At Jesus' Feet

Hello Holy Week journeyers,

I hope this week is truly set apart from any other week you take part in the rest of the year. This week is one of those special weeks that provide us the opportunity to get back on track and be reminded of the importance of our faith in Jesus and the transformation He can truly make in our lives. I know how difficult our day in and day out journeys can be. Our bodies get tired and our feet get achy and worn. Our spirit becomes weary and we try to find a place to rest. This Holy Week we are reminded of where we can lay our burdens down and how the journey before us can be renewed and restored with hope and vitality.

My morning devotion from the book Experiencing God Day-By-Day, shared the following:

Mary seemed drawn to the feet of Jesus. It is not surprising that of all those who followed Jesus, Mary was the one to anoint His feet. The disciples would have their opportunity to show the same love, but pride would prevent them (John 13:12-13). Marth, too, was prone toward acts of service, but she had developed a different kind of relationship with Jesus than Mary had. While Martha had labored on Jesus' behalf in the kitchen, Mary had joyfully sat at Jesus' feet and listened to Him teach (Luke 10:38-42). Because Mary had come to know and love Jesus in this way, she was ready to humble herself and offer this poignant expression of love to Him. Such depth and sincerity of love comes only through spending time in close fellowship with Jesus.

The way we express our love for Jesus depends on the kind of relationship we have developed with Him. Our love for Him will not grow unless we spend time with him, listen to his voice, and experience His love for us. If we find that our love for Jesus has waned or that we struggle to serve Him, it is a clear sign that we must take time to sit at His feet. We may have been involved in Christian activity on His behalf and yet neglected our relationship with him. After we have spent time in intimate fellowship with our Lord, and after we have heard His voice and received His love, we will be prepared to serve Him, even laying down our life for Him if that is what He asks.

If your journey in life has taken you on a different path, set this Holy Week apart from any other by sitting at the feet of your Lord. Listen to His words for you. Receive His grace. Get back on track by walking in His footsteps.

Allow this week to call you back to the central message of your faith. May this week help you out of your ruts and lead you back into vibrant, life-giving practices that strengthen and embolden your faith. Sit at the feet of Jesus. Sit at the foot of the cross. Sit by the stone of an occupied tomb....and wait.

Dear Lord, I want to sit at Your feet, listen for Your voice, and be led by Your hand. I want this week to be set apart for You so that the rest of my week will be made holy by my fellowship with You. In Your holy name I pray. Amen.

Who am I?

At the end of a day, have you ever looked upon the events of that day and noticed that there was a common theme? That the most memorable moments of your day could be boiled down to one common idea or experience? Well, today was one of those days for me.

In this season of Lent we have been on a very intentional journey with Jesus to the cross. One of the main questions I have challenged you to ask yourself in this journey is, "Who is Jesus?" Your answer to this question is critical to the life you will experience...not just in the heavenly realm upon your departure from this earth, but even in the worldly realm as you live and breathe within the context of relationships and community.

Does Jesus bring power into your life as the Son of God? Does He liberate you from the oppressive power of sin, discouragement, and hopelessness as your Messiah and Savior? Does this Jesus have the power to overcome the darkness in your life as the Light of your world? How we answer these questions is important if we are to become faithful followers of Jesus Christ.

However, that leads me to another important question that has been nagging at me today. While I believe Jesus to be the Son of God and the Savior of the world, I am left pondering, "Who am I?" In relation to Jesus and my belief in Him, "Who am I?" I understand that the answer to this question is very complex. I am a child of God. I am a son, a brother, a husband, a father, an uncle, a grandson, a friend, a pastor, etc. But, this is not where I am going. The totality of who we are is a complex layering of different roles, labels, and experiences. I want to know who I am with Jesus in my life.

Today reminded me that Christians (of which I am one) and the Church (of which I am a part) have lost their identity. We have lost our way. We have wandered from our center. The focus of our faith is more on ourselves than it is on the One who came, lived, died, rose, and will come back again...Jesus. I don't believe this has been intentional, but it has become the reality in many areas of our lives. We have forgotten what it means to be disciples of Jesus Christ. We have forgotten that being a disciple is costly - we are asked to give up our lives, to allow Jesus to lead, to live in deep faithful community with others in which there is accountability, and to live lives that make a profound impact within the neighborhoods in which we live and work.

Instead, we want cheap discipleship. We want worship they way we like it. We want programs that interest us and at times that are most convenient. We want others to do the work of God because we have over-scheduled our lives and can't seem to find ways to fit God into it. We are okay with relegating the work of faith to those who have the time or are paid to do it...thinking that we can be carried into the joys of heaven on the backs of others. We don't want to make any major changes to our lives. We'd like to fit God in where it is convenient, instead of fitting our lives into God's plan.

I believe most people in the church want to live in and experience the power of Jesus in their lives. Most want the Holy Spirit to reside on their shoulders and never leave them. Most want to catch a glimpse of God moving in their lives and know of the full, deep love of Christ. We want to experience the realization of God's promises being fulfilled in our lives. But...there is always a but...we struggle with putting in the work that will help us experience that kind of life. We struggle with our own identity.

For the faithfulness of Christ to be fully experienced in our lives, we need to come back to a faithful understanding of who we are in relation to Jesus. Not just knowing who He is, but allowing who He is to define who we are. We need to change our focus and get it off ourselves and put it back on our Lord. My friend, Bob Kaylor, said in a recent blog, "The only way to change is through the transforming power of Christ. You want to make disciples? You have to be one first."

Are you willing to recommit your life to being a disciple? To getting back to the basics of studying the Scriptures, living in accountable relationships with other Christians, of walking closely behind Jesus, and allowing God to use YOU to change your part of the world? If we, as the church, want to see a world transformed, we must first experience that transformation. We won't be able to do that if we don't know who Jesus is and if we aren't willing to be who Jesus wants us to be...faithful, growing, and transformed disciples of Christ.

Lord Jesus, I have lost my focus...turn my eyes back on You. I have desired cheap discipleship...give me a heart to live a life of sacrifice for You. I want my faith to be easy...remind me that Your way is through the narrow gate. I desire the benefits without the cost...remind me again of what You did for me on the cross. Create in me a new heart that desires true transformation and a willingness to be a disciple that honors You. Remove from me any distractions of the heart, mind, and soul so that my walk with You may bring forth fruit in my life and through my life. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Fools for Christ

Good morning! Today, it feels like God is playing an April Fools joke on us because there is no way that we are in the month of April already! We are already a quarter of the way through 2011 and heading into a new season of Spring and Opening Day for Major League Baseball in the Rockies! A great time of year, for sure, but it doesn't seem possible how quickly time has flown.

April Fool's Day is a fun day and sometimes the tomfoolery starts early. Earlier this week, I found a naked Barbie Doll in my work bag...obviously something my 12 year-old son thought was funny. Of course, I got a laugh out of it and I'm now planning where I can hide it in response to my surprise earlier in the week (this is an ongoing occurrence in our family). Last night, my daughter told us that she wanted to play an April Fool's joke on her brother by having us wake her up after Ethan fell asleep so that she could place his hand in a glass of warm water! We all know what is "supposed" to happen. She was finding joy in the fact that her brother would be made a fool of if the experiment was successful. What kind of delinquent children am I raising?

Of course, all of this is in fun. But, on this 1st day of April, I am reminded of 1 Corinthians 4:10 where Paul says, "We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, we are dishonored!" Paul was challenging the Christians in the church in Corinth. They had become complacent in their faith, their leadership, and their understanding of what it meant to be Christ in their world. These words from Paul were sarcastic in tone, and challenging in meaning.

Being fools for Christ means that what we believe, what we do, how we live will often be seen as foolish in the eyes of the world and even within the context of societal norms. When you follow Christ, your decisions, the love your share, the way you forgive, the jokes you laugh at, the priorities you set in your life, the words you write on Facebook, your blog, or your tweets, are different and not what others may expect. In some peoples' eyes, it may even appear foolish.

In his book, Holy Sweat, Tim Hansel tells the story of Clarence Jordan. He was a man of unusual abilities and commitment. He had two Ph.D.s, one in agriculture and the other in Greek and Hebrew. He was so gifted he could have chosen to do anything he wanted. He chose to serve the poor. In the 1940s, he founded a farm in Americus, Georgia, and called it Koinonia Farm. It was a community for poor whites and poor blacks.

As you might guess, the idea did not go over well in the Deep South of the 1940s. The town people tried everything to stop Clarence. They tried boycotting him, and slashing the workers’ tires when they came to town. Over and over, for fourteen years, they tried to stop him. Finally, in 1954, the Ku Klux Klan had enough of Clarence Jordan, so they decided to get rid of him once and for all. They came one night with guns and torches and set fire to every building on Koinonia Farm but Clarence’s home, which they riddled with bullets. They chased off all the families but one black family that refused to leave. Clarence recognized the voices of the Klansmen, some of who were church people. One Klansman was a local newspaper reporter.

The next day, the reporter came out to see what remained of the farm. The rubble was smoldering, but he found Clarence in the field, hoeing and planting. “I heard the awful news,” he called to Clarence, “and I came out to do a story on the tragedy of your farm closing.” Clarence just kept on hoeing and planting. The reporter kept poking trying to get this quietly determined man to get angry. Instead of packing, Clarence was planting. Finally, the reporter said in a haughty voice, “Well, Dr. Jordan, you got two of them Ph.D.s and you've got fourteen years into this farm, and there’s nothing left of it at all. Just how successful do you think you've been?” Clarence stopped hoeing, turned toward the reporter with his penetrating blue eyes, and said quietly but firmly, “About as successful as the cross. Sir, I don’t think you understand us. What we are about is not success but faithfulness. We’re staying. Good day.” Beginning that day, Clarence and his companions rebuilt Koinonia and the farm is going strong today.

On this April Fool's Day in which we do foolish things to make others look foolish and take delight in it, may be recommit our lives and our faith to be fools for Christ. To act, live, and be foolish in the eyes of the world so that we may be found faithful in the eyes of Christ.

Holy God, You are set apart. You are full of grace. Your ways are not the ways of the world. I admit that I have often looked foolish in Your eyes, God, so that I may be found worthy in the eyes of the world. Help me to get right my priorities and seek Your ways for my life - even if I may be deemed foolish by those around me. I desire to be faithful to You, and You alone. Thank you for reminding me that if I am going to be a fool for anything, it is best to be a fool for You. In Jesus' holy name I pray. Amen.

Afraid of the Light?

Happy Spring Break!

Recently, in a morning devotion I read of a time back when electricity was first being introduced to a little Scottish village, almost everybody in a particular church switched from the propane lanterns to electricity just as soon as it could be hooked up. However, the oldest couple in the congregation couldn't get their electricity because they were waiting for the poles to go up and the wire to be strung. So they continued to use their propane lanterns.

The day finally came when the electricity was brought into their home. Everyone came for the festive event. Teh old man waited for it to get extra dark; then he told his wife to go turn on the switch. When she did, the light filled the room, and everyone rejoiced. The old man grinned from ear to ear, picked up a propane lamp and said, "It sure makes lighting my lamps easier." And with that he lit a lamp, and his wife turned off the electricity.

We can be like that sometimes, can't we? We can't see the light for need to hang on to the darkness in our lives. Christ sheds His holy light into the dark recesses of our hearts and lives and sometimes we decide we'd rather keep those places hidden. We decide that we only want the light of Christ to shine in the selective sections of our soul. Are there areas of your life where you are more afraid of the light than you are of the dark?

The Bible tells us that we cannot hide from God (Jeremiah 23:24) and that even the darkness is as light to Him (Psalm 139:11-12). As Christians, we do not hold onto the darkness of our lives and live in the darkness...as that is not faithful to the calling of our Lord. John 3:19-21 says, "...the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God." Even 1Thessalonians 5:5 says, "For you are children of the light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness."

Whatever darkness you continue to hold onto...whatever darkness you continue to live in...allow the light to overcome it and light your path to experience the light of life (John 8:12). No need to be afraid of the light anymore...it will disperse and consume any darkness in your life!

Lord of Light, thank You for lighting my path. Forgive me for living in darkness and not allowing You access to the deepest, darkest parts of my life. I am grateful for Your light and the power it has to scatter the darkness and bring warmth to my soul. I want to be a child of the light and not be afraid of what the light may reveal. I want to bask in the Light of Your love and grace. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Joy is Strength

Hello Friends!

I hope and pray that you have experienced the powerful presence of God in your lives this week. This has been a long week! On Wednesday I thought it was Friday - wishful thinking I guess! As you know from a previous post, our church family has experienced the death of two wonderful friends in the last week. That alone is enough to make a normal week, long and draining. Grief has a way of taking away some of the vitality of life for a while. On top of the grief, my heart has been burdened by many who are struggling with physical needs (some immediate, some ongoing), emotional crises, and spiritual challenges. Place on top of all of that the "normal" duties of a "typical" week, and the weight and burdens can easily bring one to his knees (from exhaustion and in prayer!).

As I anticipate the coming weekend and that benefits of a short Spring Break vacation, I continue to be reminded of some words that were spoken at the celebration of life service for Verle Pomeroy. Pastor Denny mentioned a time that Verle invited him over to his house. Knowing that life had been challenging the family for a while, Verle had Denny over to watch a funny video saying that sometimes you just have to laugh in the tough times. Oh the joy for life that Verle possessed, even in the midst of struggles and tribulations. And the gift that joy brought to the depths of Denny's life.

It reminds me of a 3rd century man who was anticipating death. Feeling a need to communicate his heart to a friend he said, "It's a bad world, an incredibly bad world. But I have discovered in the midst of it a quiet and holy people who have learned a great secret. They have found a joy which is a thousand times better than any pleasure of our sinful life. They are despised and persecuted, but they care not. They are masters of their souls. They have overcome the world. These people are the Christians...and I am one of them." (Today in the World, June, 1988, p.18)

Living in the joy of every day moments and situations does not mean we have to be happy about our moment or situation. Happiness is an emotion, while joy is a state of the soul. Happiness is short-lived, while joy is everlasting. Happiness is conditional, while joy is given unconditionally.

In Psalm 94:19 it says, "When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul." I praise God in all things, but I give a little extra shout of joy for seeing me through a week like the one we just experienced. The joy that Christ brings makes the tough weeks, the unbearable burdens, and the deep despairs a lighter load to carry. The consolation of the Lord truly brings joy to my soul!

Whatever you may be going through right now, you don't have to like it and it may burden your soul in a number of different ways. But, when you allow the joy of the Lord to take hold of your heart and guide your spirit, those burdens are lifted and the anxieties lessened. The joy of the Lord can truly be your strength (Nehemiah 8:10)!

God of joy, thank You for the strength You offer and the burdens You lift. Thank you for the joy that only You can provide. Forgive me for holding on to my anxieties, my sorrows, and my troubles. Help me to realize that my grip on these things only keeps me from experiencing the joy You desire for me. I want to live in Your joy even when I don't like my circumstances. Remind me that I can discover Your joy in every situation. Open my heart, my mind, and my soul to receive it...again. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

A Time to Mourn

Hello Friends,

This past week, from Saturday until today, has been a rollercoaster ride of emotion. On two occasions our church family has received sad news as two saints in our church have been called home by God. Genevieve Brower (March 5th) and Verle Pomeroy (March 9th) turned in this earthly life, for an eternal home made by the hands of our Creator. Both have been pillars of faith and strength in our church for many years. They lived long lives and their wisdom was often sought and their presence desired when we would gather together. They will surely be missed, as they were loved and we felt the love the emmanated from their souls.

Both Genevieve and Verle were simply faithful. This brings joy in times like these, as we are confident of the fact that they are "dwelling in the house of the Lord, forever." I'm sure the Lord took one look at both of them and said, "Well done good and faithful servant. Well done!" We can take solace and comfort in knowing that Genevieve and Verle are experiencing the fulfillment of the promises they clinged to in this life. Their bodies are restored and their spirits renewed. We find joy in knowing they are with the Lord.

Yet, at the same time, we grieve. We are saddened by their absence. We mourn our human loss. We are brought to tears at the mention of their name or the sharing of a memory or when we hear a song that reminds us of them. We expect to see them in the places and situations they frequented. When they don't arrive, we are saddened. We have to learn how to go on living in this life without them.

As Christian people we live in the tension between joy and sorrow, strength and weakness, and restoration and brokenness. We come to God in these moments, and we hold on to the promises He has given. How do we handle this tension? Do we focus only on the joy because we believe that a good Christian would respond that way? Do we allow ourselves to slide deep into despair, forgetting to turn our eyes toward eternity? How do we grieve as Christian people?

Grieving like a Christian does not mean we do not grieve. It means we grieve without despair. We crawl into our Father's lap and lay our tear-stained cheeks on His shoulder, and trust that what He ordains is always right, will always work out well in the end, and that all our losses will one day be restored to us. It is running to Him and asking, "Tell me the story of what You have done and what You will do to destroy this enemy." It is going to Him and asking for the strength and comfort we need, to face the new reality of our temporary, mortal-lives-- a reality without someone we have grown to love, without someone we are used to having as a part of our lives and perhaps mistakenly assumed would always be there. It is knowing that although there is loss, all is not lost.

God does not tell us we will not have sorrows. He tells us that He will be our comfort in sorrow. He does not tell us we will not have tears. He tells us He will be there with us to wipe our tears away. He does not tell us there will not be times to mourn. He tells us that on the other side of that mourning is the promise of joy indescribable. (www.dory.typepad.com)

As we walk this path of sorrow together, may we also experience the joy that comes with having been loved by and being able to love Genevieve and Verle. May we experience the restoration of our souls as God strengthens us and reawakens us to His Spirit which embraces us. Yes, this is a time to mourn, but thanks be to God that on the other side of that mourning is the promise of an indescribable joy and a peace that passes all understanding.

Comforting, holy, God, I place myself in Your hands...I put myself in Your lap, and I ask that You hold me and those dear to me close to Your heart as we mourn. Turn my mourning into joy as I remember the ones I love who have gone home to be with You. Walk with me in the tension of these moments and the contemplations of the mysteries of life and death. Remind me that You are my God and I can find refuge in You. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Heal or Hurt

Hello Friends!

It has been a couple of weeks since I've last posted. I'm glad to be back and sharing with you again. Over the last few weeks I have watched with great interest how our human race responds to conflict situations. Conflict is all around us and it takes many forms. Conflict manifests itself in curtly spoken words to a spouse, child, or co-worker. It manifests itself in gossip and slander. It manifests itself in screaming matches or accusations in front of a tv camera. It manifests itself in protests, picket lines, and walking out on the job. The worst manifestation of conflict comes when words and actions incite violence against our fellow human beings. Other forms of conflict are more subtle as they exists within our own thoughts and emotions. We struggle spiritually with the issues that bombard us in life. We struggle emotionally to hold it all together - or at least find a healthy way to express our raw emotions. We struggle mentally - trying to make sense of senseless situations. While most people hate conflict, it is something we live with every single day.

If we are to handle conflict in our lives as the world has modeled it for us, we will quickly find ourselves caught up in the powerful currents of anger, hatred, and the demonization of those who disagree with us. With all of the images and reports on the television screen and in the newspaper (and we tend to choose the newspapers and television stations that usually support our position and perspective), it is easy for us to get swept away by the raw emotions and dangerous reactivity of the issues in front of us.

Within our personal lives it is just as easy. When we disagree with someone or a decision that has been made that affects us, we seek out those that agree with our position and before we know it, we have an army of people on our side. The more we have on our side, the more emboldened we are to confront the person or issue with which we disagree.

For any of us who have experienced conflict in these ways, when we are honest with ourselves, we know that this approach to resolving conflict often has painful and destructive consequences. People get hurt. Relationships are broken and destroyed. Our souls are darkened with anger, bitterness, and shattered spirits.

When are we going to learn that there is a better way to handle the conflicts that plague us? When are we going to be willing to walk in the way that leads to healing instead of hurt? How many more times must we experience the pain and anguish of going against each other, before we submit to the way of walking together?

The Bible is very clear on how we are to handle our conflicts. We are to first look at ourselves and acknowledge what we bring to the conflict (Matthew 7:3-5). We are to look at each other with eyes of love and grace (Hebrews 10:24). When we have a disagreement we are to bring it to one another and sit down at the table and talk about it together (Matthew 5:23-25, Matthew 18:15-17). In the midst of the conflict make sure you speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). Most problems and conflicts we face become worse because we do not invest our time in bringing reconciliation and healing. Instead we focus our time on things that make the conflict worse.

John Maxwell lists 12 ways to constructively manage conflict and 12 ways to destructively manage conflict. I'd like to share them with you...with the constructive management style first and the destructive style after: 1. Agree on a time and place to talk it out or Catch the other person off guard. 2. Assertively, honestly express your feelings or Passively suppress your feelings. 3. Focus on the problem, not the person or Personalize the disagreement. 4. Select a neutral referee or Get your friends to referee. 5. Develop a positive, mature attitude or Be negative and vindictive. 6. Search for a solution or Find someone to blame. 7. Focus on specifics or Generalize and exaggerate. 8. Be open and available or Be silent and superior. 9. Affirm your responsibility or Blame someone else. 10. When problems arise, work them out or When problems arise, walk out. 11. Listen, wait and learn or Presume, assume and dominate. 12. Forgive and forget or Stubbornly demand guarantees.

One way leads to healing, the other to hurt. Which approach do you believe God desires of you?

Loving, reconciling, God. I have handled myself poorly in the midst of conflict. I have fought for my right to be heard. I have unfairly labeled and condemned those I am supposed to love. I have fought for my way, instead of Your way. Forgive me. Create in me a heart that values love over hate; mercy over bitterness; gentleness over power; Your way over mine. Give me strength in the midst of the conflicts around me and the opportunities to be an instrument of Your healing and Your grace. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.