For over the past three years I have been part of a Christian 12-step recovery group. I have found my involvement in this group to be one of the most beneficial things in my life. One aspect of this has been my learning and adopting the "Serenity Prayer" as part of my devotional life. Most people are only familiar with the portion of the prayer that says, "God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference." But in actuality the prayer is longer and addresses other issues for experiencing peace and serenity in our daily lives.
Though the authorship of the prayer has been disputed, Reinhold Niebuhr is generally acknowledged as its originator. Niebuhr was one of the most significant theologians of the 20th century, and played a major role in the life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. The full version is as follows:
God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time, enjoying one moment at a time; accepting hardship as the pathway for peace; taking, as Jesus did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it; trusting that You will make all things right if I surrender to your will; so that I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with You forever in the next. Amen.
I have found this prayer to be helpful for me to focus upon the present, and shed the anxiety of the "what-ifs" that can plague our mind when it dwells in the future. In the past year, through the use of this prayer, and the ministry of others, I have been less burdened with worry. When anxiety does begin to rise up, this prayer helps "center" me back on Jesus and resting in Him.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Friday, November 27, 2009
Identifying with Humanity
Matthew tells us that Jesus saw the multitudes of people and "felt compassion" for them (Matt. 9:36). The Greek language indicates He was moved intenally, meaning that there was a physical, "gut-level" response. (This is why the KJV uses the term "bowels of compassion.") Jesus' physical body responsed to the emotion He experienced looking at humanity.
As I think about that, I realize that is not the way I feel when I look at the crowds of people going into Wal-Mart, or gathering at a football game. Most of the time, my attitude has been one of complacency rather than compassion. Unlike Jesus, I mentally "distance" myself from most of humanity and feel nothing for them at all. (I know, I know, that as a follower of Christ I am suppposed to care.) Jesus identified with fallen, sinful, weak human beings. But I, who am fallen, sinful and weak, often disassociate from the rest of humanity. Not unlike the Pharisees of Jesus' day, who in their self-righteousness "viewed others with contempt" (Luke 18:9), the "us against them" attitude (which is worse than complacency) at times has taken over.
But God has a way of bringing us to the end of ourselves, and exposing our weaknesses, our fallenness, and our sinfulness to ourselves, and sometimes to others. It is then that I am forced to embrace not only my humanity, but I find myself having compassion for others. My compassion for others grows, as I consider my own condition.
I like this quote from Eugene Debs: "Years ago I recognized my kinship with all living things, and I made up my mind that I was not better than the meanest on the earth. I said then and I say now, that while there is a lower class, I am in it; while there is a criminal element, I am of it;while there is a soul in prison, I am not free."
As I think about that, I realize that is not the way I feel when I look at the crowds of people going into Wal-Mart, or gathering at a football game. Most of the time, my attitude has been one of complacency rather than compassion. Unlike Jesus, I mentally "distance" myself from most of humanity and feel nothing for them at all. (I know, I know, that as a follower of Christ I am suppposed to care.) Jesus identified with fallen, sinful, weak human beings. But I, who am fallen, sinful and weak, often disassociate from the rest of humanity. Not unlike the Pharisees of Jesus' day, who in their self-righteousness "viewed others with contempt" (Luke 18:9), the "us against them" attitude (which is worse than complacency) at times has taken over.
But God has a way of bringing us to the end of ourselves, and exposing our weaknesses, our fallenness, and our sinfulness to ourselves, and sometimes to others. It is then that I am forced to embrace not only my humanity, but I find myself having compassion for others. My compassion for others grows, as I consider my own condition.
I like this quote from Eugene Debs: "Years ago I recognized my kinship with all living things, and I made up my mind that I was not better than the meanest on the earth. I said then and I say now, that while there is a lower class, I am in it; while there is a criminal element, I am of it;while there is a soul in prison, I am not free."
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Introduction
I have entitled this blog "Follower of the Resurrected Nazarene," because that is what I seek to be, a follower of Jesus. The reality is that some days I am more successful at following Him than others. My journey has had mountain tops and valleys, success and failure, joy, pain, suffering, and times of confusion. But I continue on in faith, and the joy has outweighed the pain.
I have been involved in, and identified with, a number of "movements" and "streams" within the evangelical world. I have come more and more to detest the labels that separate us from other believers and create a polarizing atmosphere. I am theologically eclectic because I do not believe that any group, denomination, movement, or theological system has possession of all the truth. I affirm the Apostle's and Nicene creeds without reservation. I believe in the continuation of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, but I don't like to be labeled as "charismatic." I believe in the essential elements of reformed theology, but I don't like to be labeled as "reformed." I believe in the core doctrines that define evangelicalism, but I have been helped by reading and listening to those who are Orthodox or Roman Catholic. I believe in what has been described as a "generous orthodoxy."
On Sunday mornings I lead a "house church," but during the week I work closely with a very traditional Evangelical Free church, where I teach at least a couple times a month. I am friends with people of all kinds of denominational backgrounds and theological perspectives.
I would describe my ministry these days as being "a shepherd to the weak in the valley of darkness." My ministry is primarily focused toward those in prison, and those dealing with addictions. I am teaching in prisons about four times a week, in addition to leading a recovery group for those dealing with addictions of various kinds.
I have been involved in, and identified with, a number of "movements" and "streams" within the evangelical world. I have come more and more to detest the labels that separate us from other believers and create a polarizing atmosphere. I am theologically eclectic because I do not believe that any group, denomination, movement, or theological system has possession of all the truth. I affirm the Apostle's and Nicene creeds without reservation. I believe in the continuation of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, but I don't like to be labeled as "charismatic." I believe in the essential elements of reformed theology, but I don't like to be labeled as "reformed." I believe in the core doctrines that define evangelicalism, but I have been helped by reading and listening to those who are Orthodox or Roman Catholic. I believe in what has been described as a "generous orthodoxy."
On Sunday mornings I lead a "house church," but during the week I work closely with a very traditional Evangelical Free church, where I teach at least a couple times a month. I am friends with people of all kinds of denominational backgrounds and theological perspectives.
I would describe my ministry these days as being "a shepherd to the weak in the valley of darkness." My ministry is primarily focused toward those in prison, and those dealing with addictions. I am teaching in prisons about four times a week, in addition to leading a recovery group for those dealing with addictions of various kinds.
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