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Nature and God’s Power

It seems like the earth has been going through an unusually high number of natural disasters recently. Obviously there was the horrifying earthquake in Haiti, followed by quakes in Chile, China and, as of this morning, Afghanistan. We’ve also seen the volcanic eruption underneath Iceland’s Eyjafjallajokull glacier and the subsequent ash cloud that has shut down European air travel.

All these disasters have challenged the Christian community to reach out with as much prayer and support as it can. And please, if you can send support to any of these responder groups, do.

The string of events has also made me think about how easy it is for us to forget about the power of nature—and the one who created it. In biblical times, the natural world had a much more direct, immediate impact on people. They were reliant on good weather for crops and their livelihoods. Today in the United States, a bad growing season can mean higher prices in the produce section. For people back then—and many people in developing worlds today—good crops mean life and death.

Today it takes a giant ash cloud to shut down our travel. Back then, a simple thunderstorm could shut down travel on the land and the sea. Sailors were much more at the mercy of the weather, as evidenced by the plight of Jesus and the apostles during the night He walked on water. Before lightning rods, lightning was a constant source of worry for the fires it would cause.

The power of creation just had a more direct influence on the people of the Bible, and it naturally led to a more dependent view of God (whoever their God, or gods, might be). When something is out of your control, you can’t depend on yourself. Today we have much more control over the effects nature has on us, and therefore we are less dependent on God and His provision. But sometimes things happen that make us realize there are more powerful forces in this world than humanity. Ultimately, there is nothing we can do to escape the power of the God who created the world.

C.S. Lewis once wrote that nature is a way of helping us understand God. How do we understand what “big” is? How do we describe it? We use images from nature: mountains, the earth or the universe. Authors throughout the Bible use nature to help us understand the characteristics of God. David even spells it out for us in Psalm 19:1: “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands” (NIV).

Unfortunately, we still live in a fallen world, and sometimes nature reveals the power of God in ways we wished it would not. When that happens, we have to band together and show other characteristics of God, such as love and compassion, to one another. But let’s not witness the impact an earthquake, hurricane or volcano can have on our lives and continue to think we are in complete control.

Let’s remember that we are reliant on God’s mercy for every breath we breathe, and let’s look forward to the day when we will be able to enjoy God’s restored creation—free from the devastations of sin.

Tiger's New Nike Ad and the Importance of Fathers

If you've been awake at any point in the last four days, you've undoubtedly seen or heard about the controversial new Nike ad featuring Tiger Woods and his late father. It features a grainy, black-and-white close-up shot of a somber Tiger while the voice of Earl Woods questions him: "I want to find out what your thinking was. I want to find out what your feelings are. And, did you learn anything?"

It's certainly a bold move for the sportswear giant to bring up Tiger's personal life in such a blatant way just as he is returning to professional golf with his appearance last week at the Masters. It raises a lot of questions and has provoked a variety of reactions. Some people are calling it genius, some are calling it inappropriate, and some think it's just creepy.

What I find interesting about the story isn't as much the content of the ad as the sheer magnitude of public reaction it's garnering. Clearly it is striking a chord with people. Why? The questions being asked of Tiger are ones he already has answered in interviews with reporters. What's different this time? It's different because his dad is the one asking the questions.

The relationship between fathers and sons is a very personal one to men. You don't often see it talked about publicly; and when it is, it often arouses deep emotions. It's why every guy cries at the end of Field of Dreams, and it's why people are so caught up on this 30-second advertisement.

Tiger, who approved the ad, called it "very apropos."

"I think that's what my dad would say," he told reporters Thursday. "It's amazing how it—how my dad can speak to me from different ways, even when he's long gone. He's still helping me."

Earl Woods is not a new name to sports fans. The story of his involvement in the early development of Tiger's golfing abilities is almost legendary. Tiger has mentioned him frequently as his role model, mentor and friend. Probably the most touching moment of Tiger's career was when he won the British Open after his father's death in 2006 and broke into tears after the last putt—a rare display of emotion from him. He dedicated the victory to his father.

However, also well known is that Earl was divorced from Tiger's mother and was not a faithful husband. Given the firestorm of drama around Tiger's own affairs, the ad seems to bring up the question of how much Earl had to do with his son's infidelities. Did he display habits that led to his son's problems? Would he have been able to steer Tiger in a better direction if he were still alive?

These are questions only Tiger can answer, but they are certainly ones to think about for every father and son out there. If you're a dad, it's a stark reminder of how much influence you have on your son's life and how important it is to raise him to love God. If you are a son, it's a call to live a life your father would be proud of.

The story of Tiger Woods over the last six months is the story of how much pain and tragedy sin can cause in a man's life. Let's learn the lesson and follow after God and His love every day of our lives.

When God Makes Us Wait

By Chris Glazier

One of the toughest and most valuable things God teaches us as Christian men happens when He asks us to wait. I’m not talking about waiting for the weekend or your next issue of New Man. I’m talking about the big stuff.

Every guy knows what this feels like: There’s something in life you really want. It could be a job, a promotion, a relationship or a resolution to a problem. You want it badly. You work for it, you pray about it, you do everything you can to pursue it. Sometimes, though, God asks you to wait and trust Him.

It’s one of the most frustrating things that can happen in life, because usually that thing we are praying for is good for us. Good, pure motives are behind it, and it would help us in life. Thus, the dilemma: We don’t understand why we have to wait for it.

One of the main reasons this happens is found in Romans 5:3-5: “We also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (NKJV).

If God gave us everything we wanted or needed the moment we asked for it, we would never learn anything. One of the primary ways He produces character and faith in us is by making us wait and trust Him. He isn’t going to give us this thing immediately, and He’s also not going to show us exactly how we’re going to get it in the long run. He asks us to trust Him.

This Easter reminded me of how hard it must have been for the disciples to wait after Jesus’ crucifixion. They were hiding out in a house, wondering if they were going to be arrested, feeling hopeless because Jesus had just been killed. I can’t imagine a more desperate situation.

Yet Jesus had told them—repeatedly—He was going to come back. He didn’t tell them how He would do it or exactly what the circumstances would be. There was no roadmap for the resurrection. But He did tell them that He would come back, and He asked them for a huge leap of faith to believe it.

He is still asking for faith like that. If you are feeling desperate, waiting for something that God hasn’t answered yet, don’t let it get to you. Let the Holy Spirit work in you through your trial to produce character, hope and faith. Learn to trust that God will answer your prayers, even though it may be in His timing.

A Soldier in God's Army

I’ve interviewed a number of missionaries over the last few months for New Man, and, honestly, I feel like a spiritual bum. Seriously, these guys are doing such awesome things for the Lord that I feel like Paulie standing next to Rocky Balboa.

Paul Richardson, the guy we feature in our Q&A today, grew up among headhunters and cannibals in Indonesia—in the remote eastern jungles of the largest Muslim country in the world. His parents brought him back to America as a teenager, but as a young adult he want back to Indonesia to set up Christian-education centers. I have trouble bringing up spiritual conversations with my co-workers, much less with headhunters.

Carl Medearis, the guy we featured last week, is a missionary to Muslims in the Middle East who lived in Lebanon for 12 years. He recently met with leaders of Hezbollah and two of Osama bin Laden’s brothers so he could show them love and learn what it means to truly love your enemies. I have trouble showing love to my neighbors who cook smelly food and stink up our apartment.

Mike Yankoski, whom I talked with a few months ago, once spent five months living as a homeless man to learn how to love the poor. I haven’t volunteered at a homeless shelter since college.

These men have amazing lives, and it’s downright inspiring to see how close they are to the Lord and how important and clear His calling is to them. They are willing to go to extreme places, abandoning the comforts and safety of their homes to reach people who desperately need the gospel.

I always feel convicted after talking with men like this—and I should. However, the funny thing is that, when I really pray and think about it, I don’t feel convicted about where I live or what I’m doing. Instead, I feel convicted about how good a job I’m doing where God has placed me.

See, I think of guys such as Richardson and Medearis as the special-forces soldiers of God’s army. They’re doing the dangerous, outrageous, crazy assignments. That’s what He has called them to do.

Me? I’m a regular enlisted man. I live in suburban America. I have an apartment, a job and a wife. I’m not called to tell headhunters about Jesus; I’m called to tell my neighbors and co-workers about Jesus. I’m not called to give all my money away and live as a homeless man; I’m called to give as much money as I can. I’m not called to pray with leaders of Muslim nations; I’m called to pray with my wife.

God has given me a specific area of responsibility, and I need to do my best to fill the role He has given me now. Will the Holy Spirit lead me in new directions and ask me to do more in the future? I’m sure He will. But, for now, I am where I am for a reason, and I need to listen for God’s voice every day to find out how I can be an influence on those around me.

How Does God Talk to You?

Answers to this question will probably vary based on your background and Christian experience, but I’d like to ask it anyway: How do you hear God’s voice?

I’ve been around a lot of different types of Christians and heard a lot of different answers to that question. I’ve known men who say they regularly hear from God in a clear, obvious way. They know exactly what God is saying to them and confidently move forward.

I’ve been around other men who say the way God talks to them is through the Bible. Reading God’s Word, meditating on it and praying leads them to an understanding of God’s voice and God’s will for them.

I’ve met guys who say they hear from God regularly, like a daily, ongoing conversation. I’ve met other guys who say that God speaks to them only on rare occasions of importance.

I’ve known men who feel that God speaks to them through their experiences and circumstances. They’ll be moving through life, working through something or contemplating something, and the situation puts them in a position in which, all of a sudden, it feels like God is really telling them something.

Finally, I’ve known Christians who take a more questioning, skeptical view of God’s voice. Not wanting to mistake His for something else, they will question the motivations behind what they’re hearing. They will double-check, probe and make sure that God has really spoken to them.

If you’re anything like me, you can relate to almost every group. I think I’ve experienced God’s voice in every way previously mentioned, plus more. God rarely talks to me in the same way every time, but one of the coolest things about the Holy Spirit is that when He does talk to me, I can recognize it.

I may be deep in prayer or driving my car. I may be reading my Bible or reading the news. I may hear a clear, obvious voice or a subtle whisper that is felt more than understood. I may feel close to God at the time or distant from Him. Regardless of the circumstance, when God speaks, I try to recognize it and listen.

So how does God speak to you?

What Lost Says About Being a Man

My wife and I have been getting into the TV show Lost recently (I know, we're really late to the party), and one of the things that has struck me is just how much it speaks to the topic of manliness.

Even if you've never seen the program, I'm sure you know generally what it's about: A group of people crash-landed on an island and have to survive together. They not only must figure out how to stay alive, but they also must face the pressures of living together. Throw in some bizarre mysteries occurring in the jungle, and you have a situation that is going to show what people are truly made of.

One of the interesting themes brought up in the show is the difference between who the characters were before the crash and who they are on the island. Such things as income levels, arrest records and so forth that mean a lot in the real world don't mean much on a deserted island. Instead, being skilled at fishing, hunting, shooting and construction mean a lot more. For instance, one character was a useless cubicle drone for a box company before the crash, but he's also an expert knife hunter, which makes him invaluable.

It naturally makes you question your manliness. If I was stuck on an island, what could I offer? Would I be able to protect people or provide food or shelter? Has our current culture taken away some of these manly qualities? In some ways I believe it has, but one of the cool things about life—and Lost—is that nothing is very simple.

As the show goes along, for example, and the group figures out the basics of how to survive, the other qualities of the characters become much more important. Suddenly leadership, integrity, friendship, wisdom and even faith become more crucial. These traits aren't as obviously useful as being able to hunt, for instance, but they're more important in the long run.

I think a lot of the time we can focus too much on the obvious male characteristics in our lives as well. I wish I were a little stronger, I wish I were a little more handy, and I wish I could fish better. But, in the long run, manliness is more about character than skills. A real man has integrity and wisdom and is a leader. When I think of the greatest, manliest man ever, He did have some sweet skills as a carpenter, but they were not what made Him great.