tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265197552024-03-12T19:42:11.158-06:00Latte Life At The CrossroadsCarl Hofmann's Reflections on Life, Spirituality, Theology...and Everything In-BetweenCarl Hofmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02086233371029204266noreply@blogger.comBlogger185125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26519755.post-73546536320773194712016-11-21T12:59:00.000-07:002016-11-21T12:59:42.356-07:00Wounded Healers
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In a sermon I preached recently, we watched
Jesus reach out to the Samaritan woman (John 4:1-15). Specifically, I shared:</span>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Jesus humbled himself and
came to the woman in weakness and need. He was tired, spent, and exhausted. He
was thirsty. This is the way he reaches out. He does it in weakness. Not in
power and confidence. Not in vibrant, vigorous enthusiasm. But in weakness, the
weakness of our common humanity.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This encounter is the Cross in miniature: Christ’s most powerful ministry comes in weakness and brokenness. What an encouragement!
I continued:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Often we think we need to
be at the top of our games, spiritually, to share Christ with others. We’ve got
to have all the answers. Our lives have to be perfectly put together. It’s just
not true! Jesus drops his guard, he’s weak and vulnerable and in this
surprising state, he sees room for a connection.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This reminds me of one of my
favorite insights from a Rick Warren book:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Other people are going to find healing in your wounds. Your
greatest life messages and your most effective ministry will come out of your
deepest hurts.” <br />
― <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/711.Rick_Warren"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Rick Warren</span></a>,
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/2265235"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">The Purpose Driven Life: What on
Earth Am I Here for?</span></a></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Where are you weak? Where have you struggled? How have you
known pain? Through these experiences, Jesus can connect you with others and use you in ministry. Let him...and watch how he works! </span></div>
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Carl Hofmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02086233371029204266noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26519755.post-46640994721590148412016-10-20T19:31:00.000-06:002016-10-20T19:31:33.230-06:00Every Careless Word?!<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span class="text Matt-12-34" id="en-NRSV-23524">"...</span><span class="text Matt-12-36" id="en-NRSV-23526">I tell you, on the day of judgment you will have to give an account for every careless word you utter; </span></i><span class="text Matt-12-37" id="en-NRSV-23527"><i><sup class="versenum"> </sup>for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” </i></span></div>
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<span class="text Matt-12-37" id="en-NRSV-23527"><i>--Jesus, in Matthew 12:36-37</i></span></div>
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<span class="text Matt-12-37" id="en-NRSV-23527">"Every careless word"--really? Lord, you're going to hold us accountable for <u>every careless word</u> we utter? Oh, my...</span><br />
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<span class="text Matt-12-37" id="en-NRSV-23527">Watching the presidential debates and listening to words that slander and mislead, it's easy to point fingers. And, sadly, I do. Then, as I remembered Jesus's words above, I took a self-inventory...and I realized that in this election season my speech hasn't been terribly honorable either, particularly as I've vented my deep disapproval of one of the nominees and their policies. The thought that my words--in response to their words--might someday be played back for me by the Lord gave me pause. I realized afresh that Jesus loves both our presidential nominees--amazing! They are beloved in his sight--incredible! He's given them life and he's died to give them eternal life--astounding! In response, I need to watch my words--to make sure that they don't demean or destroy. </span><br />
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<span class="text Matt-12-37" id="en-NRSV-23527">Human speech is a powerful and treasured gift. In the biblical tradition, our words are meant to build up, not tear down. The apostle Paul writes: </span><span class="text Eph-4-29" id="en-NRSV-29285">"Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up,<sup> </sup>as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear" (Ephesians 4:29). Grace!</span><br />
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<span class="text Matt-12-37" id="en-NRSV-23527">But this call to speak grace doesn't obviate the need to speak truth. I like the way John in the prologue of his gospel, describes the ultimate Word, Jesus Christ: </span><span class="text John-1-14" id="en-NRSV-26049">"And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth."</span><br />
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<span class="text John-1-14" id="en-NRSV-26049">Grace <u>and</u> truth. This is what Jesus models in his life and ministry, in his speech and his deeds. He is the Word of truth who accurately describes reality. We who follow him must also speak truth: in this season, about moral and ethical character, about suitability for office, about factual accuracy. But we must speak truth with grace, just as Jesus did: keeping in view God's kindness, mercy, and love for all people, even the nominee we can't support. What a hard balance to strike, particularly in this election season.</span><span class="text John-1-14" id="en-NRSV-26049"> </span><span class="text John-1-14" id="en-NRSV-26049">Lord, have mercy! </span><br />
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<span class="text John-1-14" id="en-NRSV-26049">Amen? Amen.</span>Carl Hofmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02086233371029204266noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26519755.post-52277509677482858192016-08-25T20:57:00.000-06:002016-08-25T20:57:13.119-06:00Breaking the Second Law of ThermodynamicsI'm no physicist, but I'm intrigued by the little I know of the Second Law of Thermodynamics. It states that the tendency of any given natural (closed) system is to move toward entropy, toward a state of increasing disorder or chaos. We see this all around us: our bodies naturally age and become less dependable. Over time, so do our cars, our gardens, our homes, and virtually any material thing we can think of.<br />
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But what of other systems? Do they, too, naturally move toward entropy, from an initial order toward an inevitable chaos? The boundless (some would now say blind) optimism of the earlier modern era suggested that with enough education, economic opportunity, or political freedom we as a human community could leave behind our wilder origins and move from predation to harmony. We could migrate from nature "red in tooth and claw" to the paradisiacal lion lying down with the lamb. Modernism seemed to deny a social Second Law.<br />
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But World War I, with its mustard gas, trench warfare, and devastating loss of life, combined with World War II's Nazism, the Holocaust, and the use of atomic bombs has given the lie to such unfounded optimism. Today, the cancerous spread of ISIS, the current nadir of political demagoguery, increasingly undeniable climate change, and many other social disorders, remind us that moving toward an ordered state is not the natural way of human life. Experience has taught us that we have little basis for believing we can stop this social second law. Entropy is inevitable.<br />
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However, we may see a remarkable exception in the Christian spiritual life. If what the Bible speaks of is true, in Christ, God is gathering up all things in heaven and on earth (Ephesians 1:10). Like a mosaic artist, God is reworking all the broken pieces of the world and human community, splintered and shattered by sin, into a grand, new, breathtakingly beautiful design. "I am making all things new," says God (Revelation 21:5). Long before environmentalism taught us to reduce, reuse, and recycle, there was God, graciously bringing new life from the compost heap of the natural order.<br />
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As the vanguard, the leading edge of this newness, God's reborn people are meant to live into their newness by practicing the spiritual disciplines. These are the healthy rhythms of the new life, the whole life, that God intends for us and models for us in Jesus Christ. Prayer, Scripture study, worship, community, service, generosity--all of these are like food groups that nourish new life. They are the glue that connects the broken piece as they're being mended by God. As such, these disciplines introduce order into chaos. They stave off the second law of spiritual thermodynamics. They keep us on track. They corral and curtail the confusion so latent in our old lives, as it threatens to erupt and distort the new growth and new order introduced by God. Doesn't experience teach us this? How quickly we can lapse into disorder as we fail to tend the spiritual garden of our lives.<br />
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I'm finding that in midlife there's a tendency to let things slide, to take the path of least resistance, to grow comfortable and lazy--in many aspects of our lives, not just the spiritual. But the frightening reality of entropy and the invitation God gives us in Christ to combat it and move toward newness give me pause. Thoughts?Carl Hofmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02086233371029204266noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26519755.post-72126022143728243892016-01-06T10:22:00.001-07:002016-01-06T10:25:24.384-07:00Epiphany's Amazing "Aha!"<style>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: Times;">e·piph·a·ny</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times;">ə</span><span style="font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif";">ˈ</span><span style="font-family: Times;">pifənē/</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Times;">noun</span></i></span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">the
manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles as represented by the Magi
(Matthew 2:1–12).</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">the festival commemorating the
Epiphany on January 6.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">a manifestation of a divine or
supernatural being.</span></div>
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</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">a moment of sudden revelation or insight.</span></div>
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Today, January 6, 2016, marks
Epiphany, which recalls the revelation of the infant King Jesus to the Magi, those
wise men described in the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 2. On this day we celebrate
the inclusion of the Gentiles in the blessings of Israel, particularly in the
gracious reign of Jesus Christ, as it enfolds all nations, tongues, and tribes.
Every people, every group, every culture, and every ethnicity is embraced and
welcomed in the transforming, life-giving reign of Christ.</div>
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More commonly, “epiphany” is also an “aha” moment, “a moment
of sudden revelation or insight”, as the dictionary puts it. </div>
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Yesterday, I believe, our First Presbyterian Church of
Boulder, CO staff was given an epiphany. We were in our typical all-staff
meeting, 30 to 40 of us. We were tired after a long season which
focused not only on Advent and Christmas Eve celebrations, but also on helping
lead our denominational dismissal from the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A) to the
new denomination, the Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians (ECO). As
part of the dismissal agreement, our congregation must buy back its buildings
from our presbytery (as they are only held in trust locally for the broader
denomination). This has necessitated a congregational capital campaign to raise
$2.29 million dollars. In our staff meeting, we’d just been told the good news
that the congregation had already pledged more than 2/3 of that amount. We then
went to prayer in preparation for communion together. </div>
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Our quiet group prayers were suddenly startled by a booming
male voice shouting at us. We anxiously snapped to attention to see
some 20 or more men rush into our midst. Quickly, they identified themselves:
they were the lead pastors of many, if not, most of our sister churches of
Boulder County. They'd heard of our decision to depart our denomination;
they’d read the somewhat disparaging articles about this in the local
newspaper; and they had come to show their support and solidarity. Each in turn
gave words of appreciation for the historic impact of First Pres on our region
and on their congregations. In fact, the lead pastor of our county’s largest
and fastest growing megachurch (and indeed one of our country’s fastest growing
churches) spoke appreciatively of the small group Bible study from our church
that over time grew into their congregation. </div>
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Then the pastors did an even more remarkable thing: they presented
our church with checks from their congregations in support of our capital
campaign, which we’d entitled “All In.” In total, our sister churches
contributed $48,000. For these busy pastors to make time in their
schedules to offer such kind words of appreciation, along with bringing us gifts of such staggering generosity from their congregations--this blew us away. We all knelt on the carpet for
prayer and then shared communion together. There were hugs exchanged, tears flowing, and much laughter.</div>
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Why is this act so significant and why does it constitute an
epiphany? Sadly, churches and pastors too often view each
other with jealousy and a competitive spirit. We lamely look at neighboring
congregations, particularly the newer and more successful ones, as competitors
for “marketshare”. We compare our attendance numbers, the size of our
buildings, the creativity and reputation of our programs and staffs. We mourn
the loss of church members who decide to move to these other congregations. </div>
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Granted, we give lip-service to all of us being on the same
team, but too often this rings hollow. In this surprising act of kindness
yesterday, these pastors demonstrated how Jesus views his Church: he sees us
all together in one body in a region, teaming up to minister together in his
name. First Pres, the most historic and long-tenured of these congregations, can often feel culturally irrelevant, stodgy, and passé in comparison to the
cooler start-up churches. But these gifts of praise, appreciation,
companionship, and money corrected our perspective: they showed us we’re not alone in
our ministries or pilgrimage; we’re lovingly surrounded by friends who share in the work with us. We're family.</div>
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Epiphany is first <u>centripedal</u>: the nations come in with
gifts to Israel, particularly to its Messiah, Jesus. Then, from this common
center in Christ, Epiphany is shockingly <u>centrifugal</u>: it spins out one
global people, Jew and Gentile united in Jesus, to go into the world with his message
of gracious embrace. Epiphany makes us gasp with fresh realization that God’s
blessings are all-embracing. His people are not just sequestered in a small
historic space: God’s people are spun-out in Jesus Christ far and wide.
Epiphany blows the roof off the church’s parochialism and shows us its colorful community. The people of Jesus can’t be limited to one place, one
parish, one tradition. In Christ, there is a great big beautiful family. Aha.</div>
Carl Hofmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02086233371029204266noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26519755.post-85286823527507907142014-06-04T19:25:00.000-06:002014-06-04T19:25:40.972-06:00The Gracious Partnership of Prayer<br />
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"Prayer changes things."<br />
"Prayer changes those who pray."<br />
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Which is it? Or is it both? Prayer has a mysterious alchemy that is often inscrutable. We want to parse out prayer, to determine how exactly it works, or doesn't work. We tend toward a spiritual utilitarianism, which reflects so much of the rest of our lives: you get out what you put in; garbage in, garbage out; what's my return on investment? Those kinds of things.<br />
<br />
How <u>does</u> prayer work? Prayer certainly is a mystery. At its core, prayer is a conundrum: we Christians confess our faith in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth. This God is sovereign, the ruler of all things. God is eternal, immortal, and omnipotent. In what possible ways might we little human beings nudge God or bend God's will to act on people, circumstances and needs? It would seem that God, who is gracious and good and wise and loving, would not need our puny efforts to assist him or direct him in any way.<br />
<br />
But what if prayer is primarily about transformative relationship? What if in prayer God invites us to participate with him in the unfolding of his gracious purposes on earth? What if prayer is God's chosen means to pour out blessing? Not that God needs this...but what if God <u>wants</u> this? For our sake, our good, and the good of the world? If this is the case, then prayer changes things AND prayer changes us, the people praying.<br />
<br />
On my bike ride today an analogy hit me. It's summertime, my boys are home and they have more time on their hands. While I've been doing the lawn care around our home all year, it really makes sense that I'd share the work with them. After all, it's good for them to participate in our household and know the joy (and the work) of contributing. Rolling up their sleeves, putting in a little sweat equity, these are transformative experiences that will ready them for the responsibilities of adulthood. They'll be better people if I ask them to help.<br />
<br />
But in my mind, I say: "I can do it better than they can. I'm more attentive to details. I'm more diligent and careful and particular." All true. But still...how will they grow if they're not invited in to share the work?<br />
<br />
Couldn't this be roughly analogous to God's invitation to join his work in prayer? Of course, God could enact his gracious will independently. Without a doubt, God doesn't need our fumbling, inadequate mumblings of prayer to accomplish his work. But what if this is God's gracious way of being family? Of calling us to maturity? Of helping us to grow up and share his heart for people and for our world? It doesn't remove the mystery of prayer, but I think it makes sense.<br />
<br />
And, besides, that grass is getting long.Carl Hofmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02086233371029204266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26519755.post-26042335654700632012014-01-25T15:19:00.000-07:002014-01-25T15:19:01.531-07:00Beneath the Armstrong Lie
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BpL1y5w7b9A/UuQ0k0e1tgI/AAAAAAAAATM/iJY9B6uUbK4/s1600/hr_The_Armstrong_Lie_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BpL1y5w7b9A/UuQ0k0e1tgI/AAAAAAAAATM/iJY9B6uUbK4/s1600/hr_The_Armstrong_Lie_1.jpg" height="320" width="216" /></a></div>
<div class="Body">
Last night I attended the Boulder premiere of Alex Gibney's newly
released documentary "The Armstrong Lie." The project started
as a bit of hagiography: Gibney sought to celebrate Armstrong's 2009 comeback,
a plan that was derailed by Lance's subsequent doping confession to Oprah a year ago. Apparently, the disgraced cyclist agreed to have Gibney interview
him post-confession as a sort of recompense. As it stands, the film is now a detailed
two-hour indictment not only of Lance's falsehoods, but more importantly, of
his systemic and strategic abuse of power. </div>
<div class="Body">
<br /></div>
<div class="Body">
With the movie's references to
Lance's lies, deception, and what the producer of the film, Frank Marshall, in
a live interview at the theater afterwards referred to as Lance's <i>hubris</i>, I think the subtext of the film and this whole chapter in
sports history is <u>morality</u>: how and why do people persist in patterns of
deception and then cover them up with denial, deceit, and duplicity? And
when they do this, what happens to them psychologically, morally, and spiritually? And why, oh why, when given the opportunity to own up to their
transgressions, do some people stubbornly cling to their pathetic defenses,
self-justifications, and self-destructive behavior? Gosh, if it weren't so
egregious and banal, I'd say this is Greek tragedy we're watching, not sleazy
unsportsmanlike conduct.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="Body">
After dragging on in its documentation, the film left me with questions about moral change: can Lance be reformed? Is
he contrite? Will he accept this opportunity for spiritual illumination and
character change? Or will he persist in self-justification and squander
this possible moral breakthrough? Will his soul further harden as he
desperately seeks to save some shreds of his former empire? Or will he soften and submit,
humbly receive correction, and chart a new course for his life? Is there redemption
for Lance Armstrong? Can his soul be healthy after all of this? A lot depends
on him.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="Body">
As great as Lance's cycling achievements seemed to be, I think it
was his human story (his near death experience with cancer and the hope he gave
to cancer patients worldwide in his first comeback) that endeared him to a wide
audience. He seemed to care for others; he was about more than cycling. "It's Not About the Bike", remember?! Or so it all appeared. Hopefully clinging to his story, Lance's fans were willing to look the other way
as reports of his bullying, coverups, and unsavory behavior mounted year by
year. But then these sordid revelations exposed his story as fiction. Yet his
story isn't finished. I believe there's always opportunity for redemption and
deliverance. But the path is often painful. Armstrong's Lie is not as
important as Armstrong's soul. </div>
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<br /></div>
Carl Hofmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02086233371029204266noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26519755.post-27295624443195159942013-12-04T10:56:00.001-07:002013-12-04T17:39:30.800-07:00Late to the Party: Some Thoughts on "Breaking Bad"<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Just as every cop is a criminal<br />
And all the sinners saints<br />
As heads is tails<br />
Just call me Lucifer<br />
Cause I'm in need of some restraint</i></div>
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(Rolling Stones, "Sympathy for the Devil") </div>
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<br />
<br />
Better late than never. Over the years I've certainly heard the hullaballoo about AMC's Emmy award-winning TV series "Breaking Bad." Heard so much, in fact, that I finally had to find out what it's all about. Recently, I watched the last few episodes of this year's final season. Not recommended! My older son, who's been a fan of the series for several years, was aghast at my backwards viewing. I don't blame him. But I have to say I was hooked. I get it. I now see what the big deal is.<br />
<br />
For the few of you left who don't know about the series, it features a mild-mannered, milquetoasty high school science teacher, Walter White, who lives in the Albuquerque suburbs with his wife and disabled son. Walt discovers he has Stage 3.5 lung cancer (with little chance of beating it) and wants to provide for his family once he's gone. Circumstances align and he throws in with a former student to begin making methamphetamine, relying on Walt's expertise as a chemist to produce a superior product.<br />
<br />
We watch the slow and steady descent of Walt's otherwise (we assume) upstanding moral character. He "breaks bad": his choices lead him deeper and deeper into the dark side of society and, more disturbingly, into the dark aspects latent in his personality. This, I think, is why the show is so gripping. We're drawn to identify with Walter White in his sheer normalcy--and in the frightening possibility that, given the right set of circumstances, perhaps we each could break bad. We're forced to ponder the tenuous nature, the fine line, that keeps all of us from a slide into evil. Even more, we're invited to re-examine our categories of good and bad: who's really bad? Is evil the subterranean nature of all human beings? Do our social convention and traditional morality merely paper over a primeval human wickedness which can utterly undo us? That's, I think, what's so scary and compelling about "Breaking Bad." <br />
<br />
I've begun watching the show from its beginning. I'm well into Season 1. I'm seeing the subtle erosion (or is it revelation?) of Walt's character. I'm witnessing the little choices he makes to hide things from Skylar, his wife. How he uses half-truths which become habitual. The petty thefts which lead to worse. The coverups and the killings, manslaughter as it slides into murder. Family dinners juxtaposed with gangland underworlds. Gentle married pillowtalk bedded down with violent druglord beatings. Horrifying and fascinating--all of it adorned in stunning visual art, peppered with pop culture, built week by week with excellent writing, casting, and acting.<br />
<br />
As a Christian, particularly as a pastor of Spiritual Formation, someone who spends time pondering human character change, I'm asking some deeper questions: what is our human nature at its core: good or bad? If it's good, why is there this tendency in us to "break bad"? If it's bad, why then are we so transfixed by evil, so shocked and revolted? Who are we at our core? And when our best defenses fail against breaking bad, who or what can help us?<br />
<br />
And especially for those of us in the church, the so-called "good, moral, upstanding people", how far removed are we from this dark underside of human nature? How deep is our spiritual transformation in Christ? Given the right (or in this case, wrong) set of circumstances, how bad can we break? The Apostle Paul comes to mind in his New Testament Letter to the Romans, Chapter 7. If you've got a minute, ponder it with me:<br />
<br />
<sup class="ww">"15</sup>I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.
<sup class="ww">16</sup>Now if I do what I do not want, I agree that the law is good.
<sup class="ww">17</sup>But in fact it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me.
<sup class="ww">18</sup>For I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I cannot do it.
<sup class="ww">19</sup>For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do.
<sup class="ww">20</sup>Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me.
<sup class="ww">21</sup>So I find it to be a law that when I want to do what is good, evil lies close at hand.
<sup class="ww">22</sup>For I delight in the law of God in my inmost self,
<sup class="ww">23</sup>but I see in my members another law at war with
the law of my mind, making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in
my members.
<sup class="ww">24</sup>Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?"<br />
<br />
Paul is writing for us all. He's describing the inner war of human nature: how we can will the good, but face another force at work, drawing us off-track, causing us to break bad. Paul is in anguish: who, indeed, will rescue him, in fact all of us, from this body of death?! Hold on, there's another verse to come:<br />
<br />
<sup class="ww">"25</sup>Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!" Paul then moves to the great reassurance of his masterful chapter, Romans 8, verse 1:<br />
<br />
"There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."<br />
<br />
However dark our inner core may be, the light of Christ's love, mercy, and forgiveness are brighter still. We cannot out-sin the gospel of Jesus Christ. Only he has the power to raise the dead and to transform human nature. Only he can change breaking bad into breaking good.<br />
<br />
<br />Carl Hofmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02086233371029204266noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26519755.post-78427983299909361592013-11-25T12:37:00.001-07:002013-11-25T12:38:24.968-07:00The Heart of Stranger Love<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">[“stranger love”</b>:
1) a biblical theme that flows from the heart of God, through Israel, Jesus,
and the Church to welcome the stranger (Deuteronomy 10:17-19); 2) a two-year,
unifying emphasis of study, service, and mission at the First Presbyterian
Church of Boulder, Colorado.<b>]</b><br />
<br />
In a recent
adult Sunday School setting I was asked about the personal impact our church’s new emphasis “Stranger
Love” (SL) is having on me. I had to be honest. On the one hand, I
love the idea! As I study it more deeply in the Bible, I find that God’s love
of the stranger, God’s welcoming home of the estranged child, is a unifying theme, a
narrative arc that holds together Old and New Testament. I think, at its heart,
SL is the gospel. So, what’s not to like?
<br />
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<br /></div>
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But if I’m
honest, I respond to this theme with a splitting of head/hands/heart. Like many
Presbyterians, I value the life of the mind. Our rich tradition of thoughtful
biblical theology and intellectual engagement is stimulating to me. My head is
100% excited about SL. And, like many in our church, it’s easy for me to jump
straight to the hands: “how do we now practice SL?” We’ve had a historic flood
in Boulder County that invites (if not demands) we serve our neighbor and
welcome the stranger in practical ways. As a congregation we are studying Pathak
and Runyon’s very practical book <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Art
of Neighboring</i>. We’ve got Thanksgiving this week and our deacons welcome
church members to assist them in serving the downtown homeless. It’s so easy to
jump from head to hands. But to do so can neglect the heart—to our
detriment. Here’s what I mean:</div>
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<br /></div>
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Good ideas
lead to good practice, right? Not so fast. There’s this often-overlooked area
of the heart. From it spring our motives and our deeper feelings. As we rush
into service, trying to apply SL, it’s too easy for us to bring old, fallen
motives into our activity. We likely never articulate them, but I suspect that
many of us, in an honest moment, might hear ourselves saying, “If I’m a good
Christian (especially like so-and-so) I should go serve the stranger/help with
the homeless/etc.” Beneath this impulse is shame and guilt, a need to deny,
hide, or otherwise mask our feelings of essential unworthiness by our
performance or our good deeds. In many cases, we grit our teeth and end up doing the
right things for the wrong reasons. Essentially, we’re trying to serve God and
others in the power of our flesh (self-reliance and self-interest). This isn’t
the world’s worst thing, by any means. But it’s a far cry from the biblical
example of SL in Jesus Christ. So, I urge you reading this--you, who like I,
want to live SL fully and joyfully--to pause and examine your heart. How do you
really feel about SL? </div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Honestly, sometimes I find the practical outworking of SL to be painful, humbling, messy,
and burdensome. Sad, but true. My hope for all of us is to have hearts
that are free and joyful to respond to strangers in our midst, realizing full
well that we may not solve their life’s problems, but can still reach out to
them in love, even with just the cup of cold water Jesus spoke of (Matthew
10:42).</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
You see, SL
is just another name for the gospel: God’s gracious love for the unworthy,
poured out richly and fully in Jesus Christ, free of charge. To offer SL with
head, heart, and hands requires that we be gospel people, immersed in the
downpour of God’s grace, fully aware of our undeserving status, in the beginning,
middle, and end of our Christian life. Only as I am being filled with God’s SL
am I even able to pour out a bit toward others in a healthy way.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Last
thought: all of this is a journey that is cyclical, not linear. We are
instructed in the compelling biblical vision of God’s love for the stranger, a
love that welcomes us home and now calls us to do the same with others. We step
out to practice this love and find ourselves frustrated and shackled by old habits
of thinking and feeling. We then go back to the source of God’s grace and
freedom in Christ and find ourselves loved fully even in our struggles and
shame. And we try again. Repeatedly moving under and out of God’s stream of
grace, we take our buckets to others and seek to satiate their thirst, even as
we quench our own. It’s a rhythm of grace and gospel. That’s what Stranger Love
is all about.</div>
Carl Hofmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02086233371029204266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26519755.post-1148380253605069612013-11-13T14:37:00.000-07:002013-11-13T14:49:19.954-07:00They're Never "Just Pets""We put down our dog yesterday."<br />
<br />
Oh, how many people have said this to me! I've usually murmured, "I'm so sorry." And then I've moved on, thinking to myself, "Well, it was just a pet" (assuming that because theirs wasn't a human loss, it couldn't have been nearly so deeply upsetting or gut-wrenching). Now, I know better.<br />
<br />
We put down our dog yesterday.<br />
<br />
It happened so fast. My wife and I went to California for a brief visit leaving our boys in charge of house and dog. Like most in her breed, Hannah was a glutton. So when they texted us she wasn't eating, we knew it wasn't a good sign. We thought it was food poisoning or a bug. We returned and, though she didn't seem herself, she was mostly the same--wagging her tail and eager to go on a walk. A day and half later she was worse. We took her to the vet, only to hear some bad news, including an option to euthanize her. I almost dropped the phone. Apparently, she was jaundiced and her liver values were off the chart. Best case scenario: she had a major infection; worst case: cancer. Also, we were shocked to learn she was almost 11 (we had thought 10) and we discovered that 11 is the average lifespan for Golden Retrievers.<br />
<br />
Over the weekend she crashed. We put her in an emergency hospital, agreed to more exams and imaging (along with the quickly mounting costs) and then were told she had mere days left. Monday evening we took her home, choosing to make her comfortable and say goodbye. And then...we put down our dog yesterday.<br />
<br />
I'm starting to get it now. It occurs to me that many people around me (that jerk cutting me off on the freeway, that grumpy checkout clerk, that sullen teenager) bear hidden losses and grief which I'll never know. Most people, at one point or another, are walking wounded: carrying sadness and stress that the rest of us can't even imagine. Maybe I (maybe we) need to cut them some slack.<br />
<br />
The next time I hear those sad words, I'll listen with much greater attentiveness and compassion. And I vow to do something else: I'll let this be about them and their loss. I won't try to say those well-meaning (and terribly wounding) words "I know just how you feel." Because I don't. I didn't live with their beloved pet the way they did. I don't know their emotional bond that's torn and tattered. This is about their loss, not mine. Listen well, Carl.<br />
<br />
Furthermore, I won't try to make their loss better by saying, "But (s)he's out of pain and in a better place." I won't try to package and explain and in any way minimize or trivialize their unique grief. I will listen. I will try to reflect what I hear. And I will try to make space for them to be wherever they are. Because these furry loved ones of ours are never "just pets." They're family. Sure, they're not humans; but losing a beloved pet is a deep loss and a window into bigger losses.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Hannah Hofmann</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
(2002-2013) </div>
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Carl Hofmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02086233371029204266noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26519755.post-50391486717330608142013-11-04T10:09:00.000-07:002013-11-04T10:16:03.348-07:00At the Root of RestlessnessAch. It's probably midlife again. You hit that tipping point and you realize that soon, if not already, you're on that downward slide. Mortality is real. You and your friends begin losing parents. Kids leave home. You or those you love have health problems. You look around you: same job, same house, same car. Restlessness. Sometimes regret. It's a new stage of life with new temptations and new challenges--for everyone, including the person of faith. I'm realizing that for me, at least, the diagnosis might be discontent or dissatisfaction. With that awareness, a recent quote hit me while reading. It's from Miroslav Volf's <i>A Public Faith</i>:<br />
<br />
"[A]lmost paradoxically, we remain dissatisfied in the midst of experiencing satisfaction. We compare our 'pleasures' to those of others and begin to envy them. The fine new Honda of our modest dreams is a source of dissatisfaction when we see a neighbor's new Mercedes. But even when we win the game of comparisons--when we park in front of our garage the best model of the most expensive car--our victory is hollow, melancholy...marked as we are by what philosophers call self-transcendence, in our imagination we are always already beyond any state we have reached. Whatever we have, we want more and different things, and when we have climbed to the top, a sense of disappointment clouds the triumph. Our striving can therefore find proper rest only when we find joy in something infinite. For Christians, this something is God" (p. 63).<br />
<br />
Perhaps, for you, it's not "the fine new Honda." Maybe it's the promotion. Or the new house. Or the kitchen remodel. Or the bike. Or the PR on the favorite race, run, or ride. Or the book that's finally published. Whatever it is, it fails to satisfy, at least deeply. The restlessness, the striving, the gnawing remain.<br />
<br />
St. Augustine put it timelessly, as he wrote his prayer to God in his <i>Confessions</i>:<i> <span class="st">“<i>Thou hast made us for thyself</i>, O Lord, and <i>our heart</i> is restless until it finds its rest in thee.”</span></i><span class="st"> The Christian can easily say at this point: "But I've received Christ; I've walked with Christ for years. And I'm still restless!" I sympathize with this anguish. My only advice at this point is "onionskin." Keep peeling back the sources of your restlessness: </span><br />
<span class="st"> • Is there some standard externally imposed by our culture (or your education or career trajectory) which defines success and nags at you because you haven't reached it? Re-examine this.</span><br />
<span class="st"> • Are you comparing yourself with your friends and family? Beware this!</span><br />
<span class="st"> • Are you, perhaps unconsciously, seeking to fulfill expectations someone in authority (a parent, teacher, or Christian leader) has given you? Reflect on this.</span><br />
<span class="st"> • Do you struggle with insecurity, inferiority, inadequacy and seek to bolster your self-esteem by your accomplishments? Be gentle and honest with this.</span><br />
<span class="st"><br /></span>
<span class="st">I suspect that we need to not only peel back, but to dive deeper: to open ourselves up more fully and honestly to Jesus. Perhaps we need a "spirituality for the struggling." Let's pray our discontent. He knows it already. He won't shame us in it. He'll open his arms and embrace us. John 15:4-5 continues to resonate:</span><br />
<span class="st"><br /></span>
<span class="st">"Abide </span><span class="st"><span class="st"><span class="st"></span>in</span> </span><span class="st"><span class="st">[live, dwell, remain, get your life and identity from]</span> me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing."</span>Carl Hofmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02086233371029204266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26519755.post-30647579197150396912013-08-15T11:55:00.000-06:002013-08-15T12:00:27.260-06:00Spirituality in a Digital Age: Some More Questions...<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>"<span class="versetext" id="ps62-1" style="display: inline;">For God alone my soul waits in silence..." Psalm 62:1</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Recently, I watched one of my teen-aged sons in a typical posture: the TV was on, he had his laptop open, and he was texting on his smartphone. Three screens going at once, he was multitasking, not missing an Instagram photo, a Facebook status update, or the social plans emerging that evening among his peers. It would be easy to say this is just behavior typical of that age and stage. But we know better. Increasingly, many of us digitally-connected folks run multiple screens as we monitor social media sites throughout our days, making ourselves available 24/7--at least to our similarly wired peers. Some people even text while they drive--which is another blog post altogether.<br />
<br />
As a pastor for spiritual formation, it makes me wonder: when we immerse ourselves in instant communication, do we lose our ability to distinguish between the urgent (that dinging text message) and the important? When we actually sit down with another person, at a meal or coffee, are we really present to them--or does the cell phone vibrating in our pocket destroy our ability to focus? Furthermore, are our attention spans dramatically decreasing (and our need for an adrenalin hit from freshly updated screens increasing) when we uncritically acquiesce to this digitally-wired lifestyle? What lasting, yet unforeseen, impacts will screen technology have on brain function and personality development?<br />
<br />
Oh so many questions roll around in my mind...Will we ever again be able to unplug and enjoy a walk in the woods? Or will that be too "old school"? Will we be able lose ourselves in a good book? Or is that just something grandma does? Will we be able to discern the deeper issues and needs that drive our lives? Or will the constant distraction of digital media make that impossible? Will we be able to pray and listen to God? Will we cultivate patient waiting? Or will these things seem ever more elusive, irrelevant, and, frankly, a waste of time? What will the role of silence be for us--a welcome friend or a stranger who makes us fidget uncomfortably?<br />
<br />
What will a 21st century spirituality look like for us, one that isn't Luddite, but gazes clearly and deeply at the issues and opportunities right before us, courageously naming both the costs and benefits of constant digital communication?Carl Hofmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02086233371029204266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26519755.post-2587723288347615322013-07-01T11:44:00.001-06:002013-07-01T11:44:13.548-06:00Marriage, DOMA, and a Silver Anniversary<span style="font-size: small;">Marriage was on our collective minds this past Wednesday. For me, it was the celebration of my silver wedding anniversary: my wife and I had been married twenty-five years <span style="font-size: small;">on that day</span> and I couldn't be more grateful. For most of America, however, this past Wednesday, June 26, was a day in which the U.S. Supreme Court struck down several provisions of California's "Defense of Marriage Act" (DOMA), Proposition 8. The door is widening in our country to allow more and more same-sex couples to move toward legally-sanctioned and -supported marriages. Some are overjoyed. Some are outraged. For some this is an equal-rights moment akin to other moments in national history. For others this is a harbinger of social apocalypse.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">I was surprised by the tone of several evangelical spokespersons, who commented on last week's historical decision. Where I would've expected stridency, angst, and hand-wringing, I saw soul-searching and a welcome humility. This excerpt from <i>Christianity Today</i> was particularly noteworthy:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
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<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div class="text">
<span style="font-size: small;">" 'The gay and lesbian people in your community aren't part of
some global 'Gay Agenda' conspiracy. They aren't super-villains in some
cartoon. They are, like all of us, seeking a way that seems right to
them," said Russell Moore, the Southern Baptist Convention's voice on
ethics and political issues. 'This is no time for fear or outrage or
politicizing.'</span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-size: small;">"Moore, like Focus on the Family president Jim Daly and others we
heard from, wanted to talk about the court decisions as opportunities, not defeats.
They agree that same-sex marriage is a large-scale social experiment that's
likely to have negative consequences. They agree that the biblical image of
marriage and the shifting reality of marriage have significantly diverged. But
that means that Christians have a chance to have different marriages that bear
witness to the redeeming, sacrificial gospel. 'The single greatest
argument we can present to the world on this issue of marriage is to personally
live out marriage in all its God-ordained fullness and radiant beauty,'
said Daly. Moore agreed: 'We have the opportunity, by God's grace, to take
marriage as seriously as the gospel does, in a way that prompts the culture
around us to ask why.'"</span><span class="title"></span> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div class="text">
<span class="title"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: small;">--</span>“The Right Side of History Is Full of Rewrites”,
</span></span><span class="byline"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">Ted
Olsen,</span></span><span class="title"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"> <i>Christianity Today</i>, </span></span><span class="postdate"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">June 27, 2013</span></span></div>
</blockquote>
<br />
<div class="text">
<br /></div>
<div class="text">
This seems right to me. In the church, while we may have different opinions on gay marriage, we're certainly challenged to put our own house in order first: to give attention to the way our heterosexual marriages are (or are not) giving witness to the gospel of Jesus Christ. With our Christian divorce rate no better than secular society, we are often rightly accused of hypocrisy when it comes to preaching on the sanctity of marriage as a union between a man and a woman. I'm challenged to reinvest in my marriage. I'm humbled by my shortcomings as a husband. Most of all, I want this next twenty-five years to be more effective in blessing others as my wife and I use our marriage as a place of ministry, caring, and compassion. That marriage will not need to be defended. Hopefully, it will speak for itself.</div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">
<br />
</span></span>Carl Hofmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02086233371029204266noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26519755.post-44176761261544805232013-03-25T10:23:00.002-06:002013-03-25T10:23:56.971-06:00YOLO Philosophy at Midlife<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ao2fExgBY2o/UVB3tXXRNII/AAAAAAAAARY/KVQrUC-u84I/s1600/yolo-final.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ao2fExgBY2o/UVB3tXXRNII/AAAAAAAAARY/KVQrUC-u84I/s320/yolo-final.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
YOLO. Do you know what this means? I saw a Colorado vanity license plate with it the other day. It's a saying that's in vogue among young people. It means "You Only Live Once." Yolo is today's take on yesterday's "Carpe Diem!" (Seize the day). It's about living to the fullest, sucking the marrow, making every moment count. Do you live by YOLO? It's an interesting question to ponder.<br />
<br />
I think it's worth examining. On the one hand, YOLO is full of gusto and go-for-it. It's what can make a person try sky-diving, backcountry skiing, extreme sports. YOLO, no doubt, has led to some epic moments and, likely, some serious morning-after regrets. YOLO is filled with Sturm und Drang, or more vividly, piss and vinegar. It's youthful philosophy.<br />
<br />
But does YOLO have a dark side? I think it might. It could be kind of nihilistic. Like "this is all there is, nobody gets out of here alive, better make it count while I still have breath." Rather than liberating, YOLO could be oppressive or downright depressing. Perhaps it all depends on how you look at it.<br />
<br />
If this material, earthly existence is all there is, then there is this existential angst and pressure with it: "I've got to live life to the fullest NOW!" Awareness of our mortality can have that effect. I confess I feel some of that in midlife right now. Gosh, where did the years go? I wonder. I'll never be this young again. What changes or adjustments should I make? Life's "bucket list" of bike rides and adventures grows more specific each day. On the one hand, that could be a good thing, if it causes me to live with greater focus and gratitude for each day I have.<br />
<br />
But YOLO doesn't satisfy me ultimately. It can cause me great regret: what about the time I've wasted? The missed opportunities? The water under the bridge? Ugh! The regret, the pressure, the ultimate finality of this mortal flesh--is that all there is? There's got to be more.<br />
<br />
And the good news is, there is more! As we make our way to the cross and empty tomb in this Holy Week we consider the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. As far as we know, he only had about 33 years here on earth--but, boy, did he make them count! Thirty of those years he "wasted" working his trade in the carpenter's shop. Or did he waste them? He learned deeply what it means to share life with people, to embrace joys and sorrows, to feel humanity's pulse throb and surge. Jesus saw first hand the YOLO mentality and the depressive resignation his fellow Jews must've felt under Roman rule. He witnessed firsthand our human longing and desperation. And then, in three short years he made it all "count": proclaiming the hopeful in-breaking of God's gracious kingdom, healing the sick and disabled, touching the leper, raising the dead, confronting injustice, welcoming the outcast. He did it all not because of YOLO but because of something way more substantial and hopeful. God's coming Kingdom breaks through the despair of mortality and suffering. God's light illumines the darkness of death. And, as we will celebrate this Easter, the unstoppable life of Jesus cannot be contained by a tomb. No, friends, in Jesus Christ you don't only live once. You live forever. Therefore, begin living now like you mean it. Let the values and life of Jesus take flesh in your own life. Live with bold confidence that nothing can separate you from the love of God shown in Jesus Christ--not even death (see Romans 8:38-39). Live now as if you're going to live forever. Because in Jesus Christ you will.Carl Hofmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02086233371029204266noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26519755.post-40358137858536555852013-01-17T16:52:00.001-07:002013-01-17T16:52:23.802-07:00The Cold Sins of Midlife<span style="font-size: small;">In medieval Catholic teaching on morality, a distinction was made between "hot" and "cold" sins. According to <a href="http://cominghomecatholic.wordpress.com/">one helpful blog post</a>:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">"The <b>'hot' sins</b> are sins of
the moment, the sins of passion. They are often obvious to others,
and easily make us feel ashamed. The <b>'cold' sins</b>
are more calculated. They are often overlooked, or even admired and
encouraged, by others. Whether hot or cold, these sins
lead us away from God." </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Hot sins are the sins that get the most attention, things like anger, gluttony, and lust. Hot sins spring from the furnace of the flesh. They are the spawn of unbridled passion. Cold sins, by comparison, are the quiet, subtler ones: envy, resentment, bitterness, or a critical spirit. Hot sins are typical of younger people; cold sins often set in later in life. Cold sins are particularly prevalent among those who've been around the block a bit; they metastasize quietly in midlife and later. For these more mature adults, the bloom is off life's rose; the fresh wonder of the world has wilted. Kids have left home. Parents are aging or are in need of care </span><span style="font-size: small;">or have died</span><span style="font-size: small;">. The career is stalled, boring, or unsatisfying. One's mate (and, if we're honest) one's self is past their prime. Cold sins grow in the bleak tundra of life's second half.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Of course this is the classic crucible for the midlife crisis. It's what drives middle-aged people to rush out in desperate pursuit of the hot sins--the sports car, an affair, or some adventure that promises to put the spring back in our step. It's a desperate attempt to assuage the accidie and ennui so typical of this stage. I like the way Christian writer and pastor Gordon MacDonald once described midlife: it's the season of the "sames". Same job, same house, same spouse. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">It would be easy, especially on a bad day in midlife, to draw attention </span><span style="font-size: small;">only </span><span style="font-size: small;"> to the difficulties of this season. It would be even easier to do this when feeling the effects of pervasive popular culture, which focuses almost solely on younger adults. As one middle-aged friend said, "I feel invisible."</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">This is a challenging stage and it can sneak up subtly or suddenly. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
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<span style="font-size: small;">What I'd like to do in subsequent posts is unpack the challenges and opportunities of midlife. I'd especially like to reflect on the spiritual retooling this stage calls for in the maturing disciple of Jesus Christ. Do stay tuned.</span></div>
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Carl Hofmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02086233371029204266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26519755.post-33325572698125745722013-01-07T17:37:00.000-07:002013-01-07T17:37:25.575-07:00Lance's "Confession"?!As I write this, I've just heard a news report on NPR (based on a recent <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/05/sports/cycling/lance-armstrong-said-to-weigh-admission-of-doping.html?_r=0">New York Times article</a>) that ex-cycling champion Lance Armstrong is weighing whether or not to confess to doping in order that he might be permitted to continue competing as a triathlete. This involves serious legal maneuvers to avoid prosecution in civil court for a variety of allegations (the most serious, that he and the U.S. Postal Service pro cycling team used federal funds to finance their systematic doping program).<br />
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That "thud" is my jaw hitting the floor. Where I come from "confession" is serious business. It's not something you cynically manipulate for your desired purposes. At least it shouldn't be. To me, this reveals the world Lance has been living in all along: "Lance's World"--a win-at-all-costs world where rules are bent to insure your victories, where you crush your competition and obliterate those who get in your way. It's a world where the ends always justify the means, where the public is taken for fools. Give me Marion Jones any day: she at least showed some visible remorse with her tears and did some time in prison for her offenses. One hopes her character has grown and benefited and that she's a better person for all of this.<br />
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Confession literally means "to agree." It's to agree that what we've done is reprehensible and wrong and to sincerely admit that we're sorry for it. Confession involves humble recognition that we've missed the mark, that we've transgressed a serious standard, that we are sorry and now seek to make amends and live differently. Confession can lead to liberation and personal renewal. Above all, confession is not just another way to "lawyer-up" and come out victorious. If you're the praying type, pray for Lance's genuine, heartfelt confession and the necessary contrition to go with it. There's so much more at stake here than sports. And apparently he's just not getting it.Carl Hofmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02086233371029204266noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26519755.post-61283969652071036392012-12-20T10:41:00.000-07:002012-12-20T10:41:00.646-07:00<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Tomorrow's "Mayan Apocalypse": A Call to Readiness</b></div>
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<i>"But about that day and hour [the precise timing of the End] no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father...Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming...Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour." --Jesus, Matthew 24:36, 42, 44</i></div>
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If our old friend <a href="http://www.carlhofmann.com/2011/05/wisdom-of-reverent-agnosticism.html">Harold Camping</a> was wrong about the timing of the End of the world (and he, though steeped in the Bible, seemed to miss Jesus' very obvious points, above), then could the ancient Mayans be right? Could tomorrow, December 21, be the end of the world? (Of course, the media has reassured the public that this cannot be the case, since the Long Calendar of the Mayans only indicated an ending that day, implying a cyclical new beginning the next day.) Still, perhaps we have an opportunity to engage in a little apocalyptic reflection--and consider how it might impact our lives.<br />
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Jewish, Christian, and Muslim theologies all teach that the world will not roll on endlessly. Each of these monotheistic religions (at their basic level) look ahead to the end of the world and a final judgment. This couldn't be clearer to a pilgrim visiting the Old City of Jerusalem. As you look westward from the top of the Mount of Olives (the site of Jesus' ascension into heaven in <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%201&version=NIV">The Book of Acts, Chapter 1</a>), you're overwhelmed with tombstones in the Jewish Necropolis, the cemetery in the prime position, Jews believe, to participate in the resurrection on Judgment Day. These are stadium seats, the best seats, for the faithful as they look ahead.<br />
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Across the Kidron Valley, on the slopes of the east edge of the Temple Mount, is a Muslim burial ground. They too believe that here, in the Valley of Kidron, will come the end of the world and the resurrection of the dead. And Christians have traditionally believed the same: that though the signs of the end and specifically of Jesus' second coming, will be universally visible, Jesus will likely return to the place from which he ascended: this very same place above the Valley of Kidron in Jerusalem (see <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%201:11&version=NIV">Acts 1:11</a>).<br />
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Now we can debate the specifics of this 'til the cows come home. The point I want to make is one that seems so appropriate for Advent: the call to live in a state of readiness. Advent, for Christians, is a season where we reflect that we live "between the times"--of Christ's first coming in humility as a baby in Bethlehem and Christ's second coming in glory at the end of the world. Advent calls us to look backward in thanksgiving, wonder, and worship; it also calls us to look forward in hope, anticipation, and appropriate eschatological readiness.<br />
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Eschatta what?! It's a recognition that Jesus could come back at any moment. And, if his words are correct, we won't know the moment. For that reason, I doubt that tomorrow's the day. Because of this "reverent agnosticism" about the End's timing, we must live in readiness, on tip-toe. This doesn't mean living with anxiety or fear: no, if Jesus is our friend, Savior, and Good Shepherd, his return for believers will be great joy. My favorite verse to remind me of this is John 14:3 "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also." I love that!<br />
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So what does readiness look like? First of all, especially for the not-yet-believer (and I hope there are some reading this), it means getting to know Jesus, drawing close to him, speaking with him honestly about where you are (and are not) in your faith journey. Ideally, if you're ready, it means kneeling before him and praying a simple prayer of surrender. It could be something like this: "Jesus, I'm learning that I can't--and I don't want to try anymore to--run my life by myself. I mess it up. I grow fearful, empty, and confused. Deep down I realize I need you. I want you. Come into my life. Save me from all the things I've done that I regret. Save me from missing so many opportunities to love and do good. Be my Savior. Lead my life. I open myself to you. Amen." Praying that prayer, or something like it, if you haven't done so already, is the best way to get into a posture of readiness.<br />
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For those of us who are already Christ-followers, the best ways we can live in readiness are:<br />
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1. <u>Keep short accounts</u>. If there are patterns of sin or rebellion in our lives, if there are damaging habits or harbored resentments, bitterness or unforgiveness, we must confess them--first to God in Christ and then, if and as God leads, to those we may've injured. This helps us travel light through life--and be ready.<br />
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2. <u>Seize the Day.</u> Today's all we've got. Yesterday's gone. Tomorrow's not here yet. What opportunities does God give us to love someone <u>today</u>? How might we speak a word of encouragement today? Help a neighbor? Give generously of our time and money? <u>Do it today!</u><br />
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3. <u>Invest in relationships</u>. "Love God, love people, the rest is just commentary." That's a paraphrase of ancient Jewish and Christian wisdom. Strive to create or mend or otherwise build up your relationships. Don't live in regret.<br />
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Jesus said to his followers: <span class="text Matt-24-46" id="en-CEV-21971">"Servants are fortunate if their master comes and finds them doing their job" (Matthew 24:46). We don't know when the Master will return. We have no say in that. What we do have a say in is how we will live: will it be in readiness, doing our job faithfully?</span> <br />
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<br />Carl Hofmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02086233371029204266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26519755.post-1738838184141321832012-12-19T14:30:00.000-07:002012-12-19T14:30:23.856-07:00The Lessons of Two FridaysIt strikes me that Friday, December 14 and Friday, December 21 have something in common--and taken together give us an invaluable, if painful, reminder. Last Friday, December 14 a deranged 20 year-old gunman broke into the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, massacring 20 first-graders, several teachers, and prior to this, his mother. He then took his own life. This horror has shocked the nation and the world; and yet it seems that incidents like these are on the rise. Gun control debates are heating up; schools are implementing stricter security measures; legislatures are looking for increased mental health screening and funding. We're desperate to do something, anything, to stop the violence. And that's a good and right impulse. But...after taking the appropriate steps, if we're able, we must also acknowledge: there is no such thing as perfect safety. The human problem behind the Sandy Hook shootings goes much deeper than gun control. Our world and we who live in it are deeply broken. To think that we can solve this problem in our own brokenness is deluded. It doesn't mean that we shouldn't institute wise measures or seek to protect the weak and innocent in our midst. It's simply to acknowledge: these are bandaids on the problem. We are not the ultimate solution to our own problems. The crisis is too deep for that.<br />
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And then there's this Friday, December 21, the supposed end of the world, according to the ancient Mayan "long calendar". While we can lump this eschatological prediction together with other mistaken prophecies of the end, we might want to pause a minute. I suspect I'm not the only one who's wondered in quiet moments, "Hmm, you never know...what if this really WAS the end of the world?" I believe there's a latent end-times anxiety in many of us. If there weren't, we wouldn't be seeing such broad coverage of this in the news. The idea that the world might end unexpectedly is so deeply-rooted in Western thought that it fuels everything from the rise of self-appointed prophets leading millenarian cults to apocalyptic box-office gold. Sure, we can say to ourselves, "I'm sure this Friday will just be one more failed prophecy." And, likely, it will be. But...let's not make the materialist mistake in believing that, on the contrary, the world will roll on forever. And let's not foolishly think that somehow we can shape, prevent, or otherwise avoid any kind of End (through environmental, militaristic, economic, pacifistic, or legislative means). That's back to the arrogant assumption that we, in our brokenness, can solve the world's brokenness. Bandaids on the wound, again. The crisis is much too deep for that.<br />
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The bottom line is we're not in control. There's in us and among us an inescapable, pervasive brokenness (what the Bible calls sin) that is too deep and too profound for us to change in our own strength. We may pass laws on gun control. We'll still have tragic shootings. We may think that history cycles on endlessly (the ancient Sumerian thought this) but even astrophysics teaches us that the world will end someday. We can either grow more anxious about these limitations of ours...or we can confess our desperate need to control our lives and world and acknowledge that even in this scary place there's an invitation: to kneel before God and recognize our dependence--and the biblical testimony to God's faithfulness. We need the words of Psalm 46, especially verse 10: "Be still, and know that I am God!" Only God--and the hope God offers in Jesus Christ and his resurrection--is big enough to handle the crises behind these two Fridays.Carl Hofmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02086233371029204266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26519755.post-89680318042503120662012-12-12T09:29:00.000-07:002012-12-12T09:29:44.966-07:00"What Does Christmas Have to Do with Easter?"Hi Everybody,<br />
At our staff devotions yesterday our new pastor/head of staff at First Presbyterian Church in Boulder read the following poem, assisted by a female reader. It addresses the above question, which may particularly be helpful for those who might attend services only at Christmas and Easter (pretty much someone like me when I was young).<br />
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I hope you'll find it as moving and helpful as we did.<br />
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Advent blessings,<br />
Carl<br />
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"Enchantment--The Christmas Connection" by Lee Magness<br /><br />Female voice: <span class="tab" id="yui_3_7_2_18_1355328497280_101"> </span>"So God stopped time for 33 years/And he pitched a tent of flesh/Which he unfolded one night/And enfolded the next.<br /><br />Male
voice: "And that moment in which God tread time/Lasting from the
darkness to the darkness/From the sunrise to the sunrise/Was called Jesus Christ--<br /><br />F: In great pain Mary labored over God/And suddenly in merciful agony--<br /><br />M: A man burst forth from the courtroom/Into the yard filled with a vicious mob--<br /><br />F: And the mother knelt down/To wrap the baby in swaddling clothes--<br /><br />M: And they ripped them from his body/And kneeling down, gambled them away--<br /><br />F: And because there was no room in the inn/She gently laid him--<br /><br />M: On the wooden beams of a cross/Where they nailed his reaching hands--<br /><br />F: And the animals heard the baby/And they drew close hoping to be fed--<br /><br />M: And they bleated and bawled/"Crucify him, Crucify him"<br /><br />F: And the shepherds on the hillside/Came to see this thing--/Which they thought would soon be past--<br /><br />M: And asked, "Are you the King of the Jews?"<br /><br />F: And the wise men came to see Jesus/One brought spices, another perfumes/And a third removed his golden crown<br /><br />M: And jammed its thorns into his brow--<br /><br />F: And in that dark Judean night/The new-born baby cried out/Wanting protection from the cold wind--<br /><br />M: "My God, my God, Why have you forsaken me?"<br /><br />F: And as the star stopped over the manger<br /><br />M: There was a darkness over the whole land<br /><br />F: And just before the baby fell asleep<br /><br />M: He softly cried, "It is finished."<br /><br />Both:
And in that moment of ghastly glory/When Mary lay exhausted with an
empty tomb/He said, "I am the resurrection and the life,"/And in the
next moment He redeemed the time.Carl Hofmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02086233371029204266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26519755.post-49824926739599248972012-11-27T08:45:00.004-07:002012-11-27T08:49:10.572-07:00Morals MatterHey Folks!<br />
Sorry I've been silent for so long--launching our eldest off to college and adjusting to three, not four plates, at the dinnertable is a major reason why. Let me throw some grist into the mill for a brief thought or two today...<br />
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We've been hit in the headlines recently with two significant falls from grace, both involving Alpha Males in their respective fields: General David Petraeus in the military/intelligence realm and Lance Armstrong in pro cycling. The consequences of their catastrophic choices have offered spectacular crashes, plummetting them from the heights of fame and power to places of public scorn and ridicule. There's a parable here, a morality play of sorts, for those willing to listen.<br />
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I suspect (and I'm only surmising) that in each case, the power of these two individuals elevated them to a rarefied realm where they were surrounded by people who largely profited from agreeing with them, rather than challenging them or confronting them. Power isolates even as it elevates. It removes us from relationships of parity and mutuality, where we can receive the hard word when needed. Along with this, power and influence often create their own world around the privileged, a world where rules are bent, twisted, and broken to suit the needs of those in power. "The ends justify the means", a Lance Armstrong might say. "Everybody's doping. This is what's needed to compete--and to win--at the top level. Besides, this success allows me great influence in the worldwide battle against cancer. That can't be wrong." And who can argue with success, right? Right?<br />
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David Petraeus might've had his own version of this self-justifying monologue: "Given the great responsibilities and the sacrifices I'm making to serve my country away from my family, I deserve this little indulgence, this little thing on the side. That can't be wrong, right? Right?"<br />
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Wrong. The moral of the story in both cases is that power and influence carry their own occupational hazards: they can isolate us, they can elevate us beyond others to a point where (even if unconsciously) we believe the rules don't apply to us. It's lonely at the top--and sometimes dangerous. If we're not grounded in deeper realities, realities well beyond our personal success and power, we're far more vulnerable to a fall. And given the height of prominence, that fall can be spectacular indeed.<br />
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"Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that he may lift you up in due season," writes the Apostle Peter. Living under the reign of God and God's healthy guidelines in his Word can grant us an inner humility and self-awareness, which, when combined with close friends and colleagues who can call us to account when we're tip-toeing into dangerous territory, may save us and those we lead.<br />
<br />Carl Hofmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02086233371029204266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26519755.post-82868505214448084762012-08-08T11:27:00.002-06:002012-08-08T11:27:39.013-06:00What Are You Looking For?<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>"'What are you looking for?'" </i></div>
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<i>--Jesus, in John 1:38</i></div>
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John the Baptist had the ministry of pointing. If he was a dog, of course he'd be a pointer. His job, under the guidance of God, was to sniff out messianic movements in first-century Judea, find the right one, and make sure everyone around him heard about it. John pointed to Jesus. "Look," John kept exclaiming, "here he is!" He pointed to Jesus, this unassuming, unknown, unacclaimed carpenter from backwater Galilee. "Here he is!" That was John's main message. And we know from the Fourth Gospel, that at least two of his disciples took his message to heart. They followed Jesus. I mean they literally walked after him. When Jesus became aware of their stalking presence, he turned and asked them, "What are you looking for?" That is the question they needed to be asked. That's the question we need to be asked now.<br />
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"What are you looking for?" Jesus asked those two disciples: are you looking for a military-political leader to guide occupied Israel to its former independent greatness? In other words, are you looking for a new King David? Are you looking for an exciting new rabbi with tantalizing teaching to tickle your tastebuds? What are you looking for? Is it a prophet to stun you with miracles and a fresh word from God? They seemed tongue-tied by Jesus' question. All they can stutter out in response is "Where are you staying?" A question answered by a question. Typical Jewish interaction in the first-century, but this time, not terribly profound. Jesus is kind in his response: "Come and see." Even though they can't articulate an answer to his probing question, Jesus doesn't turn them away. He invites them in for a closer look. So gracious.<br />
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What are we looking for today? Are we looking for Jesus to give us Ten Tips for Successful Living? Is it self-improvement techniques from a top-notch motivational speaker that prompts us to consider him? Or, are we looking for the ultimate affirmation, that in following Jesus, we are indeed a good girl or good boy, after all? Is it religious (or even psychological) reassurance we seek? Is it the comforting haven of religion? What are we looking for?<br />
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We need to be asked this question from time to time. It gets at the root of who we are and what we need at the deepest level. What motivates us, deep down, to follow Jesus? Why do we want to draw near to him? What do we need or expect from him? Are we even in touch with this core of who we are? These aren't questions just for the so-called "seekers" who haven't yet made a decision about Jesus. These are questions for those of us who are Christ-followers, especially those of us who've been at it a long time. We can get grooved into our holy habits (not necessarily a bad thing) and begin to lose sight of our heart's longing. What do we look for in following after Jesus?<br />
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Here's how I answered that question today in my journal: "I am looking for closeness to you, Lord Jesus. I want to know you and feel your love for me, flawed person that I am. I want your love and grace and Holy Spirit-power to so flood my life that I am truly taken on a journey of transformation into the ultimate wholeness that can only come from you."<br />
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"What are YOU looking for?" How do you respond?Carl Hofmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02086233371029204266noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26519755.post-84593036052138293372012-07-12T13:13:00.000-06:002012-07-12T13:13:38.302-06:00The Fruit of Discipline<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>"Now, discipline always seems painful rather than pleasant at the time, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it."</i> --Hebrews 12:11<br />
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"You...have...got...to...be...kidding...me!!" Those were my first thoughts looking at a recent training plan from my cycling coach. (Yes, I now have a coach who's providing me with customized workouts based on my goals, which are fairly humble: to turn back time, prevent aging, and stave off midlife.) My coach is pushing me into harder workout zones, helping me notch up my functional threshold power (that elusive, theoretical number that estimates what kind of wattage you could put out for an uninterrupted hour of pain on the bike). His alchemy for structuring these workouts astounds me: he pushes me just to my breaking point and then backs off with a rest day. Each week he increases my workload, in terms of hours, intensity and duration of intervals, etc, and then allows me rest, cementing my gains and getting me ready for the next training phase. After a month of hard workouts, he builds in a week of recovery and regeneration.<br />
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This particular workout was open-ended. He wanted me to climb a canyon in a wattage range that I would find challenging for 20-30 minutes. But this sustained climb, by my estimate, under the best conditions, would take me 90-120 minutes! What the heck?! Yet, with my Teutonic genes, I submitted to his coachly authority and undertook the assignment. It nearly killed me! I blew up after about 35 minutes. Each time he pushes me like this, I face obstacles I never thought possible. And this particular one, was, in fact, impossible. But I later found out he was testing me to see what I could do in that particular week of heavy training. I learned much about my body and its limits (as well as my propensity to mutter under duress).<br />
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"No pain, no gain." We've all heard that before. To a large extent, especially considering the distinction between good pain and bad pain, this adage is true. Good pain forces us to grow and adapt. In the hands of an experienced coach who knows us and cares for us, good pain makes us stronger and better. Good pain stretches us and, with proper rest and recovery, good pain takes us to another level of performance. (Bad pain, by contrast, is the result of overdoing it without a plan or can come under the auspices of someone who doesn't know us, know what they're doing, or particularly care. Bad pain tears us down; good pain builds us up.)<br />
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I'm learning much about spiritual formation as I pursue this training on the bike. I am realizing how beneficial it can be to have a coach who cares about us and accompanies us in a challenging period of growth. I'm realizing that we can't expect to grow without being pushed--sometimes to our limit. I'm also realizing that pain, in the hands of Someone wise and thoughtful, can be used to develop us into people we never thought we could be. <br />
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My cycling coach is trained, experienced, and knowledgable. His workout plans are tailor-made for me. His communication via email is compassionate and encouraging. He often ends his notes with, "The main thing is to be sure to have fun!" That particular day, I felt like saying, "Yeah, right."<br />
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But I got through that day and that week. In fact, the very next day, with another challenging climbing assignment, I actually felt better. Nietzsche, that very non-Christian philosopher, was once reported to say, "That which doesn't kill us only makes us stronger." Without buying into his philosophy, I think he was on to something. Under God's gracious care, the discipline that life doles out, while seeming painful at the time, can often yield fruit we never thought possible. So, hang in there, people. And keep on pedaling.Carl Hofmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02086233371029204266noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26519755.post-90691047145793534222012-06-27T10:21:00.000-06:002012-06-27T10:21:43.739-06:00Praying Amidst the WildfiresMany of us are doing a lot of praying right now: with wildfires devastating the Fort Collins area to our north and the Colorado Springs area to our south, and yesterday's lightning-strike fire (still going) behind the Flatirons above Boulder, this is a vulnerable time. We've had record-breaking heat (over 5 days of 100+ degrees and humidity in the single digits) which has made our state a tinder box. And so, we watch and we pray. And we look for ways to be good neighbors to those in need.<br />
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On my bike ride today, my intervals took me back and forth in clear view of our Boulder fire. I'd pray each time I saw the plume of smoke and felt the kick of the west wind. It's caused me to reflect on the mystery of prayer. The Bible clearly shows us that God wants us to pray and to pray unceasingly (1Thessalonians 5:16-18, e.g.). Biblical examples abound of ardent intercession--and God's faithfulness in response. And yet prayer remains a mystery. I cannot imagine the amount of prayer going up in Colorado Springs (sometimes called the Vatican City of American evangelicalism). Surely, there's been a ton of prayer there...yet, news reports recently are nearly apocalyptic, with devastating scenes of countless homes going up in flames. Isn't prayer working?!<br />
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Again, prayer is a mystery. My working hypothesis is this: God, in his sovereign grace, invites us to join his mysterious work of redemption with our lives and with our prayers. In some cases, God will respond immediately and specifically to our prayers; in other cases, God may be using this praying process to shape and mold our hearts to fit his own: to feel his compassion, to suffer alongside the afflicted, to bend our wills to God's. Even Jesus, in the Garden of Gethsemane, praying three times that the cup of his imminent suffering should pass, submitted to God's inscrutable will: "Not my will, but yours be done." Perhaps prayer also puts us on our knees, literally and figuratively, before God--an indispensable posture of humility and dependence. Wrestling with the mystery of prayer, we once again face the fact that we are not god; only God is God...and we are God's servants, especially in our prayers.<br />
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Two final thoughts: first, sometimes I worry that our prayers can descend into folk religion, a sort of magical praying. "God, zap down a response to this need!" "God, change me (this person, this situation) right now!" God is not a magician or a spiritual vending machine; genuine transformation often takes a lifetime. Are we willing to enter into this kind of watching and praying? Are we willing to wrestle and persevere in prayer like that? God can indeed change the weather patterns. Yet, sometimes, God does not. There may be a bigger plan at work, a deeper possibility of redemption and transformation. Only God knows.<br />
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Lastly, I've found that as I lift up the same need repeatedly in prayer, I can come to a point where it feels as if God says to me, "I've heard you. I am faithful. Trust me." Then my prayers undergo a shift: from petition (over the need), to praise (for God's faithful character). God is a loving heavenly Father, a compassionate, suffering Savior in Jesus Christ. My prayer then is: "Lord, help me--help us--to trust you and to cling to you in faith." Let's keep wrestling in prayer together. Amen.Carl Hofmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02086233371029204266noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26519755.post-54104973155843840012012-05-29T12:59:00.000-06:002012-05-29T16:03:50.453-06:00A New Fitness Regimen<i>"Train yourself in godliness, for, while physical training is of some value, godliness is valuable in every way, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come."</i> 1Timothy 4:7-8<br />
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<i>"Do you not know that in a race the runners all compete, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win it. Athletes exercise self-control in all things; they do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable one. So I do not run aimlessly, nor do I box as though beating the air; but I punish my body and enslave it, so that after proclaiming to others I myself should not be disqualified."</i> 1Corinthians 9:24-27<br />
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For my birthday earlier this spring, I received some money that I've used towards something new in my life: cycling training with a coach. If you've read my posts here before, you know that in addition to fine coffee, cycling is one of my life's passions. Deep, I know.<br />
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Recently, I decided to take this passion up a notch and, with this coach's help, I've been training more purposefully. It almost feels like I've begun a different sport.
In the past, I'd just go out for a ride. It might be some hill-climbing, some rollers, or a flat spin on the plains. Time, weather, and how I felt usually set the agenda. Yes, I'd push it occasionally, getting out more frequently, going longer miles or hours, or pushing faster up a hill. But that was it. Now, I've got a monthly schedule devised by my coach: each day has something purposeful in it, even if it's just rest and recovery. I've got interval workouts finely tuned to set zones, intensities, and durations. I've got increasing hours on the bike, multiple climbs prescribed, things that are pushing me harder than ever. I can feel my body adapting to the training stress and as hard as it is sometimes, I like it.<br />
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Training. Discipline. Daily devotion to a consuming passion. Building a lifestyle to support new goals for living. If you've ever trained in the gym with a personal trainer, or had a coach in any sport, or a devoted teacher or mentor or therapist who's pushed you to grow, you know what it's like. You're inspired and empowered to be transformed in positive ways. That's cycling for me now. And it's a window into something else.<br />
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Cycling is indeed a worthy pastime. In fact, as I tell myself frequently, I could be into much worse! The friendships, the fitness, the fun (the coffee afterwards!)--it's all good. But this new kind of training has me thinking about spiritual disciplines. For Christians who seek to grow in Christlikeness, for those who want to be transformed from their old lives into the new, the spiritual disciplines serve as aids to growth. They put us in a place where transformation, by God's Spirit, becomes possible.<br />
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Physical training is like that: we do the disciplined workouts, which--along with rest and healthy eating--allow a mysterious adaptive process in our bodies to take place. Particularly as we rest, our bodies knit new tissues, mend tiny tears, and lay down new networks of fresh capillaries. We really do become transformed! Our heart rates slow, our body fat disappears, our blood pressure drops, and our endurance expands. Why, before we know it, we've become fit!<br />
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Spiritual growth is similar: by attending to our spiritual health, by nourishing ourselves on healthy thoughts harvested from Scripture, by aligning ourselves with lifestyles that promote the good of ourselves and others, by putting off destructive habits, we slowly conform to a new self--a self born in Jesus and awakened in his resurrection from the dead. Daily prayer teaches us an intimate fluency with God. Bible reading corrects mistaken notions of ourselves, others and the world. Faith, as we rely on it more and more, grows like a muscle. Serving others teaches us loving endurance. Most of all, obedience--putting into practice these Christ-centered lifestyles and behaviors--presents our bodies and entire selves to God that we may be reshaped--forever. It's spiritual fitness. <br />
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As the apostle Paul puts it above, "physical training is of some value." Indeed it is! But, as he goes on to write: "godliness is valuable in every way, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come." I live in Boulder, Colorado, a place known for its physical fitness. May I--may we, wherever we live--dedicate ourselves to the pursuit of a spiritual fitness as well--both for now and forevermore.Carl Hofmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02086233371029204266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26519755.post-81764835962320253632012-04-05T09:25:00.000-06:002012-04-05T09:25:40.979-06:00The Odd Ring of TruthThere's something so counter-intuitive about Jesus...and especially the last week of his life on earth. I mean, if you and I were to write the story, there would be triumphalism all over the place: he'd have ridden into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday perched high on a mighty steed, a warhorse! The crowds would've coalesced around his charisma; Jerusalem's elite would've rallied to his cause; why, even the Romans would've cowered before him. Stone Cold Steve Austin, Jason Statham, Daniel Craig, tough guys like these would've had nothing on Jesus.<br />
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And on this day, the Thursday of Holy Week, Maundy Thursday as we're accustomed to calling it, Jesus would've had a victory meal...and those disciples would've washed their OWN feet, and his too. No somber foreshadowing; just joyous, anticipatory celebration!<br />
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And all that stuff in the Garden of Gethsemane, are you kidding me? There would've been last minute plans for sure, logistics locked into place for the big overthrow to come: in the mighty power of God the corrupt religious leaders would be put down, the Roman occupying armies crushed. Good Friday would've been obviously good--a victorious battle, decisive, overwhelming in the power of the hosts of heaven. Easter might've come two days early.<br />
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That's how we'd write the script.<br />
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But that's not what happened. Palm Sunday showed a humble king, mounted on a donkey, his feet barely clearing the ground. That's not high and mighty. The crowds were fickle as crowds usually are. The Last Supper was full of anxiety and foreboding and yet a strange calm covered Jesus. A friend betrayed him in his moment of need--and he was so anxious in the Garden that he sweated blood and prayed for God to deliver him from the suffering to come. This "king" was arrested, then he shuffled off in chains, the ultimate perp walk. The religious leaders trumped up false charges and no one defended him. The Roman governor handed him over to be tortured. He was crowned with thorns; his throne was a rough wooden cross. He was mocked and pierced and died. He even felt God had abandoned him and he said it out loud. This is NOT how we would write the story! Then he was buried in a borrowed tomb. Bad ending.<br />
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But then, on Easter morning, the stone covering to the tomb was rolled back by an earthquake and an angel. He wasn't dead--he was alive! Uh, wait a minute...<br />
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The story of Jesus' last week, in fact, the whole story of Jesus, for that matter, has a human implausibility about it. We couldn't have made this stuff up. It's just not like us. It's counter-intuitive. For that very reason, it has an odd ring of truth to it, doesn't it? And when you see how the scared fishermen who followed Jesus rose up after the resurrection to boldly proclaim the faith, when you see how they spread the Gospel throughout the Roman Empire (talk about implausible!), and especially when you see Peter, James, John, Paul and others go to their deaths out of loyalty to their Lord--well, this just defies our imagination.<br />
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That's why it's worth pondering again--and getting inside the story yourself.Carl Hofmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02086233371029204266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26519755.post-38566712980823300532012-01-03T20:40:00.003-07:002012-01-03T20:46:16.424-07:00"I'm not dead yet..."Seriously. I know my cyber-absence has concerned some (Hi Mom!), but rest assured I'm alive and well. The reason for my paucity of penmanship online...hmmm...well, busyness most certainly (fall had lots of new activities outside my immediate comfort zone--teaching our church's Men's Life, which starts at 5:45AM Tuesdays, and tutoring my Columbine Elementary first-grader were some of the top new items, both of which have been significant blessings, to me at least). Beyond busyness (which I'm sure any of us could cite) I'd add parenting a senior in high school (weekly football games--Go, Coyotes!) as well as parenting a pre-teen, both of which make me feel my middleagedness. Thankfully, I've got a great parenting partner in my wife, who's a fabulous mom.<br />
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I think, more deeply, that some of my reticence for going online has been a certain innate bashfulness. No, really. I want to have something worthwhile to say here and when I'm busy or otherwise distracted, I find it hard to dig deep, write thoughtfully, and take your time to read it. There's an inevitable self-promotion in blogging (and other social media). When my creative juices are flowing in other directions, I find it tough to justify putting just anything up here. Capisce?<br />
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Beyond that, I'm finding that given some free time, I would prefer to read, ride my bike (weather permitting), or simply be quiet. The internet beckons incessantly for our attention and now that I've got an iPad and wireless keyboard (both of which are very cool), it would be much too easy to stay immersed in digital media, which doesn't feel all that healthy, to be honest.<br />
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So, it's a new year and it's a chance to look backward with thanksgiving and forward with hope. From both vantage points I'm grateful for your readership. More soon--hopefully!Carl Hofmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02086233371029204266noreply@blogger.com1