Chasing Happiness

When I surveyed all that my hands had done
___and what I had toiled to achieve,
everything was meaningless,
___a chasing after the wind
(Ecclesiastes 2:11, NIV)

The American dream of happiness is rooted in a belief in the right to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness," which is written into the Declaration of Independence. Yet we all know coworkers, friends, or loved ones who use their liberty to pursue happiness and end up... saying, "This isn't what it's cracked up to be." Their pursuit of happiness becomes "chasing after the wind."

That American dream is broken. It always has been.


--The above is copied (sans emphasis) from a letter I received today from the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. (Note: all discussion about the merits of this and similar organizations will have to wait for another day.. that's not the point of this post - if you missed the point, read again). I am interested to find out how their TV special, "America's Dream: Chasing Happiness," touches on this topic. Airing times can be found here.

Later, all.

"That American dream is broken. It always has been."

Unity?!

Unity - what is it?

Is it possible? How?

Oh, the thoughts that have run their course through my mind as of late... modernity, postmodernity, truth, God, Christ, Christianity, priorities, surrender, society, politics, word-deed disconnect, God as a social construct vs. God as Himself, the Church, pain and brokenness, orientation, misplaced focus, existence, HIV/AIDS and a properly Christian approach, love, justice, interpretation of Scripture, do we trying to follow ourselves even though we pretend to be following God?

Maybe I'll unpack some of these here. Maybe.

Peace. Soli Deo Gloria.

It is a difficult thing.

It is a difficult thing, this life is.

It is a difficult thing, to stake one's life upon Christ.

It is a difficult thing.

May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it. 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24.

Dear Church

Dear Church:

Who are you? Do you even know?

Who brings you into being?

Who gives you life?

Who draws you to himself?

Who comforts you in your pain?

Who lights your darkness and lightens your burden?

Who gives rest to the weary and restores the broken?

Who speaks judgment on the oppressors and justice for the oppressed?

Who grants mercy to the penitent?

Who brings peace in the midst of struggle?

Who leads the blind and heals the lame?

Who warns those who are idle and encourages the timid?

Who helps the weak?

Who leads the fearful?

Who touches the unloved?

Who displays the truth and disputes deceit?

Who brings you to this place?

Who gives you cause to be thankful and reason to be joyful?

Who will take you home?

Dear Church:

Who is this person? Do you even know?

He died to restore you. He rose in God’s mighty power.

In the same way, you also are called to die. God will take care of the rest. You must die.

“I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.” John 12:24.

Teach us, Lord – we need you.