In.Motion

Well, I’ve been real busy/not really had a lot to say recently. So that’s why I’ve been MIA for almost a month. I’m also a little behind on my reading, but I’ve been slowly catching back up. With that said, I wanted to post a quick, unqualified review of the first book I finished, Crazy Love by Francis Chan.

Crazy Love is not a book for people who have a hard time looking at themselves and their lives. This book is equal part convicting and encouraging. Chan uses the book to talk about how we should respond to a God that loves us with a love that goes beyond reason and logic, a crazy love if you will. He does a wonderful job building his case by trying to give us a new perspective on God. If we were to truly see God as we are called to, we probably wouldn’t respond like we do now. By using creation and the sacrifice of Christ, Chan starts to give us a glimpse of how great this love he’s talking about is.

His most challenging chapter is Chapter 4, entitled Profile of the Lukewarm. He brings up the parable in Matthew about the different kinds of soils. His warning: Do not assume you are on “good soil”. He goes to to talk about how we usually assume we are in a good place and stay there. We think we are on the “good soil”, with solid roots, but then the rain of worry and trouble comes and washes us away because we merely thought we were in the good soil. He continues to talk about how a lukewarm person differs from someone truly effected by the love of God.

He uses the rest of the book to challenge and push the reader to question if they are living in a way that honors God or appeases our desire to be comfortable and safe. He uses the examples of people who have completely given their lives to be used by God, however He has chosen. It’s tough to read these stories and not feel bad or feel bullied into an emotion, but Chan does a great job of emphasizing the magnitude of Christ in these stories, rather than championing the person.

Overall, this is a book that will stay with me for a while. Does my heart desire to serve myself or my God who loves me with a love greater and crazier than anything I could synthesize? Am I on “good soil”, or do I just assume so? What steps do I need to take to get to the “good soil”? I think one of the main points of the book is this: We need to reevaluate how we live in light of the truth that the God of all loves us more desperately than anything He ever created? This crazy love should lead us to His arms and to love the world in the same way as He loves us.

One.Love

cd

Now, the fear I’m talking about here isn’t your average, run-of-the-mill fear. The fear that I’m seeking to understand is the fear of the Lord. As a 22 year-old guy, I have no clue what that looks like in my life. I think this may be one of the things that I’ve battled with for quite a long time. I understand that it is important and that I need it, but I don’t know what it looks like.

It’s like telling a kid to share without showing them first hand. They have heard that sharing is good and they need to do it, but they can’t do it if they aren’t shown it.

Thats how I feel. Frustrated and just a little bit lost. Now don’t hear me say that I don’t agree with the Bible about how important it is to fear the Lord, or that it doesn’t show me how to do so. Actually, tonight I found just the opposite.

I was reading in Proverbs 2 and verses 1-5 paint a great outline for the basis of understanding the fear of the Lord. Solomon gives us five quick points that if we follow and pursue, then we will understand the fear of the Lord.

1. If you accept my words
- Just listen and take in wisdom that is spoken to you.

2. Store up my commands within you
- Internalize all the boundaries and guidelines that the Bible has given us.

3. Apply your heart to understanding
- When seeking to interpret scripture or anything of God, put your heart into it. Make it something you truly desire.

4. Call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding
- Seek insight and wisdom from mentors, disciplers, or leaders in your church about your life’s situations. Don’t hold these things in your heart, because the Bible tells us that the wise seek wise counsel.

5. Look for it (wisdom/understanding) as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure
- Hold wisdom and understanding as important, and more so, as anything worldly thing we could want.

Then, once we pursue and desire all of these things, it says that you will understand the fear of the Lord. I may not know what it looks like specifically in my life to fear the Lord, but I know where to start.

Do you know what it looks like to fear the Lord in your life? I’d love to hear what you think that looks like.

One.Love

cd

Quickly, before we start, think up a short, working definition for Prudent or Prudence.

Got it? . . . Good.

Now, didn’t we all hear that word growing up in movies and stuff. The really edgy kid who wants to do something bad to look cool would say this to the kinda nerdy kid who doesn’t want to drink beer or get in trouble. Think Judd Nelson talking to Molly Ringwald in “The Breakfast Club”.

No one wants to be the prude.

Why?

No one wants to be left out . . . but that’s another post entirely.

My point is this: I think that our view of prudence is vastly different than its original intent. We have taken this concept, that could save us a lot of trouble if we gave it some weight in our lives, and made it into something that isn’t desired. Why do I bring this up? Well, I’m glad you asked.

Proverbs 1:3-4
[In reference to seeking/attaining wisdom}
“(3)for acquiring a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair; (4) for giving prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the young.”

Think back to your definition of prudent. Maybe you though of phrases like “No Fun” or “Lame” or maybe a good ole’ fashioned “Stick in the Mud”. Whatever your definition was, it probably doesn’t have a positive connotation. Here’s what it really means:

Prudent – acting with or showing care and thought for the future.

Interesting.

There’s no mention of missing out on things, or letting fun/mischievous events pass us by. Having prudence in our lives means that we are living with regard to our future. The decisions we make today effect where we are down the road, and prudence means that we are all to aware of this.

Solomon mentions this word twice, very closely together. This has got to be a point he wants us to really take hold of. He has seen how little decisions can become something that we didn’t see back when. To seek wisdom is, then, to seek prudence. To always consider, “In light of my future, what is the wise thing to do?”.

So, I urge you to take a few minutes and consider your future. Don’t try to control it or plan every detail, but think about the man/woman you want to become and think about what needs to happen for you to get there. Then, begin to live your life in such a way that will aid in your walk there.

One.Love

cd