I think there are two opposite and incorrect extremes in understanding humanity. The first is seeing us as the center of the universe, the focal point. Refusing to acknowledge that we are broken in some way. In essence, making ourselves our own god.

But I think the opposite extreme is also wrong – thinking that mankind is so totally depraved and wrong of being of any value at all. The mere fact we are made in the image of God gives every human value and dignity, regardless of station in life.

We are beautiful, deep, broken, repairable, redeemable creations.

There are some subtleties in these paintings that if you are in a hurry, you will miss. The first is how every color in the palette is used to make Adam and Eve. Philip said, “I really don’t know what color they were so I used them all.”

The second thing to notice is the serpent. He’s there. He’s not overbearing, he’s not dominant. He’s subtle, like a whisper. Can you find him? I love this depiction of the serpent. He’s not offensive or overbearing, you can miss him. But once you recognize him for what he really is, you’ll never miss him again.

While I was at the Convention this week I was asked – don’t you get tired of preaching the anti-sex sermons?

I was kinda caught off guard a bit so I asked back, “Do you think God is anti-sex?”

So I think I’ll start off Sunday morning with a great big apology for speakers everywhere. I imagine if you put all the talks and sermons that have ever been done about sex in churches, it would be a small pile and it would mostly be negative. Like – God hates adultery, don’t fornicate, don’t have sex before marriage – which are all true statements but they hardly communicate the total heart of God on the topic of sex.

Personally, I’m faced with a very odd reality. How many years have I talked to teens and parents about sex? How many talks have I had with other people’s kids and not even flinch? And now I have a 6th grader and 4th grader living in my house that I’m responsible to teach about sex. (No, I didn’t forget about Cayden but she’s still fairly clueless on the whole idea. Camber is a completely different story…not going there right now.)

But I know that my kids are going to get information on sex. I can’t stop that. I can jump the curve to make sure they get the RIGHT information from the Designer and hope they trust HIS heart and intention on the matter. I can put them in front of the TRUTH about sex so that they have a chance for sex to be an awesome, wonderful, incredible, deepening, spiritual experience with their spouse instead of a wounding, damaging, destructive, harmful experience with lifelong consequences.

This Sunday is going to be very, very interesting.

From Lynn’s reading:

My husband does not deserve my resentment, but my respect and my love. He may never come to church, I don’t know, but I am content to leave the future up to God.

God never meant for me to handle this in my own power anyway and trusting in Him is the only way I can take my marriage from the hard truth to the throne of amazing grace.

Lynn is an artist with words. Her vulnerability allows us to not only join her on her own journey of healing but it forces us to look closer at own attitudes – which is always a good thing. I’m challenged every time I hear a word from her. I’m thankful to God for her.

Every marriage is moving to one of two places – oneness or isolation. Marriage is never static.

The 50/50 plan of marriage never works. What’s 50% in a marriage anyway? I need the 100/100 plan.

There is no human that can satisfy you completely, make you complete. Only God can do that.

I’m both excited and frustrated with what is coming up this next week. Excited in that it’s a Q & A, Amy will be with me helping me answer the questions. It will be the first time we’ve ever done anything like that…it could be awesome…or it could totally go wheels off. Excited – we’ve already got some great questions to pick through.

Frustrated – there is a part of me that is going….man, there is still a lot more left that we could explore and unpack. Frustrated – not every marriage story has a happy ending and I hurt for those in the middle of the wreckage.

Off to prep for Sunday…

Community is a huge value for us at Western Hills – we stress it in our services, we lead our ministries in community, we even prepare messages this way. The Creative Team and I try to stay 6 months ahead of the curve in message prep. This gives us plenty of think time on set design, videos, dramas, interviews, testimonies, and other creative elements.

Here’s the added benefit of planning this way – it gives God time to speak to us. If you’re not running around 900 mph trying to figure out what you are going to do the next Sunday, it allows you to stop and listen. There have been weeks when we’ve changed because we just felt the Spirit was telling us to go a different direction. With a plan, it’s much easier to do.

Over the next couple of weeks, we’ll sit down and start planning 2010. Lots of prayer, lots of silence. We’ll start with the question – what is God already doing in our congregation that we need to join Him? Where is it that He wants to take us that we need to speak to? What do we (congregation) need to hear from Him?