Chapter-a-Day Genesis 12
The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. Genesis 12:1 (NLT)
A faith journey always requires that you leave something behind.
Chapter-a-Day Genesis 11
“Look!” he said. “The people are united, and they all speak the same language. After this, nothing they set out to do will be impossible for them! Genesis 11:6 (NLT)
Over the past ten years I have come to be more and more intrigued by the story of the Tower of Babel presented in today’s chapter. I believe that the story is more relevant today than ever and I believe it’s important for us to connect the dots. For those who’ve never read the story (and haven’t read all of today’s chapter), the Cliff Notes version goes like this: All of the people spoke one language. They began to advance quickly as they learned how to make bricks and construct cities. Using their advancing technology they made a tower which would “reach to the sky” and “make them famous.” God, not happy with how quickly human kind was advancing and concerned about human pride, responded with the verse I’ve quoted above. God scattered the people across the globe and confused their languages.
I believe the story of human history is the story of our slow return to Babel. From being scattered and our languages confused, we have slowly reached out, explored, conquered, mapped, and increased our knowledge, technology and communication. In the past few decades we have once again become people of one language: the language of the internet. As we become one people and one language technology is advancing at unheard of levels. How ironic that last week I attended a professional conference last week in which the technology of Speech Analytics (e.g. computers translate and analyze mass quantities of recorded customer interactions and place a dizzying amount of information at your fingertips) was presented to those in attendance as the emerging solution that will revolutionize the way we all do business. The name of the particular product that was presented: Contact Babel complete with a logo of a little stair-step tower
I submit that our generation has begun to rebuild the Tower of Babel using Cat-5 cable, fiber optics, micro processors, satellite streams and DNA strands. We hear whispers in the press and on the web of doing what previously would be thought impossible. Not only can we cure disease with genetics but we can also order genetically designed children ala carte. The internet is tearing down international boundaries and making it impossible for governments to control information (it’s no wonder the U.N. wants to bring the internet under its control). We are hearing more and more about becoming a one world economy without a physical currency. And, all along the way I watch and listen as God becomes more and more irrelevant, passé, and obsolete to a popular culture hell-bent to embrace its own self-deification.
Then I sit at my desk in the wee hours of the morning and ask myself where this is all leading. Don’t worry, we’ll get back to the book of Revelation at some point. In the meantime, hold on tight. I think we’re in for a bumpy ride.
The buttons were bustin’ off of Wendy and me as we stopped by the campus of Grandview University to attend the senior art show for our daughter, Taylor. It was fun to join with Grandma Jeanne and our nephew Sam as we shared Taylor’s artwork along with the work of her fellow students.
Taylor’s work was obviously influenced by her experiences in Uganda and the work she and Clayton did with Child Voice International. Wendy and I were struck by the unpretentiousness of her pieces. On our drive home we also talked about Taylor’s willingness to embrace experimentation with different genres and artistic styles that might be foreign to her. Both of our daughters have experienced so much of the world and we like to think that their travels and experiences have allowed their hearts, minds and artistic expressions to be open to diversity in the ways they communicate themselves.
If you are in the area and have the opportunity to stop by, you should slip into the Rasmussen Center (SW corner of E 14th and Boyd in Des Moines) on the campus of Grandview University to see her work!
So last night was the first rehearsal for Ah, Wilderness! at Central College. It was a lot of fun to be on campus. It was a great mix of young people. I’ve seen many of Central’s actors on stage in past Central productions and I’ve gained a lot of respect for them. I’m looking forward to working with them. Nevertheless, I will admit to feeling a bit of awkwardness of being the stranger in the crowd. Make that the old stranger in the crowd. As one member of the cast announced, “I know everyone here but him,” pointing at me. Yep, the old guy in the room. The one with the gray hair. In introducing myself I should have said, “You probably know my daughter and son-in-law.”
For those who’ve never been in a production, the first rehearsal is all about housekeeping. Announcements, schedules, rules, expectations, contact lists, etc. and etc. We also received a nice overview from the designer, Greg Gillette, regarding what the set will look like and some of the costumes. Director, Ann Wilkinson, provided some background to the play including some fun tidbits about New London Connecticut and the Monte Cristo cottage where the playwright lived (see picture) and provided the setting of the play. It was a great visual. Then comes the first read through in which you sit around tables and read straight through the script. Here I had the advantage of having known that I was cast and having read through the script a couple of times. Most, if not all, of the students were reading it cold for the first time.
After rehearsal I received a quick tour from Alex Wei, one of the students on the production staff. I’ve known Alex for several years since I directed his mom in a production of Morning’s at Seven. I even got my own locker assigned to me (cue the nightmares of going back to school and forgetting your locker combination).
Impressions from the first rehearsal:
Chapter-a-Day Genesis 10
Cush was also the ancestor of Nimrod, who was the first heroic warrior on earth. Since he was the greatest hunter in the world, his name became proverbial. People would say, “This man is like Nimrod, the greatest hunter in the world.” Genesis 10:8-9 (NLT)
One of the challenges facing the fearless wayfaring stranger wandering through every chapter of God’s Message are chapters like Genesis 10. What is the great spiritual take-away from a list of genealogical references on any given day? Face it, this life journey is a mixture of ups and downs and not every day is a spiritual pinnacle. Think about it: for every great five-star meal you enjoy in this life you have to eat a lot of bland bowls of oatmeal.
I was at first struck today by the reference to Nimrod, “the first heroic warrior on earth” and “the greatest hunter in the world.” From purely a testosterone driven, male perspective this is a really awesome legacy to have through all eternity. But then you get to the phrase “People would say, ‘This man is like Nimrod,'” and suddenly the testosterone drained out, and I imagine I’m getting bullied on the playground by Nick Greaser and his cronies calling me “Nimrod” as they de-pants me in front of the girls.
It’s the name. Nimrod. Seriously. This is why agents and publicists in Hollywood make actors change their names.
Leslie Hope < Bob Hope
Archibald Leach < Cary Grant
Virginia McMath < Ginger Rogers
Ralph Lifshitz < Ralph Lauren
Alphonso D’Abruzzo < Alan Alda
Marion Morrison < John Wayne
Nimrod < Rock Hunter, Nick Bullet, Jack Talon, etc.
Nimrod needed a publicist. I’m just saying.
I know this is not a terribly hyper-spiritual thought for your day, but as I mentioned before some days you get served up a culinary masterpiece and other days…well, you get the point.
Here, enjoy your oatmeal.
Chapter-a-Day Genesis 9
Then [Noah] cursed Canaan, the son of Ham: “May Canaan be cursed! May he be the lowest of servants to his relatives.” Genesis 9:25 (NLT)
The other day I wrote that God’s favor bestowed on Noah was not because Noah was so deserving. We see that come to fruition in today’s chapter as the post-flood story of Noah continues. Noah gets drunk, passes out naked in his tent, and amidst his hangover he ends up cursing his grandson, Canaan, to spite his son, Ham. “Nice. Well done,” I think to myself sarcastically. “Your grandson and his family have to live under a curse because of something you did and said in a drunken stupor. What a boneheaded thing to do.”
And yet, that’s just the point. People are people. We all do stupid, hurtful things in our lives and you can place me up to the front of the line of people with a track record of stupid stuff done. As much as I want to shake my head and point the finger of judgement at Noah, there are three more fingers on my hand pointing back at me. God has shown His love, grace, and favor to me just the same as He did with Noah – and I am no less of a bonehead.
Today, I am mindful of my own boneheadedness. As I head out to a day of meetings, dealing with co-workers, service workers, family members and drivers on the road – I am reminded of the undeserved favor that God has shown me, and to Noah. I think it’s appropriate to pass a little of that grace and favor forward to those I encounter in my day.
I had an alert reader ask for the slides to accompany the .mp3 of last Sunday’s message so they could see the visuals and texts to which I referred. Here are both files for any who want them!
Companions for the Journey 1 (Power Point)
Companions for the Journey (mp3 audio)
Thanks to Westivew for posting the podcast of my message last Sunday. Part 2 this Sunday!
http://www.westview.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/1-13-13TomVW.mp3
Then Noah built an altar to the Lord…. Genesis 8:20 (NLT)
As you read through God’s Message you find that the building of altars is a theme:
I could go on. The altar for sacrifice was significant. For those who follow Jesus, the idea of an altar for sacrifice loses some significance because Jesus’ death was the ultimate sacrifice and the old sacrificial system of worship was rendered obsolete:
“We have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus once for all.” (Heb 10:10)
Yet most churches where Jesus’ followers gather still have an altar set up at the front. We don’t talk much about that. Some will say that it is a reminder of Jesus’ sacrifice which is commemorated in the metaphor of the Lord’s Supper. But, for me, the altar has always been a reminder that one sacrifice still remains and that is the sacrifice of myself. I am called to be a living sacrifice, and I need to be reminded of that regularly.
Chapter-a-Day Genesis 7
So Noah did everything as the Lord commanded him. Genesis 7:5 (NLT)
When my daughter Madison was very young, about the age of five, I asked her to do something for me. I don’t remember what it was I asked her to do, but I remember the moment like it happened a minute it ago. It’s etched in my memory and I have never forgotten her response to me. “Sure, daddy!,” she said with a smile, “I’ll be happy to!” She then bounced off to do what I’d asked. I was left smiling by her immediate obedience and her willing spirit.
To be sure, our daughters were not always as quick and cheerful in their obedience as Madison was on that day long ago. However, Madison’s attitude and obedience in that moment became a living word picture for me that has always stayed with me. In that moment I suddenly understood what my Heavenly Father feels when I am willingly obedient with a cheerful heart. I can imagine it is the same feeling God felt with Noah’s simple obedience.
Today, I’m praying that I can embody that same cheerful spirit in responding to God’s requests of me. “Sure thing, God. I’ll be happy to.”