Douglas Young

The dream goes something like this…

I’m standing in front of four doors. Only one is the correct door that will lead me to the place I need to go. The other three open into a deep, dark chasm, a lot like Tolkien’s Khazad-dum. I’ve only got one opportunity, and there’s a 75% chance of picking the wrong door. There’s no peeking either. Once I open it, I’m thrust through the doorway, either plunging headlong into darkness or into whatever place or situation is right.

This is a dream I tend to have when I find myself in my own “valley of decision”  (Joel 3:14). It’s terribly frustrating, because in the end I’m often left with more questions about what’s before me. Invariably, I cannot escape the desire to constantly doubt. What if I make the wrong decision?

Last week, having lunch with friend, I was reminded that regardless of our choices, God is behind every door. It’s true. God can make good of whatever decision I make. The list of biblical figures who prove this is too great!

Before us all are a myriad of choices. Some impact us less than others. But everyday we make them nonetheless. Some days we’ve got big choices to make. Do you leave a job for another? Do you move your family across the globe to become a missionary? Big and small, the choices are always before us. We pray asking for guidance so that we don’t make the wrong decision. Is there really a wrong decision to me made?

Naturally, and it pains me to have to qualify this but I know how some think, I’m not talking about decisions that involve sin. We shouldn’t choose that door anyhow. Even if we do, though, God can rescue us.

So my point is…God isn’t just behind one door, hoping we make the right decision. He’s behind every door, waiting, regardless of the choice, to turn into something whereby he is glorified. “And we know that for whose who love God, all things work together for the good, for those who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).

God finds ways to work things out for us! For those of you who are confronted with doors to open, but you are uncertain as to which one is the right one…trust in the One who redeemed you and He’ll be behind whichever door you choose.

One of several books I’ve been slowly, but steadily trudging through is Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus by authors Ann Spangler and Lois Tverberg. If you are interested in seeing Jesus in his original light, instead of how the Western world has formed him, I recommend it. I feel as if Spangler and Tverberg are taking me back in time, to see the culture of Jesus’ day, so as to shed increased insight into his words and actions.

There is a growing concern amongst some, inasmuch as the Gentiles of old fashioned gods after their own imaginations (Romans 1:21ff.), that we’ve done the same thing with God the Father and His Son Jesus. To some, this formulation of God based on human conceptions was a problem of the past. But if it happened then, it most certainly can happen now.

In a way, he’s been Westernized to fit our needs. Think about it…many of us see him as white, Republican, and concerned about making us rich. But this is not the Jesus of Scripture. He wasn’t white. He wasn’t political (John 18:36). He wasn’t concerned about making you rich (Luke 12:15). His concern was that you have life in him (John 10:9-10).

It’s never easy to have your notions of things broken down, but sometimes they must for us to see clearly. Veils must be torn; haze must be lifted; light must penetrate darkness. Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus is helping do some of this for me. It can do the same for you.

“Inquiring minds want to know.” It’s The National Inquirer’s basis for existence. So they say. To a degree there’s truth to it. If not so, it would have folded long ago.

There seems to be an insatiable interest for sordid details into people’s lives. I can’t help but wonder if some aren’t obsessed with such. Look at the kinds of things covered on shows like Entertainment Tonight. Why would ET cover the stories they do if this wasn’t so? Apparently, there’s great desire for the succulent scoop on Hollywood’s elite. There’s a longing to know about the secret weddings and tawdry affairs of the stars. Would it, as a television show, endure if it weren’t the case?

I could be wrong, but I’m inclined to think that not all the stars care for the constant probing into their private lives. Jennifer Lopez’s secretive wedding wouldn’t have been covertly planned had she wanted photos of it to be slapped all over television sets. I think stars deserve some freedom from disturbance and a break from the paparazzi. I don’t think fame warrants the surrendering of all rights of privacy. Quite frankly, I lean towards the thought that overly obsessed people that feed off of this kind of information, themselves, have serious issues.

I appreciate that Jesus didn’t value meddling. At the close of John’s gospel,  he tells us how Peter inquired of Jesus as to who would betray him (John 21:20). It’s an interesting question. Peter had already denied Jesus. Judas had already betrayed Jesus into the hands of those who crucified him. Apparently, Peter had conditioned himself to believe that there was more betrayal to come. Given the preceding verses (vv. 18-19), Peter could be thinking just about anything. I wouldn’t be surprised if it wasn’t, itself, just another rumor. We simply don’t know. Anything was possible.

John reveals, from the third person vantage point, how he had been following Jesus and Peter (v. 20). That Peter is thinking suspiciously of John for doing so is evident (v. 21). I suppose the real question is…Was his suspicion warranted? I don’t believe so. Jesus knows what Peter is doing. But it’s not implausible for Peter to be thinking that John would betray the Lord, and as a result give Peter over to die. This is reasonable, especially, if the thoughts of vv. 18-19 are lingering in his mind.

Nevertheless, Jesus responds: “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!” (v. 22). One might conclude that Jesus, himself, had an inherent suspicion of another impending betrayal because of his response. After all, he doesn’t explicitly deny the suggestion. Why Jesus answered this way we’ll never know on this side of eternity. Regardless, whether Peter is on to something or not, it was none of his business. The most important thing was for Peter to follow Jesus, and not let himself get swept away into another denial himself. He needed to tend to his own matters. Soon his faith would really be put to the test!

Unfortunately, Peter couldn’t do that just yet, nor could he keep his mouth shut. “So the saying was spread abroad among the brothers that this disciple was not to die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he was not to die, but, ‘If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?’” (v. 23). Peter didn’t listen very well to Jesus’ advice. He instead gossiped about his inferences from Christ’s words. All he did was increase speculation and make matters worse.

Some things simply aren’t my business. Some things aren’t your business either. Peter shows us that curiosity can get the best of us, leaving us with egg on our faces. I’m inclined to think Peter learned his lesson (1 Peter 4:15).

There’s a fairly new show on A&E entitled Hoarders that captures life as a lot of people know it. Each show documents the lives of generally two people who cannot let go of things. They hoard all kinds of things, and they are suffering as a result. Their families often are trapped as well. Homes fall under decay. Cities threaten to levy fines and/or condemn houses altogether because of the health hazards that are created by the sickness of hoarding.

On the show, counselors work to help those entrapped in their hoarding ways through psychology, as well as through the clean-up process. It’s painful to watch people anguishing over getting rid of what to most of us is junk. People desperately cling to what seems to be insignificant. Oftentimes, people even hoard trash and rotten food. It’s saddening to watch, but what’s even worse is to see how so many see themselves as not having any problem.

We can become obsessed with things and not even be hoarders. Jesus spoke of such people (Luke 12:15). But life doesn’t consist of the things we collect. Life is about much more important things- God, community, love, family, friends, and etc. The things that we cling to are things that endure.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. According to his great mercy, He has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that is imperishable, uncorrupted, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who are being protected by God’s power through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 1 Peter 1:3-5, HCSB.

We cling, by faith, to something that isn’t subject to destruction, cannot be tainted, is resistant to decay, and his heavenly in its constitution. What God gives as his inheritance endures. It lasts.

Instead of desperately clinging to things that do not endure, may we remember the things that do!

Heartburn is real. Most of us, at some time, have experienced it. It’s no fun. No fun at all.

So I find it intriguing that there is a heart burn for which I currently yearn. This burn is different though. It’s been experienced before, but not by me. I sense it is immensely powerful. It must be, because simply reading about it has instilled in me a desire for it.

The gospel historian Luke writes of how two disciples are traveling by foot, on the road between Jerusalem and Emmaeus. It appears they are discussing events surrounding the death and resurrection of Jesus. Jesus appears, but they don’t realize its him, for “their eyes were kept from recognizing him” (Luke 24:16). His inquiry into their conversation amazes them, given the buzz going around Jerusalem. Still, unbeknownst to them, they are conversing with the resurrected Christ. So they offer him a dinner invite and he accepts. Luke says, “When he was at table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight” (vv. 30-31).

And then comes the recognition of The Jesus Burn. The two express to each other the mutual burn that came with their time with Jesus. “Did not or hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” (v. 32).

Their walk with Jesus formed in them both a burning sensation in their hearts. What a wonderful testament to their experience with the Christ.

Scripture tells us that Christ dwells in our hearts (Ephesians 3:17). Does his presence in your heart create a similar burning sensation? There have been times when I’ve sensed his nearness, but I long for his burn. I hope you will to!

How could one forget 9/11/01? I was ill that day. As I lay on the couch watching Good Morning America, the tone of the show changed completely. Something had gone terribly wrong. Multiple planes hijacked? You’ve got to be kidding me! One plane hits a tower. No accident. Smoke envelops the NY sky. Another plane hits the other tower, caught on camera. Shortly thereafter, a tower crumbles; the other soon follows.

The sick feeling in my stomach was now compounded. I felt bad when I began the day, but now another sick feeling consumed me that brought me to tears. I’d hoped it was a dream.

I laid on the couch virtually all day long, watching planes repeatedly crash into the twin towers, as well as the subsequent crumbling of the towers to the ground. All day long. It was like the movie Groundhog Day. How could I ever forget?

I’m convinced Christian’s gravitate to James because he pulls no punches. He doesn’t beat around the bush. What’s he’s trying to say is inescapable. I think such is greatly appreciated, especially when you consider to whom he was specifically writing (James 1:1).

Christianity began with Jews from all over the world who’d converged in Jerusalem for Pentecost (Acts 2). It took a while, but eventually the gospel was received by non-Jews. When it did, though, it was not without incident. The New Testament reveals a Jewish prejudice against Gentiles that warranted exposure and reproof on more than one occasion. Furthermore, keep in mind that behind prejudice is conceit.

This brings us back to the book of James. The people to whom he writes are hardly lacking in pride, arrogance and conceit. They are resistant to truth (James 1). They show favoritism in their assemblies (James 2). They use their tongues in degrading ways (James 3). They think they are wise, but the signs reveal otherwise.

“Who is wise and understanding among you? He should (emphasis mine) show his works by good conduct with wisdom’s gentleness” (James 3:13, HCSB). They supposed themselves wise, but the evidence was to the contrary. Pride, arrogance, and thinking we’ve got it all figured out leads to blindness. The Pharisees got sucked into it, leading Jesus to say in reference to them, “They are bling guides. And if the blind guide the blind, both will fall into a pit” (Matthew 15:14, HCSB).

Wisdom warrants discretion, contemplation and consideration for others. Heavenly wisdom is “pure, then peace-loving, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, without favoritism and hypocrisy” (James 3:17, HCSB). Wisdom isn’t found in the denigration of others. Unfortunately, those who think themselves wise often find much delight through it. Who really are the wise?

The other evening I got home a little later than normal, around the time my kids were going to bed. I kissed them each goodnight, as per their requests. Reese was already half asleep when he uttered, “Dad, can we pray?” I responded, “Sure bud!” and he commenced almost instantaneously.

One phrase has stuck with me ever since. “God, please take away my bad dreams, and Haylee’s, Aby’s, and mom and dad’s bad dreams too.” When he was done, I kissed him on the forehead and said, “Thank you, buddy.”

I’ve heard it said that whether we realize it or not, when we sleep we always dream. I’ve also heard it suggested that we, on average, have several dreams a night. No one may be poorer than me at remembering what I dream about, but I know that when I have bad dreams, I tend to remember them.

Growing up, I repeatedly had the same terrible dream that caused me to wake up screaming at the top of my lungs. Funny thing is that nothing that I remember about the dream itself was really frightening. It wasn’t as if Freddy Krueger, Jason Voorhees or Michael Meyers were hunting me down or anything like that. The dream that caused me to awaken in terror, night after night, was centered around my being trapped at the bottom of a hill as hundreds of wooden barrells plummeted down from the top. That’s it. No blood. No guts. No creepy figure from the big screen. Just me, a hill, and barrels.

As we experience them, dreams are very real to us. They may invoke any number of different kinds of emotions because they are tremendously powerful. Our minds, the most powerful tool God has given us, are intensely at work. A lot is going on while we dream, stirring up good and bad emotional responses.

So I’m not the least bit surprised that Reese prayed for God to take away his bad dreams. They are no small matter to him, and the depth to which he is affected by them is seen in his desire that God takes away the bad dreams from the rest of his family too!

God can do that. But God can do much more. He can take away the harmful effects of sin- guilt, shame, and emotional pain- by the power of his might. For that I am eternally grateful. But I’m also thankful that he can take away our bad dreams as well!