Month: June 2022

Posted on

Good, Not Perfect

Every morning, as I drink coffee and wake up, I read Scripture and pray. Many mornings, I read a devotional as well.

This morning, I picked up Forty Days on Being a Three, by Sean Palmer, part of the Enneagram Daily Reflections series. Opening to Day 37, I found a meditation titled, “an Invitation to Rest.”

I almost just put it down again. Yet again, this devotional is meddling in my business and getting on my toes. But the I-will-not-quit in me kept me reading, and I’m glad I did.

Near the end, I encountered the phrase highlighted above: God pronounces creation as “good,” not perfect.

Good. Not Perfect.

I admit that when I think of Creation, I think of it as perfect before human beings messed it up. (Remember the forbidden fruit we couldn’t keeps our hands off that got us evicted?)

Being the Enneagram 3 that I am, I hot-footed it over to an interlinear to check the Hebrew. Sure enough, the word in Genesis 1 is not ‘perfect.’

The Hebrew word is tob. (Strong’s H2896 for those of you who are geeks like me.) This versatile word can be an adjective, a noun, or an adverb, meaning good in the widest sense, beautiful, better, best, pleasant, or fine—and more.

The closest description to perfect in the list is best. Best does not mean perfect. Even the best of something may not be perfect.

So what?

So what difference does any of this make? Too often I think of perfect as the standard. Not just the goal—the standard. Anything less than perfect is not good enough. And the more you work hard to be perfect, to make something perfect, the more it stings when it’s not. And it’s usually NOT, because the world isn’t perfect.

God is, however, perfect. So I have to believe that pronouncing the world ‘good’ and not ‘perfect’ was a choice.

Why would God choose to create something good instead of perfect?

Perhaps God wanted to show us that we can make such a choice. We can choose to create good in our lives and in our world. The quest for perfection often paralyzes us. We create nothing for fear of not creating perfection.

What good have I failed to bring into this world and into my life because perfectionism prevented me?

Today, in a simple sentence, in a devotional that stomps my toes far more than I would like, I am reminded: Perfect wasn’t the goal when God created. Why should it be mine when I create something?

Posted on

Nehemiah’s Vision

Vision is Essential

Yes, vision is absolutely essential!

Your vision is a clear image of your preferred future. If you don’t know where you are going, how will you get there?

Do Something

Nehemiah was one of three people who were part of the return from exile for the Jewish people. The other two we Ezra and Zerubbabel. The story is captured in th two books of Ezra and Nehemiah in the Bible.

Nehemiah had never been to the country of his people. He was born in exile, but his community did a great job of sharing the Jewish people’s vision of The Promised Land.

When news arrives of the condition of Jerusalem, Nehemiah’s hear breaks. His mind returns—or walks back—to the original purpose for the city and his people.

He must do something!

You’re invited to hear more about how Nehemiah revisits his people’s vision as you consider your own vision in this sermon from May 1, 2022.

“The words of Nehemiah son of Hacaliah. In the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, while I was in Susa the capital, one of my brothers, Hanani, came with certain men from Judah; and I asked them about the Jews that survived, those who had escaped the captivity, and about Jerusalem. They replied, “The survivors there in the province who escaped captivity are in great trouble and shame; the wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been destroyed by fire.” When I heard these words I sat down and wept, and mourned for days, fasting and praying before the God of heaven.”

‭‭Nehemiah‬ ‭1:1-4‬ ‭NRSV‬‬

Posted on

The Gospel of John is Unique

Taking Deep Dives

Periodically, I like to take a deep dive into a book of the Bible. I dig out the background information--like when the book was written, who wrote it, and why. I compare translations and do word studies.

This year, the Gospel of John is my deep dive book. And you are invited to come along with me.

Nice to Meet You, John

Every friendship begins with an introduction. Perhaps someone introduces you or maybe you take the initiative yourself. Exchanging names and sharing general information precedes an in-depth conversation.

Let me introduce you to the Gospel of John. Four introductory videos will prepare you for deeper conversations once we jump into the chapters and verses.

For now, let's get acquainted. Here is the first of four introductory videos.

There are four gospels in the New Testament: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. John is the fourth, and last, one.

Matthew, Mark, and Luke are very similar to one another. In fact, they're called the synoptic gospels. The word synoptic means that they come from the same perspective. John, however, is unique. It is very different from the first three.

Question to consider: Why would one of the gospels be so very different from the others? What might explain that difference?

_________________________

POUR (Passage, Observation, Understanding, Response) is the Bible study method I developed over more than 30 years of studying the Bible. I created a handout that can help you use it, too.

Download the POUR Bible Study Method handout