The Manna August 2012 by Maranatha, Inc.

MM Innocence

the Manna | August 2012

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the Manna | August 2012

Columns

20 | Naked Innocence?

07 | Signals 09 | On the Air

22 | Happy Place

Features 14 | In The Know The world wants to tell us a secret.

16 | Good is Good and Bad is Bad Our past doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to haunt us.

19 | The Dark Night

Stay in Touch

Perhaps we shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t leave well enough alone.

In search of that special feeling.

25 | Is Faith Just an Abstraction? Does faith compute?

27 | Twenty Years of Building Giving credit where credit is due.

29 | Lovey Dovey

Do we season everything with love?

Step out of the shadows and into the light.

wolc.org | readthemanna.org | August 2012

the Manna | A Publication of Maranatha, Inc. Editor-In-Chief: Debbie Byrd Creative Director: Joe Willey Contributing Writers: Keyanna Butts, Josh Millwood, Brittney Switala, B.A. Timmons & Karen Tull Media Client Liaisons: Lonnie Diskin & Randall Stapleton

Frequently Asked Questions Who We Are The Manna is published by Maranatha, Inc., a Christcentered ministry called to proclaim the Good News of faith and life in Jesus Christ through various forms of media, as God directs, until He returns. “Maranatha” (mer-a-nath´-a) is an Aramaic word found in I Corinthians 16:22. It is translated, “Our Lord, come!” Joy! 102.5 WOLC is also part of Maranatha, Inc. Its call letters stand for “Watch, Our Lord Cometh.” Maranatha!

Disclaimer Non-ministry advertisers are not required to subscribe to the “Statement of Faith” printed at right; nor are their businesses and products necessarily endorsed by the Manna, Joy! 102.5 WOLC, or Maranatha, Inc., whose viewpoints are not necessarily represented by the opinions or statements of persons interviewed in this magazine; nor are the viewpoints of its advertisers.

Statement of Faith We Believe… that the Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible and authoritative source of Christian doctrine and precept; that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; that the only hope for man is to believe in Jesus Christ, the virgin-born Son of God, who died to take upon Himself the punishment for the sin of mankind, and who rose from the dead so that by receiving Him as Savior and Lord, man is redeemed by His blood; that Jesus Christ in person will return to Earth in power and glory; that the Holy Spirit indwells those who have received Christ, for the purpose of enabling them to live righteous and godly lives; and that the Church is the Body of Christ and is comprised of all those who, through belief in Christ, have been spiritually regenerated by the indwelling Holy Spirit. The twin mission of the Church is worldwide evangelization, and nurture and discipline of Christians.

Manna and Joy! 102.5 WOLC P. O. Box 130, Princess Anne, MD 21853 Voice: 410-543-9652 Fax: 410-651-9652 Manna e-mail: info@readthemanna.org Joy! 102.5 e-mail: wolc@wolc.org ©2012 Maranatha, Inc. May not be reproduced without written consent of Maranatha, Inc. Photos: iStockphoto and Thinkstock

Maranatha Media | Home of Joy! 102.5 and the Manna

Signals Innocence We live in a world with little innocence. Sometimes it’s easy to wonder if the last Age of Innocence was the bobby socks and hula hoops days of the 50’s, but they were probably only a reprieve - sandwiched between wars and civil and not-so-civil disobedience. Perhaps the Victorian days at the end of the nineteenth century were truly the last days of innocence, but, then again, that was a time between wars, too. Is it too much to hope that, just when we think things couldn’t get any worse, a period of innocence follows? And is the concept of innocence so far removed from our culture that we really can’t imagine another emergence of a quieter, purer, safer time? The lack of innocence permeates virtually every aspect of our lives - from little girls in dance class wearing skimpy costumes and mimicking sultry moves of grown women to grown expectant women bearing their bellies in late pregnancy as a fashion statement - from pre-teens playing computer games rife with life-like violence to shootings in theaters and churches. There doesn’t seem to be any escape. We live in a world where sexual preference is the topic of open discussion, instead of something that is considered personal.

The lack of innocence is so rare that when a young single woman chooses chastity over promiscuity, or a young man chooses chivalry over disrespect, it is thought not to be noble but odd. In fact, so few innocents exist that there can be valid concern that these few souls might not be able to make it through the dangers of this anything-but innocent world. This issue shares views on innocence - and points to the only answer to see us through the void - Jesus - the One that doesn’t change when all else does; Jesus Savior of the innocent, not-so-innocent and out-right guilty. Debbie Byrd is General Manager of Maranatha, Inc., a ministry that includes Joy! 102.5 and the Manna.

wolc.org | readthemanna.org | August 2012

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On the Air All Things Possible If anyone knows about possibilities, it’s Mark Schultz. Whether he was selling out the famed Ryman Auditorium as an indie artist and youth leader, biking 3,500 miles across the U.S. to raise money for widows and orphans, or becoming a platinum-selling artist, award-winning songwriter and Dove Award winner, Schultz has made the most of the many gifts God has given him. Now, with his much-anticipated new studio project All Things Possible, Mark continues to create very personal songs that showcase his knack for giving voice to the emotions we can’t express on our own. Producers Seth Mosley (Newsboys) and Pete Kipley (MercyMe/Phil Wickham) make the most of this talented musician’s God-given gift for storytelling, making sure the music beautifully complements the spiritual tales he’s telling. This isn’t just “the next Mark Schultz album,” though. From the first notes, it’s clear that Schultz doesn’t just have a new record label home, he also has a new energy and a fresh perspective after more than a decade in the music business. At the same time, he’s an artist who knows who he is.

Songs of encouragement, stories of hurt and healing, and an ever-present reliance on God continue to be unshakable cornerstones of any music Schultz makes. While this album marks a new chapter, he’s still the same voice behind hits like “I Am,” “He’s My Son,” “He Will Carry Me,” and “Letters from War.” Listening to All Things Possible is like rediscovering an old friend and finding him at his absolute best, anxious to share all that God has been doing in his life. Be sure to listen for “All Things Possible”—the title track to his new album releasing this September—on Joy! 102.5 and online at wolc.org. Rodney Baylous is Program Director of Joy! 102.5. Visit www.wolc.org.

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In The Know By Karen Tull

e’ve all likely noticed, both within ourselves and by observing others, that people have a deep-rooted need to know. You might even call it a ravenous need. Curiosity may have killed a cat or two, but we’re willing to take the risk. We want to stay current, informed with the rest of the world. If our interest is piqued, we’re going to find out—and we have unlimited ways of doing so right at our fingertips. With smartphone in hand, we can access news sources of all kinds, see what everyone is talking about on Facebook, and check out the latest trends on Twitter. Articles and blogs allow us to comment below and join the discussion. We’re only clicks away from e-books and how-to videos. We can Google how to refinish a piece of furniture or start a vegetable garden. If we missed the major gaffe made by the politician during his speech last night, we can YouTube it. So often, however, it’s the darker places where our curiosity longs to take us. We yearn to know what’s behind the curtain. And we can pull back that veil whenever we please. Nothing is taboo. What was once hidden is now exposed and available—no matter how violent, sensual, or bizarre. We can view any image or act we desire and in total secret, thereby removing any fear. And down we slide, deeper and deeper. In his song “Against the Wind,” Bob Seger sings, “I wish I didn’t know now what I didn’t know then.” Do you ever wish you could hit the rewind button on your life and travel back to your own personal age of innocence? I can remember how as a child I would sit and play with Barbie dolls for hours on end. With the realization I have now, I can look back and know that bad situations were going on in my family at that time, but I was ignorant of it all. In my little-kid world, I was perfectly happy. Yet, as we grow older, our ignorant contentedness

quickly fades. Our education eventually has to begin, and along with reading, writing, and arithmetic comes so much more—far beyond what our young minds ever knew existed. Much is good, but much is not. The book series Fifty Shades of Grey, with a storyline that involves sadomasochistic sexual practices, has sold more than 30 million copies since March. Its popularity has been publicized to an almost inescapable degree. Secular writer Twanna A. Hines attributes the appeal to morbid curiosity and the need to feel “in the know” with everyone else. “It’s been parodied on ‘SNL’ and on the cover of Newsweek. Who wants to be left out of the conversation?” she says. “Plus, BDSM is appealing because while many Americans have heard of Fifty Shades of Grey and can tell you it’s an erotic book, not as many can tell you what the letters BDSM stand for, so there’s this allure, the siren call to find out more.” This beckoning that the world makes to our basic nature is very loud and enticing. Our desire to know more than what we are supposed to can be traced all the way back to the Fall, as recorded in Genesis. Satan deceived Eve into believing that she was missing out, that God was holding back information from her. Indeed He was. But what we often fail to remember is that what God forbids He forbids for our own good and protection. God calls us to shelter our minds in Christ, which will always include sheltering our eyes from what is against His holy standard. Scripture says, “Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise” (Philippians 4:8). In pursuing innocence of mind, let us pursue ignorance to what the world wants us to know.

wolc.org | readthemanna.org | August 2012

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Good is Good and Bad is Bad By Keyanna Butts

t seemed like a good idea—a coffee date with an old friend, whom she hadn’t seen or talked to in years. Initially, the reunion went just as expected. They talked about their children, husbands, hobbies, careers, etc. “Aren’t you Miss Goody Two-Shoes now?” her friend asked in an insulting tone. “I remember when you used to…” It was the moment she had feared: The trip-down-memory-lane conversation that was sure to recall her sinful past. Although she had long given up her debauched lifestyle and was now a devout Christian, her friend wished to acknowledge who she used to be. Many of us may have experienced a similar situation when running into old companions, past co-workers, and even family members who we have not seen in a while. Despite the positive life changes you may have made, there is bound to be a person who prefers to associate you with your past reputation and refuses to embrace who you are today. But Christ’s death and resurrection not only remitted us from sin, but allotted us a new beginning. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17). The ability to have a fresh start in life is one of God’s most gracious gifts. Who wouldn’t want their wrongdoings erased? Who wouldn’t want a chance to be good? These questions seem rhetorical, but unfortunately, not everyone cleaves to goodness. Personally, I’ve been referred to as a “goody two-shoes.” I’ve even had individuals become offended by my new lifestyle. I’ve gotten the “I guess you’re too good for me now” remark when I kindly decline invitations to clubs, bars, or environments

that will in no way edify my spirit. I find it ironic that negative connotations have been put on being good. What is so bad about trying to be good? In today’s society, bad behavior seems to be a growing and acceptable trend. Psychologists even suggest that occasional naughty behavior is better than trying to be good all the time. An article in Psychology Today states, “Misbehaving, or acting in ways we’d normally deem improper, can be good for our souls. It can boost our mood, leave us with a sense of liberation, get our creative juices flowing, and make for great memories…By doing so, we can test out roads not normally taken, and make sure we’re on the path that’s right for us.” With all the infatuation and positive reinforcement of bad behavior, innocence is becoming extinct. This realization emphasizes the need to be fortified in the attributes of Christ, lest we also fall victim to accepting deviant behavior. “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter” (Isaiah 5:20). Of course, the contention between good behavior and bad behavior has been present since the beginning of time. Unfortunately for Eve, when she “misbehaved” it did not “boost her mood,” it did not leave her feeling “liberated,” nor did it get her “creative juices flowing,” as psychologists predict. It only brought upon shame, guilt, and death. The same holds true for most Christians. There is no thrill or excitement when acting in ways that are unacceptable in God’s eyes—just conviction and regret. Thankfully, salvation through Christ returns us to a state of innocence. By His blood we become pure again, and through reconciliation we are now in right standing. “God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21). So, to answer the above question, there is absolutely nothing wrong with being good. In fact, being called a goody twoshoes should be considered a compliment instead of an insult because it signifies a Christ-like behavior. Let us not be deceived: It’s good to be good, and it’s bad to be bad. Sincerely, Miss Goody Two-Shoes

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The Dark Night By Josh Millwood

he smell of popcorn filled the air. The linoleum floor was a little sticky on everyone’s tennis shoes. People were ecstatic, many of them in costume. Hundreds of Batman fans filled multiple screens at the Aurora, Colorado, multiplex. Fans have been eagerly anticipating this premiere for months; in fact, some had been in the theater since 6:00 p.m. for a showing of the entire trilogy, capped off with the brand new The Dark Knight Rises. Batman, Catwoman, and the promise of a grand finale to one of the most successful film franchises in all of history! Families, couples, and groups of friends all bound together in a sense of wonder that you can only get at the movies. This kind of fun is as American as apple pie. Just as the previews were winding down and the rumbling drums of composer Hans Zimmer began to pulsate to a darkened screen, someone kicked in the emergency exit door. A young man, dressed in black, wearing a gas mask and flak jacket not unlike the villain in the premiering movie, tossed in a smoke bomb and opened fire on the unsuspecting movie audience. At first they wondered if it was just a part of the premiere experience, someone hired to heighten the fun of the midnight showing. Methodically, the man emptied his shotgun at the moviegoers. After he ran out of ammunition for the first weapon, he dropped it to the ground, whipped out a rifle and continued his assault. Coughing from the smoke, some ducked for cover, others ran for the exit signs. The score of the movie hammered on, covering the volume of screams and gunshots. A nine-year-old girl was hit across the cheek by a bullet. Others barreled over, hit in the gut by shotgun slugs. A dozen were killed and over 50 others injured. There was no hero to rush the villain. No sacrificial vigilante saved the day. Once the gunman ran out of bullets, he exited the building and calmly walked into the parking lot outside the mall. Police captured and arrested 24-year-old James Holmes. He did not resist arrest. Meanwhile, the theater was a massacre. Blood, bodies, smoke, and terrorized families were organized by police, taken to a local high school and interviewed about what they had seen. Medical personnel treated the injured, ambulances scattered victims to area hospitals, and counselors spoke soothing words to shocked individuals. Media vans who had been on hand to film fluff pieces about the movie premiere were suddenly being piped out to national news channels, reporting on the largest American shooting in years.

What was supposed to be a fun summer’s night will haunt our nation for years to come. Something as trivial as a night at the movies now highlights how dark and sick the human heart can be. The President issued this statement shortly after being alerted to the tragic shooting: “As we do when confronted by moments of darkness and challenge, we must now come together as one American family.” There is indeed a great deal of solace and comfort to be found in one another in times such as these. But ultimately, a person without a relationship with Jesus Christ will find even the calming words of mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, friends and spouses to be hollow. They cannot explain why something like this could happen. They cannot provide hope in the midst of sorrow. They cannot shine light in the darkness. 1 John 1:5,7 says “This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in Him at all...if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, cleanses us from all sin.” Even in this dark, sick world, a place so riddled with hurt and tragedy that to dwell on it could drive you insane, there is hope. It’s not a whimsical hope in happy endings and tidy finales. It is a hope in a Light so bright that shadows cannot even exist. And sin cannot taint it. Why would a former PhD student decide to take the lives of innocent moviegoers at a midnight screening? Ultimately, for the same reason a Muslim extremist straps a bomb on his person and suicides on a bus full of people in Baghdad—or a divorced dad shoots up an abortion clinic—or a homeless drug addict tries to bite the face off of an early morning jogger: They are shrouded in the darkness of this world. Even though it seems like this world just keeps getting darker and darker, 1 John tells us “... the darkness is disappearing, and the true light is already shining.” Jesus is the Light that obliterates shadows. But here’s the rub: We are to be that light as well. As Christians (from the Greek meaning “little Christs”), we need to behave just like Jesus. We need to shine so brightly that this dark world cannot handle the good news we are not just speaking, but living out each day! When the world asks how a good God could allow something like this to happen, we can calmly say, God did not make this happen. Man did. But there is hope. Jesus Christ offers us light. You don’t have to stay in the dark night.

wolc.org | readthemanna.org | August 2012

n February, stories and photos plastered the internet of a first contact with a Peruvian tribe. These brownskinned people wearing nothing but strings around their waists could be seen using tools made of wood and animal teeth. Untouched by the outside world, they live against the backdrop of a beautiful, lush paradise. These are the Mashco-Piro people. Upon the release of the photos, the Peruvian government discouraged any further contact with the tribe. Anthropologist Glenn Shepard wrote in Anthropology News, “Leaving gifts, such as clothing for the tribe is discouraged as it could spread disease and speed up contact.” Commentators and zealous online message board participants hailed the innocence of this people group and declared contact would be both “foolhardy” and “strip the last truly free humans from the dignity of being left alone.” As I gazed at photos of these Mashco-Piro families, I immediately recalled the story of another tribe a half a century ago and the tragedy that surrounded their first contact with American missionaries. Peter Fleming, Jim Elliot, Roger Youderian, Ed McCully, and Nate Saint were missionaries of the 1950s who risked their lives—and

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ultimately gave them—to make contact with a group in Ecuador. They had no desire for exclusive photos or to spread the American way of life. Their sole purpose was to reach the souls of the Auca Indians with the message of the Gospel. It wasn’t safe. This group was known to its neighbors as the Aucas or “naked savages.” Male members had a life expectancy of 30 years and a 74 percent murder rate. To pave the way for their first meeting, the American missionaries dropped gifts for weeks from their airplane. The Aucas even reciprocated with their own gifts, including parrots. Things appeared to be amiable between the Americans and Aucas; however, their first face to face contact ended in all the men being speared to death. Much later it was discovered the missionaries were actually killed as a diversion from an inner-tribe conflict over a girl. On January 30, 1956, there was a 10-page spread in the very popular Life magazine titled, “Go Ye and Preach the Gospel” about the deaths of the five men and the ministry to be carried on thereafter by the wives. As I read the article I couldn’t help but see there was no tone of animosity against the men who had given their lives, only respect for them and their families who had to carry on without them.

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Naked Innocence? By Brittney Switala

The tribe members were characterized in a way more to be feared than innocent and free. There is something that seems mysteriously attractive about the idea of being away from civilization as we know it. Living unplugged from technology and from the constant pressures of life only happens a week or two a year during vacation—and sometimes not even then. Lush gardens and fresh, 100 percent organic fruits ready to be plucked from a tree and temperatures so mild you could run around with only a string around your waist. It is paradise…and that is how we were meant to live. God created us for the Garden and that is why this picture appeals to us so intensely. Adam and Eve lived in the most perfect garden we could imagine. Perfect temperatures, fruits and vegetables always in season and animals roaming peacefully (and, of course, no weeds!). Eve’s choice to disobey by eating from the one tree God forbade her from eating ruined this perfect life for all of us. As time has gone on, humankind has drifted further and further from the garden, living restlessly and primarily in a concrete jungle. But therein lies the dilemma for today’s Christian American. Is there still honor in dying to share the Gospel

with the unreached or is there more honor in leaving these “last truly free humans” to enjoy themselves? A more pointed question may be, “Do we really believe people in an unreached tribe will go to hell if a believer does not risk his life to share the story of Jesus Christ?” I agree with the assertion that Author/Pastor David Platt writes in his book Radical: Taking Your Faith Back from the American Dream, that many believers have been sucked into a belief system which frees us from any uncomfortable obligation to go. In our minds, we have rationalized God will somehow come up with a way those innocent people of whatever tribe will make it to heaven. We strangely call them “innocent” simply because we have not shared the Gospel with them. Since we are all sinners from birth, not only is this not true, it also makes us guilty for not sharing with them and giving them the opportunity. In the 1950s, there was respect for the missionary willing to risk it all for a bunch of brutal savages. Today, missionaries are eyed warily for imposing their belief system on the innocent indigenous. However it goes down in history, we still must go.

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ere, in the middle of the summer season, exist the times that many of us long for year-round. Days are long and hot, giving way to orange and purple sunsets in the evenings. Fruits and vegetables are at their peak. Insects create their distinctive music at night, and time seems to slow its pace. Perhaps some of our most vivid memories have been made during the happy days of summers past. Do you have a happy place in your memories? A place where you retreat inside in your mind when you long to reconnect with a certain feeling? A feeling that is like comfort food to your soul? Recently, an older woman—whose husband is deceased and grown children live a distance away—shared with me her longing to move back to her home state of West Virginia and try to re-create the life she had

as a young girl. She would fix up her old family farmhouse and attend the same little white church nearby. Though she knew this would never be feasible for her, she found enjoyment in considering what it would be like. Yet, she conceded that going back again would only bring a feeling of loss. Things just could never be the same. Pastor and author Timothy Keller writes, “Home, then, is a powerful but elusive concept. The strong feelings that surround it reveal some deep longing within us that absolutely fits and suit us, where we can be, or perhaps find, our true selves. Yet it seems that no real place or actual family ever satisfies these yearnings, though many situations arouse them.” Well tell ourselves, “If I could just get back to that place somehow, everything would be okay again.” Perhaps this is a literal place or a state of mind. Maybe we’re

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hoping that this Christmas will feel like it used to feel. If we make the right preparations and adhere to the old traditions, we think we can manufacture something that faded out years ago, due to illnesses, deaths, and other disappointments. Where does this yearning come from— and will the feeling of home forever be out of reach once we’ve lost our grasp on it? C.S. Lewis explains that this deep longing of ours is legitimate but misplaced: “These things—the beauty, the memory of our own past—are good images of what we really desire; but if they are mistaken for the thing itself they turn into dumb idols, breaking the hearts of their worshippers.” He continues, “Our life-long nostalgia, our longing to be reunited with something in the universe from which we feel cut off, to be on the inside of some door which we have always seen on the outside, is no mere

neurotic fancy, but the truest index of our real situation.” The problem is not in our need to go backward, but to go forward—to a home we were made for yet where we’ve never been. Originally, God intended our home to be the Garden of Eden, but when sin entered the picture, we became exiles. And, we’ve been adrift ever since in a world that is not capable of satisfying us in the way we need. To accept Jesus Christ as Savior is to acknowledge that He and He alone can provide the bridge to God—our real home. When Christ returns, we will be with Him forever. We will no longer yearn; we will be complete. What will it be like? Our minds do not have the capacity to understand. Until that glorious day, let our pangs for times past be reminders of the beauty to come.

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Is Faith Just an Abstraction? By Jill Carattini

hether we merely dip into its surface or stretch out our arms attempting to reach its depths, language is a deep well. With words, there is often more than meets the eye. And there is something about the study of words that reminds us that if we dig deep enough, hidden treasures can be found. By way of introduction to the word “faith,” the book of Hebrews speaks of men and women, people of history exhibiting faith themselves, following hard after God in trust and obedience. These names are not listed to makes us feel diminutive by comparison, but are presented as something of a definition, a definition which establishes that faith continues to be about seeking one who has been found. Abraham and Moses, Enoch and Noah and Rahab, all are commended for walking in faith and hoping in what was yet unseen. We are given the image of countless spirits who have been moved by God as they moved toward God, seeking in light and shadow the one who is pleased by faith. For “without faith it is impossible to please God for whoever would approach him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him” (Hebrews 11:6). Here, further encouragement is set forth even while imagining the magnificent faith of Moses and the sustaining hope of Abraham. For what sets them apart in the eyes of God are hearts that were after God’s own. These men and women sought first the kingdom though in some cases little was seen of this kingdom in their lifetimes. They sought first the God who is faithful though they were not, a firm foundation though they were often indecisive in their certainty. Likewise, we today can seek a God who does not grow weary of pursuing us though we often grow weary of pursuing God. Thus the writer imparts that faith in God is more than believing God exists; faith is not mere abstraction, a lifeless notion of fact. Faith is seeking the God who can be found, which is the detail of utmost importance. The Greek word that is usually translated “seek” in this passage is actually a compound word meaning to “seek out.” The word “seek” (zeteo) here is written ekzeteo. Though

most English translations denote the two different words identically, the later is deliberately more intense. The added word re-emphasizes the first so that it is understood with all the force and certainty the author intended. It is not merely “seeking;” it is seeking actively something that can be found. It is the difference between seeking something like happiness or world peace and seeking the child who has run off to hide while you are counting to twenty. You will seek the child until you find her, looking under beds and in wardrobes because you know she is out there wanting and waiting to be found. “Faith,” writes Oswald Chambers, “is a tremendously active principle which always puts Jesus Christ first.” The careful words of the writer of Hebrews remind us not only that we are able to seek one who can be found but that we are able to seek one who wants to be found. We can seek the one who came among us, willing that none would be lost. That God is pleased by those who seek the Father’s arms exemplifies his longing to gather his children together, the care with which God seeks each one. Jesus likened it to a hen longing to gather her chicks, a shepherd seeking every last sheep in his flock. God’s desire to seek you is not abstract, and faith’s seeking of God is no abstraction. Consider the depths of these words: “For thus says the Lord God: I myself will search for my sheep, and will seek them out’” (Ezekiel 34:11). Our seeking after the one who can be found might be similarly earnest, believing not only that God exists but that Father, Son, and Spirit are already near those who seek. Jill Carattini is managing editor of A Slice of Infinity at Ravi Zacharias International Ministries in Atlanta, Georgia Is Faith Just Abstraction by Jill Carattini, A Slice of Infinity, No. 2744, originally printed June 13, 2012 (www.rzim.org). Used by permission of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries.

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y wife and I wanted to go on a short getaway for our 20th wedding anniversary. We narrowed the location down to the area of St. Michaels, Maryland, but couldn’t decide on a bed and breakfast. Finally, the day before we were to leave, Tina called a place that stuck out—The Oaks Waterfront Inn, situated just a few miles outside St. Michaels. She spoke to the innkeeper and told her what we had planned, and she informed Tina that they had plenty of space and would reserve two nights in a moderately-priced room. When we arrived the day before our anniversary, we discovered that the innkeeper had upgraded our room to literally the best accommodations at the Inn. It was a huge second-floor room, the only one with its own balcony overlooking the cove. We took walks, swam in the pool, explored the cove in a canoe before breakfast, and rode bikes to the one intersection in the tiny town of Royal Oak. The Oaks specializes in events, and as we sat at breakfast, we talked about having our girls’ weddings there (perfect for a lot of out-of-town guests). Of course, it was only talk. This trip was exactly what we needed. Like the rest of the world, I make decisions all day long—decisions about work, decisions about family, decisions about how to spend my limited amount of time. Tina, too, is faced with her own set of decisions, and, of course, there are many that we make jointly. These decisions are made in the

midst of the noise of a big family. During our getaway, we intentionally limited the decision-making and enjoyed the quiet environment which we had hoped for, but were pleasantly surprised by the degree. The effect was the quieting of our minds. Quiet is hard to come by at home. Everyone knows that. I tend to focus on architecture wherever we go, and my affection for old buildings had a role in our decision to dine at 208 Talbot on the evening of our anniversary. Afterward, as we strolled through St. Michaels in our quiet states of mind, I thought of what Tina and I had built over the past 20 years. We have a plaque on our wall with the words of a song by Reverend Dan Smith. The song is entitled “It Takes God to Build a Home.” It hangs at the end of our hallway and reminds us that as much as we may be tempted to take credit for the building in our lives, we believe there is One higher who quietly does the real work of building—we are just privileged to participate. And, we were reminded on our anniversary that we busy ourselves with making plans, and then He gives us what we really need. We have four children, and while they do make a lot of noise, we wouldn’t have built our family any differently if we had done it ourselves. As much as we enjoyed the quiet, we gladly live in the mild hubbub our family makes. Building is, after all, a noisy venture.

wolc.org | readthemanna.org | August 2012

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Replay | This article first appeared in the February 2011 edition

t some point you have probably heard a pastor talk about the different types of love in the Bible. Eros, Philia and Agape were the Greek words in the New Testament that were all translated as “love.” Eros = erotic or romantic love. Philia = brotherly or compatriot love. Agape = selfless, Godly love. (Always associated with Jesus). There are other types of specified love – and cultural designations – and the deep-seated love that most of us have for chocolate (which should have its own Greek word if it doesn’t). You probably have been in love. You might love peanut butter and jelly sandwiches or Glee or the Baltimore Ravens (lets face it, no one really loves the Redskins right now). You might love a favorite pair of jeans or your iPhone. There’s a lot of love out there, and yet, surprisingly, we don’t live in a world that is generally considered loving. Humanity has always longed to consider itself inherently good. Loving, moral, rising to the occasion! “All we need is love!” cried The Beatles. And truthfully, Love is all we need. But it is not our default setting. This world is plagued by a lack of love. Jesus so simply summed up what God expects of humanity when He said in Matthew 22:37-39, to love God with everything in you and love people as if they were yourself. Every single commandment in the Bible is met by completing that simple (yet epic) assignment. But instead of love, we have horror. To list the atrocities from the news just in a single week would leave us all grief stricken and guilty. We find ways to hide from the ugly truths of the world. We grow numb and weary from hearing about AIDS, apartheid, oppression and

war. Divorce rates skyrocket anew every generation (as a result of the failures of the previous generation.) Kids are ignored and raised by the system instead of parents. A third of the world is literally starving even though there are resources enough to provide for everyone. The world will stay broken until Christ returns. The Bible says the earth is groaning as if in labor. Remember, that was written before epidural anesthesia was invented. That means screaming in pain! We can’t fix it all. It is simply impossible. But we can make a dent. Jesus called us the “salt of the earth” but warned that we are beyond useless if we lose our saltiness. So how do we stay salty? Love. Show some eros to your spouse. Be philia-ing to your family and friends. Receive overwhelming agape from Jesus! If current population studies are correct, there will be over 7 billion people on planet Earth by the end of 2011. The Church has the delightful, dangerous and flat out enormous responsibility to show love to all of those people. According to Jesus, it is not optional to love people. In fact, it is the second most important thing you can do in your life. So who are you going to love? How can you show love, be love, do love for your neighbors, family, friends and enemies? We must challenge ourselves to view absolutely every part of life through love. Politics, economics, consumerism, Bible studies, going to Church, going to school, grocery shopping, etc., etc… Yeah, it’s not going to be easy. Love changes everything. It changes our response to tragedy, how we spend our money and how many second chances we offer. Church, prepare for the hardest task God could have given – go forth and love.

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