“Fatalism”
“We are all fatalists when it suits us.” (DTEB)
I encountered a person the other day who does not think covid-19 is a big deal. There are a lot of folks who take this approach. The person said, “When it’s my time to go, I will die.” Ironically, we had this brief conversation very early in the morning when we were both exercising. It was already hot and humid. Presumably, the fact that we were both exercising indicates that we both believe that exercise can help us to live longer—or at least better. We are all fatalists, but only when it suits us.
Taking care of our bodies is not a huge theme in the Bible, but it is a theme. One of the verses that is not about taking care of our bodily life, but simply assumes it is Ephesians 5:29: “For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it . . . .” (English Standard Version)
Note that this verse is not about taking care of our bodies. In its context, it is part of Paul’s command to Christian husbands to love their wives as they love their own bodies. Paul is also saying that husbands should love their lives just as Christ loved the church. Since Christ died for the church, this means that being a husband is a high and demanding calling.
However, while vs. 29 is not about taking care of our bodies, notice that the verse assumes that we do! The fact that Paul can assume this self-concern tells us that, when it came to our bodies, Paul was not a fatalist. He believed that what we do with our bodies and what we do with our relationships makes a difference.
Of course, even though I wear a mask and avoid contact with folks as much as possible, I am also a fatalist when it suits me. I am a practicing fatalist when I refuse to exercise and when I eat a lot of sweets, just to mention two areas where I struggle.
But here is the bottom line for me: When fatalism is my go-to, I am not taking responsibility for my own actions. Yes, there is indeed the biblical saying “. . . a time to die . . . .” (Ecclesiastes 3:2). But the same wise man who wrote these words is also credited with saying, “The prudent sees danger and hides himself, but the simple go on and suffer for it.” (Proverbs 22:3, English Standard Version)
“Fantasy? Or Imagination?”
According to some definitions of fantasy and imagination, they are synonymous. I am not convinced, however. Here are a couple of definitions that suggest how close fantasy and imagination are, in the minds of some lexicographers. (They do, however, suggest some important differences.)
“the faculty or activity of imagining things, especially things that are impossible or improbable. ‘his research had moved into the realm of fantasy’” (https://www.google.com/search?q=fantasy&rlz=1C1GCEA_enUS844US844&oq=fantasy&aqs=chrome..69i57j46j0l4j46.3059j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8, accessed 07-03-2020)
“the faculty or action of forming new ideas, or images or concepts of external objects not present to the senses. ‘she’d never been blessed with a vivid imagination’” (https://www.google.com/search?q=define+imagination&rlz=1C1GCEA_enUS844US844&oq=define+imagination&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l7.3612j1j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8, accessed 07-03-2020d)
A friend and I had a wonderful conversation about “the good use of fantasy” and imagination the other day. We came up with some interesting ideas. (At least, they were interesting to us!) I don’t know that we came to any hard and fast decisions, but we did come up with some intriguing possibilities.
Perhaps fantasy is imagination that doesn’t lead to any real, substantial, healthy change. Imagination, on the other hand, leads—or at least could lead—to some transforming changes.
Of course, some people are more imaginative than others, and some are more practical. Some people (my wife, for example) are a dynamic blend of both imagination and practicality. That combination is as rare as the AB-negative blood type.
Those who are gifted with only imagination or practicality need to surround themselves with people who are blessed with the opposite gift. Imagination without practicality manufactures pipe dreams. Practicality without imagination is a prescription for getting in and staying in ruts. And, as someone has said, “The only difference between a rut and a grave is depth.”
But my friend made the most intriguing observation . He pointed out that fantasy is essentially selfish, while imagination seeks the greater good of others.
If my friend and I are basically correct, the decisive common trait of imagination, as opposed to fantasy, is that imagination is a community virtue. Fantasy, on the other hand, is all about precious little me.
So, am I (and are you) an imaginative person, or only one who fantasizes?
The following is a “3-Minute Retreat” from Loyola Press. (You can sign up for these yourself, if you would like. They are free, though you can also buy some books and keep Loyola in business, if you wish to do that.)
“This is my commandment: love one another as I love you.” (John 15:12)
“How familiar to us are these words of Jesus? Perhaps too familiar, that they have lost their meaning. Jesus shared with his disciples the same love he received from the Father. What is clear to Jesus can at times be vague to us. We are able to love others because we have first been loved by God. It’s one thing to know that in our heads. It’s quite another to be convinced of it in our hearts. The key is to make time in our busy lives to stop and allow God to love us, to actually feel God’s love for us personally. Loving others will flow naturally from our deep belief in God’s personal love for us.”
“How can I open myself more fully to God’s love today?”
“Is my experience of God based more on knowing or on feeling? How might I begin to merge the two?”
Do I allow myself to be loved by God? Or am I too busy?
Too busy to be loved! Is that crazy or what?!?
The correct answer is that, of course, it is crazy. And yet, it is always possible to make time for craziness. But do I carve out time to be loved?
It isn’t just about God, either. My wife and little dog want to give and receive love. Do I make time for them? A friend and I got together for coffee and breakfast this morning. Important to let myself be loved by my friend and to love him. (He picked up the tab, which is a very loving thing to do, by the by.) A 12-step friend just called. Again, a chance to be loved and to love someone else.
All day long, I have opportunities to be loved and to love others. Slow down, self! Slow down, and let God and others love you! Slow down, and let yourself love others. Slow down.
“Thanks for Everything!”
I am into list-keeping. Lists keep me more or less on track. Even in my personal journal, I do lists. I am especially fond of gratitude lists. I usually try to list 50 things for which I’m grateful. It’s a wonderful way to start the day, and I heartily recommend it.
This morning, I paused after item 49, and thought, “I need to make item # 50 count!” So, I wrote the following: “Every little and not-so-little thing you do for me and everyone and everything else in the universe.”
I immediately thought of some of the psalms that broaden praise and thanksgiving to God to embrace God’s goodness to all of creation. The biblical psalmists were not just into thanking and praising God for God’s goodness to them individually. At least some of the psalmists were also aware of God’s goodness to all people, and indeed to all creation. Psalm 104 is just one example. In this psalm, God is praised for his care even for wild animals and sea creatures.
I love Toby Mac. I love his songs and I love his concerts. He has a song out that is getting lots of play time on Christian radio. It has a very simple title—“Everything.”
“Everything”
I’m captivated, I’ll say it
I’m on a whole new intrigue
My space invaded, upgraded
I hear You talking to me
It’s in the boom of the thunder, it’s in the cool of the rain
And I’ll say I don’t ever want to get away
Tonight is beautiful
It’s got my mind on You
And everywhere I turn is a reminder
I see You in everything, all day
And every beat of my heart keeps reminding me
I see You in every little thing, all day
No matter where I go I know Your love is finding me
I see You in everything
You’re all up in everything
My soul’s awaken
I’m taken by all the beauty You bring
You got it blarin’, I’m starin’
Love watching You do Your thing
There’s no mistaken Your style
No mistaken Your touch
I see the grand, I see the subtle of Your love
Lord, I see You in everything, all day
And every beat of my heart keeps reminding me
I see You in every little thing, all day
No matter where I go I know Your love is finding me
It’s finding me in everything, all day
And every beat of my heart keeps reminding me
I see You in every little thing, all day
No matter where I go I know Your love is finding me
Tonight is beautiful
It’s got my mind on You
And everywhere I turn is a reminder
From the sparkle in her eyes to the starlit open skies
You bring my heart to life, fill me with wonder
Oh, I can see Your love, Your love in everything
And that’s why You’ll always be my everything
Yeah, I can see Your love, Your love in everything
And that’s why You’ll always be my everything
And a God who is able and willing to take care of the entire universe—everything—is a God worth trusting to meet my own little needs.
“Sisters of Jesus”
“While he was still speaking to the people, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him.
But he replied to the man who told him, ‘Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?’
And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers!
For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.’” (Matthew 12:46-50, English Standard Version)
“Jesus cares about relationships. In this Gospel passage he indicates that his family has room for all who do the will of God. Listening to God and acting on what we hear makes us not just friends of Jesus, but family. Not all members of a family see eye to eye on everything, but they all share a common bond. In Jesus’ family, the common bond is God. When our focus is on doing the will of God, we know that we are walking in the right direction.” (https://www.loyolapress.com/retreats/doing-gods-will-start-retreat/)
In many ways, this is an interesting passage from the Gospel of Matthew. But I noticed something the other day that I had never noticed before. The passage does not mention “sisters” at all until Jesus’ last statement. “For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” (vs. 50) And, of course, vs. 49 says that, as Jesus was saying this, he stretched out his hands “to his disciples.”
Now, this might not be worthy of comment except for one thing: In ancient Judah, women were not disciples. And yet, Jesus explicitly included women as being his disciples. In fact, one rabbinic saying says, “He who teaches Torah to a woman is like one who casts pearls before swine.”
This may well explain why Martha was so upset that Mary had left her to do all the cooking and cleaning (Luke 10:38-42). It may not just have been about Martha feeling as if she was doing all the work. Mary was “sitting at the feet of Jesus” for crying out loud! That is what disciples do! Who did Mary think she was?!
It is also worth noting that in the encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4:1-42), when the disciples (the male disciples) come back to Jesus after going away to procure some food, they were amazed that Jesus was talking with a woman (vs. 27). Men, especially holy men who were rabbis, were generally not supposed to talk with women.
We live in a day and in a country that prides itself on its openness to everyone. At least, that used to be the case. I am not so sure that we were ever all that good at inclusiveness. I am virtually certain that we are not good at it now. Apparently, about two-thousand years ago, Jesus did include women. In this way, as in many others, Jesus was way ahead of his time. Indeed, Jesus is timeless, as well as always timely.
“A Path Called Today”
Today, by God’s grace, I am walking a path called “Today.” I don’t know what will happen on this path. But I do know a few things:
- There will be beauty and joy. Indeed, there already are beauty and joy, and it is still very early in the day.
- There are wonderful companions on the path—God, my wife, my little dog, my sponsors, other 12-step friends, and many others.
- There will be tasks to do.
- There may be problems and/or sorrows.
- There will be delightful vistas to see.
- I will need to keep walking. Paths, like Nancy Sinatra’s boots, are made for walkin’!
- There will be benches along the path, so that I can sit and rest a while.
“What Forgiveness Can Do”
“Forgiveness can save a relationship. God’s forgiveness can save the world.” (My wife)
Forgiveness is essential for any relationship. People say and do hurtful things. If you’re people, this applies to you. Me too. The closer the relationship, the higher the number of hurts. More importantly, the hurts go much deeper when we are in a close relationship. Without forgiveness, no relationship can last for more than a few years. (I originally wrote “a few days,” but decided that was too pessimistic.)
I believe that God wants a relationship with the entire world. Therefore—at least with humans—God had to forgive, if God was to have a relationship with humankind. Or, at least, God chose to forgive.
This morning, as I was doing my morning run, I suddenly found myself able to forgive someone who had harmed me in the past. It was a wonderful moment. I was able to run a lot lighter and faster after that.
Ironically, though not surprisingly, my pastor preached on forgiveness this morning. It was an excellent sermon with many wonderful insights. I especially appreciated his reminder that to forgive someone else is to give yourself the gift of freedom. Yes!
Too often, I focus on the wrongs that others have done to me. At other times, I grovel in the guilt of the times that I have hurt others. Neither approach honors the God who is a God of forgiveness.
“Christianity—Easy and Hard”
Is the Christian faith easy or hard? The answer, I think, is a resounding “Yes!” I was listening to an Andy Stanley message the other day, and he made two excellent points about this matter. His basic point was that becoming a Christian is easy, but becoming a Jesus-follower is not.
According to the standard understanding of the Christian faith (at least among conservative Protestants and many other Christians) Jesus died on the cross for our sins. We could not pay the price for our sins, so we were doomed to die, and go to hell. We were already living in the suburbs of hell. Therefore, God sent his Son in human form to die for us, taking our sins and our punishment upon himself.
I no longer identify myself as a “conservative” or an “evangelical,” due to some of the political and economical ideas that conservatives and evangelicals seem to be embracing these days. However, I still believe in the basic statements I just wrote down in my second paragraph. I do believe that Jesus was God with skin on, and not just a great teacher or prophet, or example, even though Jesus was certainly those things too. I believe that Jesus died for all the sins of all of us, and that, if we trust him, we are saved. So, Andy Stanley is right: Becoming a Christian is easy.
Or is it? Trusting someone else is actually more difficult than it sounds. Any of us who are over the age of three years have probably experienced at least one serious betrayal in our lives. At least one, and probably many more. Trusting anyone or anything is not as easy as it sounds. If we’re honest with ourselves, we have probably betrayed ourselves more than once, too. (Before you deny this, think of the last time you said to yourself, “This time, I am really going to stick with this diet and exercise plan!”)
Still, Andy makes a valid point. In theory at least, becoming a Christian is (or should be) easy.
But then, there is that second part: becoming a Jesus-follower. I still am very much a beginner at that part of the Christian faith. And it is not easy. On the other hand, if Jesus died on the cross for the sins of humankind, and if Jesus told his disciples that they had to take up their own crosses and follow him, then what right do I have to expect following Jesus to be easy? None.
However, there are three things that give me some hope in this difficult matter of becoming a Jesus-follower. These three do not make following Jesus easy, but they do make it slightly less daunting.
First, the Jesus-way is a good way. Even people who don’t believe that Jesus was God in the flesh generally think that he was a good man and lived in a loving way. If so, then it might be a good idea to imitate him.
Second, the Jesus-way leads to a good end. Now, you may be inclined to say, “Ending up on a cross and in a tomb at age thirty-three doesn’t sound like a good end to me!” I have a one-word rebuttal: Resurrection! The early disciples—and the not-so-early disciples—claimed that, much to their shock, Jesus came out of the tomb. Now, you can believe that the disciples were and are lying. I used to believe that myself. Or, at least, I believed that they were mistaken or engaging in wishful thinking. But if it’s true, then the final destination for Jesus was not the cross. If we follow Jesus, the cross isn’t our final destination either. The only question is whether the resurrection really happened or not. I believe that it did, but I realize that it takes some believing.
The third thing that gives me some hope in becoming a Jesus-follower, is that I have some wonderful companions. There are lots of good folks who accompany me on my journey. Some are atheists, some are Jewish, some are search-me-ists. These folks, who make no pretense of following Jesus, nevertheless encourage me in my own faith journey. Many of them are my fellow-addicts. Some are even Jesus followers. One of my most cherished companions on the following-Jesus path is my wife. (No, she is not an addict, though I think she is fond of me. Not addicted; just fond.)
And then, there is Jesus himself. Not super-often, but occasionally, I sense his presence withme, even as I try to follow him. And the fact that I don’t experience his presence more often and more deeply is probably my own fault. I suppose that if I followed more closely, I would experience his companionship more profoundly.
So, in the final analysis, I think that becoming a Jesus-follower isn’t necessarily the easiest thing in the world, just the best thing.
“Get Up and Get On with Your Life”
“Peter heals in the name of Jesus and commands the man he healed to get up and get on with his life. It is Jesus who heals us. Through his grace we, like Peter, are able to bring the comfort and healing power of Jesus to others. We are at one and the same time both the one healed and the one who brings about healing.” (“3-Minute Retreat,” from Loyola Publishing, June 24, 2020)
I was paralyzed from the waist down for a few months when I was in the fifth grade. A bad fall on the ice led (apparently) to a badly pinched nerve. Thanks to a chiropractor, time, and God, I was able to walk and run again. It was scary.
Today’s “3-Minute Retreat” devotional was based on the story (in Acts 9) about man who had been paralyzed for eight years.
“Peter went off on a mission to visit all the churches. In the course of his travels he arrived in Lydda and met with the believers there. He came across a man—his name was Aeneas—who had been in bed eight years paralyzed. Peter said, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and make your bed!” And he did it—jumped right out of bed. Everybody who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him walking around and woke up to the fact that God was alive and active among them.” (Acts 9:32-35, The Message)
I liked the way today’s retreat master for Loyola put it: “Peter heals in the name of Jesus and commands the man he healed to get up and get on with his life.”
Some of us are paralyzed, but not in our body. No, it is much more serious than that. We are paralyzed by fear, by lust, by greed, by any number of paralyzing agents in our life.
And then, along comes Jesus and says, perhaps through another person like Peter, sometimes very directly, “Get up and get on with your life!” Perhaps Jesus says this to us, even to get us out of bed in the morning.
And so, in the name of Jesus, I say unto thee, “Get up and get on with your life!”
Recent Comments