My daughter has a reading assignment for MAC Track, a program for youth at La Croix who feel they may be called to ministry. The assignment is to finish a book called The Story, which essentially is the Bible distilled down to just the narrative presented in chronological order.

My daughter, my wife and I are reading it together. This has been really interesting as each person has some perspective and different questions about what is being read. As we moved through the Gospels the other night, we hit a section from John 17. In prayer for the disciples, Jesus draws out the incredible relationship between himself and the Father, as well as his hope for the same type of relationship with his disciples and those who will come after them (US!). He speaks of the important role the Holy Spirit will play in this indwelling intimacy.

Father, Son and Holy Spirit in perfect unity with the desire and wherewithal to include us. It was something special to read about this as a family. Perhaps I need to remember this when I get mixed up about who God is and what he's after.

- Rob

Many of you know who Pastor Johnny Thomas is; the Pastor of New Bethel Missionary Baptist Church, our partner at The Bridge, and the grateful tenant in the House God Built. Pastor Thomas shared some thoughts with me some time back regarding marriage and what leads up to it. Here is a paraphrase of his thoughts.

There is a reason that God took the rib of man to make woman. Not the sternum so that she would have somehow been in front of man all the time when they became one; not the spine where she would have been behind him. But from the rib so that they might walk beside one another.

That's what happens in marriage, spiritually speaking; God fuses that rib and ribcage back together so that husband and wife are joined from top to bottom and walk as one, side-by-side. Divorce rips all of that apart in a violent fashion - tearing flesh and muscle and sinew and bone - so that both parties are wounded and scarred. These scars are brought into the next relationship, which makes it even more difficult to be joined properly (particularly outside of God's healing).

Now, here is my issue with premarital sex, living together, or "playing married" before you are married. The truth is that these men and women are joined together in incomplete ways, but very real ways. They are "sewn together in patches" so that the bond is not really strong, but becomes incredibly painful (just like divorce depending on how much has been joined) if and when the couple split.

His comments reminded me that God's precepts are not really about arbitrary moral standards, but about a loving God who wants the best for his children. He wants to protect us from the pain that comes with "playing married."

- Rob Mehner

It is not uncommon for me to be challenged by the words of Scripture. I am certainly challenged by the idea that the normative state of those who confess their belief in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior is to actually take on his image more and more; to reflect Jesus to the world through our character and behavior in ever-increasing manner. I should be challenged because on my own such a thing is impossible.

Just as it is impossible for me to reconcile my sin-stained life with the Father outside of receiving the grace of Jesus, so it is impossible for me to reflect Jesus to the world outside of receiving the Holy Spirit and letting him reign in me. "Looking like Jesus" is not about grunt and groan but about abide and obey. There is a reason why we talk about fruits of the Spirit and gifts (empowerment) of the Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit who transforms our character into looking more like Jesus (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control) and empowers our life to overcome sin and do the work the Father calls us to do...just like Jesus did.

So I am challenged, but I am also encouraged, because God has not called me to this normative state on my own. He provides what I need - Himself.

- Rob Mehner