6th on the List

The tenth commandment (Exodus 20:13) is simple and clear:

"You shall not murder."

But it seems natural for people to equivocate on matters of clarity.

Here's a hypothetical example of this:

Let's say one man kills another and it is not a situation of self defense.

Without any other background information, this sounds like murder, and referring back to the commandment, it is sinful and unacceptable to God (and therefore, us)

Now let's say that the one man murdered the other because the slain man had himself been murdering other people, but it was still not self defense (nor in the sense that war is self defense).

Well, I naturally want the original murderer stopped, but it's still murder to kill him in kind. Morever, societies put in place authorities to deal with that - these are God given, or modeled after, rules of law. People universally expect to be protected against murder. So, no, you can't just act on your own to murder someone else. It's morally and legally wrong.

Ok, but what if the one man was killing innocent children?

It's still murder to kill him, and wrong. Tell the authorities and count on the rule of law to deal with the first murderer.

But, what if this first man systematically murdered as many as 60,000 innocent babies right in your midst, and took money for it (millions), and even used that same blood money to corrupt the very gov't authorities who should be prosecuting him? What if the second man, seeing this, murdered the first murderer just to make him stop?

No, even then, it is not right to murder him. 

Both men are now murderers and guilty - both in need of repentance according to God's words.

And both, as murderers, are not worthy of any adulation or equivocation. They are heroes to no one. Worse. You could try to argue from a moral equivalency that the one was at best 60,000 times worse than the other and has at least been stopped. But even in the hypothetical sense that is clearly, unambiguously flawed! 

Sin is sin, and wrong is wrong. Hopefully, the society in this hypothetical case would themselves step forward and apply the God-given rule of law to stop the paid murderer of children, and refuse to let him prey on other desperate people, or to prosper in their midst.

What do you believe?

Graduation - For Apostles ?

We attended a friend's college graduation this month. Mixed in with commencement advice and inspiration was caution and concern for the economy, culture and geo-political balance. There was also some humor about "moving out of the house" for which parents chuckled.

One of the dad's at my next bible study also picked up this graduation theme. He noted that Jesus 11 apostles were facing this same precarious nest-leaving situation. They'd had excellent training and even completed some "internship work" as Jesus sent them out to neighboring villages on their own. (See Luke, Chapters 9 and 10)

But, soon after his resurrection from the grave, Jesus again departed - before their eyes - for heaven.

"It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."  Acts 1: 7-8

No commencement address or doctoral thesis could have prepared them for the combined shock of loss and realization that they were stepping from follower to leader - in one instant. But they were not merely trained and prepared. Jesus also sent the Holy Spirit - a Counselor and Advocate.  So they were never truly alone, even as they did venture to the ends of the earth, sharing the Good News as they had been instructed.

Wouldn't it be nice if, as parents, we could send along an infinitely wise counselor and advocate to guide and advise our children after they graduate and leave home? A compassionate and kind-hearted companion for the journey? To be there, when we are not (when there's no cell phone access?)

I'm convinced that any parent aware of this opportunity would send letters, stand in line, and yes, sacrifice personal comfort in order to ensure their child access to this resource. Even if it was the last thing they did before seeing them on their way after graduation.

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do  not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."  John 14:27

Introduce them to Jesus, before they hit the road.

 What do you believe?

Memorial Day - My Namesake Hero

I listened to a couple of old Navy Vets swap stories over the Memorial Day weekend.

These 80-somethings can still describe, in crisp detail, the intricacies of photo-mapping a battlefield while accounting for the cross wind drift of their Navy propellor craft.

Their personal paths to the 1940's Pensacola Navy photo school could not have been more different - or more similar.

Different, because while Jerry was finishing high school and hanging out with his girlfriend on the weekends, Tom was finishing high school far from his boyhood California home, interred in a Denver Nisei camp for Japanese Americans.

Similar, because they both loved their country and were prone to build loyal, lasting friendships with people who counted.  Jerry saw only a new friend, who happened to have Japanese heritage, and Tom saw only a new friend, not a representative of the people who wrongly mistreated his family.

After cementing that Navy friendship, they've never lost touch, whether months or years have passed. They've fished together, celebrated holidays together, and taken joy in each other's children and grandchildren.

When Jerry and his young wife had a son, they named him Tom. Not Thomas, lest their intention be confused with the apostle's name.  No, it was Tom, so it was clear to everyone for whom they had named their son.

I've always known him as my Uncle Tom. When you're little, it doesn't occur to you that Uncle's are usually related by blood. But my Uncle Tom may just as well have been. He was, and is, family to all of us, along with Aunt Pat and the kids.

Over the years Uncle Tom and I have shared something else, even more special than our name. We've also shared our love of the Gospel, and the Good News of Jesus. You see, my Uncle Tom isn't just a good man and a good friend, he is a man of God. He personifies for me what I wish all people would recognize in a Christian walk - kindness, compassion, peace and forgiveness.

Uncle Tom knows what it means to forgive - and I know what if means to see Christ in another person's life.

I can't count how many times I've had to correct people when they write my name on an official document.

"It's not Thomas, it's Tom."

I was named for my Dad's friend Tom.  When I grow up, I would be honored to be just like him.

What do you believe?

Planets Reflect the Light

We've talked about buying a telescope for years and years, and finally did so this spring.

I'm looking forward to a warm summer's evening and a starry, starry night.

Searching the internet for astronomy sites and insights, I tried the keywords "planets," "reflect" and "light" in different combinations.

I was surprised to come across a number of sermon topics related to this theme:

Think of Jesus as the Sun. Then whenever you are able to see and appreciate the beauty of the planets or moons in our solar system, they are not emitting their own light, they are reflecting the light of the Sun.

Jesus said,

"I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."  John 8:12

It's a good reminder to me, humbling, that I am not the light. I walk in the light. I reflect the light of love, kindness, compassion, forgiveness and mercy -- when I am in view of the Son.  But as soon as I stray from the Light of Jesus, it's easy to stumble or lose my way.

I'll consider this new perspective when I look through our telescope on a starry, starry night!

What do you believe?

Too Much Mulch! It's a Gift...

I over-ordered mulch for our landscaping. Again.

We live on a very windy hill, and the winter winds blow our landscaping mulch every which way.  If you could put a GPS on mulch,  our entire neighborhood would glow on the satellite images with the note, "mulch blown over from that guy on the corner lot."

Anyway, I really just needed some topsoil this spring, but I ordered extra mulch out of habit. I mean, when have I not needed mulch? Well, I didn't need this much.

So, I told the neighbors to the side of me, 'please, feel free to wheelbarrow as much mulch as you like.' But they had some ordered already. 'Cancel the order,' I suggested hopefully.  But, their mulch plan was firmly entrenched.

And so I continued telling neighbors one by one.  They had their own, or felt funny about taking mine.

Finally, I caught up with a neighbor who had been out of town, and he gladly agreed to use whatever I could not. In fact, he said he had under-ordered mulch, whereas I had over-ordered.  'But, I want to pay for the share I use,' he generously offered.

'Not necessary,' I replied, 'you're actually doing me a favor.' And I meant it. He looked a bit uncomfortable with those terms, but we left it at that.  Now the mulch is off my driveway and his landscaping looks great. I sincerely hope he doesn't follow up with cash for what I intended as a gift. I was really happy with the way it turned out.

Question though: Have I ever gone to that much trouble to share the gift of the gospel with these same neighbors? Literally stopping them in their yard - or crossing the street to say, 'I know where you can get wheelbarrows and wheelbarrows full of Grace. It never runs out. The wind never blows it away. And, it's unconditionally free. A gift that you only have to receive.'

No - because they look like they probably don't need it. I see their cars drive away on Sunday morning, presumably to the church of their choice. They seem like kind, upstanding citizens. It might be awkward, me talking about the free gift of eternal redemption. Something that could change their lives, or their extended friends and family.

It was the last person I talked to that accepted the mulch. His yard looked great before we talked. It looks even better now. I'm glad we had the chance to talk. I'm even happier he chose to accept the neighborly gift.

What do you believe?

Bulldozing St. Phillips in the Country

I drove past the old St. Philips church last week -- well, what was left of it.

The little red brick building had just been bulldozed and workers were hauling the debris to a dump truck. It's a prime suburban location in a fast growth area, so they're building residences. 

30 years ago, St. Philips was established 'out in the country' as an alternative place of worship for people who would not, or could not, drive all the way into the nearby city.  Now, there are plenty of good roads and nearby megachurch options that simply obsoleted the need for tiny St. Philips.

Try an internet search and you'll learn that many thousands of churches have come to their end in recent decades - some due to violence, and some to spiritual indifference.

Should the loss of these buildings trouble us? In fact, the Apostle Paul observed,

"The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth, and does not live in temples built by hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all people life and breath and everything else." Acts 17:24

I love going to our own church each week. It's beautiful inside - wide open and spacious. Colorful stained glass on multistory walls that lead up to a stunning cathedral ceiling. Nicely architected lines, wood paneling and brick. It is a worshipful place, and we sincerely offer God the praise and honor and glory. He is worthy of it.

But people built relationships with God long before they built magnificent buildings in which to worship him.  So I don't think it's disappearing church buildings that should bother us most here in the U.S..

More so, it's the disappearing spirituality of 'church' that grabs my attention.  When my friends come back from Europe or Australia, they're generally discouraged over spiritual matters. They see centuries-worth of exquisite churches built by human hands - but they struggle to find the spiritual congregation that breathes life into those structures. 

I'm praying that despite the unceremonious passing of little St. Phillips church, that the spiritual side of that new neighborhood will grow and flourish.

What do you believe?

You're Getting my Floors Dirty

We have this undocumented mystery of physics around our house.

If you undertake the primary work of a household project, it temporarily transforms whatever is involved to something that you 'own.'

So, the same kitchen floor that you've been trudging over with muddy shoes for the last week and a half is wordlessly deeded to you upon completion of mopping duty.

"Hey! Don't even think about walking across my clean floor with those disgusting golf shoes, Missy."   You took a little initiative with soap and water, so it's 'yours,' at least until someone else mops it. You organized a drawer, cleaned a closet, painted a stairway...it's yours. "Don't touch my freshly painted wall!"

Isn't that how we must appear to people who listen to us talk about "our" churches? "Look at what they're doing to my church!" But who is the real owner of what goes on within our collective walls of brick, mortar and faith?

Here's what the Bible says,

"Consequently you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit."   Ephesians 2:19-22

We can try and invent or organize a belief system into a church and then claim that it's 'ours.'

But we're really just painting over supernaturally created structure.

Jesus is the chief cornerstone and foundation. Past or present, anyone who wants to see what the founder of "our" church intended, his words are there to read in the Gospels. 

And, despite his sovereign role, Jesus doesn't shout at me when I trudge the mud of sin and selfishness across His kitchen floor. He patiently waits for me to look down at my shoes and apologize (repent). Then He helps mop up the mess and its forgotten - that's how it works in His church.

What do you believe? 

Easter 2009

Ancient transcript - a letter written by one of Jesus' immediate followers, known as the Apostle John (son of Zebedee) - this is from the 1st letter of John. I copied it from my Bible,

1John chapter 4, vs. 9 -11

"This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God loved us, we also ought to love one another."

What do you believe?

Prove it

One of my old camping buddies does some ministry work with incarcerated teens. That is, young people in jail. They are searching for hope and change in their lives - my friend shows them an authentic, incorruptible source, in the Gospel of Jesus.

Not all are easily convinced. He says a common challenge is, "prove to me that Jesus is the Messiah." 

My friend is a mature, well-read, well-prayed, and well-tested Christian, so he has answers:

The bible settings and cities have been proven historically accurate.

The bible itself has been consistently and accurately recorded and copied over millenniums.

The prophets in bible text detailed the specific attributes, timing and geography of the coming Messiah, and his demise. Jesus fulfilled the prophecies accurately (to an astonishingly high mathematical probability).

Jesus acknowledged himself as the Messiah, Son of God and was validated by prophetic fulfillment, miracles, transformed lives and eyewitness accounts. (he was either a liar or the real deal -- but he could not just be a 'good man.'  )

In addition, the rag tag group of people (disciples) who initially scattered at his well-documented crucifixion, were later willing to proclaim his resurrected return to life, at their own peril. They were intolerantly hunted down and killed for their recount of true events (as still happens in parts of our world). They had nothing to gain by recounting his redemptive role in history.

That's what my friend explains to these young people who are seeking the Truth. 

But in today's world, even as we celebrate the Passion of our Lord Jesus at Easter time, I sent an email back to my friend. Because I wonder why we are ever more on the defensive about our spiritual diversity. The faith we have in this Messiah, this Saviour - is inextricably merged with redemption, and his teachings of unconditional love, mercy, forgiveness, kindness and compassion - unlike any other philosophy or secular morality in our midst.

My friend's email gave the challenge - posed by these young people he helps to liberate, who are imprisoned because of directionless choices and corrupt moral compasses - "Prove to me that Jesus is the Messiah."

And I messaged back,

"Prove to me that He is not."

What do you believe?

Confession Time

I have a confession to make.

Something kind of snuck up on me, and even when I realized it - I was slow to make things right. Too slow!

Here's what happened.

I enjoy reading a good mystery novel - particularly murder mysteries. Nothing wrong with that. There are some fantastic Christian authors - Frank Peretti, Ted Dekker, Randy Alcorn, Terri Blackstock - have all written great stuff, some of it in the murder-mystery-thriller genre.

But last year I gravitated toward a popular secular author someone had recommended to me. I had actually listened to a few spoken word audio books by the same author before finally reading a paperback. Pretty prolific writer - dozens of titles.

Problem was/is that her characters frequently use the Lord's name in vain. Particularly the name of Jesus, in their casual conversation. Now, initially my wife and I cringed a few times during the audio tape drives on long highway trips. But the stories were really good. Great prose. LIke I said, I really like a good mystery novel. I figured, "contemporary speech, you can't avoid it."

But this year the burden finally hit me. Particularly as I read a few of the paperbacks.

The words on the page were impossible to ignore. A few times before bed I had just finished reading my bible. One night I was even preparing for bible study the next day - and then I picked up the novel before going to sleep. It wasn't right, more or less condoning the coarse, casual epithets about my friend - my Saviour, Jesus. 

Anyway, long story short - I realized the gig was up. I couldn't justify reading more of it, on purpose, when it was abundantly clear that this author would habitually use the Lord's name in vain, in every book, and with more than one character. There's salt, and then there's salt.

So - and this really killed me - I stopped one of the books in mid-read and returned it to the person who had originally recommended the author, explaining my dilemma.

Wait, there's more. I've got more to confess.

This person said, "I know how much you like this author, and it really is just the slang of the characters - how about if I go through the book and black out all the curse words for you? Then you don't have to read them."

Now, first of all...there's a real friend for you!  But the worst thing is....I considered it. Just for a minute, but I considered it. No,  I can't enlist your help to read the curse words yourself, and then pretend that I'm not a party to the...sin.  Yeah, it's a sin.

Exodus 20:7  "You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God."

I'm sorry Jesus. I can do better.

And I promise not to ask anyone else how the story I gave back ends!

What do you believe?

Our Pastor's Retirement

44 years of ministry and now our beloved pastor is retiring.

We gathered one Wednesday evening for "Soup and Substance," a lenten program he created some years ago to combine learning with fellowship. This Wednesday night's jam-packed gymnasium was mostly filled with well wishers who knew it would be one of Father's final events before his summer departure. 

Rows and rows of chattering people sipped soup from plastic bowels and pulled pieces of french bread from the simple wicker baskets on each table. The good Father himself wheeled one of the soup stations through the gym, pausing for a few photo's and calling people by name as he graciously served them.

Then it was time to kick back and listen to a half hour or so of his favorite memories. As usual, his humor-filled delivery was warm and engaging. His innate timing for a well developed punch line is impeccable and we laughed frequently.  There were also insights to remind me of the sacrifices he made to lead a shepherd's life. 

He moved from his home to the seminary when he was only 13 years old, never to return.  He spoke fondly of two parishes - including ours - where he was able to stay on for 10 year stints - the maximum allowed by the Bishop and rules for such things. Other roles were shorter, some with agreeable living and career arrangements and some perhaps less so. But for every challenging situation or period, he readily cited balance with other friendships and accomplishments. And it seems clear that he's lived a rich, full life at the ripe old age of 70.

Now he'll be available to pitch in and help with area churches as needed - on his terms and timing, rather than the bishop's, he added with a wink. 

Our family has noted many times over the years, how hard it must be to lead a priest's life - serving tirelessly and obediently, and without a family unit to fall back on in their aging years.  As though they are somehow cheated and we have the better fare. 

But perhaps not.  Even the apostle Paul saw great value to both single-celibate, or married life. (read 1st Corinthians, Chapter 7).

Having witnessed that sincere joy in his recollection of service for 5 decades, and when I realize how many lives our pastor has touched, how much he can point to that has been accomplished and how he is loved by literally generations of people...I smile and am glad at just how fortunate he is. 

A happy, blessed, and well-deserved retirement to you, Father!

What do you believe?

It's Got to be There Somewhere

I didn't start reading the Bible in earnest until after my daughter was born.

As soon as she was walking, we were out on day trip excursions almost every weekend. The zoo, the nature center, the park and...the art museum.

We quickly grew to love the Cincinnati art museum (free on Saturdays!) and especially the wonderful collection of religious art.

The near-sacrifice of Isaac by his father Abraham on Mt. Moriah is a frequently used setting for many artists - and there was indeed an oil of it in the Cincinnati collection (although I can't find a web link to that one). The painting I strolled past with my young daughter wasn't terribly scary, so I didn't have to explain the challenging subject matter of a father willing to sacrifice his own son.

But I did have a newfound curiosity about scripture. Hadn't I read that God provided the sacrifice, and preserved Abraham's son? So we stepped a little closer to the painting and I said to my daughter, "see if you can find a sheep somewhere." Sure enough, off to the left of the painting was a thicket, and there the artist had cleverly concealed a Ram. Only someone looking for it would see it. I enjoyed a smile and an appreciation for the biblical detail observed by that artist a few centuries earlier. 

There are rams hidden in the thickets all around us, cleverly placed there by the Master artist.

Jesus said we would we find strength in humility. He said to look for power in forgiveness, and salvation in repentance. Peace in the midst of anxiety. Life overcoming death.

Now that I know what to look for, I wander through the gallery a little slower - and enjoy a richer experience.

What do you believe?

 

 

Herod Liked Listening to John

The Gospel writer Mark recalled this about King Herod and John the Baptist,

"...Herod feared John and protected him, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man. When Herod heard John, he was greatly puzzled, yet he liked to listen to him."   Mark 6:20

Here was a king, denounced by John for his adultery, who still liked to listen to him. 

The king, who was undoubtedly surrounded by sycophants and lobbyists, recognized a "righteous and holy man" in their midst. He didn't welcome the truth of his shortcomings - but he respected the guy who was willing to stand up and proclaim it.

That's what we need to do. Tell the truth of the Gospel and then let people react as they will.

Some will simply ignore or misunderstand it. Herod's wife had John the Baptist killed for it - and that still happens in certain parts of the world.

But there are those, the lost sheep whom God seeks, who will recognize the Word of righteousness and though puzzled, will listen. For them, we have to continually share the Good News.

What do you believe?

Soap Must Not Work

There was this guy who worked in the same factory that I did back in Erie, PA.

I went to a party at his house one Saturday night and saw that it had a bathroom with a shower and there was a bar of soap by the sink.

But when you ran into this guy at work, he just didn't seem very clean. His hair looked dirty, there was always something under his fingernails and you didn't really get a fresh scent in his vicinity.

I never heard one of our co-workers conclude..."See, soap and showers don't work. I'll never waste my time with any of that." 

 Instead, it was clear to us that he wasn't using them. Soap didn't fail him, he failed to use soap. So obvious.

But I have heard that same erroneous conclusion drawn over Bibles and Jesus.

"See, look at how she's living - selfish, mean, impatient - obviously being a Christian changes nothing."

The Bible didn't fail that person - they failed to live by it, with God's help, through Jesus.  We're all covered in dirt (sin - the things that displease God).  But through a transformational relationship with Jesus, there's a way to be renewed - cleansed, in God's eyes.

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."  1John 1:9

And then, just like gunk disappearing from underneath fingernails, things like selfishness and unkindness start to melt away too. But you've got to be willing to apply some soap.

I still fall into the mud sometimes, but I know where to find a shower.

What do you believe?

 

You're Amazed? I'm Amazed !

I always smile when I page through chapters 5 and 6 in the Gospel of Mark.

In chapter 5,  Jesus healed a demon-possessed man who then gratefully tells people about Jesus and the miracle. Mark recalls at the end of the passage that "All the people were amazed."

Who wouldn't be amazed at the miracles of Jesus?

The irony comes in the very next chapter - a little time has passed according to Mark. Jesus has left Jairus' house, where he raised Jairus' daughter from the dead - no small miracle - and returned home to Nazareth for a visit. 

Again, Mark recalls, that many of the neighbors who heard him preach in the Nazareth synagogue were amazed at his teaching.

But...

Others took offense - perhaps jealous of the attention he was getting.

"Isn't this the carpenter? Isn't this Mary's son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon?"  (I can picture today's news media questioning his credentials, 'He's just a plumber!') 

None of this irony was lost on Jesus, the Bringer of miracles. As Mark recalls,

"He was amazed at their lack of faith."  Mark 6:5

I healed the blind man, raised the dead girl, and now you're wondering why I can preach the Word of God? 

And today...

I'm sure he's still amazed -  and mercifully compassionate - at our lack of faith, despite the blessings and miracles surrounding us every day.

I'm amazed that he could love a sinner like me. But I'm glad he does.

What do you believe?

What's in that Light?

"Isn't it something how we take light for granted, despite how complex it is?" my wife said during our drive along Lake Michigan last week. We were trying to decide if the evening sky was "slate" or "midnight" blue (slate). Throughout the weekend we saw a stunning range of colors in the snow and ice of the frozen Great Lake. Piercing blues. Dazzling whites. And the time of day, and the angle of the sun continuously gave new life to the same scenes.

God's Light is like that. It's not just that we can know him - there's so much nuance and depth - continuously revealing new blessings and insights, if we only look (or listen, or read, or pray...).

A retired pastor gave the sermon at our church today.

He fondly held up a simple gold chalice that his family had given him way back when he was ordained. Somewhere on the chalice's base, too small for us to see, was a diamond from his mother's wedding ring. He said his dad told him about the days before he was going to propose to the pastor's mom. His dad was showing some friends the ring and suddenly realized that the small diamond had fallen out of the setting onto the ground. He crawled and searched in the dirt to no avail - until the sun came out of the clouds and the diamond glinted, catching the light.

Look for the Light of the Son shining on, and perhaps revealing, the countless blessings of this life - even if we sometimes have to wait for a cloud to pass by.

What do you believe?

The "glue" follow-up !

Sure enough, after singing the praises of this new household glue  we found, I broke a guidepin off the handle of our coffee maker filter.

In the brief space of time it takes to translate thought, my wife and I both smiled and said..."looks like a job for the 'new' glue." 

See, it only took a few successes for us to immediately connect household brokenness with the 'new' household glue that we found. Why wouldn't we? It works!

But I've also seen personal brokenness in several people since I posted that last blog - and I didn't blurt out..."looks like a job for the Savior of the World!"   Why wouldn't I?   I've known countless spiritual repairs that 'held fast' after contact - with eternal guarantees included.

He's proven and True.  Maybe next time...

What do you believe?

Jonah No, Lazarus Yes?

We were reading the Bible book of Jonah for church recently.

As Jonah, a prophet of God, recounts his experience, he explains that God himself sent the fish that swallowed Jonah for 3 days before vomiting him out again - alive and ready to repent in Ninevah.

Many people breeze by Jonah assuming his narrative to be allegorical - a story with meaning; but a story none the less. It can only be a story, they reason, because of course no one could survive in the belly of a whale. A person couldn't be swallowed whole, and even if they could, they would suffocate, or drown, or whatever else happens to a person who is swallowed by a whale.

For detail sake, the text says that God sent a "fish," not a "whale."

Our family has a recurring conversation when we learn that someone doesn't believe one miracle in the Bible, but they believe others. "Cafeteria style" believers of miracles, you might call them.

It's hard to believe that someone could survive in a fish stomach for three days, much less be swallowed whole and uninjured. But God sent the fish -- so who's to say what kind of fish it was?

On the other hand, Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. Lazarus had been in the tomb four days before Jesus raised him from the dead. Is it harder to believe that Jesus revived a dead man than it is to believe that a live man survived in a great fish?

Jesus made a blind man see. A lame man walk. A bleeding woman heal. 

And after dying on the cross, Jesus himself rose from the dead to redeem our sins.

I'm sure hundreds of millions of people don't believe even a word of the Bible - so one miracle is just as much of a story as the next. That's intellectually honest on their part.

But I believe that if Jesus - the Son of God - could raise his friend Lazarus from the dead after 4 days...then surely God could send a great fish in which Jonah could survive as he contemplated his mission for God.

What do you believe?

All purpose glue

I dropped the lid from one of our favorite holiday cookie jars and it broke into about 4 pieces.

It was a nice jar--ceramic, red with overlapping white snowflakes.

I've had no luck gluing ceramics in the past, so I dispaired at losing this cheerful friend in our kitchen. 

At the local hardware store there were half a dozen high-tech looking glue products. I toyed with a few of the packages, but remembered past failures and false labeling promises. One of the owners saw me hesitate, and he reached for the simplest, least expensive product - Duco Cement - and handed it to me. Sure enough, the packaging said it would bond wood, ceramics, and some other household products. Too good to be true at that price. But the store guy shrugged his shoulders.

"They've been around for years and it works."

Sure enough, I had the lid glued and drying in no time. I was so relieved that I went and found two of my other broken embarrassments and fixed them too. Now they're back on display in our home - it really made me happy, because I thought they were lost forever.

Look, if you need ceramic repair--buy Duco cement. It works--I've seen it work...and on some beautiful pieces that had been broken and put aside for years.

But if you're broken; if your heart, or your life is broken, get Jesus. 

Don't go for all those fancy packaged belief systems--just lots of false promises and no results. I've seen Jesus work. Simple, no-frills redemption. Go find the pieces (or friends, or family) you thought nobody could put back together again; and then get them back out for everyone to see and enjoy.    

I wasn't sure whether I was even going to try and believe again -- but the guy that knew the simple Truth wasn't afraid to walk up and share it with me.

What do you believe?

Lift the Candle...

We attended services at a beautiful, local basilica a few weeks ago. It was the last weekend with seasonal Christmas decorations still up -- Poinsettias, a huge creche, and lovely evergreens.

About midway through the service, a young couple stepped forward for their baby daughter's baptism. It was very touching, and you could just see the joy welling up in them for the beauty of the moment and for the love of their child.

As happens at many churches, there was a small commemorative candle to light for the family - symbolizing the Light of Christ. I smiled, because there is usually a very, very tall candle kept lit in the church Sanctuary for this very purpose. An attendant will reach up with the small candle, light it, and hand it back to the family...passing on the Light of Christ.

But sometimes this main Sanctuary candle is so tall (when new), that a person has to stand on tippy toes to reach it. I've actually seen this part of the service paused while the pastor looks around for somebody tall enough to reach up. At another church they actually had a small stool nearby, just to avoid accidents.

Anyway, I was smiling in anticipation...having sized up the altar boy as not tall enough to make it.

But then the young assistant did something I'd never seen anyone else do...he lifted the big candle out of it's huge brass base, and simply tipped it down to the height of the baby's father, who easily lit the candle. No problem!

Psalm 113 says:

"Who is like the Lord our God, the One enthroned on high, who stoops down to look on the heavens and the earth? He raises the poor from the dust, and lifts the needy from the ash."

How many times have I stood on tippy toes struggling to grasp for God...when in reality, He has stooped down to close the gap? The very essence of Christ coming to earth is that God has reached out to us, and become accessible in a personal way.

It doesn't have to be hard. It's not supposed to be hard. God has bridged the chasm. We just have to touch the Light.

What do you believe?

Trump Card?

Our family enjoys the friendly competition of a good card game.

One of my favorite games involves choosing a "trump" suit for each round.

Let's just say that you choose "hearts" as the trump suit. That means that any heart - from a two of hearts to a 10 of hearts - still outranks the highest card of any other suit.  So a 2 of hearts could even take a king of clubs. The heart "trumps" the club, or spade, or diamond.

Well, we were all a little tired. And honestly, I don't think my wife really felt like playing.

But my daughter and her boyfriend weren't ready to give up, so we kept at it.

The trouble was, we kept forgetting what the "trump" suit was, since it changes every game.

Someone was always asking, "what's trump?" It was actually getting quite comical. 

Towards the end, with the winning score hanging in the balance (boys against the girls), someone led with a King of clubs. The next person played the King of spades. Two high cards. For an unspoken moment, the same question formed on everyone's lips...

What's trump?

And then wouldn't you know it...the King of hearts. Three kings, but only one King of Kings.

One King trumps all.

You can debate the hierarchical merit of moral views or philosophies. Freedom, justice, tolerance, diversity, peace, discipline, compassion, order. Those and others you could add are all good and effective in the appropriate context and measure.

But Jesus' teachings stand out, even after millenniums of scrutiny:

Love, mercy, and forgiveness...which leads to eternal redemption, by grace. 

King of kings, and Lord of lords.

What do you believe?

Hand in the Elevator Door

This guy and I were running to catch an elevator at work this morning.

The doors were juuuust about closed and I figured we'd wait for the next elevator.

But whereas I skidded to a halt (discretion being the better part of valor), my co-worker fearlessly shoved his hand and wrist through the rapidly disappearing slit of light between the heavy doors.

Thankfully, the safety mechanism detected the intrusion and the doors slid opened again.

I was about to say the obvious, "taking a big chance with your arm there, weren't you fella?" But instead I mused, "interesting, how convinced we are that technology won't fail us."

I'm not so sure that people would have thrown their good arms into the early Elisha Otis elevators of the 1800's. But during the course of my lifetime, with thousands of elevator rides under my belt,  I really do expect an elevator door to trigger it's safety mechanism when a body part breaks the invisible beam.

It's not that different with God. I've skidded to a stop in front of many situations where I thought I should put my hand through the doors and walk over the threshold...volunteer for a charity project...offer to pray for a sick co-worker...speak up to defend or explain the Gospel...put aside my pride to ask for forgiveness...[add your own here].

I look at those doors closing and the light disappearing between them as I drag my feet. Doors of doubt and insecurity. Then, sometimes, it's as if somebody else comes and shoves their hand through the door for me -- when I'm too hesitant, or afraid. And the doors noiselessly slide back open up again. All I have to do is walk through and get to work, with an assurance that I'm not alone. 

Sometimes the hard part is just remembering that God won't fail me. He's never closed the door on me yet.

What do you believe?

 

Bob and Isaiah

A friend of mine and I were reading a segment of Isaiah, Chapter 60, comparing it to the coming of three wise men to Jesus:

"And all of from Sheba will come, bearing gold and incense and proclaiming the praise of the Lord...all Kedar's flocks will be gathered to you, the rams of Nabaioth will serve you...bringing your sons from afar with their silver and gold, to the honor of the Lord, your God the Holy One of Israel, for he has endowed you with splendor..."  Isaiah 60:7-9

We wrestled through the third person pronouns - there's the "praise of the Lord," and "flocks gathered to you" and "your sons from afar" and  "your God the Holy One of Israel" who has "endowed you with splendor..."

Whew.  The Lord, you, your sons...and all from Isaiah, the prophet. Is the you, the "you" of Isaiah's time? Or maybe the prophetic "you" of Jesus' time...? Or both ?

Well, that's what Bible studies and pastor's are for, so I'll leave that to you for additional study and prayer.

I looked at my friend and said, "you know, Isaiah is like the Bob Dylan of the Old Testament," and he laughed. But it was just like Bob to mix his use of "I" and "me" and "you" to mean the same, or different people in his lyrics:

"And every one of those words rang true, they glowed like burning coals,

pouring off of every page like it was written in my soul, from me - to you...

Tangled up in blue."  Bob Dylan, Blood on the Tracks.

Bob's content isn't quite as lofty as that of Isaiah...but sometimes you wonder if he's gotten more attention than his predecessor, at least in our lifetime. It is a catchy tune.

In the end, maybe it's that one wrote to share his inspiration, and one wrote of what he was inspired to share.

What do you believe?

Recalculating Your Position...

We took our new, portable GPS (Global Positioning Satellite) gadget along to help find the restaurant on New Year's Eve.

We typed in the restaurant name and a snazzy, 3D color map started highlighting the fastest route.  The best part - whenever we took a wrong turn or drove past an exit, a friendly (computerized) voice immediately reassured us she was "Recalculating your position." And a few seconds later the map reconfigured our new position and announced the recalculated turns that would get us back on track. No matter how many times you take a wrong turn, the friendly voice will say, "recalculating your position," and then point you in the right direction. And every time, you still have the free choice to ignore the all-knowing little device.

We even took a couple wrong turns on purpose, just to second-guess the recalculated route.

Before long, I absently said out loud, "recalculating your position" to anticipate the device's upcoming correction when I missed a (poorly marked !) roundabout.

You couldn't dream up a better life application for God's Grace.

No matter how many times you take a wrong turn or speed pass the 'right' exit in this life - even when you've chosen what you know in your heart to be a 'wrong turn'  ---- God has gone before you to begin 'recalculating' your route. He is the God of new beginnings.  I don't know what His voice might sound like exactly, but I believe you'd have to add parking lots full of compassion and mercy and understanding to that computerized voice on our GPS to even hint at the real deal of God's forgiveness and renewal. 

Have you made wrong turns (like me) in the past? This week, today?

There's no hiding from the Satellite signal. He knows. You're right there on God's snazzy multi-dimensional map. But more than anything, I believe God wants to guide us along the straight path - if we'll only listen to that voice (our conscience partnered with the Holy Spirit) and glance over at the map (the Bible) to keep from losing our way.

What do you believe?

 

My Unopened Gift !

My wife promised not to buy any other Christmas gifts for me. We try, like most families, not to go overboard with gift-giving, and stay grounded in the Reason for the Season (the coming of Jesus). I'd pointed out a reasonably priced dress watch (sale price well under $99 for curious shoppers), and looked forward to wearing it after Christmas.

Then we invariably buy each other a few other items - which we claim don't count as 'big' gifts; a music CD and some dark chocolate this year.

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day came and went.

We had wonderful family fellowship for Christmas Eve at our home. My wife and daughter, parents, sisters' families, niece and nephews...a relaxing, laughter-filled evening despite lingering health concerns for several among us.

Christmas Day at our church service we played worship music and soaked in the gorgeous sunlight coming through stained glass to spill over the beautifully decorated altar and creche. A truly appropriate celebration of Christ's coming to earth. Then after a late brunch at home we finally opened gifts amongst our small family (including daughter's boyfriend...please don't get me started). 

By day's end we were pleasantly worn out from all the preparation and activity and my girls had to get some sleep in order to face work the following day. That's the morning I remembered it. My new dress watch. I had reached into a drawer to pull out my old one - and laughed out loud.

A fully lived and loved Christmas with an unwrapped - and forgotten - gift still sitting on a shelf in our house somewhere.

I'm wearing it now - and I really like it. But it was a new twist on the 'Christmas is more than giving/getting gifts' theme.  This is a gift that I forgot was there. Purchased, ready and waiting on the shelf. I only had to ask my lovely bride and she gladly gave me the gift. I received it just as gladly. 

Jesus is there - a gift of eternal life and love - unopened by millions of people.  Christmas comes and goes with great joy and fellowship; is there anyone you know who still has an unopened gift of redemption waiting for them?  Why not offer to help them find it? Maybe they know it's there, but are unsure of how to ask. It could be their best Christmas ever.

What do you believe?

Christmas - Date Doesn't Matter

Here's a comment that puzzle's me every year:

"We'll, nothing in the Bible says that Jesus was born on December 25th, and besides, that's really just co-opting a previously existing Winter solstice holiday..."

Therefore, the dismissive reasoning goes, Christ-mas is irrelevant and Jesus is too.

But nothing could be further from...the Truth.

None of the four Gospel accounts of Jesus' life require any dependencies for his redemptive role on calendar dates for his birth. There are two descriptions of Jesus' birth (read the Gospels of Matthew and Luke), but those speak of the census conducted by Caesar - an event, not a date.

Just as George Washington's birthday has become co-opted as "President's Day" in America - the 40+ Presidents who really don't share that birthday are no less real; the day was just chosen for the convenience of those celebrating it.

Jesus lived - no serious historical accounts debate that. He was born - it stands to reason.

When we celebrate the birth of Jesus - December 25th has become the commonly shared day to do so - there are better questions to ask than, "is this really the date?" 

Why did God choose to reach out to us in the person of Jesus - showing us that he understands our human condition?

What is the significance of Jesus' shockingly humble arrival - in a stable, to a poor family in an occupied country?

What was his ultimate, singular purpose as the Saviour?

What does it mean to me and my family?

I love Christmas-time. I love the special music, the special gatherings and fellowship, the special kindness and gift giving. It's unique, and it works. But, pick any other day or date to celebrate the arrival and life of Jesus -- and I'll join you !

Merry Christ-mas !

What do you believe?

 

No One at Head Table

About five years ago I spoke to a co-worker about my mom's pending cancer treatment. I'd heard that this lady was a cancer survivor, and she gave me lots of encouragement, just being willing to talk about it. She didn't overwhelm me with information or instructions - just let me talk whenever I walked by her cube - and let me know that our family wasn't the first, or only family experiencing cancer. She later moved to a different building on our campus, but whenever I've seen her, she's alway's asked, "how's your mom?" And having heard my brother-in-law has cancer, she now asks after him.

Last week she sent me an invitation to a luncheon at work, an annual gathering for cancer mentors and survivors like herself. "I'm not a mentor or a survivor," I said, "I've been on the receiving side of your support."   "That's ok," she assured me, "it's for anyone who's been involved."

Partly because she's been so kind to me, I drove to the luncheon. And, part of me wanted to go because it helps to be around people who understand the unspoken concerns of cancer - even for a family member like me, who is not sick. 

When I arrived, she walked right up to me and put me at ease in her conversational, every-person style. "How's your brother-in-law?" she asked without prompting. And I met other people gathering there - a young mother who's daughter has leukemia. A man who has survived prostate cancer, and just lost a co-worker friend who did not.

We all sat at simple, round banquet tables and chatted - about cancer. It wasn't the least bit morbid or discomforting. It was encouraging and helpful.

When you sensed it was time for a speaker to step up to the microphone podium - there was no head table - my friend of five years from the simple office cube, who was seated inauspiciously next to me at the luncheon, got up and went to the front. She, it turns out, is the leader and founder of this soon-to-be international fellowship of survivors and mentors.  In her simple way, she recalled how they had founded their little group 10 years ago, only to have it touch thousands of lives - like mine - in the process. And then the president of our business walked up and presented her his personal thanks for all she's done, and continues to do.

Jesus tells the parable of a banquet, where people were choosing seats of honor at the front.

"But when you are invited, take the lowest place, then when your host comes, he will say to you, 'Friend, move up to a better place.' Then you will honored in the presence of your fellow guests. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

Luke 14:10

I saw my friend take the lowest place, next to me -- only to be called to the front and honored by the highest authority in our business. And, I expect, one day she might receive a similar greeting from the highest Authority of all.

What do you believe?

That's Just Coincidence

30 years ago I used to play a little blues music with a fellow dorm resident, Steve. I play guitar and Steve was (is) the best blues harmonica player I'd ever had the good fortune to jam with.  I have no idea how we met on campus, but I really took a liking to Steve and his friendly, always-outgoing personality. Then we graduated and that was that. No forwarding address or contact info. Never heard from him, or of him, again.

Some 12 years later, now married and relocated to another state, I was out of work for four months. It's a long story, but I'd amicably resigned from a small company over customer service differences with the owner. I'd been confident that God would honor my decision--only to grow increasingly concerned as the weeks turned into months without another job. But we prayed and waited.

One day my wife returned from a walk through the neighborhood with our daughter, saying she'd met one of my old college friends. Some guy I used to play music with. A Steve-somebody.

Sure enough, it was Steve the harmonica player. He'd been living in the same neighborhood with us for 2 years and we'd never crossed paths. He asked me what kind of work I was looking for and two days later I got a call from a company needing someone with my qualifications and experience. I soon joined their company and eventually became a Senior Vice President in their firm. "How did you get my name?" I'd asked them at the time.  "Steve called us and recommended you," they replied.  Steve the harmonica player.

After another few years of living in the same neighborhood, Steve and his family moved on, and we lost touch, again.  

Some years later I met a new friend, Greg, at an informal prayer group we had at work.  He eventually transferred to one of our other divisions - and, when I asked him to keep his eye out for other career opportunities in that division, I was soon copied on an email to one of his colleagues in that division. When they interviewed me, it was because "Greg mentioned you."

I've worked there to this day, and Greg has long since moved on to another, and then another company. We've lost touch.

30 years ago I used to lay in my dorm bed at night praying, "Lord, I have no idea what I'm going to do with my life. Please help me. Please make it all work out." Just as, I'm sure, millions of other people have prayed.

Steve the harmonica player and Greg the prayer group friend are just two of the countless dots I can now connect when I gaze back to see how God has answered that long ago prayer. "Please make it all work out."

You can call them coincidences, but I recognize them as blessings. And I'm thankful.

What do you believe?

Nobody Told Me about This !

Five of us were packed into the minivan on our way to the basketball arena last night. All of a sudden a few snowflakes hit the windshield and we laughed. It's not even Thanksgiving yet!  Another mile and it became a steady snowfall, and the road is starting to cover. A couple more miles down the highway and it was honest-to-goodness winter storm warning; blizzard like waves of snow, couldn't see the road markings and the minivan was losing traction. In just a few minutes we had gone from jovial pre-game chatter to cautious tension. Was it getting even worse? Should we turn back...pull over?

With no warning or preparation I was suddenly asking myself questions - how good were the tires? (I've been meaning to change them); what if we slide into a ditch ? (no shovel, and not all of us were dressed for the deteriorating temperatures), what if somebody from the other direction crosses into our lane (you couldn't see the road markings anymore)?

I was particularly unsettled because I hadn't seen it coming. I wasn't ready. Sure it snows up here - but nobody told me it was going unleash a blizzard today. Tonight...right this second...

Jesus said,

"Therefore, keep watch because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him." Matthew 24:42

I would have checked the tires, thrown in a shovel and made sure everyone had gloves and a hat! I wasn't ready, and I was irritated because no one had told me. But then my friends said, "it was on the radio and the TV before we'd left" - I just hadn't paid attention.

Jesus is coming back with no specific advance notice or schedule, and in that brief shout of glorious transition, people are going to quickly ask themselves..."do I have a relationship with the Lord God Almighty?"

Don't wait for a blizzard to hit before you check your tires.

What do you believe?

First, Stop the Graffiti

I heard once that New York City law enforcement - and their famous mayor - dug in on successful crime reform by addressing rampant, unchecked, city-wide graffiti.  They determined that it bred an overall sense of disrespect in their community. Whether that in itself made a difference, I have no idea - but I do know that my visits to New York City in recent years have been pleasant, I felt reasonably safe, and I didn't see a whole lot of graffiti.

When I finally started reading the Bible - really reading it - I saw a whole lot of room for improvement in my life. Believe me, I had many choices of where to dig in and start! Just read Chapters 5 - 7 in the Gospel of Matthew.

But one theme of "graffiti" that really connected with me was telling the truth. Not lying. It had become incredibly easy for me in those first 28 years to lie for convenience.  "Can't attend because I'm sick,"  "Just tell them I'm not here,"  "I didn't do that,"  "I didn't say that."  

The graffiti was so pervasive - that I no longer saw some of it.  Even my dear wife had been pulled into a couple of my - seemingly harmless - lies of convenience, and she resented having to cover, by lying herself. It had bred disrespect in our community. I really didn't see the harm...until I stopped.  At one point I just declared, "I don't lie."  And God helped to convict and open my eyes from that point on. Of course, things were actually easier when I didn't lie. People respected my honesty, I got caught in fewer convoluted traps of past graffiti.

But the most important object lesson for me was not wringing my hands over what to do.  "I don't lie." So, the course of action was clear - it was liberating!  And I was able to say to our young toddler, with conviction - "honey, we don't lie."  Now, with her as an adult, we will check each other and examine the truth of our actions, as well as words and advise, "as long as it's true."

Look, Christianity is humility. We're not better  than anyone else because we declare our belief in God - we're more aware of where God's ways are better ways. And I believe His Holy Spirit has helped and encouraged me to see so many areas where I can grow to be more like His Son, Jesus. I started with the graffiti. He's still working with me.

What do you believe?

Fix the Foundation

We kept getting these cracks in the drywall at our last house - and they taught me a lot.

 After endlessly patching and painting them, I also realized that certain doors were sticking, then some windows. I'd fix one problem, and another would pop up.  It all led to the foundation of our house, which was literally slipping down our very steep hill on the side of a beautifully wooded ravine.

Turns out that the builder did not fully follow established codes. So we paid to have enormous amounts of concrete and rebar added to stem the tide and a certified engineer determined that it was back to acceptable code. Just because we had purchased a house that looked ok on the outside, hadn't meant that it was built to code...and time revealed that, one crack at a time.

God has made it easy for us by providing a written code - His inspired and revealed Word in the Holy Bible. This is the foundation. I spent the first 28 years of my life constantly applying patches and paint to my life. My moral code was almost comically spackled with contradiction and hypocrisy. Then I read the Gospels. Then I immersed myself in Paul's letters. Then I joined a Bible study...

I had finally realized that I couldn't simply "reason" and intellectualize my way through right and wrong. There was God's foundation, or there was the world's hardware store full of self-help books, philosophies and disciplines. Some look good for awhile, but time reveals them. Or, you can learn their flaws by examining the code upon which they were built.

I still need a repair every now and then, when cracks appear in my life - but I've got a supernatural contractor to work with - and I am assured that there's no longer a problem with the foundation.

What do you believe?

Mom's 80 Today

My mom turns 80 today and we're gathering to celebrate.

Five years ago we thought we'd lose her to cancer. Just 5 months ago she spent weeks in the hospital ICU and we almost lost her to pneumonia. I looked at her in that hospital bed, watching her heart rate climb to 180,  seeing the oxygen cranked up to max. "Nothing else we can do for her..." We were starting to say the things you say when you think you might not get another chance.

But she's back,  spunky as ever, still driving and shopping - and we're celebrating her 80th birthday today. And I thank God for the gift of these past 5 years, more than any of the previous 46 of my lifetime - because I really didn't think her frail body would make it. Thank God for his miracles, thank God I've had this time with my mom.

But I know there's no formula to this. Just weeks ago we lost our friend Marion, who is my mom's age. And just this week a friend at work lost her favorite uncle - and she's heartbroken. And how many others, family and famous have passed on in the last five years?

God has a plan for each one of us - and I know there is wisdom in everything he accomplishes for his purpose.

Steven Curtis Chapman said about the loss this year of his young daughter, "God only has so many chapters written for each person's life - and she lived her six years like she knew that would be all to her story in this life."

I have no idea how many more chapters there are to my mother's life, or mine for that matter - she and God continue to surprise - and delight - us all.  There are countless fond memories and experiences I hold dear for my mother. But nothing compares to the five years I thought we'd never have. 

Today my mom turns 80 and we're going to celebrate a beautiful life well lived. Thank God.

What do you believe?

 

Olympic Pole Vault

One more Olympic-year post.

I think it was Pete Briscoe that I heard share this insight on pole vaulting, the event where athlete's sprint down a narrow runway, holding a skinny rod of plastic and then launch themselves 20 feet in the air to clear a horizontal bar. Crazy, but they do it.

Well, not everyone.

Some people look up at the bar, shake their heads and then walk away. Impossible.

Some people ask to change the rules - lower the bar to a height where they can simply step over it without the pole. Dilutes the challenge and ignores the other participants, but it makes them feel better.

And some people just say, "Hand me the pole" and race down the runway at full tilt - like they believe it.

You have to believe something in order to run toward a 20 foot bar with a pole in your hand.

It's doable. It seems impossible, but with a healthy dose of insight - faith and trust in the process and whoever put the landing pad on the other side - why not take the leap?

Have a relationship with God, for eternity?

"Impossible" feels inadequate to that task and never actually asks the questions - how might this actually be true, and what must I believe? They prefer to keep looking for a more appealing event.

"Rule changer" has just as much doubt as "impossible" but still wants what the other participants are after - and so asks for a lower bar; They reason, "I don't think God actually meant for us to  repent, or change our lifestyle just to follow in the ways of Jesus."   

"Faithful" looks at the bar of sinlessness with humility and realizes that no amount of technical training or exercise is ever going to qualify them for this event -  for all have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God (Romans 3:23).  They're in no better condition than "impossible" or "rule changer," and they know it. But there they are still running headlong down the runway toward an impossible height. Why is that? They will never make it on their own...

That skinny plastic pole that Christians hang on to and fling themselves heavenward on, is called Grace. It's the perfect gift we get that we don't deserve. We're not elite athletes - in fact, we're just like anyone else - same flaws, same fears.

But the guy at the end of the runway handing out the poles? His name is Jesus.

"With man this is impossible, but with God, all things are possible." Matthew 19:26

What do you believe?  

Alpha and Omega - Jesus, or God ?

Jesus allowed people to identify him as God.

His disciple Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God !" John 20:28

And Jesus himself said, "I and the Father are one."  John 10:30

 Sometimes people are tempted to explain this away and suggest that Christianity is a belief of multiple gods, or that Jesus was a 'lesser' god.

But here are two verses that cut right to the heart of the matter.

In the old testament, the prophet Isaiah is instructed by God to explain:

"This is what the Lord says, Israel's King and Redeemer, the Lord Almighty:

   I am the first and the last; apart from me there is no God."  Isaiah 44:6

That's God with a big "G" and it clearly teaches 1 God.

Then in the final book of the Bible, Jesus says,

"I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the end."  Revelation 21:5

Jesus uses the very words of the old testament prophecy to explain who he is.

The Believers of the Bible are monotheistic - that is, belief in one God.

 So, Jesus claimed to be as One with God the Father Almighty - and allowed his followers to say so.

We can too.

What do you believe?

Beatles Announce: No more touring !

After the 1966 Candlestick Park concert in San Francisco, the Beatles never toured again.

They said they could be a lot more productive in the studio without the distractions and limitations of traveling.  They couldn't record if they were sitting in limo's and airplanes.

The message to fans like me was that we'd actually get a lot more from them this way. They had to "go away" so that we could get a different part of them back in greater measure. I still held hope that they would return for another big event, but it wasn't to be. In that glorious short time between 1963 and 1966, they had transformed my world of music.

Still, even without their living presence, my daughter, born 20 years later, became an avid fan and follower. To this day she can sing from memory any number of Beatle lyrics -- like millions and millions of others...

Jesus said to his disciples,

"I tell you the truth, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you." John 16:7

"The Counselor, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you." John 16:26

In three short years, Jesus transformed the world's understanding of our relationship with God. His friends and followers desperately wanted him to stay. But he knew that in leaving, even more could be accomplished by the Holy Spirit of God. Even without Jesus' physical presence, and having been born almost 2,000 years later...I know all his words...and I'm looking forward to his return event...the one that he himself has promised.

What do you believe?

Not Sure I can Make it...

My three friends and I started up the steep trails to Half Dome in Yosemite with every intention of getting to the summit. Otherwise, why take on the months of preparation, travel and scheduling - not to mention the grueling day itself. But there was that moment on the steep switchbacks leading up to the final shoulder that I balked.  I looked up the slope and down at the return path and was afraid at the exposure to falling. Until then it had all been about moving forward -- taking the next step, rounding the next bend. But now I could actually see how steep things were and feel the effects of gravity as I leaned sharply into the trail.  I could have gladly been talked into turning back - so close to the end !  So close to victory. Then I heard one of my companion's voice in encouragement -  "come on Tom, its not far now."   I knew it wasn't far, that wasn't the problem - it was actually the closeness and reality that bothered me most. But my friends voice put me back on track. I could do it, and there was strength in that fellowship with my friends. The setting hadn't changed, but my determination had.

When Jesus came to the final days of his ministry he did sense the reality and danger of death, yet he said to his traveling companions:

"Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? 'Father, save me from this hour?' No it was for this very reason I came to this hour."  John 12:27

He'd been called, he'd fulfilled every step of his ministry - and being fully human enough to feel troubled, he still looked at his friends and said it was no time to turn back - since that was the very reason for which he came.

What do you believe?

A or B ? I choose C...

Some people tried to trip Jesus up with what they thought was a tricky question. They posed it in a way where either of two choices would paint him in a corner -- pitting him against one group of believers or another.

Jesus didn't accept their premise or the prefabricated "terms" of choosing one of their answers.

He simply said,

"You are in error because you do not know the scriptures or the power of God."

He then explained why even their question betrayed their bias and manipulation - rather than an honest pursuit of Truth.

Read the rest of Matthew, Chapter 22, verses 23 - 33 for the lively, enjoyable exchange.

 We need to be wary of questions posed to us in this a) or b) fashion - even indirectly by our culture, media or politicians.

"Would you rather, a) let a woman choose abortion, or b) punish her life with a baby?"

Neither. Let the baby live and a loving family adopt him or her, or give her the support she needs to love and raise the child herself...helping her to see that neither is a punishment, regardless of how the baby was conceived. 

"Would you rather a) force religious views about Intelligent Design on public school students, or b) allow science-based, religion-neutral facts about evolution to be taught?"

Neither.  Teach both equally as what they are, theories, without injecting any religious overtones at all. Let whatever facts are available for each theory speak for themselves.  And, we'll overlook that evolution itself is more faith-based religion, than scientific fact.

In both of these cases, the questions are posed to intimidate people of faith into thinking they have one of two very manipulatively selected choices.

Jesus didn't buy it, and neither should we.

What do you believe?

A friend's passing

A very dear family friend passed away this fall.

Marion was a generation older than me, wife of Tony,  both on the best friends list of my parents since their early 20's.

Marion had an iron will. She'd survived tuberculosis and the loss of a lung in those early years of their marriage. That's when she and Tony had endeared themselves to my folks, and vice versa. They played cards with Marion in the hospital and gave support to Tony at work. Marion beat the odds of tuberculosis, and then some.

By the time I came along, our two family's were close enough that we even traveled cross country in the '62 Chevy - no air conditioning - to visit them when they moved to California for  a job change.

My fondness for Marion and Tony grew stronger once I hit my twenties - staying with them on a few of my business trips and catching a few games of golf when they came to visit my folks.

Marion had a certain joy that was at the heart of who she was. You saw it as a smile and heard it as laughter. A couple times when I called home to my folks and Marion was visiting, my dad would just hold the phone receiver out and let me listen to her laugh. Hearing her laugh, even over the phone, was balm for the soul.

In these final years I learned something deeper though. That river of laughter ran right between the shores of her serenity. Just as I'd felt so happy to laugh with her, there was a relaxed calm sitting beside her with a cup of coffee. I wonder if someone who came so close to death at an early age, not knowing if there would be any future - had a more innate sense that joy is both laughter and peace. I pray, even today, that I will know Joy that is steeped in serenity - maybe like someone who thought their life was over, only to realize there was a richness beyond measure still to come.

"Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength."  Nehemiah 8:10

I'm going to miss Marion, more than a person might think. I only wish I could listen in on the receiver and hear the laughter she's stirring up on the other side. I'll bet some of the saints have tears in their eyes, too.

What do you believe?

Tree Rings and Shade

My 80 year old dad is a volunteer historian for our state fair.

He's attended over half the state fairs held in the history of the state, and literally grew up just down the street from the venerable grounds.

So when one of the fair's old maple trees recently succumbed to time and disease, my dad felt more than a  passing wistfulness for an old friend.

He and a local arborist examined the tree's cross section, counting the rings to determine its age at around two hundred years, give or take. Long enough to have seen local Native Americans give way to early state settlers, barnstorming stops by the first airplanes - even a speech about agriculture, by a lanky gentleman passing through from the state to our south, a Mr. Lincoln.

But the arborist pointed out something else to my dad. Something most people would miss. He said that the early years of the tree were spent in the shade of other, larger trees. You could see that the rings are thinner, much closer together, indicating less growth. But then the later years, as the tree became more mature in the grove, and exposed to the light, are thicker and more robust. Maybe some droughts and rainy stretches had their impact as well.

Isn't that exactly what life is like for us? Until we break through the spiritual shade of this world - doubt, sin, selfishness, pride...our growth is stunted, even unhealthy.

But the Light. Ah...the Light.

When Jesus and his teachings reach through to hit our leaves - when we let that supernatural photosynthesis do its work - that's when we grow to our full potential in the grove. Sure, there are some droughts and rainy seasons thrown into the mix. But our family and friends are right there in the grove with us, or down the street.

And the Son is always there too, ready to break through the clouds.

What do you believe?

Stomaching the Truth

"The truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it."

I keep a small, white eraser board just outside my office cube. Once or twice each week I scrawl a quotation and note the author. It's usually something simple, just a line or two by the famous and anonymous.  

While I started the practice for my own encouragement - I very quickly realized that my office neighbors enjoy the diversion from business details as well.

Once, as I washed my hands in the men's rest room, an unfamiliar face looked over in the mirror and said, "you're the quote guy."

Since I work in marketing, I assumed that he had mistaken me for someone in sales who provides customer quotes. I was about to say that when it dawned on me.

Right.......the quote guy.

"I guess I am," I smiled back. And he talked about a couple of his favorites, encouraging me to keep it going. Now I actually receive suggested quotes via email, and friendly admonishments if I've waited too long to update the board.

That's how I came upon Flannery O'Connor's quote:

"The truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it."

With due respect to the departed author, I don't know anything about her other writings.

But, if Google searches are any indication, she's left behind a very popular quotation.

In just a dozen words, she's spotlighted the difference between an orthodox application of Biblical teachings, and the newly popular, relative morality of "cafeteria style" Christianity...where someone adopts only those parts that they find palatable or appealing.

But O'Connor's words do convict: "The truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it."

Make a point to write those 12 words on a piece of paper. Then, with that as your bookmark, read the Gospel of John. Or one of Paul's letters to the Galatians, Philippians, Ephesians and Collosians.

Jesus said, "Sanctify them by your Truth. Your word is Truth."

It's hard to look away from that one -- even if you can erase it from the board on the wall.

What do you believe?

 

Jesus at the Olympics

I attended the 1996 Olympics with my Dad and big sister, Judy.

We're huge track & field fans, my dad a former coach; my sister and I former distance champions.

We strolled a lawn near the Olympic village and pondered how to spend a couple hours before our evening session in Olympic Stadium. Suddenly, my dad held up a hand and said, "do you hear that?" Some Peruvian flute music drifted above the multi-lingual conversations swirling about us. Sure, we heard it, there was a stage across the mall and down a flight of stairs. We made our way through the throng until we were close enough to see the smiling, brown-skinned band of musicians - still quite a  ways off. "I know those guys!" my dad exclaimed. 

My sister and I exchanged a glance.

"Dad, there are dozens of bands like that," I explained. And indeed, in the Midwest we frequently enjoy this ubiquitous brand of music at the many summer festivals and craft fairs. Long pony tails, pan flutes, guitars and a portable sound system. Standard fare.

But my 69 year-old dad was already making a beeline for the band.

Even cloaked in the anonymity of the Olympic setting, my sister and I smiled weakly.

"Oh dad..." but we followed gamely after him, wondering what he intended to do and whether we'd somehow have to endure every child's public spectacle-phobia for a parent drawing unwanted attention.

Then something marvelous happened. 

To this day, I would not have believed it, had I not seen it for myself.

From our vantage point on the stairs, we watched my dad cross the final yards to the stage.

"Oh no," I muttered, "he's walking right up to the stage." 

And then, as we watched in slow motion, first one, and then another of the band nudged each other, obviously recognizing my dad, and with big smiles - even as they kept playing - gave friendly nods of welcome; seeming quite pleased to have him their to appreciate their big Olympic moment. And there he stood, so sincerely enjoying their music that he had no idea that hundreds of people were asking themselves - "who is that gentleman so well known by the band...?"

"How in the world..." my sister asked incredulously.

As it turned out, this was the same group that my dad had seen many times in the Central Wisconsin fairs and festivals he loves so much. And, typical of my dad, he had taken the time to say hello, compliment their music, and then renew the acquaintance on more than one occasion. And on that day in Atlanta, they rewarded his friendship.

Three things stick with me from that Olympic moment.

1. My dad is one of the most fascinating, beloved persons I have ever met.

2. We can, in fact, recognize the voice of our Shepherd, Jesus -- even in the craziness of this world and all its noisy, frenetic distractions.  We can hold up our hand and say, "Do you hear that?" And recognize the Word of God, even the Truth. Then walk towards it to be greeted with the warmth of friendship and acceptance.

3. It isn't at all difficult to believe that the Apostle Paul - with all the other disciples of Jesus - could have made their way through the cities of the first century and connected on a personal level with almost every inhabitant. Imagine someone strolling through Olympia in 68 A.D, centuries after the first Olympics, hearing a voice loudly proclaiming Jesus in the public square. Maybe a returning traveler turned to their family to say..."I know that man."  Sure, their companions might have just rolled their eyes and cringed - like my sister and I did. 

Or maybe....

What do you believe?

Is that a fire in your kitchen?

The Susan G. Komen cancer prevention organization has sponsored a provocative poster-ad in major airports, and a video version as well. My wife and I first saw it in the Minneapolis airport last month, and again in Atlanta's over the weekend. 

In the poster scene, an attractive women is drinking a cup of coffee in her kitchen, evidently unaware - or in denial - that a dangerous fire that has broken out beside her stove.

The ad's obvious message is that we should warn someone of preventable disaster, like cancer.  The organization's slogan even states, "We're on a mission." I wholeheartedly support such cancer awareness campaigns, especially since my own family is no stranger to cancer.

The irony of this particular image -- telling your neighbor about the fire creeping up on them -- is that it's long been used for Christian evangelism.

Question #1: "Should you tell your neighbors that a relationship with God through Christ will help to shield them from worldly risks and temptations in their lives that could ultimately lead to spiritual death?"

Answer #1: "Well, I think that's personal and I don't want to seem pushy; better to leave them to their own journey.

Question #2: "Well, if you drove by the neighborhood and their house was on fire, would you stop and tell them?"

Answer #2:  "Of course, but that's different.

And so goes a reasonable evangelical dialog. If we truly believe the Good News of Jesus, can anyone blame us for wanting to tell the whole world--out of love and compassion? It's not to condemn, it's to save.

Does anyone believe that the same ad used to promote cancer awareness is trying to condemn those who don't take cancer prevention seriously...or is it rather to help people take healthy preventative actions as a result? 

The Susan G. Komen volunteers are on a mission -- so are the Believers of Jesus.

What do you believe?

Daily Bread - Daily Dependence

We're spending a few days of vacation with our inlaws in sunny (hot!) Florida.
I flipped through the local radio stations in our rental car until I heard a radio preacher teaching about the "Lord's Prayer" from the Gospel. Most of us know it..."Our Father, who art in heaven - Holy is your Name. May your Kingdom come, and Your will be done, on earth, as it is in heaven."
Now here's the part I haven't often thought of:
"...Give us this day, our daily bread..."
The radio preacher pointed this out as a great reminder that we're to depend on God for our "daily" needs. Not just to check in on him monthly, yearly, or even weekly at church.
We should have a "daily" relationship with God - one where we would even place our dependence for our daily source of bread with Him - as well as the "Bread of Life," for our eternal needs.
I intend to keep that daily relationship with God, especially in prayer - as Jesus taught.
What do you believe?

Yosemite - Part I

My wife and I reveled in the power of Yosemite waterfalls gushing with snowmelt last week.
There were spectacular views of mountains, giant sequoias and flowered meadows - even a hulking black bear not far off the trail.
There was also a spiritual matter that unfolded in a new way for me at Yosemite...

We encountered El  Capitan as a unique experience. For quite some time we used binoculars to watch the thrilling rock climbers hanging from the granite monolith, making careful progress to the top.
A few miles down the road we spent many hours around Yosemite Falls, trying to take in the full view - but never quite saw the entire top-to-bottom drop.
And we kept finding ourselves drawn to Half Dome, a dominant view throughout the park. We even hiked a small portion of the 8 mile round trip to it's top.
Each of these three jewels in the Yosemite crown were under the constant scrutiny and reverie of hundreds of our co-visitors. Just seeing them one by one was a trip in itself.
But then we climbed Sentinal Dome...and Yosemite was forever transformed in my understanding.
You see, Sentinal Dome is about 4,000 feet above the valley floor. And suddenly, from a vantage point looking back toward our three unqiue valley friends - you realize that they are each linked to a long running, continuous wall of trees and granite.
If you start a line from El Capitan and follow the ridges and valleys, you'll come to the precipice of Yosemite Falls, and then across Mirror Lake and over to Half Dome -- you see it all from one view. Three unique and distinct visages, all combined through some mysterious, wonderful complexity into what everyone commonly refers to as, Yosemite.
Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
All combined through some mysterious, wonderful complexity into what we commonly refer to as God. Each unique and distinct.
You wouldn't have believed it standing at the base of El Capitan, neck craned back, staring 3,000 feet up its sheer cliffs. How could something so massive, so powerful be just a part of something even bigger ?
And yet...

What do you believe?

Yosemite and the Trinity - Part II

When my wife and I stepped off the main trail to Sentinel Dome in Yosemite, we were exhilarated with our view of the Yosemite Valley. There to the left, El Capitan; just in front of us, Yosemite Falls; and to our right, Half Dome.
But we hadn't yet climbed to the tippy top of Sentinel Dome. The 8,100 ft. summit was still a brief - but very steep - scramble of 75 yards or so to the top, and past a band of slippery snow encircling the dome.
My wife had no intention of climbing further up the dome.
"I can see everything from here," she reasoned accurately about El Cap, the Falls and Half Dome.
"But the view will be better further up the dome," I urged her.
"It's scary enough here, and I might be afraid to come back down," she replied.
"But it's not that much further and you've already come this far," I pushed.
"Why can't I just enjoy where I am - you're going to spoil it for me," she finally said.

Fair enough. Just as Part I of this blog illustrated a core belief of orthodox Christianity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit - this conversation with my soulmate taught me something about our individual walks with God.
As Believers, we share the same core concept - Jesus is the Redeemer, Son of God who died for our Sins. Turning from our past ways to Believe in Him we have the Promise of eternal life in our relationship with God. That's the common view we share from the base of Sentinel Dome.
But what's a little further up the hill? Additional, different views and perspectives of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit maybe. But while I was exploring Sentinel Dome, scanning and searching for views - taking many pictures, talking to others at the Summit - my wife was happily soaking up her experience there at the base of the hill.
She affirmed some other climbers who didn't want to go further and they found solidarity in their experience.
Once I made the short trip down, we compared notes and eventually walked back down the trail.
Now, as we tell people about Sentinel Dome - we each describe the fact that you can see the three landmarks so beautifully - but its very difficult for me to explain the nuance of that final scramble to the top. I'm delighted to have enhanced my experience that way - but my wife has no regrets either. And we both revel in the shared experience.
Sometimes I look around the room at my Bible Study and wonder why no one else carries around a Bible commentary and a highlighter - or stops to write notes in the margins. But they're quite fulfilled in their walk and we clearly share the same view of the subject matter. Maybe I've just decided to travel a little further along the same trail.

What do you believe?

Got the Book - Start the Surgery

World Magazine just ran an article reminding us that Bible sales are at an all time high, but readership - or Bible literacy - isn't necessarily stellar. I was surprised to read how many varieties and versions there are! Picture the "Athletes" version I gave my GodDaughter, complete with Basketball-like leather cover.
The next day, I happened upon a TV preacher (I can't recommend her, since I have no background or insights about her ministry, this was just a random channel change), who was also talking about Bible reading.
Building on her original premise and adding my own spin...
"how would you feel about your surgeon walking in with his textbook on open heart surgery and you ask him, 'have you read that thing?'  And he answers, 'well, I've been through it cover-to-cover once, but now I focus on my favorite chapters.' And you ask, 'why do you carry it around with you like that?' and he says, 'It gives me a certain comfort and I keep hoping to spend more time with it.'   Whoa!  Is that who you're going to go to with matters of life and death and surgery...or eternity...? ! "

The real life question is...are you carrying around a Bible - or thinking about the one sitting on a shelf (or pew) somewhere? The Apostle Peter said we should be prepared to own up to what we know or don't know when we're asked - a full disclosure of sorts.

1 Peter 3:15
"Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have."

What do you believe ?

First, Who's fault was it ?

I listen to many Christian radio preachers via podcast. Pete Briscoe suggested on his Telling the Truth podcast last month that one day you may happen upon a terrible traffic accident. What if, he posited, there were hundreds of agonized, suffering people strewn everywhere on the scene - desparately needing help and comfort? Would you start by wandering through the crowd and asking each of them, "were you responsible for this tragedy?" before helping them?
Of course not!
And yet that is how many of us - to this day - have viewed the AIDS crisis. Wondering, or suggesting, that helping people who are literally dying before our eyes may somehow "endorse" some of the contributing factors we oppose.
Faced with Pete's brilliant metaphor of a traffic accident - every one of us would jump in and help the suffering accident victims now - then ask questions and put up a better stoplight later.

I finally get it.

What do you believe ?