their parents (and visa versa).  While most might “love each other”, I suspect a combination of different schedules, agendas and interests lead them to indifference and ultimately some level of rebellion as the kid &/or parent are more interested in doing their own thing than working to nurture relationship.   

My friend also mentioned that as parents they intentionally reinforced a simple Gospel message to his kids; “that God loves us and wants us to be happy.”  He went on to say that we Christians (and churches and parents) are quick to complicate the Gospel with all kinds of rules that turn people off and drive them away.  The Gospel means “good news” that should bring true joy and freedom, but it is too often reinforced as layers of do’s and don’ts that bring judgment and guilt.    

I know the first part of my friend’s simple Gospel statement to be true, but I’ve struggled a bit with the second.  Does God want me to be happy?  I would agree that he wants what’s best for me and also that I be joyful, but happy?  I suppose I might be nitpicking semantics a bit, but have ultimately reconciled the statement by thinking about my own kids.  I certainly want them to be happy, but I don’t always support their own expressed convictions about what they think they want or need to be happy.  I want the best for them and at times will let them be “unhappy” about something for both their own good and the good of those they will interact with in the future.  No one likes a narcissistic brat, no matter what age. 

My friends comments are challenging to me as a father and as an adopted son of God.  How simple is the Gospel and what do I believe?  How do I parent?  Riker starts high school in a few months and I know those years will pass quickly.  Does he know of my love and desire for more time and depth of relationship?  Does he know I want the very best for him?  Does he know that he has freedom to make good choices and that I want him to reap the benefits from the good rather than the difficult consequences of the bad?  Does he know I’ll always love and forgive him no matter what?  Does he know the extents that I’ll go for him – both to bless him and when needed discipline him for his own good?  Does he know the same of his Heavenly Father?  Do I?  If we really knew and believed it, what all would be different? 

The truth is that I know, but that I'm quick to forget and need reminders.  I got another today as Taya and I helped in Tirza’s Sunday School class.  The story was of Jesus having dinner with Mary and Martha and how Martha missed the opportunity for relationship because she was busy and distracted (Luke 10:38-42).  The message for the kids was “Jesus wants to be your friend” – another good reminder and candidate for a good and simple statement of the Gospel. 

Stories of Healing

Since my diagnosis there are a few specific passages that have emerged in my questions about what God wants for me and from me.  As you might expect, they relate to the topic of healing.  While I’d love to just “claim God's promise of health (and wealth),” I just don’t find it in the Bible to claim.

The poster child example against health and wealth for me is found in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 where Paul speaks of his requests that God heal his “thorn in the flesh.”  God’s repeated answer to Paul was “No, my grace is all you need.  My power works best in weakness”. 

Even with this truth, I’ve been challenged by the passage.  It indicates Paul made 3 specific requests.  Why 3 and why not something like “prayed about it every day for a year?” I sense the answer has something to do with honestly and earnestly making the request in light of a connection with our full need and God’s full power.  I think I’ve let myself be in that place just a handful of times in my life with the first and foremost when I humbled myself to accepted Jesus death and resurrection to forgive my sins.  That place of raw need and dependence is scary.  For my tumor so far, I think I’ve been quick to concede the situation to “God’s will” as it has some sense of “spiritual maturity” and doesn’t require much depth or feeling from me. 

While God told Paul “no” after 3 earnest requests, Mark 5:24-34 tells the story of a woman who suffered and sought solutions from doctors for some 12 years before being healed by quietly touching the hem of Jesus robe as he passed by.  How many times had she prayed?  In the end, it seems it wasn’t about words, it was that she put her belief that “Jesus can” into action by quietly drawing near to him.

Another story I’ve been thinking about is found in Matthew 8:5-8 where a Roman soldier comes to Jesus on behalf of a servant who was “paralyzed and suffering terribly”.  The Bible says that Jesus was amazed by his faith and that the servant was healed that same hour.  I love this story because it’s not about the servants faith, it’s about “faith on behalf of”.  The Bible talks about the gift of faith and while I am a believer, am not sure how strong my faith is.  This story is a great encouragement for me – both my situation and as an encouragement to continue to pray for others as well. 

With Easter tomorrow, it’s only appropriate to point out the ultimate story and promise of healing.  Just today I happened to read 2 Corinthians 4:14-5:10 which tells of our sharing in the resurrection and our new bodies.  It starts with “We know that God, who raised the Lord Jesus, will also raise us with Jesus and present us to himself together with you.”   (Click to read on…)