Monthly Archives: October 2016

"By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place which he was to receive as an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was to go." Hebrews 11:8

I ran across a familiar phrase this past week: blind faith, as in "some things you just have to accept on blind faith." I don't buy it. I really don't believe in blind faith. We never have to accept a situation or direction on blind faith.

The closest example we have in the Bible of someone having to act on blind faith is probably Abraham. When God called him to leave Haran, he did not tell him where he was going. We cannot be sure Abram, as he was known at the time, was even a worshiper of Yahweh when God first called him. He appeared rather out of the blue in the last few verses of Genesis 11. As chapter 12 opens, God called him to leave everything familiar and go to an unknown place. His willingness to trust God makes him a fit candidate for the roll call of the faithful in Hebrews 11.

But did he really act on blind faith, without not even a hint of support or prior understanding? We can't be sure because the Bible is silent on this issue. But I doubt it. I think Abraham had some notion of God, or perhaps he paid attention to a lingering ring of grace God always sounds. Someone has asked "why did God choose call Abraham?" The answer is "perhaps because he was the only one listening." God never forces Himself on people. He only calls everyone, but the ones who respond have made an effort to listen. Abraham must have been listening, so his faith was not blind at all, but expectant. He knew Someone was there.

Some people today may say they have faced situations that have been far beyond anything they've ever encountered, and had to have faith to step out or to endure a completelynew situation. Isn't that blind faith? Not at all. We perhaps often have "marched off the map," of our previous experience, but all the ways God has blessed and guided us in the past prove to be prelude to this new territory we must explore and embrace. That is not blind faith, it is simply our next step in faith.

You may be facing new and extraordinarily challenging circumstance, but God has used your life to this point to prepare you for this latest expression of His calling. Rather than asking you to act on blind faith, He is simply calling you to act on the evidence and experience at hand. You need to take the next step, but that step is not into total darkness. The light shines behind you enough to give you some notion of where you need to go.

I would not suggest for a moment that the Christian journey comes without any doubt or uncertainty. Belief is not easy. Faith takes muscle. And God certainly doesn't seem ready to show up in the sky. But this reverent uncertainty does not mean that we are left without powerful spiritual and intellectual support! We have evidence, and that evidence comes in several familiar and valuable forms.

Scripture. The Bible is uniquely sacramental in nature, for God communicates to us through it. Its guidance, wisdom, challenge, and comfort are unique and a sure mark of its inspiration. All of the Bible is at least nearly 2000 years old, and parts of it go back another full millennium. The fact that literature so ancient, coming to us through different languages and cultures, addresses so clearly the most important aspects of our lives is singularly remarkable. Genuine spirituality and truth is timeless, and the Bible has proved itself to be a trsutworthy guide.

Think about it. We have many different kinds of ancient texts, but no one, that I know of, claims that the Enuma Elish inspires and guides them for life. Homer was brilliant, but neither the Iliad nor the Odyssey changes lives. The Bible does these things. The scripture has a ring of truth that inspires and encourages so that we never face any situation with blind faith.

God's presence. One of the clearest teachings in the scripture is that God is with you. You cannot ignore or even diminish the vital importance of this truth. Christ abides in you and you in Christ. The Father is with you and will never fail or forsake you. The Holy Spirit whispers comfort to your soul.

We tend to be "practical" today, relying on evidence which can be felt and seen, tested and proved. The problem with the practical approach is that faith is the assurance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. God works quietly, often subtly, not to be evasive, but to drive us to deeper faith in Him. Trusting in God's presence, exploring and cultivating it, therefore, is actually more practical than simply relying on what we can see and touch. The true and deep wonders of God are far beyond what eye can see or ear hear (1 Cor. 2:9).

The fellowship of the faithful. The trials you face are "common to all," and in sharing your struggle with others you open up yourself to help from your brothers and sisters in Christ. You have not walked before the difficult path lying before you, but someone you know has, and God has a marvelous way of bringing those people to you.

Frankly, we never lack of direction from God. God is neither silent nor reluctant. In fact, in addition to not believing in blind faith, I also do not believe in unanswered prayers. God is not fickle. He listens and responds because He loves you. His answer may come in the form of an acquaintance who can guide and encourage you. Instead of accusing God of being silent we may need to confess that we are merely obtuse! Someone around you, of a more experienced faith, knows what you are facing and can help you through a hard time. They become God's voice for you.

Without question we see through a glass darkly. Yes, we know in part, but that part means that we need never act with blind faith. God always provides enough light for you to take a step forward. Trust Him. Take the next step.

Grace,

Dr. Terry Ellis

October 30, 2016

Note: I was adopted at birth, and the following is a letter written about 15 years ago to my birth mother. I have never felt a deep yearning to find her, nor do I know if she still lives. I do know that writing it was meaningful to me, and that whenever I've published it I hear from a wide variety of people for whom it was meaningful to them. It still represents my feelings and beliefs about my adoption, and I hope provides a positive perspective for people who struggle with their own adoption or for those who have, or are thinking about, allowing their own child to be adopted. The T.E.

Let your gracious kindness be evident to all. Philippians 4:5

Dear Darlene,

Let's begin with what I know about you. Most importantly, I know your name and that you are my birth mother. I know that you were single when I came along; that you had at least two other children by your deceased husband; and that I was the unintended result of a relationship you had with my birth father about whom I know nothing.

I know you realized that having a baby in your situation in 1958 would have been a challenge for both of us to say the least. Also I know that you developed a plan to find a good home for me, and that you did a very good job in that task. That's really about it.

The reason I am writing you now is three-fold. First, I want to thank you for giving me the chance to live. I'm not sure that abortion was an option for you back then, but obviously it was not your personal choice. I'm glad. Life is good and precious, God's greatest gift. You chose to let me enjoy that gift. Thank you.

Second, I want to let you know that I am fine. I suppose every February 13 you must wonder what happened to me. Well, I have turned out very happy and fairly normal depending on whom you ask. You made a good choice in Bill and Dottie Ellis. They are both deceased now, but I could not have had a better set of parents. You need to know that. Whatever good or worthwhile I have accomplished is due in no small degree to their love and wisdom. They gave me a good foundation, and on that I have built a life that is positive and, I hope, fruitful.

Third, and this may be most important for you, I want to relieve you of any doubt you may feel about your decision. Over the years I have noted what others have said about the "adoption experience of the child," and I have to say that it puzzles me. I have never felt a sense of loss because you allowed me to be adopted. It was a gift that I could do with whatever I wanted. I chose to see it as a wholly good thing. It made me unique. Again, I am sure that Bill and Dottie helped me to interpret it that way, but you need to know that I have.

So, don't worry about birthdays being a problem for me. Or Mother's Day. Or Father's day. I have never had any discernible sense of guilt or shame, grief or any identity crisis. I don't want this to hurt your feelings, but I really did not spend a great deal of time thinking about you. I think that is the way you would want it. I know who my parents are, and they were terrific. When I do think about you I realize that your decision must have been a very hard one, and I cannot relate to what it must be like to conceive a child and then give it up. But to me your decision has always been courageous and selfless.

You are a hero to me, Darlene. And if this message could in some way find you in the twilight of life, I pray it is for you a benediction that will relieve you of any burden you have carried over these years.

I cannot say that everyone who is adopted feels the same way. Feelings and human personality are very fluid and defy strict categories and sure predictions. I'm writing about me. And you. You did a good thing. Thank you.

Grace,

Dr. Terry Ellis

October 22, 2016

"These things I have spoken to you that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete." John 15:11

Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee,

God of glory, Lord of love;

Hearts unfold like flow'rs before Thee,

Op'ning to the sun above.

Melt the clouds of sin and sadness;

Drive the dark of doubt away;

Giver of immortal gladness,

Fill us with the light of day!

Doesn't that sound absolutely wonderful? Even in reading the words you probably can "hear" that melody. Henry Van Dyke wrote the lyrics in 1907 especially for the final movement of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. Words and music are glorious and uplifting. The tune matches the text.

We don't hear a great deal about joy today in our apocalyptic culture where fear, anger, and resentment reign. Perhaps we never have, or it's been a very long time. The good news is it's never too late to recover joy.

Joy after all is Jesus' goal for us. He said He came that His joy might be in us and our joy might be complete. The Greek word also means perfected. God's goal through His Son is for our perfect joy.

Joy also is second in Paul's list of the fruit of the Spirit, right after love. It's a part of our birthright, not something we seek, but something we apparently are given. For this reason, Paul also exhorted us to be joyful always, and in all situations. He seemed quite sure that this constant experience of joy was not merely a goal, but a gift.

In fact, when look closely at the Greek word for grace we find that gift is inherent in it. Greek is a highly inflected language, meaning that you take a root word, add various prefixes and suffixes and come up with a whole host of related words and nuances.

The root word for joy is from the Greek XAP (char- in English). We derive some very beautiful and important words from this root: grace, gratitude, gift, forgiveness, and joy are all derived from the same root. Joy, fundamentally, is a product of grace. God gives grace. When we open up to it (hearts unfold!) our natural response is joy. We are tuned to God's grace, and when our minds resonate with grace, joy is inevitable. We feel powerfully connected, accepted, and approved by God. Joy is the laughter of the soul, security in the Father's love, delight in the fellowship of Christ, and the sweet energy of the Spirit.

How many souls laugh today? It seems we've forgotten joy. I simply don't hear too much about joy.

I hear a lot about happiness. I think that's because happiness is much more measureable. If my health is good, my bills paid, my family reasonably happy, if my UK Wildcats win 6 games and go to the Poulan Weedeater Bowl, then I'm happy. Happiness is a checklist, and that's not a bad thing at all, nor is it superficial and unimportant. Happiness has to do with the avoidance of pain and the creation of pleasant circumstances.

But this definition does point to an important difference between happiness and joy. The former is temporal. The latter, eternal. It's so obviously possible to have all the necessities for happiness but no joy whatsoever. That may be the quintessential American experience. We have it all and nothing at the same time.

Joy is so notoriously hard to pin down that it appears to be simply ignored or forgotten even by some of the most careful thinkers of human nature. I read recently that in the 24 volumes of Freud's works there is not a single mention of the word joy, which is ironic since his name means joy (George Valiant, Spiritual Evolution). I wonder if that set a standard unwittingly followed by others today.

Whatever the reason, joy does not appear to be a common experience. I believe this is due to a grinding sense of inadequacy people have in their personal theology. Too many people simply do not feel accepted by God. They're keeping score in their souls and that always results in a loss. A sense of aloneness follows. Joy seems impossible.

The recovery of joy, or its initial experience, simply relies on the frank acceptance of the fact that God has accepted you. That is the first axiom of grace. Any voice that tells you that God is either displeased with you or rejecting you is imply not from God. God is love, pure and simple. And grace is love in action.

Joy, then, is the intersection of God's nature and our openness. We receive gifts. We don't earn them. Freed of the soul burden of trying to earn God's favor we can relax in the rhythms of His grace and truly take it easy. Not that we're relieved of the activities of a higher life, but instead of obligations they simply become expressions of who we are, and of our resonance with God. We act because we are loved, not the other way around.

Good religion is never about trying to change God's opinion of you. His opinion is settled. The challenge always is to change your opinion of God. Accepting grace fully quiets fears, doubts, anger, frustration, and a whole host of caustic emotions. And it awakens something truly miraculous.

Wherever you are in life, whatever your past may be, the God who created you loves you and delights in you. When you accept that, and often that will need to happen many times a day, your soul will soar, and sing, and begin to laugh.

Grace,

Dr. Terry Ellis

October 16, 2016

"Behold, the kingdom of God is within you." Luke 17:21

The greatest longing of the human heart is to know God. To have some sense that there is a higher power, and to believe that higher power is aware of you, has a will for you, AND has a positive regard for you is either the greatest comfort or the greatest fear. It solves everything or is the cause of endless angst.

Our solution or search for this assurance often leads to religious practice. We try to do enough things to connect with God and have some sense that we are accepted. These external religious practices such as worship, prayer, meditation, service, rituals etc. are common to every faith, and they are essential to sound spiritual health.

I want to emphasize that. There is a great deal of chatter today about the difference between being religious and being spiritual, with the latter normally being viewed as positive, the former negative. In others words, being spiritual is better than being religious.

I maintain both are essential. In fact, a 2013 article in Psychology Today entitled "Troubled Souls: Spirituality as a Mental Health Hazard" cited studies that indicate people who claim only to be spiritual but not religious are significantly more likely to have poorer, general mental health.

Of course, it's possible to have a healthy spirituality apart from organized religion. Many people do, and my concern here is not to get more people into organized religion. I'm simply pointing out that most people need the structure and defined commitments of religious institutions to form, express, and maintain their spiritual convictions. To airily dismiss church, for example, as obsolete or even detrimental to our greatest longing smacks of the very self-centeredness genuine spirituality should dissipate.

Bottom line, the human psyche needs churches, synagogues, mosques, and temples; as well as priests, preachers, rabbis, imams, and monks; and scriptures, prayer books, rosaries, saints, holy days, etc. etc. As a Christian, I maintain it's important for people of faith to express their faith faithfully. That is, be good Christians, good Jews, good Muslims, good Buddhists etc. Religious conviction, nurtured by gentleness and reverence for other faiths, honors the God I know.

Now having "firmly affirmed" my support of the external religious practices, I want to highlight the absolute necessity of the inner spiritual experience. Knowing God is different from knowing about God. There's something about my experience with God as a personal Trinity that transcends, but is supported by, my external religious practices.

An old slogan states the matter clearly: "going to church does not make you a Christian any more than going to a garage makes you a car." In other words, to know God I have to KNOW God.

The good news is that the most remarkable feature of the Bible is the insistence on God's personal regard and love for every individual. A good illustration of this principle is Jesus' discussion with some Pharisees concerning the arrival of the Kingdom of God. When would it happen? When would God finally show up and make everything right?

Jesus' answer is surprising. He said the kingdom is not coming in ways that can be observed. We will never be able to say "here is it, or there it is." And then the clincher, "for behold the kingdom of God is in you."

Think about that. The kingdom of God, or the ability to truly know God, is within every person. Notice Jesus didn't say this to his disciple, but to Pharisees who steadfastly opposed Him. Jesus seemed to be emphasizing that there is something divine about every human being. Call it the image of God. Or think of it as the spiritual tinder that God is trying to spark into flame.

The bottom line is that what we desperately seek for our greatest soul-need is right there inside. The answer is within. The solution is within. God is waiting for us to stop scurrying around so much on the outside, and to stop worrying so much on the inside, and to be still and know that He is God, He is right there with you, and has been all the time.

The fundamental premise of grace is God's acceptance of us. All of our religious activity, as important as it is, does not create anything particularly new. It awakens us to something we already are, or something we already have.

Sometimes religious fervor is an attempt to impress God, please God, and appease God. How different our lives are when we realize that God cannot be more with us than He already is, and He cannot love us more than He already does.

The Bible is so clear on this point that I'm surprised by how many people still struggle with this simple truth. The psalms are full of promises of God's care. Isaiah wrote a Book of Consolation about God's tender love for us. Jeremiah promised us that God would be with us from the least of us to the greatest. Hosea married an adulterous prostitute to demonstrate God's unfailing love for flagrantly faltering people.

Jesus told parables of God's love and grace. He prayed that we would be one with Him as He is one with the Father (think about that!). Paul wrote repeatedly that Christ is in us and that we are in Christ. This divine union, this divine relationship is the heart of the Bible. It's clearly what God wants us to know.

I spoke to a very religious woman many years ago and explained this personal nature of faith. She began weeping and said "I always knew it was supposed to be like that." It is. You can know God because the kingdom of God is within you.

Grace,

Dr. Terry Ellis

October 9, 2016

"Be anxious for nothing." Philippians 4:6

My first church staff position was Summer Youth Director for Bluff Creek Baptist Church, a wonderful church, so rural that it's about ten miles beyond the Great Commission. I was raised in the city, so the boys in my group loved to teach their naïve youth director about fishing, hunting, coon dogs, and the like. Leslie and I had a great summer there and still stay in touch with some of those fine folks.

I saw many things there for the first and only time, one of which was a crazy dog. Seriously, the dog was crazy. It had crazy eyes, the Kramer-type surprised-look eyes, that just screamed "don't mess with me, I'm crazy!"

The dog, we never officially met, lived on one of the more rural roads of that rural area. Its modus operandi was to lay down beside the mailbox and watch for cars with those crazy eyes. When one would pass it would run crazily around the mailbox, making two or three laps and then lay down and watch for the next car.

That's it. It didn't chase the cars. It just got all worked up every time one passed. I saw this happen a couple of times with cars ahead of me. Two laps around the mailbox and then reset for me. Two more laps and wait for the next one.

I thought about that dog last week when I was talking to someone about our penchant for worrying. I've known some world class worriers, most of the honest ones are women. That's not to say men don't worry. We do. It's just that many of us don't admit it because it sounds womanly and weak. So instead we're just angry and blustery. And if you want to see how fearful someone really is, watch how angry he gets.

We all worry and struggle with fear. It's the natural result of our limited perspective. We're not omniscient. We don't know, and that human limitation can be terrifying and even paralyzing.

That worry/fear is common and serious is clear from how often it's addressed in the Bible. David was full of fear, and many of his psalms either reflect his ongoing fear, his trust that God would come through for him, or gratitude that God had taken away his fear.

Jesus devoted a large portion of the Sermon on the Mount to worry. Some of the most familiar images from the Sermon are about God's taking care of the birds of the air and the flowers of the field. The final admonition from that section are to seek God first and let the day's trouble be sufficient for the day. In other words, trust God and don't worry.

Paul's words from Philippians are plain, "don't worry." Of course, he was a man who also struggled with worry. In one of his letters he admitted to despair and feared that he lived with an imminent sentence of death (2 Cor. 1:8-9).

Trust me, fear runs though every character in the Bible about whom we know anything in depth. The plentiful passages about not worrying or not being fearful come from writers who were either struggling and trying to convince themselves that God is stronger than fear or they happened to be in a good place spiritually and emotionally and were encouraging others (such as Phil. 4:6).

This all brings me back to the crazy dog. It expended a great deal of useless energy every time a car came by. Now let's pretend the cars equal some fearful event in the world or your life. We also tend to expend a great deal of energy every time one of those cars comes by. Can we do better than the crazy dog?

Let's candidly admit that lots of cars will come by every day. We have many opportunities for fear and worry. In fact, our culture excels at creating and magnifying fear. This is true especially during an election season. Most political commercials are rife with fear. Sex may sell, but fear moves the needle. So we are immersed in a fear-driven culture. Those cars will come by every, single day. Lots of them. Fears about money, children, careers, health, storms, terrorism, God, Hillary/Donald, etc. Jesus said, "in the world you will have cars." Or something like that.

But here's the key, the cars won't hurt you if you don't jump out in the road. In fact, you can stay out of the road AND choose not to run around the mailbox every time one passes. You can acknowledge the cars, but you don't have to chase them. They will pass, and burning up energy uselessly will have no effect on the car. It will simply leave you exhausted and prone to more fear. Fear will make you crazy.

Letting cars pass, doesn't mean you don't care. It simply means you realize you can't control the car. There's only room for one driver in each car, and all your efforts to grab the steering wheel are going to do little more than irritate the person who's driving. Let it pass. It's not your car.

Of course, the fundamental solution involves trusting God. We're just not going to have a very satisfying life if we don't trust God. Sometimes people get irritated when I say that, but how is that fear working for you? Fear will come, but it never comes from God. Peace comes from Him. Fear is a sign that I need to trust God.

It's really simple, though sometimes very hard.

Often in my meditation I repeat Psalm 25:1, over and over. It's a psalm of David, and later in the psalm he admits to troubles, distresses, and afflictions. In other words, he had not solved the fear problem. But in the first verse he expresses his hope, conviction, and commitment: "To Thee, O Lord, I lift my soul; O my God, in Thee I trust." I need that reminder.

Grace,

Dr. Terry Ellis

October 2, 2016