Sunday, September 27, 2009

What's God Look Like?

090927 What’s God Look Like?


If you were born in 2008, and your parents named you Jacob or Emma, you are not alone. In fact, you are less alone than any other person born in 2008, perhaps, because your names were the most popular. Jacob unseated “Michael” in 1999, which had been the popularity champion since 1961. Emma upset Emily last year, which was number one for over ten years.

There weren’t many kids named Judas. Or Jezebel. Neither of these was in the top 1000 names over the last ten years. I suspect those names haven’t been popular for 2000 years or so. Why?

Names carry associations that are hard to overcome emotionally and cognitively. Most US citizens have a visceral response to the name Osama Bin Laden. Probably won’t ever be a popular name in these parts.

Father. Mother. Brother. Sister. Grandpa and Grandma. “Ex”. Boyfriend. Girlfriend. Parolee. Sex offender. Teacher. Pastor. Doctor. Lawyer. Counselor. All of these names have associations that vary from person to person, story to story.

Do realize, however, that the way you primarily name God affects your relationship with God?

Do you also realize that the name you give God also limits your relationship with God?

In William Young’s book, The Shack, Mack makes his way to visit Papa (God) at the place where his Great Sadness originated. Much to his surprise, Papa was a robust black woman! The Holy Spirit, Sarayu, was an Asian woman. Jesus was the only somewhat predictable looking character – a carpenter (I’m thinking Michael Landon from Little House days). The reason Papa chose this personification? To blow Mack’s mind.

What are your preconceptions? Let’s blow your mind…

Take some time this week and slowly mull over the following names of God. Which ones are really comfortable for you? Why? Which ones are really difficult? Why? Which ones are foreign? Why?

In your referencing and prayers, use a different name when addressing God this week. Enjoy!

May you experience the love of Christ,
though it is too great to understand fully.
Then you will be made complete
with all the fullness of life and power
that comes from God. (Eph. 3:19 NLT)


THE NAMES OF GOD

OLD TESTAMENT NAMES FOR GOD

ELOHIM......Genesis 1:1, Psalm 19:1
meaning "God", a reference to God's power and might.

ADONAI......Malachi 1:6
meaning "Lord", a reference to the Lordship of God.

JEHOVAH--YAHWEH.....Genesis 2:4
a reference to God's divine salvation.

JEHOVAH-MACCADDESHEM.......Exodus 31:13
meaning "The Lord thy sanctifier"

JEHOVAH-ROHI......Psalm 23:1
meaning "The Lord my shepherd"

JEHOVAH-SHAMMAH.......Ezekiel 48:35
meaning "The Lord who is present"

JEHOVAH-RAPHA.........Exodus 15:26

meaning "The Lord our healer"

JEHOVAH-TSIDKENU......Jeremiah 23:6
meaning "The Lord our righteousness"

JEHOVAH-JIREH.........Genesis 22:13-14
meaning "The Lord will provide"

JEHOVAH-NISSI.........Exodus 17:15
meaning "The Lord our banner"

JEHOVAH-SHALOM........Judges 6:24
meaning "The Lord is peace"

JEHOVAH-SABBAOTH......Isaiah 6:1-3
meaning "The Lord of Hosts"

EL-ELYON..............Genesis 14:17-20,Isaiah 14:13-14
meaning "The most high God"

EL-ROI................Genesis 16:13
meaning "The strong one who sees"

EL-SHADDAI............Genesis 17:1,Psalm 91:1
meaning "The God of the mountains or God Almighty"

EL-OLAM...............Isaiah 40:28-31
meaning "The everlasting God"



MORE NAMES OF GOD

ABBA.............................Romans 8:15

ADVOCATE.........................I John 2:1 (kjv)

ALMIGHTY.........................Genesis 17:1

ALPHA............................Revelation 22:13

AMEN.............................Revelation 3:14

ANCIENT OF DAYS..................Daniel 7:9

ANOINTED ONE.....................Psalm 2:2

APOSTLE..........................Hebrews 3:1

ARM OF THE LORD..................Isaiah 53:1

AUTHOR OF LIFE...................Acts 3:15

AUTHOR OF OUR FAITH..............Hebrews 12:2

BEGINNING.........................Revelation 21:6

BLESSED & HOLY RULER..............1 Timothy 6:15

BRANCH............................Jeremiah 33:15

BREAD OF GOD......................John 6:33

BREAD OF LIFE.....................John 6:35

BRIDEGROOM........................Isaiah 62:56

BRIGHT MORNING STAR...............Revelation 22:16

CHIEF SHEPHERD.....................1 Peter 5:4

CHOSEN ONE.........................Isaiah 42:1

CHRIST.............................Matthew 22:42

CHRIST OF GOD......................Luke 9:20

CHRIST THE LORD....................Luke 2:11

CHRIST, SON OF LIVING GOD..........Matthew 16:16

COMFORTER..........................John 14:26(kjv)

COMMANDER..........................Isaiah 55:4

CONSOLATION OF ISRAEL...............Luke 2:25

CONSUMING FIRE......................Deut. 4:24, Heb. 12:29

CORNERSTONE.........................Isaiah 28:16

COUNSELOR...........................Isaiah 9:6

CREATOR.............................1 Peter 4:19

DELIVERER..............................Romans 11:26

DESIRED OF ALL NATIONS.................Haggai 2:7

DOOR...................................John 10:7(kjv)

END....................................Revelation 21:6

ETERNAL GOD............................Deut. 33:27

EVERLASTING FATHER.....................Isaiah 9:6

FAITHFUL & TRUE........................Revelation 19:11

FAITHFUL WITNESS.......................Revelation 1:5

FATHER.................................Matthew 6:9

FIRSTBORN (3)........................................Rom.8:29,Rev.1:5,Col.1:15

FIRSTFRUITS............................1 Cor.15:20-23

FOUNDATION.............................1 Cor. 3:11

FRIEND OF TAX COLLECTORS & SINNERS.....Matthew 11:19

GENTLE WHISPER.........................1 Kings 19:12

GIFT OF GOD............................John 4:10

GLORY OF THE LORD......................Isaiah 40:5

GOD....................................Genesis 1:1

GOD ALMIGHTY...........................Genesis 17:1

GOD OVER ALL...........................Romans 9:5

GOD WHO SEES ME........................Genesis 16:13

GOOD SHEPHERD..........................John 10:11

GREAT HIGH PRIEST......................Hebrews 4:14

GREAT SHEPHERD.........................Hebrews 13:20

GUIDE..................................Psalm 48:14

HEAD OF THE BODY.......................Colossians 1:18

HEAD OF THE CHURCH.....................Ephesians 5:23

HEIR OF ALL THINGS.....................Hebrews 1:2

HIGH PRIEST............................Hebrews 3:1

HIGH PRIEST FOREVER....................Hebrews 6:20

HOLY ONE...............................Acts 2:27

HOLY ONE OF ISRAEL.....................Isaiah 49:7

HOLY SPIRIT............................John 16:26

HOPE...................................Titus 2:13

HORN OF SALVATION......................Luke 1:69

I AM....................................Exodus 3:14, John 8:58

IMAGE OF GOD............................2 Cor. 4:4

IMAGE OF HIS PERSON.....................Hebrews 1:3 (kjv)

IMMANUEL................................Isaiah 7:14

JEALOUS..............................Exodus 34:14 (kjv)

JEHOVAH..............................Psalm 83:18 (kjv)

JESUS................................Matthew 1:21

JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD................Romans 6:23

JUDGE................................Isaiah 33:22, Acts 10:42

KING.................................Zechariah 9:9

KING ETERNAL.........................1 Timothy 1:17

KING OF KINGS........................1 Timothy 6:15

KING OF THE AGES.....................Revelation 15:3

LAMB OF GOD...........................John 1:29

LAST ADAM.............................1 Cor. 15:45

LAWGIVER..............................Isaiah 33:22

LEADER................................Isaiah 55:4

LIFE..................................John 14:6

LIGHT OF THE WORLD....................John 8:12

LIKE AN EAGLE.........................Deut. 32:11

LILY OF THE VALLEYS...................Song 2:1

LION OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH............Revelation 5:5

LIVING STONE..........................1 Peter 2:4

LIVING WATER..........................John 4:10

LORD..................................John 13:13

LORD GOD ALMIGHTY.....................Revelation 15:3

LORD JESUS CHRIST.....................1 Cor. 15:57

LORD OF ALL...........................Acts 10:36

LORD OF GLORY ........................1 Cor. 2:8

LORD OF LORDS.........................1 Tim. 6:15

LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS..............Jeremiah 23:6

LOVE.................................1 John 4:8

MAN OF SORROWS.........................Isaiah 53:3

MASTER..................................Luke 5:5

MEDIATOR................................1 Timothy 2:5

MERCIFUL GOD............................Jeremiah 3:12

MESSENGER OF THE COVENANT................Malachi 3:1

MESSIAH................................. John 4:25

MIGHTY GOD...............................Isaiah 9:6

MIGHTY ONE...............................Isaiah 60:16

NAZARENE.................................Matthew 2:23

OFFSPRING OF DAVID.......................Revelation 22:16

OMEGA....................................Revelation 22:13

ONLY BEGOTTEN SON........................John 1:18(kjv)

OUR PASSOVER LAMB........................1 Cor. 5:7

OUR PEACE................................Ephesians 2:14

POTTER...................................Isaiah 64:8

POWER OF GOD.............................1 Cor. 1:24

PRINCE OF PEACE..........................Isaiah 9:6

PROPHET..................................Acts 3:22

PURIFIER.................................Malachi 3:3

RABBONI (TEACHER)........................John 20:16

RADIANCE OF GOD'S GLORY..................Heb.1:3

REDEEMER.................................Job 19:25

REFINER'S FIRE...........................Malachi 3:2

RESURRECTION.............................John 11:25

RIGHTEOUS ONE............................1 John 2:1

ROCK.....................................1 Cor.10:4

ROOT OF DAVID............................Rev. 22:16

ROSE OF SHARON...........................Song 2:1

RULER OF GOD'S CREATION..................Rev. 3:14

RULER OVER KINGS OF EARTH................Rev 1:5

RULER OVER ISRAEL........................Micah 5:2

SAVIOR...................................Luke 2:11

SCEPTER OUT OF ISRAEL....................Numbers 24:17

SEED.....................................Genesis 3:15

SERVANT..................................Isaiah 42:1

SHEPHERD OF OUR SOULS....................1Peter 2:25

SHIELD...................................Genesis 15:1

SON OF DAVID.............................Matthew 1:1

SON OF GOD...............................Matthew 27:54

SON OF MAN...............................Matthew 8:20

SON OF THE MOST HIGH.....................Luke 1:32

SOURCE...................................Hebrews 5:9

SPIRIT OF GOD............................Genesis 1:2

STAR OUT OF JACOB........................Numbers 24:17

STONE....................................1 Peter 2:8

SUN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS.....................Malachi 4:2

TEACHER...................................John 13:13

TRUE LIGHT................................John 1:9

TRUE WITNESS..............................Revelation 3:14

TRUTH.....................................John 14:6

VINE......................................John 15:5

WAY........................................John 14:6

WISDOM OF GOD..............................1 Cor. 1:24

WITNESS....................................Isaiah 55:4

WONDERFUL..................................Isaiah 9:6

WORD.......................................John 1:1

WORD OF GOD................................Revelation 19:13

Sunday, September 13, 2009

Mad @ God

In the time it takes you to read this, dozens or children will draw their last breath, dying of starvation. As you reflect in the comfort of your own home on the questions this blog poses, others are going to be confronted by extreme violence – soldiers will be killed, innocent civilians will be blown up by a suicide bomber, women will be forcibly raped, children will be senselessly beaten. Perhaps you can relate to some of these scenarios – you have certainly been the victim of some element of humanity’s brokenness, right?


 
Fess up: are you mad @ God? When horrible things happen, it is common to look for an underlying cause – why? Oftentimes, we jump to another question before answering the first: who could have prevented this from happening? Especially when it comes to global issues such as starvation and extreme poverty, we wonder why God didn’t do something about it. Sometimes, we wonder that same thing about our personal tragedies – why did God allow my husband to beat me, or why did that drunk driver have to hit my brother’s car instead of a tree or something, or my child to be killed by a deranged lunatic? The questions and associated feelings are very real. While we might not always be bold enough o say it out loud, when we are in private or in the company of trusted friends, we just might admit that we are mad at God for, well, not being God like we think God should be at our moment of need.

 
Needless or adaptive? Anger was God’s idea in the first place. And, much like everything else God created in those early days, when God created anger, God pronounced it “good.” How we interact with our anger is the question – and the difference – between good or bad, healthy or unhealthy. There are basically two ways to deal with anger: needlessly or adaptively. We’ve all been guilty of needless responses to anger – that’s when we do something that really doesn’t help our situation, which means it is actually hurting our situation. There are many needless responses to anger: rage, withdrawal, emotionally abusive language – the list goes on and on. A better approach to our anger is an adaptive one – using anger as a gift to improve our lives and our relationships. Our anger is a built-in alarm system that alerts us to the fact that something bad has, is, or is about to happen: something is not right. Sometimes we don’t have time to respond adaptively to our anger, and we react instinctually. Like a rabbit reacting to a snake, sometimes our anger causes us to sprint in the opposite direction. But what if the snake wasn’t venomous? What if it was a stuffed animal? That’s a lot of wasted energy, and we’re suddenly a further away from health than we wanted to be. We don’t want o be angry like a bunny…

 
Hurting or fearful? Some anger experts suggest that anger is a reaction to one or two primary feelings: hurt or fear. Avoiding present or future pain (emotional or physical) is warded off by an angry response. Anger serves to protect us at that point.

 
The power of perspective… If we could learn to handle anger differently, our lives would be very different, and healthier. Gaining perspective is one of the most critical pieces in handling our anger adaptively. This is tough, because we have to unlearn our belief that what we see is correct, even when it might not be. An M&M, depending on which angle you’re viewing it, will display an M, or a W, or an E, or an angular 3. The difference is perspective. Reacting to our anger without it will likely cause needless pain. This is particularly relevant when it comes to being mad at God – our vision is almost always self-serving, limited in scope, and generally cannot take in all the viewing angles.

 
Can I really trust God to be good? This question was God’s response to Mack as he struggled with his anger toward God, blaming God for all the senseless acts in the world, and one tragedy that was very personal to him – the abduction, abuse, and murder of his little girl, Missy. We react with anger out of our pain toward God – our level of hurting sometimes overwhelms us. Or sometimes we are so afraid that if we really trust God, God will blow it, and then what will be left? Better to keep control of things to avoid more pain. But the longer we live, the more we realize that if we were in charge of everything, we’d be a big fat mess.

 
Working toward a healthier relationship. Going to the shack – the center or our pain – is similar to facing our anger. It’s tough. We haven’t faced it because we’ve accommodated it instead, and our accommodations have grown familiar and comfortable. Smoking is comfortable, and it kills people. Substance abuse is comfortable, but it kills people, too. Avoidance, denial, isolation – all get comfortable, and all kill us in their respective ways. What God is calling you to is a relationship built on trust. Trust in God’s ultimate goodness. Trust in God’s love for you and all people everywhere.

 
Unfortunately for us in the West, this isn’t fixed quickly, either. Relationships take time. Healing relationships takes time. Time to rebuild trust. May you take the time to discover that God is very, very good, in spite of your perspective.
 
May you begin to trust God more and more,
and (re)build your life on the foundation of the eternally good
more than the mortally wounded.
 
Think…
  1. When you are angry, how do you typically react? Does your reaction vary depending on the context? If so, how? Why?
  2. How is your response to anger sometimes needless? How is it sometimes adaptive? What gets in the way of your handling anger more adaptively?
  3. Can you think of a time when your perspective limited your evaluation so much that when you saw the whole picture, your evaluation changed?
  4. How does anger help relationships? How does anger help our relationship with God?
  5. Is anger rooted in hurt or fear? What root causes are there for your anger toward God?
  6. How does your level of trust in a relationship with God impact the potency of that relationship? What questions or issues need to be addressed for you in order that you might be able to trust God more fully?

 

Sunday, September 6, 2009

When Dreams Get Dashed

“George W. Bush is not my president,” my friend stated with vehemence. He, a US citizen, said this repeatedly over the eight year term of our former president. Since he didn’t vote for him, and didn’t like him, he figured he needn’t acknowledge the President as his.
“Barak Obama is not my president,” snorted Etta James at a concert not long after the inaugural ball where her classic signature song, At Last, was sung. Not by her, but BeyoncĂ©. No doubt feeling snubbed, she snubbed right back.
“You’re not my pastor,” said the angry church member. The fact was that the man to which the member referred had been and still was indeed the pastor of the church. But the church member didn’t like his approach, and let this viewpoint be known by severing any hint of ownership whenever his name would arise.
“I don’t believe in God,” says the skeptic. Their experience leads them to say such things regardless of evidence, reason, and the unrelenting faith of millions upon millions of others.
In The Shack, the best-selling work of fiction by author William P. Young, Mack, the stories main character, saw his faith and life falling through a downward spiral. After three and a half years, the Great Sadness remained on his shoulders like a “heavy garment” he wore everywhere he went. Missy, his beautiful, full-of-life six-and-a-half year old daughter was abducted, abused, and killed by a serial killer known as the Little Ladykiller. She was his fifth victim. None of his previous victims’ bodies had ever been recovered. The families of the little girls were simply left with the horror of the unknown.

We all have our version of the Great Sadness, don’t we?

For some, the story is painfully close to Mack’s – Phillip Garridos’ exist, and victims like Jaycee Dugard do, too. Jacob could relate (Genesis 37ff).

For some, it’s illness and death endured by good, young people.
Jairus could relate (Luke 8).

For some, it’s never getting a good break.
The Samaritan woman at the well could relate (John 4).

For some, it’s self inflicted through poor decisions.
David could relate (2 Samuel 11).

For some, it’s losing everything. Job could relate (Job).


When our dreams get dashed in a myriad of ways, sometimes we don’t address the pain at all. We just keep going. Carrying the weight of it all. Our lives increasingly limited by its burden. To be free of the Great Sadness, however, requires us to address it. Otherwise, it will simply and maliciously continue to address us.
The ultimate issue addressed by Mack, and the ultimate issue faced by numerous biblical witnesses before him, is the same ultimate issue we face as we address our Great Sadness. That issue is trust. Do we really trust God with our Great Sadness? We say yes, but do we? Do we in some way blame God? This would imply that we can’t trust God to do right.
If there’s no trust in a relationship, the relationship is sunk. When your relationship with God is sunk, what are you really left with?
The fact is that George W. Bush was the president of the US, and Barak Obama is the president of the US, I am the pastor of this church, and God is still God.
You may not have much motive to work on your relationship with your president or pastor. But, your level of hope for the best possible life now and your confidence in life after the grave is directly related to the health of your relationship with God. So, while you may not have much motive to work on your relationship with the president or your pastor, you’ve got a lot of motivation to nurture your relationship with God. Which means addressing your Great Sadness, and discovering whether or not you can really trust God with it and everything else.

May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully.
Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power
that comes from God. Eph. 3:19 (NLT)
Think…
  1. What is your Great Sadness that you struggle to address?
  2. How has your Great Sadness affected your relationship with God? What questions does your Great Sadness raise about God’s character, faithfulness, and power?
  3. What keeps you from addressing your Great Sadness? How have you dealt with it? How has your Great Sadness dealt with you?How will you take advantage of this series to help you with your Great Sadness, and ultimately, your relationship with God?
  4. How will you let community help you overcome your Great Sadness?