Death

I didn't decide to be a pastor.  

It just happened.

I'm not sure when it

became part of my identity

but it did

Now, after all these years,

I can't imagine any other

career

But there are parts

of this job

that I never anticipated

Tasks I've always dreaded

Painful days

Difficult words

Tear filled moments

For you see

in my job

death is part

of my work

Today I will

be part of a memorial

for a member of

our church, a friend

It's always hard

because

we avoid death

we don't want to deal 

with it

think about it

experience it

but

we all

WILL

And so

today

once more

I will

be part of the story

of one who 

died

Family and friends will gather

tears will be shed

laughter will happen

but will feel odd and uncomfortable

Memories will be shared

hugs exchanged

And then

tomorrow

we

all go back to our "normal" lives

and as quickly as possible

put death out of our minds

But we will each meet our end

we each will face death

we each will come to the end of our days

And then we will meet God

The question today is this-

Will you meet him as Father

or

as judge?

It's your choice

Death will find you one day and the very next

thing on your calendar will be

your appointment

with God

Are you ready?

It's your choice

It's your choice

You get to make it each morning

Each moment

In each event of life

You get to choose

whether you will be 

happy,

angry,

grumpy,

mean or

at peace

It's your choice

You need to know

that the choices

you make soon

become habits

soon become YOU

It doesn't take long

It's not hard to do

It only takes a few choices

to imbed

happy,

grumpy

or 

angry

into your face

and heart

It's your choice

But know each choice

forms you

molds you

into

the YOU

you will be in 

20 years

Choose happy!

Creating an upside down, inside out world

These are words from the master of how to live in a world of broken and hurting people. In these simple instructions he turns everything upside down, inside out and offers us a vision of life that would change the world. I wonder...what would happen if a few of us tried it? What would happen if you really lived them out?  Why don’t we try it and see….

“To you who are ready for the truth, I say this: Love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer for that person. If someone slaps you in the face, stand there and take it. If someone grabs your shirt, gift-wrap your best coat and make a present of it. If someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff. Live generously. Here is a simple rule of thumb for behavior: Ask yourself what you want people to do for you; then grab the initiative and do it for them! If you only love the lovable, do you expect a pat on the back? Run-of-the-mill sinners do that. If you only help those who help you, do you expect a medal? Garden-variety sinners do that. If you only give for what you hope to get out of it, do you think that’s charity? The stingiest of pawnbrokers does that. I tell you, love your enemies. Help and give without expecting a return. You’ll never—I promise—regret it. Live out this God-created identity the way our Father lives toward us, generously and graciously, even when we’re at our worst. Our Father is kind; you be kind. Don’t pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults—unless, of course, you want the same treatment. Don’t condemn those who are down; that hardness can boomerang. Be easy on people; you’ll find life a lot easier. Give away your life; you’ll find life given back, but not merely given back—given back with bonus and blessing. Giving, not getting, is the way. Generosity begets generosity.”  -Jesus

What can I do?

In days like this I ask simple questions.  

I ask myself, "What can I do?"  What can one person do that will make a difference?  I know many are going to Facebook and other social media to proclaim the solutions we all must believe, but that really solves nothing!

So what can I do?  In my world, in the place God has put me, what can I do?  As I think about that it becomes rather simple...at least it seemed simple as I worked through these thoughts at 4AM this morning.  I can do one thing well, but it demands I do something else first.

Jesus described it this way when asked what is the most important thing to do.  He made the one thing into two because you can't do the second until you do the first. Here are his two things that will change the world-  1. Love God, and 2. Love others.

Some will tell me they can love others without God, but Jesus would tell them you can't even understand loving others correctly until you love God first!  Love for others must flow out of a love for God. It's the overflow of loving and being loved by the God who made you.

Only after you have done the first can you do the second well.  And, to be honest, we are loving one another badly these days. I could outline the list of things we aren't doing, but that would only produce more guilt and I'm sure you have enough to deal with. Instead, let me suggest you daily pray a simple prayer and begin to live out the results of it in your world.

Here it is-  Lord, help me to love you with all my heart, soul and will.  Show me your love for me as well. I need that!  And would you give me someone each day to love as you have loved me.

It means a phone call to a lonely person, a meal for a homeless person, a kind word for a weary waitress, it means a smile for a mom dealing with kids out of control.  It means seeing others with the eyes of love.

What can I do?  I can love others.  So can you.

Today's bumper sticker

On my drive back to church this afternoon I saw this bumper sticker on the car in front of me.

It made me wonder.....

....how do they know that?

Normality

"Normality for a human being is when God can be seen by anything and everything which that person does and says and is." -Major Ian Thomas

Thoughts on a Wednesday morning

I must admit I'm finding it hard to write these days.  My thoughts wander and I struggle to find my passions.  Before I began these thoughts this morning I stopped by Facebook.  It seems thoughtful discussions, photos of babies and stories of good things are gone. Now all I read are words of fear, anger, hatred. What happened?  Were those thoughts and feelings always there and just now erupting?  I think that is probably the truth of it.  In days past these were thoughts reserved for a personal journal, but now they are vomited on Facebook for the world to read.  I do wish the false words of "we must love one another" were really lived out, but I fear few even know what that would look like in our day today.  What would it look like for me to love well? It sure wouldn't include angry words or thoughts that cause fear. It would be an intentional desire to encourage, help and support others.  But I find that in few places in our culture.  It seems we use the words "love one another" but have no idea what that looks like lived out.  It makes me reflect on Jesus' profound question,  "When the son of man returns will he find faith on the earth?"  It seems we are quickly losing the very threads that have woven us together as a human race!  With fear dominating our culture love and faith fade.  Next stop?  Anarchy.  I guess it's time for more prayer.  May I be one person who looks for ways to love and care for others well. May I, as Paul invited us all, be an imitator of Christ and walk in love.

Once upon a time

Once upon a time

in days

distant future

I woke

to realize

the world had changed

In 2017 I never imagined

it would be so

wonderful

We talked about these

days back then

but

we had no idea

How could we?

But now

here we are

in this amazing

time

this amazing eternity

Long ago we stopped

counting days

and years

days and nights

Long ago we stopped

dealing with 

pain

sickness

sorrow and death

Hospitals are gone

we don't need them

Police don't exist anymore

They aren't necessary

Everything is so different

so amazing

so peaceful

People stop on

the sidewalk to visit

and linger

for an hour

There's no hurry

No watches anymore

No need for a schedule

a calendar

So much has changed

So much of what we needed

in the old days was

needed to deal with

the results of sin

But now

that's all gone

Now sin

sickness

tears

sorrow

pain

and death

are distant memories

Most of us can't even remember

those days

It's as if the pain and tears of the past

The sorrows and grief

of bitter days

bad decisions

broken promises

are all gone

As if they have all been wiped away

Now

we know one another

we care for one another

no need for jealousy

competition

fame

money

success

All that is gone

and

none of us miss it at all

Now

our dreams

of

Once upon a time

have all come true

Now

the fairy tale

of the old days is

the reality 

of eternity

Now

it is

as it

was always meant to

be

and it's wonderful!

The great adventure

Life is an amazing adventure. I often feel I'm in a situation much like this photo....walking a tightrope, risking it all, to simply get through the day.

..................

But to be honest, in my attempts to survive the day, I often miss the beauty around me....all that God is doing, all that he has made. I miss it all because I'm just trying to keep my balance and not fall. How can you enjoy all that God is doing when you're just trying to keep your balance? I think the thing I will regret when life is over is that I have focused so much on not falling I miss the wonderful view and amazing adventure.

.....................

I think this is the reality in many lives as I talk to people. They are just trying not to fall off the tightrope they are walking with work, kids, soccer, church, family time, homework, e-mails......and the list goes on. How much we miss when our focus is on keeping our balance.

..............

But then something happens...the rope is cut:

................

The company downsizes and we are laid off.

..................

Our mate gets sick and we spend the days in hospital.

............

A child rebels and suddenly we feel as if we are falling,

.........

and all our attempts at balance are suddenly meaningless in the light of the present crisis. The truth is that in those moments we most try to avoid we often find a new passion for God, a fresh relationship with him because we can no longer depend on ourselves, we can't do it without him...we need HIM. Once you find yourself at this time in life realize you are about to experience a portion of the great adventure.....you will discover that you wouldn't trade those difficult times for anything because it's in those moments that you find an intimacy in your walk with God.....you will begin to experience the great adventure we will be part of for eternity.

He has set a day

^{In Athens, many centuries ago, Paul spoke to a group of people with a simple message.  It's a  message we need to repeat often.  It's simple, but communicates these essentials- there is a God, we have a problem, God provided a solution, one day he will come and set everything right.  It's a profound message, one we need to hear and respond to, one we need to share with the world. Here are his words-}

“The God who made the world and everything in it, this Master of sky and land, doesn’t live in custom-made shrines or need the human race to run errands for him, as if he couldn’t take care of himself. He makes the creatures; the creatures don’t make him. Starting from scratch, he made the entire human race and made the earth hospitable, with plenty of time and space for living so we could seek after God, and not just grope around in the dark but actually find him. He doesn’t play hide-and-seek with us. He’s not remote; he’s near. We live and move in him, can’t get away from him! One of your poets said it well: ‘We’re the God-created.’ Well, if we are the God-created, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to think we could hire a sculptor to chisel a god out of stone for us, does it?

“God overlooks it as long as you don’t know any better—but that time is past. The unknown is now known, and he’s calling for a radical life-change. He has set a day when the entire human race will be judged and everything set right. And he has already appointed the judge, confirming him before everyone by raising him from the dead.”  

-Paul, Acts 17

Living a present tense life (dealing with fantasy and fear)

Mat 6:33 Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. Mat 6:34 "Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes. -THE MESSAGE.

One of the great challenges of life is just the simple task of living in this moment, living a "present tense life." There are two great enemies of a walk with God that try to keep us from walking with God in the "now." One is "the fantasy of what could have been," and the other is "the fear of what might be." Let me address each one of these for a moment.

1. The fantasy of what could have been- We all live our lives looking back to the past or ahead to the future. It's rare that we live in the present tense. One of our enemies is the "fantasy of what could have been." We will often look with a longing for a change because of our present adversities- "If only I had married the other person," or "If only I had finished college," or "If only I hadn't made that horrible mistake" then life would be..... And our thoughts race to alternate present reality because of our dreams of "if only." Dreaming about what could have been can be a wonderful diversion, but it's sin plain and simple. The truth is that there is no "if only I had." There is only what is. Dreaming about an alternate life that would turn out different is a fantasy that brings nothing good to our present situation. It only makes the "now" harder because our fantasy solutions would have completely eliminated our real dilemmas and the need to trust the Lord with our real problems today. So, here is the first sin we often fall into. When you are tempted to visit the land of "if only I had..." make the decision not to go. It's a trip that only brings disappointment to what is your life right now.

2. The fear of what might be- The other problem I see many struggle with is "the fear of what might be." They are experts at worrying about something that hasn't even happened yet. There is no way any of us can see the future, so for us to worry about it before it ever gets here is a clear lack of faith in God to care for our tomorrows. Jesus clearly said, "don't worry about tomorrow." He knew we were tempted to do this, and warned us against it. Fear of what might be often keeps us from walking with God and trusting him RIGHT NOW. We miss the joy of a walk with God in the present tense.

We each have to live a present tense life intentionally. The distractions of fantasy about the past and fear about the future will easily get our attention away from a walk with the living God right now. I mentioned the word “walk” intentionally. It’s the word that the bible uses to talk about our lives of faith. The bible calls it a walk because there are some wonderful present tense elements to a walk that will help us stay focused on the now. Here they are quickly for your consideration- a walk demands a destination, but it can only be done one step at a time, one foot on the path toward the goal, one decision at a time to reach the goal. A walk demands a present tense life. That word, walk, often helps me get back to “now.”

As you go through your day living your life and find the temptation toward fantasy or fear, stop for a moment and ask the Lord, “Lord, where are we right now? What are we working on? Why am I tempted to leave this present tense walk with you?” That quick prayer and awareness of the temptation to thoughts of the impossible will make your present tense life an exciting place to be and will quiet those fantasies and calm those fears. Have a great day.

Resolved

Time for New Year resolutions, but let me suggest a different way of looking at them.  Let me suggest we resolve to live out what we know to be true about our faith and lives.  Ready?

Resolved- Since I have been made to be an image bearer of God, called to imitate him.

I resolve to daily surrender to him and his working in my life.

Resolved- Since he is my source of everything and the one I look to for my needs.

I resolve to daily ask him for my "daily bread."  It will remind me of my source and calm my fears.  And honestly, don't we just need the bread for today anyway?

Resolved- Since each day is an opportunity to serve God and others and in each day there are "good works" he has designed for me to do.

I resolve to look each day, each moment for the good deeds I can do in his name.

Resolved-  Since scripture tells me to give thanks in all things.

I resolve to look for ways to give thanks for the events of each day.  It will constantly remind me of my source.

Resolved- Since scripture tells me to pray about everything.

I resolved to look for ways to pray about the things I deal with each day, to say thank you or ask for guidance, to pray for another or ask for a better result.  

Resolved- Since God tells me not to worry about anything but to talk to him about it.

I resolve to do that!  I resolve to talk to God rather than worry.  

-Resolved- Since God is King of everything.

I resolve to trust him alone and not the governments of men who are constantly changing.  Only in God can I find the ruler I need.

-Resolved- Since my greatest need is peace in difficult days.

I resolve to seek it from the only one who can give it, God.

There is so much more we could do with this theme.  The idea is simple- begin with a truth concept from scripture and make a decision about it.  We do that anyway as we read the bible. Why not do it intentionally and prayerfully as we begin the new year?  

What response to God would you add to the list?

Searching for happy

Searching for happy

I don't think I've ever found it

but I've tried

I've looked

I thought it might be in things

but I didn't find it there

I thought it might be in a place

but if it is I haven't been there yet

I looked for it in relationships
but it eluded me once more

Perhaps the arts
Monet, Renoir, Picasso
but I found they were looking
for it too

Music was next
and for a moment it 
entertains, calms
and distracts
but it wasn't there

A job, a vocation I thought
but alas
that too is a quest 
for nothing

In despair I looked around
to see if anyone else 
had found it
but
sadly I see 
everyone else is looking
as well

Could it be
that
happy
is the thing
of fairy tales?

Could it be
that
"Living happily ever after"
was just a dream
an idea
to put us all on a quest
for something
that doesn't exist?

Then I looked to God
to see what he
made us for
what he hoped
we would discover
and I found
that 
his quest for us
was
HIM

He made us to
find the very thing
we most need
in HIM!

Could it be
that searching
for happy
is the world's
substitute
for the only
thing that 
satisfies our heart hunger?

Could it be that
there is no such thing
as happy
but only an 
illusion
of the real thing?

A cheap substitute?

Could it be that God is what we
were searching for all along?

Maybe Augustine had
it right when he said,

"My heart is restless 

until it finds its rest in Thee."

- St. Augustine

The light has come

The world lived in darkness 

for so many years 

and didn't know it

But then,

on a still night

light came

It came as a baby

He was called

"THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD"

His name is Jesus

He came to

give light

and life

to a world

in darkness

The light has come

and his name

is 

Jesus

Three Questions

There are three questions each one of us must answer.  

The questions are quite simple, but their answers will be profound for our lives and future.

  

They are these:  Why here? Why now? Why me?

Of all the questions that could be asked these three are essential.  Let's work on them together.

Why here?

Why, of all places on planet earth, were you born here?  Why is your "here" in this place?  Why weren't you born in Kenya, Nepal, Sydney?  Why here?  If you are self aware you realize that you are not here by accident.  You were placed in this spot on this planet to live out your life.  That knowing carries with it a responsibility- how will I live in the place I've been put?  How will I live out who I am in the place I was born?  My location is not an accident,  I've been put here on purpose to be part of God's great plan in time and history. In this place I have a role, a job, a part.  So, why am I here?  That's the task given you, to discover why you are here instead of born in a slum in Calcutta or an apartment building in Moscow.  You are here on purpose.  What is your role in this place?

Why now?

Do you realize you could have been born in the middle of World War I?  Imagine the chaos of a world war and living in the middle of that fear and turmoil.  But you weren't.  You could have been born in the period called the "Dark Ages" in Europe when disease, fear and despair was the norm.  But you weren't.  You were born in this part of the 20th century.   It's a time of airplanes, computers, cars, air conditioning, electricity, memory foam mattresses and grocery stores!  You are blessed beyond any other time in history to be born and live now!  Now, in this time of an advanced civilization you have the great comfort of life without pain, days without boredom, travel without weariness and days without silence.  It's an amazing time in the history of the world. So why were you born now?  Why in this time?  Why did you show up in this period of history, the most comfortable time humanity has ever known.

Why me?

You might think that's a silly question, but take a moment.....why are you YOU?  It's the result of your heritage, your DNA, your upbringing and the answers to the first two questions.  "Why me" is all about why am I who I am?  How did that happen?  Like snowflakes we are each different in a million ways, unique, designed to be us.  So why are you YOU?  

All three of these questions speak of a design, a plan and a planner.  They address the core questions of humanity- why am I here?  At the heart of them all is God.  The only answers to satisfy these three questions come from knowing you are, 1. not here by accident, 2. that you are in this time for a purpose and, 3. that your life has design and meaning.  And, to be honest, you would get none of that without God.

Only in God and his plans, timing and design do any of these questions find answers.  In Psalm 139 David writes of that plan in God's design of every part of us.  It has been inspirational to centuries of readers and encouraging to many who, for whatever reason, ask, "Why am I here?  Why am I this way? Why did God 'do this to me?'"  

Only in God do we find our identity and purpose in this time. Without him "why here?", "why now?", "why me?" can never find the answers that satisfy the searching heart. But in him I find "here" is my assignment, "now" is my responsibility and "me" is the perfect vessel to carry out God's plans for my life.