For quite a while now, I have been wanting to do a sermon entitled, "Why don't people blush anymore?" Maybe this weekend's talk (2/15/09) will finally fill that itch.
Why do people blush? I would guess that it is because we were embarrassed, caught with the hand in the cookie jar. Or because I did something silly and made a fool out of myself, which is typical. But we have made blushing something negative. You hear the comment, "Oh look, they are blushing!" And everyone laughs.
But if we did not blush or ever feel shame, then have we become desensitized to life? to right and wrong? to sorrow?
Have our hearts become hardened? Have we seen so much as a society that it is hard to embarrass us?
Yet, shame out of hand is so dangerous. Where is the balance between these two worlds?
BTW does God ever feel shame? Can I cause God to feel shame? That's the subject for another blog...but Hebrews 11:16 is eye opening.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Fighting to Surrender
This week I have been thinking about what it means to truly surrender to God. We, religious professionals (I hate that term) have a tendency to use words that we really don't have good solid definitions for. Surrender is one of those.
When I think of somebody surrendering, they raise their hands and give up. From watching COPS on TV, and serving as a police chaplain, I have learned that it is best when surrendering to simply allow your body to go limp and let the officer put the cuffs on. But that begs a number of questions...
If we surrender something (hurt, habit, hang-up) to God, what does that really mean? Do you just go limp. When I surrender something to God, I still have to fight temptations.
Is surrender a declaration of humility or weakness or both? Does it have to be both?
What if what we are surrendering to is a disease, like cancer? Or a memory like childhood abuse? Or how do we surrender to grief? Or should we surrender to grief? Are there things we should not surrender to?
As I was talking to a friend about this they said there is a fine line between surrendering and fighting? Where is the line, between the two worlds?
When I think of somebody surrendering, they raise their hands and give up. From watching COPS on TV, and serving as a police chaplain, I have learned that it is best when surrendering to simply allow your body to go limp and let the officer put the cuffs on. But that begs a number of questions...
If we surrender something (hurt, habit, hang-up) to God, what does that really mean? Do you just go limp. When I surrender something to God, I still have to fight temptations.
Is surrender a declaration of humility or weakness or both? Does it have to be both?
What if what we are surrendering to is a disease, like cancer? Or a memory like childhood abuse? Or how do we surrender to grief? Or should we surrender to grief? Are there things we should not surrender to?
As I was talking to a friend about this they said there is a fine line between surrendering and fighting? Where is the line, between the two worlds?
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