What is the gospel to you in six words?

A week ago, I asked people on Facebook and Twitter to tell me what the gospel meant to them in six words. Here are the responses. Krystina Holliday: "Merciful Salvation for our wretched souls."

Christian Hodet: Sin's penalty, power and presence destroyed!

Da Hol'day: "Justification, Sanctification, Transformation, Salvation, Life, Deliverance."

Suzanne LaMore Elmer: "The Incredible Love of Jesus Christ."

Vanessa Pujic: "Jesus' love = freedom, happiness for all!"

Marius Jensen: "God has integrity. God is love."

Nick Hausted: "God's Original Salvation Plan = Exemplary Love."

Val Jacobson: "God=love. Love died. Love lives."

Jordan Reichert: "God's selfless restoration of all things..."

Stephen William Farr: "He who has been forgiven much."

Jonathan Stephan: "Love, love, love, love! Inexplicably mine."

Luis Gamino: "Supreme love for me and you."

Sam Smith: "Restoration of children to their Father."

Kessia Reyne: "Divine fellowship and likeness -freely given."

Bryant Rodriguez: "At the Golgotha, Yahweh embraced all."

*****

If you never got to make one, go ahead and place one in the comment section!

Love's disappointment

Think of the wife at home. Making the place habitable and taking care of the household details while the husband is away. Think of the way she might delight in taking over these monotonous chores so her husband might be pleased by an ordered home. Perhaps she does this for five days straight. Setting meals and making conversation. Not minding his energies are a bit drained from his work. She seeks to stay involved in his life by  inquiring about his work and listening attentively. She does this delighted as she plays the role of suitable helpmate. And now think of what would happen if after the the five days the husband's day off came, and the wife couldn't help but get her hopes up. And what if the day came and went and nothing special happened? Would she not feel let down? He didn't even join in on the household duties.

Think of the father with the son. Think of the labor he takes on for the son who will never know the half of it. Providing a home and being the minuteman father the son needs. Watching the way he's developing, foreseeing what might be needed soon, trying to educate the child while giving him space to develop. Perhaps no one can quite put into words the constant taxation which comes when trying to be a parent. Yet he takes on the burden with joy for the sake of his son's eternal well-being.

And now think what would happen if after years of toil, the son turned his back on his father. Perhaps because of a petty complaint or a disagreement ending in dispute. As his son came of age the father got his hopes up. Would he not feel let down? Would there not be some inexplicable grief in the father? The son didn't even think of how indebted he was to his dad.

Think of the God holding the wheeling spheres, holding the cosmos and providing life to the worlds. How at the cross, He provided time and opportunity for salvation. By the blood from His brow, He began a new creation through resurrection. He never sleeps and His eye is ever on the earth trying to providentially guide, protect, teach, and save. Think of all the Great Controversy brings to His plate. Perhaps He does this for thousands of years as the Conflict continues.

And now think of wheat would happen if His children cast aside the time to worship Him. Or the pain and grief the missing faces will cause in the age to come. Would He not feel let down?

A celebration, why not?

On this Valentine’s day, a common time yet an uncommon emphasis.

We need more romance songs not ending in a scene of fornication.

I only wish I could help ghostwrite some.

Sadly, my music gene decided to never express itself.

Never, in the Hebrew sense, for I trust in the age to come, voices will ring and mine will be among them.

And on that day, perhaps my celebration of love will be fuller, not just limited to words.

You know, traveling with two married couples as part of Songs of Ascent, I thought I would be uncomfortable or awkward being the fifth wheel. However, this has not been the case. I watch cute idiosyncrasies of their romantic story, I watch the way they smile in pride, I watch the familiarity and peace, I watch and I rejoice. My heart is made glad, I am overwhelmed with excitement to see true love, the kind Corinthians 13 describes, in action.  And yes, perhaps it is unfortunate to have no one to share a meal with when we hit up a restaurant, but oh how fortunate it is to dwell in the sacredness of matrimony.

So many people rag on Valentine’s day. I see no honor in that.

It is an easy target, a large center with a soft underbelly.

May be we should seek to rejoice and celebrate love, to hold it up in awe and reverence.

Solomon wrote a song about it and God liked it enough to canonize it. Let us celebrate those who have done it right, those who are seeking to do it right, those whose marriages and romantic stories reflect the Bride and the oh-so-dashing Groom.

In a world full of affairs, adultery, incest, pedophilia, rape, and fornication, we need more  celebration of other-centered love.

Yes, it is just another common day, but why not seize it for an uncommon emphasis?

Black History Month and beginnings

I read about Black History month and I become confused, confused by what is emphasized and where the stories begin. I find it interesting where the story of the African-American begins usually begins.

It begins in chains when it should begin in African glory.

I watched a lecture series by Rob Bell where he said we need to tell the story beginning at the beginning. Not starting with the sin-sick fallen man, but the harmonious whorl of Genesis one.

It begins in shalom, not in rebellion.

I think the beginning is eternity past when the Father, Son, Holy Spirit danced and delighted in each other's presence. Eternal friendship. I think the beginning begins with the sons of God singing for joy as worlds began.

It begins in cosmic joy and a universal reign of love, not in a stage for good and evil.

And one day, our groans will be no more.

Our chains will fall and our former glory will be restored.

If pornography was...

If pornography was actually beneficial and instructional, it would look quite different. If pornography taught rightly, it would mostly follow a married couple throughout its day.

Or if it wanted to be really risqué, it would begin a series with a single man somewhere and a single woman elsewhere.

Both learning humility, service, worship, and laying aside selfishness.

Then it would introduce the courtship of a young man and a young woman, studying each other’s character in every day life.

Agonizing in prayer, study, and counsel to the cost and be certain of the risk.

If pornography really taught us how to have good sex it would spend a lot of attention in the small duties of life leading up to sex.

It would show a man who respected his wife and did the dishes for her. Who did not forget her because of his career.

It would show a woman who loved her husband and delighted to be with her best friend. Who held no record of wrongs.

If pornography was actually beneficial and instructional, it would look quite different.

If pornography taught rightly, it would show a husband and wife serving one another and walking humbly before God.

Or if it wanted to be really risqué, it would show a couple who valued spiritual well-being above wealth and the American dream.

It would show a couple who goes out to dinner and hold conversations, hold hands, and look like they’re still dating.

Or it would show a woman smiling because she’s secure and wanted and she knows it.

A man who is admired and supported walking confidently about the home.

There would be no disputes over Wall posts and texts.

If pornography really taught us how to have good sex, it would embrace the spiritual, emotional, physical, intellectual, sacredness of it all.

If pornography was actually beneficial and instructional, it would look very different.

It would end with a happy couple in a bedroom having finished relating their day’s events and an evening devotional, turning to one another to make sure they both have the energy for it.

And there would be many films were the husband would be too taxed and he would admit it.

And there would be many films were the wife was too spent and the husband would be gracious still.

And there would be many films were the two would smile with a child-like grin and say, yes.

If pornography taught rightly though, the film would darken and end before anything was seen not because there’s any shame in what they do, but because the art of sexual expression is an act of worship no couple would ever want to share with anyone, but God.