Thoughts on the "Civil War"

So last night I was sitting and watching the "Civil War," the annual football game between the Oregon Ducks and Oregon State Beavers. As it became clear that the Ducks were going to finish off a thorough destruction of the Beavers, the cameras began panning through the crowd. There they were, nearly 40,000 crushed Beaver fans. Grown men openly crying over the football game. "That's pretty sad," I thought. I mean, I am about the biggest sports fan you could find. I grew up rooting for the Kansas City Chiefs (I know, I SHOULD be crying this season). But as I saw all of those people visibly demoralized, it struck me that it doesn't make much sense to get so emotionally invested in something that will make no difference to us tomorrow. Whether a football team wins or loses won't affect how I live tomorrow. I may get to brag a little...or take the ribbing from someone else. But really? My quality of life doesn't change. I will keep living, serving God, going to school, and taking care of my family whether my Chiefs win or not. Why spend too much energy getting caught up in sports (or Hollywood. or crocheting. or seeking after the perfect piece of pie...)? It reminds me of Luke 12:34. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Treasure. Heart. Energy. Where are you putting yours?

Created in God’s Image?

So I was reading the latest Newsweek magazine (Sept 22, 2008) the other day and ran across an article called, "Is Morality Natural?" The article suggests that all people, regardless of ethnicity, culture, gender or any other factor, have a similar view of basic ethics and morality. The bottom line, in the author's estimation, is that, "nature handed us a moral grammar that fuels our intuitive judgments of right and wrong." This "moral grammar," as it's called sounds an awful lot like something in Romans 1:19, 20. In Romans 1, Paul writes that all people are without excuse before God, "because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them, for since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse." I've always taken this to mean that through careful observation of the natural world, humans could gain an adequate understanding of God. But it seems to go much deeper than that. Much can be learned through the observation of the external. But this study suggests that God's moral code, His character itself, has been etched in the lives humans since the first one walked the earth. For years, the Bible has been saying that we were created in God's image. Now science is beginning to prove it.

Everyday Miracles

No matter how often it happens, it's seems like it's always just as exciting. You know, those situations where your back is against the wall, you've run out of options, and then something happens that you just can't explain. I had one of those experiences today. This morning, I had to take a Hebrew qualifying exam that would place me in appropriate Hebrew class here at the seminary. Unfortunately, I was not well prepared for the exam, having mastered only about 25% of the testable material. Although I was resigned to failing the test, I said a quick prayer. "Lord, I understand that I'm probably going to fail this test, but if you see fit that I should pass this exam, I will give You all the glory." With that I sat for the exam, doing the best that I could. And when the scores came back, I passed…but just barely. For a moment I felt like Daniel in the lion's den, being saved from certain death by Divine intervention. But then I realized that Daniel was delivered from his trial without a scratch. If I had been Daniel, I would have lost an arm or something. It got me thinking….sometimes we don't recognize miracles because they aren't the absolute smashing successes that Daniel or Gideon or Moses experienced. Every day, God is doing things around us and for us, yet we don't always see it. We think a miracle has to be outrageous to be real. But what about the everyday miracles? The flower that blooms, the strength that God gives just to survive, the little things that make life just that much more bearable. I'll tell you, I didn't escape from that test unscathed. I missed a lot of questions. But by the grace of God, I passed. Most people would look at that and say, "you're sure lucky that test was so easy." Honestly, that's me most days. But today, God got through. Reminding me of the moments where He is working, maybe not quite as spectacularly as the Bible records, but just as effectively. Reminding me of those everyday miracles.

Olympic Gold and the Meaning of Life

So, I've been watching the Olympics a lot in the last couple of weeks. Watching all of the athletes that devote themselves to their sports fills me with mixed emotions. I admire them for their singular devotion to their dreams and goals. The effort that it takes to become the best in the world at something is laudable. Yet at the same time, I feel profound sadness. I wonder what happens when they wake up the day after the gold medal match. It's over. The goal is accomplished. Now what? They can aim for the next Olympics. Or they can retire. But the fulfillment from winning a medal seems to fade. Some athletes don't even know where their gold medals from previous competitions are stored. It makes me sad because, in the end, they have invested their life in something that makes no real difference. There will be another Olympics, another dominant swimmer, another gymnastics team, another sprinter. The accomplishments of today will fade into the history books and eventually be surpassed by others. It seems to me that the only things that really matter are those that are eternal.

Admiration and sadness. Admiration for living a life of purpose. Sadness because the purpose seems to mean so little in the long run. It leaves me with two questions. Am I devoting my life to a purpose with such singular focus? And if so, is it something that will truly last?

So, what's a guy supposed to do with a new blog?

So, I was sitting at my computer this morning and realized that it was time for me to enter the blogging universe. I can't say I know what inspired me, and I certainly don't know what this space will become, but I'm looking forward to finding out. For the moment, a little about me. For the past year, I've been studying at Andrews University in Michigan, working on my MDiv degree. A year from now, I will be moving back to Oregon to be a pastor in the Seventh-day Adventist Church. I've been married for just over four years to the love of my life and have a rambunctious 10-month-old daughter that is more and more difficult to keep up with. In addition to school, I'm working as a youth minister in the United Methodist denomination. That experience has taught me that you can't really know much about your own denomination/religion until you really engage with one different from your own.

That has sure opened the eyes of this fifth-generation, never-been-friends-with-anyone-but-those-from-my-own-religion Adventist.