God, the Master Rebuilder

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And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. I Peter 5:10-11 NIV

Crowds quickly flock to the scene when they hear fire engine sirens. Curiosity or concern draws people toward the flames, neighbors and passersby watch as the flames destroy, and firemen fight to contain the fire. How much more is this true when the fire involves a historic building or monument? Such was the scene on April 15, 2019, when fire alarms were sounded at the 860-year-old Gothic Notre-Dame Cathedral as flames engulfed the cathedral. Firefighters worked hard over the next 15 hours fighting to contain the fire that left the once magnificent structure scarred and unusable.

The easy, and probably economical decision would have been to salvage what you could, demolish the structure, and rebuild from the ground up. However, French President Emmanuel Macron made the bold statement that the cathedral would be rebuilt within five years, and the painstaking task of rebuilding this world treasure began with over 1,300 skilled artisans working on the project.  Pres. Macron addressed the workers on a final site visit before the inaugural reopening with the words, “You are the alchemists of this project, and you transformed coal into artistry. The furnace of Notre-Dame was a national scar, and you were its healing balm.”

Scars will always remain on the cathedral from the fire, but people will again visit and worship because of the workers’ loving efforts. Nehemiah faced opposition and ridicule as he undertook the massive challenge of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. “Will they restore their wall? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a day? Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of rubble—burned as they are?” Nehemiah 4:2. Nehemiah understood the challenge, but he also believed God was able to overcome any opposition. He could have looked at the crumbling walls and given up on the task, but he rallied the people to begin the work: “So we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height for the people worked with all their heart.” (4:6)

God has been in the business of turning ashes into art since the beginning of time. I imagine a conversation in the hallways of heaven going something like this, “That person is a total loss, why bother restoring him, just start over.” Thankfully, God doesn’t listen, but out of his grace, He reaches into the broken rubble of our lives caused by our mistakes, failures, and sin. He then takes the remnants, begins to rebuild until we hear the words, “If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come. The old has gone, the new is here.” (2 Cor 5:17).

I am sure you have walked past once beautiful old houses that now stand in various stages of decay. These grand old houses are dilapidated because of time and neglect, broken windowpanes, peeling paint, and overgrown grass. These are houses that were once filled with laughter from children playing in the yard, family get-togethers, and simple daily activities of life.

One day, you walk past and see white panel vans parked out front. Workers are busy unloading and assembling scaffolding, new windows are being installed, and painters are scraping off old, peeling paint and applying a fresh coat. The grass has been cut, flower beds cleaned out, hedges trimmed, and roses planted. You can hear workers inside the house tearing down walls, rebuilding staircases, and hauling out trash and debris. Soon, a moving truck is parked at the house, and a new family is moving into the once-decaying home, now restored to its former glory. The sounds of laughter and joy will once again drift out of the front door.

C.S. Lewis beautifully illustrated God’s restoration business in Mere Christianity. “Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on; you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make any sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of – throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were being made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself.”

Throughout Scripture, God does not leave humanity to rot but continually seeks to redeem and restore. God’s redemption, his rescue plan of grace, is always far greater than the brokenness and sin from which He seeks to save us. “Unless the LORD builds the house, the builders labor in vain” Psalm 127:1. “From the time of Noah, through the time of Christ, right up to this present moment, the promises of God are the surest foundation in all of history” (Pete Greig)

One of the walking paths that Connie and I take is past an old, abandoned farmhouse. Over the years, we have watched it slowly deteriorate a little more each year. There is no attempt to salvage the house, letting time take its toll. Gratefully, God has other plans for our lives. Paul David Tripp says it well, “Your Lord begins by restoring you so that you can live as he designed you to live. But there will be a day when he will make all things new. In almighty mercy, he will reverse every bit of damage sin has done, and we will live forever in peace and righteousness, in a totally new world. This broken-down house that we call home will not be broken forever.”

“For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.” 2 Corinthians 5:1

So maybe that conversation in heaven sounds more like this, Wow, look what God did in that person’s life. Can you believe the amazing transformation! I am thankful God is a Master Rebuilder. How about you?

God is great!

 

 

Community, The Inner-Journey

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Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. Colossians 3:13-15 NLT

“A community is like a ship; everyone ought to be prepared to take the helm.” The words of Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen powerfully display the role of each person in community. God’s gift of community has been on display as we watched “strangers” responding to the crisis of the Guadalupe River devastating flood. God gave us the precious gift of community to journey with us in times of life’s disasters. God also gifted us with community to be part of our inner spiritual life and development.

God empowers the community to be His hands and feet when we face natural and physical disasters. God equally empowers community to walk with us in our spiritual journey. Without community, individuals would have a limited impact on the world’s needs, and without community, we would be limited and often stagnant in our personal spiritual growth. We need each other in times of natural disasters, as we need each other in our personal struggles and growth.

Dave Booram, an Indiana pastor and retreat leader, shared some of his story and his search for spiritual healing in a recent blog post. “For several years after I was betrayed by church leaders, I actively and passively struggled to find another faith community. Slowly, as my wounded spirit began to heal, I recognized my need and longing for human/spiritual companions again.” Booram writes that he was able to connect with others who walked with him in his spiritual journey. He now writes that, “My spiritual life seemed lighter, more authentic, more loving, more relevant to my life’s experience. So, when I was asked the question, ‘What do I need from my church?’ I found myself answering simply: I need to be reminded of Jesus. I still need that. During the ups and downs, the inner and outer convulsions of my week, I need a sacred community that reminds and recalibrates my heart, head, and hands to Jesus.”

What do you need from your sacred community? Parker Palmer, in his book A Hidden Wholeness, writes, “The journey toward inner truth is too taxing to be made solo: lacking support, the solitary traveler soon becomes weary or fearful and likely to quit the road. The path is too deeply hidden to be traveled without company; finding our way involves clues that are subtle and sometimes misleading, requiring the kind of discernment that can happen only in dialogue. The destination is too daunting to be achieved alone. We need community to find the courage to venture into the alien lands to which the inner teacher may call us.”

We all need community, a place where we are challenged, encouraged, and occasionally reprimanded. The different seasons of growth result in our maturing to become more like Christ. The writer of Hebrews set the standard for how community should impact our lives. “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Heb 10:24-25)

Sebastian Junger covered the war effort in Afghanistan for over a decade, living mostly with the troops in military barracks. Most of the soldiers talked about the day when they would return home, but what Junger noticed, a great many would reenlist for another term within six months. He started asking questions on why they would give up comfort in the suburbs for a hard life in the barracks. His observations led to his book, Tribe, and the conclusion that “a robust sense of community and an embodied counterculture does more to draw out the human heart than comfort, wealth, ease, or social “progress” ever could.”  (from Tyler Staton, The Familiar Stranger)

Jesus modeled the power and beauty of oneness, knowing we would need each other if we were to become all that we could be. Jesus prayed for his followers, “that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” (John 17:21-23)

Our modern society can be defined by mobility and individuality as a core value. Junger made the point in his book that, “A person living in a modern city or a suburb can, for the first time in history, go through an entire day—or an entire life—mostly encountering complete strangers. They can be surrounded by others and yet feel deeply, dangerously alone. The evidence that this is hard on us is overwhelming.”

What a difference an energized, Christ-filled, unified community can make in our world. Together we “carry each other’s burdens” (Gal 6:2); encourage one another in worship (Eph 5:19); “admonish one another with all wisdom” (Col 3:16); as we “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.” (Eph 5:21) and ultimately living as “the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.” (Eph 4:16)

“The community of the saints is not an ‘ideal’ community consisting of perfect and sinless men and women, where there is no need of further repentance. No, it is a community which proves that it is worthy of the gospel of forgiveness by constantly and sincerely proclaiming God’s forgiveness.” Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Together, making an impact outwardly and inwardly!

God is great!

 

 

 

In God, Our Solid Ground

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Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior. Habakkuk 3:17-18 NIV

The night sky had been brilliant with the 4th of July fireworks, but now the sky was dark.  Tired summer campers collapsed in bed after camp counselors finished their nightly devotions. Along the edges of the Guadalupe River, hundreds crawled into their RVs, tents, and cabin beds, unaware their world would soon be upended forever.   An unknown and raging monster was awakening in the Guadalupe River in the Hill Country of Texas. At 3:45 A.M, the levels began to spike, and within an hour, the calm, peaceful river had risen 22 feet, unleashing unbelievable terror along its once gentle banks. The river claimed 129 souls, with over 150 still missing as of Friday.

That night, Camp Mystic’s heart was torn apart as 27 of their campers and counselors were swept under the restless rage of the river, including the beloved camp director. Dick Eastland. The grandfather of 11, a third-generation manager and passionate guardian of the girls, lost his life trying to save “his” girls. Generations have been impacted since University of Texas coach “Doc” Stewart founded the camp in 1926. The vision was to provide young girls with a “wholesome Christian atmosphere in which they could develop outstanding personal qualities and self-esteem” (Camp Mystic website).

In the aftermath of a tragedy, there are lots of questions, but few answers. However, one question worth asking is, what does God do for us when He knows our world will never be the same again? The first and greatest answer we get is God Himself. The Texas floods left families devastated, homes destroyed, and lives upended, but the presence of God continues to hold them, love them, and encourage them. Through all the tragedies of this past event and all that will come, He assures us He will never leave us alone:

“The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” Deuteronomy 31:8

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10

“The LORD your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.” Zephaniah 3:17

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39

Joshua, who had always been in the shadows of the legendary leader Moses, found himself thrust into the role of leading a nation into their new homeland. When fear and doubt most likely overwhelmed Joshua, God came alongside him and told him three times, “Be strong and courageous.”  God’s reassurance to Joshua still holds true for us today: “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9)

Your assurance of God’s presence came with the final benediction of Jesus before he ascended into heaven, “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matt 28:20) Whatever happens in life, you have the final promise of Jesus that He will be with you. That will see you through the darkest days!

The second answer to the question of what God does for you is to give you community. God never expected or desired for us to walk this journey of life outside of community. Paul reminds us in Galatians to “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way, you will fulfill the law of Christ.” (6:2) Luke captured the heart of the early church with the words, “All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.” (Acts 2:44-45)

Solomon understood the value of togetherness as he wrote, “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10)

Jesus closed out the question about which was the greatest commandment in the Law with the simple yet difficult response, “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matt 22:39). Henri Nouwen once said that true community is the place where “the individual we least like always lives next door.”

Community has been on full display this week in central Texas as countless thousands of volunteers have come from all over the United States. Though the majority hadn’t experienced a loss or even knew anyone impacted by the flood, they still needed to go and help. Joining others, they have walked the riverbank searching for the missing, cleaning out strangers’ houses, fixing meals, and simply being the “hands and feet” of Jesus.

Community can be described either as a beautiful symphony or a bunch of screeching, out-of-tune instruments. Jacob Collier, in a YouTube lecture on harmony in music, said, “Harmony is what happens when you put more than one note next to each other and they all happen at the same time. Harmony gets more exciting the more notes you add.”

God planned for community to be that expression of harmony. South African pastor Nkosinathi Mbuyazi said it well, “Harmony is beautiful in music, but far more beautiful in relationships. I am an individual note, being composed in Christ into perfect harmony. When I live a reconciled life, I come together with a community of others appreciating our differences and choosing to find the ways we fit together like pieces of a puzzle. The gospel has a remedy for my places of friction; seek a reconciliation that values all unique stories and differences and put on love which binds everything together in perfect harmony.”

“In Christ alone my hope is found, He is my light, my strength, my song.

This cornerstone, this solid ground, Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.

What heights of love, what depths of peace, when fears are stilled, when strivings cease.

My comforter, my all in all, here, in the love of Christ, I stand.” (First stanza, In Christ Alone, Keith & Kristyn Getty)

God is great!

Living Free in Freedom

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It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1 NIV

Can you think of any better way to celebrate the 4th than eating 70 hot dogs?  Joey Chestnut, 16-time winner and competitive eating legend, returned to the Coney Island stage Friday and reclaimed his title as champion in the Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest, demolishing 70.5 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes. Chestnut, truly the GOAT of the event, said, “I’m thrilled to be returning to the Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest. This event means the world to me. It’s a cherished tradition, a celebration of American culture, and a huge part of my life.”

I am not sure George Washington ever envisioned citizens celebrating Independence Day by eating 70 hot dogs in 10 minutes, but then that is what freedom is all about! Last Friday, the United States celebrated with parades, cookouts, homemade ice cream, lots of fireworks, and even hot dog eating contests.

There was not a singular path that ignited the American Revolutionary War, ultimately bringing about independence, but most historians agree that one line from one speech ignited the fire for freedom. Patrick Henry’s “I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death,” became the rallying cry of the minutemen as they fought in what many considered a hopeless cause against a superpower. Yet on Friday, we celebrated our 249th Independence Day.

The American Revolutionary War was not a one-time military conflict. There have been very few July 4th celebrations when a military conflict was not taking place somewhere in the world that found American soldiers being needed.

Freedom is seldom celebrated in isolation from competing ideas or conflicts. Learning to live free in freedom requires determination, commitment, and vision. The road to freedom never looks the same and often arrives in some surprising ways.

Freedom surprisingly arrived for Joseph through the treachery of his brothers. Freedom was only a dream as he sat in a dark, cold cell, having been sold into slavery by his own family. The once favored, though arrogant son, found himself alone, enslaved, and with little future. Yet in his enslavement, he learned humility, faith, and trust, which allowed God to use him to bring salvation to many. “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” Genesis 50:20

Freedom surprisingly arrived for a nation at the edge of a mighty river. Moses had led the nation of Israel out of their enslavement through the miraculous display of God’s power, only now to be pinned against the lapping water and a powerful army bearing down on them. Freedom seemed short-lived, that was, until God intervened! “Then the LORD said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on. Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground.” (Exodus 14:16)

Freedom surprisingly arrived for Peter, chained between two guards. His friend and co-worker James had been executed, and now the same fate awaited him. Peter peacefully slept while the church prayed for him. There wasn’t much hope until God intervened, and did He ever intervene. “Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. “Quick, get up!” he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists…They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate…It opened for them by itself, and they went through it…Now I know without a doubt that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me.” (Acts 12:7-11)

Freedom surprisingly arrived for you and me, even while we were drowning in sin. Three simple spoken words changed the course of eternity: “It is finished.” With those words, Jesus gave up his life for you and me. We are growing and learning how to be free in freedom. “But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” (2 Cor 3:16-18)

Max Lucado writes about Lt. Col Brian Reed, who served in Baghdad, Iraq. Leading his unit on regular street patrols to protect neighborhoods and build peace, his unit came upon a small Christian church. Col Reed and his men, in full combat mode, entered the building. Instead of the hate and anger they faced daily on the streets, they were welcomed by the Arabic-speaking Coptic Christians singing and praising God. Though they didn’t understand the words, they recognized they were with others who knew the Lord. “The language was foreign, but the observances were not: fellowship, prayer, the teaching, and the breaking of bread.” Invited by the Coptic Christians to partake in the Lord’s Supper, Col Reed and his men joined the Iraqis in celebration of true freedom.

Col Reed wrote, “Jesus was there. He showed up in the very place some of us were ready for our air force brethren to blow off the face of the earth. God spoke to me that evening…Celebrating the Lord’s Supper and remembering Jesus’ sacrifice for our sins was the most important bridge builder and wall destroyer we could have experienced.”  (Max Lucado, Stories for your Soul)

Freedom, a simple word that is often hard to fully grasp!

God is great!

Praying for those devastated by the floods in central Texas. Praying for the families who have lost loved ones, especially the children.