What a wonderful week it has been!
Yesterday was my 39th birthday. I usually don't make too much of a fuss about my birthday. I'm not one to seek out much attention and I don't feel too comfortable with all of the fanfare that usually accompanies such days. While I love doing it for others, it's never really been something that I felt I needed.
However, I was showered this year with so much love, good wishes, and compliments from loved ones that I experienced a greater blessing than I have in years past (at least in recent memory). This is not to say that my family has snubbed me in past birthday celebrations, or that there has failed to be a party of some sort or another. But, with the help of technology (facebook) and being surrounded by a loving family and great friends, my experience left me feeling extremely blessed for the life God has given me and the ability to share it with such wonderful people.
Too often we take our relationships for granted. In times of celebration (birthdays, weddings, baptisms, graduations, etc.), when we gather with our family and friends, we are reminded of how valuable those relationships are and how much joy they bring to our lives. We are reminded of the good those relationships inject into our lives and the love that keeps us going from day-to-day. This week, I was reminded of how many people care and how many people God has placed in my life that have influenced me and formed me.
With all of that said, I received an email this week that I have to share with you. I pray that it brings a smile and joy to your life today and throughout this week. (Thank you Renee Kindell for sending it to me!)
"A mother was concerned about her kindergarten son walking to school. He didn't want his mother to walk with him. She wanted to give him the feeling that he had some independence but yet know that he was safe. So she had an idea of how to handle it. She asked a neighbour if she would please follow him to school in the mornings, staying at a distance, so he wouldn't notice her. The neighbor said that since she was up early with her toddler anyway, it would be a good way for them to get some exercise as well, so she agreed.
The next school day, the neighbour and her little girl set out following behind Timmy as he walked to school with another neighbor girl he knew. She did this for the whole week. As the two walked and chatted, kicking stones and twigs, Timmy 's little friend noticed the same lady was following them as she seemed to do every day all week.
Finally she said to Timmy , 'Have you noticed that lady following us to school all week? Do you know her?' Timmy nonchalantly replied, 'Yeah, I know who she is.' The little girl said, 'Well, who is she?' 'That's just Shirley Goodnest ,' Timmy replied, 'and her daughter Marcy.' 'Shirley Goodnest? Who is she and why is she following us?' 'Well,' Timmy explained, 'every night my Mum makes me say the 23rd Psalm with my prayers, 'cuz she worries about me so much. And in the Psalm, it says, 'Shirley Goodnest and Marcy shall follow me all the days of my life', so I guess I'll just have to get used to it!'"
Are you used to God's goodness and mercy following you? How much different would your life be if you" got used to" God being with you on your journey through life? What a great example for living - with the knowledge of God's grace and goodness surrounding every step we take! May the goodness and mercy of our God follow you in the form of family and friends all the days of your life. Enjoy the journey and just get used to it!
Loving God, may I never tire of Your blessings and may I never take for granted the goodness and mercy You bring into my life. If I forget, O God, remind me of those who love me and surround me with those who bring Your joy! In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Summer Vacation Christians
Good afternoon!
Recently, I had picked-up my daughter from school and we were driving home when I said, rather excitedly, "Only 10 1/2 days left of school!" Of course, I anticipated the "normal" response of "Oh, I can't wait!" or "I wish it was over now!" When I was her age (10 yrs. old), that was my response. When I was 21 and in college, that was my response. When I was 25 and in seminary, that was my response!!! I don't think I have ever had a different response. But, I should have learned a long time ago to expect the unexpected from my daughter. Her first response came in a sound that sprung forth from the depths of her soul. It was deep...almost gutteral...with hints of a high pitched whine. I didn't know if she was getting ready to explode with excitement or stroke out in despair!
After her initial response she said, "Noooooo! I don't want school to be over!" I have to honest, I thought my child was losing it and I started to wonder if my wife had eaten some weird food when she was pregnant that created this odd behavior. (and no, I don't always blame my wife for genetic oddities) I asked her why she wasn't excited for school to be out and she said she likes school, she likes learning, and she likes being around her friends. After my shock wore off, I must say that I am awfully proud that my daughter responded the way she did. Why wouldn't a parent be excited that his/her child loves to learn and loves doing it with her friends?
In reflection, God did not create us to turn off our brains and disengage from the lessons He is trying to teach us. God did not create us to be isolated in our learning and growing. Yet, for so many Christians, we stop growing and we stop doing it together. When we accept Christ or we've done "our time" in the church, we become summer vacation Christians...excited for the time when we can sit back, relax, and tell ourselves we've learned all we need to learn and we've done what we needed to do. At least for our children, they have to go back to school. But, it can be so easy, as Christians, to take a permanent summer vacation.
I want the excitment my daughter has for learning and growing. I don't want to be content with what I already know (or think I know for that matter). I want my faith, my religion, my life to experience the excitement of wondering, "What is God going to teach me next?" While taking the time to relax is good and important for a balanced life...I'd like to find time to relax with my God and allow Him to reveal to me deeper understandings of who He is and how He is working in my life and in the lives of those around me. And, you know what? Like my daughter understands, God grows me by working through other Christians in my life. I need the Body of Christ. You and I cannot grow on our own - neither apart from each other and nor apart from God.
As it says in The Message translation of 1 Corinthians 3:5-9, "Who do you think Paul is, anyway? Or Apollos, for that matter? Servants, both of us—servants who waited on you as you gradually learned to entrust your lives to our mutual Master. We each carried out our servant assignment. I planted the seed, Apollos watered the plants, but God made you grow. It's not the one who plants or the one who waters who is at the center of this process but God, who makes things grow. Planting and watering are menial servant jobs at minimum wages. What makes them worth doing is the God we are serving. You happen to be God's field in which we are working."
As summer is quickly approaching, resist the temptation to become a summer vacation Christian. Pray that God would help you become a year-round Christian. One who is excited about the life lessons you learn (good and bad) and one who thirsts for the powerful presence of God in your life. Pray that God would offer you boldness and courage to seek out other Christians with whom you can grow. Pray that God, through Jesus Christ, would renew your mind and conform your heart and life to the likeness of our Lord.
Holy God, thank You for loving me and reminding me that there is more to my life than what I have come to know. Forgive me of my lazy spirit and renew within me a heart that is on fire for you. Help me to joyfully accept the lessons You are teaching and to humbly submit to Your molding of my heart. I desire to live my life for You. Grow me and make me into the person You know I can be. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Recently, I had picked-up my daughter from school and we were driving home when I said, rather excitedly, "Only 10 1/2 days left of school!" Of course, I anticipated the "normal" response of "Oh, I can't wait!" or "I wish it was over now!" When I was her age (10 yrs. old), that was my response. When I was 21 and in college, that was my response. When I was 25 and in seminary, that was my response!!! I don't think I have ever had a different response. But, I should have learned a long time ago to expect the unexpected from my daughter. Her first response came in a sound that sprung forth from the depths of her soul. It was deep...almost gutteral...with hints of a high pitched whine. I didn't know if she was getting ready to explode with excitement or stroke out in despair!
After her initial response she said, "Noooooo! I don't want school to be over!" I have to honest, I thought my child was losing it and I started to wonder if my wife had eaten some weird food when she was pregnant that created this odd behavior. (and no, I don't always blame my wife for genetic oddities) I asked her why she wasn't excited for school to be out and she said she likes school, she likes learning, and she likes being around her friends. After my shock wore off, I must say that I am awfully proud that my daughter responded the way she did. Why wouldn't a parent be excited that his/her child loves to learn and loves doing it with her friends?
In reflection, God did not create us to turn off our brains and disengage from the lessons He is trying to teach us. God did not create us to be isolated in our learning and growing. Yet, for so many Christians, we stop growing and we stop doing it together. When we accept Christ or we've done "our time" in the church, we become summer vacation Christians...excited for the time when we can sit back, relax, and tell ourselves we've learned all we need to learn and we've done what we needed to do. At least for our children, they have to go back to school. But, it can be so easy, as Christians, to take a permanent summer vacation.
I want the excitment my daughter has for learning and growing. I don't want to be content with what I already know (or think I know for that matter). I want my faith, my religion, my life to experience the excitement of wondering, "What is God going to teach me next?" While taking the time to relax is good and important for a balanced life...I'd like to find time to relax with my God and allow Him to reveal to me deeper understandings of who He is and how He is working in my life and in the lives of those around me. And, you know what? Like my daughter understands, God grows me by working through other Christians in my life. I need the Body of Christ. You and I cannot grow on our own - neither apart from each other and nor apart from God.
As it says in The Message translation of 1 Corinthians 3:5-9, "Who do you think Paul is, anyway? Or Apollos, for that matter? Servants, both of us—servants who waited on you as you gradually learned to entrust your lives to our mutual Master. We each carried out our servant assignment. I planted the seed, Apollos watered the plants, but God made you grow. It's not the one who plants or the one who waters who is at the center of this process but God, who makes things grow. Planting and watering are menial servant jobs at minimum wages. What makes them worth doing is the God we are serving. You happen to be God's field in which we are working."
As summer is quickly approaching, resist the temptation to become a summer vacation Christian. Pray that God would help you become a year-round Christian. One who is excited about the life lessons you learn (good and bad) and one who thirsts for the powerful presence of God in your life. Pray that God would offer you boldness and courage to seek out other Christians with whom you can grow. Pray that God, through Jesus Christ, would renew your mind and conform your heart and life to the likeness of our Lord.
Holy God, thank You for loving me and reminding me that there is more to my life than what I have come to know. Forgive me of my lazy spirit and renew within me a heart that is on fire for you. Help me to joyfully accept the lessons You are teaching and to humbly submit to Your molding of my heart. I desire to live my life for You. Grow me and make me into the person You know I can be. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
In Our Father's Image
Today is the National Day of Prayer and it couldn't have come at a better time, in my opinion. Just four days ago our nation erupted in jubilation over the news that a mass murderer had been hunted down and killed. Justice was served...at least our view of justice this side of heaven. I heard the news after I came home from a wonderful choir concert at our church. Talk about a downer! My first reaction was one of relief that this man could no longer hurt people of all different genders, ages, races, and creeds. My next reaction was in response to the scenes I saw on television of people congregating in the streets to actually celebrate the news.
This form of celebration did not sit right with me and it still doesn't. While I understand the raw human emotion of celebrating that justice had been enacted on this man and the collective sigh of relief that more suffering would not come from his hand, I was reminded of the scenes I saw of people celebrating in the streets at the news of 9/11. I thought to myself, have we stooped that low? Have we become what we say we hate?
My Christian response was not one of joy, but one of sadness. Sadness for the reminder of all who have died under his hand. Sadness of the evil that has spread because of his teachings. Sadness that, as far as we know, he never knew of the powerful grace and love that our God has for him. Sadness that our world could rejoice when another life is taken. Are these the consequences of war and of another person's actions? Yes. Do we need to delight in them? No.
All around facebook the Scripture that keeps coming out from Christian brothers and sisters is from Ezekiel 33:11, "As I live, says the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from their ways and live." On this 5th day of May, the National Day of Prayer, that is what I am going to be praying for.
In closing, allow me to share an old devotion that I came across this week that I think speaks to the Christian response for the world today:
"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:43-45
Max Lucado, in his book The Applause of Heaven, writes about a big, muscle-bound man named Daniel who was swindled by his own brother. He vowed that if he ever saw him again, he would break his neck. A few months later, Daniel became a Christian. Even so, he couldn't forgive his brother. One day, the inevitable encounter took place on a busy avenue. This is how Daniel described what happened:
I saw him, but he didn't see me. I felt my fists clench and my face get hot. My initial impulse was to grab him around the throat and choke the life out of him. But as I looked into his face, my anger began to melt. For as I saw him, I saw the image of my father. I saw my father's eyes. I saw my father's look. I saw my father's expression. And as I saw my father in his face, my enemy once again became my brother.
The brother found himself wrapped in those big arms—but in a hug. The two stood in the middle of the river of people and wept. Daniel's words bear repeating: "When I saw the image of my father in his face, my enemy became my brother."
What do we see when we look at someone who wrongs us or makes our life difficult? Do thoughts of revenge or retribution cloud our view … or can we see the image of our father, our Heavenly Father, in these people? May the Holy Spirit empower us to see our Father’s image in everyone we encounter.
This form of celebration did not sit right with me and it still doesn't. While I understand the raw human emotion of celebrating that justice had been enacted on this man and the collective sigh of relief that more suffering would not come from his hand, I was reminded of the scenes I saw of people celebrating in the streets at the news of 9/11. I thought to myself, have we stooped that low? Have we become what we say we hate?
My Christian response was not one of joy, but one of sadness. Sadness for the reminder of all who have died under his hand. Sadness of the evil that has spread because of his teachings. Sadness that, as far as we know, he never knew of the powerful grace and love that our God has for him. Sadness that our world could rejoice when another life is taken. Are these the consequences of war and of another person's actions? Yes. Do we need to delight in them? No.
All around facebook the Scripture that keeps coming out from Christian brothers and sisters is from Ezekiel 33:11, "As I live, says the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from their ways and live." On this 5th day of May, the National Day of Prayer, that is what I am going to be praying for.
In closing, allow me to share an old devotion that I came across this week that I think speaks to the Christian response for the world today:
"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:43-45
Max Lucado, in his book The Applause of Heaven, writes about a big, muscle-bound man named Daniel who was swindled by his own brother. He vowed that if he ever saw him again, he would break his neck. A few months later, Daniel became a Christian. Even so, he couldn't forgive his brother. One day, the inevitable encounter took place on a busy avenue. This is how Daniel described what happened:
I saw him, but he didn't see me. I felt my fists clench and my face get hot. My initial impulse was to grab him around the throat and choke the life out of him. But as I looked into his face, my anger began to melt. For as I saw him, I saw the image of my father. I saw my father's eyes. I saw my father's look. I saw my father's expression. And as I saw my father in his face, my enemy once again became my brother.
The brother found himself wrapped in those big arms—but in a hug. The two stood in the middle of the river of people and wept. Daniel's words bear repeating: "When I saw the image of my father in his face, my enemy became my brother."
What do we see when we look at someone who wrongs us or makes our life difficult? Do thoughts of revenge or retribution cloud our view … or can we see the image of our father, our Heavenly Father, in these people? May the Holy Spirit empower us to see our Father’s image in everyone we encounter.
Whether that be in a man who is responsible for the killing of many, the coworker we don't get along with, the family member we've grown estranged from, or the person who looks back at us in the mirror everyday. Let's spend our time celebrating the face of God revealed to us in each other!
Dear Father in Heaven, thank You for giving me the great gift of forgiveness. Enable me to forgive others as you have forgiven me. Give me the vision to see beyond what is in front of me, to see what is inside of every one of your children...You. In Your holy name I pray. Amen.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Easter Happened!
As a pastor, the Monday after Easter is a time of recovery for me. Resurrection Sunday is filled with high energy, excitement, stress, and incredible spiritual investment that often leaves me tired and exhausted. I need the Monday after Easter to allow my physical body to recuperate. It is an exciting time of the year, but there is a let down when it is all over.
I wonder if that is the challenge for other Christians as well. Through Lent we prepare our lives and our spirits to receive the power of the resurrection. Through Lent we repent of our sins and we invite God to restore us to a new relationship with Him. Easter is a celebration of this new life that only Jesus Christ can bring! But, when the day of celebration is over, there is a let down in spirit and focus and intentional living. The power of Easter comes in the way we live our lives after the resurrection, not just on Easter Sunday!
Luke 24:35-48 gives us a glimpse into the challenge that faced the disciples after the resurrection. They had met Jesus on the road to Emmaus. They actually saw the risen Christ!!! As they spoke of the Emmaus experience, Jesus came to them again. Remember, they had already seen Christ, yet they were frightened upon seeing Him again. They thought He was a ghost. Jesus challenged the doubts in their hearts and showed them His hands and feet again and proved His bodily resurrection when He ate some food they gave Him.
These disciples had witnessed the resurrection of Jesus first hand and still had doubts. They still had an Easter let down and did not fully understand and embrace what the resurrection meant for their lives. Then, Jesus opened their hearts and their understanding that they may come to know the Scriptures. After doing so, Jesus reminds them that they were witnesses to the life and purpose of Jesus.
Being a witness held certain responsibilities...to testify and continue to witness to the fact that Jesus was to suffer, rise from the dead, call others to repentance and remission of sins, and to share it with all nations. There is no let down to Easter. Easter gears us up, lifts us up, and strengthens us to share the good news of Jesus' life and message! It restores in us hope and courage to live our lives in such a way that we proclaim the power of Jesus' resurrection.
We can walk away from Easter with renewed peace, joy, hope and a firm sense of mission, which can affect our entire outlook on life. We become purpose-driven to win our world for Christ. Our whole image, how we appear and talk, our outlook and reaction to life will all be different and when people ask what's happened to us, we can answer: "Easter happened, that's what!"
Holy God, in the days after Easter, reveal Yourself to me. Embolden me to live my life with the power of resurrection flowing through my heart and manifesting itself in the way I serve You. May my life be a testimony, a witness, to the way You have raised my life to live in a hope, peace, and grace that is beyond compare. In the name of Jesus, the risen Christ! Amen.
I wonder if that is the challenge for other Christians as well. Through Lent we prepare our lives and our spirits to receive the power of the resurrection. Through Lent we repent of our sins and we invite God to restore us to a new relationship with Him. Easter is a celebration of this new life that only Jesus Christ can bring! But, when the day of celebration is over, there is a let down in spirit and focus and intentional living. The power of Easter comes in the way we live our lives after the resurrection, not just on Easter Sunday!
Luke 24:35-48 gives us a glimpse into the challenge that faced the disciples after the resurrection. They had met Jesus on the road to Emmaus. They actually saw the risen Christ!!! As they spoke of the Emmaus experience, Jesus came to them again. Remember, they had already seen Christ, yet they were frightened upon seeing Him again. They thought He was a ghost. Jesus challenged the doubts in their hearts and showed them His hands and feet again and proved His bodily resurrection when He ate some food they gave Him.
These disciples had witnessed the resurrection of Jesus first hand and still had doubts. They still had an Easter let down and did not fully understand and embrace what the resurrection meant for their lives. Then, Jesus opened their hearts and their understanding that they may come to know the Scriptures. After doing so, Jesus reminds them that they were witnesses to the life and purpose of Jesus.
Being a witness held certain responsibilities...to testify and continue to witness to the fact that Jesus was to suffer, rise from the dead, call others to repentance and remission of sins, and to share it with all nations. There is no let down to Easter. Easter gears us up, lifts us up, and strengthens us to share the good news of Jesus' life and message! It restores in us hope and courage to live our lives in such a way that we proclaim the power of Jesus' resurrection.
We can walk away from Easter with renewed peace, joy, hope and a firm sense of mission, which can affect our entire outlook on life. We become purpose-driven to win our world for Christ. Our whole image, how we appear and talk, our outlook and reaction to life will all be different and when people ask what's happened to us, we can answer: "Easter happened, that's what!"
Holy God, in the days after Easter, reveal Yourself to me. Embolden me to live my life with the power of resurrection flowing through my heart and manifesting itself in the way I serve You. May my life be a testimony, a witness, to the way You have raised my life to live in a hope, peace, and grace that is beyond compare. In the name of Jesus, the risen Christ! Amen.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
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.
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.
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.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
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.
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.
Friday, April 1, 2011
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.
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.
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