My Inbox of Daily Inspirations: Daily Heartlight -- January 29, 2008

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January 29, 2008

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=========================== TODAY'S ARTICLE ==========================

God's Good Creation, by Rubel Shelly

We tend to forget that Christianity was formed in the womb of Judaism.
Born into first-century Hebrew culture. Received and interpreted to us
by apostles and evangelists who knew Jesus in the context of his
Jewishness. Yet most of us know the Christian faith as it has been
passed through the vocabulary, culture, and mindset of Greco-Roman
culture. So what?

One of the major "so-what's" is the difference the two mindsets take
toward material things. The human body in particular. And pleasure.

Greek religion and philosophy separate material and spiritual, body and
soul in a way foreign to Judaism. Hebrew thought sees persons as
"living souls" in their totality. The invisible, spiritual part of a
person is not trapped in a body (i.e., the Greek idea), but is made
real and functional by means of it. Thus the goal is not to escape or
to chastise the body but to direct its energy God-ward.

Pleasure is not wicked. Laughter is God's gift! But, that is hardly the
notion most non-Christians reflect back to believers. They see us as a
pretty joyless crowd. Rather prune-faced. And more inclined to scowl
than to laugh.

We seem to have worked hard to create that unhealthy -- and, I might
add, uninviting -- image. Our "saints" tend to be dour, rather than
smiling. They look austere, rather than lovable. They often appear
rigid and forbidding, rather than humane and merciful. What a pity!

Each is a celebration of God's goodness.

Jesus went to parties. He enjoyed life so much that his critics tried
to make him out to be a drunk and a glutton. He had friends. Enjoyed
being with people. And made people feel comfortable around him. I have
no problem whatever in seeing him raise a glass to say, "L'chaim." To
life!

A long list of negatives is a poor way to define the gospel. The very
idea of "redemption" is less about going to heaven when we die as it is
making life here something positive and holy. Paul says Jesus "gave
himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age" (Galatians
1:4). Peter reminds Christians "that you were redeemed from the empty
way of life handed down to you" (1 Peter 1:18).

Steak, golf, sunsets, music, sex, money -- not one is unholy. All are
given by God to meet human needs. Directed toward him, each is both a
celebration of his goodness and a participation in his fullness.
Divorced from him, both pleasure and pain become vulgar. Not the act,
but its God-ward direction makes it holy.

In a world of wrinkled brows and wringing hands, one has to wonder if
the rediscovery of godly joy might be our best advertisement for the
faith we profess.

For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected
if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by
the word of God and prayer (1 Timothy 4:4-5 TNIV).

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(c) 2008 Used by permission. From Rubel Shelly's "FAX of Life"
printed each Tuesday. See Faith Matters for previous issues of
the "FAX of Life."

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Daily Heartlight -- January 29, 2008