Saturday, December 18, 2010
The Postmodern Christian
I am the postmodern Christian. I love the fact that God is loving and forgiving but I often like to forget that He is holy. I live my week full of compromise, waiting for that call to repentance after the worship music on Sunday morning. And, by the way, that’s the defining moment of my Christianity. I am not very good with the Bible, or prayer. God speaks to me loudest through slow and emotional music, whether it is Christian or not. I do not agree much with the Bible either; it creates too much conflict in my opinion. The Bible is two thousand years old so I am not sure I can trust it fully. I can’t quote too many verses but I can remember almost everything my pastor says. Isn’t that why he went to Bible school? Wasn’t he taught the Bible so he could teach us? Well, though I do listen keenly to my pastor, I notice occasionally that he is shy to talk about sin. He keeps pleasing our ears with wonderful messages about relationships, money and practical Christian living. I do enjoy that but I think he should speak more sharply about sin. However, I would never submit to his authority! I would not let him embarrass me in the name of Church discipline, or let him see my vulnerability in the name of pastoral care. I guess I can keep him and the rest of the Church a safe distance away from me. After all, I have a privatized faith. I keep my faith to myself and try not to impose it on others. Anyway, Jesus is my PERSONAL Savior. Plus, Christianity may not be the only right way to God. I try to speak as generally as possible to accommodate everybody. Didn’t Jesus do that too? I do not want others to feel that I am judging and condemning them so I speak less of the truth so that I can reduce the likelihood of conflict. I go to Church but I am not so much a Church person, if you know what I mean. However, I do have a deep, personal and intimate relationship with Jesus. I accept Christ but deny His Church-for which He died and purchased with His own blood. I also use a lot of theological jargon to make me feel spiritual and profoundly deep. I misinterpret Scripture for the same purpose. I want to reach the lost with the gospel but I realize I do not seem to know it quite well. I am actively involved in social projects with my church but I really can’t explain why! I insist that words have no meaning, but I say I am a Christian. I insist that words have no meaning but I derive my meaning from The Word. I am a confused person; with my lips I confess Christ but with my life I deny Him. I am the postmodern Christian.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
An Apologetic For Meaning
“I want this world not to have meaning; because a meaningless world will free me to my own erotic and political pursuits.” These were the words of R. Huxley in 1946. When I heard those words I was angered. My position however changed in the weeks following my first interaction with that podcast. I had been reading from the Gospel of Matthew and I remember appreciating the Word of God as a mirror because as I looked at the wicked and sinful Pharisees, Sadducees and Chief priests, I saw myself in them – a man desperately in need of God’s help and guidance to righteousness. Then I thought again about that statement by Huxley. And I thought to myself that I may be no different because it may be that at times I want to wish away meaning and consequence so I may be able to sin freely and with a clear conscience. I realize that this is a struggle faced by believers throughout history and all across the globe. It is a struggle that embodies Paul’s words to the Romans in the seventh chapter of that book, when he said that it was the good he wanted to do that he was unable to do but he evil he did not want to do that he found himself doing (Rom 7:15-21). The desire for meaninglessness is an expression of the struggle with sin. For though we have been saved by Christ Jesus our Lord, we still reside in this body of flesh and so are constantly at war with the flesh. The spirit may many times be willing but the flesh is many more times weaker and we find ourselves falling to sin and falling short of that standard of perfection (Mt 5:48) and holiness (1Pe 1:16) set for us by God. Feelings of shame and guilt plague us and lead many into depression, stress and utterly unlivable lives. The easy way around all these matters is to eliminate our sense of guilt and shame, which is the work of secularization, or ultimately to eradicate meaning and reason, which is the work of pluralization. We know that when there is no meaning there is no morality. There is no clear distinction between what is wrong or right. In essence, there will be no such categories (right and wrong). Truth as an absolute moral principle is rejected and anything and everything is acceptable because nothing can be rejected. Then we are able to release ourselves to our fantasies without a stained conscience.
An attractive thing it may sound but the implications of such a situation scare me and greatly so. It scares me because without meaning, morality would be nothing! Moral absolutes would not exist. Justice, love, and good would not exist as categories and thus man would be extremely lost with no apparent means to restore him. (Evil would not exist in the absence of good for evil cannot exist unto itself) How would we be able to understand and rely on the cognitive faculties of our minds? Rather we would be totally given to existential sensuality that seeks to gratify our every passion, here and now. God would not exist because we would live in an amoral world and God is a moral God. The tragedy would be greater than we can think because, thankfully, we are trapped in the confines of meaning and reason.
This is a matter for great concern for the layman and theologian alike. The love of God and holiness of God would be abstract concepts because love and moral purity as tenets of reality and as moral categories would not be. How then would we know what our lostness and depravity means? We could not, for meaning would not exist. Remember in Romans 3:10-12 we are told;
” There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.”
That scripture which Paul lifts from Psalm 14:1-3/53:1-3 is a clear and constant reminder of our true state as human beings. We are eternally separated from God and as a result spiritually dead and consequently totally unable to respond to God, unless he quickens us. We would without meaning be unable to relate to God. We would be unable to understand sin and our own nature, as illuminated by Scripture, because of our total inability to place ourselves against the backdrop of God and His holiness. In that understanding then, I thank God greatly for His great gift to us; the gift of comprehension and meaning. Without this, life would be a disjointed lot of sensualities and passions. He has revealed to us absolute meaning in His Son, Jesus Christ. Colossians 1:16-17 tells us that all things were created by Him and for Him and that he is before all things and in Him all things consist. What that means is that he brought the entire universe, including us, into existence by His own purpose and will. We are sure by means of logical reason that where there is purpose, there is meaning! The fact that there is purpose only substantiates my point further! Purpose and the meaning of reality springs forth from the mind of the Creator but have tried to work things back to front, interpreting life starting from the creature.
We know that all things came from Him, through Him and to Him (Rom 11:36), and therefore we are assured that meaning is and must be! It is woven into the fabric of reality. So let us be careful then before we hastily wish for reality to alter in order to accommodate our passions. We cannot change the will and purposes of God; those stand forever. Let God be true and every man be a liar! (Ps 51:4/Rom 3:4) God’s purpose is to glorify Himself. Meaning exists as an absolute blanket over reality that holds things together. I am talking of Christ Jesus.
Unless meaning means something then reality is illusory. Unless meaning means what it means, God cannot be. We cannot know His holiness, we cannot be sinners and effectually, Christ did not die for us (and his resurrection means nothing for there is no resurrection without death)! Unless meaning means what it means, nothing is, for through Him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made (John 1:3).
I thank God for meaning. For by it I am able to understand the message of the gospel and in accepting it, be saved according to His will and purpose. I thank God that through Him I can pursue righteousness and holiness even as I sojourn in this world as an alien housed in this tent that keeps me in this great struggle until our Lord is revealed. Remember Paul in that classic passage in Romans 7, after stating the struggle with sin asks a rhetorical question; “What a wretched man I am! Who shall free me from this body of death?” He goes ahead to answer with words that have been an encouragement to me, saying; “Thanks be to God-Through Christ Jesus our Lord.” Yes, we ought to thank God for His Son in whom we find life. In my inner man I delight in God’s Law, which is now written on my heart and so I rejoice in meaning and abhor any idea that rejects it. Meaning does not make me an unwilling slave to Christ but remains a reminder and encouragement to walk in righteousness and to imitate Christ. I mean every word of what I have said!
An attractive thing it may sound but the implications of such a situation scare me and greatly so. It scares me because without meaning, morality would be nothing! Moral absolutes would not exist. Justice, love, and good would not exist as categories and thus man would be extremely lost with no apparent means to restore him. (Evil would not exist in the absence of good for evil cannot exist unto itself) How would we be able to understand and rely on the cognitive faculties of our minds? Rather we would be totally given to existential sensuality that seeks to gratify our every passion, here and now. God would not exist because we would live in an amoral world and God is a moral God. The tragedy would be greater than we can think because, thankfully, we are trapped in the confines of meaning and reason.
This is a matter for great concern for the layman and theologian alike. The love of God and holiness of God would be abstract concepts because love and moral purity as tenets of reality and as moral categories would not be. How then would we know what our lostness and depravity means? We could not, for meaning would not exist. Remember in Romans 3:10-12 we are told;
” There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.”
That scripture which Paul lifts from Psalm 14:1-3/53:1-3 is a clear and constant reminder of our true state as human beings. We are eternally separated from God and as a result spiritually dead and consequently totally unable to respond to God, unless he quickens us. We would without meaning be unable to relate to God. We would be unable to understand sin and our own nature, as illuminated by Scripture, because of our total inability to place ourselves against the backdrop of God and His holiness. In that understanding then, I thank God greatly for His great gift to us; the gift of comprehension and meaning. Without this, life would be a disjointed lot of sensualities and passions. He has revealed to us absolute meaning in His Son, Jesus Christ. Colossians 1:16-17 tells us that all things were created by Him and for Him and that he is before all things and in Him all things consist. What that means is that he brought the entire universe, including us, into existence by His own purpose and will. We are sure by means of logical reason that where there is purpose, there is meaning! The fact that there is purpose only substantiates my point further! Purpose and the meaning of reality springs forth from the mind of the Creator but have tried to work things back to front, interpreting life starting from the creature.
We know that all things came from Him, through Him and to Him (Rom 11:36), and therefore we are assured that meaning is and must be! It is woven into the fabric of reality. So let us be careful then before we hastily wish for reality to alter in order to accommodate our passions. We cannot change the will and purposes of God; those stand forever. Let God be true and every man be a liar! (Ps 51:4/Rom 3:4) God’s purpose is to glorify Himself. Meaning exists as an absolute blanket over reality that holds things together. I am talking of Christ Jesus.
Unless meaning means something then reality is illusory. Unless meaning means what it means, God cannot be. We cannot know His holiness, we cannot be sinners and effectually, Christ did not die for us (and his resurrection means nothing for there is no resurrection without death)! Unless meaning means what it means, nothing is, for through Him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made (John 1:3).
I thank God for meaning. For by it I am able to understand the message of the gospel and in accepting it, be saved according to His will and purpose. I thank God that through Him I can pursue righteousness and holiness even as I sojourn in this world as an alien housed in this tent that keeps me in this great struggle until our Lord is revealed. Remember Paul in that classic passage in Romans 7, after stating the struggle with sin asks a rhetorical question; “What a wretched man I am! Who shall free me from this body of death?” He goes ahead to answer with words that have been an encouragement to me, saying; “Thanks be to God-Through Christ Jesus our Lord.” Yes, we ought to thank God for His Son in whom we find life. In my inner man I delight in God’s Law, which is now written on my heart and so I rejoice in meaning and abhor any idea that rejects it. Meaning does not make me an unwilling slave to Christ but remains a reminder and encouragement to walk in righteousness and to imitate Christ. I mean every word of what I have said!
Monday, September 14, 2009
MEANINGLESS!!!
Meaningless, Meaningless!!! That's what I thought every time I read from Ecclesiastes. This remains one of those books that many people do not understand. I lived in this state for years until I finally finished the book! It usually got so uninteresting because of the lack of understanding, I rarely got past chapter three!
The background of the book must be taken in to consideration when trying to understand its content. We believe the book was written by Solomon, perhaps in his last days on earth. That idea fits well with internal evidences in the text itself. He concludes that life itself is meaningless! This seems to be a rather rash conclusion given that it is being made by the world's wisest man! He declares that he has found wisdom, pleasures, folly, work, oppression (both for the oppressor and oppressed), advancement and wealth meaningless. It is difficult to reconcile this with our lives today, especially when we are sure it is part of the Bible which is perfectly infallible.
As I looked through this book, God spoke to me about the nation I live in. There seems to be today what i call the Kenyan Dream. It is the ideal pattern of life for the average Kenyan. It starts with getting a good education. Once you pass your primary school exams, you go to high school where you are expected to pass and go to university, where you must do the serious courses like medicine, law, engineering etc. Following this, you ought to go and get a job. Now that the job market is flooding rapidly, it would be advisable to get a masters degree to make yourself more marketable. After you start working, you should begin saving up for a piece of land where you can build a house or maybe even mortgage or buy one. Then comes the car and the good life! The spouse is soon to follow, to crown your efforts and then you have children who re-live the script.
I noted that the very pillars of the Kenyan Dream are mentioned as meaningless by Solomon-the world's wisest man. The wisdom (education), wealth (well-paying job), work (profession), the property and assets (advancement) and all the pleasures of life. These particular things are not necessarily bad, but they lose meaning when they do not exist to build the Kingdom of God. The book ends on this note, but because we rarely get to the end of the book, we miss out on this insight! Chapter 12:9-14 summarizes the thoughts of the writer, with the key statement being in verse 13: "Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man." That's all we exist to do! Fear God and keep His commands. Everything we do or acquire in life must be set to accomplish these two objectives. If not, it becomes meaningless!!! Solomon had to discover this not by his great wisdom but by his experience. We have Solomon's wisdom and experience to learn from! We have no excuse!
Whatever your hands find to do, do with all your might! Do it for the Lord! If it be writing children's books, attending to ill people, writing music, constructing buildings or even studying, do it for the Lord! He gave His all for you, it would only makes sense to give your all for Him. Paul writes in Romans 12 that offering our bodies as living sacrifices is our REASONABLE service to God! Give your gifts, talents and abilities, intellect, emotions, thoughts, profession, possessions, wealth and ultimately yourself to God! Colossians 1:17 says that it is in Jesus that all things consist. That really means that He is the glue that sticks all creation together! Hence, not giving Him all we have and all we are is really floating meaninglessly in overwhelming meaninglessness!
Purpose is found only in Christ. Pursuit of fulfillment in anything else is a striving after the wind, as my good friend Solomon put it!
The background of the book must be taken in to consideration when trying to understand its content. We believe the book was written by Solomon, perhaps in his last days on earth. That idea fits well with internal evidences in the text itself. He concludes that life itself is meaningless! This seems to be a rather rash conclusion given that it is being made by the world's wisest man! He declares that he has found wisdom, pleasures, folly, work, oppression (both for the oppressor and oppressed), advancement and wealth meaningless. It is difficult to reconcile this with our lives today, especially when we are sure it is part of the Bible which is perfectly infallible.
As I looked through this book, God spoke to me about the nation I live in. There seems to be today what i call the Kenyan Dream. It is the ideal pattern of life for the average Kenyan. It starts with getting a good education. Once you pass your primary school exams, you go to high school where you are expected to pass and go to university, where you must do the serious courses like medicine, law, engineering etc. Following this, you ought to go and get a job. Now that the job market is flooding rapidly, it would be advisable to get a masters degree to make yourself more marketable. After you start working, you should begin saving up for a piece of land where you can build a house or maybe even mortgage or buy one. Then comes the car and the good life! The spouse is soon to follow, to crown your efforts and then you have children who re-live the script.
I noted that the very pillars of the Kenyan Dream are mentioned as meaningless by Solomon-the world's wisest man. The wisdom (education), wealth (well-paying job), work (profession), the property and assets (advancement) and all the pleasures of life. These particular things are not necessarily bad, but they lose meaning when they do not exist to build the Kingdom of God. The book ends on this note, but because we rarely get to the end of the book, we miss out on this insight! Chapter 12:9-14 summarizes the thoughts of the writer, with the key statement being in verse 13: "Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man." That's all we exist to do! Fear God and keep His commands. Everything we do or acquire in life must be set to accomplish these two objectives. If not, it becomes meaningless!!! Solomon had to discover this not by his great wisdom but by his experience. We have Solomon's wisdom and experience to learn from! We have no excuse!
Whatever your hands find to do, do with all your might! Do it for the Lord! If it be writing children's books, attending to ill people, writing music, constructing buildings or even studying, do it for the Lord! He gave His all for you, it would only makes sense to give your all for Him. Paul writes in Romans 12 that offering our bodies as living sacrifices is our REASONABLE service to God! Give your gifts, talents and abilities, intellect, emotions, thoughts, profession, possessions, wealth and ultimately yourself to God! Colossians 1:17 says that it is in Jesus that all things consist. That really means that He is the glue that sticks all creation together! Hence, not giving Him all we have and all we are is really floating meaninglessly in overwhelming meaninglessness!
Purpose is found only in Christ. Pursuit of fulfillment in anything else is a striving after the wind, as my good friend Solomon put it!
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
To My Little Sister
Hey lil' sis!
You know that no matter how big you are you always gonna be my little sister! That's why i gotta look out for you. And you've grown up! I remember those first days when the boys started coming around. It felt kinda awkward but i got used to it, but I'm not used to seeing you crying. Four men now, and they've all hurt you bad. Three played you and one only wanted sex. It's really sad that people treat others that way. When the guys hurt you i comforted you, wanting you to learn from your ordeals because as observant as you may be, some things are best learned through experience. I'm sorry this is how you had to learn it though. It breaks my heart. Allow me then as your big brother to advice you-give you guidance, not direction. God is totally in love with you! No matter what opinion men may have of how you look, i am convinced you are beautiful. Never forget or doubt that. He has got good plans for you and he wants to use you to a lot for his kingdom, but that calls for you to submit TOTALLY to God. Give him everything including your sexuality and relationships. I think you end up frustrated because you do things your own way, which does not work! If you yield your will to Him, he'll take care of your every need, even the guys! He'll teach you how to love. This may sound radical but the root reality is that if you don't love God, you can't love any man. Similarly, if a man does not love God, do not expect him to love you,he just can't! That's the truth! I know there are lots of messed up guys out there, but being bitter about it and cursing men won't change that. Stop wasting energy focusing on them. Focus on what God wants for you and He'll sort out everything else for you. I love you and don't wanna see you hurt in the same way again. You must understand these things though. Love God and trust Him. You are the apple of God's eye, why wouldn't he gift you with a truly loving and faithful man if you do what pleases him?
Straight from the heart of your loving big brother,
ME.
You know that no matter how big you are you always gonna be my little sister! That's why i gotta look out for you. And you've grown up! I remember those first days when the boys started coming around. It felt kinda awkward but i got used to it, but I'm not used to seeing you crying. Four men now, and they've all hurt you bad. Three played you and one only wanted sex. It's really sad that people treat others that way. When the guys hurt you i comforted you, wanting you to learn from your ordeals because as observant as you may be, some things are best learned through experience. I'm sorry this is how you had to learn it though. It breaks my heart. Allow me then as your big brother to advice you-give you guidance, not direction. God is totally in love with you! No matter what opinion men may have of how you look, i am convinced you are beautiful. Never forget or doubt that. He has got good plans for you and he wants to use you to a lot for his kingdom, but that calls for you to submit TOTALLY to God. Give him everything including your sexuality and relationships. I think you end up frustrated because you do things your own way, which does not work! If you yield your will to Him, he'll take care of your every need, even the guys! He'll teach you how to love. This may sound radical but the root reality is that if you don't love God, you can't love any man. Similarly, if a man does not love God, do not expect him to love you,he just can't! That's the truth! I know there are lots of messed up guys out there, but being bitter about it and cursing men won't change that. Stop wasting energy focusing on them. Focus on what God wants for you and He'll sort out everything else for you. I love you and don't wanna see you hurt in the same way again. You must understand these things though. Love God and trust Him. You are the apple of God's eye, why wouldn't he gift you with a truly loving and faithful man if you do what pleases him?
Straight from the heart of your loving big brother,
ME.
Monday, March 16, 2009
The Lord of Time
THE LORD OF TIME
I will not ensnare myself in trying to define what time is because all men, scholars and laymen alike, have their own opinions concerning this matter. Some say it is just but a means of measure and others say it is money. Whatever the case, I am sure that what makes it count is how we use it.
According to Ken Ham in his book The Answers Book1, modern scientists have proven that time is closely akin to matter and space and have thus concluded that time had a definite beginning and will therefore come to definite end. In my perspective, the clock ticks ‘counting up’ to something or ‘counting down’ to it. Whatever the case, I am convinced that time is ultimately pointing to phenomenon that will be revealed at its end – Jesus Christ.
In Matthew 28:20, Jesus promises us, His disciples, His perpetual company which will last to the very end of the age. This age (to me) signifies the end of time, as we know it; marked by Christ’s return coupled with our perfection in Him.
Far be it from us that we should then look forward to this glorious perfection in great anticipation and in the process overlook the time that has to pass before that great day. We have a responsibility pertaining to that time and that is why Jesus saw it necessary to charge us with a task to fulfill (Mt. 28:18-19) before that expected end (v. 20).
We are stewards of time, charged with its management so that we may fulfill God’s will here on earth. Two things strike me as compulsions to proper stewardship of time.
Reflecting and replicating God’s perfection and efficacy in time management.
God stands on the banks of the flowing river of time, seeing all things that man does; then, now and in the future. From this unique vantage point, He chooses where, or rather when, to step in.
We can be confident that since His nature is pure and incorruptible, His interventions are then perfect and timely. However, we are lost in the futility of our thinking because of the limitations of time and a finite mind and hence fail to understand the choices and responses of a limitless and infinite God. Our needs and wants evoke emotions and opinions that blind us from seeing the bigger picture as God sees it. Consequently, we end up blaming God for delayed intervention. The question here is who determines whether intervention is late? What is the standard for that judgment – God or time? I am convinced that the standard must be God because He is infinite and perfect and it is He who created time. Time began, is now passing and will end, but as the writer of the book Hebrews said; He is the same yesterday, today and forever. The Lord Himself took Malachi as a scribe to write to all creation and tell them that He does not change (Mal 3:6). He is the Lord unlimited.
It however becomes vexing and paradoxical that I should liken our time management to that of God. I think that it is still possible to reflect His perfection displayed through His timely nature. In this very way, the moon – a dull mass of rock – reflects the glory of the sun, which is a bright and flaming star. The commonality in this comparison is not in the element of time but in that of perfection.
Christians must exemplify this perfection even though we dealing with two invariables in this equation, our imperfect nature and time. We must deal with this matter effectively and responsibly.
Being Men of Our Word.
Jesus while on earth set us a classical example of being faithful to our word. Whatever He said, He did. He was well aware and confident of this fact to the point that He questioned the Jews as to whether they had seen Him sin (John 8). This commitment and faithfulness has not passed away; it is eternal. It is still living and active to this very day and will continue in the days that are yet with us. The Lord promises us in Psalm 138 that He has upheld His name and His word above all. He stays true to that irrespective of the prevailing circumstance. He brings to pass all His promises in due time. The preacher in Ecclesiastes 3:11 says He makes all things beautiful in His time. The preacher goes on to highlight that we lack the satisfaction of fully understanding what He does. Maybe a disturbing thought and that is why what I propose what may seem like an equally disturbing solution – childlike faith. Many times faith is mistaken for foolishness.
Men will forever grapple with this matter because of the finite nature of our minds and we are subject to change – of state, emotion and mind. The Lord is immutable and infallible and so is His own standard (Num 23:19). He will always honour His word.
As disciples of Jesus Christ, we too are required to honour our promises and commitments. This is a call to faithfulness – a part of the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Gal 5:22). We must hold ourselves accountable to God and honour our word in the time frame concerned.
I admire Jephthah, the Judge of Israel, who despite making a rather thoughtless commitment to God was faithful enough to honour it even though it cost him much. We must emulate such faithfulness.
If you plan to be somewhere at a certain time or to do something specific, do it at the time allocated for it. Failing to do so is tantamount to sin.
It is futile for us to think of this matter and not move towards pleasing God with the stewardship of our time. We must be responsible with time. At times, we find ourselves in situations that see us late due to unforeseen and unavoidable circumstances. Even so, we are responsible for handling such situations because we know they inevitably occur occasionally. This is the substance of good stewardship. If you have a commitment slotted for a particular time, ensure that you attend to it slightly before necessary. This avoids last minute rushes (which humans cannot seem to get away from) and it reduces the margin of lateness if perhaps something hinders you from being on time.
It is wrong for us to inconvenience others through our irresponsibility. We must honour our word.
I pray that the Lord may move us from undesirable attitudes towards time management and may convict us to abolish horrendous stewardship of time so that we may worship him through punctuality and proper time management. We must see bad stewardship of time as something that grieves and disappoints God.
May we now go forth in the knowledge of these things and bring honour to Jesus, the Lord of Time.
Written by Allan Muchiri
October 28th 2008
I will not ensnare myself in trying to define what time is because all men, scholars and laymen alike, have their own opinions concerning this matter. Some say it is just but a means of measure and others say it is money. Whatever the case, I am sure that what makes it count is how we use it.
According to Ken Ham in his book The Answers Book1, modern scientists have proven that time is closely akin to matter and space and have thus concluded that time had a definite beginning and will therefore come to definite end. In my perspective, the clock ticks ‘counting up’ to something or ‘counting down’ to it. Whatever the case, I am convinced that time is ultimately pointing to phenomenon that will be revealed at its end – Jesus Christ.
In Matthew 28:20, Jesus promises us, His disciples, His perpetual company which will last to the very end of the age. This age (to me) signifies the end of time, as we know it; marked by Christ’s return coupled with our perfection in Him.
Far be it from us that we should then look forward to this glorious perfection in great anticipation and in the process overlook the time that has to pass before that great day. We have a responsibility pertaining to that time and that is why Jesus saw it necessary to charge us with a task to fulfill (Mt. 28:18-19) before that expected end (v. 20).
We are stewards of time, charged with its management so that we may fulfill God’s will here on earth. Two things strike me as compulsions to proper stewardship of time.
Reflecting and replicating God’s perfection and efficacy in time management.
God stands on the banks of the flowing river of time, seeing all things that man does; then, now and in the future. From this unique vantage point, He chooses where, or rather when, to step in.
We can be confident that since His nature is pure and incorruptible, His interventions are then perfect and timely. However, we are lost in the futility of our thinking because of the limitations of time and a finite mind and hence fail to understand the choices and responses of a limitless and infinite God. Our needs and wants evoke emotions and opinions that blind us from seeing the bigger picture as God sees it. Consequently, we end up blaming God for delayed intervention. The question here is who determines whether intervention is late? What is the standard for that judgment – God or time? I am convinced that the standard must be God because He is infinite and perfect and it is He who created time. Time began, is now passing and will end, but as the writer of the book Hebrews said; He is the same yesterday, today and forever. The Lord Himself took Malachi as a scribe to write to all creation and tell them that He does not change (Mal 3:6). He is the Lord unlimited.
It however becomes vexing and paradoxical that I should liken our time management to that of God. I think that it is still possible to reflect His perfection displayed through His timely nature. In this very way, the moon – a dull mass of rock – reflects the glory of the sun, which is a bright and flaming star. The commonality in this comparison is not in the element of time but in that of perfection.
Christians must exemplify this perfection even though we dealing with two invariables in this equation, our imperfect nature and time. We must deal with this matter effectively and responsibly.
Being Men of Our Word.
Jesus while on earth set us a classical example of being faithful to our word. Whatever He said, He did. He was well aware and confident of this fact to the point that He questioned the Jews as to whether they had seen Him sin (John 8). This commitment and faithfulness has not passed away; it is eternal. It is still living and active to this very day and will continue in the days that are yet with us. The Lord promises us in Psalm 138 that He has upheld His name and His word above all. He stays true to that irrespective of the prevailing circumstance. He brings to pass all His promises in due time. The preacher in Ecclesiastes 3:11 says He makes all things beautiful in His time. The preacher goes on to highlight that we lack the satisfaction of fully understanding what He does. Maybe a disturbing thought and that is why what I propose what may seem like an equally disturbing solution – childlike faith. Many times faith is mistaken for foolishness.
Men will forever grapple with this matter because of the finite nature of our minds and we are subject to change – of state, emotion and mind. The Lord is immutable and infallible and so is His own standard (Num 23:19). He will always honour His word.
As disciples of Jesus Christ, we too are required to honour our promises and commitments. This is a call to faithfulness – a part of the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Gal 5:22). We must hold ourselves accountable to God and honour our word in the time frame concerned.
I admire Jephthah, the Judge of Israel, who despite making a rather thoughtless commitment to God was faithful enough to honour it even though it cost him much. We must emulate such faithfulness.
If you plan to be somewhere at a certain time or to do something specific, do it at the time allocated for it. Failing to do so is tantamount to sin.
It is futile for us to think of this matter and not move towards pleasing God with the stewardship of our time. We must be responsible with time. At times, we find ourselves in situations that see us late due to unforeseen and unavoidable circumstances. Even so, we are responsible for handling such situations because we know they inevitably occur occasionally. This is the substance of good stewardship. If you have a commitment slotted for a particular time, ensure that you attend to it slightly before necessary. This avoids last minute rushes (which humans cannot seem to get away from) and it reduces the margin of lateness if perhaps something hinders you from being on time.
It is wrong for us to inconvenience others through our irresponsibility. We must honour our word.
I pray that the Lord may move us from undesirable attitudes towards time management and may convict us to abolish horrendous stewardship of time so that we may worship him through punctuality and proper time management. We must see bad stewardship of time as something that grieves and disappoints God.
May we now go forth in the knowledge of these things and bring honour to Jesus, the Lord of Time.
Written by Allan Muchiri
October 28th 2008
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Moving Against Tribalism
Negative ethnicity is a real pain in Africa. I cannot be sure how much damage it has caused in other African nations but i am sure of what it has done in Kenya.
Sadly, many Christians have allowed themselves to be overpowered by this strongman.
The Word of God in Ephesians 2:11-22 gives us clarity on what our position on this matter should be. From v.11-13, Paul says that before we met Christ, we belonged to our tribes, races and cultures because we were separate from God; we were not under the new Covenant written in Christ's blood. Its in his blood that we have salvation-v.13.
Verse 14-18 tells us of how the work of Christ created a new man. V.15 tells us that He abolished in His flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. The law is characteristic of leading us to make value judgments based on outward things. Just as the Jews made value judgments based on the circumcision they did with their hands, we do the same, with ethnicity as our basis. We are sinful and out of our sinfulness comes our ethnocentricity. But according to scripture, Christ has overcome this ethnocentricity by abolishing the law in the body broken for our sakes. He has made one new man, bringing all of us together under this new covenant, irrespective of age, gender, race or tribe. And we now all have access to the Father through the Holy Spirit-v18.
We are therefore one in Christ. There are no aliens or foreigners(v.20) and so i conclude that we are one tribe and not a league of several! We are being built up as one body into a holy temple, founded on Christ. That body has not Luo, Kamba, Kalenjin, Kikuyu or Somali blood. The body of Christ has the blood of Christ- shed for ALL. No exclusions are made by scripture concerning either our sinful state or our redemption through his blood-through which we claim brotherhood. May the Lord rebuke us and forgive us for being tribalists! Like Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., i long for a day when we will not judge others by their tribe but their relationship with Jesus Christ.
Amen
Sadly, many Christians have allowed themselves to be overpowered by this strongman.
The Word of God in Ephesians 2:11-22 gives us clarity on what our position on this matter should be. From v.11-13, Paul says that before we met Christ, we belonged to our tribes, races and cultures because we were separate from God; we were not under the new Covenant written in Christ's blood. Its in his blood that we have salvation-v.13.
Verse 14-18 tells us of how the work of Christ created a new man. V.15 tells us that He abolished in His flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. The law is characteristic of leading us to make value judgments based on outward things. Just as the Jews made value judgments based on the circumcision they did with their hands, we do the same, with ethnicity as our basis. We are sinful and out of our sinfulness comes our ethnocentricity. But according to scripture, Christ has overcome this ethnocentricity by abolishing the law in the body broken for our sakes. He has made one new man, bringing all of us together under this new covenant, irrespective of age, gender, race or tribe. And we now all have access to the Father through the Holy Spirit-v18.
We are therefore one in Christ. There are no aliens or foreigners(v.20) and so i conclude that we are one tribe and not a league of several! We are being built up as one body into a holy temple, founded on Christ. That body has not Luo, Kamba, Kalenjin, Kikuyu or Somali blood. The body of Christ has the blood of Christ- shed for ALL. No exclusions are made by scripture concerning either our sinful state or our redemption through his blood-through which we claim brotherhood. May the Lord rebuke us and forgive us for being tribalists! Like Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., i long for a day when we will not judge others by their tribe but their relationship with Jesus Christ.
Amen
The Samaritan Woman - John 4
Jesus was going through Samaria-through the town of Sychar,
where he'd meet this woman who's more promiscuous by far,
than all the other girls in town,
she's got a bad reputation gained from sleeping around.
So Christ initiates the conversation by asking for a drink,
she's like 'excuse me sir! Kwani how do you think?'
after all Jews and Samaritans didn't at all mix!
Like cold water and the oil on dirty dishes in a sink!
So he turns the tables and offers her water to quench her real thirst,
but she's like - 'dude please, many have tried. Kwani you think you are the first?!' and He gets the point and tells her to bring her husband-there he has her caught! She decides to tell the truth after a split second of critical thought!
And Jesus is glad she's honest enough to reveal her filth,
she's with a man whose not her hubby after she ditched her fifth!
She's like - 'what? This man just read my mind!
I'm sure He's a fortune teller or a prophet of some kind' ,
only to find out later that this man is the promised Christ!
Facing him, she'd never felt more secure or fulfilled,
the conviction was unchangeable even for this woman who seemed to be weak-willed. Jesus gave her what many men could not, a completeness which for long she sought. Maybe you have the same kind of strife,
maybe not of sexual pleasure but of lack of meaning in your life.
If the Samaritan woman reminds you of you,
this is my recommendation of what you should do.
Tell Jesus you want the same kind of change,
tell Jesus you wanna turn a new page,
If yo honest and genuine He'll forgive,
all yo sins and cleanse u from unrighteousness & show u a new way to live.
This is the promise of 1st John 1:9,
now you can proudly say 'Jesus you are mine'!
Now it is time for you to go and tell,
of the permanently thirst-quenching water which you drank at the well!
where he'd meet this woman who's more promiscuous by far,
than all the other girls in town,
she's got a bad reputation gained from sleeping around.
So Christ initiates the conversation by asking for a drink,
she's like 'excuse me sir! Kwani how do you think?'
after all Jews and Samaritans didn't at all mix!
Like cold water and the oil on dirty dishes in a sink!
So he turns the tables and offers her water to quench her real thirst,
but she's like - 'dude please, many have tried. Kwani you think you are the first?!' and He gets the point and tells her to bring her husband-there he has her caught! She decides to tell the truth after a split second of critical thought!
And Jesus is glad she's honest enough to reveal her filth,
she's with a man whose not her hubby after she ditched her fifth!
She's like - 'what? This man just read my mind!
I'm sure He's a fortune teller or a prophet of some kind' ,
only to find out later that this man is the promised Christ!
Facing him, she'd never felt more secure or fulfilled,
the conviction was unchangeable even for this woman who seemed to be weak-willed. Jesus gave her what many men could not, a completeness which for long she sought. Maybe you have the same kind of strife,
maybe not of sexual pleasure but of lack of meaning in your life.
If the Samaritan woman reminds you of you,
this is my recommendation of what you should do.
Tell Jesus you want the same kind of change,
tell Jesus you wanna turn a new page,
If yo honest and genuine He'll forgive,
all yo sins and cleanse u from unrighteousness & show u a new way to live.
This is the promise of 1st John 1:9,
now you can proudly say 'Jesus you are mine'!
Now it is time for you to go and tell,
of the permanently thirst-quenching water which you drank at the well!
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