I just realized, after I published the last post, that I have hit the big 5-0. Not 50 years old, but "Thoughts From Texas" was the 50th post on Standing in the Gap. I am grateful for the opportunity I have had to express my thoughts through this venue, and for anyone who stops by to read what I have to say-thanks for your support.
So now that I have had almost a week to cogitate over my experiences at the conference, here are two things that have come to mind:
1) Probably the biggest realization I have had this week is that I allow other people too much sway over my thoughts, feelings, and generally, how I live my life. I have prayed about this problem before, and recognized it as such during my first year of law school, but it is only in the last few months that I have begun to combat it effectively. Right now, I am reading a book by Edward Welch, entitled "When People Are Big and God Is Small," that discusses this in more detail. But in my situation, the problem is twofold: a) minimizing the power of the Holy Spirit and God's Providence in my life, and b) putting these Godlike expectations on other people, whether or not they are willing to try to meet them.
Admittedly, this gets back to a theme that runs through most of my posts. Law school is an enormous challenge, both physically, in the number of hours spent studying and preparing for class, and spiritually, in that I must do my best to represent Christ to my peers and to others I encounter while I am in Columbus. But there is an antidote to the poison I face from other people, from the weight of the work, from the feelings of isolation that often surface. It is a message I need to meditate on from the time I wake up in the morning, as I sit in class, as I eat my dinner, as I drive to the store, and until I lay my head on the pillow at night.
God is good, and God is strong.
What makes law school so difficult lately is that I don't think about that enough, and it doesn't have the impact on me that it should. I found a site online that talks about the various names of God mentioned in the Bible, and the etymology of the Lord is amazing. So thinking about the names of God, which pertain to His qualities, I need to keep some of these in mind the next time I face trouble:
- My Eyaluth (strength) in the morning, when I go to class and need to remember what I have studied. This is why I said a quick prayer before Evidence on Tuesday, knowing that I would be called on and have to respond (Psa. 22:19).
- My Shaphat (judge) when I wrong someone during the course of my day, and I am convicted of my sin to apologize and repent on my knees (Gen. 18:25).
- My Jehovah-Nissi ("The Lord Our Banner") when I am called to engage the culture on the law school battlefield and defend my beliefs (Ex: 17:15; Psa. 4:6).
- My Jehovah-M'Kaddesh ("The Lord Who Sanctifies") when the Holy Spirit reaches into the dark corners of my heart to sanctify my life and lead me to increase in holiness in conformity with the call of Christ (Lev. 20:8).
Here is the site where I got these, if you want to check it out: http://www.ldolphin.org/Names.html
If God is for us, who can stand against us? One of my ongoing spiritual weaknesses is that while I love God, I minimize the extent of His power in my life. When I get bogged down in the busyness of a typical day, I forget who I work for. It is God I should be trying to please and emulate, not the people around me. So probably the best lesson or realization I had while in Texas is that I need to work on making God bigger and people smaller, and developing a healthier fear of, and respect for, Jehovah-Jireh.
What does this name mean in Hebrew? "The Lord Will Provide."
2) The other spiritual lesson I took away from the conference is that I need to work on developing the various spiritual disciplines to a greater extent. I have a decent prayer life, often taking the time to converse with God during the day, but to develop a regular devotional and worship time. The more regularity I have in my interactions with God, the less opportunity I will have to become discouraged and slip into common patterns of sin. At the conference, I purchased a book by R. Kent Hughes, entitled "Disciplines of a Godly Man," that should speak to this. I am going to read this book, then post later on specific ways I can help develop these disciplines in my life, around the law school schedule.
Showing posts with label CLS. Show all posts
Showing posts with label CLS. Show all posts
Saturday, November 11, 2006
Sunday, November 05, 2006
Thoughts From Texas
As I am writing this, I am sitting in the San Antonio airport, waiting to catch a plane back to Columbus that, unfortunately, won't leave for about two and a half more hours. Luckily, this allows me some time for reflection:
- I have had a great time in San Antonio, coming down for the weekend to attend the Christian Legal Society convention. The theme this year was "Walking the Walk: Following Christ in Law and Life", and featured several great speakers. It was nice to hear from Alan Sears again, since I was very impressed and inspired by his addresses at the Blackstone. We also heard from Jhan Moskowitz, from the organization Jews for Jesus, and Alan Andrews, from Navigators.
Another one of my favorite speakers was Jaime Lash, who spoke on the judgment seat of Christ. In particular, he told a story about a dream in which those who were in heaven were simultaneously weeping and rejoicing, depending upon whether their works in life had withstood the test of fire, the final judgment of one's life by the torch of the Lord. He juxtaposed the pile of gold, silver, and jewels in front of Christ's most faithful servants with the barren circle of earth in front of one who had spent his life building his own kingdom.
This had a real impact on me, and it made me question what I am doing and where I am going in law school. Am I more concerned with service and doing what God wants me to do (storing treasures in heaven) or with building my resume and impressing the person sitting on the opposite side of the interview table (treasures in earth)? When I get back to Columbus, I plan to do some deep self-examination, and take a long look at my priorities and time commitments. Some changes may be in order.
- Praise-I got a work-study job. On Friday, I start working at OCLC, the Online Computer Library Center, in Dublin. I will be working in the Legal Department, doing research, writing, and performing other legal tasks for the attorneys there. My hours this semester will be pretty limited, mostly on Fridays, but I am hoping to get in some more work in the spring, depending on what my schedule looks like. I am excited, since this will get me some more legal experience, and some extra money to help out with spending and groceries.
- We also got to do some sight-seeing while in San Antonio. On Friday afternoon, we walked to the Alamo, about a half-mile from the hotel. It was inspiring for me, as someone who loves history, to walk through the old chapel and see where the fighting occurred. There were also lots of historical artifacts, including the original Bowie knife, and one of David Crockett's law books, which was inscribed with the date-1828. There were also models of a cannon that was used, and the original wall was still standing. It was a sunny day, so the pictures should turn out well-I will post some on here once they are developed.
On the way back from the Alamo, and on Saturday night, we went through the Riverwalk. This is a river that runs through San Antonio, with all sorts of shops and restaurants along the side. There are boat tours you can take to see the city-we didn't have time for a tour, but we got to see everything just the same. The food was great-on Thursday night, we ate at a place called Mexican Manhattan, right along the river, and Saturday night, we went to a restaurant/bar called Rita's Ice House. I ordered the steak fajitas, and they were delicious-the best I have ever tasted. I definitely plan to eat there when I visit again.
I will have some more spiritual reflection in the next post. I have a plane to catch.
- I have had a great time in San Antonio, coming down for the weekend to attend the Christian Legal Society convention. The theme this year was "Walking the Walk: Following Christ in Law and Life", and featured several great speakers. It was nice to hear from Alan Sears again, since I was very impressed and inspired by his addresses at the Blackstone. We also heard from Jhan Moskowitz, from the organization Jews for Jesus, and Alan Andrews, from Navigators.
Another one of my favorite speakers was Jaime Lash, who spoke on the judgment seat of Christ. In particular, he told a story about a dream in which those who were in heaven were simultaneously weeping and rejoicing, depending upon whether their works in life had withstood the test of fire, the final judgment of one's life by the torch of the Lord. He juxtaposed the pile of gold, silver, and jewels in front of Christ's most faithful servants with the barren circle of earth in front of one who had spent his life building his own kingdom.
This had a real impact on me, and it made me question what I am doing and where I am going in law school. Am I more concerned with service and doing what God wants me to do (storing treasures in heaven) or with building my resume and impressing the person sitting on the opposite side of the interview table (treasures in earth)? When I get back to Columbus, I plan to do some deep self-examination, and take a long look at my priorities and time commitments. Some changes may be in order.
- Praise-I got a work-study job. On Friday, I start working at OCLC, the Online Computer Library Center, in Dublin. I will be working in the Legal Department, doing research, writing, and performing other legal tasks for the attorneys there. My hours this semester will be pretty limited, mostly on Fridays, but I am hoping to get in some more work in the spring, depending on what my schedule looks like. I am excited, since this will get me some more legal experience, and some extra money to help out with spending and groceries.
- We also got to do some sight-seeing while in San Antonio. On Friday afternoon, we walked to the Alamo, about a half-mile from the hotel. It was inspiring for me, as someone who loves history, to walk through the old chapel and see where the fighting occurred. There were also lots of historical artifacts, including the original Bowie knife, and one of David Crockett's law books, which was inscribed with the date-1828. There were also models of a cannon that was used, and the original wall was still standing. It was a sunny day, so the pictures should turn out well-I will post some on here once they are developed.
On the way back from the Alamo, and on Saturday night, we went through the Riverwalk. This is a river that runs through San Antonio, with all sorts of shops and restaurants along the side. There are boat tours you can take to see the city-we didn't have time for a tour, but we got to see everything just the same. The food was great-on Thursday night, we ate at a place called Mexican Manhattan, right along the river, and Saturday night, we went to a restaurant/bar called Rita's Ice House. I ordered the steak fajitas, and they were delicious-the best I have ever tasted. I definitely plan to eat there when I visit again.
I will have some more spiritual reflection in the next post. I have a plane to catch.
Sunday, July 09, 2006
Summer of 2006, pt. 6
Dispatches from Columbus, since I am staying at my apartment this weekend:
- Cincinnati is a nice city. I had only been through the city once before this summer, coming home from a trip to Florida, and I didn't get a chance to see it. This past week, I went downtown with the attorney I am working for to observe a deposition, and I got to see the area down by the river. Some of the landmarks I plan to visit: the Taft House and Museum, the Newport Aquarium, the Cincinnati Zoo, and of course go to a Reds game. There is an area on the Kentucky side of the river, called Newport-on-the-Levee, that has stores, restaurants, etc., kind of like Easton here in Columbus.
- I met with my treasurer today to discuss our plans for the Moritz chapter of the Christian Legal Society. We are planning to focus on reaching out and serving-the components of integrating our faith with our work as law students and, soon to come, lawyers.
Every other Thursday night throughout the semester, we will be having a Bible study, that is open to all students. We are still discussing topics, but my goal is to make all parts of Scripture relevant to our lives as Christians, not just as law students. I plan to cover topics that may have seemed “off limits” to Christians in the past. For example, what does the Bible have to say about our use of the Internet and modern technology? What does the Word say about what we should do in our spare time? There are countless ways to relate the Bible to everyday life, and I intend to use them as a way for us to relate to each other as Christians moving with confidence through law school, the trial of our faith.
We will also be looking for ways to serve others. For this, we have to find a way to get out of our comfort zones and address the needs of a world around us that is starving for the Gospel, and for the saving grace of Jesus Christ. More to be announced soon, but suffice it to say that where God leads us, we will follow.
One other point I plan to emphasize this year is that everyone, regardless of denomination, theological or political beliefs, or even whether believers or not, is welcome at Christian Legal Society. I want to emphasize this not to water down the message of Christ, but to show how relevant it is to everyone who walks through the door. Each of us is responsible, in our own way, for putting Christ on the cross, and we all need His forgiveness. My task, as president of the group, is not only to provide leadership and direction for our community of faith, but to create the conditions where the Holy Spirit can work in our hearts, and where everyone knows they are loved and being prayed for.
Look for more updates on Christian Legal Society coming this fall.
- Good news for the Cavs: LeBron James agreed to the contract extension today, which means he will be playing in Cleveland through the 2012-2013 season. This is some of the best news Cleveland sports fans like me can get right now, because I said earlier that as long as the Cavs can sign LeBron long-term, they will have an excellent shot at winning a championship, provided they keep a solid core of talent around him.
Now they need to re-sign Drew Gooden, and settle the situation at guard. The two new draft picks sound like they could be contributors next season, and they will need to find an impact player to replace Flip Murray, who will be leaving through free agency. Ultimately, though, the future looks promising, and I have a feeling the next great rivalry in the Eastern Conference will be between the LeBron-led Cavs and the Dwayne Wade-led Heat.
- Cincinnati is a nice city. I had only been through the city once before this summer, coming home from a trip to Florida, and I didn't get a chance to see it. This past week, I went downtown with the attorney I am working for to observe a deposition, and I got to see the area down by the river. Some of the landmarks I plan to visit: the Taft House and Museum, the Newport Aquarium, the Cincinnati Zoo, and of course go to a Reds game. There is an area on the Kentucky side of the river, called Newport-on-the-Levee, that has stores, restaurants, etc., kind of like Easton here in Columbus.
- I met with my treasurer today to discuss our plans for the Moritz chapter of the Christian Legal Society. We are planning to focus on reaching out and serving-the components of integrating our faith with our work as law students and, soon to come, lawyers.
Every other Thursday night throughout the semester, we will be having a Bible study, that is open to all students. We are still discussing topics, but my goal is to make all parts of Scripture relevant to our lives as Christians, not just as law students. I plan to cover topics that may have seemed “off limits” to Christians in the past. For example, what does the Bible have to say about our use of the Internet and modern technology? What does the Word say about what we should do in our spare time? There are countless ways to relate the Bible to everyday life, and I intend to use them as a way for us to relate to each other as Christians moving with confidence through law school, the trial of our faith.
We will also be looking for ways to serve others. For this, we have to find a way to get out of our comfort zones and address the needs of a world around us that is starving for the Gospel, and for the saving grace of Jesus Christ. More to be announced soon, but suffice it to say that where God leads us, we will follow.
One other point I plan to emphasize this year is that everyone, regardless of denomination, theological or political beliefs, or even whether believers or not, is welcome at Christian Legal Society. I want to emphasize this not to water down the message of Christ, but to show how relevant it is to everyone who walks through the door. Each of us is responsible, in our own way, for putting Christ on the cross, and we all need His forgiveness. My task, as president of the group, is not only to provide leadership and direction for our community of faith, but to create the conditions where the Holy Spirit can work in our hearts, and where everyone knows they are loved and being prayed for.
Look for more updates on Christian Legal Society coming this fall.
- Good news for the Cavs: LeBron James agreed to the contract extension today, which means he will be playing in Cleveland through the 2012-2013 season. This is some of the best news Cleveland sports fans like me can get right now, because I said earlier that as long as the Cavs can sign LeBron long-term, they will have an excellent shot at winning a championship, provided they keep a solid core of talent around him.
Now they need to re-sign Drew Gooden, and settle the situation at guard. The two new draft picks sound like they could be contributors next season, and they will need to find an impact player to replace Flip Murray, who will be leaving through free agency. Ultimately, though, the future looks promising, and I have a feeling the next great rivalry in the Eastern Conference will be between the LeBron-led Cavs and the Dwayne Wade-led Heat.
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