Zeal For Your Word…

Secret of Mana: The Eighteen Year Old Story

I needed that story. The one that didn’t have the typical fairy tale ending. Something a little tragic, but offered hope and the promise of a new day in the midst of the fallen debris. Secret of Mana, for the past eighteen years, did exactly that.

Throughout the story you fall in love with three very unlikely heroes. They have personality, quirks, depth, and purpose. You learn about their lives and about the tragedies that have brought them together. As you progress through the game, battling your way through various temples, sealing mana seeds, caring for one another through thick and thin, battling shadow versions of yourselves, and ultimately facing the great Mana Beast (a dragon), you cannot help but to be personally drawn into the lives of these three amazing characters.

Upon slaying the Mana Beast your entire world is transformed. Sprite, the cute and spunky sprite, is seperated from your world as his world -rooted deep in the magic of Mana- is seperated by a magical veil. Fawn (Purim to some), the girl, bids you farewell and takes her leave as she sets out in an attempt to repair her broken family and her life. Mike, the boy, returns to the village that exiled him to return the Sword of Mana to its rightful place, fully restored and able to keep evil at bay.

While the world has been saved, there is much sorrow on a deeply personal level as you lose those who you’ve grown to love and call family. Each had to move on to their own stories, to face their new lives, and travel upon their own paths. You learn that the story isn’t over; the heroes, like you, don’t go on to live happily ever after simply because one incredible chapter in their life has ended. They, like you, now have their own path to face with all manner of uncertainty.

In the midst of the battlefield that was my youth, this was the story I needed, and need even now, to remind me that there are all manner of demons to battle and dragons to slay. You can’t hold on chapters long closed in hopes to rewrite their endings. You must accept, forgive, and let go; entrusting all things into the Lord’s hands. Believing fully that “all things work together for those who love God, and are called according to His purpose.”

There will be special people that the Lord will place in your life who will give you a bit more courage and endurance than you had when you started your journey. And there will be those whom He places in your life that will test you and build you up in the likeness of Christ as you learn to patiently rely upon God and love even your enemies.

And as you grow, when you slay a dragon in your life through the power of God, know that as long as you have breath the war is far from over. A victory today is not the heralding of life happily ever after. Your story goes on; you must faithfully continue to press forward to face what your life has yet in store you.

The hardest part -I miserably confess- is letting go, saying goodbye, and laying that part of you completely to rest. This is not to say that we cannot reflect on what we learn or upon the situation, but we must not continue to live that hour for the rest of our lives.

I have learned this the hard way, and in part I am still learning this. I recently put down a dragon in my life that I have been fighting for years, and now I must learn to press onward. I have never felt more free, but I struggle to walk away from the carnage. I must let the beast lie, and follow the path that God has set before me.

Unlike the boy, I will not be returning to my village. That place died in my heart so long ago, and was home to the dragon I have recently put down. But the magical gift of fire that I now hold may be brought to my roaming family, shared with those we meet along the way, and is for me the evidence of God’s incredible work in a life that is in itself insufficient, but through Him is being made perfect.

Tidal Sequence: A Secret of Mana Remix

A Selection from the Table Talk of Martin Luther

“True and upright Divinity consisteth in practice, use, and exercise; her foundation is Christ; she taketh hold by faith of his passion, death, and resurrection.”
-Martin Lurther, Selections from the Table Talk of Martin Luther

Whatever He Tells You, Do

“When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, ‘They have no wine.’ And Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.’ His mother said to the servants, ‘Do whatever he tells you.’” -John 2:3-5, ESV

Mary, mother of Jesus, had a blemish on her record in a society which upheld honor and integrity with zealous regard. Though Jesus was supernaturally conceived, there were those around Mary who doubted her testimony. Her obedience to God had produced scorn from the society around her.

Acting as hostess in an important social gathering Mary saw two needs that could be met in one fell swoop. The first need being the wine which was an integral part in any wedding feast; absolutely necessary for any decent celebration worth noting. The second need, however, seemed to take the priority: her vindication. If Jesus were to perform a grand public miracle, it would lend credence to Mary’s claim. Mary wanted to be vindicated in the eyes of the public. She wanted to free herself of the weight thrust upon her by those who doubted her story and believed her to be a woman of loose morals and questionable honor. Mary wanted her hour and her moment to be now.

Jesus, however, offers her something completely different. “Woman,” a term of endearment rather than disrespect (as demonstrated in John 19:26) is used by Jesus to gently rebuke and correct his mother. He reminded her that he was about his Father’s work. He had come for a purpose, namely to do the Father’s will.

Perhaps a bit dismayed, but certainly with understanding, Mary turns to the servants and speaks –perhaps unbeknownst to her- profoundly as she commands them, “Do whatever he tells you.”

Likewise, when we seek our vindication and our glory, it would profit it us greatly to pause and reflect upon Christ and the examples he has left us. We are not to work towards our glory and our praise, but for his. We are the Lord’s workmanship called to put off ourselves and put on Christ. We are to be about the Father’s business, as Christ was about the Father’s business; and for us that business is that of abiding in Christ and seeking to be conformed into the image of Christ.

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.
~Romans 8:28-30, ESV, (emphasis added)

Whatever Christ tells you, do.

Regarding the Value of Scripture

Homer, Virgil, and suchlike are profitable and ancient books; but, in comparison of the Bible, they are nothing to be regarded.
~Martin Luther, Selections from the Table Talk of Martin Luther

Humor and Grace…UFO Sightings Abduct my Anger Spot

UFO Sightings from Calvary Hanford on Vimeo.

I have been addicted to anger for years. I have held on to old wounds and listened intently to the ghost of my past, but this week I found myself at a breaking point. I’m giving up my addiction; I can’t afford the habit.

The anger stems from my sordid past. From a father whose absence was interrupted by moments of obscene violence, to an abusive church that waved about the words “Love covers a multitude of sins…” as an excuse to both practice and ignore sin. Those places meant to be safe havens in one’s life, and those people meant to care for you the most, were for me sites of constant battles and abuse.

Up until recently, though I hate to admit it, I cared what these people thought of me. I grew up with the indoctrination that family means everything, and these were my blood. I did everything -as strange as it may seem now in retrospect- to gain their approval. I wanted needed them -so I thought- to help encourage the obvious gifts that the Lord had given me. In a sick way I needed them to confirm what I had already known.

The constant rejection, along with the struggles caused by my not-quite-so-fit-in-the-box personality, wore on me. No matter how hard I tried, I wasn’t fully accepted, and by their actions they reminded me -repeatedly- that I wasn’t good enough to be gifted with anything but just enough salvation from God.

There was some insincerity, much inconsistency, and (by my own hope) much false leads to wholeness. But I have been beating myself up over these things for far too many years. And I’ve been angry for just as long.

Over the years I have grown, I have taken them to task on their hypocrisy and their theology. But even now I realize that I have been wasting so much time that could have been far better spent. There were things I could have done to truly redeem the time.

My anger has affected every relationship in my life. I’ll never find what I’ve been looking for dwelling on the past. I’ll never have what I’ve always wanted…to make my past whole and be accepted by those who once were as family. And this week, after wild conversations and insane advice, I find myself in a place desiring to simply forgive and let them go.

I’ve been away for many years. I’ve grown in Faith and in study. I can look back and see the situation for what it is, and I ask myself, what does their approval really mean? For the first time I can say, nothing.

It was an old friend that reminded me this past week that forgiving is not accepting what happened to me as okay, but letting it go and moving forward. Buddy Wakefield once poeticly put it, “forgiveness is the release of all hope for a better past…” I’ll never be able to make my past whole, but I can make my present brighter by relying on Christ and finding the strength to rip out this root of bitterness. I don’t need their apologies. I don’t need them to say it is okay. I just need to let go.

I’ve been doing a lot of praying this week and finding myself -by the grace of God- able to let go little by little each day. God is good.

Maybe as an encouragement that I am moving in the right direction, or maybe to simply reveal exactly who I have been seeking approval from, I happened upon the above video posted by the church of my youth regarding UFO sightings, alien encounters, and the End Times. Having watched this, laughing to myself, I feel that I am moving in the right direction. I feel as if the things I have been saying all these years have all been validated -even if just to myself- and I can move on in confidence. Forgiving and letting go is hands down the best thing.

God is good.

“Get Service” -by Fellowship Bible Church in Little Rock, AK

A friend shared this video and it was too good not to share with everyone else. Perspective can take us a long way. Too often, I myself, fail to consider what others may be going through and as a result lack compassion with those who need it most. Perhaps this message can get some of us to pause before leaping to anger at the drop of a hat.

Jim McClarty on John 3:16

Sharing: Contraconditional Love…

What I have seen and observed, however,  is that quite often these people are being persecuted and are suffering for all the wrong reasons.  Legalistic and moralistic thinking (making morality in input for being acceptable) does that.  It puts you on top of the wrong battles in life.   It leaves a legacy of broken relationships for all the wrong reasons.   You can spend a lifetime fighting the wrong battles.  Perhaps this is driven by religious idolatry, perhaps this is moralistic therapeutic deism, perhaps it  is driven by insecurity and fear.  Desire and fear (idolatry and insecurity) are indeed opposites sides of the same coin.

So what do you do with friends like this. Do you overlook this and love them unconditionally…. inviting an environment of the same thing continuing for years.  Not many people deal with moralistic therapeutic deism.  Or is there something else you can do?

-Jon, Gospel Centric Thinking, Contraconditional Love vs Unconditional Love

It hits a little closer to home than I’d like to admit to even myself, but this insightful reflection by Jon of Gospel Centric Thinking is a thought provoking article worth taking some time out to carefully consider. Personally I found myself in a place of self-assessment and evaluation. I think there is more than just a few things to take away from this article.

Back in the Ring

I stepped away from writing, from studying, from participating in serious discussions of Faith, of Scripture, and of theology some months ago. I grew tired of the chattering noise produced by church men arguing over, well, everything. While I stand firmly with Martin Luther who said, “Peace if possible, truth at all cost,” I think there is a point when we just take things too far. There is a point when we begin to strain gnats out of our drinks while swallowing camels whole.

I couldn’t take the constant barking of the rabid watchdogs, but in the same breath I was tired of watching wolves claiming to be led of God leading people who wanted to have an experience with God down shallow and (at times) heretical roads. Where was the balance? I threw in the towel. I was tired of being angry at the deceitful and unable to keep up with those who were always on the cutting edge. In short, I was done trying to be someone I wasn’t.

I had much to figure out, and I needed to sit in silence. You see, while dealing with the frustration over watchdogs and wolves I had my own demons to fight. I had my own monsters to face. I was weary of spending weeks on end wrestling with my anger and a sordid past that would not stay out of my writings.

I have a love of sharing God’s Word, of fighting for Truth, and of calling myself -and maybe those who  listen in- to a place where we take the word of God a little more seriously than we have in the past. I don’t mean the kind of serious where you forget how to laugh and you walk around with a baseball bat lodged up your butt. I mean the kind of serious where we consider carefully the Word of God,  measuring ourselves up to it daily, thanking God for His mercy and grace when we fall short, and seeking daily to put off the old man and put on Christ. The kind of serious that is more about taking God’s Word to heart and putting it into practice, than it is about sitting around and proving how much better we are because somehow we got this thing down a little more pact than the typical layman (how Nicolaitan of us).

I’m sick of waiting for some super Christian’s approval. I lived that way growing up. It didn’t make me happy then, and it doesn’t make me happy now. I want God. I want to make Him smile. I want every act to be an act of worship. He saved me when He could have left me to reap the fruits of my labor.

So I’m back in the ring. Broken as I’ve always been, but relying little on myself. Jesus Christ has a way of making His strength perfect in our weakness. His Spirit is with me, and I’m ready to take on the world. If there be any glory, it belongs not to myself, but to God.