For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. Romans 1:20

One of the problems that arose from the Church (by this I mean the established church bureaucracy of Western Europe) using the Bible as a scientific text was that the Bible was never meant to be a scientific text. The Bible was written as a communication about how we can relate to the Creator, not the explanation of creation. Unfortunately, the Church, up until the Renaissance, took a very strict view of explaining the universe only through the lens of scripture. That very stance, ironically, caused the Church to lose the faith of adherents who saw that scientific truths were better explained by- science.

The evolution of scientific thought and method evolved through the 16^th and 17^th centuries, spurred by discovery voyages that opened up the secrets of unknown parts of the world. Instruments like the telescope and the microscope allowed curious philosophers (they weren’t called scientists quite yet) to discover secrets of this marvelous creation.

Galileo was banished by the Church for daring to maintain the theory of Copernicus – the theory of a heliocentric universe. The Church could not tolerate a theory that did not maintain the earth as the center of God’s creation. Just because people believed that the earth-centered theory was true did not make it true.

I sometimes tell this to my clients- that just because they believe something strongly does not make it true. I use this in the sense of emotions, which can lead us to strongly believe certain things that may not be true. The willingness to look at the possibility that my beliefs about certain things does not make them true is the beginning of healthy thought.

So, how does that work with faith? Isn’t faith a strongly held belief that may not be able to be proved scientifically? Yes, faith is that, and much more than that. Actually, my faith is enhanced by science.

Tomorrow, a story about how that worked for me.

Prayer: Your creation is so profound, your plans so amazing. Help us not to get lost- missing you by focusing on the wrong things, Amen

Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”                                                                                John 8:32

Many years ago, in college, I read an essay by Matthew Arnold, a British writer, educator and philosopher. His piece was entitled Hellenism vs. Hebraism, and it struck me to the point that I actually read it again, even after it was no longer required reading! Yes, it fascinated me.

The essay discusses two different worldviews, that of the Greeks, and that of the Hebrews. He explained that these worldviews guide our viewpoints on many things in life. The Hellenists looked at things empirically- they tried to see things as they are, and they were open to only rational or logical explanations of their world. They were willing to test and try things with a more open mind, seeking truth through knowledge.

Hebrews, on the other hand, saw things as they should be, under the guidance and order of God. They saw that not everything can be explained by rational thinking and logic, and that there was a mystical part of life that they simply accepted as true, even without proof. They were seeking truth by acknowledging that there was a God who gave that truth, and their job was to follow God’s direction for them.

These are very broad and brief descriptions, but you see where this was going. Two divergent worldviews, both of value, could lead to some serious disagreements on the nature of truth.

Today, we have variants of these worldviews. In some people’s eyes, this has become a “science vs. faith” issue. I believe that science and faith are not mutually exclusive and that both have been given to us by our Creator.

In future blogs, I will explore this idea further, and as an added treat, in one of those blogs, I will be joined by a fellow blogger, and my favorite scientist, my daughter, Jennifer Hartwell! By the way, her blog www.traumamom4.com is superb. I recommend it. 

Prayer: Lord, as we explore truth, help us to seek with your guidance, as well as the mind you have given us to reason, Amen.

What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun                                                                                                                                                                Ecclesiastes 1:9

If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land                                                                                                                                                                  II Chronicles 7:14

There was an old comic strip called Calvin and Hobbes that ran in syndication for a number of years. It was really a classic comic- warm, cerebral, deep, and very funny. It featured a young boy named Calvin and his stuffed tiger, Hobbes. Hobbes was quite real to Calvin, and they had engaging and philosophical conversations. Calvin was a precocious 6- year-old who was wise beyond his years, yet charmingly naïve. Hobbes was a philosopher in his own right, after all, he drew his name from 17^th century philosopher Thomas Hobbes. When adults saw Hobbes, he was a stuffed tiger, Calvin saw him as his best friend.

One of the endearing yet maddening traits of Calvin was his belief that nothing in the world mattered prior to his birth. He felt that all of history had existed in order to bring him into existence. In my field, that is sometimes called “referential thinking.”

I got to thinking sometimes how we as a society sort of do the same thing. There is really nothing new under the sun, yet we tend to think that our experience is unique in history.

Our current COVID-19 experience was dwarfed by the 1918-19 “Spanish Flu” pandemic. Our nasty political climate, while disturbing and distasteful, had precedents in the 19^th century mud slinging that was just as fierce, yet not quite as widely disseminated. In those days, there was no social media to trumpet the political trash we are currently exposed to daily.

The racial bigotry and discrimination of early America – even early 20^th century America – was appalling. Any racial strife is horrible, but what we see today does not compare to our discouraging past record of treatment of Native Americans and African-Americans.

I bring this up so that we have some perspective on our current problems. Our problems are real, but they are not unique. If we have learned anything, it should be that our problems are what is common to our fallen nature. Our land needs healing, and it starts with our perspective and our attitude being healed.

Prayer: Lord, heal our hearts and heal our land, Amen

 Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people                  Colossians 3:23

I have been thinking about the idea of what a change of pace looks like as we deal with the effects of the COVID-19 virus. Yesterday, I talked about some of the social interaction changes we see because of the virus. I began thinking about how this has affected the pace of our daily lives, and that it has, in some significant ways, slowed us down in that hectic pace. Yet, I also thought about the cultural and historical perspective that I bring to this, and I see that while I think the change of pace has been real, I also realize that there is also a “pace of change”. That is, life these days is much more hectic than the days of my youth, where it seems that we took more time to enjoy the moment. It seems that there was more social acceptance of “free time”. These days, there is hardly any affirmation given to those who would, “stop and smell the roses” so to speak.

Indeed, I myself am much more comfortable “doing something” than just sitting and watching the world around me. I am not sure what it looks like to just sit and think, for example. I might feel just a bit guilty doing that. Maybe that is OK. I don’t even know. I think we are affirmed for being “busy”. Everybody is busy these days, whatever that means. We celebrate “busyness”.

I have considered the hectic pace of the lives of my children, who are in the midst of careers, raising children, and trying to make things right for their families. Kids’ activities are now almost overwhelming, or at least they were pre-COVID. I am not sure that we even know what the right sort of integration is between work time, family time, couples time, social time, and personal time.

I am also aware that we now have the luxury of even trying to make the distinction between work and family time. In the early 20^th century, many people had to work 12 hours/day, or longer to simply provide the most basic sustenance to their families. Sustenance has given way to providing a vast array of perceived needs, including sports activities, college funds, retirement funds, and vacation savings, among others.

I have no answers for this phenomenon, I simply bring it up so that my readers can consider- “how do you want to spend the precious allotment of time that has been given to you?”

Prayer: Father, time is such a gift. Help us to use it wisely, and to have the refreshment that you would want for us, Amen.

And now this word to all of you: You should be like one big happy family, full of sympathy toward each other, loving one another with tender hearts and humble minds.

I Peter 3:8 (Living Bible)

For the past few months, we have been doing human contact differently. We are, of necessity, being more cautious in our interactions. We are wearing masks (many, if not most of us), and we are keeping a bit more distance in conversations, even if not consciously. We are seeing fewer people, as our “safe circle” is not as large as before COVID-19. In short, we naturally curious and socially interdependent beings have become- less so.

Perhaps I am just speaking for myself. If so, please indulge me this space as a therapeutic response to feeling less connected to my brothers and sisters in the world. There were times that I would simply enjoy going up to a complete stranger and engaging them in conversation. Seeing someone I barely knew might result in an enjoyable conversation just for the fun of it. And these are the actions of someone who is just this side of an introvert. Imagine how the extroverts are getting through this difficult time.

I really am not wanting to complain. We all are suffering just a bit, and some are suffering mightily- physically, emotionally and/or financially. I am just suggesting that we take time to look at the social changes being wrought by this maddening Novel Coronavirus.

I recognize that this is a necessary response in order to contain this pandemic. I agree with the plans, however painful they might be. I wear my mask, and I do what I can do to stay healthy and try to ensure that others stay healthy too.

Maybe this crisis time will remind us, in a way that we never otherwise could have understood, how interconnected we are, should be and can be. As I have said before, let’s make sure that we come away with a greater appreciation of one another.

 We cannot let this crisis go to waste.

Prayer: Father, we are grateful for the fellowship of humankind. Give us more appreciation for one another in this difficult time, Amen.

Oasis (def.)

1: a fertile or green area in an arid region (such as a desert)

2: something that provides refuge, relief, or pleasant contrast

Merriam-Webster

God, when you took the lead with your people, when you marched out into the wild, Earth shook, sky broke out in a sweat; God was on the march. Even Sinai trembled at the sight of God on the move, at the sight of Israel’s God. You pour out rain in buckets, O God; thorn and cactus become an oasis for your people to camp in and enjoy. You set them up in business; they went from rags to riches.                      Psalm 68:7-10

What can be more refreshing than a cool drink of water on a sweltering hot day? I remember as a kid playing baseball in the back yard with my brother, and we would be too preoccupied with playing ball to get a drink from inside the house. So, finally, we would turn on the garden hose, let it run for a while until the water was cool, then we would drink right from the hose. The cool water splashing onto our face made the experience even better. I can still remember the refreshment of that water!

It reminds me that when we face the heat of a busy day, whether or not it is literally hot outside, we need a break, an oasis. I tell my clients that there can be larger oases and smaller oases, but we must build them into our day.

For example, for me, a small oasis might be a fresh cup of tea in the afternoon to refresh me between seeing clients. A larger oasis might be looking forward to a nice long walk at the end of the day, or a show that I can watch with my wife in the evening. An even larger oasis might be that trip that we plan for a few months in advance when we can take a week or two off.

The point is, we need to make room for regular oases to refresh us daily, weekly, monthly. For me, it is the reward for having accomplished what I said I was going to do. Sometimes we lose sight of the need for the oasis because we think of it as a “big thing”. I believe that small and regular rewards keep us going better than looking for the “big thing”. But that’s just me. Whatever your preference, be aware of what your oasis might be. Build them in regularly.

It is that cold water out of the hose on a hot summer day.

Prayer: Father, you give us oases all around us, help us to see then, then use them to refresh us for our mission, Amen.

Words satisfy the mind as much as fruit does the stomach;
    good talk is as gratifying as a good harvest.

 Words kill, words give life;
    they’re either poison or fruit—you choose.                                                                                                        Proverbs 18:20-21 (the Message)

Yesterday I talked about how people can speak into our lives things that we do not see- potentials that we would not have imagined without the input of others. There are instances that I spoke of yesterday with disciples like John and Simon Peter who lived up to, or into, the lives that Jesus saw for them.

Unfortunately, some people live below their God-given potentials because parents or others in positions of influence did not sow into them the belief that they could do things beyond which they could envision for themselves.

There was a study many years ago with teachers and first graders where students were tested to see the academic abilities they had in preparation for first grade. In one case, the gifted students were placed in a room with a teacher who was told that the students were average to below average students. In another room, less gifted children were placed with teachers who were told that these were gifted children.

In both cases, the children tended to live up to (or down to) the expectations placed upon them. Children who were not gifted, but treated as if they were, tended to outperform their expected outcomes.

I think that people often, for various reasons, perform better than they think they can because someone believes in them. We often hear of students who say that a particular teacher motivated them to do better than they ever had- academically and socially- because of the confidence placed in them, perhaps for the first time, by a caring adult.

I think it is our opportunity, indeed our responsibility, to build up others, not artificially, but genuinely. If may be as simple as an encouraging word, or following through with helping someone be accountable for what they say they are going to do. We have the power to unlock potential in others by simply being an encouragement to them and believing in them, even when people may not be confident in themselves.    

Prayer: Thank you Lord for the gift of encouragement. It is health to the soul, Amen

He gives strength to the weary, and increases the power of the weak                                                     Isaiah 40:29

Often, other people see things in us that we do not see in ourselves. One of the things that I do as a counselor is get to know my clients, and try to see in them things that they may not see for themselves. Indeed, clients give me permission to speak into their lives, giving them constructive feedback, as well as encouragement. It is an act of humility on the part of a client to give such permission, especially to someone that they do not know. They are showing a level of trust in me before they even know me. I deeply appreciate that trust, and it is my job to honor that by being truthful, holding their best interest at stake, keeping their information confidential, and seeing them as God does as best I can.

As people unfold their story to me, I can gradually get to know how they see the world. I also begin to see strengths in them that they may not see, or maybe they have never given the chance to develop. It is my job to look for those strengths so that we can employ them in dealing with problems, or helping them to manage those strengths better. Remember, strengths to an extreme can become weaknesses, so we must learn to manage those strengths well.

We saw when Jesus chose his disciples that he picked people who were not, in the world’s eyes, the most successful people, or the most learned people. Yet Jesus saw something in them that they did not see in themselves.

John, for example, was called, along with his brother, “a son of thunder” because he had a volatile temper, and an arrogant view about his position in life. Simon, later called Peter, was an exuberant, impulsive, man who frequently spoke before he thought.  He was not the most stable of people in making commitments.

Yet Jesus saw in them characteristics that they did not see themselves. Their affiliation with Jesus transformed them into the men they could be. Jesus had seen that potential, and he spoke that into them.

John later became the loving apostle who wrote such beautiful commentary on how we should love one another. Volatile Simon became “Peter, the Rock”, the one on whom Jesus said he would help build his church. Imagine Simon hearing that he was a “rock”- a solid, capable man of strength. Sometimes, when we hear about the person who we CAN become, we DO become that person.

Of course, this works both ways. Tomorrow we look into more stories of how others can speak into our lives- both to our benefit and to our detriment.

Prayer: Father, Thank you for people who see things in us that we do not see for ourselves. Give us the humility to receive it well, Amen.

Now I want to ask a favor of you. I could demand it of you in the name of Christ because it is the right thing for you to do, but I love you and prefer just to ask you—I, Paul, an old man now, here in jail for the sake of Jesus Christ.  My plea is that you show kindness to my child Onesimus, whom I won to the Lord while here in my chains.  Onesimus (whose name means “Useful”) hasn’t been of much use to you in the past, but now he is going to be of real use to both of us.  I am sending him back to you, and with him comes my own heart.                                                                                                                         Philemon 1:8-12

We have all had the experience of asking people to be references for us when we apply for a new job. As an employer, I had to call these references to inquire about the prospective employee. Often, if I knew the person who was the reference, I would not even need to make the call. If the prospective employee was vouched for by an individual whom I knew, and that person was a person of integrity, that would be good enough. That prospective employee already had a foot in the door because I was leaning on the credibility of their reference.

There are two instances in the Bible where I saw that process at work. One was in the book of Acts, when Paul (formerly Saul, the Christian killer) had been vouched for by Ananias. Ananias had been given a vision by God that he was to heal Paul from temporary blindness, and then introduce him to the community whom he had been persecuting. Because people trusted Ananias, they trusted Paul. That was a leap of faith!

Then years later, Paul returned the favor by taking in Onesimus, a runaway slave, and then asking Philemon, for whom Onesimus had been a slave, to take Onesimus back- not as a slave, but as a brother in Christ. Paul was deft and convincing in his arguments to Philemon, and Onesimus went on to become a leader in the young Christian Church years later.

We give our credibility to causes and people that we care about. As people trust us, they trust our friends and our causes. So, it is a high calling to be a follower of Jesus. As our reputation goes with people, so goes the reputation of Jesus to people who may know of him only through our behavior.

Prayer: Thank you Father for the plan of letting us be the ambassadors for you on earth, Amen

I cry to the Lord; I call and call to him. Oh, that he would listen.  I am in deep trouble and I need his help so much. All night long I pray, lifting my hands to heaven, pleading. There can be no joy for me until he acts.  I think of God and moan, overwhelmed with longing for his help.  I cannot sleep until you act. I am too distressed even to pray!

 I keep thinking of the good old days of the past, long since ended.  Then my nights were filled with joyous songs. I search my soul and meditate upon the difference now.  Has the Lord rejected me forever? Will he never again be favorable?  Is his loving-kindness gone forever? Has his promise failed?  Has he forgotten to be kind to one so undeserving? Has he slammed the door in anger on his love?  And I said: This is my fate, that the blessings of God have changed to hate.  I recall the many miracles he did for me so long ago.  Those wonderful deeds are constantly in my thoughts. I cannot stop thinking about them.

 O God, your ways are holy. Where is there any other as mighty as you?  You are the God of miracles and wonders! You still demonstrate your awesome power.

 You have redeemed us who are the sons of Jacob and of Joseph by your might.  When the Red Sea saw you, how it feared! It trembled to its depths!  The clouds poured down their rain, the thunder rolled and crackled in the sky. Your lightning flashed.  There was thunder in the whirlwind; the lightning lighted up the world! The earth trembled and shook.

 Your road led by a pathway through the sea—a pathway no one knew was there!  You led your people along that road like a flock of sheep, with Moses and Aaron as their shepherds.                                     Psalm 77(Living Bible)

We have come to part three of dealing with depression, the spiritual dimension. Really, one cannot arbitrarily separate the physical, emotional and spiritual dimensions of the human existence. Each realm affects the other.

The spiritual dimension is related to our soul- the eternal part of us. This has to do with our very experience of the meaning of life and that is why it is so important. When we are depressed, we can wonder if life is really worth living. Suicide rates in depression can be disturbingly high, especially in certain vulnerable demographic categories.

Without a spiritual approach, we can become hopeless, and then search for quick substitutes to try to feel better and relieve the pain quickly. As I had mentioned in a blog about addictions, anything that makes us feel better right away is addictive. Alcohol, drugs, gambling, sex, food, etc. are all quick “make me feel good right now” remedies which can addict us. Many people become addicted to a substance or a practice because they are self-medicating to relieve depression.

Spiritual tools include prayer, music, reading uplifting books, fellowship with other strong spiritual mentors and friends, and any other practice that brings us into the presence of God. Indeed, walks in nature, trips to the mountains, the beach, etc. can be spiritual experiences if we dedicate them to getting closer to God and knowing his plan and love for us.

David, in Psalm 77 described his lonely journey in depression, and found solace only when he contemplated and remembered how God had been active in his life for so many years before.

God knows our frailty, and even David had his very dark nights of the soul. We need to take the deep breath and realize that God did not leave us, he is right there when we call on him.

Prayer: Father, we are prone to difficulties and suffering, yet you give comfort as we recall your goodness to us, Amen.