Reflecting God's glory

This morning, as I drove in to the church, ahead of me at nearly 8 AM was the full moon. I tried to get a good photo of this beautiful site, but this is the best I could do. With this beautiful moon filling my windshield as I drove I thought about the story it's telling. The moon has no light of its own, it emits nothing by itself, all the light coming in my windshield as I drove was a reflection of the sun behind me!

It's clear from scripture that this is my job too. I have no light of my own, but I am invited by God to reflect his glory to the world around me. If I don't get in the way the world is drawn to his reflection and wants to know where that light comes from. If I do get in the way the world dismisses me as another religious nut. The one thing they can't deny, if I don't mess it up, is that my light is coming from somewhere else, it's not me.

Like the moon this morning, my job is simply to reflect the glory of God. I pray I don't get in the way of his reflection in my life. If people could see only a reflection of him in my life I would be thrilled!

I'm a mess

^{Psalm 40:16-17} (THE MESSAGE)

"But all who are hunting for you—
oh, let them sing and be happy.
Let those who know what you're all about
tell the world you're great and not quitting.

And me? I'm a mess. I'm nothing and have nothing:
make something of me.
You can do it; you've got what it takes—
but God, don't put it off!"

I'm with David! I am a mess! I think that's the reason I love Psalms so much. David was a man like me...a traveler, a wanderer, depressed at times, confused other times, hopeful but struggling, optimistic but discouraged, worried but a worshiper. David's life and mine....maybe yours too....are lives full of paradox.

Yes, I'm a mess, I trust and doubt almost in the same moment. I'm joyful and in despair before I can take a breath. It's an exciting life being a human indwelt by God, despairing in this life but hopeful of what's ahead. What a mess that makes us at times. I struggle with it almost all the time and yet I see God working more and more in this mess I have made of everything.

My solution and yours is God himself. It's all about him, he is the one who has made a masterpiece out of my mess. He puts order in the chaos of my life and mind. He brings peace to my panic. It's all about him, he's my hope when I think the sky is falling. He's the sunshine around me when all I can see are clouds. It's all about him, he is my solution and my hope. In my mess I have a wonderful savior who lives with me and moves me through all of my chaos to life, hope, peace, joy and rest.

And me? I'm a mess.

I'm nothing and have nothing:make something of me.

You can do it;

you've got what it takes—but God, don't put it off!"

Going somewhere

Have you ever noticed that beautiful photos often include a wandering road off into a beautiful netherworld? As I look at photos I see this often......a road stretching off into a wonderful world in the distant. I think it's part of our spiritual DNA to look ahead to a dreamy future world. I've seen few scenic photos of a wandering road heading for the dump. We look for a wonderful land ahead, a promise land of beauty, calm and wonder.

I know those photos of beauty ahead captivate me, I'm sure they do the same for others. I'm drawn to a journey with a beautiful and happy ending. As a voyager on a journey myself I hope for a wonderful destination, I long for a beautiful land ahead. I hope for a beautiful meadow and not a dump!

That's the promise of the bible, a destination ahead that will be glorious and worth the twisted journey it takes to get there. In these recent days many have become discouraged, depressed by the world around us. It's easy to lose a vision for the journey ahead, the promise land in the future. Many tell me, in one way or another, that they feel like their journey has ended at the dump, but the journey isn't over yet.

We are going somewhere. We are on a twisted road to a wonderful destination.....if we have trusted Christ as savior, if we have taken that step of faith your destination is promised to be worth the twisted roads it takes to get there. We all dream of a beautiful destination because it's a dream God gave us. We all want that destination at the end of our journey to be wonderful.

The bible promises such a destination. Some call us dreamers and foolish, but we all dream of that place whether we admit it or not. It's a destination God has impressed in each heart, each life...the destination God made us for. It's not at all a dreamy desire for an imaginary land, but a hope for reality itself. We are all going

somewhere. Where will your twisted road end?

Happy Birthday Alice!

Grandchildren are a wonderful blessing. One of our sweet grandbabies, Alice, is 9 years old today! She's the comedian of the family and gives us all great smiles. I looked for a serious photo of her, but there are none. I think comic faces will be her default in photos for the foreseeable future. Happy birthday, sweetie, we love you!

Best time-lapse video ever made, really!

Landscapes: Volume Two from Dustin Farrell on Vimeo.

New music, "DOWNHERE"

I'm often amazed by new music and musicians I had not heard before. One of my new favorites is a group called "DOWNHERE." Their new album, On the Altar of Love, is amazing. As I write this I'm listening to the album. The lyrics as well as the music prompted me to share this find with you. It is an excellent album!

The great treat on the album is one of the artists in the group, Marc Martel. Marc's voice is absolutely amazing. I heard his voice first on a web site looking for artists to recreate the group Queen. On this site are video auditions for those trying to get the different roles in this tour. One of the voices that stood out was Marc. Below is his audition video. It is eerie to watch because his voice is so similar to Freddy Mercury's voice.

I did a search and found out that Marc is part of a the Christian group "DOWNHERE." Next step was to listen to their music and it only took a moment to realize my lucky find. If you are a music nut I would recommend their new album. I think you will love it! Here's Marc's video audition for the Queen tour, http://dhposts.com/#269 . You will be hearing more about Marc in the days ahead.

Here is one of the cuts from their album,

And just for fun,

Living on a twisted planet

One of my favorite books is a poorly written fiction by Harold Myra titled "Escape from the twisted planet." It's a fascinating picture of life on a twisted planet and what it might be like on planets where sin never happened. The reason I love the book is the visions it paints of what life might be like without sin's pervasive influence and destroying impact. All around us, like fish in water, sin pervades all we know, all we experience. It would be difficult to imagine life without the destructive nature of sin in us and in the world around us.

If we eliminated all the jobs that deal with sin and its impact on the culture most of us would be out of work! We are used to it all, but just imagine what it would be like without all that sin has done- no prisons, no police, no hospitals, no doctors, no nurses, no congress to make laws, no courts to enforce them, no traffic signs, no fear, no anger, no jealousy, no hurts emotionally or physically, and on goes the list. If we were to make a complete list of what sin has done to us it would be much longer than you could possibly imagine! Living on a twisted planet is difficult, but it's all we know.

Go with me for moment to a place where sin has not touched its inhabitants. It's hard because we can't imagine such a place, but let's take a moment and travel to a planet that sin has not affected. The people there have no worries, no one is there to hurt them, steal from them, or reject them. There's no fear, no pain, no jealousy, no peer pressure, none of the things that are woven into our very natures on this world. It's hard to imagine because, like those fish, we can't conceive of a place without water, or a world without sin's pervasive influence.

Sin has been much more destructive to us as humans than we could possibly imagine. Even as a Christian the pull of sin in my life is still strong. I constantly battle with sin's influence and invitation.

Paul tells us that we, as Christians, are citizens of another kingdom. A kingdom sin has not touched, a world as God designed it in the beginning.....perfect. When I use the word perfect what I mean is a place that has not been twisted by the work on sin. It's a kingdom coming soon, a country on the horizon that promises and provides joy, peace, happiness, compassion, kindness, caring, community like you have never known. It's a kingdom we all long for, a place apart from the twisted planet that has left us bankrupt because of sin's work on our little broken world. It's a kingdom I'm thrilled to be a citizen of and can't wait to see. Soon we will escape from this twisted planet and discover what life was meant to be. I look forward to the day when this twisted planet is set right by God's return to claim his people and his planet. As John writes at the end of the book of Revelation, "Come, Lord Jesus, Come!"

Life is short

"I’m sorry, it’s true. Having children really changes your view on these things. We’re born, we live for a brief instant, and we die. It’s been happening for a long time. Technology is not changing it much — if at all." Steve Jobs, Apple Computer founder, who died today at age 56

Quote of the day

"Lord, glorify your name in my life at my expense." -Irwin Lutzer

Dreaming

Very early this morning I awoke to the thoughts of a passage from Isaiah. It's a passage focused on God and his glory. The passage has a wonderful message, but I will get to that in a moment. As I read the word a few hours later I came to these words in Ecclesiastes 5, "...a dream comes when there are many cares." It struck me that my mind, even as I slept and worried, drifted to a passage that addressed my anxious thoughts. The Holy Spirit works like that. Amazing, isn't He?

Here's the passage that came to me in the middle of the night, as I worried about things I cannot change,

Isaiah 6:³ And they were calling to one another:

“Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty;
the whole earth is full of his glory.”

⁴ At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.

⁵ “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.”

⁶ Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. ⁷ With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.”

⁸ Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”

And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”

A great help in fearful chaotic times is a focus on the one thing that never changes- God himself! In the middle of a struggling economy, people out of work, friends in Africa who have no food for their children, families and kids struggling, work problems all around, people in crisis in their marriages, the one thing I can know is that the God of the universe is still on the throne, fully in charge of my life and circumstances. He is constantly being worshiped by those around him. That upward look, that glance to the God of glory is often needed for me as I lose my way in the chaos of the days.

The words that came to my mind this morning were these,

“Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty;
the whole earth is full of his glory.”

The one thing I most need to see is that the God of the universe is holy, wonderfully and gloriously worshiped by all who are around him. And all around us is a world full of his glory. It created a response in Isaiah that is mine as well....he said, "I'm undone!" He was humbled, undone, broken in God's presence. All that had his attention in life was suddenly washed away in God's presence and he stood undone, broken, humbled.

It's a proper response for those who see God.

As these words came to me in the early hours of the day it brought joy to me for the worship it initiated, but it brought sadness as well that I would continue to doubt him, to not trust him after so many years of seeing his love, care and provision. How could I ever doubt his love and care for me when all of heaven rejoices every moment at his wonderful holiness? I'm most grateful that even as I dream and worry God is working to bring my weary mind into his presence to witness with Isaiah his glory and the worship of those around him.

If they are worshiping all the time, if they trust him to care for them and simply enjoy his presence and celebrate who he is then why can't I? Why don't I?

Holy is the Lord, most wonderful to help us in our time of need! Glorious in every way, thank you, Lord, for your care and love that meets our needs even while we sleep.

Lighting your darkness

Matthew 5:¹⁴ “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. ¹⁶ In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

I am the light of the world? Me? How is that possible? How does that work? In a dark world I'm called to illuminate the darkness around me? Illuminate the darkness of other people? Me? How can I do that? How can I bring light to my world?

It's an identity that Jesus gave us. It's a reality that doesn't come by my own power, by my ability to be light...to light my way, my world; but it comes through me, apart from me, powered and supplied by someone else, by Christ himself. It's a light from another source that makes us each a light in our world.

Like everyone around me I have no light in myself, but because of someone else shining through me I find even my life provides light for others so they can find their way. Jesus said, (John 9:5) "While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

At an amazing moment in time Jesus came into my life and saved me, made me new, changed my eternity, but what I didn't know....what most don't know...is that in that moment he made me a lighthouse for the world around me. He came into my life and continued being a light in the world through me! Through you! Through each one who will allow him to shine through them.

In a dark world we are called to do one simple thing- "let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."

How? Simply let the light of Christ shine through you, walk in his Spirit, light the way for the world you walk in. It's one of our greatest honors and responsibilities, being a light in a dark world.

Quote of the day

"God has more grace in his heart than you have sin in your life.

Jesus is a better Savior than you are a sinner." -Ray Pritchard

Sold out for God

My friend and missionary, Brandon, posted this on his blog. I've heard the story many times over the years, but you may have never heard what some have done for the gospel. Here are two men who gave everything for the gospel and those who had never heard. Wonderfully challenging!

Finding meaning

Ecclesiastes is a fascinating book. It's Solomon's journal as he looked for meaning. He begins with these words,

² “Everything is meaningless,” says the Teacher, “completely meaningless!”

³ What do people get for all their hard work under the sun? ⁴ Generations come and generations go, but the earth never changes. ⁵ The sun rises and the sun sets, then hurries around to rise again. ⁶ The wind blows south, and then turns north. Around and around it goes, blowing in circles. ⁷ Rivers run into the sea, but the sea is never full. Then the water returns again to the rivers and flows out again to the sea. ⁸Everything is wearisome beyond description. No matter how much we see, we are never satisfied. No matter how much we hear, we are not content.

⁹ History merely repeats itself. It has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new. ¹⁰Sometimes people say, “Here is something new!” But actually it is old; nothing is ever truly new. ¹¹ We don’t remember what happened in the past, and in future generations, no one will remember what we are doing now.

If you don't see the "big picture" as you read this journal by Solomon you would really get depressed! Man, apart from a meaning and purpose, will simply live out his life, working for food, and then die. It's really a sad story if this is all there is.

As I write this on the first day of October I'm blessed to be sitting at a lake cabin some good friends loaned us for a couple days. A brief getaway, but very refreshing. I'm sitting on the patio, drinking some great coffee and looking at the lake. It's rather cold, but wonderful after the summer we have had. As I read Solomon's words and then copied them here I thought about the brevity of life, the constant search for purpose, significance, for meaning. We work our entire lives to find something worth living for. Finding meaning in life is vital because, as Solomon wrote, if this is all there is then why bother? If all I am is another animal living out my life, but with the sense to know that, this is the cruelest joke of all. Even my dog has a better life than mine if there is no meaning!

I think this topic is vital to our quest in life...our quest for significance, for meaning. We want our lives to mean something, to make a difference. If this life is all there is then eat, drink and be merry! This topic is the very reason my atheist friends are so angry....they want meaning, purpose, significance in their lives, but believe they are simply animals on the way to the grave and that's the end. If that's all we have to look forward to then I'd be mad too!

But here's the rub to all of this...the fact that I search for more, want more than food and clothing...the innate desire for meaning tells me I'm much more than my dog. It tells me there is more, it draws me out to find it. The desire for meaning is proof that there's something more, that I'm more than just an animal on my way to the grave. Where did that desire, that hunger for meaning come from? If there is no meaning then why do we all desire it? All of this hints at something more, someone more. If my desire for more has no fulfillment then we are the most pathetic of races. As Solomon finishes his journal he concludes this, "here is the conclusion of the matter; Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man."

Finding meaning is possible. The very desire to live for something, to leave a mark, to make a difference is the voice of God speaking to each one that there's more. This life is not all there is. There is meaning to find and it's not in the temporal things of this life...it's in God himself and a relationship with him. Finding meaning and purpose are all wrapped up in the God who made us. Until you find him your quest is incomplete.

Saturday's cartoon