Journey Toward Freedom

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Save me from the guilt of bloodshed, God—God of my salvation—and my tongue will sing of your righteousness. Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. You do not want a sacrifice, or I would give it; you are not pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifice pleasing to God is a broken spirit. You will not despise a broken and humbled heart, God. Psalm 51:14-17 CSB

I don’t have an exact statistic on this but I’m sure at some point in life every person on Planet Earth has bought something with the magic words, “easy to assemble.” There is nothing more invigorating and soul-binding than a couple opening a box containing their new furniture piece and spreading out the 16 million pieces all over the living room floor. Most likely you fall into one of three categories: those who start assembling the pieces without reading the manual, those who meticulously read the 30-page easy-to-assemble manual before starting, or the one who pays the $150 for Home Depot to assemble. Long after the estimated time of assembling, you finally admire your finished product, only to find an extra bolt. How did we miss this?

Normally a missing bolt can be overlooked unless you are 16,000 feet in the air! The passengers and crew on Alaska Airlines flight 1282 found out exactly how important four bolts were on January 5 of this year.  As the plane was ascending to reach cruising altitude, a loud blast was heard as the door blew off. The National Transportation Safety Board determined that the cause of the door blowout was four missing bolts on the Boeing 737 Max 9. Thankfully, no passenger was sitting next to the door.  “Whatever final conclusions are reached, Boeing is accountable for what happened. An event like this must not happen on an airplane that leaves our factory. We simply must do better for our customers and their passengers,” said Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun in a statement. (CNN Report)

Four little missing bolts resulted in a near-fatal disaster, reminding us how the insignificant becomes significant in life. We are now in the season of Lent, a time of preparation for Easter. In the same way as Advent prepares our hearts and minds for Christmas, Lent is a time for focusing our minds and hearts on the life-changing Easter celebration. “Historians generally agree that the 40-day period before Easter, known as Lent, emerged shortly following the Council of Nicea in 325 AD. The earliest observances of Lent seem to have focused particularly on the practice of fasting. Council records suggest that the fast applied at first mainly to new converts as a period of repentance and reflection before baptism at Easter. In any case, Lent quickly became a general practice churchwide.” (Christopher Hunt)

I don’t come from a stream of the Christian faith that practices Lent, but I think there is some richness and beauty in this ancient practice that can stir a hunger within our souls. In our journey toward Easter, this can be a time to reflect, prepare, and hold gently this season in our souls. Whether we practice fasting from food, media, or anything else, it can be a reflective time of preparation.

Augustine spoke of “rightly ordered loves,” which puts the LORD first as the foremost love of our lives. Everything else in our lives; family, work, or any activity, all become secondary to Christ. Lent, in whatever form or fashion we undertake, awakens in us a heart towards God. “Our heart is restless until it finds its rest in You.” (Augustine’s Confession)

Jay Ferguson expresses it well regarding Lent. “Lent isn’t mentioned in the Bible; it’s not a scriptural command to observe. Our freedom in Christ, the sufficiency of His blood for our righteousness, means we don’t have to engage in rituals to earn favor with God. Yet, the Church is Christ’s bride, and by God’s grace, we are deeply connected to something so ancient, so much more profound than the ephemeral nature of our cultural context. Like Sabbath, or fasting, or other blessings from the Lord, these things aren’t commanded, yet they make us more whole when we engage.”

Our Eastern Orthodox family uses the term “bright sadness” to describe this season of preparation for Easter. Though this is a fairly new term for me, I am coming to appreciate it within the context of preparing for Easter. In the days leading to the cross there was a heaviness about the time but with an under-current of hope and faith. “There is a sadness because we turn our gaze inward in a more intentional way, reflecting on our sinfulness and the unimaginable suffering and brutality of the death Jesus willingly submitted to for our sake. But our sadness is clothed in light, because our sins are not indelible marks forever separating us from God’s love, and our suffering is not pointless cruelty inflicted by an impersonal god.” (Ann Koshute)

Bright Sadness holds in tension the sadness of the Cross and yet the bright hope of the resurrection. John captures this tension of sorrow turning to joy as part of the Passover Festival dialogue with Jesus’ disciples. “In a little while, you will no longer see me; again in a little while you will see me.” Jesus continues in his thoughts on sorrow/joy tension. “When a woman is in labor, she has pain because her time has come. But when she has given birth to a child, she no longer remembers the suffering because of the joy that a person has been born into the world. So you also have sorrow now. But I will see you again. Your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy from you.” –John16:16,21-22 (CSB)

Many of you may find yourself in this season of tension having experienced the sadness of loss and yet trust in the bright hope of Easter. All of us are at some place in our lives holding the tension of deep contentment with deep sadness.

How do we hold the tension of sadness and hope? The Psalmist asked the question that only Easter can answer. “How long LORD? Will you be angry forever?” “God of our salvation, help us, for the glory of your name. Rescue us and atone for our sins, for your name’s sake.” (Psalm 79:5,9)

LORD, as we travel this season of preparation, help us to keep our focus on You, for only at the cross will we find freedom.

God is great!

Love Takes The Day

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Love is patient, love is kind. Love does not envy, is not boastful, is not arrogant, is not rude, is not self-seeking, is not irritable, and does not keep a record of wrongs. Love finds no joy in unrighteousness but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. I Cor 13:4-8a CSB

What are Americans willing to spend on love? According to USA Today, Americans spent $26 Billion in 2023 on Valentine’s Day. The average amount spent on gifts came to roughly $131 for their significant others and $53 on others such as friends, co-workers, teachers, and most importantly, their pets. The number one gift was candy, followed by greeting cards and flowers.

However, you would be hard-pressed to beat the gift that you can buy at The San Antonio Zoo. People make an online donation to the zoo and they get to name a roach, rodent, or veggie after someone, normally an ex. “You may find help on your healing journey with a dash of humor (and pettiness) by naming a cockroach after your ex, which will later be fed to a San Antonio Zoo animal.”

Zoo spokesperson Cyle Perez said, “There were more than 7,700 donations from all 50 states and over 30 countries in 2023. People named David, Chris, Michael, Sarah, Amanda, and Emily must be some real heartbreakers. Those were the most-requested names last year. The fundraiser has brought in more than $225,000 since its inception in 2020.” (Madalyn Mendoza, Axios)

A cockroach for your Valentine probably will not be the most endearing present but it will be rememberable. I can see why the focus is on the ex-part since giving a cockroach as a gift will probably get you into the ex-category.

Valentine’s Day is celebrated in at least 30 countries around the world and this is not surprising since the need to say, “I love you,” is a global gesture that every person wants to hear. Pope Gelasius declared February 14th as Valentine’s Day at the end of the 5th century, though the romance part of the holiday came later. There are a multitude of reasons why February has long been associated with romance and love. The English Poet Geoffrey Chaucer was the first to record St. Valentine’s Day as a day of romantic celebration. (History.com)

Hallmark cards, a dozen red roses, and a box of Godiva Dark Chocolate are all nice on Valentine’s Day and highly recommended. However, flowers fade, and chocolate is eaten, but real Valentine’s love that flows from God is the 24-7, 365-day, never-ending type and is the greatest gift. Kallistos Katafygiotis said, “The most important thing that happens between God and the human soul is to love and to be loved.” Jesus’ disciple and friend, John said, “Dear friends, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” I John 4:7-8

“Marjorie Thompson tells the story of a conversation between an eighteenth-century priest and an elderly peasant who would sit alone for long hours in the quiet of the church. When the priest asked what he was doing, the old man simply replied, “I look at Him, He looks at me, and we are happy.” (Practicing the Way, John Mark Comer)

Wednesday is a unique Valentine’s Day this year since it falls on Ash Wednesday. This rare calendar occurrence happens only a few times each century. In this century, the three years are 2018, 2024, and 2029. Valentine’s Day on Ash Wednesday gives us the unique opportunity to remember the ultimate expression of love as the church moves into Lent, preparing for Easter.

Unfortunately, Valentine’s Day can reflect love as a mushy, sentimental feeling worthy of a good Hallmark movie. However, falling on Ash Wednesday can be a great reminder of a love that is rich, powerful, and eternal. Ash Wednesday allows us to see love in the fullness of God’s love for us.

It is a love that looks more like forgiveness than faded flowers. “Hatred stirs up conflicts, but love covers all offenses.” (Prov 10:12).  There is a powerful scene in the latest Chosen season as Peter struggles to forgive Matthew. He counts out the offenses against him until the words of Jesus take root, “I tell you, not as many as seven, but seventy times seven.” Matt 18:22

It is a love that looks more like commitment than rhyming words on a card. John Mark Comer writes of commitment, “in both marriage and life with God, it’s the constraint of commitment that will create space for love to mature and real transformation to occur. We often chafe against it, but in the end, like caterpillars in the constraints of pupae, it is where we are transformed into butterflies—entirely new creatures of beauty.”  “I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Gal 2:20)

It is a love that looks more like acceptance than an empty box of chocolates. Jesus walked with those lost and in darkness, reaching out to them in love. “Finally, all of you be like-minded and sympathetic, love one another, and be compassionate and humble, not paying back evil for evil or insult for insult but, on the contrary, giving a blessing, since you were called for this, so that you may inherit a blessing.” I Peter 3:8-9

I will leave it up to you as to whether you should fast or eat your chocolates on Wednesday, but I can leave you a beautiful gift of promise on Valentine’s Day that will outlast the box of chocolates:

“But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us, made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace! He also raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might display the immeasurable riches of his grace through his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 2:4-7

Be blessed on this Ash Wednesday as we begin the journey towards Easter.

God is great!

 

How We Value Our Neighbor

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So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples. John 13:34-45 NLT

“If only Casey could get a whack at that.” Words of excitement were yelled and anticipation swelled as the mighty Casey took the mound for the Mudville Nine. Only Casey at the bat could bring home a win on that lazy day in Mudville. As Casey boldly and confidently took his turn at bat, the ball was thrown down the middle but not what he wanted. “That ain’t my style,” said Casey. “Strike one!” the umpire said. From the benches, black with people, there went up a muffled roar, Like the beating of the storm waves on a stern and distant shore; “Kill him! Kill the umpire!” shouted someone on the stand; and it’s likely they’d have killed him had not Casey raised his hand.” (poem, Casey at the Bat)

Nothing has changed much since Ernest Lawrence Thayer penned his classic poem in 1888. Crowds have been lashing out at umpires, referees, and judges since time immemorial, especially when their team loses. You could make excuses for the outrage at an NBA, NFL, NHL, or MLB game but at 11 and under games? The Deptford, NJ Little League had enough of over-zealous parents yelling and cussing at the umps. Their solution? Fans who mistreat the officiating crew get to do it themselves. “Any spectator deemed in violation would be banned from the complex until three umpiring assignments were completed. If not, the person would be barred from any Deptford youth sports facilities for a year.”

Barry Mano founder of the National Association of Sports Officials said he “has watched fan conduct become far worse than he could have imagined.” “Sports is simply life with the volume turned up. We’ve become louder and brasher. We always want a second opinion on things. That’s where the culture has gone.  I don’t think we’re as civil as we used to be toward each other, and it plays out in the sporting venues.” (from an article by Dan Gelston, AP sports writer)

We celebrate that God placed an extraordinary value on us as individuals but shouldn’t we place the same level of value on others? When Jesus was asked which is the first commandment, He replied, “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment.” (Matthew 22:37-38) If Jesus had stopped there, that would have been understandable but he didn’t. He said, “And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ (22:39)

“We’ve become louder and brasher” may be a true statement for culture at large, but surely not for those who identify as followers of Jesus. Can you imagine the impact on America if the church took to heart the second half of Jesus’ commandment? Can you imagine the impact globally if all Christians took to heart the second half of Jesus’ commandment?

Could it be that “failure to love our neighbor” leads to the increased level of bullying in schools that have been on the increase in recent years? Twenty-eight percent of students in American schools have experienced some form of bullying. Though most will get past these years, unfortunately, many will face years of depression, anxiety, and even suicide. “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:13 NLT)

Could it be that “failure to love our neighbor” contributes to the divisiveness currently ripping apart the political and cultural framework of the United States and other nations? “Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.” (Eph 4:29 NLT)

Could it be that “failure to love our neighbor” blinds us to the physical, spiritual, emotional, and financial needs of those we encounter daily? “Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important.” (Gal 6:2-3 NLT)

Could it be that “failure to love our neighbor” keeps us from truly impacting our world? “Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.” (Phil 2:3-4 NLT)

“Blessed are the single-hearted, for they shall enjoy much peace. If you refuse to be hurried and pressed, if you stay your soul on God, nothing can keep you from that clearness of spirit which is life and peace. In that stillness you will know what His will is.” –Amy Carmichael, Gold Cord: The Story of a Fellowship

For Amy Carmichael, loving her neighbor looked like 55 years as a missionary in India, never returning to her home country of Ireland, yet in those years she provided a sanctuary of hope for hundreds of children who were trapped in sexual slavery.

For Candy Lightner, loving her neighbor looked like taking the tragic death of her 13-year-old daughter at the hands of a drunk driver to form Mothers Against Drunk Drivers (MADD) to focus on the countless deaths of neighbors at the hands of drunk drivers and enact changes to state driving laws.

For Martin Luther King, Jr, loving his neighbor looked like mobilizing others to rally against racial injustice and inspire a vision of change.

What does “love your neighbor” look like for you?

Living out loving our neighbor will look different for each person. There is no one way to love our neighbor but each person’s gifts, abilities and influence will be used by God to change the trajectory of lives for good. God can use whatever way to create a tsunami of change to “love your neighbor as yourself.”

God is great!

God Knows Our True Value

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Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. Matthew 10:29-31 NKJV

 

There is nothing like a good safari through an antique store, estate sale, or good old-fashioned garage sale. One person’s junk is another person’s treasure. Jessica Vincent could tattoo that saying on her arm. Vincent was rummaging around a Goodwill store in Virginia and came across a pretty little glass vase with swirling translucent red and seafoam green pattern in perfect condition for $3.99. Vincent is no stranger to thrifting and thought it might be worth $1,000 maybe $2,000 tops. Little did she know that she bought a vase that would eventually bring $100,000 at an art auction.

“For me, it’s like winning the lottery really. It’s just an incredible thing,” she said. “It’s super, super surreal. Even now, I’m still pinching myself.” “While the vase’s beauty was undeniable, she needed the income more than an ornament and described the sale as a “life-changing amount of money.”

“You think about everything like an earthquake, a fire, whatever. Just all of the scenarios go through your head and it’s a lot of responsibility to have such an important and expensive object in your home when you’re not independently wealthy,” she said. “I’m so happy that the piece is also back where it belongs really. It’s in a safe collection where it’s known now.” (Anthony Robledo, USA Today)

Renowned Italian artist Carlo Scarpa invented the technique of applying brush strokes of color to create a painted-like surface during the billowing process. You can’t help but wonder how a valuable vase could end up in a Richmond area Goodwill store. Over the years did this work of art sit on someone’s mantel as a pretty but worthless decoration? Did some little boy give his mother flowers in the vase? Did someone finally clean out the attic and cart off their junk? Whatever the reason, something of value ended up in a Goodwill thrift store.

Life has found a lot of people who somehow ended up with a reduced price. A well-meaning Goodwill employee can look at a glass vase and price it at $3.99 but then along comes an expert who sees the true value of the same glass vase. The difference in the vase’s value is knowing the story of the vase. One values the vase at $3.99 but only one knows the real story of the vase and values it at $100,000. Thankfully God knows the true value of a person and he never gives us a discounted sticker price. Jesus, the master storyteller, tells the real story of the value of a poor woman and her two coins.

Jesus, who was ever observant, watched the spectacle of people coming and going into the temple. Luke tells the story (Luke 21:1-4) as Jesus watches the wealthy, influential members putting in their offerings to the sounds of adoration from the crowd. At about the same time, a poor and disenfranchised woman stealthily moves to the collection box and drops in her meager two coins. She doesn’t make any fanfare about her giving because she doesn’t see any value in her life. Unfortunately, she doesn’t receive any affirmation from the clergy and most definitely no whispers among the crowd about her generosity. Only Jesus sees her true value.

“Sometimes to refute a single sentence it is necessary to tell a life story.” (John Berger)

Jesus made sure the woman’s life story was told. “Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had.”  That day a poor woman heard her real value and left the temple with a different step in her walk. The world had placed a reduced price on her value but not God. Jesus reminded the world of her true value and more importantly, to the woman. Jesus poured grace over the life of this precious soul that day and continues to pour out grace on each of us today.

“I can see why the evaluative world does not “get” grace—it all came clear—and, in turn, why grace cannot, does not, will not, conform to such human standards. You cannot “come up” for grace. You cannot qualify for it, earn it, or do enough paperwork for it. No one can bestow or veto it. You can’t even get it through conformity, diversity, or seniority. It doesn’t fit into a file, it won’t tuck nicely into a page protector. It won’t be laminated or promoted, bought or sold. It is a gift between God and me, and it is always here for the taking.” (Carolyn Weber, holy is the day)

The Goodwill employee correctly valued the vase for a Goodwill store but the art auction house knew the real value of the vase. The same can be said of the temple accountants who correctly valued the gift but didn’t know the full story. Jesus understood the real value of the gift and placed an extravagant amount on the exchange.

We can easily get the wrong value placed on our lives when we go to the wrong appraiser. The art dealer saw the intricate designs of the vase, knew the artist’s work, and how to market the vase for top price. In the same way, the world’s standard will look only at the externals of our lives, and base our value on performance, salary, or some other preconceived ideas.

Jesus sees the extravagant value of our lives today as he looks at us through the lens of grace, love, and redemption. Jesus knew the true value of the woman in the temple. Her value wasn’t based on worldly acquisitions but upon an intimate relationship.

Jesus is the master artist whose work is beyond description.  “Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.”  (Psalm 139:13-15 NLT)

Our family was blessed this last week with the birth of our 6th grandchild, Jakobi David Shanklin. I am thankful for this beautiful, healthy baby boy. All glory to God.

God is great!

 

 

Living in the Presence of God

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The LORD replied, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?” Exodus 33:14-16 NIV

Do you know what your pastor/priest/minister is doing right now? Sunday mornings are pretty easy but the rest of the week is anybody’s guess; studying, praying, visiting, or golfing. You probably didn’t guess he was behind the steering wheel as an Uber driver, unless your pastor is bi-vocational. Yet, behind the steering wheel is where you would have found Lyman, South Carolina pastor Jeff Hickman using a rideshare app. Hickman makes 10-20 trips a week and started his Uber ministry to identify the needs of his community. Hickman started the ministry as a practical way to live out the church’s vision statement: “Everybody has a Name; Every Name is Important.”

“There are a lot of people who are struggling with the idea, ‘Does somebody see me? Does somebody hear me? Does somebody even care that I’m alive? Am I valued?’ Hickman said. “And so, this has been an amazing way to let people know that someone cares about you and God loves you.”

“More than merely providing an empathetic ear to the people he encounters, Hickman has been intentional about following up to address people’s physical needs.” At Thanksgiving last year when several expressed concerns over high food costs, his church provided Thanksgiving meals to people who needed a helping hand. (from an article by Dale Chamberlain)

I don’t know about you but in our desire to do something useful for God, we can easily forget to pursue God’s presence above everything else. Occasionally we need to stop and ask ourselves the question, “Have we forgotten to pursue His presence as our most vital need?” The Gospel isn’t a formula you apply to your life, it’s the story you’re meant to inhabit. “The righteous will rejoice in the LORD and take refuge in him; all the upright in heart will glory in him!” (Psalm 64:10 NIV)

“God’s mission to bring liberation to the world has always been accomplished through people who are distinguished, not just because they obey God’s precepts, but because they carry His presence. God isn’t looking for people to work for Him; He seeks out those who long to walk and work with Him. After all, it’s God’s mission that matters, not mine.” (Poppy Williams – Lectio 365)

Ruth Haley Barton in her book, Sacred Rhythms writes, “Your desire for more of God than you have right now, your longing for love, your need for deeper levels of spiritual transformation than you have experienced so far is the truest thing about you.”

We have to get ourselves into a place where we can experience the presence of God. Somehow it is much easier to do stuff for God than to reflect the presence of God in all that we do. We can do stuff but it will look different if we do stuff as we live and work out of God’s presence. David, in writing Psalm 27 said, “One thing I ask from the LORD, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.” (27:4)

Our behavior should reflect the presence of God. In our current divisive times, it seems so easy to badmouth another person, but worse, we have come to accept such behavior as acceptable. “Mudslinging is an idiom that describes the act of making malicious or scandalous claims or accusations against someone, usually to tarnish their reputation.” (Candace Osmond -Grammarist.com) The writer of Ecclesiastes gave a powerful word on such behavior. “Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few.” (Ecc 5:2 NIV) You can’t help but wonder what God thinks of mudslinging.

Prayer becomes a place where we can flourish in God’s presence. Regardless of the hopelessness we may find ourselves in, God’s presence is alive and active. God reminded Solomon in his prayer that even when it looks hopeless, “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” (2 Chron 7:14)

Today is a good day to experience, enjoy, and reflect on the presence of God since someday heaven will be filled with God’s presence. “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Rev 21:3-4)

“No work of art is more important than the Christian’s own life…[it] is to be a thing of truth and also a thing of beauty in the midst of a lost world.” (Francis Shaeffer)

“I’m in the very presence of God—oh, how refreshing it is! I’ve made Lord God my home. God, I’m telling the world what you do!” Psalm 73:28 The Message

Loving God, I yield my whole life to You again. Make my life more creative. Make me something of truth and beauty in the midst of a lost and hurting world today. Give me insight today as I write (or whatever you do) that it would be words that encourage and help. Give me a listening heart to you. Spirit of God, fill me and put me to work in whatever You need doing today.

God is great!

God of Justice

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Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; therefore, he will rise up to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him! Isaiah 30:18-19

What do you give someone who has everything? I’m sure that was the question organizers of this year’s Golden Globes awards were thinking as they were putting together the gift bags for the presenters and winners this year. What’s in the 83 bags? “All of the night’s presenters and winners will receive multiple travel experiences, including a five-day luxury yacht charter in Indonesia aboard the Celestia Phinisi Yacht valued at $50,000, and a five-day “luxury experience” at the Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman, valued at $20,000. If they want, they can receive a $2,500 tattoo from Atelier Eva.” (article by Gina Vivinetto)

The awards were given out, the speeches given and the participants left with their goody bags containing more than 35 luxury products, valued at $500,000! I don’t have anything against gift bags but I usually got coffee mugs, cookies, pens, and occasionally t-shirts, never received a Golden Globe-type gift bag. The dollar number is what got me, not the bags. You can do the math on 83 bags at $500,000 each!

I’m sure the folks who received these bags will enjoy them but would a refugee enjoy the Rose Gold Radiance Face Mask? Would a poor family prefer a Tomato Filling Serum or a bunch of tomatoes in their bag? What would the widows and orphans want?

“Jose is a successful college graduate who has to work for a full month in Venezuela, his home country, to be able to afford a single can of beans from the grocery store…Unable to afford the food, medicine, and other essentials needed to survive, Jose was losing hope when a Send Relief partner gave him some emergency food boxes to last him through the month.” (Send Relief Agency) The same $35 that bought a Rose Gold Radiance Face Mask for the gift bag would give Jose food for the month.

Embrace Relief Organization reports that 1 out of every 9 people in the world face chronic hunger with 148 million children under the age of 5 who are malnourished worldwide. In addition, more than 3 million children die each year worldwide from hunger.

Today marks the observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day honoring the legacy of this Baptist pastor who sought to eliminate racial division and promote justice within the United States. “We need leaders not in love with money but in love with justice. Not in love with publicity but in love with humanity.” (MLK, Jr)

Unfortunately, justice has often been overshadowed by political and cultural division, opinions, and selfishness, creating rifts, anger, and greater injustice. Dr. King challenged people that “True peace is not merely the absence of tension; it is the presence of justice.”

Justice is a message that didn’t start with Martin Luther King, Jr but has been at the heart of God from the beginning. Tim Keller wrote in a series of lectures on justice, “Biblical justice is not first of all a set of bullet points or a set of rules and guidelines. It is rooted in the very character of God and it is the outworking of that character, which is never less than just.” As I looked up verses related to justice in my Strong’s Concordance, I was reminded of God’s heart for treating others justly and with respect.

“Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great but judge your neighbor fairly.” Leviticus 19:15
“Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.” Isaiah 1:17
“This is what the LORD Almighty said: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. Do not plot evil against each other.’ Zechariah 7:9-10
“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.” Proverbs 31:8-9

Martin Luther King, Jr Day will be marked by various speeches made by politicians, stories retold of his legacy and mission and many churches will gather to commemorate the day. The day can also be a good day to personally reflect upon what justice looks like and could look like from God’s perspective.

What would justice look like for the hungry without adequate food or means to obtain it?
What would justice look like for those who are discriminated against because of race or color of skin?
What would justice look like for the refugees who have been forced out of their homes because of war?
What would justice look like for the brokenhearted, the homeless, the orphans, the widows?
What would justice look like for the voiceless and vulnerable in society?
What would justice look like if we the church felt the same passion for others that God does?

“The gospel shows us a Savior who does indeed exercise authority over us, but who uses that authority and power only to serve us, and who was willing to lose it and suffer in order to save us. Christians have intellectual and heart resources to use power in a way that does not exploit. We must never stop struggling to walk in our Savior’s steps.” (Tim Keller)

“The LORD loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love. Psalm 33:5

LORD, the world needs us to be your voice and heart today. Amid confusion, help us to be the voice of clarity. Amid violence, help us to be the bearers of peace. Amid hatred, help us to be reconcilers. Amid lostness, help us be the messengers of hope.

God is great!

Living Life on Adventure

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The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.   I Corinthians 2:14 NIV

Living a Year of Radical Amazement (see last week’s blog) enviably leads toward living a life of exciting adventure. The adventure was exactly what one little Roomba in Georgia decided it needed after a front door was left open. Georgia resident Shelley Betz told a CNN reporter that their little Roomba couldn’t be found and after an exhaustive two-day search her husband found the little vac in a pile of leaves about 10 yards from their front door. Had it not been for the ever-vigilant Ring Door camera, the escape might have gone undetected until spring.

Betz told the network, “The family had been putting up Christmas decorations when the robot escaped. The Roomba lost its padding and brushes during its escape, but it still works.” Betz went on to say, “He did his job. He did what he was born to do!”

Can you imagine the stories this little Roomba would have if it could only talk? Stories of the world outside its front door from its 10 yards of adventure. The imaginary Roomba stories would pale in comparison to the real-life stories we get to live out and tell. As we live in radical amazement our world opens up to living a life of adventure. “Adventure is defined as an unusual and exciting, typically hazardous, experience or activity. This is exactly what many biblical figures underwent as they were called upon to go into the unknown in the work of God. Our life can be an adventure in the service of righteousness, facing the adversity and evils of the world.” (from Bible Study Tools)

Adventure may take you scaling high mountain ranges, exploring exotic places, trekking through jungles or it may find you sitting in your chair crying out to God. Adventure isn’t necessarily defined by distance but by the stirring of amazement within the soul. Matthew gives us the inside story of a group of scholars, better known as the Magi or Wise Men, who out of radical amazement, set out on an incredible adventure of faith.

God stirred within the Magi this radical amazement to ask questions, to seek answers, and to set out on a journey to discover the meaning of the star. Epiphany, celebrated last Saturday among many streams of the Christian faith worldwide, marks the day on religious calendars when the Magi found and worshipped baby Jesus in Bethlehem.  Now you can put your Wise Men into your Nativity displays!

Reflecting upon the Magi during Epiphany allows us to focus on the main characters of Matthew’s account. (Matthew 2:1-18) King Herod was disturbed, the religious leaders were clueless and the Magi worshipped.

King Herod and the political elite had long lost any sense of amazement that would stir in their souls the great adventure of faith. They were concerned with maintaining their positions of power. When King Herod heard about the baby’s birth, Matthew records, “When King Herod heard this he was disturbed and all Jerusalem with him.”

The Religious Leaders had long lost any sense of amazement that would stir in their souls the great adventure of faith. They had the appropriate knowledge that should have propelled them into the great adventure of finding Jesus but they missed the moment. The problem was they liked their status of influence and power better than going on a great adventure of faith to find the Messiah.

A group of outsiders hadn’t lost any sense of amazement and let it stir in their souls the great adventure of faith. The Magi saw the star and made the effort to find the truth and meaning of the star. Where would the star lead them? What would they find at the end of the journey? They only knew they had to go on this great adventure of faith. After a grueling journey, “When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him.” (Matt 2:10-11)

J. M. Barrie’s Peter Pan adventures have been told and retold multiple times. Yet his one quote sums up his stories well, “To live will be an awfully big adventure.” What great adventure awaits you out of your radical amazement this year?

Your great adventure may come from being asked to do what you think is impossible. Moses surely thought that when faced with certain death, God said, “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.” (Ex 14:16)

Your great adventure may come when you look into your giant’s face. Facing your giant will require more than you’ve got but not with God. “I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty.” (1 Samuel 17:45)

Your great adventure will begin when you move into the deep waters. It could be out the front door or around the world. Like Peter, we listen and obey. “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” (Luke 5:4)

Jeremiah’s words were given to a people when life looked dark and hopeless in their captivity. Yet the same truth written by Jeremiah can still stir in you the great adventure of faith because of Who is guiding the journey.  “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

Jesus, I approach You with the reverence of the Magi. I come to worship my King. Open my eyes to perceive with amazement the world around me, realign my mind to believe You will take care of the impossible and reawaken in my heart the great adventure You have set before me.

God is great!

 

2024 A Year of Radical Amazement!

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This is the day the LORD has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24 NLT

Did you get what you wanted for Christmas? After a few well-placed hints, maybe you unwrapped the gift with excitement and there it was, the exact sweater you wanted, one size too small! No problem, you see the printed gift receipt and it can be returned. Maybe this is why for the past decade, the gift card has been the number one gift given and preferred. This would guarantee the right size, color, and style.

All is well unless you forget that you put the gift card in a drawer, or the store goes bankrupt in  January, or you use part of the value and never use the balance. Gift cards are great except according to experts, at any given time, as much as 19% of gift card balances remain un-redeemed, with 6% never getting used representing billions of dollars. Is this a windfall for the merchants? Not really, since they would prefer you to use the cards. Seventy-five percent of people who redeem their cards end up spending more than the value of the cards. Shoppers using gift cards are two and a half times more likely to pay full price for an item and they shop at stores they don’t normally visit. (facts from the article, The Economics of Unused Gift Cards)

What do un-redeemed gift cards have to do with the New Year? Everything, if you think of each day ahead is a gift from God. A precious gift worth redeeming every day. You are getting ready to be given 366 days (it is a leap year), will you redeem each day or forget to use them? “The priceless lesson in the New Year is that endings birth beginnings and beginnings birth endings. And in this elegantly choreographed dance of life neither ever find an end in the others.” (Craig Lounsbrough)

Treat each day as the gift it is from God. Isaiah and Peter both remind us, “All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord endures forever.” (I Peter 1:24, Isaiah 40:6) A great reminder to find and enjoy the beauty of the day. As poet Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, “Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year.”

Enjoy more and worry less. The great philosopher and sage Charlie Brown once said, “You know how I always dread the whole year? Well, this time I’m only going to dread one day at a time.” Jesus fully understands our concerns and worries about life. Jesus asked his followers, “Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” To make sure they answered correctly, He gave them the answer, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (complete dialogue in Matthew 6:25-34)

Let worship replace fear. David stirred his inner being time after time through worship. He wrote the Psalms out of worship and praise. Psalm 77 says, “I recall all you have done, O Lord,’ Psalm 103 says, “Praise the LORD, my soul” or Psalm 104, “LORD my God, you are very great.” The word ‘remember’ in its various forms occurs over 250 times. This is a good thing for someone like me who can be forgetful. “Remembering is the key to rejoicing, and rejoicing is the key to finding faith for the coming year.” (Pete Greig)

What if I don’t know what’s ahead? No problem, God does! The same assurance that Moses gave Joshua is still valid for us today, “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.” (Deut 31:8) Jesus’ final assurance in Matthew is, “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (28:20b)

“I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year: ‘Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.’ And he replied: ‘Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the Hand of God. That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way.’ So I went forth, and finding the Hand of God, trod gladly into the night. And He led me towards the hills and the breaking of day in the lone East.” (The Gate of the Year, published in 1912 by Minnie Louise Haskins)

Choose to live in 2024 in radical amazement. Granted we can’t know what is ahead in 2024 but we can choose what we will do with each day. I came across the phrase ‘radical amazement’ which I thought sums up well how to live each day. Abraham Joshua Heschel writes, “Our goal should be to live life in radical amazement because everything is phenomenal; everything is incredible; never treat life casually. To be spiritual is to be amazed.”

We get to live each day in radical amazement because of who we are in Christ. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” (2 Cor 5:17 NIV)

God, we can rejoice even in the most difficult days knowing Your love and grace overflows. Though we do not know what will happen in 2024, we can trust you in the journey. When fear grips us, give us calmness. When doubt pulls us down, let us look to your faithfulness. When crisis moves into our lives, give us peace to handle the situation. When each new day dawns, give us insight and wisdom to write our stories that will honor and glorify you.

Connie and I wish you the very best for this coming year. May each day be lived in the fullness, joy, and hope of who you are in Christ.

Happy New Year

God is great!

 

 

 

 

Advent – The Improbable Story of Christmas

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While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. Luke 2:6-7 NIV

“And soon Edmund noticed that the snow which splashed against them as they rushed through it was much wetter than it had been all last night. At the same time, he noticed that he was feeling much less cold…In the wide glades there were primroses. A light breeze sprang up which scattered drops of moisture from the swaying branches and carried cool, delicious scents against the faces of the travelers. The trees began to come fully alive. …This is no thaw, said the Dwarf, suddenly stopping. This is spring. What are we to do? Your winter has been destroyed, I tell you! This is Aslan’s doing.

If either of you mention that name again, said the Witch, he shall instantly be killed.” (C.S. Lewis, The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe)

As long as anyone could remember, the land of Narnia had been held in the dark, cruel reign of the Queen of Narnia. Young Edmund had betrayed his siblings and pledged his loyalty to the Queen all for a piece of Turkish Delight and the false promise that he would be a ruler. Finally, the winter would come to an end as Aslan began to move into the land. All would have been lost for Edmund had it not been for Aslan.
The moment finally came in C. S. Lewis’ novel when Aslan began to stir in the land of Narnia. The battle would continue to rage but spring was beginning to thaw the frozen land and hope was beginning to bloom. Edmund’s heart began to see the truth and the cost of his infatuation with following the Queen.

Though C. S. Lewis didn’t necessarily write the Chronicles of Narnia as an Advent story, it brings light upon the true Advent. However, God did write the real Advent of waiting and watching as He reminds us to, “Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other.” (Isaiah 45:22). Advent would be God’s story told through the lives of men and women through the centuries preparing for the coming Messiah. Stories that had been passed down from one generation to the next keep the flames of hope alive waiting for God’s timing. Then the moment came when:

“Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” (Luke 2:13-14)

The lowest of society left their flocks in search of this one bringing hope and peace. “When the angels had left, they immediately went into town to find the Messiah. “When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child” … then “The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.” (Luke 2)

The highest of society were stirred by God to seek the Savior of humankind. The Magi left their comfortable and elite surroundings to go in search of the “one who has been born king of the Jews.” They embarked upon a rigorous and dangerous journey of months for one purpose, “We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” (Matthew 2)

Long after the angelic host had ascended, the shepherds had returned to fields tending their sheep, Simeon had blessed the baby and a prophetic word spoken over the baby by Anna, a tired but excited entourage of seekers came to the end of their journey to find The Messiah.

Can you imagine Joseph looking out the window and excitedly telling Mary, come look at this? Unlike the shepherds, these were men of influence and power. They consulted with kings and military leaders regularly. They were dressed magnificently, carried themselves proudly, and possessed that air of importance. They were accustomed to people groveling in their presence.

They came into the house where Joseph and Mary were living and immediately, “they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.”

I found Greg Laurie’s thoughts about the Wise Men very revealing. He writes, “I have a question for you. Do you think these men went home disappointed? Do you think they left Bethlehem feeling deflated or let down or depressed? Far from it! I think this might have been the crowning event of their whole lives. Through all their years, they would talk about the star, the young King, and the opportunity they had been given to worship Him with all their hearts and offer Him gifts. Will we meet them one day in Heaven? Only God knows, but my guess would be yes.” (Heaven’s Light Breaking)

Advent has been a special time of waiting and desiring but now Christmas has come! It is no longer a time of waiting but of worship. The first Advent has come and now the waiting for the second Advent begins. We wait with expectancy and assurance for the One who promised He would return. Christmas will always be more than food, fellowship, and presents. It is a time that we stop and place the focus on Jesus. We learn from the Shepherds, the Wise Men, Simeon, Anna, Joseph, and Mary that it is a time of worship and reflection. Like Mary, our spiritual journey of Advent allows us to treasure all these things and ponder them in our hearts.

I have enjoyed being with you during this Advent season of waiting and desiring. Our improbable story of Hope, Faith, Joy and now Peace has become probable because of what God did on that night in Bethlehem when the angel announced, “I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.”

What can I say Lord but thank you? It is in your tender mercy, abundant grace, and endless love that I can fully celebrate Christmas. Jesus is the one “called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

Merry Christmas
God is great!

Advent – The Improbable Story of Joy

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And Mary said: My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me—holy is his name. His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. Luke 1: 46-51 NIV

Kaiya Armstrong understands overcoming the improbable. At only 22 she took off in her Cessna from New Mexico and flew halfway across the country, landing at the College Park Airport in Maryland. In and of itself, there is nothing special about this, considering others younger than her have flown cross country. However, Armstrong is blind. She lost her eyesight at 14 but when given the chance to learn to fly, she didn’t hesitate. “Her co-pilot and flight instructor, Tyler Sinclair, gave her audio cues along her route, but she was fully at the controls.”  Armstrong said in the interview, “Her message to the blind kids like herself who struggle to find a way in the world: don’t accept limits placed on you by other people, or yourself.” (from an article by Erin Marquis)

Advent – the time for waiting and watching! We now enter this week of Advent that symbolizes joy as the excitement and hope of Christmas continues to mount. Why would I use the term, Improbable as an Advent theme? Simply because it is improbable – that is, improbable from a human point of view. Why would the creator God take on the form of a human with all the human limitations? What rational person would trust himself to a young couple to care for him as a baby? In our success and power-driven culture, wouldn’t you unleash the angelic host to fight the battle of evil? Advent is a reminder that God’s ways are not our ways!

Improbability has been God’s story for generations. It is improbable that He would use a baby found in the river by Pharaoh’s daughter to ultimately lead Israel out of slavery. Called out of the wilderness as a shepherd, Moses would ultimately stand face to face with the mighty Pharaoh seeking the salvation of God’s people.  The improbable became probable as Moses spoke, “This is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says: Let my people go, so that they may worship me.” (Ex 9:13)

It is improbable that God would use a scrawny little shepherd boy to face a giant to free God’s people. David, armed with only a sling and stone ended the nation’s reign of terror and became the root of God’s ultimate plan of salvation. Out of the improbability of a simple shepherd came the probability of God’s plan when the angel announced, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” (Luke 1:30-33)

It is improbable that the birth of a king would be in a feeding trough in a politically insignificant town. Yet,  that was exactly where God became Immanuel, God with us. It is improbable, yet Mary “gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for   them.” (Luke 2:7)

It is improbable that the King of King would be revealed to a lowly bunch of shepherds instead of before the royal court in Rome or Jerusalem, yet that was exactly what happened. A group of shepherds, tired and probably smelling like their sheep, got a royal announcement, “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.”  What do you do when you meet the king? “The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.” (Luke 2:20)

God is the master of improbability!  Read through the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew 1 and Luke 3 and you find some interesting folks in the lineage.  Only God would strategically use a bunch of untrained fishermen to launch His kingdom. Only God would use a despised tax collector, a trained assassin, a couple of sisters and their brother, and a bunch of unknown and powerless men and women to advance His Kingdom.  God is still using improbable folks like you and me to tell His story.

Advent reminds us that Christmas is God’s story, it is all about Jesus. Past, present, or future tense, the story never gets old. “Look! In the light of Jesus, we can see everything in a new way—the physical universe, each bird and flower, human history, ourselves, each other.” (Bishop Stephen Verney)

All who are weary, All who are weak

All those who come with no words left to speak

Come let the Son wash the dust from your feet

Come into the light, All who are mourning

All who have pain, All those who come who are burdened with shame

Come let the Son take the weight of your chains

Come into the Light (Into the Light, Emmaus Rd (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTR1ysy1P8o

This improbable story of joy is so needed in our dark and cold world. Unfortunately, many are facing this Advent season struggling and barely holding on to life. Yet, joy can become a reality for anyone who welcomes Jesus into his/her life. Improbable has become probable because of the Christ of Christmas!

“Men and women who have lived wisely and well will shine brilliantly, like the cloudless, star-strewn night skies. And those who put others on the right path to life will glow like stars forever.” Daniel 12:3 MSG

God is great!