heyrobkelly.com:

For the sake of unity with some of my brothers and sisters in Christ, my rants against "health and wealth/prosperity gospel" teachings are usually subtle. However, as my concerns grow, my restraint to hold back lessens.

John Piper's evaluation is spot on. Thanks Adam.

11:45 PM in Church, Current Events, Religion | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)

Today's Run 06.19.08

It was a HAIL of a run today. Literally. While I was running it started to hail. I only ran two miles (not including my run to the car), but I ran fast.

2 miles in 14:35 (7:18 pace)

This Week: 14.6 miles
This Month: 61.7 miles
This Year: 321.8 miles
Lifetime: 4427.2 miles

11:27 PM in Running | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

June 17, 2008

The God Who Breaks Bones

King David's sin brought a crushing blow from God. God lit David up and then broke him down.

In Psalm 51, David asks God to let the bones you have broken rejoice.

Not sure that I have ever heard anyone describe God as one who breaks bones. It doesn't sound very loving or God-like. If a church is too full, preaching on this could probably free up a few chairs.

Nearly a year passed between the time that David committed adultery and him owning up to his sin. That seems like a long time to me - an entire year. Well, reading Psalm 51, you get the sense that it was not a "slide back into my routine" kind of year. David was able to take care of all the external "problems" of his sin - he had Uriah killed, etc...However, you get the sense that David could not put to death the weight on his heart and mind.

Now I have heard some say that David's heart grew hard during this time, but I believe that David experienced inner turmoil more than a hard heart. No doubt he tried to put the past in the past, but was unable to do so. The guilt was too much.

God could have left him in that place. God did not. God loved David too much. God sent Nathan.

God crushed David. He broke him down and humbled him. God breaks bones. He would not let David stay proud, hard, or troubled.

When we live in sin, or refuse to humbly take hold of God's grace, God will break our bones. We will experience the misery and pain that are embedded in such an act. The pain involved in a broken bone is hard to ignore. It makes you want to get it fixed... quick! Who better to fix it than the one who skillfully broke it?

The setting of a bone is usually more painful that the break. Confession is usually more painful than the guilt of the sin. Confession is agreeing with God that something is broken and acknowledging that God is the only one who can do anything about it. Through confession we can be renewed, cleaned, restored, and our bones that were broken will be set and rejoice. Just ask David.

Psalm 51:7-12 (ESV)

7Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
    wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
8Let me hear joy and gladness;
    let the bones that you have broken rejoice.
9 Hide your face from my sins,
   and blot out all my iniquities.
10 Create in me aclean heart, O God,
   and renew a right spirit within me.
11 Cast me not away from your presence,
   and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
12Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
   and uphold me with a willing spirit.