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the Manna | November 2013
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the Manna | November 2013
Columns
18 | I’ll Be Happy When
07 | Signals 09 | On The Air
21 | Scare Tactics
What are you waiting for?
Can anyone be frightened into repentance?
Features
22 | Unplug
12 | Why We Should Stop Asking Why
24 | Paper Plates
Trials have a purpose.
14 | Spoiled Food, Spoiled Faith Why do we waste?
Stay in Touch
How are you spending your time?
Only Jesus can carry the world’s weight.
26 | Why Christian? Christ is truly unique.
17 | Waste Not, Want Not Don’t waste any experiences.
wolc.org | readthemanna.org | November 2013
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the Manna | A Publication of Maranatha, Inc. Editor-In-Chief: Debbie Byrd Creative Director: Joe Willey Editorial Coordinator: Karen Punches Contributing Writers: Phil Bohaker, Yvonne Bohaker, Josh Millwood, Karen Punches, Brittney Switala &Fran Tatum Media Client Liaison: Randall Stapleton
Frequently Asked Questions Who We Are The Manna is published by Maranatha, Inc., a Christcentered ministry called to proclaim the Good News of faith and life in Jesus Christ through various forms of media, as God directs, until He returns. “Maranatha” (mer-a-nath´-a) is an Aramaic word found in I Corinthians 16:22. It is translated, “Our Lord, come!” Joy! 102.5 WOLC is also part of Maranatha, Inc. Its call letters stand for “Watch, Our Lord Cometh.” Maranatha!
Disclaimer Non-ministry advertisers are not required to subscribe to the “Statement of Faith” printed at right; nor are their businesses and products necessarily endorsed by the Manna, Joy! 102.5 WOLC, or Maranatha, Inc., whose viewpoints are not necessarily represented by the opinions or statements of persons interviewed in this magazine; nor are the viewpoints of its advertisers.
Statement of Faith We Believe… that the Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible and authoritative source of Christian doctrine and precept; that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; that the only hope for man is to believe in Jesus Christ, the virgin-born Son of God, who died to take upon Himself the punishment for the sin of mankind, and who rose from the dead so that by receiving Him as Savior and Lord, man is redeemed by His blood; that Jesus Christ in person will return to Earth in power and glory; that the Holy Spirit indwells those who have received Christ, for the purpose of enabling them to live righteous and godly lives; and that the Church is the Body of Christ and is comprised of all those who, through belief in Christ, have been spiritually regenerated by the indwelling Holy Spirit. The twin mission of the Church is worldwide evangelization, and nurture and discipline of Christians.
Manna and Joy! 102.5 WOLC P. O. Box 130, Princess Anne, MD 21853 Voice: 410-543-9652 Fax: 410-651-9652 Manna e-mail: info@readthemanna.org Joy! 102.5 e-mail: wolc@wolc.org ©2013 Maranatha, Inc. May not be reproduced without written consent of Maranatha, Inc. Photos: iStockphoto and Thinkstock
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Signals Waste Waste. It’s defined differently by different people. In this issue we examine some of those different perspectives. Fran Tatum considers her mother’s admonition to “waste not, want not,” but her guidance about wastefulness is somewhat different in that she exhorts us not to waste life’s experiences. Similarly, Karen Punches encourages us not to waste today while dreaming about tomorrow. Yvonne Bohaker considers the use of time, what fritters it away and robs us of precious relationship with family, friends and, most importantly, God. Josh Millwood posits, “Whether your passion be for preserving God’s Creation, protecting unborn babies or saving a young woman from human trafficking, you’re probably unnerved that not everyone shares your passion. You might be tempted to think them unloving or self-absorbed. Can’t they see how important this is!?” These contributing writers, and others, consider a variety of these passions—from wasting food to wasting time and talent. In Josh Millwood’s words, “It might be time to press pause and re-center our values on what Christ commanded.” In loving
God and loving others as ourselves, there are countless ways that what we might otherwise waste—time, talent, possessions –may be used to better someone else’s life, feed a hungry child, protect our planet, grow in His Word and glorify He that made it all possible to begin with. Debbie Byrd is General Manager of Maranatha, Inc., a ministry that includes Joy! 102.5 and the Manna.
wolc.org | readthemanna.org | November 2013
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On the Air The Neverclaim In just a matter of months, The Neverclaim have released two fantastic songs to radio and gone from a Neverknown to the Nextbigthing! The band hails from Portland, Oregon—a land of eclectic people and a recent epicenter for Christian music. Lead singer Jeremiah Carlson has his roots in Christian heavy metal. Guitarist Matthew Warren is still pretty new to the instrument, being a classically-trained cellist. The rest of the band all have eclectic skills and sort of just fell into place as Jeremiah recruited from the youth group he was leading and answering Craigslist ads. “Life is more than working and making money. There’s a greater story of redemption at work, and God is calling us into that story,” says Jeremiah. “He is calling people to their true identity, radical relationship with Him. We’re all made for more than mediocrity; God calls us to shift cultures because of His love.” The band’s first two singles, “One Truth, One Life” and “Mighty Jesus,”
sound like nothing else on Christian radio—and in a good way! The band relocated from the rainy Northwest to Nashville, Tennessee, this past year and are touring like crazy while trying to maintain strong family lives and church lives. But The Neverclaim don’t feel like a touring musical group so much as a ministry team sent out to bring lives to Christ. Check out both debut songs from The Neverclaim on Joy 102.5! Josh Millwood is Music Director of Joy! 102.5. Visit www.wolc.org.
Listen Now! Check out our Program Guide at wolc.org
wolc.org | readthemanna.org | November 2013
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Program Guide Listen @ www.wolc.org
SRN News - at the top of various hours www.srnnews.com
Turning Point - 7:00 pm www.focusonthefamily.com
Music - 12:00 Midnight - 6:00 am
Revive Our Hearts - 7:30 pm www.reviveourhearts.com
Joy in the Morning - 6:00 am - 9:00 am Our Daily Bread - 6:25 am www.rbc.org/odb My Money Life - 7:25 am www.crown.org Insights - 7:45 am www.insight.org Focus on the Family - 9:30 am www.focusonthefamily.com Family Life Today - 10:00 am www.familylife.com Turning Point - 10:30 am and 7:00 pm www.davidjeremiah.org Midday Joy - 11:00 am - 1:00 pm New Life Live - 1:00 pm www.newlife.com Mission Network News - 1:55 pm www.mnnonline.org In Touch - 2:00 pm www.intouch.org Money Wise - 2:30 pm www.compass1.org Renewing Your Mind Minute - 3:30 pm www.ligonier.org Focus on the Family Minute - 4:30 pm www.focusonthefamily.com Adventures in Odyssey - 6:00 pm www.whitsend.org Focus on the Family - 6:30 pm www.focusonthefamily.com
Money Life - 7:55 pm www.crown.org Insights for Living - 8:00 pm www.insight.org Bible Reading - 10:30 pm Music - 8:30pm - 12:00 Midnight
SATURDAY Down Gilead Lane - 9:00 am www.cbhministries.org Adventures in Odyssey - 9:30 am www.whitsend.org
SUNDAY Music - 12:00 Midnight - 8:00 am Grace to You - 8:00 am www.gty.org Living a Legacy - 10:30 am www.moodyradio.org/livingalegacy Moody Church Hour - 11:00 am www.moodychurch.org National Christian Choir - 12:00 pm www.nationalchristianchoir.org The Hour of Decision - 1:00 pm www.billygraham.org Forward in Faith - 1:30 pm www.centralchurchofgod.org Gospel Greats - Sunday, 2:00 pm www.thegospelgreats.com Music - 4:00 pm -12:00 Midnight wolc.org | readthemanna.org | November 2013
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Why We Should Stop Asking Why By Phil Bohaker
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hings happen for a reason. Sometimes we know exactly what that reason is. Case in point is the lesson my preschooler gets after falling just short in his leap from the couch to the coffee table— “Your leg is throbbing with pain because of something called ‘blunt force trauma.’ Living room furniture was never meant for tests of athletic prowess. Good effort, though.” Early life lessons such as these teach us that there are consequences to our actions. Other life events have an immediate cause but also raise more questions. A car accident caused by another driver running a red light might induce the question, “Why did God allow me to be in that exact spot at the exact moment the car sped through the intersection?” The answers to these kinds of questions may never come. Often that is just the way God would have it. He does not always provide answers to all our questions, but He always provides opportunity for us to grow spiritually. We do not have to know why something happens if we know who is in control. Although not having answers can be extremely frustrating, it can also be the catalyst God uses to strengthen our faith. Until we accept that reality, we will inevitably waste these opportunities. John Eldredge writes in Fathered by God of his own struggles with the whys of life. During a relatively inconsequential struggle, Eldredge began wondering about the bigger picture, asking, “Why does everything have to be so hard?” Later, he had a realization that prompted more penetrating questions, “How much of my life have I been misinterpreting? How many things have I just written off as hassle or ‘life is hard,’ or even as [spiritual] warfare, when in fact God was in it, in the difficulty, wanting to Father me?” Eldredge realized all the time he was spending lamenting his situation was blinding him to God’s offer to use those trials to refine him. The annoyance was actually the lesson. The difficulty was actually God’s initiative for spiritual transformation. Eldredge’s experience echoes Peter’s encouragement in his first letter. After acknowledging that his readers are “grieved by various trials,” Peter compares their faith to gold, the authenticity of which can be proven by the
heat of a fire (1 Peter 1:6-7a). Gold that has been diluted into a cheap alloy will be exposed by intense heat, as the impurities separate from the gold and rise to the surface of the cauldron. But the faith of Peter’s audience is pure, he writes, and like pure gold will be proven by fire rather than destroyed. Trials have a purpose, even if we don’t understand why they have come upon us. The end result of our trouble, Peter proclaims, is “praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (v. 7b). If they accomplish nothing else in our lives, trials remind us of our “living hope” of eternal life in Christ and prepare us for our heavenly inheritance (vv. 3-4). When we actively struggle to escape from our trials or become consumed with wishing our situation away, we may be resisting the very thing God has ordained for us. We can be encouraged to know that God’s love transcends our circumstances. One might not feel loved in the experience of suffering, but one can be reassured by God’s faithfulness. If He has promised to love and care for His flock, then there must be some loving purpose beyond this dark moment. The affliction will end, maybe in the next day, maybe not for a long time. However long the trial lasts, if we make our hope in Christ our focus in the middle of the storm, we do more to highlight the surpassing value of a relationship with Christ than we could ever accomplish in our prosperity. “What could be so valuable to a person,” someone might ask, “that he would still cherish it at the loss of health, riches, esteem, even his very life?” Asking God why we must endure suffering is not necessarily wrong or sinful. It is a natural human response to tragedy. But perhaps the prevalence of unanswered whys in many of our lives should turn our questions into hows. How is God using this difficulty to change me? How can my tribulation bring glory to God? To questions such as those He has already provided an answer. Any struggle we face is an opportunity for us to direct our attention toward the sufficiency of God’s grace and to esteem Him before the watchful eyes of the world.
wolc.org | readthemanna.org | November 2013
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ondensation from lukewarm gallons of milk and the blood of red meat were dripping to the floor. A pile of moist cereal boxes were crushed and spilling. A tired cashier grabbed a mop while gazing across a sea of abandoned carts and spoiled food. On October 12, several Wal-Mart stores in Louisiana allowed shoppers to use their EBT cards without limits while the system was down. The EBT outage affected shoppers in 11 states. In most locations, welfare recipients were simply not allowed to shop (although varying state laws do allow for a contingency plan that should have allowed shoppers a small allowance.) Reports came in of shoppers stealing up to $700 worth of food and filling 8-10 carts. Some shoppers were stuck with full carts as the glitch was discovered. Carts of food were left at the door to spoil, and in many cases the sheer amount of food shoppers brought home was more than could be properly stored and eaten without spoilage.
Maranatha Media | Home of Joy! 102.5 and the Manna
In the Bible, a hungry group of Israelites would have gladly pushed shopping carts across the desert. They feared starvation so much so that they longed for their slavery days in Egypt which their minds somehow skewed to be better and full of plenty. Stuck wandering in the desert, they cried out to God and Moses for food. The Lord provided them with manna—a sweet bread that could be gathered in the morning. Anyone who, out of lack of trust in God, took more than they could eat in one day would have spoiled rotten food by the next morning. It stunk and was full of maggots. Sometime later, the Israelites complained about the manna and asked for meat. God provided quail from the sky. He gave them quail for a month, so much that He said they would “loathe it.” He then sent a plague on the people. Numbers 11:34 says, “Therefore the place was named Kibroth Hattaavah, because there they buried the people who had craved other food.” Humans will do whatever it takes to fulfill basic life
Spoiled Food, Spoiled Faith By Brittney Switala
needs. In elementary school, we learned that our basic needs are food, shelter and water. In our modern American society, cell phones and internet have been added to that list. We struggle to put limits on our standards. We desire a certain quality and variety of food, we want an “open concept” living space like HGTV and we buy natural spring bottled water. We do whatever we can to have enough and we have trouble knowing what “enough” even means. According to a recent United Nations report, about 1.3 billion tons of food is wasted each year. Estimates say between 30-50% of all food is wasted worldwide. In developing countries, most food that is wasted is lost due to lack of proper storage and transportation options. (Food Security, Bryan McDonald.) Much of the waste happens before families even purchase foods from the store, and yet 14-25% of the food we have in our refrigerators is thrown away. As the old saying goes, “Waste not, want not.” Perhaps it would help to know why we waste. There are lots of reasons that food is wasted in the farm to store stage, but here we will focus on those that affect us as American refrigerator-owning consumers. Fear. The Israelites showed us one reason we waste— fear. We keep too much (or in our case, buy too much) out of fear we will not have enough. In buying more food than we can eat, the extra goes to waste. Greed. Greed was on full display when the WalMart shoppers took advantage of the EBT shutdown. Greed may also display itself in buying mass quantities of unneeded items at the warehouse club or wiping out a shelf of snack crackers that had a triple coupon deal. It is
important to probe the heart when going crazy on a “good deal.” Poor Household Management. How often are things stuck in the back of the fridge and forgotten? I know this happens in our homes more than we like to admit. Lack of meal planning leads to more shopping. More shopping, more waste. Spoiled? There is plenty of confusion about “sell by” dates and expiration dates. When in question, most of us throw food away. Food dating exists to indicate the freshness of the food, when that product will be at its peak. Spending a few minutes googling whether a package of three week old eggs should or should not be thrown away could save dollars—and breakfast. Fickleness. Children are picky eaters and it’s easier to throw away their food than to have a fight. Honestly, the whole family can get bored of a certain dish and toss the leftovers. Putting half a casserole in the freezer for a later date could save it from the garbage disposal. Just as with the Israelites thousands of years ago, our relationship with food and waste has a spiritual element. If we were to really consider stewardship of food a spiritual issue, perhaps we would eat differently. Inexpensive food gives us the idea that it can be thrown away without consequences. At the same time, millions of people in other parts of the world are starving. If we had optimal nutrition in mind and a firm grasp on quantities necessary to feed our families, America may have additional opportunities to spread resources to other parts of the world and lower global rates of poverty and starvation.
wolc.org | readthemanna.org | November 2013
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Waste Not, Want Not By Fran Tatum
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aste not, want not!” My mother quoted these words so faithfully to me during my childhood that I honestly thought they were in the Bible. While I have not been able to find this exact expression in Scripture, it is not bad advice. Mom was referring to material items when she repeated these words. I have learned that what we waste in life is often far more valuable. Disappointments, failures and heartaches are certainly things which I do not want wasted in my life! It is bad enough to go through such experiences, but not to learn from them would add insult to injury. If nothing else, such times can bring us closer to our God who really is there no matter what happens to us and regardless of what we have done. In the Bible, David provides a good example of not allowing bad experiences and failures to be wasted in life. In desperate situations and in failure, David was a man who pursued God in prayer. When King Saul was trying to
kill him and Saul’s men had David’s house surrounded, he wrote in Psalm 59, “O my Strength, I will watch for You; for You, O God, are my fortress.” After being rebuked for his sin with Bathsheba, David wrote in Psalm 51, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” In Psalm 63, while in the desert, most likely running from either Saul or Absalom, he wrote, “You (God) have been my help and in the shadow of Your wings I will sing for joy.” “Waste not, want not!” I can still hear my mother repeating those words while carefully retrieving a piece of cotton from a newly-opened aspirin bottle, or washing used aluminum foil because it could be used once more. I have to confess, I do not always save the same items as my mother, but I have not thrown away her words. My prayer is that I will not waste any experience life hands me. I want to truly treasure those things that have eternal value. I want to grow closer to God throughout life’s journey.
wolc.org | readthemanna.org | November 2013
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y friend and I used to play a game called “Hypothetical Situation.” We never consciously invented it, but over time came to realize that most of our conversations invariably turned to “what if” discussions, in which we would throw greymatter scenarios at each other and ask what the other would do. While it was just for amusement, it was always interesting to pause and consider the different twists and turns life can take…the people you might meet, the decisions you’ll have to make, and so on. If someone were to ask you whether or not your life has gone the way you thought it would, what would your answer be? Are you happy? If you aren’t, do you know what would make you happy? Maybe you don’t know what you need in order to be happy—you just know you
Maranatha, Inc. | Home of Joy! 102.5 and the Manna
need it (and preferably now). I’d guess that many of us, at some point or another in our lives, have had an “I’ll be happy when…” phase. We may never have voiced that exact statement, but that was the mindset. Life is sort of on hold until that certain thing happens. “I’ll be happy when I’m married.” “I’ll be happy when I have children.” “I’ll be happy when I’m divorced.” “I’ll be happy when I have a better job.” “I’ll be happy when I move away.” “I’ll be happy when we find a different church.” Have you ever been there? I definitely have. I can think back on a time when I was practically sure how my life would go. I had my picture of happiness figured out and now all God had to do was start putting the pieces together as I had envisioned them. Well, in the end, none of it
I’ll Be Happy When By Karen Punches
happened. While I can sit back now and be thankful as to how things actually went, I do regret the time I wasted. Real life was going on in front of me, but my head was somewhere else. The truth is, we have no idea what the future holds. To get ahead of ourselves, even for a day, is a pointless venture. Scripture says, “How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog— it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. What you ought to say is, ‘If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that’” (James 4:14-15). Only God knows what we need for wholeness and peace. It may be difficult to do, but we have to surrender all of our tomorrows to Him and live right in this very moment. If we wait to live for what we think is the ideal
situation, we’re squandering the time given to us. After all, how do we even know what is best? That is for God to work out in our lives as He sees fit. But in the meantime, He invites us to share with Him all of our hopes and longings. Jim Elliot, a Christian missionary and martyr, once wrote, “Wherever you are, be all there.” Happiness is fleeting, but contentment comes when we look for the blessings in each day and find joy in the wonderful things God has already orchestrated in our lives. In His timing we will learn more of the purpose and plan He has for us. And you know what? Maybe the very thing you’re hoping for is part of that plan. But maybe it’s going to be unimaginably better.
wolc.org | readthemanna.org | November 2013
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Scare Tactics By Karen Punches
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here are going to be many good people in Hell. This is a statement I’ve heard quite a few times. Meaning, the deeds and character traits we see as good actually do nothing for us in securing a place in Heaven. We may work hard at walking the proverbial line but, ultimately, it fails us. God is not satisfied. Something is still missing. We all know people we’d label as “good.” They’re the ones who shake our hand, look us in the eye, and we know we can take them at their word. They do right by us. They’re honest and reliable. They care, too. Maybe they’re the ones who send over some food when we’re sick or drop us a card in the mail. Perhaps they’ve even bailed us out of a jam, from stopping to help with a flat tire or sparing us some cash when we’ve really needed it. Good people do those things. It’s hard to imagine that ones such as these could face eternal torment when they die, but the Bible says no one is inherently good—not one single person. We’re told that everyone who relies on their own definition of goodness to save them instead of accepting true redemption from God through Jesus Christ will be punished forever. And, it’s likely that some of the best people we know have indeed rejected Christ; perhaps consciously or perhaps more often, simply through apathy. Sin? Hell? They just don’t have an interest in thinking about it. God’s Word describes Hell as a “lake of fire” where there is “weeping and gnashing of teeth” and “no rest day and night.” These are horrors our minds cannot fathom. Of course we would want the “good” but lost people around us to be spared this end. But how does someone snap out of complacency? In the Charles Dickens classic A Christmas Carol, the cold and hateful character of Ebenezer Scrooge (someone most would label a “bad” person) is visited by the ghost of his former business partner who, having been just as hard-
hearted in life, is now forced to roam the earth in shackles and without peace. He beseeches Scrooge to change his ways before it’s too late. Such an encounter certainly might get our attention, but this obviously is fiction, and warnings about the afterlife don’t come from those who have passed before us. It doesn’t mean, however, we aren’t given ample caution; we are—from God Himself. In Scripture, Jesus tells a parable of a rich man who dies and is sent to a place of torment. Suffering in the flames, he cries out and begs that his brothers be warned of what awaits them if they do not repent. His request, however, is denied. “But Abraham said, ‘Moses and the prophets have warned them. Your brothers can read what they wrote.’ The rich man replied, ‘No, Father Abraham! But if someone is sent to them from the dead, then they will repent of their sins and turn to God.’ But Abraham said, ‘If they won’t listen to Moses and the prophets, they won’t listen even if someone rises from the dead’” (Luke 16:-29-31). Author John MacArthur explains: “This speaks powerfully of the singular sufficiency of Scripture to overcome unbelief. The gospel itself is the power of God unto salvation. Since unbelief is at heart a moral, rather than an intellectual problem, no amount of evidences will ever turn unbelief to faith. But the revealed Word of God has inherent power to do so.” Most people cannot be frightened, argued or cajoled into repentance. God’s Word needs nothing added to it. Ultimately, it’s the work of the Holy Spirit to pierce through the fog of apathy and bring understanding and conviction to those who are lost. If we have already been redeemed in Christ, we are not called to have an in-yourface attitude, but to be salt and light and live a godly life for all others to see, letting the Lord handle the rest. No scare tactics necessary. wolc.org | readthemanna.org | November 2013
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I
am currently working through The 7 Experiment: Staging Your Own Mutiny Against Excess, a Bible study by Jen Hatmaker. This compelling and convicting study examines seven areas of life in which Americans typically partake in excess: clothes, spending, waste, food, possessions, media and stress. My first reaction to this study was skepticism. Out of all seven areas, excess use of media and technology seemed especially irrelevant to my situation, since I am a stay-at-home mom of three small children with very little free time. As I progressed through the study, however, I found that it was this area I needed to surrender the most to the Lord because this was where I had my biggest blinders up. The study calls for fasting in the seven areas of life covered in the study. For the media fast, I ventured to fast from texting, TV, radio, Facebook, internet-surfing, email and (gasp) Pinterest. I began to feel resistant. I questioned, “What if I miss something?” “How will I entertain
my children at 6:00 am when I am half awake?” “What if someone needs to reach me?” “Will I become culturally irrelevant?” The process revealed my dependence upon a digital life. Rather than interacting with a person, I preferred instant virtual communication. Rather than having neighbors teach me to sew, I would rather disciple myself via Pinterest and blogs. Rather than look my children in the eyes and intimately be present with them, the chime of an alert would take priority. This may seem like a 21st century problem, but in reality it is only a modern manifestation of an age-old temptation. Jesus was a striking contrast to the culture around Him because He was perfectly devoted to His calling—to reveal God’s love. He was a living example of how we should spend our short time here on Earth. Jesus’ priority was people. Hurting, lost, sinful, abandoned, real-life people. He shared meals with them. He talked to them. He loved them. He poured Himself into others through intimate relationships. If I am a
Unplug By Yvonne Bohaker
Christ-follower, shouldn’t the bulk of my time be spent doing the same? It is a deception to think “liking” pictures on Facebook or commenting on another’s post constitutes a relationship. These connections at best are mere entertainment and at worst a distraction from our day-to-day calling from God. We see the charge in Philippians 2:4, “Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others too.” Jesus gave up His divine privileges to become a suffering servant. How does your life mirror that of Christ’s? Do you find yourself escaping into an isolating digital world? Or are you opening your eyes, heart and resources to the world in which He has placed you? Although media and technology can be a benefit to our lives, the distraction it potentially brings is something of which a wise person would take heed. I was worried I might become irrelevant by not keeping up with the current social media, news, music, etc. The truth I found was I was already irrelevant. My choice to pick a digital world over real community, family and neighbors was causing me to be irrelevant to them. I didn’t know my grieving neighbor’s need for comfort. I didn’t stop long enough to allow my child to process his pain. I half-way listened to my husband talk while I scrolled on my phone. I didn’t ask that friend over for tea. All because
I was too busy. But too busy doing what? Surfing the internet, pinning my coveted desires, reading updates from people I hadn’t spoken to in a decade. I was wasting my time. Even worse, I was wasting my life. So you might ask, “Are you suggesting we give up these luxuries all together?” Perhaps. That’s not my choice to make. What I am definitely saying is to take an inventory of the way you spend your time. Is the quantity of time you spend plugged in greater than the time you spend seeking God and serving others? Do you spend more time watching TV, texting and blogging than reading Scripture, praying and loving your neighbor? In other words, has media and technology become an idol in your life? If so, drastic change may be necessary. Purge yourself from the wasted time and see what truth you find. As for me, when I get to the end of my life and look back, I will not think, “I wish I had spent more time on the computer, watching TV or listening to music.” I can choose now to continue wasting time with these things, or I can choose to spend my time doing what truly matters. God-willing, I will be reminiscing about the connected moments I shared with my precious children and husband. I will be remembering each person who made a difference in my life and who I loved well. And I will be dwelling on the Lord as I enjoy His presence. wolc.org | readthemanna.org | November 2013
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Paper Plates By Josh Millwood
W
e all know them—perhaps you are one of them—the folks that cannot resist casting a disapproving glare whenever someone whips out the paper plates. It’s that look that says, “Don’t you know that you are polluting the planet? This is not sustainable! I’ve half a mind to throw you into the cramped trunk of my Prius and drive you out into the middle of the dying forest and leave you for biodegradable fertilizer!” Well, that might be a bit much, but you’ve probably been on the receiving end of one of those glares if you don’t properly separate your recycling in the presence of an environmental crusader. More and more Christians are getting passionate about taking care of planet Earth. For some, it’s an exciting topic. When a believer examines Creation, he might see the ever-present hand of the Creator. For others, it is a conviction that stems from God commanding Adam and Eve to tend the Garden of Eden. In fact, one of the often overlooked repercussions of mankind’s sin was for us to be at odds with the earth. What was meant for harmony is now a battle. Like most things, the Christian community often disagrees over what our responsibility is towards this planet. Sadly, as a people, when we don’t share common convictions we attempt to enforce them, convinced that others have simply missed what God is saying. Whether your passion be for preserving God’s Creation, protecting unborn babies or saving young women from human trafficking, you probably get unnerved that not everyone shares your passion. You might be tempted to think them unloving or self-absorbed. Can’t they see how important this is?! Yes. They see. But they might have other convictions and passions that fuel their walk with God. God is the only One that can successfully balance all of the world’s great needs. This world is in His hands and, as the Church, we are commended to be His hands and feet. But we can’t do it all. Only one person could carry the weight of balancing love for all of life’s important causes—and His name is Jesus. Humanity is at odds with Creation. It is crying out for the redemption promised long ago by its Creator. That renewal—that re-Creation—is coming. We can do our part to care for something beautiful that our Savior spoke into being—a Creation, mind you, that predates us! Before life was breathed into mankind, the Great Artist created a world that He cheerfully declared was good. But it is more important for us to live out the charge Jesus gave us: Love God and love others as we love ourselves. God will not give us a more important passion than those. When a crusade or movement causes us to falter in that love, it might be time to press pause and re-center our values on what Christ commanded.
wolc.org | readthemanna.org | November 2013
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“W
hy Christian?” was a question put before Professor Douglas John Hall by one of the many students who end up in his office asking more about the theology he teaches. He notes the possibility that the question was asked rhetorically, maybe even a bit sarcastically, like those near Jesus who threw questions more like daggers than candid inquiries. But it is also possible the student just wanted to hear an honest explanation: In a world of so many spiritual options, in a world of reasons to reject religion altogether, Why Christianity? Regardless of tone or motive, the seasoned professor of theology decided to answer the question, laying aside the responses that could be given easily after so many years of teaching. “I confess, I [am answering] as much for myself as for you,” he writes to the student who asked the question. “You made me realize that after all these years I needed to face that question in the quite basic and personal way you put it to me.” On a typical day, my own answer to the question of Christianity might be steeped in the signs and realities of the uniqueness of Christ. Thankfully this answer is not my own. With many who have gone before me, I cannot explain Jesus of Nazareth without concluding his uniqueness: “Surely this man was the Son of God!” “Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man
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born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing” “Come and see the man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christ?” Christianity is not a matter of preference or pedigree, but pilgrimage chosen specifically because a follower has found one worth following. “[Jesus] was the meekest and lowliest of all the sons of men,” wrote Scottish nobleman James Stewart, “yet he spoke of coming on the clouds of heaven with the glory of God… No one was half so kind or compassionate to sinners yet no one ever spoke such red-hot scorching words about sin… His whole life was love. Yet on one occasion he demanded of the Pharisees how they ever expected to escape the damnation of hell… He saved others but at the last, Himself He did not save. There is nothing in history like the union of contrasts which confront us in the Gospels.” Why Christian? Because there is none other like Christ. The incomparability of Jesus Christ answers the questions of a world of spiritual options and religious hostility. Like professor Hall, facing the question “Why Christian?” is typically a matter of confessing the things I know, even as I know I now see but a reflection and will one day see face to face. Still, there are less typical days when the question comes not with hostility or sarcasm or curiosity, but from somewhere within, and the answers are somewhere caught up in despair or injustice or death. When standing over a casket or holding the hand of one whose
Why Christian? By Jill Carattini
body is riddled with cancer, “Why Christian?” takes on a different flesh—or else it wavers cold and corpselike. Christ’s uniqueness is suddenly a matter of urgency, needing to be spoken in words that have meaning in valleys of death and shadow. Standing before this body that once breathed, what does it really mean that Christ was unique? Though with a far different kind of trembling certainty, here too Christ’s incomparability is ultimately what matters. The apologetic of the apostle Paul was always spoken starring life’s “last enemy” dead in the eyes. Whether answering the question “Why Christian?” or standing in jail having been beaten to silence, Paul kept before him the hope of the resurrection as both the proof of Christ’s uniqueness and the assurance that this uniqueness inherently matters. He spoke of the resurrection of Christ and his hope in the resurrection of the dead before the assembled Sanhedrin, before the Roman procurator Felix, and again before Felix’s successor, Festus, who conceded that Paul’s arrest was due to his proclamation “about a dead man named Jesus who Paul claimed was alive.” Even before king Agrippa, Paul’s answer to the first acrimonious signs of the question “Why Christian?” was an appeal to Christ’s uniqueness in the hope of the resurrection. He asked, “Why should any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead?…I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen—that the
Christ would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would proclaim light to his own people and to the Gentiles” (Acts 26:8, 22). For Paul, and for all who claim the inimitableness of Jesus, if Christ has not been raised, there is no answer to the question “Why Christian?” Instead, the uniqueness of Christ is an answer for questions that come with sarcasm or sincerity. But so it is an answer with flesh when life’s typical comforts fall by the wayside and the valley of shadows is long and lonely. “He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.” There is none other like Christ. I know of no other god who weeps with us at gravesides and then shows us in his own dying and rising that death no more holds its sting. Jill Carattini is managing editor of A Slice of Infinity at Ravi Zacharias International Ministries in Atlanta, Georgia. Why Christian? by Jill Carattini, A Slice of Infinity, originally printed November 7, 2013 (www.rzim.org). Used by permission of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries.
wolc.org | readthemanna.org | November 2013
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