future before present

i just read an interesting article on teaching children that the Bible isn't really about them, but about Jesus. i've heard this idea often, and have used it several times myself. but something struck me new tonight.

what if we won't be fixed? what if our generation isn't going to get it right? what if, for all our hope and angst, we fail to live up to what we want the church to be? what if we stay broken til God calls us home?

but that wasn't too big a revelation. after all, i know we won't be perfect this side of heaven. but there's a flip side to that coin that i've rarely considered.

what if instead we focused on getting it right for those who come after us? what if our aim was not to make it all right, but to set us moving that way? what if we could take some of our junk to our graves, no longer to disturb the church? what if we could give our disciples a better start than we had?

now a risk is there, that we'd set our hope on a golden age this side of the resurrection, that we'd become like parents who set all their hope on their kids and drive them into the ground in seeking perfection. but maybe by aiming at the betterment of our disciples instead of ourselves, by putting the future before the present, maybe we'll do more good for our King and His kingdom.

maybe that's why the "great commission" isn't about us being better men.

anything for Jesus

so i think about language more than most. it's a weird thing for me, being an engineer, but the nuance that can go into and come out of words fascinates me, often too much. but this time it led to something awesome.

i was reading a really inspiring story today, which i would encourage you all to think over. the thing that really caught me, though, was one thing that jp mentions at the end: "i will give up sleep for Jesus any time."

now to most of us, the meaning is simple. he was giving up his sleep in order to serve God, "for Jesus" meaning "for the sake of Jesus". what got me thinking is that this same phrase can mean something else, especially when used for our Savior. giving up something "for Jesus" can also mean to give it up in order to gain Jesus, to trade what you're giving up in order to gain more of Christ. and, in a very real sense, he gave up his sleep so that He would gain more of Jesus.

what would you give up to gain more Christ? what will you?

nuggets of thought

first, ed stetzer wrote a great article on being with and investing in your family. it is deeply insightful and encouraging.

also, Bible study magazine (a service of logos Bible software and mars hill church are giving away 20 copies of Mark Driscoll’s new book, Vintage Church, five subscriptions to the magazine, and a copy of logos Bible study library software! you can enter to win on the B.m.s. mark driscoll page.

lastly, i'm discovering more of what it means to die to myself. Jesus has thankfully been beating my pride into a bloody pulp recently, and though it is exceedingly painful, the joy that i am finding in His great grace is so worth it. we sang i surrender all last weekend at bg, and it's such a wondrous blessing to do that, and by His grace i'm learning to more and more, and finding more satisfaction in Him than i have in a long time. praise be to the King of all things, that He is gracious even unto me.