Sin of Exceptionalism

March 27, 2013 in Being Disciples, Family Life with 0 Comments

The following is a transcript of a recent night with our six-month-old son:

"Broken sleep is no problem for me. I get three naps a day."

“Broken sleep is no problem for me. I get three naps a day.”

6:15pm – Bedtime. Bottle. Diaper change. Jammies. Songs. Bed. Sleep.

 
9:30pm – Fussing. Whining. Kicking.
9:50pm – Back to sleep.
 
11:00pm – Waking. Fussing. Crying. Shushing. Pacifier.
11:05pm – More fussing. More crying. More shushing. More pacifier.
11:10pm – Even more fussing. Crying. Even more shushing and the pacifier again
11:15pm – Louder crying. Shushing. Rocking chair. Back patting.
11:20pm – Back to sleep.
 
2:05am – More fussing. More crying. More shushing. More pacifier. More rocking and back patting
2:15am – Back to sleep.
 
4:30am – Waking. Fussing.
4:33am – Bottle. Feeding
4:50am – Sleep… sweet sleep.
 
5:45am – Waking. Smiling baby. Droopy eyed parents.
 

This is our reality right now. It’s hardly an unusual experience for parents of a six-month-old, but in the middle of an already trying time for our family, the last thing we need is a lack of sleep.

One recent night as I put my head on the pillow I asked God, “Can you please help the little man sleep tonight? It’s been a rough week, and it would be nice to get more than three hours of sleep at a time tonight.”

That night he slept until 4:00am. As I sat in the rocking chair, boy and bottle in my arms, I remembered my prayer. To my surprise, my initial reaction was not to give credit and thanks to God. My first impulse was to chalk it up to coincidence.

My impulse reveals a problem I have. It is hard for me to believe God will give me anything good. It doesn’t make sense. I have an amazing family, a good job, and I am healthy. But there is a part of me that refuses to believe God will bless me in any way. I don’t question God or his goodness. I believe he blesses others. I believe he is good. I believe he loves us, but I struggle to believe he will bless me.

In a podcast, I recently heard Pastor Russ Ramsey talk about the “sin of exceptionalism.” He describes it as the belief that God’s promises and/or warnings don’t apply to us because our situation is somehow different or exceptional. This of course is not true. His warnings are true and his promises stand firm.

I am a clear offender of the sin of exceptionalism. I have no problem recognizing that God’s judgment applies to me, but I struggle to accept his promises, his blessings, in my life. What about you? Do you fully accept his promises and his blessings in your life, or do you think your case is somehow exceptional?

Resources for Holy Week

March 25, 2013 in Uncategorized with 0 Comments

Yesterday kicked off the start of the most important week of the Christian calendar. It is a week that begins with great anticipation. It includes an angry Jesus driving some from the temple and welcoming others in, the curious cursing of a fig tree, a humble act of foot washing, a meal, a betrayal, blood soaked sweat, an arrest, trial and an execution. It culminates not in the death of Jesus, but in his life. If we choose to engage on the events of this holy week, we will find ourselves riding an emotional roller coaster. Thank God we know how this story ends.

As we enter this week, I wanted to share a couple resources to aid in our reflection. I have already recommended some resources for the season of Lent. You can find those here. Each touches on the events of this week. Here are two more.

The first is a set of “Resurrection Letters” from writer and musician Andrew Peterson. These are brief reflections on key events of Holy Week. I am a big fan of anything Peterson does, and I was thrilled to discover these letters this weekend. Enjoy them with me here. (He also offers a free song with the link to the letters here.)

The second is a set of daily reflections from Willow Creek Church. These were written by my former N.T. professor, Dr. Gary Burge from Wheaton College. You can find them here and subscribe to receive the reflections daily right to your inbox.

I pray you have a blessed a fruitful Holy Week.

Hosanna

March 24, 2013 in Holiday Reflections, Poetry with 0 Comments

Save us, Lord.
Save us from the brokenness of this world,
From the crippling grief,
From the unending tears,
From the underlying current of sorrow threatening to sweep us away,
Save us, Lord.

Save us, Lord.
Save us from fear,
From concern for our reputation,
From the idea of failure,
From the paralyzing notion that we do not have what it takes,
Save us, Lord.

Save us, Lord.
Save us from the lies of the enemy,
From the idea that we have nothing to offer,
From the suggestion of worthlessness,
From the wicked deception that we are not loved,
Save us, Lord.

Save us, Lord.
Save us from the sin keeping us in slavery,
From the chains,
From the bondage, and
From the path which leads to destruction,
Save us, Lord.

Page 4 of 52« First...«23456»102030...Last »
Proudly using Dynamic Headers by Nicasio WordPress Design