"Customer Service"

Do you ever laugh when you think of the phrase "Customer Service"? Perhaps it's not really all that funny to you depending on how long it has been since you experienced "customer service" first hand. Well, I had the opportunity to experience that oxymoron (at least sometimes it is) today when I called my DSL provider. Now I don't know about you, but I typically don't place a call to a provider like this unless there is some sort of an issue or at least a question that has caused me to call. Admittedly that usually starts the call off with me already a little frustrated. My favorite (that should be read sarcastically) is when I call and get the fun voice prompts that give you instruction. I particularly like (again read that sarcastically) the ones that give you the option of pushing a button or just saying your selection. I often find myself eventually yelling my selections because the phone system just doesn't seem to be understanding what I am trying to say. How about this one; the phone system asks you to enter your phone number or account number, which you do, then when you finally get to a real person, what is the first thing they ask for - yep, your phone number or account number. C'mon, really? Why did I just enter it if I am just going to have to give it to you again anyway?

As you may have noticed, I have some passion around the subject of "customer service". However, the point of today's blog is not to rant about "customer service" (although I do feel a little better now that I have gotten some of that off of my chest) but rather to express how different GOD is than even the best "customer service" we experience. God is always available! We never get a busy signal, we never get a voice prompt system that seems to take us in circles, we never get put on hold.

1 John 5:14 gives me encouragement, it says: "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us."

God knows our desires, our frustrations, our joys, etc. before we even bring them to Him. Yet, He still wants us to come to Him, to bring these things to Him. Now this doesn't mean that we will always get what we want or that the resolution to our "problem" will be what we want it to be. But be encouraged that God wants to talk to you, He won't give you the run-a-round, He won't put you on hold. God loves you and wants relationship with you. Connect with Him!

Devine Vending Machine?

I've been reading a book called "Shattered Dreams" and a few days ago I came to a part of the book where the author, Larry Crabb, claimed that some people worship God as a "divine vending machine." We are all familiar with how vending machines work, stick in the right amount and form of money push a button and out comes whatever we selected. As I read this analogy I thought, "yep, some people really do treat God that way, this is a great analogy."

Let me take the analogy a little further and see if you recognize any of the behavior. "Insert the correct spiritual change, punch the right button, and God delivers. What do you want? A new zest for life? Godly kids? Coming right up. Just stick in the right coins - daily devotions, disciplined prayer, determined obedience, faithful church attendance. God will do whatever you ask." (Shattered Dreams p. 91)

Problem is, the more I thought about it, the more I realized that I too treat God this way at times - I'm a good guy, I read my bible, I try to be obedient, now I would like. . . Or what about when you put in the "correct spiritual change", make your selection and something you didn't want comes out? When that happens with a real vending machine, we may kick or hit the machine or figure out how we can get our money back. Sometimes we do the same thing with God. We stop talking to him, we get angry with him, we blame him, etc.

On my good days, I know that God is not a vending machine. I know that I cannot earn or pay for good things that I want from God. I know that just because I didn't get what I "selected" it doesn't mean that God is broken or that I didn't put in the right amount of spiritual change. But on my bad days, I get frustrated that I don't get what I want, I get upset with God for not giving me what I "deserve" (lucky for me that I don't get what I really deserve). Fortunately I am at a point in my journey where I have more good days than bad. What about you? How do you see God? Is he merely your "devine vending machine" where sometimes you get what you want and other times the "machine" breaks, or is He more than that?

Peanut Jelly and Butter

Peanut Jelly and Butter? Isn't that backwards? Nope, I actually meant to write it like that. Life is kind of like that too. What seems backwards to us is actually the way God meant for it to be. God does not do things our way even though we may want him to, even beg him to. Fortunately for us, God's way is better than our way (even if it doesn't always feel like it). Only he can see the entire picture yet we look at our little piece of the picture and try to tell Him how things should be.
This is a lesson that I am constantly learning and as I continue to learn this lesson (and many others) I will attempt to share my thoughts with you here on The "Other" Pastor. I will probably also share some ramblings, things going on in my life and at Crosswater and hopefully some encouragement.
So what's with the title Peanut Jelly and Butter? Probably not all that interesting but I will tell you anyway. A few people call me PJ (Pastor Jon) and as we were talking about the idea of me doing a blog the title Pastor Jon's Blog came up which then turned into PJ's Blog which turned into PJB which kind of sounds like PB&J which of course is Peanut Butter and Jelly so then that got turned into Peanut Jelly and Butter so the acronym PJB would work. Got it? Hey, you asked!