The Seabourns

Archives for October 2008

Good things can come out of bad times

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The news is full of horrible economic information. This morning, I was writing to a friend who is in a period of great apprehension and confusion. I wrote a little, but then I started recalling that God is God, all the time. I found this page of the names of God very insightful.

He is El (sovereign, in control), all the time. (250 times in the Bible)
He is El Roi, the God who sees me, all the time. (Gen. 16:13)
He is El Hanne’eman (faithful), all the time. (Deut. 7:9)
He is El-Kanno (lovingly and jealously watching over us), all the time. (Exod. 20:5)
He is El Shaddai (all sufficient), all the time. (Gen. 28:3, and many other places)
He is El Chaiyai, the God of my life, all the time. (Ps. 42:8)
He is El-Channun, the gracious God, all the time. (Jonah 4:2)
He is El Rachum, the God of compassion, all the time. (Deut. 4:31)
And perhaps my very favorite, He is Immanuel, God with us, all the time. (Isa. 7:14)

John Piper wrote a very intriguing post today: Bad times are good for missions. He lists some reasons:

1. During an economic downturn we are more dependent on God. That is the most fertile soil for creating missionaries.
2. During an economic downturn unreached people around the world do not expect you to come, but to look out for yourself. So they may more likely see your risk as love rather than exploitation.
3. During an economic downturn those who need Christ around the world may be less secure in earthly things and more ready to hear about eternal life.
4. During an economic downturn people at home may be wakened to the brevity of life and the fragility of material things, and so may become more generous not less. And when they give under these circumstances, it will make Christ look all the more like the all-satisfying Treasure that he is.

God did not wake up some morning and say, “Look how big a mess these folks are in. I better sort this out.” It’s all part of his plan, even the difficult or confusing circumstances.

He is El (sovereign, in control) and He is Immanuel (God with us), all the time.

Hrossa philosophy

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I’m re-reading C.S. Lewis’ science fiction trilogy. It’s been a longtime favorite and I’m enjoying it again. I first read Out of the Silent Planet as an English Literature assignment in 11th grade. At that time, I had no idea who C.S. Lewis was, nor that he was a believer. I don’t think our English teacher did either. But he wanted to teach us about metaphors and similes and Lewis’ book is full of them.

As I read the book that first time, I ran into some amazing philosophy, which I later learned was C.S. Lewis’ biblical-based worldview. I applaud how Lewis embeds his philosophy into simple conversations between characters in the story.

One of the characters is a hrossa (a seal-like creature that can reason and talk) who is named Hyoi.

Hyoi, speaking about memories to the man (hman) Ransom, says

A pleasure is full grown only when it is remembered. You are speaking, Hman, as if the pleasure were one thing and the memory another. It is all one thing. … What you call remembering is the last part of the pleasure… When you and I met, the meeting was over very shortly, it was nothing. Now it is growing something as we remember it. But still we know very little about it. What it will be when I remember it as I lie down to die, what it makes in me all my days till then – that is the real meeting. The other is only the beginning of it. (Out of the Silent Planet, p. 73)

Deep thoughts like this are delivered very enjoyably through Lewis’ fun story.

Now, on to Perelandra.

I Voted

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Kay and I stood in line for 1 1/2 hours yesterday. But the weather was cool. And the company of fellow voters was good. The person in line ahead of us was knitting a maroon and white bedspread for her nephew who is attending (you guessed it!) Texas A&M. She was an Aggie also. Pretty amazing to find three displaced Ags standing in line for early voting in Florida!

My identity

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John-Wesley In my work in technology, we are implementing a global identity tool so that all staff and non-staff affiliated with our organization are known uniquely and individually. It’s a huge project. It’s the foundation of providing greatly-increased participation in helping launch spiritual movements around the world. So, I’ve been thinking about “identity” a lot lately.

Today, Steve Addison introduced me to John Wesely’s Covenant Prayer. Read Wesley’s covenant prayer through the eyes of our identity, of who we are as people.

I am no longer my own, but yours.
Put me to what you will, rank me with whom you will;
put me to doing, put me to suffering;
let me be employed for you or laid aside for you,
exalted for you or brought low for you;
let me be full, let me be empty;
let me have all things, let me have nothing;
I freely and heartily yield all things to your pleasure and disposal

And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
you are mine, and I am yours.
So be it.

And the covenant which I have made on earth,
let it be ratified in heaven. Amen.

Talk about an identity exchange! Wesley was empowered by his identity in Christ. Identity with Christ energized him with boldness and perseverance.

Causing things to happen

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That very special day is here again. Our worldwide day of prayer. As the sun makes its sweep around the globe, fellow staff and volunteers in every nation on earth gather at the foot of the throne to sing praises and to ask God to intervene so that all might come to know his love. Kay and I will soon join with our 25,000 staff worldwide in an entire day of prayer. I always welcome these days, which we have twice each year. These days are very unique.

I recently listened to this short excerpt from John Piper:

God, the sovereign ruler of the universe, has ordained that prayers cause things to happen that would not happen if we do not pray. When James 4:2 says ‘you do not have because you do not ask’, it doesn’t mean ‘you would have anyway even if you did not ask because I’ve got a plan’.

Kay and I are accepting the privilege God is offering to us to focus today on helping cause things to happen that would not happen if we do not pray.