Confession

Confession: I am addicted to the show “19 Kids & Counting.” For those who haven’t had the privilege (fortitude?) to see this show let me quickly explain the premise. The Duggars – Jim Bob (I swear I didn’t make that up) and Michelle have 19 kids and counting. Basically they lost a baby when they were younger and blame it on birth control. And so…rather than practice any form of moderation they basically reproduce like bunnies. The entertainment value? First, all of the kids’ names begin with a J. (Makes monogramming anything in the family impossible). Second, they are extreme conservative Christians – I’m talking UBER conservative. Girls wear only skirts, boys all have the same republican hair cut that dad has, all are homeschooled, no cable, limited & moderated internet – no outside ideas of any sort. Oh I could add and add to the list of entertaining things on this show, but those two are probably the top contributors. Well that and…
Michelle Duggar. Really, if you haven’t watched the show you really ought to in order to fully grasp what I am attempting to describe. Michelle is happy. Always happy. Always! Annoyingly so at times. 19 kids could crap on the floor and she’d cheerily say with a big smile, “well, looks like I have some work to do.” Everything is said in a sing-songy, over the top, joyful voice. Think some child entertainment (a female Barney with a softer tone?) but amplified. While I watch the show I usually spend the entire time thinking, why are you so happy? Is it Jesus? No, I have Jesus and I’m not filled with that much happiness all the time. The ridiculous number of kids? That didn’t work for John & Kate. The simplicity? Perhaps because she is so sheltered and her entire life is literally spent caring after children. Maybe all those years of hormones surging through her has created a permanent euphoric state. Whatever it is TLC should find some way to concentrate it, bottle it, and sell it to the masses.
Until that day, I’ll continue to watch. Mesmerized by the Duggars and their simple joy and wonderment. Not really wanting to be part of their world, but rather watching them like one would watch a circus act or some odd creature at the zoo that hadn’t been seen before. Meanwhile, they are probably praying for people like me – a moderate liberal, a woman that dares to wear pants, use birth control, and dares to have a career and a life outside of the home, a person that reads books other than the Bible, and listens to and even tolerates other beliefs (insert proper gasp here). One day, we’ll meet in heaven. I’ll thank them for their entertainment value and their ability to distract me from the rest of the world. They’ll let me know they prayed for people like me, and will add that they know it was their prayers that let me in by the skin of my teeth.

Prayer & Politics

Prayer and Politics, what a combination! I really think that prayer is meant to be a two-way conversation. I think that that’s a really easy concept to grasp (though hard to practice) on a personal level. The rub I see thinking of prayer as a conversation when it comes to groups, or even nations. I think that we aren’t very good at public prayer as a conversation.

I think that that is evidenced by a lot of one-way prayers prayed from the pulpit and in public. Maybe it’s because we’re afraid that we will not all listen, or that we will hear different answers to our questions. Maybe it’s because we’re praying for our holy wants, needs, and desires rather than saying, “God – you come first. God, you be elevated. God, let your kingdom come.”

I know that one of the things that has deeply affected me from the Kingdom Encounter [an intensive course taken this month] and reading Eugene Peterson is this notion of prayer. I’m returning to a place of saying, Jesus, will you teach me to pray. And every time I do I am reminded of the Lord’s Prayer; which was his response to his disciples asking the same question. It’s intimate, but not about us. It reminds us that we are dependent upon the Lord for the things that we take for granted all too often – forgiveness, daily bread, the others in our lives. It reminds us that the thing our heart must seek first is the Kingdom of God and that the Lord’s will to be done and that his Kingdom will come. God loves us, and cares for us. Our deepest hearts’ desires do matter to him – but I think not as much as his own will and heart’s desires. I think it’s not until we individually and corporately understand that that we will see 2 Chronicles 7:14 (“If my people, who are called by my name, would humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, THEN I WILL HEAR FROM HEAVEN AND WILL FORGIVE THEIR SIN AND HEAL THEIR LAND.”)come to pass.

So yes, prayer is political. But it’s not about the government of the United States of America. It’s about the Kingdom of God, the place where our true citizenship lies. I think it’s easy to confuse prosperity and peace in America with “health and strength.” I don’t think we’re healthy or strong, and won’t be until we enter into that divine conversation with God, ask what his heart is, and then pray it into being.

What do you think prayer is? How does it relate to politics?

Community & Conversation

I’ve been pestered by Kevin and asked by others to blog more. I’m not making any promises. All I can do is make a beginning. Life is EXTREMELY BUSY! Full time school and full time work leaves little time for extracurricular activities such as blogging. To be perfectly honest, I have to write hundreds of pages for school and then spend 10 hours a day for work. When I do have free time I’m not interested in staring at a computer screen anymore. This also means I’m not on Facebook and Twitter as much.

This past weekend I had the opportunity to preach on community. I’m currently sitting in a conference and Eugene Peterson (author of The Message Bible and about 40other books) is the speaker. He is all about community. He’s also 77 and has some very unique ideas. This man doesn’t have email. He doesn’t use a cell phone. He doesn’t believe in three-point, PowerPoint illustrated sermons. What he does believe in is actual community in which people actually speak and listen to each other. Not speaking and conversing through typing, but using speech and our ears to process that speech. There’s a whole world that exists outside of the web and our computers. There are real stories of real people waiting to be told and heard. I’m not saying I’m unplugging…what I am saying is that I have a new appreciation for actual conversation that has true give and take. I realize the world we live in makes us dependent upon the web and social media to keep in touch with far-flung friends and family.

When was the last time you sat and had a conversation with someone that doesn’t live with you? A real conversation beyond the how are yous and chatter about world events or weather. When was the last time you connected with someone at a soul level?

Take time to listen. Take time to cultivate conversations. Take time to be in community. It’s what we’re created to do.