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.

 

 

 

 

 

Surprise!

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The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit. John 3:8 NIV

Surprise! Undoubtedly, this one simple word has been shouted millions upon millions of times throughout the years to birthday recipients. Normally, the unsuspecting person walks into a dark room, and then the lights come on with family and friends shouting, Surprise! Now, for some folks, like me, they were truly surprised; others were half-expecting something.

Connie truly surprised me on my 40th birthday when we were living in Johannesburg. We had gone out for dinner with a few friends. Coming home, under the pretense of coffee and cake, we walked into the room filled with American and South African friends shouting, Surprise! I am sure somewhere in my Myers-Briggs personality profile, there is something about not wanting to be surprised; I prefer knowing what is happening. That night caught me off guard, but what a memory to have special people in my life as part of the surprise.

God has a long history of standing at the door, shouting surprise. We are often caught off guard since we were expecting one thing to happen, and a different action takes place. We pray one way for something, only to see a completely different answer. We make decisions expecting one thing, only to get a completely different result. The longer we live, the more surprised we will be at what happens.

A lot of people are confident that the end of religion has finally arrived. They have watched over the last couple of decades the declining number of people identifying as Christians, read the statistics of declining church attendance, and the weakening of the church’s role in society. If you read only the reports, looked at the numbers, and watched the declining number of people in church, your thoughts would also be gloom and despair.

Yet the God of Surprises is hard at work if we are ready to be surprised. Paul wrote in Ephesians, “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you…” (Eph 1:18). As we open the eyes of our heart, we get to be surprised at what God is doing. Pastor and writer Joshua Luke Smith writes, “I’ve heard it said that familiarity breeds contempt, and I’ve found this to be true. At times, I’ve grown indifferent, even numb, to the reality of Christ in my life. But these words from Paul awaken my dimming zeal. Oh, that the eyes of my heart may be enlightened. My dream is to be an old man who still hasn’t got over the hope to which he has called me, living on the edge of tears, moved by his grace in my life.”

Time magazine cover on April 8, 1996, was “Is God Dead?” Yet within a few short years, their June 21, 1971 cover had the words, “Jesus Revolution”. From dead to revolution in five years, or as Pastor Greg Laurie commented, “What a difference a few years can make, especially when God intervenes.” It has been five decades since the Jesus Revolution, the last great spiritual awakening, but the God of surprises is blowing new fires around the world. Is the world ready for another Great Awakening?

Great Awakenings have been in times when a nation was in transition, grappling with rapid social, economic, and cultural changes. Awakenings happen when people are spiritually hungry and are searching. Does this sound familiar?  Laurie, who was a product of the Jesus Revolution, writes, “While we can’t plan or manufacture a revival, we can prepare the ground for one. Or, as I like to say, we can “pre-prayer” the ground. Our job is to rebuild; God’s job is to pour out His Spirit.”

The God of surprises is moving in the United States. According to Barna, nearly thirty million more US adults are following Jesus today than was the case just four years ago. Barna CEO, David Kinnaman, called this “the clearest trend we’ve seen in more than a decade pointing to spiritual renewal…this movement is being led especially by younger generations.”

The God of surprises is moving in places where the death of the church has long been predicted. Jim Denison writes that in France, 10,384 adults were baptized on Easter Sunday; the number of teenagers following Jesus was ten times higher than in 2019. Bible sales in the UK increased by 87 percent between 2019 and 2024. According to the UK Bible Society, churchgoing increased from 8% in 2018 to 12% in 2024. “That means for every two people in England and Wales who went to church back in 2018, there are now three.”

What are hungry people wanting? I found Carey Nieuwhof’s thoughts helpful in one of his recent podcasts. Here are some of his highlights: Pray with boldness — people want a powerful God. Preach deeper –assume they are starving and don’t want entertainment. Cut the fluff — be real. Assume intelligence, not background. Avoid Christian insider language – define your words and meanings. Don’t ignore felt needs, talk to people – connect people to Scripture.

God is moving. Are we ready to be surprised? May this prayer from the Book of Common Prayer open the eyes of our hearts and “pre-prayer” us for what can be.

Almighty and eternal God, so draw our hearts to you, so guide our minds, so fill our imaginations, so control our wills, that we may be wholly yours, utterly dedicated unto you; and then use us, we pray you, as you will, and always to your glory and the welfare of your people; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen

“Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29: 12-13

Happy 4th of July on Friday. Pray that the United States will again experience a nationwide spiritual awakening, beginning with each one of us.

God is great!

Sound of Summer

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Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. Prov 6:6-8 NIV

What sounds define summer for you? Those who have camped outdoors would probably rate the chirping of crickets both comforting and irritating. Summer means the buzzing of cicadas, the obnoxious croaking of frogs, the forlorn hooting of the screech owl, and a myriad of other midnight sounds.

Fifty summers ago, a simple, repetitive two-note motif played on a tuba created a heart-stopping, suspenseful drama that caused thousands to jump out of their seats and cancel their beach holidays. These two little notes changed summer vacations after watching the movie, Jaws. John Williams, the composer of the 2-note ostinato, described the music as “grinding away at you, just as a shark would do, instinctual, relentless, unstoppable.”  June 20 marked the 50th anniversary of the movie Jaws, and even if you have never seen the film, you have most likely been gripped by the soundtrack.

There is something special about the sounds of summer. Granted, each season brings a melody of unique sounds, but the summer sounds remind us of the fullness of God’s creation. Last Friday marked the official beginning of summer—the end of school bells, early morning alarm clocks, and quiet walks on the beach. We gladly welcome this new set of sounds and grab the summer rhythm, because, as John Goodman writes, “How quickly time goes by now, compared to when you were a kid. Summer used to last forever. Now it is twelve weeks.”

We welcome the summer sounds of children’s laughter echoing across the backyard fence as they recapture memories of a simpler time. Do you remember the summer excitement when life seemed simpler, less hectic? Summer is a great time to turn off the TV, forget about social media, and enjoy the beautiful outdoors. When was the last time you took a rock and skipped it across the water, counting the number of skips from your throw? Instead of the well-laid-out vacation itinerary, you might try a road trip in your car. However, set your GPS to avoid interstates. Connie and I did that a few years ago, and it is amazing what you see along American highways and through small towns. You do need to factor in lots of stops to enjoy those unique, unknown museums; it will be worth it.

We welcome the summer sounds of lawn mowers as they help remind us of God’s creation. Yes, I know the sounds can be annoying when trying to catch an afternoon nap on the porch, but that’s another story. I don’t know about you, but there is something deeply satisfying within my soul after a morning working in the yard, realizing that I am partnering with God in maintaining His creation. “To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.” (Audrey Hepburn) “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.” (Gen 1:26 KJV)

We welcome the summer sounds of thunderstorms as they awaken our senses to the immense power of God. Summer brings unexpected afternoon storms with the sudden darkening of the sky, the rumble of thunder, and the repeated lightning strikes. The devastation of storms often leaves behind communities struggling to cope, individuals whose lives have been upended, and neighborhoods demolished. Yet in the aftermath of these summer storms, there is the calm assurance that God is still in control. Even after the summer storms of life, the Psalmist wrote in Psalm 46: “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.” (vvs 1-5 NIV)

We welcome the evening refrain of summer night sounds as they wrap us in a cozy hug of comfort. John Steinbeck wrote, “What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness?” Solomon wrote similarly in Song of Songs, “See! 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)

Lord, I am forever thankful for the life lessons you give through the simple acts of nature and life. The changing seasons equip us for the challenges that life will bring.

You give us the springtime to teach us the importance of preparation. Sowing the seeds of faith which will be needed in the years ahead. Though we can’t see anything happening, the seeds are sprouting roots that will anchor us when the winds of adversity blow.

You give us summer to watch the seeds break through the hard soil, begin to grow, and bear the fruit from our labor. We know we will face unexpected storms that will blow hard against us, but the plants of faith, prayer, and trust will provide the roots to hold us against the unrelenting storms of life.

You give us autumn as a time of gathering in our harvest and times to celebrate and worship You. We can open the barn doors of our souls and see the abundance of what You have provided.

Finally, winter will come when we must learn to stop our labor and rest in your care. There is no more time for planting or harvesting by us, but the fields have been left ready for the next generation. We can now look forward with excitement and expectation of what will come.

That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers. Psalm 1:3 NIV

God is great!

Healthy Obsession

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As the deer pants for the water brooks, So my soul pants for You, God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; When shall I come and appear before God? Psalm 42:1-2 NASB2020

What is the greatest obsession that drives your day? It might be getting that job promotion you have been wanting, along with a nice salary increase. Perhaps it is moving into the big house on the corner with the manicured lawn. Many may find just getting out of bed in the morning without pain is their obsession.

John Hinckley Jr became obsessed with actress Jodie Foster after seeing her in a movie. Over the years, she became all-consuming in his thoughts and actions, an obsession that would drive him to attempt the assassination of President Ronald Reagan in March 1981. Hinckley traveled from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C. on a Greyhound bus with his plan to get Foster’s attention.

The day of the shooting, he spent the morning writing a letter to Foster. “As you well know by now I love you very much. Over the past seven months, I’ve left you dozens of poems, letters and love messages in the faint hope that you could develop an interest in me. Although we talked on the phone a couple of times, I never had the nerve to simply approach you and introduce myself…The reason I’m going ahead with this attempt now is because I cannot wait any longer to impress you. I’ve got to do something now to make you understand, in no uncertain terms, that I am doing all of this for your sake! (Excerpt from Hinckley’s March 30 letter)

We all have something that becomes an obsession for us; thankfully, few of us allow an obsession to drive us to the dark side like it did Hinckley. However, there is an obsession that gives life, purpose, and joy. It is an obsession that has been part of generations and continues to consume those who will allow it. That obsession is God himself. Jesus tells us that it is a total and unwavering devotion to God, encompassing every aspect of our lives – an obsession not of feelings but of a commitment that influences thoughts, emotions, and actions.

Jesus simply says, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:29-31)

Oswald Chambers writes, “The total being of our life inside and out is to be absolutely obsessed by the presence of God. If we are obsessed by God, nothing else can get into our lives—not concerns, tribulation, nor worries. To be obsessed by God is to have an effective barricade against all the assaults of the enemy.”

One of the most quoted verses in the entire Bible is Deuteronomy 6:4-9. Known as the Shema, they are recited every morning and every evening by Orthodox Jews and have been for generations. “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.”

The Psalmist writes of a hunger and thirst that can only be satisfied through God in Psalm 42.  Recently, my family and I had the opportunity to be in South Africa’s Kruger National Park. There is something always life-giving when watching animals in their natural habitat. It is amazing to watch these magnificent animals as they move about the day, but especially when they begin moving towards their water sources, totally consumed by the need for water, even knowing the dangers that may be there. We have that same innate need for God that pulls us toward Him daily.

Paul David Tripp on Psalm 42 writes, “Be honest today: Do you hunger after and long for God? Are you like a parched deer, panting for water? Does longing for God propel your devotional life, your relationships, and your participation in public worship? Longing for God will always produce love for the people of God and joyful participation in the public worship of God.”

Jesus calls us into an obsession with God, but only because God has been obsessed with us from the beginning of time. Without doing a thing, we are already deeply and completely loved by God. “This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” (I John 4:9-10)

David writes of the priceless love of God in Psalm 36:7 that people take refuge in His shadow.

John writes of a sacrificing love of God that articulates His love for us in John 3:16.

Isaiah writes of a surrounding love of God in Isaiah 43:2 when facing major obstacles.

Zephaniah writes of a comforting love of God in Zephaniah 3:17. “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.”

Nancy Ortberg, in her book Looking For God, writes that in a dark hour of her life, God was there for her, even if she couldn’t see Him. “Slowly I began to understand that I had been seeing God from such a narrow perspective. I had boxed God up and compartmentalized Him into thirty minutes each morning. But in reality, He had been waiting for me to realize that He had invaded all the parts of my day, if I would just pay attention.”

We wake up every day with thousands of messages vying for our attention. Unfortunately, a few will become an obsession. Yet in God’s obsession with us, he seeks us with an unrelenting love. What will your obsession be today?

God is great!

Power on Display

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When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit…Acts 2:1-4

Who pushed your buttons? It is so easy to get cross with someone because of what they said, maybe how they said it, or even how they looked at you, yet be totally oblivious to why we reacted.  Pete Docter’s animated film, Inside Out, takes viewers inside the mind of a young girl named Riley Andersen. Five little characters within Riley’s brain argue over who gets to drive her emotional console. Joy and Anger, Fear and Disgust, and Sadness are the personified versions within Riley, all vying for the right to be in control. Life is going great for Riley until she turns 11 and her family moves from Minnesota to San Francisco for her dad’s new job.

Joy has acted as the leader until now, always trying to keep little Sadness from taking control at the emotions console, but for the first time, Sadness can plant a core memory within Riley’s mind. The story then unfolds with drama for Riley as Joy can no longer be the sole driver of her emotions, and their adventures try to correct problems they caused with Riley’s memory storage. There is now a sequel adding more emotional characters, all trying to take control of a teenager, Riley’s emotional console.

Yesterday marked Pentecost Sunday, when the church celebrates the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the church. I don’t equate the Holy Spirit’s indwelling with the five little emotional Inside Out characters, but without a doubt, nothing has been the same since that eventful Sunday morning for Believers after Pentecost. Dr. Michael Milton writes of Pentecost, “It was Inauguration Day as the Holy Spirit demonstrated the provision of God, the prophecy of the Old Testament, the promises of Christ, faith in the prophecy of the Old Testament, and the words of Jesus. This Pentecost and every day, is a day to reorient our lives to the mission of God.”

Pentecost marked the fulfillment of Jesus’ promise of the Holy Spirit’s coming. “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— (John 14:16), “But I tell you the truth; It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.” (John 16:7) “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)

Jesus understood the physical restraints of his body, being in one place at one time, but with the coming of the Holy Spirit, everything changed. There would no longer be the limitations of place or time, but His ever-present presence.

Jesus understood the importance of going to the ends of the world. The followers in that room worshipped that morning when Pentecost came, but immediately they left the comfort of their gathering and went into the streets proclaiming the message of Jesus Christ. By the end of the day, over 3,000 had followed Jesus and were baptized.

The coming of the Holy Spirit was in keeping with prophecy, promise, and provision. Yet that morning, God shook the foundations of expectations. An event of this magnitude was not going to be a quiet unveiling but one that shook the earth. An earthquake that is still reverberating and will continue until the final day.

Writer and pastor, Frederick Buechner, wrote of the unexpected when it comes to God. “Those who believe in God can never in a way be sure of him again. Once they have seen him in a stable, they can never be sure where he will appear or to what lengths he will go or to what ludicrous depths of self-humiliation he will descend in his wild pursuit of (us). If holiness and the awful power and majesty of God were present in the least auspicious of all events, this birth of a peasant’s child, then there is no place or time so lowly and earthbound, but that holiness can be present there too. And this means that we are never safe, that there is no place where we can hide from God, no place where we are safe from his power to break in two and recreate the human heart because it is just where he seems most helpless that he is most strong, and just where we least expect him that he comes most fully.”

Pentecost changed everything. The timid message of Peter and John was transformed as they confronted the religious leaders. Barnabas set the standard for generosity and encouragement. Stephen was known as a man full of God’s grace and power and stood boldly for Christ even as he was martyred. Though Philip was deeply involved in a highly effective ministry, he was sent to one stranger out in the wilderness to share the truth of Jesus, and this stranger would be pivotal in carrying the message of salvation to Africa. Saul, or better known as Paul, was on a mission to Damascus to defend the religious traditions, only to come face to face with Jesus.

Just as Pentecost Sunday changed the course of these early Christian believers, Pentecost Sunday is still changing our day-to-day lives. We are confronted and convicted, causing us to change course, seeing events impacted but always part of the truth being shared.

May this ancient prayer of St. Augustine be an encouragement to you today as Pentecost Sunday comes to a close.

“Breathe in me, O Holy Spirit, that my thoughts may be holy.

Act in me, O Holy Spirit, that my work may be holy.

Draw my heart, O Holy Spirit, to love what is holy.”

God is great!

 

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!