Y O U N G C H R I S T I A N M A NJAN 2011

GENUINE MOTIV TIONV

I S G O D A M I C R O M A N A G E R ?

MY DIVINE ENCOUNTERIN MONTANA

Advice from the GARDEN OF EDEN

I T ’ S ALL A B O U T GRACE

YOUNGCHRISTIANMAN04 FeatureArticle:It’s all About Grace Zach Van Dyke

08 OnTheCouch:Getting the Most out of Love Randy kosloski

10 CanYouRelate:Touching the Mountain: thom mollohan My Divine Encounter in Montana

14 PressOn:Amazing Grace will dole

16 CorneredbyGrace:You Name It ROB BEAMES

12 MayGodBlesstheHellOutofYou:Resolution Solution The Merry Monk

16 TheToolbox:Resume Review Jeffrey Bridgman

10 CanYouRelate:Touching the Mountain: thom mollohan My Divine Encounter in Montana

16 CorneredbyGrace:You Name It ROB BEAMES

Art + CreAtive DireCtor / MIKE MURO & DANIELA BERMÚDEZEditor in ChiEf / ROB BEAMEs

a publication of on My own now Ministries www.onmyownnow.comVisit our ArchiVes to View PAst issues of Genuine MotiVAtion

12 MayGodBlesstheHellOutofYou:Resolution Solution The Merry Monk

16 TheToolbox:Resume Review Jeffrey Bridgman JANUARY2011

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IT’S ALLABOUTGRACE

The other day a sweet, middle-aged member of the church where I am the youth pastor said to me with a saccharine and slightly condescending smile, “Grace is just your thing, isn’t it? You just can’t get enough of it.”

People say things like that to me a lot and it usually puts the biggest grin on my face. I love that people associate me with grace, but shouldn’t that be the case with all Christians? Isn’t grace our thing? Can any of us ever get enough of it? Doesn’t it have to be all about grace?!

If it’s not all about grace, then my story just doesn’t make any sense.

BY ZACH VAN DYKE

After I graduated from a Christian high school and won the coveted “Christian of the Year” award, my girlfriend, Kelly, got a job babysitting the Taylor kids. Mrs. Taylor was one of our favorite and funniest teachers. She had a reservoir of accents both legitimate and asinine that spontaneously poured out of her mouth without warning. We loved her.

But as much as we loved Mrs. Taylor, I hated that my girlfriend would be tied up babysitting three boys after graduation. I knew this would definitely cut into our make-out sessions! And how long could I count on Kelly to remember that she was dating the “Christian of the Year”? That at least warranted second base!

Daniel was a teenager and didn’t “need” a babysitter so he stayed with a friend. Sam, like most pre-adolescent boys, played video games constantly and no matter what I tried, he was not interested hanging with me at all. But Jesse, the three-year-old, couldn’t wait to embark on a new adventure.

He was a blast to play with because everything was extreme. While playing “trucks” with him, I witnessed some of the nastiest head-on collisions.

One afternoon, as I was playing, or should I say, trying to avoid my knuckles getting rammed by speeding hot wheels-I heard Kelly mention something to a friend on the phone that I had a different opinion about. I’m not one to let my opinions go unvoiced, so I immediately rushed into the room where she was to express my feelings.

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IF IT’S NOT ALL ABOUT GRACE, THEN MY STORY

JUST DOESN’T MAKE ANY SENSE.

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Some time went by. I can’t really explain it, but I got an awful feeling in the pit of my stomach. I suddenly felt totally disrupted and uneasy. I ran back into the other room to check on Jesse. Empty. Only the scattered, flipped-over trucks and cars lay on the floor.

I immediately ran out the front door and hollered Jesse’s name. No answer. I ran back inside, still hollering. No noise.

Kelly was screaming his name too. Silence.

I noticed the glass door to the back porch slightly ajar. I knew. It’s an indescribable sensation to know something like that.

I ran through the door and saw a sweet, little boy floating lifeless, face-down in the pool. I lifted him up. His face was white. His eyes rolled back in his head. The veins in his face were exposed, purple and blue. Foam was oozing out of his mouth.

I shook him. I hollered his name. No reply. No noise. Silence.

Holding Jesse in my arms, I turned to see Sam standing behind me. All I could say to him was, “Run. Go away.”

Kelly came to the door and let out a gut-wrenching scream.

It seemed like hours before the ambulance arrived. It was only minutes.

As I was driven to the police station in the back of Officer Drinkwater’s car (obviously I could not or would not make that up...that was his name), I thought, “Christian of the Year”?!? God doesn’t allow this to happen to those who love Him.

Over 1,200 people attended Jesse’s funeral. Kelly and I did not want to go. Why would we? How could we?

We were seated just before the family entered towards the front left side. We had a perfect side view of the Taylor family: Mr. and Mrs. Taylor and their two sons, Daniel and Sam. I couldn’t cry. I was numb and angry...and even angrier.

As the last hymn was being sung, the Taylor family stood and started to walk out of the packed sanctuary. As Mr. and Mrs. Taylor passed in front of Kelly and me, they stopped, turned and looked down directly at us without any regard to our shame. With great intensity, they pulled both of us up out of our seats and hugged us. In front of all twelve hundred people and they wouldn’t let go.

A few months later, I received this letter from Mrs. Taylor:

I SHOOK HIM. I HOLLERED HIS NAME. NO REPLY. NO NOISE. SILENCE.

WITH GREAT INTENSITY, THEY PULLED BOTH OF US UP OUT OF OUR SEATS AND HUGGED US.

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Dearest Zachary,I have missed you as you have been away at college. I hope you are enjoying Florida State. I know you are having a hard time. I am too. I have a love-hate relationship with my life. I love the sweet things...Sam, Daniel, ok even Mr. Taylor, but I hate my thinking. I think about Jesse all the time. I feel his hand in mine, such soft skin and his breath on my cheek. I can still hear his voice telling me he loves me. This is hard, Zach. My heart is broken, but you didn’t break it. I struggle with tears constantly, but they are tears of sorrow and longing. I long to hold my little boy in my arms. I long to hear him tell me he loves me. I long to see his smile. None of which I will ever have again in this body. My heart aches constantly. How does one cope with such a loss? I pray...there is some comfort. If God took all the pain away, would I grow as much? I don’t think so. Do I want to grow this way? Yes...No...Yes. (Know what I mean?)Please know from the first second, the very first second, God filled me with compassion for you and Kelly. I’m a vile sinner, Zach. Corruption lives in me. Yet, the love of Christ dwells there also. In this I can be totally transparent, truthful and sincere. I love and care for you. I have so much mercy for you and Kelly. God has allowed me no ill feelings toward either one of you, not one. We could all “if only” ourselves to death. It does no good. It changes nothing.You and I are much alike in that we both take life head-on. We like to “fix” things. Like you, I have prayed in the past for God to do “whatever” it takes to make me more dependent upon Him and to know Christ more fully. I never thought He would choose to work this way in my life. But He did. The greatest tragedy in all of this could yet come to pass if one of us moves away from our Heavenly Father. God is still in control, Zach. He is still God. Jesse’s days were numbered from the beginning. There is a purpose in this. I will continue to pray that you will stay close to God. I know He has big plans for you. You are a very special young man.

I love you,Vicki

Jesse died over 11 years ago.

Today I have been married to Kelly for nine years and we have three kids: Oliver, Atticus and Alice.

Daniel leads my students in worship at youth group every Sunday night right alongside me.

I am part of a team of five people who plan our church’s Sunday morning worship. Vicki is on the team with me. Just the other day, she told me that when she gets to Heaven she used to want to see Jesse first, but now she wants to see Jesus first.

All I can say is I’m so glad it’s all about grace.

Zach Van Dyke is Student Ministries Director at Orangewood Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Maitland, Florida. He and his family live in Orlando. Zach is also a featured blogger and youth pastors’ forum moderator at PoopedPastors.com.

ALL I CAN SAY IS I’M SO GLAD IT’S ALL ABOUT GRACE.

by Randy Kosloski

GETTING THE MOST OUT OF LOVE

onthecouch

When I was only eight years old, I was spellbound over a seven-year-old girl named Melissa. Her eyes were as blue as a perfectly chlorinated pool, but she also had horrible teeth. Nonetheless, as a young boy, I took God’s words to heart, “It is not good for the man to be alone” (Gen. 2:18). Melissa and I had a torrid one-month relationship. She ended up moving out of town and I never really got over her. I have been a romantic ever since.

Although I was far too young to understand the complexities of relationships—like it’s ill-advised to notice if a girl looks fat in a dress—I did understand that our relationship was fairly innocent. Neither of us took advantage of each other; we were in it for love. We had no idea what love was but we were open to discovery.

And that was that. Ever since, the roots of just about every one of my relationships have been about me. I have found similar selfish ways in most of my friends, as well as in one gentleman who came to me for help. We’ll refer to him as Richard.

Richard was a jigsaw puzzle. He was orphaned as a child, and raised by a questionable extended family. As a teenager, he lost his best friend in a car accident and many of his family members became criminals. Overall, he seemed quite calm and rational, but his childhood caused him to have issues of self-worth and belonging, although he tended to downplay this internal struggle. He came to me because he was having a hard time dealing the emotional wreck he considered his girlfriend to be.

Since it seemed that he chose this woman specifically because of her issues, it was strange that he sought help in dealing with her. He had a propensity toward high-maintenance women. Perhaps because their emotional imbalance made him feel like he had it “together.” In this way, he could play the role of being a solid rock for his partners, or their knight in shining armor. As a result he was able to darn a mask of strength and ability, although underneath feelings of inadequacy prevailed.

I believed that Richard’s report about his girlfriend, but I could not help her, since she had not come to me for help. I’m good, but not that good. Instead, I worked on Richard to try to get him to see that he was being selfish in his relationship, and that if he could change his contribution to the relationship, his partner may change as a consequence. His relationship was all about him—not about his girlfriend and certainly not about God.

In The Pilgrim’s Progress, by John Bunyan, Christian’s walk is made easier with a companion, but Christian’s walk existed regardless of whether he had a companion. Though Christian appreciated a companion, he was on his way to the Celestial City, either way.

In his walk, Richard was trying to focus on the struggles of his companion while ignoring his own issues. This made for a happier journey for him. Her stumbling made him feel like a

mountaineer in comparison. Since I fear he had no eye toward God’s Celestial City, he was most likely just walking aimlessly. Perhaps, if he was a character in Bunyan’s classic tale, his name would have been Egocentric.

Richard was making a common relational mistake for men. His girlfriend was actually more of an appendage to his life, or a monument to himself, than a companion. A good partner can help in times of struggle and make pleasant times even more enjoyable. A healthy relationship can put both people on a noticeably higher emotional plane, but if the relationship becomes more about serving one person, than about serving each other, everyone suffers, and love gets a bad rap.

In his popular sermon series, Andy Stanley talks about the importance of placing ourselves in the context of eternity. He explains that if we fail to do this, we can fall into the trap of making our lives completely about ourselves. We have limited days on this earth and we need to use them for God’s purposes in God’s context of eternity. If we live primarily focused on ourselves, Stanley points out that we will not be remembered well. Although our reputation should not be our foremost goal, what we leave in our wake from this life can testify as to how we lived. Broken relationships and broken people do not speak well about us.

According to Denis de Rougement, one of the unspoken ideals of love is that it will help us as individuals live infinitely more passionately, and that somehow love can unlock this intense alter reality of life. But Richard is an example of why this is not so. Love takes work and if the work is done well then the wake of your life will reflect a love from heaven. Richard needed to realize that love is not about enhancing his own life, but about making more of the time he has, and about making the world better for sake of Jesus Christ.

Because Richard was an introspective client—and they are rare—he apparently was able to make some changes in his life to better his relationship. He may have been only stroking my ego, but it seemed that he bought into the idea that he could create something beautiful with his girlfriend, something that God would be pleased to see, and something that would reflect God to anyone who encountered it.

The Bible tells us that we should approach the Living God just like a small child. It wouldn’t hurt to approach our romantic relationships in a similar way. Like an eight-year-old child mesmerized by a girl with beautiful blue eyes and bad teeth trying to discover what love is. It doesn’t hurt to be open to direction and correction too, as we try to heed the first piece of good advice given to humanity: it is not good for man to be alone.

“AND SOMEHOW LOVE CAN UNLOCK THIS INTENSE ALTER REALITY OF LIFE.”

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“IT IS NOT GOOD FOR THE MAN TO BE ALONE.”GENESIS 2:18

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TOUCHING THE MOUNTAINM Y D I V I N E E N C O U N T E R I N M O N T A N A

C A N Y O U R E L A T Eb y T H O M M O L L O H A N

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In 1990, I spent the summer running children’s programs for some ranching communities in central Montana. I had asked to be assigned to Montana due to images in my mind of tall white-peaked pinnacles of stone, their knees and feet carpeted with stately forests and icy cold torrents of frothing water weaving their winding ways between them.

Instead, I was assigned to the exact middle of the state, which was a dusty plain sparsely populated by pronghorns, prairie dogs, sheep and tumbleweeds. The flat terrain stretched out on every side of me like an endless tablecloth with purple shadows of mountains only peeking tauntingly at me from over the edge of the distant horizon.

Prairie dogs and tumbleweeds are interesting enough, but even for those who always see their glasses as half full, the thrill fades pretty fast. I couldn’t help but feel a bit disappointed. I had had enough of only hearing about the mountains and I wanted more than to simply see pictures of them towering majestically over lakes the color of pure sapphires. Instead, I wanted to ascend the mountain’s summit and touch its face, so that I would know from personal experience its glory.

Given the demands on my time, I had almost given up hope of such an opportunity. But finally, after six or seven weeks, the opportunity came. Faced unexpectedly with a free weekend, a few colleagues and I loaded our backpacks and headed out to the Beartooth Mountains in the mid-western part of Montana, in spite of the fact that I was still recovering from sickness.

We trekked 35 miles onto a ridge of mountain peaks that overlooked a wide lake at the foot of its northwestern face. We began our climb up a twisting trail marked at about every quarter mile with small, crude signs roughly nailed to trees. It was a great climb, but with my fits of coughing and sneezing, we knew that the only wildlife we’d possibly see were wolves that might have mistaken my hacking for an ailing moose. In spite of my sickness the beauty of the hike was staggering. The sun shone with its glory undimmed and each step brought us closer to it. The pine smell was lost on my miserable sinuses, of course, but the wild evergreen trees stood faithfully on either side of the pass arching overhead with stoic solemnity that made me appreciate, ever more deeply, their tribute to the Creator.

We made our way above the tree line until we reached some of the year-round snow that adorned the mountain peak and looked out over the flatlands to the east. Far below me, I could see the unremarkable terrain stretch

out until another string of mountains rose again from the earth as a brown dust devil swirled quietly below us in the empty plain. The thrill of being caught up in the mountain’s majesty gripped me and I found myself singing a song of praise to God.

That night we found a large, sheltered hollow in which a grove of pine trees had managed to take root and thrive. We made camp and enjoyed both human companionship and a sweet fellowship with the stars that seemed to be near enough to listen in on our conversation.

But later that night, I was awakened by a titanic boom as a peal of thunder blasted our little dell with an aural explosion. I was momentarily blinded by the brilliant flash of accompanied lightning. Suddenly, I found myself praying furiously, imagining that each pole holding up my tent was a miniature lightning rod. The wind whipped my little tent about like it was an newspaper kite. The rain crashed down like tiny tidal waves, and soon penetrated my “water-proof” tent, soaking me to the bone. When it finally turned to sleet, I didn’t mind in the least: at least sleet couldn’t get in the tent as easily. Only an hour after the storm passed, the full moon re-emerged and the stars were again my friends.

In the days that followed that hike, I realized how much it was like our relationship with God. We sing, teach, pray and talk about encounters with God. But encounters with God don’t always turn out the way we imagine they will. In fact, the longer we walk with Him, even when seeking Him with all our hearts (see Jeremiah 29:13), the more unpredictable we find Him. At times, He shelters us in small valleys of comfort and protection. Sometimes, He sparks our wonder with His power and His love. Occasionally, we are possessed with joy as we glimpse His majesty and know that, somehow, He has chosen to love us. And yet…at other times, He thunders into our lives with His holy voice and we are dumb-founded by a sense of His omnipotence and holiness. How rich and wonderful then is our God Who made the heavens and the earth!

IN FACT, THE LONGER WE WALK WITH HIM, EVEN WHEN SEEKING HIM WITH ALL OUR HEARTS, THE

MORE UNPREDICTABLE WE FIND HIM.

“May the glory of the LORD endure forever; may the LORD rejoice in his works – he who looks at the earth, and it trembles, who touches the mountains, and they smoke. I will sing to the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live”

Psalm 104:31-33.

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MAY GOD BLESS THE HELL OUT OF YOUBY THE MERRY MONK

In 2009, I made a few resolutions and did well. I worked out five to six times a week and became a vegetarian. My resolution was to become a vegan, but cheese kept finding its way into my mouth—via veggie pizzas and goldfish crackers. I also ate an egg. Then there was the mahi-mahi I ate while celebrating my 15th wedding anniversary... and the lunch meat I tasted while making my kids’ lunch. (Hey, it could have gone bad. I was throwing myself in front of the salmonella bus to save the children.) But I digress.

The point is that with all the exercise and my vegetarianism, I lost 50 pounds. I also quit drinking and sneaking pipe tobacco. I became a Nazarite without the hair. I even got a life insurance policy with premiums in the basement, in case I lost it and went on a crazy meat and beer binge, gained all the weight back, and greased up my blood. Wait, that’s not the point either.

The point is I was living as cleanly as I ever have. On top of that, I started seeing a counselor to work through my stuff, and to name “my demons” by kissing them on the mouth in an effort to live in greater degrees of freedom. And on top of that, I began another master’s degree at Reformed Theological Seminary. The way I was going, I thought I might get translated straight into heaven like Enoch, although I was afraid the life insurance policy wouldn’t pay out if they didn’t find a body.

That was a year of personal reformation in just about every area of my life, yet I discovered God wasn’t happy with me because of those efforts. I went to Him and said, “Look, Father, I’m finally behaving like a ‘real’ Christian. How about that?”

He replied, “Good for you.” He wasn’t impressed.

RESOLUTION

SOLUTION

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There’s something in us that wants to make God happy, but we can’t. Trying to make God happy is like collecting waves on the beach in a child’s bucket and pouring the water back into the surf to get the ocean wet. God is already happy and nothing we do can add to or subtract from that.

“This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased” (Matt. 3:17). Those words from our Father became the air Jesus breathed. He did only what He saw the Father doing, and God the Father was constantly happy with God the Son. “Because of the cross,” are the Father’s words to us, too. If we listen to that still small voice that’s almost drowned out by self-condemnation and the accusations of our enemy, we’ll hear the words like a cool breeze in the heat of the day, “You’re My beloved child and I’m happy with you.”

Not only is the Father happy with us because we’re part of the body of His beloved Son, the fact is...He’s just plain happy. It comes along with being the eternally blessed source of all goodness.

In Genesis, He says a few words and everything that exists springs into a good and pleasant existence. He didn’t create because of any need on His part. The Trinity was enough. Instead, He shared His image with dust simply to bless us with the overflow of His happiness. And then, almost instantly after we shattered that image and ran from His blessing, He chased us to cover our shame. Romans 11:35 reveals God’s overflowing blessedness saying, “Who has ever given to God, that God should repay them?” He doesn’t need anything or owe anyone. He’s the very definition of satisfied.

The Old Testament is filled with commands to rest and celebrate in God’s goodness. We’re so uptight He had to order us to share in His happiness. Those feast days were not solemn occasions. Check out the spirit of the law in Deuteronomy 14:22-26, “Be sure to set aside a tenth of all that your fields produce each year. Eat the tithe of your grain...and the firstborn of your herds and flocks...in the presence of the LORD your God and rejoice.” Ever hear those verses preached on tithing?

In the New Testament we see God the Son frequenting so many parties He’s accused of being a drunk. Later He will return for the biggest wedding celebration ever. Everyone’s invited and there’s an open bar, “The Spirit

and the bride say, ‘Come!’ ...and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life” (Revelation 22:17).

Luke 12:32 shows He delights in sharing His abundance with His children, “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.” There’s that word again, “pleasure.” God is pleased and it’s His pleasure to share the happiness of His abundance.

Even so, it’s absolutely comical that we try to make God happy. We have the same arrogance that motivated Adam and Eve to cover themselves with leaves instead of going to God for clothes.

That is what’s so dangerous about commitment in general and New Year’s resolutions in particular. Our efforts to be good can blind us to the only real righteousness there is.

Do you want to know what gave me the juice to get my act together in 2009? A life insurance policy with low premiums...and grace. It is true that the only people who get any better are those who know that if they don’t get any better, God will still be happy with them anyway.

When I first heard that message, I started smoking, drinking and rebuilding the CD collection I threw out when I first became a Christian, because I really believed in the imputed righteousness of Christ. I was sure God was happy, but here’s the kicker...I was absolutely miserable.

Sometimes we don’t realize God’s already happy and He doesn’t need us to finish the job. Sometimes we don’t get it until we get drunk and miserably stumble home. That is the upside of sinning. If we belong to God, it makes us sick. If we keep it up, we’ll get more and more miserable, and consequently, increasingly more determined to stop. Eventually, we’ll look around at the pigs sharing our dinner and remember the celebrations at the Father’s house. We’ll remember that He’s happy, that He has plenty, and if we go home, we’ll be happy too.

I didn’t get my act together that year to make God happy. I did it to make me happy and that’s why I did so well.

Hear these words from Nehemiah 8:9-10, “...the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law. Nehemiah said, ‘Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks...Do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.’”

We can remember those words when we find ourselves feeling fat and undisciplined after all the holiday parties. As we haul that last garbage bag of torn up wrapping paper to the curb and start thinking about making some resolutions, we don’t want to forget that God’s joy is our strength.

There’s no use in resolving to be good to make God happy. Instead, if we enjoy His happiness, we just might be surprised by our faithfulness. Even if we don’t get any better, it’s the best chance we have at having a Happy New Year.

“WHO HAS EVER GIVEN TO GOD, THAT GOD SHOULD REPAY THEM?” HE DOESN’T NEED ANYTHING OR OWE ANYONE.

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A M A Z I N G G R AC E

P R E S S O N

b y W I L L D O L E

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Hey, did you know we have something in common? If you’re reading this, (and even if you’re not), you’re a sinner—and so am I! By virtue of our humanity, we are creatures who commit sin. Romans 3:23 states, “…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” We all know that sin is bad and some of us might even readily acknowledge that it leads to spiritual death and eternal damnation. But why is this so? Additionally, why do some seemingly small sins carry with them the same punishment as those we would consider large and heinous?

As a preface to further discussion, let’s consider some things about God. Generally speaking, we have some correct ideas about God, but nonetheless fail to give God the credit, awe, amazement, fear, worship, contemplation and praise He so greatly deserves. Therefore, our ideas of God are only partially correct and vastly insufficient. Indeed, any attempt to define the infinite through the eyes of the finite is doomed to fail.

I bet that if we asked people what words they use to describe God, we would probably get responses such as, creator, love, grace, mercy, savior, judge and holy. These words are appropriate and relatively easy to understand in their Biblical sense—all, that is, except for the word “holy.” We might not have any trouble using “holy” in a sentence, but to provide a working definition of the word is more difficult. What does it mean? What is holy?

In trying to define “holy,” we might use the words “pure,” “undefiled,” “perfect,” “flawless,” “sacred,” etc. All these words describe the concept of holiness, but one word we might not think to use is “transcendent.” Dictionary.com defines it like this: transcesnding the universe, time, etc. To begin to understand God’s holiness, we must also consider that His perfection corresponds to His transcendence. He transcends our finite minds because He is infinite. He is not bound by the ills that we are. He is not constrained by that which constrains us. He does not work within the framework of time and space. All the words we use in relations to God’s character are descriptive, but not constrictive of God. The first step to understanding God is to understand that He exceeds our ability to understand. Our ideas and our ideas of what He has said are restrictive of Him. We’re better off, then, if we get rid of our preconceived notions of God. God will do what God chooses. The only thing that constrains God is God.

Now that we have established that God is the only holy, transcendent being, let’s combine this with the fact that He is our creator. We see through the Genesis narrative that God is the creator of the universe, and all that is within it. We also see in Genesis 1:26-28 that God gives man a special place in this creation, as the bearer of His image. Mankind was created to mirror God. Our thoughts, words and actions ought to be an expression of a faithful relationship with the Creator. God, who is holy,

transcendent, eternally existing, creates man to mirror Him, to love Him, to commune with Him and to worship Him.

But we know what comes next, don’t we? In the third chapter of Genesis, Adam and Eve sin. They disobey the one command that God gives them, and they die spiritually. They are separated from God—a condition that is transferred to all mankind from that minute forward. All over one little fruit? This seems kind of harsh, doesn’t it?

Shouldn’t the punishment fit the crime? This concept of a fitting punishment is actually God’s idea (see Exodus 21:24). If this is the case, how can God be so hard on Adam and Eve for simply eating from a tree? Spiritual death seems a bit harsh for this crime. So what’s up? Is God unjust? It might seem so with our finite understanding of justice. Yet in God’s transcendence, Adam and Eve’s act has greater significance than simple disobedience. Instead of worshiping God, Adam and Eve question God. They no longer believe that He is their perfect provider; rather they think He is holding out on them. They believe the fruit will make them wise, and they shift their worship from God Almighty, to themselves. They commit what author and theologian R.C. Sproul refers to as “cosmic treason.” D.A. Carson refers to this as the “de-godding of God.”

This is what happens when finite man questions the infinite and holy God. Questions breed doubt and doubt turns us away from God and toward ourselves. If we then choose to serve ourselves, this act of rebellion is treason toward the Creator. Our sin is not merely actions or words, it’s not even an “attitude problem.” At its root, it is rebellion against God. And this is why it must be punished. The penalty is so high, because in light of God’s beauty and perfection He could not tolerate this vile aberration in His sight. It had to be punished.

This, my friends, is what makes the cross so amazing. The more we contemplate the holiness of God, the better we understand the putrid stench that our sin—all sin—is to Him. And yet, instead of giving us justice, God sent His Son to pay the great price in our stead. That is amazing grace!

YO U A R E A S I N N E R

GM :16

The first interactions between two parties often reveal much about the future of the relationship. That’s one reason why the creation account is often revisited. We learn and remember God’s unchangeable attributes by understanding how He has dealt with us in the past. As many times as this historical report has been told, we’re probably pretty familiar with the part about how God chose to name the animals. But have we gleaned everything God is telling us about Himself in this passage?

After God created land and sea, plants and animals, He culminates His creative exhibition with the creation of mankind who bears His own image. But then history takes a surprising turn. Almighty God takes off His creative hat and allows His pride and joy to make a few decisions: “Now the LORD God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky. He brought

them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name” Genesis 2:19.

Isn’t it interesting that the One who, according to Psalm 147:4, “determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name,” doesn’t do this with His carefully created animal life? Instead, He brings each of them to His dear friend, Adam, and gives him the task of naming them.

Most teaching on this passage is fairly similar. One explanation is that God does this to set the foundation for the commission He would later give to the first couple: to be in charge of the earth. The other instruction from this passage usually indicates that God used it to demonstrate to Adam that he was unique and required a unique companion, which the rest of creation could not supply. It

you name

it

CORNERED BY GRACE by ROB BEAMES

GM :17

is commonly thought this was a living illustration to help Adam appreciate his new mate as the gift from God that she was. Both of these points are entirely appropriate, given the context of the passage, and certainly capture the essence of the event. But what does it tell us about the nature of the relationship between God and man in the beginning, and what does it tell us about God?

God could have named His animal kingdom in a different manner. He didn’t have to involve Adam in the process, but He did. This tells us that God was either planning to be intimately connected with mankind, was already personally involved, or both. This is confirmed later in Genesis 3:8 where we read that God routinely walked in the garden where Adam and Eve lived. So common was this occurrence that immediately after the couple sinned, God still expected to meet with them, and their absence caused Him to go on a search for them. It is clear that God is intentional with the way He personally relates to the first couple.

The way God engages Adam to name the animals demonstrates His sensitivity to Adam’s need for creative expression. God was probably eager to hear the names Adam would create and to enjoy the ingenuity of His friend. We can’t ignore the Creator/creation relationship which was there by default, but we don’t want to overlook the friendship being established between God and man displayed in events like this.

Although this passage doesn’t provide many details, we have enough information to know that God didn’t simply round up all of the animals, trap them in a pen, instruct Adam to go name them and report back to Him when he was finished. It is more likely that God brought to Adam each new creature one by one, stood nearby watching Adam observe the amazing abilities of each animal, and then reacted joyfully at each creative label Adam provided. There must have been some hearty chuckles at some of them.

Since we are made in the image of God, perhaps many of the things we enjoy are things that God enjoys as He interacts with us. For example, when a child tells us what they named a toy, or a pet, we may think, “Yeah, that makes sense,” and it often brings a smile to our face. God experiences a similar joy in His creation. Due to our absolute forgiveness through Jesus, He continues to take pleasure in what we do today.

God is perfect, but that doesn’t preclude Him enjoying watching His children use their cognitive prowess. God is all-powerful, but that doesn’t preclude His interaction with us as friends. Exodus 33:11 says, “The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend.” This means that from the beginning, not just after Jesus came to Earth, God has wanted a relationship with us, even if we do keep trying to screw it up.

There’s another thing we can learn about God’s character through this one exchange with Adam. Notice that whatever name Adam concocted, it became the animal’s name. God must have been pleased with each name because they all stuck. It seems Adam could do no wrong in this process. God’s control of the universe never wavered, although He allowed Adam to call some shots. It may seem trivial, since we are only talking about naming animals, but we can learn from this that despite God’s sovereignty, He may involve us in His work. That’s what friends do.

We may be hesitant to think of God as our friend because we are afraid of disrespecting Him, or we may feel it makes it easier to take advantage of His grace. But God has not chosen to be distant with us, but to interact with us personally as a friend. This close relationship doesn’t cause us to run away; His purpose is to draw us closer.

Who would be drawn to a lord spewing commands from a distant throne, micromanaging how we comply with them and threatening punishment for our failures? In contrast, when our God gives us a task, and comes along side us to take joy in the way we execute it, we are deeply motivated. God is awesome, even frightening, but He’s not distant. His is intimately engaged in our lives, influencing us to use our abilities to positively impact His world. He doesn’t need us to do this. He was doing just fine before we came along, but He created us for this purpose. He doesn’t have to interact with us in this way, but He does, and it gives Him great joy!

(I believe He wanted me to remind you of this!)

God was probably eager to hear the names Adam would create and to enjoy the ingenuity of His friend.

TOOLBOX

THERESUMEREVIEW

Are you resolved to find a new job in 2011? If so, a resume review is in your future. Vamping or revamping a resume is somewhat like writing a persuasive essay or making a good speech. We have to present ourselves in a way that will convince potential employers that we would make good employees. This one-page summary of who we are and why the company should hire us needs to clearly and concisely communicate why we are a good match for the open position. It’s the resume that determines if we get an interview, and the interview, the job.

The first thing to know about resumes is that it is not necessary to hire a professional to put one together. Even if we’re clueless on such matters, chances are we know someone who will help. Barter a homemade dinner or night at the movies in exchange for a friend or relative’s time in helping craft your resume. With the many sample and real resumes that can be found online now, it’s easy to find a style and tone that fits our needs. BestSampleResume.com has resumes from about 50 categories of employment, as well as many resume-writing helps.

With a few good samples at the ready, the next thing to do is collect all the info we will need to put the resume together. With this in hand, the resume can come together quickly—in about an hour.

INFO YOU NEED

Name and contact information—obviously.

Name, contact info and dates attended for all schools and training. If you have a college degree, no need to list high school, unless you attended a particular school that might get you brownie points with your perspective employer, such as a hoity-toity private school or military school.

Name, contact info and dates for all significant past employment.

Titles and dates of any awards, publications or presentations that are relevant to the job search.

Dated List of volunteer activities (and names of organizations).

ELEMENTS OF THE RESUME

Now that we have the basic ingredients for a good resume, we should craft a basic resume, and then we may need to tailor our resume to specific job openings.

The objective statement is one of the easiest places to customize a resume for a specific opening. Although these statements aren’t necessary, they can help clarify career goals. The statement should be a good match with the company we want to work for and should be substantive. Say something more than “I want to work for you” in so many words. Tell the prospective employer about your goals and how working for this company can help you achieve them.

What comes next depends on our strengths. If we are a recent grad without much experience, list education next. If we have some professional accomplishments that are relevant to our new job search, list experience next. Either way, list work and education in reverse chronological order—most recent first.

For education info, include GPA and class rank only if impressive. Include honor societies, study abroad, and of course, the certificate/degree/diploma earned and either the date earned or the date by which we anticipate earning it.

GM : 18

BY JEFFREY BRIDGMAN

GM : 19

When listing work experience, visually and verbally focus attention on things that demonstrate initiative, responsibility, leadership and achievements. Explain how well you did the job, as opposed to what the job consisted of. Also important, but not the primary focus, should be company, job title and dates worked. Exceptions here will include high profile companies or easily recognized titles, such as Time Warner and Executive Director, President or Founder. Bury titles like “intern” and “customer service rep.”

Particularly important for those in technical fields is a skills section. Examples include programming languages and software packages. These can also be packaged as “Competencies” and expanded to list soft skills such as typing speed, familiarity with office equipment, foreign language fluency, etc.

Finally, honors, awards and activities, including volunteer work, hobbies and significant travel, demonstrate your dedication and involvement, as well as giving you an on-paper personality. This is more important when lacking much work experience.

TIPS

Stats are that your resume gets just seconds of consideration before the interviewer either trashes it or reads further. Keep it to one page, but if you have to use two, put the meat up front and center on page one. Use bullet points, which are quicker to read and scan. Use a good balance of white space, keeping the design consistent, professional and simple.

Use standard serif fonts (san serif is okay for headers). Don’t try to be unconventional with design, unless this the job has something to do with artistic ability. Keep things organized and visually grouped together.

Be honest. If you land a job based on exaggerated qualities or skills, it will be obvious that someone lied on their resume, and that’s not the way you want to start out your new professional relationship.

Resumes don’t have to tell everything. A well-written cover letter will add more depth to our resume and we can tell the rest in the interview.

Of extreme importance, have someone else who has not worked on the resume proofread it and critique it. Colleges have a career development centers and in high school, use the guidance counselor to proof and critique.

Print the resume on good quality paper, in white, crème or other very light shade. Best bet is to take it to a local copy shop and ask for a laser print-out on a good linen paper.

This may sound like a lot to consider, but when we bite the bullet and sit down in front of the computer, it’s fairly painless and over quickly. Being thorough and respecting the necessity of a professional resume are two concrete steps toward the job of our dreams.