What in the world!

I had started writing another blog about a week ago but it wasn't coming together. It was something about being judgmental and blah blah blah. While that is important, I think that what I am about to address holds more weight than judgments.
Has anyone noticed how the news has been innundated with natural disasters?! Last week it was about the devastating storms in Georgia that covers at least 10 counties. It was about a man who lost his child in his arms because a flood came and took the baby out of his hands. It's about all the people that have been displaced from their homes to centers and shelters.

Even more recently the news has been covering the earthquake in Southeast Asia that has killed at least 300 people. According to Neth Sophana of the Red Cross five members of the same family died when the storm toppled their home as they ate dinner. (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090930/ap_on_re_as/as_asia_storm)

 

Lives are being lost, people are missing, families are devastated, and homes are being destroyed. WHY?Why is all this happening? I wish there was an explanation because then at that point there could be a solution and things would be able to be fixed. I remember when I first heard about these occurences. I instantly thought about the Scripture "creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed" (Rom 8:19). Could this be the reason why there has been so many natural disasters recently? Could it be that the earth is crying out and this is the only way that it can be heard? Could it be that these are the moments and opportunities for us as believers to love one another and by this we will reveal that we follow Christ (John 13:15)? Regardless of the reason these things are happening, let us not turn a deaf ear to it. Let us not ignore the things we can and should do to help whether it be doing something physically/financially or spiritually in prayer. Let us remember Matthew 25:35-40"For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' "

In Not Of

For all of my life I have heard the constant reminder to be in this world and not of it. Instead of using this as a motivator to exemplify the life of Christ, I used it as a self-righteous motto to look down on and judge others who weren't living as "holy" as I was. I prided myself in not getting caught up in the activities that the "world" engaged in and my ability to maintain my Christian beliefs, standards, and doctrines that I had been so well taught. Even as I type this I shake my head in disappointment because had I been around in Jesus's time, He would have been speaking to me when He said, "You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean" (Matthew 23:27).
Now what does this have to do with the video embedded in the beginning of this blog? EVERYTHING. I was forwarded the link to this video and the title said that she was a "terrible role model". I watched the video and I wanted to cry. Not because I felt she was being a terrible role model but because I felt that she is caught up in an industry where there is so much pressure to maintain a certain image no matter what age you are. I wanted to cry because I looked at her face and thought, "I wonder where Miley is?" Is this the real Miley Cyrus or is it the Miley Cyrus that she needs to be in order to maintain the "success" and popularity she's accustomed to? My heart went out to her because I feel like she has so much pressure on her to be a great role model that she has no room to slip up. I know that we forget that she is only 16 years old. At 16 she is still trying to find herself- her purpose, identity, and place in this world. There are grown men and women who get caught up in the industry standards and can barely survive. Time and time again we hear of celebrities like Britney Spears, Mariah Carey, Dave Chapelle, Shia LaBeouf and so many others who go through their "meltdowns" due to the stresses of the business. How can we expect a 16 year old girl to navigate through these waters without proper guidance? I'm not saying that she is exempt from her behaviors because she is old enough to have a basic sense of right and wrong. What I am saying is that there is more to this performance than it seems.
I follow Miley Cyrus on twitter and with almost every "tweet" there is a measure of sadness/depression. One particular tweet caught my attention last week. It said, "I can't remember the last time I felt beautiful. I hate being a girl sometimes. It's all good." Even with the statement "It's all good", there is an underlying sense of coming to the conclusion that there has to be something more to life than what is portrayed. With messages like these, I am able to see another reason why Miley performed the way she did. Like so many of us, she wants to feel accepted and appreciated and sometimes that means doing things that we wouldn't normally do. When we begin to focus on the wrong things, we begin to compromise our standards and make poor decision.
For Christians who continue to tear down those who profess Christ instead of build them up I challenge you to respond in a way that would set you apart as in the world and not of it. If your response to her performance is the same as those who are "of the world" then how are you making a difference. If Miley were to make a change in her life then who could she run to if there is no grace, no forgiveness, no second chance. If we as a followers of Christ do not show mercy and speak the truth IN LOVE, how can there be change? We need to protect her as a person through prayer. We need to show her that even though there was a poor sense of judgment on her part, we do not cast judgement on her anymore than Jesus Himself would. We need to guide her as if she were our own and show her that she is still valuable and precious without the need to succumb to the pressures of society.
To Miley Cyrus: If you ever read this I want to let you know that you are a beautiful young girl who is under a lot of pressure. Everyone around you is telling you that you need to behave a certain way. I would ask you to seek God. Since you have declared Him as your Lord then trust that He will show you how to present yourself. Trust that He will lead you and guide you and protect you no matter what. Trust that He will allow you to prosper without compromising your faith and your beliefs. Thank you for crediting Him with your talents, gifts, and abilities. Make every effort to reflect Him in all you do. Remember that above all, He is the One Who should be smiling and pleased with your performances and anything less than that is no good.Please do not fall into the trap of using this as a reason to justify any past, present, or future behaviors. Use it as a standard by which you live. I love and am praying for you.

Worship

As a worship leader at my church, one of my jobs is to, well, lead people into worship. I've often wondered why people hold back. I wonder why they worship God in a half-hearted way I mean, it's GOD! He doesn't bless you half-heartedly. Why treat Him that way? But then I realize that it could be that people's experiences with and views of Him are distorted and skewed based on their upbringings and poor teachings. I realize that sometimes people, myself included, just go through the motions. It's not that we don't love God. It's just at that moment, we are thinking about ourselves and not focusing on Him. I also realized that I shouldn't judge but I should read between the lines (pun DEFINITELY intended). God doesn't look at the outward appearance so why should I? (1 Sam 16:7)
And then I wondered about those who don't necessarily have a lifestyle that would lead one to believe that Christ is their Lord and Savior. I sometimes think that maybe they don't worship Him because they don't want to or don't think He exists. Maybe they just don't know how to. And then I really thought about it. It's not possible that people don't know how to worship God. We are all born with a fundamental calling to worship and when we don't worship God we find something else to take His place whether we realize it or not. Worship means that we completely lose ourselves in that person, place, thing, or idea that we are focusing on. Worship means prioritizing whatever it is that we find has value or WORTH. Worship is a lifestyle so whether it be a ball club or clothes or music or role models or food, it consumes our daily lives in some way- in thought or in action. In some way, it affects our decisions consciously or subconsciously. What does that look like? Glad you asked...
I was reviewing the Michael Jackson memorial videos on YouTube and I stumbled across Beyonce's Halo tribute at the Essence Music Festival.

When I watched it, I immediately thought, "This is how God wants His people to worship Him!" He wants us to completely abandon ourselves to Him no matter who is around. He wants us to be open about our feelings and experiences as to what He has done in our lives. He wants us to testify about it just like Beyonce did in this video.
Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying this wasn't an emotional moment for her. I do NOT want to discredit her feelings or experiences with Michael Jackson. However, if Michael Jackson's death can bring someone to tears and to their knees, if his death can cause many who don't even know him or barely even heard of the things he did to now all of a sudden pay homage to him, if Michael's death can affect an entire globe then how much more should the death and resurrection of Christ cause the world to draw closer to God! How much more should there be a response to desire to get to know God better! How much more should people be appreciative of the fact that a loving God sent His only Son to die on the cross for their sins because He wants them to be with Him in heaven for all eternity! How much more powerful should Jesus' resurrection be! As influential as he was, Michael Jackson will never come back from the dead; but Jesus already has!  How many people, even those who claim to follow Christ, worship Him with the abandonment that Beyonce showed in this video? It's time we reevaluate our lives and see what it is we abandon ourselves to. So I ask you the question: What is it that you worship?