Before I came to California four years ago, I knew very little about what to expect. I remember learning in high school history class about the explorers who went out west and the 1849 Gold Rush that sent masses westward seeking a fortune.
In a similar spirit, when I traveled for the first time westward to begin school at Stanford, I did so with a sense of adventure. I was joining a society of explorers.
But arriving in California, I discovered a new adventure was occupying the people.
At Stanford I met buildings named after Hewlett, Packard, and Gates. Zuckerberg would stop by campus to give a computer science lecture. And it wasn't long until we were anticipating who in our class would create the next great start-up and become ridiculously wealthy.
The society of explores had become the society of creators.
But we aren't just creating start-ups and fortunes. At Stanford we have a class put on by the School of Design called, "Design Your Life". The now popular answer to "What is the meaning of life?" is "You create your meaning."
Don't discover. Create.
It sounds exciting. But I wonder if we have gotten too carried away. Is the purpose that we're creating as temporary as the start-ups Silicon Valley produce. Are there some things we should still be seeking for? Something more valuable and eternal than gold?
To those still exploring and discovering, I share the promise: "You will seek Me and find Me, when you seek Me with all your heart" (Jeremiah 29:13).
May 23, 2012
May 21, 2012
Access
May 19 is my birthday! This year, it was also the day I was invited to deliver the sermon at the Mountain View Japanese Adventist Church.
Public speaking is a couple miles away from my comfort zone. Also, it's nowhere close to making it onto the "skills set" section of my resume.
But just as an Artist who makes a masterpiece by using broken, faulty tools deserves all the more honor, I believe God often uses rusty, unqualified people to accomplish the masterpiece He's working in our lives, directing all the glory to Him.
For those interested in hearing the message, called Access, you may listen to an audio recording here. Soon I'll also post the video recording (which may be useful since we used a diagram during the sermon). It's a theme that has been changing my life and my walk with God; I pray you're also blessed.
Public speaking is a couple miles away from my comfort zone. Also, it's nowhere close to making it onto the "skills set" section of my resume.
But just as an Artist who makes a masterpiece by using broken, faulty tools deserves all the more honor, I believe God often uses rusty, unqualified people to accomplish the masterpiece He's working in our lives, directing all the glory to Him.
For those interested in hearing the message, called Access, you may listen to an audio recording here. Soon I'll also post the video recording (which may be useful since we used a diagram during the sermon). It's a theme that has been changing my life and my walk with God; I pray you're also blessed.
May 5, 2012
Why I keep Sabbath
Yesterday I told a friend that I keep Sabbath. He was impressed that I could make it through four years at Stanford without doing any work from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday. To be honest, I don't know if I could have made it through without Sabbath.
However, despite the blessing of Sabbath, I'm sometimes slow to tell friends about my Sabbath observance. Not because I'm ashamed, but because I'm afraid that when I share Sabbath, I'll fail to communicate the point of it. I fear that it'll sound like Sabbath is just my weekly vacation from work or a time I spend with friends. Those are nice aspects, but they totally miss the central theme. Sabbath is a celebration of Jesus.
Let me explain.
The first mention of the Sabbath is at the end of the creation week in Genesis. Throughout the week God had been speaking the world into existence. On the sixth day God stepped down, knelt on the ground, crafted man from clay, and breathed life into him. Then we see creation week come to a close:
Thus God gave humanity an example to rest on the seventh day. As if that wasn't enough, He made it a command (one of big ten actually):
As God rested, we rest. The Sabbath is a memorial of creation--every week we stop what we're doing and remember God our Creator. Talk about a regular dose of perspective! Also note the emphasis on the seventh day. This makes sense, it's the only day that was made holy and hence the only day that we can keep holy. Sabbath on Tuesday wouldn't make sense.
Now, jump forward to Jesus. One Sabbath Jesus encounters a blind man. Jesus often healed the blind, but his method this time is unique, "he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man's eyes with the mud" (John 9:8).
Don't miss the significance. This is happening on the Sabbath. The day everyone has been commanded to rest and remember creation. And what does Jesus do? He kneels down, shapes some dirt, and breathes/spits into it.
Just like God did at creation. By his actions, Jesus is identifying himself with the Creator.
This is no new idea for the gospel of John which opens by declaring of Jesus, "All things were made by through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made" (John 1:2).
But here Jesus isn't creating new life. He's healing disease and restoring broken life. The Creator is also the Redeemer!
What does this mean for Sabbath? Good question. Let's go back to the Ten Commandments. We read the version recorded in Exodus, but another is recorded in Deuteronomy. Nearly identical, except the Sabbath commandment:
Before Sabbath was linked to creation, but here it is linked to deliverance. The New Testament closely ties God's act of bringing Israel out of Egypt with bringing individuals today out of the slavery of sin. Hence Sabbath celebrates both God as Creator and God as Redeemer.
We see this on the cross. It's the sixth day of passion week and the Christ is on the cross. In triumphant agony he declares, "It is finished". Then he rests on the Sabbath. Just like at the close of creation week when God finishes creating and rests on the Sabbath.
Powerful. The acts of creation and redemption are linked. Sabbath is the golden thread that travels across time, connecting us with God's mighty acts in history.
Perhaps that's why Jesus was so passionate about the Sabbath. He spent his Sabbaths challenging the popular opinion that Sabbath was just about avoiding tasks like snacking and heavy lifting (cf. Matt. 12, John 5). Instead, he teaches Sabbath is about doing good, healing, and blessing. This kind of seventh day Sabbath keeping he expected his followers to continue with after his return to heaven when they would be facing troubling times (Matt. 24:20).
Most importantly, Jesus is clear about the central focus of Sabbath. Matthew, Mark, and, Luke all record Jesus claiming the title "Lord of the Sabbath". And no wonder. Jesus is the Creator-Redeemer (Col. 1:15-20). The seventh day Sabbath is a celebration of what He's done and is doing for humanity.
That's why every Sabbath I rest from my work and remember the works of Jesus (Heb. 4). Because when it comes to me standing before God, me and my works are nothing. They contributed nothing to my creation and are no basis for my redemption. But Jesus and his work are everything. He molded me and his blood covers me.
This Friday, when I see the sun begin to set, I'll stop. I'll look towards the heavens and marvel at God's glory. Then I'll notice the setting sun's red glow and reflect on the blood shed at Calvary. I'll spend the Sabbath celebrating my living Creator-Redeemer. Will you join me?
However, despite the blessing of Sabbath, I'm sometimes slow to tell friends about my Sabbath observance. Not because I'm ashamed, but because I'm afraid that when I share Sabbath, I'll fail to communicate the point of it. I fear that it'll sound like Sabbath is just my weekly vacation from work or a time I spend with friends. Those are nice aspects, but they totally miss the central theme. Sabbath is a celebration of Jesus.
Let me explain.
The first mention of the Sabbath is at the end of the creation week in Genesis. Throughout the week God had been speaking the world into existence. On the sixth day God stepped down, knelt on the ground, crafted man from clay, and breathed life into him. Then we see creation week come to a close:
Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation. [Gen. 2:1-3]
Thus God gave humanity an example to rest on the seventh day. As if that wasn't enough, He made it a command (one of big ten actually):
Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. [Exodus 20:8-11]
As God rested, we rest. The Sabbath is a memorial of creation--every week we stop what we're doing and remember God our Creator. Talk about a regular dose of perspective! Also note the emphasis on the seventh day. This makes sense, it's the only day that was made holy and hence the only day that we can keep holy. Sabbath on Tuesday wouldn't make sense.
Now, jump forward to Jesus. One Sabbath Jesus encounters a blind man. Jesus often healed the blind, but his method this time is unique, "he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man's eyes with the mud" (John 9:8).
Don't miss the significance. This is happening on the Sabbath. The day everyone has been commanded to rest and remember creation. And what does Jesus do? He kneels down, shapes some dirt, and breathes/spits into it.
Just like God did at creation. By his actions, Jesus is identifying himself with the Creator.
This is no new idea for the gospel of John which opens by declaring of Jesus, "All things were made by through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made" (John 1:2).
But here Jesus isn't creating new life. He's healing disease and restoring broken life. The Creator is also the Redeemer!
What does this mean for Sabbath? Good question. Let's go back to the Ten Commandments. We read the version recorded in Exodus, but another is recorded in Deuteronomy. Nearly identical, except the Sabbath commandment:
Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the Lord your God commanded you. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter or your male servant or your female servant, or your ox or your donkey or any of your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates, that your male servant and your female servant may rest as well as you. You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the Lord your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day. [Deuteronomy 5:12-15]
Before Sabbath was linked to creation, but here it is linked to deliverance. The New Testament closely ties God's act of bringing Israel out of Egypt with bringing individuals today out of the slavery of sin. Hence Sabbath celebrates both God as Creator and God as Redeemer.
We see this on the cross. It's the sixth day of passion week and the Christ is on the cross. In triumphant agony he declares, "It is finished". Then he rests on the Sabbath. Just like at the close of creation week when God finishes creating and rests on the Sabbath.
Powerful. The acts of creation and redemption are linked. Sabbath is the golden thread that travels across time, connecting us with God's mighty acts in history.
Perhaps that's why Jesus was so passionate about the Sabbath. He spent his Sabbaths challenging the popular opinion that Sabbath was just about avoiding tasks like snacking and heavy lifting (cf. Matt. 12, John 5). Instead, he teaches Sabbath is about doing good, healing, and blessing. This kind of seventh day Sabbath keeping he expected his followers to continue with after his return to heaven when they would be facing troubling times (Matt. 24:20).
Most importantly, Jesus is clear about the central focus of Sabbath. Matthew, Mark, and, Luke all record Jesus claiming the title "Lord of the Sabbath". And no wonder. Jesus is the Creator-Redeemer (Col. 1:15-20). The seventh day Sabbath is a celebration of what He's done and is doing for humanity.
That's why every Sabbath I rest from my work and remember the works of Jesus (Heb. 4). Because when it comes to me standing before God, me and my works are nothing. They contributed nothing to my creation and are no basis for my redemption. But Jesus and his work are everything. He molded me and his blood covers me.
This Friday, when I see the sun begin to set, I'll stop. I'll look towards the heavens and marvel at God's glory. Then I'll notice the setting sun's red glow and reflect on the blood shed at Calvary. I'll spend the Sabbath celebrating my living Creator-Redeemer. Will you join me?
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