Cling to the Crucified

Cling To The Crucified

1. Cling to the Mighty One, Cling in thy grief
Cling to the Holy One, He gives relief
Cling to the Gracious One, Cling in thy pain
Cling to the Faithful One, He will sustain

Chorus: Cling to the crucified, Jesus the Lamb who died
Cling to the crucified, Jesus the King
Cling to the crucified, Jesus the Lamb who died
Cling to the crucified, Jesus the King

2. Cling to the Living One, Cling in thy woe
Cling to the Loving One, Through all below
Cling to the Pardoning One, He speaketh peace
Cling to the Healing One, Anguish will cease

3. Cling to the Bleeding One, Cling to His side
Cling to the Rising One, In Him abide
Cling to the Coming One, Hope shall arise
Cling to the Reigning One, Joy lights thine eyes

 

© 2007 Kevin Twit Music (ASCAP).
Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Words - anonymous from Bonar's "Lyra Consolationis"

sing!

One of the blessings of being on sabbatical this summer was the opportunity to visit a number of churches here and in Phoenix. It was good to be able to join them in worship, be taught in the Word and have an increased contact with the extended body of Christ. My biggest surprise was that many churches don't sing well! I am not referring to the quality of their music or voices - most of the churches had great worship teams, a good selection of songs and I'm sure most people had much better singing voices than I. The problem was that I couldn't hear people singing. In some cases there were not many people so they may have felt uncomfortable putting their voice out there. In other places the buildings were so large and the sound was just absorbed so if people were singing, I couldn't hear them. In other congregations - people just didn't sing.

Colossians 3:14-17 creates a direct connection between, the love of Christ, love for one another, the peace of Christ, the Word of Christ, the work of Christ though our activity and ..... singing. When we sing out - particularly as a gathered congregation - our gathering is transformed, our hearts are enlivened and readied for serving, and the imparting of the Word is accomplished on a deeper level. There have been many occasions when I arrive at church and just don't feel like singing, or the songs just don't seem to appeal to me; but when I choose to join in, raise my voice and participate -  a transformation happens, the gates of my soul are opened to the Spirit, the readiness of my heart to participate in the Word is shifted and my engagement with other believers is put into motion as we join voices.

I love singing at the Vineyard. Perhaps its the small building that causes the sound to bounce and bang off the walls filling the space with sound. Perhaps its that we are all packed in so tightly that our voices really seem like one, or perhaps it is that we just like to sing. Either way - it transforms our hearts, it pulls us together, it realigns our attentions and it exalts Jesus.

So - SING!

Lessons

So I am back to my office following a three month sabbatical. Part of the purpose of the time was to study the sabbath, work, ministry, and family rhythms of the early Puritans and then bring some of those insights into my day. It seemed a reasonable goal - figure out how it all works and then make it work! Did I learn things? yes. Did I put some of it into practice? yes. Is it all figured out and working? no.  I do have some random insights at this point...

* There is no such thing as a routine day! To even think such a thing exists would mean that everything is in my control - it would remove God from the equation. Granted, most days are comprised of a number of very similar elements and they can seem routine because they are always present but they get juggled around, relationships are always shifting, there are frequent unexpected problems, joys and opportunities. I discovered that planning and structure are important but only because they give a platform for constantly making adjustments. I thought that with the removal of all the time and energy of full time ministry removed for three months it would be easy to establish routines of sabbath rest in my day and week - not so.
* I discovered that "distractions" are not the enemy of sabbath rhythms rather they are daily opportunities to press closer to Jesus. In reading the Gospels, Jesus was often trying to get away alone but the crowds would find Him out - it says that He often could not even find time to eat. Yet, His life was still marked by regular patterns of work-ministry-rest.
* Insights follow study and experience. Of course we all know this but it is an on-going process - the insights get deeper over time but it does take time.
* I think the goal of sabbath is not achieving but depending. It is not something I accomplish but an ongoing longing for more of Him. The Lord said He allowed the Israelites to hunger so that they would learn that man does not live on bread alone but on the words of God. He wanted them to look to Him, to depend on Him - this was far more important than getting it right.
* Ultimately sabbath is not learned ... it is practiced... over and over and over. Here is the heart of it - it is moment by moment and a perpetual activity of the heart. Just orienting ourselves in that direction again and again is transformative and brings our minds and activity and hearts in line with the truth that we are already at rest in the finished work of Christ.

So how do we see these rhythms work out with full schedules, kids, flat tires, money problems, work stress.....? It begins and continues by having a longing for Him, a heart bent on receiving His gift of rest - in that turning and longing He begins to shape our days.

Deo Vivere

"Theology is the doctrine or teaching of living to God (deo vivere)."  William Ames begins his book, The Marrow of Theology (1623) with these words. The treatise gives a full look of Puritan thought about God, the church and the world. Despite its highly Puritan style and detailed theological content, what stands out is the emphasis on the heart and the actions that should flow from that heart relationship with God. Ames makes it clear that knowledge is not the ultimate goal but rather how the life of Christ shows up in all spheres of living. In keeping that focus he emphasizes 'deo vivere" or 'living to God".

Do I really live to God? If asked, I would say that I want to give glory to God through my life - but what does that really mean - what does it look like - does it in practice just come down to living my own life but keeping it within His bounds and directives? In truth, I generally live life - "my" life - a life focused on me and make it "christian" by asking God to bless it, to be in it, to help me live "my" life for Him. Ames idea of living to God is something quite different from my routine. God is the one who is really alive and living out life - Gal. 2:20- I am an intrument - a vessel. His living is designed to permeate every sphere of life, every moment, each interaction. Its not me living with His power of help but His living in and through me. I am not supposed to carry God along with me but rather I am to be carried along by His current, His wake - swept along in the draft of His movements. 

Sitting here in the cool early hours of my day in Tucson - how does that mindset - that orientation impact the remaining hours of this new day. I am not all-together sure ... but I think it changes everything!

Blocks

The past week or so I ran into the first significant block/wall in my sabbatical. It started with having a few insights and ideas about things to change or add in the church ministry. They were good thoughts but it seems they quickly moved into some self - imposed fretting about my 'need" to come up with new ideas, some great insight that will open up an "exciting" new door for our church's future. As I began worrying about the need to come up with "things to do" I found that my sabbath joys were dissipating, the rest I was experiencing began to give way to burdens.

I have given some thought to the cause and cure for this. New ideas can be a great thing and I trust the Lord will direct us as a church along His paths - I suspect He will bring many good changes in the months and years ahead - nothing wrong with activity - it is an integral part of ministry and part of my responsibility.  I think the problem - the cause of the blockage in my rest - was rushing on to activity - moving on to doing something before I had spent the Lord's allotment of time sitting... waiting ... releasing ... ceasing ... enjoying. It is so easy to rush toward labor - the need to be productive - before thoroughly entering rest - the need to be "unproductive" - dependent. Exodus 31:17 says that God "ceased from labor and was refreshed." New ideas, fresh insights and inspired productivity flow from regular sabbath experiences with the Lord - when they come before ceasing - they feel burdensome and don't minister life.

Ideally each day should be a mixture of ceasing, resting and doing. In reality I get swept towards activity - doing before being. Lord, draw me to You - give me a thirst for sitting at Your feet - there is much to do but I want it to be in Your timing and of Your design! Amen

study

Many of you have perhaps heard of Rob Bell's new book "Love Wins", I know that some of you have read it. I read the book, it asks many good and challenging questions in the way only Rob Bell can. It also, I believe, offers up some misguided answers. I have no intention of discussing the book here or my own views but I would like to direct you to a great video clip by Francis Chan that I have included on the left side of this blog page. Chan addresses issues surrounding how we respond to those in the body of Christ that might present views with which we disagree - perhaps strongly. He presents a call to listen, to love, to challenge, to look inside, and mostly to be students of the Word. How we respond (our attitudes and words) and the basis from which we respond (our hearts before God and our diligence in study), will say a great deal about the bride of Christ and its reflection of our Savior. So, watch the video  http://youtu.be/qnrJVTSYLr8  and then as we deal with controversial issues, cling to Jesus and dig into His Word.

Floating

I have been enjoying my own private oasis this week. Our 15' X 4' pool from Target is usually an arena of violence and competition. My son calls me out to the arena daily for our summer version of backyard basketball - put it in the bucket - anything goes! Although I might occasionally come away with a win, I always come away with a battered body and a lack of oxygen.

This week has been different - since my son has been at basketball camp during the day, the afternoons have been quiet and free of pool brawl. Instead, I have gone out each afternoon, skimmed the pool, dunked myself underwater once and then have peacefully reclined on my $1.50 raft of delight. Twenty minutes (or until my sweat starts boiling) of peaceful, silent, uninterrupted floating in a mini backyard paradise.

It is just 20 minutes, but those brief minutes of calm and stillness have brought huge dividends of strength and renewal. It has once again been a reminder of the wisdom of sabbath moments.  Sabbath moments must always begin with "ceasing" or "stopping". It doesn't matter if the ceasing occurs in a pew, on a bus, at a desk, in the library, standing at the sink, waiting in a line or even floating in a little pool - when we cease our striving we open the door to the Lord's renewal, power and a regaining of a right understanding of our great need for Him in every moment.

Isaiah 30:15 "... in quietness and trust is your strength." My peaceful afternoons will soon come to an end but with a little effort we can always find opportunities for "sabbath moments." We must - they are God's design for strength in our day.