get cleaned up

Image by Denis Collette…!!! via Flickr

“God does not tell us to clean ourselves up before he listens to our prayers.” – Kurt Hannah

There are times when we feel as though we are unworthy to come before God. Times when we feel burdened with guilt and worry, when there are things which are causing us to become worried that approaching God would be the worst thing for us.

Some of us think that we need to clean up our lives before we can approach God. We think that we have to stop drinking. We have to stop lying, cheating, stealing. We have to stop looking at pornography. We have to stop lusting.

We think we need to be perfect before we can come back to God.

The problem is, the only way we get perfect is by coming back to God. The only way we get rid of the chains that drag us down is by asking God to free us. The only way we come out from under the burden we carry is by having God remove it from us.

The only way we can be free, is by admitting that we need help.

We have this incredible promise that God has sent his Son into the darkness of this world as incredible light. When we are surrounded by the death and decay brought about by the brokeness which humanity has caused in this world, God brought life and newness.

Fall has always been a weird season for me. Weird because I love the crispness, the sharpness, the brightness that comes on a clear fall or winter day, but on the other hand I am keenly aware that the cold is killing things all around me. The trees become stripped bare.

The light that comes in Fall, however, is precious to me. Precious because I know it is fleeting. Precious because it is surrounded by darkness.

We do not need to clean ourselves us before we come to God. We need to go to God to get ourselves cleaned up.

crazy love: a review

Christians spend so much of their time trying to live the right way. We try not to swear or use foul language. We try not to tell dirty jokes. We try to make our kids sit straight and be quiet in the worship space.

Do you ever wonder if we are trying to do the wrong things?

Sometimes I wonder if we major in the minors and completely ignore the big things God is calling us to. I wonder if we gloss over Jesus’s radical calls to obedience in the scriptures on purpose, or if we simply miss it.

Francis Chan, in his book Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God says that yes, indeed, we have missed it. At least the vast majority of us have.

You may wonder if this is simply another angry book blasting the North-American church for not following Jesus. To be honest, I wondered that myself. As I began to read the book, I actually felt that it moved rather slowly. Chan takes his time outlining what it means to follow God, and makes sure that we understand just who this God is.

He incorporates his website in his text, urging the reader to go and watch some videos that are hosted there. I found this somewhat distracting. When I sit down to read a book, I want to read the book. I do not want to have to take the time to go to my computer and watch a visitor.

These drawbacks were more than made up for, however, as the book progressed. Chan Biblically draws an outline of what it means to be a follower of Jesus, not in specifics but in attitude.

His explication of what it means to be obsessed with Jesus really hit home for me. Here is a quick summary of his description of a person deeply in love (obsessed) with Jesus.

People who are obsessed with Jesus: give freely and openly, without censure, aren’t consumed with their personal safety and comfort above all else, live lives that connect them with the poor in some way or another, are more concerned with obeying God than doing what is expected or fulfilling the status-quo, know that the sin of pride is always a battle, do not consider service a burden, are known as givers, not takers, think about heaven frequently, are characterised by a committed, settled passionate love for God, are raw with God, have an intimate relationship with Him, are more concerned with their character than comfort, know that the best thing they can do is be faithful to his saviour in every aspect of his life.

While there are other books that relate the same subject, they rely more on experience than scripture. Chan makes a concerted effort to remind us that it is only in Jesus that we are saved, and that for the glory of God. This salvation calls us to lead a radically different life than those around us. This is one of the best books I have found that outlines the Biblical basis and demand for radical discipleship in an accessible and engaging way.

learning to lament ps 22

Image via Wikipedia

I do not think there is a better resource for those experiencing pain and grief than the psalms; especially the psalms of lament. The psalms are a combined group of prayers or songs which became used within the worship of the Old Testament Israelites. They express the full range of human emotions giving voice to the things that so many of us love to hide but need to expose.

It can be argued that the single biggest group of psalms is the lament of the individual. These psalms express a deep wound of pain and an experience of abandonment by God. There is a wide expression of grief due to the wide variety of human experience leading to the pain, but the psalms are made up of a rather consistent set of parts. This combination of consistency with variety provides a great framework within which we can express to God the deepest of our emotions.

It is this expression of emotion which can move us through our pain to a place of healing.

“The function of a Lament or Psalm of Petitionary Praise (Westermann), is to provide a structure for crisis, hurt, grief, or despair; to move a worshipper from hurt to joy, from darkness to light, from desperation to hope. This movement from hurt to joy is not a psychological or liturgical experience only, although it includes those. And it is not a physical deliverance from the crisis, although that is often anticipated. The movement “out of the depths” from hurt to joy is a profoundly spiritual one.” (from “Patterns for Life: Structure, Genre, and Theology in Psalms” by Dennis Bratcher http://www.cresourcei.org/psalmgenre.html#Lament)

This movement from hurt to joy is something which happens in the context of a covenant relationship with God. Karl Bosma, from Calvin Theological Seminary, has outlined a similarity between the grief process outlined by Kubler-Ross, and the movement within the psalms. The difference, however, is that within the psalms grief is placed within a context of a covenantal relationship.

You may have heard of the stages of grief.

1) denial/isolation

2) anger

3) bargaining

4) depression

5) acceptance

While psychologists have outlined these various stages in the processing of grief, there is an implicit understanding that these stages are worked through alone, as an individual, and ultimately resulting in resignation to the events of life.

The psalmist, however, and the Judeo-Christian tradition allows for a much different perspective on the movement of grief. There is no movement from denial to acceptance, but rather a movement from painful address to God toward praise. Bosma lists the similarities to the 5 stages of grief within the psalms this way.

1) address to covenant partner

2) protest against situation/partner

3) providing a motivation for change

4) personal despondency and expectant petition

5) (anticipatory) praise

For a Christian our struggle with grief is also a struggle with faith. Ultimate resignation to the ‘facts of life’ or to ‘fate’ or even ‘providence’ does not move us past the hurt to a place of trust and praise. It leaves us in a space that is far from God and builds a barrier within the relationship. If we are able, however, to truly wrestle with God and his promises to us, we will come to a point where the relationship becomes of central importance to our lives and we are able to trust that God is with us through it all.

Psalm 22 (the message)

God, God … my God! Why did you dump me miles from nowhere? Doubled up with pain, I call to God all the day long.

No answer.

Nothing.

I keep at it all night, tossing and turning. And you! Are you indifferent, above it all, leaning back on the cushions of Israel’s praise?

We know you were there for our parents: they cried for your help and you gave it; they trusted and lived a good life.

And here I am, a nothing—an earthworm, something to step on, to squash. Everyone pokes fun at me; they make faces at me, they shake their heads: “Let’s see how God handles this one; since God likes him so much, let him help him!”

And to think you were midwife at my birth, setting me at my mother’s breasts! When I left the womb you cradled me; since the moment of birth you’ve been my God.

Then you moved far away and trouble moved in next-door.

I need a neighbor.

Herds of bulls come at me, the raging bulls stampede, Horns lowered, nostrils flaring, like a herd of buffalo on the move. I’m a bucket kicked over and spilled, every joint in my body has been pulled apart. My heart is a blob of melted wax in my gut. I’m dry as a bone, my tongue black and swollen. They have laid me out for burial in the dirt. Now packs of wild dogs come at me; thugs gang up on me. They pin me down hand and foot, and lock me in a cage—a bag of bones in a cage, stared at by every passerby. They take my wallet and the shirt off my back, and then throw dice for my clothes.

You, God—don’t put off my rescue! Hurry and help me! Don’t let them cut my throat; don’t let those mongrels devour me. If you don’t show up soon, I’m done for—gored by the bulls, meat for the lions.

Here’s the story I’ll tell my friends when they come to worship, and punctuate it with Hallelujahs: Shout Hallelujah, you God-worshippers; give glory, you sons of Jacob; adore him, you daughters of Israel. He has never let you down, never looked the other way when you were being kicked around. He has never wandered off to do his own thing; he has been right there, listening.

Here in this great gathering for worship I have discovered this praise-life. And I’ll do what I promised right here in front of the God-worshipers.

Down-and-outers sit at God’s table and eat their fill.

Everyone on the hunt for God is here, praising him. “Live it up, from head to toe. Don’t ever quit!” From the four corners of the earth people are coming to their senses, are running back to God. Long-lost families are falling on their faces before him. God has taken charge; from now on he has the last word.

All the power-mongers are before him —worshipping!

All the poor and powerless, too —worshipping!

Along with those who never got it together —worshipping!

Our children and their children will get in on this as the word is passed along from parent to child. Babies not yet conceived will hear the good news— that God does what he says.

Related articles by Zemanta

• learning to lament (crcpastorchad.wordpress.com)
• Pain and Hope (bethstedman.com)

learning to lament

As a child I always wanted to walk with a cane. I thought it would be very cool to be reliant upon something like that.

I also thought that I would get a lot of attention from the ladies.

I sprained my ankle once, out of my own stupidity. It wasn’t really that bad, but I insisted on using crutches so that I would not hurt myself more. Really I was just looking for sympathy. It worked too. Some of the girls at school who wouldn’t look at me before suddenly spent time looking after me. The shine wore off after a while, however, and every things went back to normal.

I guess I just wanted attention, and thought that suffering would bring it.

Our culture hates to suffer. We do everything we can to make sure that everything is comfortable. To make sure that there are no aches and pains. We do everything to avoid one of the most transforming experiences there is in this world.

Last night we began a Bible study on the Psalms of Lament where we began to think about what it means to use our suffering as something that can transform the relationship we have with God. The Psalms, especially those of lament, encourage us to be honest with God, to be free with our language.

The notion of ‘liberation of language’ cuts two ways. On the one hand, we may be more free with our language, to let our language be liberated, not by being permissive or vulgar, but by letting it move beyond descriptive functions to evocative, creative functions in our life. That language should be free means that we will turn it loose to form new possibilities for us–allowing us to engage in free speech that is hope-filled.

On the other hand, the notion of the liberation of language is not only about free speech, but about speech freeing us. Thus we may become aware that when speech is broken free from a need for exactitude and permitted to reshape our existence and experience, we will experience new freedom that is not just freedom of speech, but freedom for faith. Language matters enormously. If our speech and the speech of the Bible must be too closely managed, it likely means restriction both of God and us. On the other hand, free speech for God may release the energy which leads to “all things new.”

The Psalmic metaphors we consider offer to us not descriptions but news, not situations but movements of God that will change things. Praying the Psalms means openness to God’s pilgrimage toward us.

Allowing our language to reflect our experience of life and God frees us from the shackles that we place on our relationship. It releases us from having to speak to God in a certain form and gives us the freedom to approach him as our perfect Father.

We started by having a look at the structure of a Psalm of Lament as suggested by Claus Westermann.

I.Address

A.The lament psalm normally begins with an invocation of the divine name, beginning a conversation.

B.This beginning address may be accompanied by other forms of speech: an introductory cry for help (Ps 12), petition for an audience (Ps 5), a lament (Ps 13)

II.Lament: A lament normally has three subjects: You, o God…; I…; the enemies…(Ps 13:1-3)

III.Confession of Trust: The lament often gives way to some sort of confession of trust, often introduced with a “But”.

IV.Petition

A.The principle petition/plea consists of three parts

i.petition for God to be favourable (look … incline yourself…hear)

ii.petition for God to intervene (help…save)

iii.petition for God to destroy the enemy

B.These petitions are normally accompanied by phrases designed to move God to intervene. There is often some sort of motivation given that urges God to do the requested action.

V.Assurance of Being Heard

VI.Double Wish: Occasionally a lament with ask God to intervene against …. and for …

VII.Vow of Praise

VIII.Anticipatory Praise

These are, of course, general categories which may or may not be present in every Psalm. In fact, sometimes it is telling when certain parts are missing.

Take, for example, Psalm 88. This is the only Psalm of Lament that does not end in praise (as far as I am aware). We began looking at it because it is one that simply describes the situation of the lamenter. There is no movement in it. It simply expresses to God a sense of being wronged and abandoned.

Psalm 88 (The Message)

God, you’re my last chance of the day.

I spend the night on my knees before you.

Put me on your salvation agenda; take notes on the trouble I’m in.

I’ve had my fill of trouble; I’m camped on the edge of hell.

I’m written off as a lost cause, one more statistic, a hopeless case.

Abandoned as already dead, one more body in a stack of corpses, And not so much as a gravestone— I’m a black hole in oblivion.

You’ve dropped me into a bottomless pit, sunk me in a pitch-black abyss.

I’m battered senseless by your rage, relentlessly pounded by your waves of anger.

You turned my friends against me, made me horrible to them.

I’m caught in a maze and can’t find my way out,

blinded by tears of pain and frustration.

I call to you, God; all day I call. I wring my hands, I plead for help.

Are the dead a live audience for your miracles?

Do ghosts ever join the choirs that praise you?

Does your love make any difference in a graveyard?

Is your faithful presence noticed in the corridors of hell?

Are your marvelous wonders ever seen in the dark,

your righteous ways noticed in the Land of No Memory?

I’m standing my ground, God, shouting for help,

at my prayers every morning,

on my knees each daybreak.

Why, God, do you turn a deaf ear?

Why do you make yourself scarce?

For as long as I remember I’ve been hurting;

I’ve taken the worst you can hand out, and I’ve had it.

Your wildfire anger has blazed through my life;

I’m bleeding, black and blue.

You’ve attacked me fiercely from every side,

raining down blows till I’m nearly dead.

You made lover and neighbour alike dump me;

the only friend I have left is Darkness.

Notice how this psalm never moves past lament. There is no confession of trust, no petition, and no praise. There are times in many of our lives when we feel this way, when we feel lost, when we feel abandoned. We assume we cannot talk like this to God, so we simply walk away.

Never expressing the hurt.

Allowing the wall to grow thicker and thicker.

I pray that we would be able to grasp the freedom we have to approach God with our experience. To tell him how we feel, and how much it hurts.

To express our pain so that it can be transformed into something else.

To expose ourselves so that we can be transformed.

take the first step

I have been on holidays the last couple of weeks, which has been absolutely amazing. We did nothing. Well, nothing big. We woke up in the morning and then tried to figure out something to do. We might go out for breakfast at The Preserve Company and then go for a walk along the river. Or we might just stay home and play in the backyard. It has been great to simply spend time with the family and become a real part of their lives.

It has also been a time to reflect on what God has been doing in my life. These past couple of weeks I have come face to face with something I have been ignoring for quite some time. There is an area of my life which I simply refuse to give over to God. There is something that has real control of me and is becoming a major barrier between God and I. I have become very aware that I need to let God remove this road block.

The problem is, I do not want to.

I am faced with my own reluctance to give up this thing that has begun to devour my soul. It is no small thing because if draws me away from God. I try to distract myself with other thing. I try to argue that the rest of my life is going great. I try to negotiate with God. He can have the rest of me, as long as I get to keep this. So I am faced with an enormous challenge. Not only do I have to overcome a large temptation, I also have to overcome my own desire to give in to that temptation.

It is too big for me.

I was watching The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland yesterday (with my three year old son, if you were wondering) and there is this part in the movie where Elmo is trying to get his blanket back from Huxley who has stolen it. He has to go all the way to Huxley’s castle, which is a long way away. He thinks he cannot make it, because it is so far and he is only little and all alone. Then a bush next to him tells him that at least he does not have roots from his toes, and he can at least start the journey.

He can take the first step.

I am not able to overcome this overnight, but I am able to take the first step. I am able to get down on my knees and surrender this to God. I am able to take up the Bible when I feel the temptation coming on strong. I am able to bury myself in God’s word, allowing it to soak into my bones and change me. I can be more aware of God’s presence in everything I do.

I can practice the presence of God.

I know I am not the only person struggling with temptation. I know that there are many of us who look at certain areas of our lives and are filled with guilt. I know that the feeling of shame has not left humanity since Adam and Eve first ate the fruit and were ashamed to be naked before each other. I know many of us look at this great gulf between where we are and where we want to be and feel despair.

With God’s strength we are able to take the first step.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Michael Carpenter wrote a new blog post: A Subtle Myth (michaelcarpenter.missionaltribe.org)
• Reading Classics Together – The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment (I) (challies.com)