So-So Cal

I am in sunny southern California. It's definitely sunny...it's stinking hot here. Don't get me wrong...it's really pretty nice weather...but when you hear all the time about how nice it is, and how awesome the weather is out here...you kind of expect a little more than you should.

I have finally been to an In-N-Out burger too. It's good...but a little like the weather...not exactly as good as advertised. It's probably a lot like the Krispy Kreme blitz of a few years ago. KK's are good doughnuts, but if you hype 'em too much, people will be disappointed...after all...they're just doughnuts.

I preached this monday night for the first time this summer. I feel like it went fairly well. I'm having a hard time communicating what God's glory is to people...specifically high school students. I can't describe his majesty and greatnesss in a way that is as affective as I want it to be. My friend Steev said it's like trying to explain to someone the Pantone palette and only being able to use the wrod "blue" in reference to color. That seems about right.

The good news is that my message at least got some students thinking. I told students on Monday night that they weren't the most important thing to God...that his Glory is what he values most. I had a group of girls come up to me on Tuesday morning at breakfast and say, "So, is God just full of himself or what?" I almost said, "Yes..to the point of overflowing." I explained to the girls what idolatry is...putting something in God's place...and then said that God keeps the same priorities. He values what is most valuable...Himself. To do otherwise would make him an idolater. It isn't that God loves people less, I think people just misunderstand how important God's reknown, name, glory, etc. are to him. We want a give and take relationship with God...we'll be God-centered if he's man-centered. That's not the way it works...which really is the best thing for us in the long run.