BibleScribbler

Coffee, a Bible, and a Napkin to Scribble On

Heroes and Damsels in Christian Community

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We all love to be the hero and save the day. But the pride of isolation wins out when we are in need of help. What if we saw our times of needing help as chances to make somebody feel like a hero? I know that goes way against a John Wayne Republican Protestant work ethic, but really, consider it!

I need help. My chainsaw is stuck in a tree that weighs 6,000 pounds. If only I had another chainsaw, I could cut a wedge here and get my chainsaw loose. My buddy Paul has a chainsaw and he is mowing grass at his house today.

“Paul, I need your help!” Paul becomes the hero, I’m the damsel in distress, and he does two cuts in the log and my chainsaw is free. Some high fives and thanks, and he’s back to mowing and I have my saw back.

I wish that’s what happened. Instead, I was in “I’ve got this!” mode and I hacked on that log with a maul for an hour.

Hack

Hack

Sweat

Breathe

Hack

Hack

I seriously thought I was going to have a heart attack. My callouses had blisters and the blisters were busting that clear fluid out. Really, it’s true. An hour later my chainsaw was free and in need of repair.

I know how that story should have gone. But by trying to be the hero myself, I neither became the hero nor allowed anyone else to be that guy.

As part of living with my brothers and sisters in community, John Wayne needs to have a funeral already.

Every time my boys argue I quote Proverbs 17:17 to them.

A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
Proverbs 17:17 ESV
http://bible.com/59/pro.17.17.ESV

 

When I’m out having a heart attack at the park while I cut up fallen trees, I need to quote it to myself too! (or have a brother quote it to me in advance!)

We need to live in a culture where we admit that we need each other and we aren’t afraid to ask for help. As we grow and become of “one heart and one mind” like the group in Acts 2, our humility and trust in each other will grow, and Christ will show off in us more and more as the true Hero.

I'm Telling You, Jesus Really Does Meet All of Our Needs!

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“Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever.””
(John 6:54-58 NIV)

I think a lot of people really can’t believe that Jesus provides for all of our needs. It really is easier not to, and to just go on miserably trying to provide for yourself, just like everyone else. And I don’t just mean food, shelter, and entertainment. Jesus provides for our deepest needs. If Jesus just provided for our feelings, I think he would have said he was the living jacket or headscarf.

Jesus is as simple to believe in as it is for a child to eat bread. But it’s only when somebody believes in Him that they can see His work. I know a few guys who have left the faith. I don’t know all of their stories, or how they went down that road, but I remember at one stage in my walk I was terribly afraid that someday I would give up on Jesus and turn away. I remember sitting in my car in the BuyLow parking lot across from Harrison, praying and crying out to God that He would not let me turn away. There wasn’t any particular temptation or some dancing girl luring me or anything like that, I just remember that’s where I was when I my fear of that reached a peak. At some point I came across something by John Piper where he talked about how we aren’t afraid of falling away from marriage to our spouse as long as we are courting their love and feeding our marriage. He said it’s the same way with God. We need not fear falling away as long as we’re running after Him.

I think it’s this same way w/ Jesus talking about being the bread of life. As we go to him and feed on Him and drink Him in, we are full of Him. Ok, make it practical.

I gripe and moan at my wife after working on the house because she didn‚Äôt carry on about what  a good job I did. I am THIRSTING for some attention and some gratitude and I went to her to get it. She is HUNGRY for some peace while she is trying to keep 4 kids satisfied for the whole day.

Day two: I work on the house and fix things up because I KNOW that it will bring peace to my wife to have two rooms transformed from construction sites into bedrooms. I work hard and look to Jesus for help and energy and find I’m NOT THIRSTY for attention and credit at the end of the day. Cindy see’s the completed rooms and sets the kids loose in them to play, goes downstairs and sits in her chair w/ a tall glass of water and tells me what a hard working husband I am. She is FILLED UP with some time with Jesus while the kids play along in their room.

I would love to paraphrase this stuff using words different than HUNGER/EAT and THIRST/DRINK because it’s been so confused, but those are the best words to describe it. Jesus really does meet and continue to meet our every need.

to sleepy to post

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I’m sitting here doing my thing where I fall asleep w/ the computer in my lap!

I need to follow up on yesterday’s post. Somebody bought my whole family lunch today. Then, in the evening we had a knock at the door, and it was one of our neighbor friends. Every few nights he rides his bike around our park at breakneck speeds for exercise. Whenever we see him and we have the chance, we run out in the front yard and chant “Go, Steve, Go!” over and over again and he laughs. Tonight he showed up with coupons for free ice cream! Hooray.

The coolest part? When he told the lady at Ritzy’s what he was doing, she gave him the coupons for free!

Please pray for God’s Kingdom to come in many ways whenever you read this. I have had several friends posts need for prayer and help today in various places (facebook and emails). It is enough that I prayed earlier, “God, there is so much intense serious stuff to pray for, can I just moan and groan and you’ll go through the list yourself?!”