Out Here Hope Remains

Your Plan to Reach the World?

John Dobbs — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 16:00:52 +0000

If you were putting together a plan to rescue the world from sin and the devil, how would you go about that?

Would you employ Superman – able to do amazing things in a flash – to move directly into all of the dark corners to rid the earth of crime and pain? He could be a shining example and admired by all as he flew around the world making sure that justice and right prevail!

Or would you decide to put Darth Vader to work in your behalf. Using his ultra-sensitive abilities to detect rebellion he could squash any effort that worked against your plan. He would rule with fear and threat, but effectively eliminate enemies one by one. Some may not like his ways, but when his heavy breathing enters the room all plans to overthrow him are thwarted!

I think it’s a good thing we’re not in charge of coming up with this plan. As we look across the gallery of world history we see both of these kinds of approaches and the result has been disastrous.

God’s plan to save the world is just … unthinkable. When the Spirit inspires Peter to write, he doesn’t address the elite and powerful. He writes to the scattered, crippled, persecuted, on-the-run, nothing-to-lose believers. He doesn’t try to tell them to just hang on until help arrives. They ARE the help, bringing the life-giving message throughout the known world.

That rag tag band of afflicted and disoriented strangers were chosen by God. He called them royal. He made them holy. He called them to priesthood – serving from the lowest of positions in this world. God expressed his mercy and empowered the least likely to change the world.

And here we are.

~John

Those Days

John Dobbs — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 21:50:11 +0000

I could you all the details but they are so mundane as to be boring. Today is one of those kinds of days that I feel like doing two things. Eating. Moping.

Eating because that’s one of my life responses to stress and / or the ‘blues’. It’s a failing behavior that reinforces everything I want to escape in my life. It is a reminding behavior that leaves me later filled with regret and calling to mind that I have fallen this way many many times before. It’s a destructive behavior because when I climb back on Mt. Scales I’ll see that the result is quite opposite of what I want it to be. Not a good plan.

Moping because everything I really want to try to do just has no appeal to me. So much of what I do depends on being a self-starter, have my heart in creating and writing and planning… loving and serving … and it’s just impossible to do all of that half heartedly. I was looking for an image to go with this post and googled “moping” and saw an enormous number of pictures about “mopping”. That made me smile…for a minute.

Why write a blog post about it? I guess just because it’s the one thing I felt like doing. I know some of you will be tempted to post something perky and positive (especially now that I’ve opened that door!). I also wanted to say that Christians do not always have to be up to be righteous, cheery to be sanctified, and smiley to be Saints. And it probably doesn’t pay off to pretend that we do.

I hope your day is good. As that great philosopher Scarlett O’Hara said, “I’ll think about it tomorrow.” That sounds like a plan.

~John

Who Else?

John Dobbs — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:22:36 +0000

Click here to view the embedded video.

Video by Adam Ellis

Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Those who are far from you will perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you. But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds.

~Psalm 73:25-28