The Gift of Summer

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Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind. Ecc 4:6

“Spring being a tough act to follow, God created June.” (AI Bernstein)

Spring was anything but relaxing if you lived in the path of a busy tornado season or had kids in school. Memorial Day unofficially marks the beginning of summer when, theoretically, the pace of life slows down as kids are out of school, church activities get reduced, and the days are longer. Theoretically was the word I used, reality tells a different story. The days of yesterday, when you lazily stretched out on the grass to watch white, fluffy clouds move overhead, seem to be a fairy tale or at best, the figment of someone’s imagination.

For those who live in the North American region, June famously welcomes the return of those mystical little creatures called Hummingbirds. These unique little birds return after a restful vacation in South America for a long winter. Flying thousands of miles, they return to the same geographical area each year, and being gifted with amazing memories, they remember every flower and feeder they’ve visited. They are true lovers of sugar as they go straight for the glucose. These little birds eat more than twice their body weight daily, so they are not good role models if you want to lose weight.

Hummingbirds’ survival depends upon their staying in a nearly constant state of motion. These little “charmers” (that is what a group of Hummingbirds is called) hover over their food with wings fluttering at 50 times per second and heartbeats racing at 1,260 times per minute. There is just something relaxing about watching hummingbirds dart in and out at their feeder.

God made the hummingbirds to be in a constant state of motion, but he didn’t make you or me that way. God’s final stroke to his creative masterpiece, called creation, was simply “rest”. The other acts of creation have the description “And God saw that it was good” but on His final act of creation He didn’t call it good, He called it “holy.”

What a difference this one day of rest could make in our rhythm of life. “By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so, on the seventh day he rested from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.” (Gen 2:2-3) John Lubbock writes, “Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under trees on a summer’s day, listening to the murmur of the water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is by no means a waste of time.”

You can name a lot of reasons, but somehow we tend to live with a hummingbird mentality, always in constant motion. Instead, God offered a model, or better yet, a God-given gift of rest. Somehow, we have been convinced that to survive, we have to be in a constant state of motion. The Psalmist reminds us in Psalm 74, “But God is my King from long ago; he brings salvation on the earth…The day is yours, and yours also the night; you established the sun and moon. It was you who set all the boundaries of the earth; you made both summer and winter.”

Living at full speed can be physically draining, emotionally taxing, and spiritually deadening. Slowing down opens our soul more fully to God’s presence. David understood how the soul needed rest and God’s desire to give his children. “He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul.” (Psalm 23:2-3a)

“The reason speed does violence against our souls is because our souls were meant to be tended to. There’s a preciousness, a tenderness to our souls that requires a slow observation. And so, when we’re living at this chaotic pace, we don’t give our souls the opportunity to rest, to breathe, to receive the nutrients from God that we desperately need.” (Rich Villodas)

Summer months can be a reflective time to focus on God’s gift of rest. “So, they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place.”—Mark 6:32. Summer months can bring something magical if we simply slow life’s pace down to spend a little time reflecting, pondering, or meditating. “It was June, and the world smelled of roses. The sunshine was like powdered gold over the grassy hillside.” (Maud Hart Lovelace)

The summer evening harmony of crickets, cicadas, and laughing children relaxes the soul and welcomes a place where you can “Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him” Psalm 37:7a

The warm balmy summer evenings give you a place to release your problems and anxiety as you are reminded, “The winter is past; the rains are over and gone. Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land.” (Song of Songs 2:11-12)

The same summer months that bring the hummingbirds also bring the weeds in the garden and seemingly never-ending mowing. What you do with it becomes the question. Margaret Guenther reminds us, “Our waiting on God, then, requires ongoing attentiveness if it is to be more than an empty exercise in passivity. When we pay attention, our awareness is sharpened.”

Summer! What a great time to spread your blanket on top of the freshly mowed grass and spend a little time just pondering this beautiful creation of God. “A heart at peace gives life to the body,” (Pr 14:30a)

God is great!

I am reposting this in celebration of summer. We are in South Africa, revisiting many of the places that were part of our beginning journey in missions. Blessings to all!

Celebrating to Honor

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Take up each of you a stone upon his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the people of Israel, that this may be a sign among you. When your children ask in time to come, ‘What do those stones mean to you?’ then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD. When it passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. So these stones shall be to the people of Israel a memorial forever. Joshua 4:5b-7 ESV

How often do we stop and meditate on the words, “Do This in Remembrance of Me”? These simple words are carved into countless communion tables around the world. Jesus paid the ultimate price to be able to say these words.

The disciples who were gathered in the upper room that evening didn’t fully grasp Jesus’ words about bread and the cup until much later. As they finished eating, Jesus took a piece of bread and a cup of wine, offering thanks. He then spoke the words, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19). Those simple words would become the remembrance of Jesus’ costly sacrifice given for all who would follow Him.

Years later, the words, “Do This in Remembrance of Me,” would impact my life greatly. Words carved into a table became words carved into my heart and forever changed my life. I would come to know the great sacrifice that Jesus paid that I might have life, and it would be at this and future tables that the bread and cup would stir remembrance of what Jesus did in my life.

Today marks the United States’ celebration of Memorial Day in remembrance of men and women killed in military conflicts. If a secular government could have a sacred holiday, Memorial Day would come close to that day. Abraham Lincoln was purportedly asked if God was on their side in the war, prompting President Lincoln’s reply, “My concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God’s side, for God is always right.”

Though Memorial Day is a unique holiday in the United States, there are similar types of celebrations in other countries honoring citizens who were killed in action. “Remembering the past plays a vital role in the identity of any nation. Sociologists claim that a society aspiring to endure must become a community of memory and hope.” (B.K. Waltke)

The concept of a Remembrance Day for those killed in war originated shortly after the Civil War. It was originally called Decoration Day as people decorated the graves of veterans who lost their lives with flowers and wreaths. Memorial Day or Decoration Day was first celebrated on May 30th, but Congress moved the date to the last Monday in May in 1968 and became a federal holiday in 1971.

Memorial Day is a perfect opportunity to stop and reflect on the cost of freedom. It is a cost paid through the blood and sacrifice willingly given for others to enjoy freedom. These men and women in the military who were killed in action paid for freedom with their lives. For the sake of others, they paid a heavy price.

Historians estimate that over 1,300,000 men and women have been killed in the various wars and conflicts the United States has been engaged in since the American Revolutionary War. Each number represents a son or daughter, husband or wife, grandchild or friend who never came home. Each number tells the story of a generation that ended that day. Each number tells the story of commitment and sacrifice. Memorial Day allows us to remember those stories of courage with a heart of gratitude.

Jacob needed a remembrance and set up a pillar to commemorate God’s vision to him in Genesis 28. Joshua knew that the nation would need a remembrance and had leaders from each tribe pick up a boulder from the dry river bed and erect a memorial. This became a monument to remind the next generation of God’s love and miraculous intervention. (Joshua 4) When God gave Israel a victory over their enemy, Samuel took a large stone and named it Ebenezer. This stone would serve as a reminder for future generations of God’s goodness and grace. (I Samuel 7).

Whether it is a pile of stones, monuments, or specific days, history is filled with reminders to tell the next generation of a sacrifice that took place. World War II Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel wrote, “Without memory, there is no culture. Without memory, there would be no civilization, no society, no future.”

Cultural commentator Jonah Goldberg writes, “Democracy’s greatness lies in the fact it is a hedge against bad things.” It took these men and women to build hedges against tyranny, injustice, and hatred. “This is the day we pay homage to all those who didn’t come home. This is not Veterans Day, it’s a day of solemn contemplation over the cost of freedom.” (Tamra Bolton)

We give thanks to these men and women who gave their lives and remember even now the enduring loss and pain that exists in thousands of households across this nation. Former President Barack Obama said it well: “Our nation owes a debt to its fallen heroes that we can never fully repay.”

Then those who feared the LORD talked with each other, and the LORD listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the LORD and honored his name. Malachi 3:16

LORD, let us never forget the costly sacrifice of these men and women who died to build a hedge against evil, which has allowed freedom to be celebrated. More importantly, thank you for the sacrifice of the cross that gave us freedom and life. “Your name, LORD, endures forever, your renown, LORD, through all generations.”

God is great!

 

The Flow of Life

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Photo by Rahul Sapra

 

They are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. God presented him as the mercy seat by his blood, through faith, to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his restraint God passed over the sins previously committed. Romans 3:24-25

How would you like your child’s first words to be “snakes”? I am most grateful that our son’s first words were “lawnmower.” Visiting a snake park in Pretoria, South Africa, years ago, the guide shared with us that some of his first words were snake, and he just loved snakes! I’m not sure of the reason. Tim Friede decided it would be a great but unusual hobby to let venomous snakes bite him, but it turned into a passion.

Friede is a snake enthusiast from Wisconsin and is now the director of herpetology at the biotech startup Centivax. In 2001, he was a truck mechanic when he allowed a venomous cobra to bite him, with the aim of building up his own immunity as he pursued his hobby. He has experienced 200 bites from “all manner of venomous snakes” and injected himself with the venom of 700 specimens.

Friede is a walking specimen for research. Centivax CEO, Dr. Jacob Glanville, was looking for a source of antibodies for broad protection from venom when he told Friede, “I’d love to get my hands on some of your blood.” Out of Friede’s blood, Centivax created an antivenom that offers “unparalleled” protection against 13 lethal snakes and partial protection from six others. According to the report, over 140,000 people die annually from snake bites, and another 450,000 are seriously injured. Centivax could end up dominating the estimated $600 million antivenom market, all because of one man’s obsession with snakes. (info from Holly Van Leuven article)

I’m not a big fan of snake bites, but I’m thankful Friede’s blood can be put to use for the well-being of others. The Cleveland Clinic website describes blood as an essential life force, constantly moving through the body, carrying oxygen and nutrients, and keeping us healthy.

Every two seconds, someone in the United States needs blood and or platelets, according to the American Red Cross, supplied by roughly 6.8 million people giving 13.6 million units. That is a lot of blood, considering the average adult carries about 10 pints of blood or 1.3 gallons. Forty-five % of people are O positive or negative, with 7% having O negative blood, which can mix with any blood type. Life is in the blood!

The spiritual parallel is so obvious, having just recently finished celebrating Easter, and in a couple of weeks, Pentecost. Culturally and spiritually, blood has always represented life, sacrifice, and potential for good and evil. We read in Leviticus, “For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have appointed it to you to make atonement on the altar for your lives, since it is the lifeblood that makes atonement.” (17:11)

Dr. Henry Morris wrote about the scientific accuracy hidden in the pages of Scripture. “There are many unexpected scientific truths that have lain hidden within its pages for thousands of years only to be recognized and appreciated in recent times. These principles are not expressed in modern technical jargon, of course, but nevertheless are presented accurately and beautifully, indicating remarkable understanding of nature by these ancient authors far in advance of their ‘discovery’ by modern scientists.”

Blood became the symbol of the unique covenant between God and his people. “Moses took the blood, splattered it on the people, and said, “This is the blood of the covenant that the LORD has made with you concerning all these words.” (Exodus 24:8)

The gift of blood can tip the scales of life and death. The American Red Cross states that a single car accident victim can require as many as 100 units of blood. Donors willingly lay their arms out in a simple gesture of life as the technician inserts a needle to pull out the necessary blood that will give life to a stranger.

Jesus willingly laid out his arms so that His blood would become life for those not deserving of the gift. Yet it would be willingly given that those who received it would have a total transfusion of life.

“As they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take and eat it; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks, he gave it to them and said, “Drink from it, all of you. For this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. But I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.” (Matt 26:26-29)

You may not have been in a car wreck, resulting in a need for a blood transfusion, but all of us have been in a life wreck that, without the blood transfusion of Jesus, we have no chance.

“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace that he richly poured out on us with all wisdom and understanding.” (Ephesians 1:7-8)

“His Cross is the door by which every member of the human race can enter into the life of God; by His resurrection He has the right to give eternal life to anyone, and by His Ascension our Lord entered heaven, keeping the door open for humanity.” (Oswald Chambers)

God is great!

A Lasting Impact

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Photo by Holly Adams

So now I charge you in the sight of all Israel and of the assembly of the LORD and in the hearing of our God: Be careful to follow all the commands of the LORD your God, that you may possess this good land and pass it on as an inheritance to your descendants forever. I Chronicles 28:8 NIV

Secretariat, considered one of the greatest racehorses of all time, won the Kentucky Derby last week. The first time he won was in 1973, winning the iconic Triple Crown Championship. Though Secretariat died in 1989, every racer in this year’s Kentucky Derby was his descendant. Sovereignty, who actually won the race, is a 5th-generation descendant. Whether in the animal or human world, that is a major accomplishment.

I doubt that Secretariat, the horse, gave much thought to what impact he would have on the generations that followed, but his owners most definitely did. Unfortunately, many people don’t consider what impact they will have on their 5th-generation descendants.

Mother’s Day was celebrated this past Sunday in the United States and several other countries worldwide. The roots for recognizing Mother’s Day began with Anna Jarvis’ efforts to recognize the important role of Mothers. Congress finally passed an amendment in 1914 recognizing Mother’s Day as an official holiday, with President  Woodrow Wilson signing it into law.

I have no doubts that since you are reading this post, you have a mother! Regardless of your age, whether she is still living or not, you can highlight the good and the not-so-good about her impact on your life. I had a wonderful mother; she was an encourager, loved people, took me to church whenever it was open, and could ask some of the most off-the-wall questions in the world. God used her impact in my life to plant seeds of faith and to learn to answer off-the-wall questions.

Agatha Christie said it well, “A mother’s love for her child is like nothing else in the world. It knows no law, no pity. It dares all things and crushes down remorselessly all that stands in its path.” Booker T. Washington wrote, “If I have done anything in life worth attention, I feel sure that I inherited the disposition from my mother.”

“Your life is always shaped by the counsel you seek, listen to, and follow.” (Paul David Tripp). The vast majority of mothers do not have a degree in counseling or psychology, but they have provided a lifetime of counsel that will make a difference even in the 5th generation of their lineage. Mother’s Day provided us with an opportunity to pause and say thank you or to reflect on the person she was in our lives.

We do not get to choose how long we are on earth, but we do get to choose what impact we leave behind. How we impact the next generation will look different for each person, but there will be an impact.

Andrew Carnegie wrote an essay called The Gospel of Wealth in 1889, which became a critical piece of Bill Gates’ surprising announcement this week.  He said that he plans to give away most of his wealth before he dies. Gates, undoubtedly one of the richest men in the world, said that “There are too many urgent problems to solve for me to hold onto resources that could be used to help people.” Gates went on to say, “People will say a lot of things about me when I die, but I am determined that ‘he died rich’ will not be one of them.”

“God does not look at the external splendor of our work, but to the honesty and sincerity of it. God will rather forget princes, lords, mighty men of the earth, and vain and sinful potentates, than pass by a poor servant that fears him. Whoever seeks him will be sure to find him a rewarder.” Thomas Manton wrote this in the 1600’s but the truth of it is as relevant today as it was then.

David was approaching the end of his life. He had conquered empires, built buildings, united Israel as a nation, and made a ton of mistakes. Yet he never wavered in his love or passion for God. The one thing that he wanted to do more than anything was to build a temple to worship God. David had prepared for the building, laid out the design, and had the resources ready to begin. He was called a “man after God’s own heart”, so the answer to David’s prayer should be a resounding yes, right? Wrong, the answer was no, anyway, the way David wanted it answered.

David desired to build a place that would glorify God, but God would answer his prayer through his son, Solomon. “Your son Solomon is the one who shall build My house and My courtyards; for I have chosen him to be a son to Me, and I will be a Father to him.” (I Chron 28:6)

David accepted the no, trusting that God knew best. David accepted the no, immediately beginning the process of equipping Solomon for the task by laying out the plans and providing the accumulated resources for the building. David accepted the no, giving Solomon a word of blessing. “Be strong and courageous, and act; do not fear nor be dismayed, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you nor forsake you until all the work for the service of the house of the LORD is finished.” (I Chron 28:20). David accepted the no, praying for his son. “And give my son Solomon a perfect heart to keep Your commandments, Your testimonies, and Your statutes, and to do them all, and to build the temple for which I have made provision.”

Society will recognize a few people by naming buildings and streets after them, but those buildings and roads will eventually fall into disrepair. Groups will recognize a few people by having monuments erected out of stone or metal, only to have a place for birds to rest on. However, those who passed on a legacy of faith and hope will impact the lives of their children, neighbors, co-workers, and friends, leaving behind living monuments. “I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.” (2 Timothy 1:5 NIV)

Building Living Monuments for God’s glory!

God is great!

Facing A New World

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Give thanks to him who led his people through the wilderness. His faithful love endures forever. Psalm 136:16 NLT

Have you ever considered whether a person who takes an AI date to the movie should have to buy a ticket for them? Should you file a joint or single tax return? These may sound like weird questions, yet we are entering into some uncharted territories of life. We are in the dawning of a new cultural shift related to Artificial Intelligence, or AI.

In a recent article, the Institute of Family Studies wrote, “1% of young adults claim to already have an AI friend, yet 10% are open to an AI friendship. A much higher share of young adults (25%) believe that AI has the potential to replace real-life romantic relationships.” In a recent NBC Today morning episode, Morgan Radford covered the new area of AI relationships. One of the interviewees shared how his AI relationship has made a difference in his emotional state. He admitted that the relationship is not real life, but the feelings are, since humans need connections.

Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook, in a podcast interview with Dwarkesh Patel, suggested that artificial intelligence personas could help fight the loneliness epidemic. “Zuckerberg suggested his company’s increasingly integrated AI assistants and chatbots could help Americans make up for the friends they wish they had in their lives.” (Josh Marcus)

Vaile Wright with the American Psychological Association said one of the problems with AI relationships comes down to give and take. All relationships have a give-and-take element, but in an AI relationship, it is all take, all the time.

AI relationships are just a minor part of the exploding world of AI. Though the world of artificial intelligence, or AI, seems to be unfolding as if it is a recent development, the groundwork for AI has been developing for decades, dating back to the early 1900s. The word, artificial intelligence, was first coined in 1955 by John McCarthy at a Dartmouth workshop.

AI can feel overwhelming at times and even scary, especially when a major technology leader such as Bill Gates makes the statement that artificial intelligence will ultimately render humans unnecessary “for most things.” Gates continued in the interview to say, “The machine will probably be superior to humans, because the breadth of knowledge that you need to make some of these (diagnostic) decisions really goes beyond individual human cognition.” (William Allen)

AI will continue to challenge the way we relate to others, change the way we do things, and impact our daily lives. Fear and panic may become a part of the future for some, but others will be excited at the new possibilities. We have already invited AI into our homes as we watch our little AI-powered Roomba running around our house collecting dust and scraps, asking Google to turn on our lights, our spell-checker changing our words in our text, or asking how to cook brownies.

Our world, even from the beginning of creation, has experienced multi-cultural shifts, whether through inventions, globalization, or cultural norms being uprooted. Johannes Gutenberg changed the education and religious landscape in the 1500s with his invention of the printing press. For the first time, books and especially the Bible would be affordable for the common person, increasing knowledge and literacy.

The Industrial Revolution’s technological innovations changed the agrarian and handicraft economy to one dominated by industry and manufacturing. People moved from the villages and small towns into urban areas. The French and American Revolutions brought political changes that created new social orders and involvement by the general populations.

Those who lived through these changes saw unprecedented adjustments to their lives, worldview, and ultimately, their culture. No one was untouched by these changes, just as those of us now living will not be untouched by AI. How will we handle the change? How will we help our world cope with the change?

Followers of Jesus will have a unique opportunity to carry hope, vision, and healing into the world. Though our lives and especially our children’s lives will face upheaval, we can help in this cultural shift because of our faith foundation.

I don’t have any tattoos, but if I did, I think it would be the Latin phrase post tenebras lux: “after darkness, light.” The church has always been essential during and after every major cultural shift, doing what it was called to do: offer hope, minister to those hurting, carry the light of God into the darkness, and be Jesus’s hands and feet.

Paul David Tripp, in his book Everyday Gospel, writes, “A rallying cry for the Protestant Reformers was the Latin phrase post tenebras lux: “after darkness, light.” Spiritual darkness had blanketed Europe, and the light and glory of the grace of the gospel of Jesus Christ seemed like a tiny flickering flame. But out of the darkness God raised up Martin Luther, John Calvin, and other gospel lights. The flames of the gospel burned bright in Europe, spread throughout the world, and burn brightly still today. Between the “already” and the “not yet,” post tenebras lux is and has always been the hope of God’s people.”

How will our society adjust to the workplace changes? What of the increasing loss of jobs? Where will people experience fulfillment that comes from work and creativity? Do we have the moral foundation as a society to cope with the changes?

The changes coming related to AI will place a heavy demand upon us as the Church to pray for moral, ethical, and economic wisdom for our business and government leaders. We will be called upon to pray especially for a spiritual revival, even as we may pray with a “spiritual candle” in our hands because we are in the middle of the darkness ourselves. “Pray hardest when it is hardest to pray.” (Bishop Charles Henry Brent)

“Then God said, ‘Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.” So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.” Genesis 1:27-28 NLT

God is great!