1.7%

How did it happen? When did time away from God become more abundant then time with God? There are 168 hours in the week and most of us will spend less than 3 hours a week with God. I know that there are some of you that spend more than that with Him. Just as I know there are some of you who spend less than that over an entire year. Certainly God is deserves more than 1.7% of our time. After all, He gave it to us.

I began by asking the question-“Is God missing in action?”  Quite honestly if He was we wouldn’t realize it because of the miserable amount of time we spend with Him.

I am going to step out of my own self-imposed boundaries for just a moment by confessing to you something from my private life. 

My ex-wife was gone for three days before I even realized that she had left me.

We had quit spending time with each other years before. After twenty years of marriage we could rarely find anything to share, including time. Other things became more urgent or more appealing. There remained an unassailable security  knowing that at the end of each day she would be there. We would have about 1.7% of our allotted daily time to spend together. That’s 18 minutes for those of you who didn’t pay attention in math class. If you are wondering  was it “quality time”, well I think you already know the answer.

We were experiencing an economy of accord. I was still in love with her, and believe she may have still had love for me.  Love is a powerful force but one that must be in motion to experience all that it has to offer. Hosea’s love for Gomer is evident from the very beginning of the book. Their marriage was strained by Gomer’s adultery. Time was spent apart as she played her games. An incredible illustration of Hosea putting his love for her into motion is recorded in the third chapter. Gomer had apparently displeased her lovers; as a result she was placed on the auction block. The writer tells us in  Hosea 3:2-

“So I bought her for fifteen shekels of silver and about a homer and three bushels of barley. Then I told her, “You are to live with me many days, you must not be a prostitute or be intimate with any man, and I will live with you.”

What incredible love. He loved her enough to forgive, loved enough to sacrifice. And then he concludes his colloquy by committing time!     “…and I will live with you.”

What happens when we quit spending time with God? When we stop sharing our joys and our burdens with Him? When we stop talking (praying)? Our busy lives become our priority. Work or play steals time from our relationship with the Creator. Oh we still love Him, and there is security in knowing Him. Sunday morning rolls around and we happily march off to church to spend our 1.7% of time singing His praise.

As time passes it becomes easier to allot our time elsewhere. We become complacent with a mediocre relationship. An that is okay,  or so we think.Our salvation is secure because of His promise. Our hope resurfaces when adversity crosses our threshold. We love Him. And we believe He loves us.

 The motion is missing. What does God see when He looks into our stagnant hearts?

God wants your love; He also wants your time.

This economy of accord is on many levels. Relationships with God are missing in or families, in our churches and communities. A nation whose principals were founded in a belief and relationship with God no longer has time for Him. Globally this story repeats over and over. The very world  He created no longer has time for the Creator.

1.7% is not enough.

I pray that we don’t wake up one day to realize He has already gone.

The Face of God

The emotion we experience when we fall in love is comparably different than the love we have for God. Falling in love eventually requires tangible reciprocation. Hearts flutter in harmony. The light touch of nothing more than fingertips is enough to generate wonder of what the future together may bring. We anticipate seeing their face, looking into their eyes, touching her lips. Every song we hear reminds us of the one we are falling in love with.  Eventually “our song” ascends above all the rest.  (To this day Roberta Flack’s “The first time ever I saw your face” still brings up fond memories of Robin and makes my heart flutter)  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Go9aks4aujM

For most the highly charged emotions of new love begins to wane. The time that passes before the excitement diminishes varies from couple to couple. Some have told me that the feeling has never diminished; they somehow manage to fall in love each new day. I think they lied to me.

Now it is not the love for each other that has diminished, it is the excitement, the glow. Our lives before falling in love begin to resurface. Old friends demand some of our time. Earlier delicately concealed blemishes begin to appear. Gone is the excitement of catching just a glimpse of her face as you pass through the day. Holding hands is just holding hands.  Ah, but the song, the song rekindles feelings each time you hear  the melody, each time you lip the words. Music has a profound effect on our psyche. Music’s ability to generate memories, to rekindle new love, to make us want to sing along or to make us cry is matched by none.

Months, years, march along. The love grows and strengthens, but never does it return to the excitement of those first days. And then sometimes it falters. But I will stop there, more on that later.

Though the love we have for God is different, there are similarities along the way. Many years ago when I first accepted Christ into my life, when I first loved Him, I would wake each morning with His name on my lips. I read His word at every opportunity. I spoke to Him through prayer almost without ceasing. I listened to Christian music for the first time in my life and enjoyed it. This new relationship brought excitement. I looked forward to see what each new day would bring.

Somewhere along the way, I cannot remember when, the excitement lessened. My life before God began to slowly resurface. Obligations demanded my time. I still prayed but it was more structured than the impromptu conversations I had previously enjoyed. I rediscovered that I appreciate all types of music, and Christian music wasn’t really in the top three.

But my love for God did not lessen, in fact it continues to grow. The pace probably isn’t always pleasing to God.  But the newness, the frenzy of my early walk with Christ had faded considerably. 

I confessed to you earlier that the relationships I have experienced over the decades have more than faded, they have died. I am quite certain that my love for God will never meet that certain fate.

My questions for you tonight-are the emotions of the beginning certain to flee? Are they necessary to sustain our relationships? 

 Do you remember the first time you saw His face?

You and Me (part III)

Falling in love is great. Being in love is incredible. Staying in love, well I haven’t quite figured that one out yet so any adjective placed here would flounder.

God’s love is everlasting. I am amazed each time I read the stories from the bible, especially those found in the Old Testament, where we see the people that God loved so much turn their backs on Him, yet His love for them never faltered.  And then we read of the inconceivable abuse that Jesus the Christ, the Son of God, suffered through; the beatings, being spat upon, then more beatings. Nevertheless because He loved so much He hung nailed to a cross until He died, for you and for me.

Can we even begin to understand the love of God? How can this indescribable love last and last? Well you may say,

“Jim, He is God.”, and you would be right.

 And I would reply, “Fill in your name, that is too easy.” Particularly when you consider the ones He bestows this love upon, you and me.

We use many “omni-“words to describe God, omnipotent, infinite in power, omnipresence, being everywhere and omniscience, knowing everything and everyone, including you and me. When you combine all this omni you have a God that knows what you were going to do before you did it. And yet He still loves you! Incredible! Certainly if I change the pronoun from you to me.

You see I know the darkest parts of myself, so does God. They are vile and ugly, tucked away in the darkest recesses of my mind, kept there in check…most of the time. I could not love someone with the same dark, abhorrent substance that hides inside me. And yet God does.

If we studied all the things, the behaviors and the conflict that mankind has portrayed against God for more than 4000 years the list would be exhaustive. In the book of Hosea, God describes the behavior of the Israelites as harlotry. They committed adultery, not only with small “g” gods, but among themselves without abandon. Hosea’s own wife, Gomer, slept in the beds of other men. If our spouse behaved as the Israelites did it would be grounds for divorce. A fracturing of love between man and woman would be certain and expected. Words would be exchanged that cannot be printed here. Emotions would be out of control, tears would flow almost without end. Our children and family members would be exposed to our pain; they would have their own to bear. Friends would divide, his and hers.

 Love would turn to hate.

God didn’t and doesn’t file for divorce. Oh He threw His hands up once before and we ended up with Noah on one damn big boat. If there is a fracturing of our relationship with God it is never Him causing the breach. If there is pain, His is greater than ours. He never hates.  If there are tears…

I don’t want to make God cry.

Is God Missing in Action? part II

Before I begin again, I find it important to clarify my hopes in exploring the broken relationship of God and man. I am not trying to explain why God does what He does. If you interest lies in theodicies you will have to seek the wisdom of those more intelligent than I. Or you may try reading the book of Job; it is filled with examples of God’s goodness while Satan plays. Nor am I questioning the existence of our Creator. I believe in God with every fiber of my being. I learn to trust Him more each day. My love for Him increases with each revelation He delivers. Finally, this series is not meant as an evangelistic tool, although if God sees fit to use it as such, and it touches the reader in such a way, then all is good.  

My hope is to explore the cause of the broken relationship and then look at the injurious results a shattered relationship with God most certainly will bring.

I unknowingly began this trek after beginning a study of the Old Testament book of Hosea. As I prepared to teach I saw over and over in the words of this prophet a comparison of two relationships, God and man, and Hosea and his wife. The book of Hosea is about relationships…broken relationships. Each night I would set aside the detailed study and spend time considering relationships. 

My own relationship track record is not worthy of a gold star by any means. Broken relationships have established a pattern in my life for many years. ( my self-evaluation is for another time, and for me. So I will spare you the details other than generalities that may fit along the way. )

The entire Bible, not just Hosea, is about a relationship, the relationship between God and man.  He formed relationship when He first formed man. He continued the perfect plan of relationship when He next created woman as a companion to man. With His first and second creation His purpose was the same; to love and be loved.

Throughout the scriptures we see God’s longing to uphold the bond He had created. He provides us with examples or models of what our relationship with Him and our relationship with others are supposed to be. The Bible also provides ample examples of the blows that shatter relationships.  You would think that somewhere along the way we would see the cause and then with purpose upright the ship, not only in our relations with God but with each other.

The Bible concludes with the ultimate offer of relationship. God’s sacrifice to reestablish the covenant or relationship came in the form of Jesus Christ. He told us all we had to do was believe. In doing so, the original bond, the original relationship would be made whole. Full circle, love from the Creator, love for the Creator.

His plan, His model, is simple and perfect. So why then is it so hard to see. Why is it so difficult to stay true to our relationship with God or for that matter with husbands, wives, children and friends? Before I offer to expound on my belief that “time” is the culprit we will look further at the model relationship which God put before us so many years ago.

When we think of relationships, that which typically comes to mind is of a husband and wife or boyfriend-girlfriend. Of course there are many other relationships in our circle, but few as intimate as that of our love, our partner, our “better-half”.

God’s perfect, intelligent design of relationship is the model we must endeavor to follow. After all God began His design, it was His conception. He began by first creating man “in His own image.”  This same phrasing that we find in the first chapter of Genesis is also used when writing about Adam, “he (Adam) had a son in his own likeness.”  God is our Father, as Adam is the father of Seth, just not by the same means. But where father and son may have many commonalities, physical appearance, behaviors and mannerisms, the commonalities of man to God are much less. In fact, if we look at the etymology of the root word “image” it comes closer to the word “shadow” than to “likeness”. We are just a shadow of the Creator. By attempting to elevate ourselves to anything more than that leads to one of the many causes of interpersonal separation.

Our relationships are fragile, those with each other and that with God. I recall many of the broken relationships that have littered the floor of my life over the past 40 years. As I write these words, I remember with fondness a relationship from long ago, it was my first love.

Her name was Robin. I had a few girlfriends before Robin came into my life, and many, many after we parted ways. (I was considering including a third “many” but that seemed rather obnoxious) Robin lived in a small house on West Norwood Street. I remember walking up and down that street many times in the summers of 72 and 73 while in route to visit my friend, Anita. The summer aromas of south Texas, suntan oils, barbecue and honeysuckle still linger and frequently bring back 40 year old memories. Over the next few years Anita and Robin would become best friends.  When Robin first moved in, my daily pace in front of her house would slow noticeably. She had caught my eye the first time I saw her.  Blond hair and fair skinned, she was beautiful. It didn’t require too many more sightings before she had also captured my heart. I remember those early days of a budding friendship between the three of us as if it was yesterday. My secret crush on Robin remained a secret longer than I wanted. Believe it or not I had a bit of a shy side in my early teens.  I do remember when I finally built up the courage to tell Robin how I felt. I remember she took my hand and said, “What took you so long?”

Okay, I might have made up that last part. I can’t really remember what her exact words were, but I know they made my heart jump.

 I do remember our first kiss. I remember these things because first loves are singular. And because they can only happen once, it is special and precious. It is unforgettable.

To say that God had a first love seems almost insulting to his unlimited love, and equally insulting to anyone that would not fall in the category of God’s first love. Let it be known, I don’t mean to slight anyone when I tell you that God’s first love is the Israelite people. Now whether he holds them more dearly or remembers them more fondly, as I do with my memories of Robin, I cannot say. The bible does record for us the inauguration of this first love relationship. It all began with Abram.

God’s  relationship with Abram begins suddenly in the 12^th chapter of Genesis. We know very little about Abram or his relationship with God before this point. In the 12^th chapter we read that God told Abram to leave his family, his household, his land and to go where God was leading him. God told him that he would make Abram a “great nation” and will bless his life. God told him that He would protect him from those that would cause Abram harm. God promised Abram, not yet a father at the age of 75, that his offspring would inherit lands of milk and honey.

God’s love for Abram is so apparent in the promises he made to him.

Now I am quite certain that I made many promises to my first love. I am also quite certain that only a few of those promises were ever fulfilled. Young love is filled with promises of future, perhaps because the future seems so far away when we are so young it knowingly reduces the chances that the promises must be kept.  Regardless, promises are a constant and integral part of every relationship. To offer someone a promise reflects admiration for that person, even if they, the promises, are unlikely to ever be kept.   

God’s promises to Abram, His promises to you and me are never empty. And every single one is kept!

So the first components of God’s design for relationships include love and hope. Love that never goes completely away and hope that comes from promise…

Is God Missing in Action?

God is everywhere. I believe that, hence the name of this blog. However, if this is true, that God is everywhere, then why does it seem that He may now be missing in action? Read the headlines and it appears that God may be absent on global, national, local and even personal levels.

So why is He silent?

When a grenade was hurled into a church in Nairobi, Kenya, killing one and injuring others, where was God?

When two year old Ayla Reynolds disappeared from her home in Maine, where was God?

When fifteen Christian worshipers were gunned down by radical Islamist in Kano, Nigeria, where was God?

The list could go on and on. I am quite certain you could even include events from your own life that would lead to the same question; where was God?

I hope to explore this question over the next few weeks. My aim is not to answer the question as to God’s where-about but to try and understand why His noticeable absence may be.

I have already formulated a theory, but it is in an infant and overly-simplistic form. It needs to be nourished in order to develop. I hope to use this blog as my laboratory and sounding board. Together, I hope to see that God is not missing in action. In fact it is quite the opposite. Staying within the analogy of war, it is us, mankind, who have become prisoners of our own war. And we don’t even know it.

The cause of our P.O.W. status…time.

We don’t have enough time for our self-centered, narcissistic selves, much less enough for God. We fill our lives with excuses about a lack of time, or not “the right time”. This very blog is a great example of time excuse. When I decided to try authoring a blog I was aware that it would require dedication, opinions and some writing skills. I also knew that it would require my time. Well my friend, my time is precious. It is a dwindling commodity. I am stingy with it. So this blog, which is about God, a devotion to God if you will, should be the recipient of my most precious moments of time, yet I have neglected it woefully.  And the excuses that lead to the neglect were easy to manufacture, after all I only have to answer to myself. Right?

The ingredients of this exploration include, in addition to time, relationships, marriage and family. I am certain that other ingredients, spices, will be needed along the way. It is like preparing the perfect stew, adding seasoning up to the very last moment to create the perfect flavor that flows over our taste buds. What I hope to avoid is the blandness that comes from under-seasoning. Under-seasoning in this case is stepping lightly around the truth. If I don’t face it, then how can I share it with you? And then how could we ever come to find the answer to, “Is God missing in action”?