Good morning everyone!
Have you ever had one of those weeks where every day seemed like a Monday? Not that Mondays are bad, just hectic. Or, in the words of Cyndi Lauper, "it's just another manic Monday". There are a lot of exciting things going on and in the midst of the busyness it has become easy to lose my Lenten focus. It is important to our spiritual growth and health to intentionally take the necessary time to focus on my relationship with Christ and to listen for His direction in my life. Oh how I need that direction when my life is manic and hectic from time to time!
After having some time to settle down, I was reading a Lenten devotional that talked about humility. From the article Proud to Be Humble, it mentioned, "the call for humility is a call for simple realism...Humility is an honest and objective relfection of our real relationship to God. The fact is that we are all dependent. All that we have comes from God - our lives, our salvation, our hope, our Christ. God has given all; nothing is our own...Humility is a simple, objective recognition of the reality of God."
It is hard to be humble when we think and believe that everything revolves around us. When we believe that our opinion is more valid than another's. When we strive for our own recognition at work, at home, or at school. When our beliefs alienate those around us. When we think we have the right to sneak into the express checkout lane in a crowded grocery store with more than ten items...because our time is more precious than someone else's. When we get involved in the rumor-mill because it somehow makes us feel more important (we want them to know how much we know or we feel we deserve to know everyone else's business).
We all struggle with humility and we are all challenged with moving away from the me-centered life to the God-centered life. But, that is what Lent is all about. It is about righting the ship. Getting ourselves balanced again. Centering our lives back on God. God calls us to live humble lives that recognize our real dependence upon Him for everything. If we can gain that perspective, we begin to see others, the world, the church, and our lives as God sees it. Just seeing those things in that perspective will keep us humble for sure!
Take a moment to check out Luke 14:7-24. On the surface it may not seem like a parable about humility, but look deeper. If God is the host at the banquet of our lives then we have two options. We are either the snotty-nosed guests who turn down the invitation, or we are the motley crew that the servants dragged in from the streets. We are either like the self-righteous Pharisee who patted himself on the back, or we are like the humble tax collector who knew he needed mercy. The point is that nobody swaggers into the kingdom of God. The only ones who show up around the banquet table are those who know they have no business being there.
We are invited and welcomed to this banquet of life by an extraordinarily extravagant God who brings us in, not because we are all that good, but because God is. (Living With the Mind of Christ)
I have found that the deeper I go with Christ the more humble pie I eat. I am reminded time and time again that it is not about me. It is not about my opinions (don't say that!), my preferences, my position in life...it is about God's position in my life. Is He before me or is it the other way around?
What changes need to be made in your life in order for you to live with mindset of humility? In this season of Lent (and beyond), what steps will you take to make these changes? What about the church? How can our lack of humility be a barrier to growing relationships with each other and sharing the Good News?
Jesus is sharing with us a piece of humble pie at the banquet table of life. Let's eat it and fill up on it, so that our lives reflect the true, humble nature of our Lord!
Jesus, You have led the way for me and modeled for me true humility. Grant me Your mercy that I may be able to humbly walk with You as You go before me as my guide and my friend. Amen.
Take Care & God Bless,
Pastor Don
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Jesus Stayed
Hello Everyone!
I pray all of you are doing well and that all of you have been intentional about your Lenten journey this year. It is in this time of Lent that we break down the ego, the pride, the barriers, that have kept us from experiencing the fullness of Christ in our lives. We take the time to shed the sins that have kept us from growing into mature Christians and seek the redeeming power of Christ's grace in the newness He brings.
I would like to share with you a story from Malcolm Muggeridge's book Something Beautiful for God that has been challenging me this week as I journey with Jesus.
I ran away and stayed away; Mother Teresa moved in and stayed. That was the difference. She, a nun, rather slightly built, with a few rupees in her pocket; not particularly clever, or particularly gifted in the arts of persuasion. Just with this Christian love shining about her; in her heart and on her lips. Just prepared to follow her Lord, and in accordance with his instructions regard every derelict left to die in the streets as him; to hear in the cry of every abandoned child, even in the tiny squeak of the discarded fetus, the cry of the Bethlehem child; to recognize in every leper's stumps the hands which once touched sightless eyes and made them see, rested on distracted heads and made them calm, brought back health to sick flesh and twisted limbs. As for my expatiations on Bengal's wretched social conditions - I regret to say that I doubt whether, in any divine accounting, they will equal one single quizzical half smile bestowed by Mother Teresa on a street urchin who happened to catch her eye.
As I shared this with the staff of the church this week, Pastor Emily pointed out the part at the begining which said, "she stayed". I have been thinking about that act all week. How, in the midst of the mire and muck, the nastiness, the death, the disease, the condemnation - she stayed.
My high spiritual opinion of myself would lead me to think that I would stay, too. But then again, I have trouble staying with people that talk bad about me or people I don't agree with. I struggle with staying with people who have a bad attitude or those who can only find something to complain about. I have trouble staying true to my own promises - to myself and to God. What makes me think, that in all of that human suffering, I would stay?
Here is what I know - Jesus stayed. He came in the midst of human suffering and misguided souls and He stayed. He stayed when the crowds turned against Him and tried to throw Him off a cliff. He stayed when the religious leaders tried to discredit Him. He stayed when His own friend plotted against Him. He stayed when the authorities came to arrest Him. He stayed when they nailed Him to the cross. He stayed. And, He is with us today.
I pray, that as I continue to grow in Christ, He will give me a heart that stays - even when every other fiber of my being wants to leave. That is love that comes from God...when we are willing to stay, even in the midst of suffering because we realize Jesus stayed and continues to be with us.
Loving God, thank you for coming into my life and taking up residence in my heart. Forgive me for running away from time to time. Create within me a heart that stays even when my reaction is to leave. I want my life to honor you, Jesus by loving how You loved and living how You lived. In Your holy name I pray. Amen.
I pray all of you are doing well and that all of you have been intentional about your Lenten journey this year. It is in this time of Lent that we break down the ego, the pride, the barriers, that have kept us from experiencing the fullness of Christ in our lives. We take the time to shed the sins that have kept us from growing into mature Christians and seek the redeeming power of Christ's grace in the newness He brings.
I would like to share with you a story from Malcolm Muggeridge's book Something Beautiful for God that has been challenging me this week as I journey with Jesus.
I ran away and stayed away; Mother Teresa moved in and stayed. That was the difference. She, a nun, rather slightly built, with a few rupees in her pocket; not particularly clever, or particularly gifted in the arts of persuasion. Just with this Christian love shining about her; in her heart and on her lips. Just prepared to follow her Lord, and in accordance with his instructions regard every derelict left to die in the streets as him; to hear in the cry of every abandoned child, even in the tiny squeak of the discarded fetus, the cry of the Bethlehem child; to recognize in every leper's stumps the hands which once touched sightless eyes and made them see, rested on distracted heads and made them calm, brought back health to sick flesh and twisted limbs. As for my expatiations on Bengal's wretched social conditions - I regret to say that I doubt whether, in any divine accounting, they will equal one single quizzical half smile bestowed by Mother Teresa on a street urchin who happened to catch her eye.
As I shared this with the staff of the church this week, Pastor Emily pointed out the part at the begining which said, "she stayed". I have been thinking about that act all week. How, in the midst of the mire and muck, the nastiness, the death, the disease, the condemnation - she stayed.
My high spiritual opinion of myself would lead me to think that I would stay, too. But then again, I have trouble staying with people that talk bad about me or people I don't agree with. I struggle with staying with people who have a bad attitude or those who can only find something to complain about. I have trouble staying true to my own promises - to myself and to God. What makes me think, that in all of that human suffering, I would stay?
Here is what I know - Jesus stayed. He came in the midst of human suffering and misguided souls and He stayed. He stayed when the crowds turned against Him and tried to throw Him off a cliff. He stayed when the religious leaders tried to discredit Him. He stayed when His own friend plotted against Him. He stayed when the authorities came to arrest Him. He stayed when they nailed Him to the cross. He stayed. And, He is with us today.
I pray, that as I continue to grow in Christ, He will give me a heart that stays - even when every other fiber of my being wants to leave. That is love that comes from God...when we are willing to stay, even in the midst of suffering because we realize Jesus stayed and continues to be with us.
Loving God, thank you for coming into my life and taking up residence in my heart. Forgive me for running away from time to time. Create within me a heart that stays even when my reaction is to leave. I want my life to honor you, Jesus by loving how You loved and living how You lived. In Your holy name I pray. Amen.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Climate Change
Hello!
This month I haven't been as consistent in my weekly blog. I apologize. Last week I was at a conference in Phoenix, Arizona that shared with us the shifting culture we live in and it challenged church leaders to discover new ways to be in ministry with our changing culture. It was a good conference that offered a great deal of food for thought.
As I processed everything I learned at the conference, I realized that climate change is alive and well in the church. We hear alot about climate change in our media, the government, and some scientific institutions. I am not hear to argue for or against, because, quite frankly, my main concern is the obvious climate change that is happening within the church itself. We all know that "church" as we have come to know it is changing. Some see it as a threat to the gospel. Others welcome the changes with open arms. While most people are trying to figure out how the changes are going to affect them.
We all know that we live in a culture that has become increasingly selfish, me-motivated, and highly relativistic. These characteristics have worked their way into the church and to combat these challenges, the church is having to change the way in which we are in ministry with one another...the way we are the church together.
The younger generations (I am included in that) are becoming increasingly skeptical about the institution of church. It has become a political system more than a spiritual one. It has looked out for itself and its own survival more than it has looked out for "the least of these" among us. It has focused more on being right (theologicall, doctrinally, etc.) than it has on being right (righteousness) with God. To be honest, the church has lost its right to be an authority in the lives of those it has been called to serve. The church has lost its way on many fronts.
I have mentioned before, that for decades the church has slowly but surely abdicated its authority and responsibilities to government and other social and civic institutions. We have turned turtle and gone inside of ourselves. As a result, we are growing generations of Christians who are biblically illiterate and spiritually bankrupt. We have grown members, not disciples.
This is not just my opinion, but the research and statistics prove it to be true. As a result, the church's climate has changed and a new generation is rising up and saying, "We need to change the climate again. We need to get back to being the church, putting our faith into action, making Jesus real through the relationships we build. The church can once again be a transforming power in our lives and in our communities, but we are going to have to change the climate." And, that is not always easy.
Here is what I suggest. Yesterday, was Ash Wednesday, the beginning of our Lenten season. Often times, and rightly so, our focus during Lent is on our individual relationship with Jesus Christ. We confess our sins and seek our Lord's forgiveness. Some of us give something up that has been keeping us down. We substitute that with something that will bring growth and health to our lives (exercising, reading Scripture, strengthening our prayer life, becoming more vulnerable in our relationships, etc.). These 40 days of Lent lead us to resurrection...to newness...where the old is gone and passed away and the new life is lived!
Maybe we should also focus ourselves as a church. Maybe we should also honestly assess our ability to be holy and spiritually healthy. Maybe we should confess the ways we have turned people away and seen ourselves as "to big to fail". Maybe we should journey together toward resurrection, newness, and LIFE! Instead of being afraid of the climate change in the church, we ask God to direct us and lead us to new ways of reaching people and building relationships for the sake of our Savior. Maybe we embrace the change and thank God for using us broken vessels to carry the living water of hope in Him.
What do you think? Are we too entrenched in the old way that we won't allow God to make us new? Or, are we broken enough, empty enough, open enough, for God to restore us to new things?
Almighty God, forgive us when the lives we lead bring recognition to ourselves and do not point to your greatness and mercy. Forgive our arrogance and our piousness. Restore us and make us new again. Restore our relationships with each other. Strengthen our relationship with you. Help us to see this world with new eyes and serve this world with renewed purpose so that Your Body may be what you originally created it to be. In Jesus's name we pray. Amen.
This month I haven't been as consistent in my weekly blog. I apologize. Last week I was at a conference in Phoenix, Arizona that shared with us the shifting culture we live in and it challenged church leaders to discover new ways to be in ministry with our changing culture. It was a good conference that offered a great deal of food for thought.
As I processed everything I learned at the conference, I realized that climate change is alive and well in the church. We hear alot about climate change in our media, the government, and some scientific institutions. I am not hear to argue for or against, because, quite frankly, my main concern is the obvious climate change that is happening within the church itself. We all know that "church" as we have come to know it is changing. Some see it as a threat to the gospel. Others welcome the changes with open arms. While most people are trying to figure out how the changes are going to affect them.
We all know that we live in a culture that has become increasingly selfish, me-motivated, and highly relativistic. These characteristics have worked their way into the church and to combat these challenges, the church is having to change the way in which we are in ministry with one another...the way we are the church together.
The younger generations (I am included in that) are becoming increasingly skeptical about the institution of church. It has become a political system more than a spiritual one. It has looked out for itself and its own survival more than it has looked out for "the least of these" among us. It has focused more on being right (theologicall, doctrinally, etc.) than it has on being right (righteousness) with God. To be honest, the church has lost its right to be an authority in the lives of those it has been called to serve. The church has lost its way on many fronts.
I have mentioned before, that for decades the church has slowly but surely abdicated its authority and responsibilities to government and other social and civic institutions. We have turned turtle and gone inside of ourselves. As a result, we are growing generations of Christians who are biblically illiterate and spiritually bankrupt. We have grown members, not disciples.
This is not just my opinion, but the research and statistics prove it to be true. As a result, the church's climate has changed and a new generation is rising up and saying, "We need to change the climate again. We need to get back to being the church, putting our faith into action, making Jesus real through the relationships we build. The church can once again be a transforming power in our lives and in our communities, but we are going to have to change the climate." And, that is not always easy.
Here is what I suggest. Yesterday, was Ash Wednesday, the beginning of our Lenten season. Often times, and rightly so, our focus during Lent is on our individual relationship with Jesus Christ. We confess our sins and seek our Lord's forgiveness. Some of us give something up that has been keeping us down. We substitute that with something that will bring growth and health to our lives (exercising, reading Scripture, strengthening our prayer life, becoming more vulnerable in our relationships, etc.). These 40 days of Lent lead us to resurrection...to newness...where the old is gone and passed away and the new life is lived!
Maybe we should also focus ourselves as a church. Maybe we should also honestly assess our ability to be holy and spiritually healthy. Maybe we should confess the ways we have turned people away and seen ourselves as "to big to fail". Maybe we should journey together toward resurrection, newness, and LIFE! Instead of being afraid of the climate change in the church, we ask God to direct us and lead us to new ways of reaching people and building relationships for the sake of our Savior. Maybe we embrace the change and thank God for using us broken vessels to carry the living water of hope in Him.
What do you think? Are we too entrenched in the old way that we won't allow God to make us new? Or, are we broken enough, empty enough, open enough, for God to restore us to new things?
Almighty God, forgive us when the lives we lead bring recognition to ourselves and do not point to your greatness and mercy. Forgive our arrogance and our piousness. Restore us and make us new again. Restore our relationships with each other. Strengthen our relationship with you. Help us to see this world with new eyes and serve this world with renewed purpose so that Your Body may be what you originally created it to be. In Jesus's name we pray. Amen.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Scattered Thoughts
Hello!
Sorry I missed last week. Life got the best of me and I didn't have a chance to check-in.
Life is going well this week as I am preparing to go to a Sharefest luncheon for the pastors in Fremont County to tell them about a great opportunity for the Body of Christ to truly be the hands and feet of Jesus! I know God will work in a mighty way to bring the Body of Christ together and begin His transformative work among us.
With everything on my plate, my mind is a bit scattered so I wanted to share just a couple of things that have kept me going over the last couple of weeks.
The first is a quote I received from a LIFE group devotion that I am a member of. It is not only funny, but profound:
"Live your life so that when you wake up in the morning and your feet hit the floor, the devil says, 'Oh crud, they're up!'"
Another one is something I received from Jan Blue as she was responding to one of my blogs about Significance. This quote comes from The Bible in One Year: "Here's the key to significance: fulfilling our unique, God-given, eternal purpose. In this life, we do not labor to leave a physical legacy or waste our days pursuing pleasure. Instead, we help those in need, influence our culture, and reach out to the lost. And when a believer enters the heavenly place Jesus has prepared, he or she keeps on working for Him."
May these words work their way into your heart and mind, as Christ continues His wonderful work in you.
Precious Lord, even when my mind is scattered, You are there to remind me of Your presence n my life in very simple ways. May I be open to Your movement in my life and to the glimpses of Your holy presence that you show me throughout my scattered day. In Jesus' Holy Name. Amen.
Take Care & God Bless,
Pastor Don
Sorry I missed last week. Life got the best of me and I didn't have a chance to check-in.
Life is going well this week as I am preparing to go to a Sharefest luncheon for the pastors in Fremont County to tell them about a great opportunity for the Body of Christ to truly be the hands and feet of Jesus! I know God will work in a mighty way to bring the Body of Christ together and begin His transformative work among us.
With everything on my plate, my mind is a bit scattered so I wanted to share just a couple of things that have kept me going over the last couple of weeks.
The first is a quote I received from a LIFE group devotion that I am a member of. It is not only funny, but profound:
"Live your life so that when you wake up in the morning and your feet hit the floor, the devil says, 'Oh crud, they're up!'"
Another one is something I received from Jan Blue as she was responding to one of my blogs about Significance. This quote comes from The Bible in One Year: "Here's the key to significance: fulfilling our unique, God-given, eternal purpose. In this life, we do not labor to leave a physical legacy or waste our days pursuing pleasure. Instead, we help those in need, influence our culture, and reach out to the lost. And when a believer enters the heavenly place Jesus has prepared, he or she keeps on working for Him."
May these words work their way into your heart and mind, as Christ continues His wonderful work in you.
Precious Lord, even when my mind is scattered, You are there to remind me of Your presence n my life in very simple ways. May I be open to Your movement in my life and to the glimpses of Your holy presence that you show me throughout my scattered day. In Jesus' Holy Name. Amen.
Take Care & God Bless,
Pastor Don
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Get the Heart Started
Happy Thursday!
This past week has been quite the ride with my Dad's hospitalization over the weekend, trying to get the Haiti health kits put together and shipped, and all of the other ministry expectations that come along. In it all, I have been humbly reminded of our humanness, our sameness, and what brings us together. I have been reminded of the importance of our relationships.
Sounds kind of funny, huh? That I needed to be reminded of the importance of being in relationship? It's not that I had forgotten, it is just that it had been glazed over in the hustle and bustle of daily living. The depth of our relationships to one another and to Christ is life-sustaining in the difficult times.
When I got the news about my dad late last week, my job was to keep all of the family informed. A big task when I was the only one in Colorado at the time and we have a big family! When word got out to my church family, the love, care and support was overwhelming. When word got out to my larger church family (the Conference), I felt the depth of our connection again. While nobody could do anything to "help", per se, it was the feeling of not being alone and experiencing the strength of the prayers that made it more bearable. It brought hope and peace.
When I think about our sisters and brothers in Haiti and seeing the response around the world, my prayer is that it will create a deep connection with the plight of the Haitians and that our connection with them as God's created people will help us realize that we are all in this life together. Maybe our "help" (offering humanitarian aid, prayers, health kits, money and other resources) will be used to create bridges of understanding and bridges that build relationships, not just buildings and infrastructures. It is those relationships and those connections to something deeper than ourselves that will bring hope and peace back to that land and even back to our own.
It all starts with the heart and our willingness to live from the center of our hearts as we walk hand-in-hand with each other.
In what ways is God reminding you that your heart needs to be started again? Is there a relationship that needs tending? A relationship that needs to begin? Is there a deeper connection that needs to happen with God? Has your heart stopped? If so, allow God to help it get started again.
Loving Lord, You are the heartbeat of our world and I want you to be the heartbeat of my life. Start my heart again that, through it, I may love more abundantly, connect more deeply, serve more passionately, and live more freely! In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
This past week has been quite the ride with my Dad's hospitalization over the weekend, trying to get the Haiti health kits put together and shipped, and all of the other ministry expectations that come along. In it all, I have been humbly reminded of our humanness, our sameness, and what brings us together. I have been reminded of the importance of our relationships.
Sounds kind of funny, huh? That I needed to be reminded of the importance of being in relationship? It's not that I had forgotten, it is just that it had been glazed over in the hustle and bustle of daily living. The depth of our relationships to one another and to Christ is life-sustaining in the difficult times.
When I got the news about my dad late last week, my job was to keep all of the family informed. A big task when I was the only one in Colorado at the time and we have a big family! When word got out to my church family, the love, care and support was overwhelming. When word got out to my larger church family (the Conference), I felt the depth of our connection again. While nobody could do anything to "help", per se, it was the feeling of not being alone and experiencing the strength of the prayers that made it more bearable. It brought hope and peace.
When I think about our sisters and brothers in Haiti and seeing the response around the world, my prayer is that it will create a deep connection with the plight of the Haitians and that our connection with them as God's created people will help us realize that we are all in this life together. Maybe our "help" (offering humanitarian aid, prayers, health kits, money and other resources) will be used to create bridges of understanding and bridges that build relationships, not just buildings and infrastructures. It is those relationships and those connections to something deeper than ourselves that will bring hope and peace back to that land and even back to our own.
It all starts with the heart and our willingness to live from the center of our hearts as we walk hand-in-hand with each other.
In what ways is God reminding you that your heart needs to be started again? Is there a relationship that needs tending? A relationship that needs to begin? Is there a deeper connection that needs to happen with God? Has your heart stopped? If so, allow God to help it get started again.
Loving Lord, You are the heartbeat of our world and I want you to be the heartbeat of my life. Start my heart again that, through it, I may love more abundantly, connect more deeply, serve more passionately, and live more freely! In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Rollercoaster of Life
Good afternoon everyone,
The last 24 hours have been interesting. Yesterday was my son's 11th birthday. We celebrated as a family, but my wife was sick with a migraine so she was not able to go to the movie with us last night. A bummer, but Ethan had fun. When we got home, I turned on the news to hear the story of the devastating earthquake in Haiti. Since our church has supported missions to Haiti through Climbing for Christ, there was a deeper sense of concern and compassion for the Haitian people. I have remained updated on the progress of the villages our missionaries have served through the Climbing for Christ website (www.climbingforchrist.org). I continue to pray for them constantly, as well as Miguel Guante, as he ministers to the people and villages in Haiti.
If I remember correctly, in the movie Parenthood, the grandma refers to life as a roller coaster - up and down, up and down, up and down. Sometimes the movement makes us sick or we become ill just thinking about it. But, it is a reality. It is our lives. Filled with the joys that are associated with birth and emptied by the loss of lives. Up and down, up and down.
This morning, as I dropped off my kids at school, I was at the stop sign and noticed something on the ground that reminded me of a life event that happened to me while on a mission trip in London. While the actual life event isn't important, I was reminded in that moment of the power certain things have to help us remember things we may have forgotten.
God knows the power memories can have in our lives. Sometimes they are good memories, sometimes they are bad. Some may be tragic and others may have us at the top of the world. Our memories may be up or down. But, they are important when we are able to see how God is working within them.
In Joshua 4 of the Holy Scriptures, Joshua provided a means by which Israel could remember that God had acted on their behalf. They laid cairns (pronounced care-ins) or memorial stones and every time they looked at these stones they were reminded of God's activity in their lives and encouraged to remain faithful to Him. These cairns would be a place of solace and hope as they rode the rollercoaster of life.
What are the cairns we surround ourselves with today that remind us of God's activity in our lives? What are the visual experiences we have that tell us, with all certainty, that God is with us when we are celebrating the joys of life or experiencing the sorrows of death?
We decorate our homes and our bodies with crosses, ichthuses, Bibles, doves, angels, peace signs, etc. But, what if we saw worship as a cairn in our lives? When we worship together, we are reminded again and again of God's activity and presence among us. We are reminded that our Lord is with us and that His grace abounds in our lives. We are reminded that whether we are chugging up the hill, or at the zenith of life, or quickly descending into the valley, God is faithful!
When we come together as the Body of Christ to worship our Lord, we remember who God is, what He has done for us, and how He journeys with us. When we worship we are encouraged to remain faithful to Him and we find solace and hope as we ride the rollercoaster of life. But, to be reminded, we need to visit this cairn of worship on a regular basis. Let's continue to remember how God remains active in our lives and how God continues to desire a full relationship with us. One powerful way we can do this, is through our worship together.
Gracious, loving, God, I want to thank You for being with me through the ups and downs of my life. Remind me again and again of your faithfulness and help me to worship You in the midst of whatever life brings. In Jesus' holy name. Amen.
Take Care & God Bless,
Pastor Don
The last 24 hours have been interesting. Yesterday was my son's 11th birthday. We celebrated as a family, but my wife was sick with a migraine so she was not able to go to the movie with us last night. A bummer, but Ethan had fun. When we got home, I turned on the news to hear the story of the devastating earthquake in Haiti. Since our church has supported missions to Haiti through Climbing for Christ, there was a deeper sense of concern and compassion for the Haitian people. I have remained updated on the progress of the villages our missionaries have served through the Climbing for Christ website (www.climbingforchrist.org). I continue to pray for them constantly, as well as Miguel Guante, as he ministers to the people and villages in Haiti.
If I remember correctly, in the movie Parenthood, the grandma refers to life as a roller coaster - up and down, up and down, up and down. Sometimes the movement makes us sick or we become ill just thinking about it. But, it is a reality. It is our lives. Filled with the joys that are associated with birth and emptied by the loss of lives. Up and down, up and down.
This morning, as I dropped off my kids at school, I was at the stop sign and noticed something on the ground that reminded me of a life event that happened to me while on a mission trip in London. While the actual life event isn't important, I was reminded in that moment of the power certain things have to help us remember things we may have forgotten.
God knows the power memories can have in our lives. Sometimes they are good memories, sometimes they are bad. Some may be tragic and others may have us at the top of the world. Our memories may be up or down. But, they are important when we are able to see how God is working within them.
In Joshua 4 of the Holy Scriptures, Joshua provided a means by which Israel could remember that God had acted on their behalf. They laid cairns (pronounced care-ins) or memorial stones and every time they looked at these stones they were reminded of God's activity in their lives and encouraged to remain faithful to Him. These cairns would be a place of solace and hope as they rode the rollercoaster of life.
What are the cairns we surround ourselves with today that remind us of God's activity in our lives? What are the visual experiences we have that tell us, with all certainty, that God is with us when we are celebrating the joys of life or experiencing the sorrows of death?
We decorate our homes and our bodies with crosses, ichthuses, Bibles, doves, angels, peace signs, etc. But, what if we saw worship as a cairn in our lives? When we worship together, we are reminded again and again of God's activity and presence among us. We are reminded that our Lord is with us and that His grace abounds in our lives. We are reminded that whether we are chugging up the hill, or at the zenith of life, or quickly descending into the valley, God is faithful!
When we come together as the Body of Christ to worship our Lord, we remember who God is, what He has done for us, and how He journeys with us. When we worship we are encouraged to remain faithful to Him and we find solace and hope as we ride the rollercoaster of life. But, to be reminded, we need to visit this cairn of worship on a regular basis. Let's continue to remember how God remains active in our lives and how God continues to desire a full relationship with us. One powerful way we can do this, is through our worship together.
Gracious, loving, God, I want to thank You for being with me through the ups and downs of my life. Remind me again and again of your faithfulness and help me to worship You in the midst of whatever life brings. In Jesus' holy name. Amen.
Take Care & God Bless,
Pastor Don
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Successfully Significant
Good evening!
This week has been quite a journey for me. Many who know me know that I am always thinking. Thinking about the church. Thinking about new ways to reach people. Thinking about the next item on my to-do list. Thinking about God and how He has been active in my life or what He is trying to tell me (sometimes He sounds like the character in the Peanuts cartoons - you know the one that sounds like, "Wha, Wha, Whaaaa"...does that ring a bell?). Thinking about how I am or am not being a good Dad, a good husband, a good pastor, a good leader, a good Christian, a good man. I can do so much thinking that I'm not really "good" for anything. My mind gets so full of things I'm thinking about that I lose my focus and my purpose. Does this ever happen to you? Maybe I'm alone in this, but I'd like to think I'm not.
Thinking can be good. We are told in Philippians 4:8, "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things." It all depends on what we are thinking about. Not that thinking on ways to reach people is bad or thinking about God's purpose is wrong. Thinking on these things can bring excellence to ministry and bring praise to our Lord. But, if I am only thinking on the how and not the why - then I get bogged down and the Lord gets drowned out.
In ministry and in life we think about the HOW alot! How-to books are popular. How-to build your own deck...and save money! How-to build a strong a marraige. How-to get your kids to listen to you. How-to get your parents to listen to you. How-to do your taxes. How-to grow your church. We read these books as if they have all of the answers to our success in life and faith.
I guess that is the problem with thinking about the HOW too much. When we think about the HOW, we are thinking about HOW to be successful. We are thinking about what we can do to boost our confidence, shed those pounds, and inspire the masses. When we are able to accomplish these things, we feel victorious and successful in our lives, our marriages, our ministries. But, we forget Someone very important in the process. And, when we do, our success is usually short-lived and empty.
I am not indicting the "How-to" industry. Many of the books have some great ways to be successful in life. But, is success the crown of life?
As I mentioned, this week has been a journey as I struggle with my own thoughts about success and then I read in the book The Intentional Church by Randy Pope that we should be striving, not for success, but for significance. When we strive for success - we do it for ourselves. When we strive for significance, we do it for our Lord.
I realized this week, as I thought about all the things I needed to do, that when I pursue success, I run the risk of leaving significance behind. This point was driven home this week when I called a clergy-friend of mine to work out some details for an event (that I want to be successful of course). I asked him how he was doing and he said, "Crappy." I inquired. He said that an infant in their church had just died. This precious child was no more than 3 months old. It was a miracle baby. Born at 26 weeks. Many health complications. Finally home from the hospital, the child choked on the milk he had drank just moments before. He died sleeping next to his mother.
I prayed with my friend as he was reeling from the pain of such a tragic death. I realized in that moment that we are called to significance, not success. We can be successful without being signficant, but when we pursue significance, we will always find success.
A significant person invests himself/herself into the lives of others. A significant church invests itself in walking with all people in the joys and pains of life. A significant life focuses on why we invest ourselves in such ways. Because our Lord has done the same for us. Had Jesus been successful, He would have been the King of Israel and ruler of a people. But, instead, His life was significant and meaningful, so He became the King of Kings and Savior to All.
It has been a journey this week...it will continue...as I to strive toward becoming successfully signifcant instead of significantly successful. I'd love to hear from you on how you balance this in your life.
Dear Jesus, walk with me. I want to invest my life in the lives of others in such a way that they are able to experience Your significance in their lives. Forgive me when I strive for earthly rewards and achievements. Remind me of the eternal reward that waits for me in Heaven and the present reward of Your saving grace! Amen.
Take Care & God Bless,
Don
This week has been quite a journey for me. Many who know me know that I am always thinking. Thinking about the church. Thinking about new ways to reach people. Thinking about the next item on my to-do list. Thinking about God and how He has been active in my life or what He is trying to tell me (sometimes He sounds like the character in the Peanuts cartoons - you know the one that sounds like, "Wha, Wha, Whaaaa"...does that ring a bell?). Thinking about how I am or am not being a good Dad, a good husband, a good pastor, a good leader, a good Christian, a good man. I can do so much thinking that I'm not really "good" for anything. My mind gets so full of things I'm thinking about that I lose my focus and my purpose. Does this ever happen to you? Maybe I'm alone in this, but I'd like to think I'm not.
Thinking can be good. We are told in Philippians 4:8, "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things." It all depends on what we are thinking about. Not that thinking on ways to reach people is bad or thinking about God's purpose is wrong. Thinking on these things can bring excellence to ministry and bring praise to our Lord. But, if I am only thinking on the how and not the why - then I get bogged down and the Lord gets drowned out.
In ministry and in life we think about the HOW alot! How-to books are popular. How-to build your own deck...and save money! How-to build a strong a marraige. How-to get your kids to listen to you. How-to get your parents to listen to you. How-to do your taxes. How-to grow your church. We read these books as if they have all of the answers to our success in life and faith.
I guess that is the problem with thinking about the HOW too much. When we think about the HOW, we are thinking about HOW to be successful. We are thinking about what we can do to boost our confidence, shed those pounds, and inspire the masses. When we are able to accomplish these things, we feel victorious and successful in our lives, our marriages, our ministries. But, we forget Someone very important in the process. And, when we do, our success is usually short-lived and empty.
I am not indicting the "How-to" industry. Many of the books have some great ways to be successful in life. But, is success the crown of life?
As I mentioned, this week has been a journey as I struggle with my own thoughts about success and then I read in the book The Intentional Church by Randy Pope that we should be striving, not for success, but for significance. When we strive for success - we do it for ourselves. When we strive for significance, we do it for our Lord.
I realized this week, as I thought about all the things I needed to do, that when I pursue success, I run the risk of leaving significance behind. This point was driven home this week when I called a clergy-friend of mine to work out some details for an event (that I want to be successful of course). I asked him how he was doing and he said, "Crappy." I inquired. He said that an infant in their church had just died. This precious child was no more than 3 months old. It was a miracle baby. Born at 26 weeks. Many health complications. Finally home from the hospital, the child choked on the milk he had drank just moments before. He died sleeping next to his mother.
I prayed with my friend as he was reeling from the pain of such a tragic death. I realized in that moment that we are called to significance, not success. We can be successful without being signficant, but when we pursue significance, we will always find success.
A significant person invests himself/herself into the lives of others. A significant church invests itself in walking with all people in the joys and pains of life. A significant life focuses on why we invest ourselves in such ways. Because our Lord has done the same for us. Had Jesus been successful, He would have been the King of Israel and ruler of a people. But, instead, His life was significant and meaningful, so He became the King of Kings and Savior to All.
It has been a journey this week...it will continue...as I to strive toward becoming successfully signifcant instead of significantly successful. I'd love to hear from you on how you balance this in your life.
Dear Jesus, walk with me. I want to invest my life in the lives of others in such a way that they are able to experience Your significance in their lives. Forgive me when I strive for earthly rewards and achievements. Remind me of the eternal reward that waits for me in Heaven and the present reward of Your saving grace! Amen.
Take Care & God Bless,
Don
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