Serving others

A few months ago we had the joy of serving Pastors in Kenya. On our last day together we washed their feet as a model of what we wanted them to live out in their churches and communities.

Here's a photo from the Alarm Ministry newsletter. (I'm not sure who that bald guy is in front, but I was there somewhere.)

And this thought from Ann...

Ann Voskamp, author of One thousand gifts, wrote these words in a recent article,

"If God really works in everything- then why don't we thank Him for everything?"

The question, a profound one for sure, came from Ann's daughter.

How is it that our children ask the questions we should be asking? How is it that they often see what time and trials has blurred for us? Lord, give us a heart that simply trusts you for all that your hand provides and allows.

Quote of the day

"Man has lost his unique identity. A Christian does not have this problem. He knows who he is. If anything is a gift from God, this is it- knowing who we are." -Francis Schaeffer, from Genesis in Space and Time

Stages of life

I'm fascinated as I read the bible. I'm fascinated as I watch the narrative unfold in its stories. Often, as I read, as I watch the story develop, it's clear that God has stepped off the stage. The story of David is one I just finished reading, but there are others, stories of lives unfolding before our eyes. I watch as God steps back to let the characters of the story make decisions, take action and live out their lives. And, at times God seems to be nowhere in sight.

Then, when all the choices are made, God comes back on stage to commentary the deeds of the story we have been reading.

I think he often does that in my life. Seldom does he call from heaven to tell me, "Stop that! What are you doing? What are you thinking?" In fact he's never done that for me! Instead, I have his word and from his word and the work of his Spirit in my life, I live out my play, stage by stage, act by act. There are times when I know God is there, on stage with me, but at other times he seems to step back....he allows me to stand or fall, to make decisions and then he returns and we talk about the choices I made.

I remember vividly, as I read the end of Luke, while Jesus is being mocked and tortured Peter denies three times he even knew Jesus. Then the cock crows and Jesus turns and looks at Peter. Peter catches Jesus' look, and runs away weeping. Later, after the resurrection, Jesus and Peter deal with this as Jesus asks, "Peter, do you love me?"

There are stages in each of our lives. Stages and times when we put on masks and pretend to be someone we aren't. Pretend to do the right thing when we don't. The world watches as we act out our little play, but then God comes on stage and we talk about the fraud I have been. The lie I have tried to hide. The deeds I have done.

Each of us lives out our own little play. Each of us experiences a time when God has left the building and we are left alone to our own choices, but soon, when the curtain opens for the next act, God steps on stage and the truth comes out. How can we think that our masks hide anything? Everyone else is wearing a mask, everyone knows we wear one too. Why not surprise the audience and be who you really are, be honest and trust God for the results? I see a few, but there are more behind them, who are taking off the masks and living their lives for all to see. How wonderful it would be to hear God say, as he comes on the stage of your life and the curtain rises for the final act, "Well done...."

(To read David's story read 2 Samuel 11-12.)

Monday's cartoon

(Technology has always been a problem, hasn't it? If they only had an ipad.)

Prayer

This morning, as the sun began to rise, I had a wonderful time of prayer with some of our people in the church. It was great to carve out an hour to seek God's work in our midst. Prayer is hard work and many avoid it because it demands a quietness and honesty that is difficult. But this morning I had the joy of trusting God with this day.

This work, my life, this world and all that goes on is in God's power to direct and influence, so why wouldn't I talk to him about it all? But, like so many, I get busy doing instead of quietly talking to God. I think, that sometimes, it feels like I'm accomplishing more in the doing that in the praying, but that is simply not the case. Prayer is the most important thing I can ever do with my moments. I'm glad I used a few moments this morning to talk to the creator of the universe.

Saturday's cartoon

God's art work

Really great artists like to show off their work. Here's some art from my favorite artist.

Extending grace

Grace, true grace, is an amazing thing. It sets aside justice (what the other person deserves), it offers mercy and then it goes even further. Grace gives the other person what they don't deserve! It's something only God can do initially. We would never be gracious, we don't even have such an idea in our imaginations, it's just not in our natures to think that way. But God has offered grace, shown us what it looks like in our own lives and invites us to imitate that as we relate to other people.

I have to tell you that I'm still working on this. I'm more of a "justice now!" kind of guy. Even mercy eludes me at times. But grace goes so far beyond either of those that it is totally unnatural to us, it's something that God must do through us. Grace does the very opposite of everything we would do and then goes even further. Grace is what the Christian lives in. Most Christians don't understand how amazing the grace of God really is. Grace is getting what we don't deserve. That's the simple definition, but it goes much much further. Grace is getting what we don't deserve, could never earn and it is offered even when we don't want it. Grace does for us all the things we could never do ourselves. It is at the heart of the finished work of Christ.

Grace is the story of a short chapter in 2 Samuel. It's a wonderful picture of what grace looks like. In chapter 9 David is finally established as king. As things settle down for him he asks this question, “Is there anyone still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” From that simple question unfolds grace in its simplest form- justice suspended, mercy extended, grace provided to one unworthy of anything but death.

For our purposes here I won't tell the whole story, you can read it when you have time. The recipient of David's grace, a man by the name of Mephibosheth, son of Johnathan, was summoned to David's presence. I'm sure he expected death as he came into David's presence. He was the grandson of the former king and the logical heir to the throne that David now sat on. He was a threat to David's rule. But when he came into David's presence he didn't get justice, he didn't even experience mercy (although it was wrapped up in all of this as you read the story.) He got grace. David blessed him, provided for him, took care of him and made him like one of his own sons, eating at the royal table!

This man who expected death literally got the "royal treatment" and was treated like a king. Now, multiply that times 1,000,000 or more and you have a small idea of what grace looks like. It's at the very heart of the gospel- you can't earn it, you don't deserve it, you will never be good enough for it and yet God gives you all you need and more to live this life. And then, beyond that he calls us sons and daughters and invites us into eternity to be part of his family.

How could something like this be possible? There's nothing I can do to earn it? I can't be good enough to get it? And yet he offers it freely? Yes, you've got it....that's grace. That's why the message of Christianity is so different from any other. It's a message of "done" not "do." You only have to receive God's extended hand of grace.....

I'm thinking about this because I read 2 Samuel 9 this morning. I'm thinking about it because of lives I deal with, people I need to give grace to. I'm thinking...what would David have done? What would Jesus do? What would God tell me? And so I'm trying to navigate grace extended to those who don't deserve it. It's not natural, but it's what God has done for me, how could I do any less for someone else?

Quote of the day

"I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else." — C.S. Lewis

Amazing places

Our teaching pastor, Steve, just returned from a wonderful vacation in Italy. Here is one of the photos he took. It's hard to believe that people actually live in such beautiful places, but here they are. The sad thought that comes to my mind is the fact that they have lived here long enough they no longer see the beauty. I wonder how much of the beauty of God's creation we miss simply because we are "used to it?" How do we so easily lose our sense of wonder?

Rage against God

I just finished reading Peter Hitchins' book, The Rage against God. This work wasn't at all what I expected. I thought, initially, that Peter would write a defense of Christianity in light of the current trends towards atheism, but in fact it wasn't that at all. Much to my surprise, Peter wrote about the rise of atheism in our day and the reasons for it's current popularity. It is, for the most part, a wonderfully written history book. For anyone who wants to know where we are in time and history, and more importantly why we are here, this book is a must. I enjoyed Peter's work and was once more stimulated by a well written book by a "Brit" who knows how to use words. If you are looking for a stimulating book I would encourage you to take the time to read Peter's work.

Then they will know....

"Then they will know that I am the Lord."

This one phrase, this one theme is the message of the book of Ezekiel. For Israel and the nations around them God desired that they know that he is God, the only God. More than 60 times in this book this phrase is repeated, "Then they will know that I am the Lord." God's actions and work throughout the book of Ezekiel were intended to bring men and women to the knowledge and admission that the God of the bible is God, the only God....the LORD!

As I read about God's passion for his revelation in Ezekiel I realize that this desire continues still. Throughout time God has worked that men might know that he is Lord and by that knowing find his good in their lives. The very best thing anyone can know is that the God of the bible is Lord. And so he works, even today, towards that end.

The theme of Ezekiel is the theme of today. God is working in our world "That we might know that he is Lord." And from that knowing God is glorified and we experience God's very best for our lives. The very best good for any man is to know that He is Lord. The very best glory is for each one to acknowledge him as Lord in their life.

He's working in my life and in your life to accomplish this one thing- that you and I might know that he is Lord.

One day we will all know him, one day every knee will bow, but today he's working in your life to make himself known to you. He wants you to know that he is Lord and will accomplish that in the events of your life.

Do you know him? Do you know that HE is Lord and there is no other?

Truth is stranger than fiction

“If coincidences are just coincidences, why do they feel so contrived?” – Fox Mulder, “The X-Files”

A thought for your day

Christian actions, as described in the bible, are completely unnatural to the very nature and character of man and so must be lived out supernaturally. The Christian life is a supernatural life and can only be done as we are empowered and impassioned by God himself. At its very core the moral character of man demands the existence of God to give us a standard to live by and the power to actually live that way. A true moral structure, a moral code, apart from God is not only unsustainable and unjustified, but also undoable.