Human beings, not human doings

I feel I regularly need to remind myself that I’m a human being, not a human doing.  So often I get carried away with accomplishing things and performance anxiety, that I forget to rest secure in God’s loving embrace and provision.

This quote really speaks to me about this.  It’s by Elizabeth J. Canham, founder of Stillpoint Ministries and it came to me via the “Leadership Weekly” email on 17 Feb 2009…

…Stop doing and try being.  …Relinquishment lies at the heart of the Christian Gospel and is a countercultural choice that hones our discipleship.  If I let go of the assumption that my hard work will bring me all that I desire, I begin to look at the present moment, receive it with gratitude, and know what it asks of me.  I learn when it is time to rest, time to plan, time to play, time to wait, time to act boldly.
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Bible math

Genesis 50 concludes with noting how Joseph lived a total of 110 years.  My TNIV Study Bible study note at 50:26 says that “ancient Egyptian records indicate that 110 years was considered to be the ideal life span; to the Egyptians this would have signified divine blessing upon Joseph.”

Well, that’s pretty cool how Joseph’s lifespan has spiritual implications.

But it gets better!

As you may have noticed in reading Genesis, the author is careful to note how many years each of the Patriarchs live.  Abraham makes it to 175 years, Isaac 180 years, and Jacob 147 years.  Here in Genesis 50, we find out Joseph lives 110 years.  A scholar named Victor P. Hamilton has calculated how the number of years the Patriarchs live can be expressed as a standard decreasing integer being multiplied by a standard increasing square number.  Watch:

Abraham:  175 years = 7 x 5²
     Isaac:  180 years = 5 x 6²
    Jacob:  147 years = 3 x 7² 
  Joseph:  110 years = 1 x (5² + 6² + 7²)

Hamilton writes in his commentary on Genesis (NICOT; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1995):  “Joseph is the successor in the pattern 7-5-3-1, and the sum of his predecessors (5² + 6² + 7²).  In this way, Joseph is linked intimately with his family line…  It appears that the narrator is suggesting that Joseph symbolically brings to a conclusion the patriarchal narratives” (pp. 708-709; quoted by Bruce Waltke in Genesis: A Commentary [Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2001], 626).

Beneath what may appear to be a boring bunch of numbers lies an insightful comment the author desires to convey.

Joseph 7: “A Gracious Transformation”

Here we are at the end of my series of messages on Joseph.  Here is the manuscript based on Genesis 49:29-50:26, as well as some final discussion questions…

Do other people see you as a person who acts with grace, similar to Joseph and his interactions with his brothers?  Think of an occasion you feel you reflected the grace of Jesus.  Think of an occasion when you did not reflect the grace of Jesus.  What can you do to become a more grace-full person?

Can you have a forgiving heart even before someone asks for forgiveness?  (This question also came up in Part 4.)

What does Hebrews 11:22 particularly note Joseph for being faithful for?  This was not talked about in today’s message (I’ll save that for another day!).  Why is the writer of Hebrews is so interested in this?

Joseph came to see his life as a small part of God’s working in human history.  Are you able to do the same in your own life?  What might God be accomplishing through you?  (This question comes from The Genesis Message by Harvey Smit, p 87.)

If you have comments on these questions or on any of the messages about Joseph, I’ll happily receive and respond to them!

What if Starbucks marketed like a church?

My reaction to this is “Ouch.” It makes me squirm uncomfortably. I should watch it again.

Growing (part 2)

It would be lovely to think that we’ve “made it” in our growing process, or that a time will come (preferably soon!) when we will be finished growing.  Our enemy (as well as some well-meaning Christians) might promote that.  But I take my cue from my 97-year-old lifelong-follower-of-Jesus grandmother who says there is still so much she can and wants to learn from God’s Word.  What if we all said that regardless of our age?

Allowing God to speak to us and change us through His Word is one way – indeed a very significant way – God nurtures growth within us.  (Notice I didn’t say how spending time in the Word is one way we nurture growth within ourselves.  My emphasis on God’s initiative and role in this is intentional: We cannot grow by our own willpower nor can we figure out how to grow all on our own – thankfully!)  In one of his articles in Discipleship Journal, author Donald S. Whitney provides additional “benchmarks” or “indicators” to help measure growth.  Consider your responses to these questions he poses:

1. Are you more thirsty for God than ever before?
2. Are you more and more loving?
3. Are you more sensitive to and aware of God than ever before?
4. Are you governed more and more by God’s Word?
5. Are you concerned more and more with the physical and spiritual needs of others?
6. Are you more and more concerned with the Church and the Kingdom of God?
7. Are the disciplines of the Christian life more and more important to you?
8. Are you more and more aware of your sin?
9. Are you more and more willing to forgive others?
10. Are you thinking more and more of heaven and of being with the Lord Jesus?

Lest we begin believing that we do this in our own strength, I suggest at least one other question to consider:

——— Are you regularly engaging in Sabbath rest?

Rest is also important for growth, thinking about (a) how my children (and I!) need to rest, as well as (b) the winter seasons of a tree’s life.  By resting, we are, in effect, confessing that God remains in control and that we are not relying on our own hard work and efforts, even in our growth.  The invitation to Sabbath rest is one invitation (one of many, including the 10 above) to trust God above all.

I conclude these reflections about growth with a blessing from Scripture and a prayer…

“Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.”
— – 2 Peter 3:18

“One thing we ask of You, our God:  Not to cease to work in our improvement [or, growth].  Let us tend towards You, no matter by what means, and be fruitful in good works, for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.”
— – Ludwig van Beethoven, 1770-1827

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Related:
My message based on Psalm 1 entitled “Growing Together as Disciples”
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Growing (part 1)

One sure way to know if something is alive is to check whether it is growing.  Things that are living grow.  Hannah and Jacob are growing by leaps and bounds – they are growing mentally and emotionally.  If either suddenly stopped growing, Monica and I would immediately sense something is wrong and seek medical help.  Growth is an essential and natural feature of physical, biological life.

The same is true for spiritual life, but how much do we realize that?  Leonard vander Zee writes in “Discipleship and Christian Formation:”

Growth is not an option but an essential and natural feature of life in Christ. The New Testament crackles with the urgency of growth (see Eph 4:13; 2Pet 3:18; Heb 6:1).  Many lifelong Christians simply do not catch that urgent message.  Instead there’s often a spirit of complacent self-satisfaction (‘I’m saved;’ ‘I go to church’) implying that spiritual growth takes a back seat to career advancement, family life, and even hectic leisure pursuits. Jesus’ call of discipleship and the curriculum of Christian formation create a sense of expectation of growth and maturation in God’s people.

I love the picture the psalmist gives in Psalm 1, that of a “tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither” (1:3).  It’s doing what healthy trees do:  Yielding fruit and producing leaves.  It is growing.  And it can do so because it is “planted by streams of water.”  If we see ourselves in the tree in Psalm 1, then the water nourishing us is Jesus.  He desires for us and enables us to grow.

So if we’re not growing in Christ, we have a problem whether we realize it or not.
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Joseph 6: “My Son Was Dead and Is Alive Again!”

“God’s purposes are not always clear, but Joseph knows that God seeks to save.  The twists and turns of his life have given Joseph the perspective to know that what God does is enough to satisfy the heart.”
— – Julius T. Medenblik, CRC church planter and writer

On this Easter Sunday, we have arrived at the climax of the story of Joseph.  We are also at the climax of the larger story of salvation, where God transforms death into life.  Here is the message based on Genesis 45-46 together with numerous Gospel passages.

I leave you with these thoughts to consider…

What difference does Jesus’ resurrection make in your life?

Read again the quote above and then Romans 8:18-39 (especially verse 28).  How do you see God working His purposes out in you?  Where are you confused about God’s purposes in your life?  Where/to whom can you turn to further explore these questions?

History:
Joseph 1: “Only in Your Dreams”
Joseph 2: “Run, Joseph, Run!”
Joseph 3: “When the Economy is in the Toilet”
Joseph 4: “Haunted”
Joseph 5: “The Substitute”

Joseph 5: “The Substitute”

“Jesus’ death is vicarious –
He died for us.”
— – Stanley J. Grenz (1950-2005), former Regent College professor

On this Good Friday, we make connections between Joseph’s brother Judah and Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross.  Here is the message based on Genesis 44 as well as some points to reflect on…

Murphy’s Law states how if anything can go wrong, it will.  Like Joseph’s brothers, have you experienced that lately?

What words keep getting repeated in Judah’s speech to Joseph?  What do you think is their significance?

What does Judah offer to Joseph?  Explain in your own words how this foreshadows Jesus.

History:
Joseph 1: “Only in Your Dreams”
Joseph 2: “Run, Joseph, Run!”
Joseph 3: “When the Economy is in the Toilet”
Joseph 4: “Haunted”

Our problems? No problem!

Reminding us to continually depend on God, Jonathan shared a chapter from Gary Thomas‘ book Devotions for Sacred Parenting at a recent meeting of the church elders.  Based on material by the great preacher Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834-1892), here’s an especially encouraging quote that’s also very appropriate to reflect on for Holy Week…

“…If God could figure out how to be just and yet save sinners, if He could find a way to declare His war against evil while still forgiving sin, surely he can solve our problems!  There never was, nor ever will be, a problem so perplexing that God’s guidance can’t see us through it” (pp. 13-14).

Spend some time, too, with Isaiah 43:1…  “But now, this is what the Lord says — He who created you, O Jacob, He who formed you, O Israel:  ‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.’”
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Joseph 4: “Haunted”

“If anything can go wrong,
it will.”
– – Murphy’s Law

“Guilt is like the red warning light on the dashboard of the car.
You can either stop and deal with the trouble, or break out the light.”
– – Source unknown

Here we are at part 4 of a series of messages on the life of Joseph (and, especially this week, also of his brothers).  This week, we’re reflecting on Genesis 42:1-44:16.  To aid you in your reflections, here are some questions to think about on your own or to talk about with your family and/or friends…

What emotions do you detect within Joseph in the reading?  Can you identify with any of those emotions in particular?  Can you identify with those emotions as a group present all at once?

Try putting yourself in Benjamin’s place.  What do you think he’s thinking and/or feeling through all this?

Joseph’s brothers express regret for their actions of years ago towards Joseph.  Should we wait until someone expresses regret for wrong they’ve done to us before we forgive them?  That is, do people have to apologize before we can or will forgive them?

How do you deal with guilt?  Is that a good way to deal with it?

History:
Joseph 1: “Only in Your Dreams”
Joseph 2: “Run, Joseph, Run!”
Joseph 3: “When the Economy is in the Toilet”