Burning Bush Moments

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There, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of a bush; he looked, and the bush was blazing, yet it was not consumed. Then Moses said, “I must turn aside and look at this great sight.” Exodus 3:2-3

How many times have you desired to have a burning bush experience? If only I could have a burning bush answer, I would know what to do next. Making hard decisions is never easy. There is a lot of inner turmoil just trying to figure out what to do, or how to do it, or whether it is right for me. You look at multiple options and finally narrow it down to what you think is best. Then you may live with the “only if” questioning for days, months, or maybe years. Burning bush clarity sounds good, but there is a cost to burning bush experiences. Just ask Moses!

Burning bushes will necessitate worship.

You can’t play religion if you want to get close to the burning bush. You can be curious and “turn aside and look.” You can ponder why the bush is not burned up, but burning bushes require you to “remove the sandals from your feet.” Religious people tend to find the closest fire extinguisher to put out the fire. You worship at the burning bush because you know “the place on which you are standing is holy ground.”

Burning bushes create questions.

“Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” God welcomes questions; the more the better. Samuel asked, “How can I go? Saul will kill me. (1 Samuel 16:2)   Mary asked, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” (Luke 1:34) Peter knew enough to question, “By no means, LORD; for I have never eaten anything that is profane or unclean.” (Acts 10:14) Questions will come at your burning bush, but the Samuels of this world go, the Marys of this world obey, and the reluctant Peters follow.

Burning bushes destroy the edges of one’s comfort zone.

“I have never been eloquent…I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.” Comfort zone living is a lot easier. We can be content in the world we know and don’t have to push the edges. Yet somehow God doesn’t see our self-limitations. So, you don’t think you can speak? God has the answer: “Now go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you are to speak.”

Burning bushes will burn away the undergrowth of yesterday’s failures

“When Pharaoh heard of it, he sought to kill Moses.” You may have lived the high life, studied at the best schools, had an unlimited bank account, but you blew it – a nasty divorce, a horrendous scandal, a horrible financial mistake. Guess what? God calls your name and gives you another job. God reminds you: I think I can handle your past!

Burning bushes does have a cost.

“Moses took his wife and his sons, put them on a donkey, and went back to the land of Egypt.” Jethro felt the loneliness as his son-in-law, daughter, and grandsons left home. Hannah cried as she left little Samuel at the temple. Jesus’ body, torn to shreds and nailed to the cross, cried out in agony, “It is finished.” Yes, there is a cost when you respond to God’s call in your life, yet God never leaves you nor forsakes you.

Burning bushes do make a difference.

“God wants to lead us. Not all the ways of humans are God’s leading. For a long time, we can walk our own paths. On those, we are pawns of coincidence, whether they bring good luck or misfortune. Our own ways always lead in a circle back to ourselves. But when God leads our ways, they guide us to him. God’s ways guide us to God. God leads us through happiness and unhappiness always and only towards God. In this, we recognize God’s ways.” –Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

We are encouraged by scripture’s burning bush examples of Moses leading a nation out of slavery, Esther saving her people from mass annihilation, David standing in front of a giant to unite a nation, and Jesus standing at the front of an empty tomb declaring victory over death!

God-inspired burning bushes fill the pages of history. Shoe cobbler William Carey’s passion for the unreached nations fueled the modern missionary movement. William Wilberforce’s faith awakened him from a life of leisure to champion justice for the enslaved. Preacher Martin Luther King, Jr burned with a dream for equality. Mother Teresa grieved for the burden of the poorest of the poor. Businessman Jeremiah Lanphier’s simple prayer, “Lord, what would you have me do?” led to the prayer revival of 1857, resulting in the Third Great Spiritual Awakening.

You may be facing a burning bush moment in your life – a time when God is trying to get your attention. Maybe your burning bush will not be as dramatic, but you will have your own burning bush. Like Moses, you are drawn to the burning bush. You have to decide to run away or “Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.”

“May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.” (2 Cor 13:14)

God is great!

Connie and I are in Kenya on a mission trip with our church. Reposting this devotion from 2022, I realize we are constantly confronted with burning bush experiences and must decide to obey.

Does It Really Matter?

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Does it really matter? Julie Felss Masino probably woke up this morning asking that question. If you don’t know, Masino is the CEO of Cracker Barrel, which made headlines this week after announcing the company’s plan to rebrand its 60-plus-year-old logo. Apparently, it matters to a lot of people, according to various social news outlets and the company’s declining market value.

‘Does it really matter’ type questions are a part of your everyday activities throughout your lives. Some questions and answers may have minimal impact on your life, but for others, the answer could be life-changing. For most people, the question, ‘Should I buy cotton candy at the State Fair?’ will have a simple answer, unless you happen to be diabetic! However, maybe in the scheme of life, a more important issue is thinking about, ‘It really did matter’.

Very few people know about John Harper, a simple man who loved God. I think Harper would have said, What you do really does matter. Harper, a widowed Scottish minister, along with his sister Jessie and his six-year-old daughter, Nan, decided that instead of sailing to the United States on the Lusitania, they would go a week later and purchase tickets for the maiden voyage of the Titanic, then the largest ship ever built. Harper was returning to the United States to preach a series of revivals at the Moody Church in Chicago.

Harper, along with all the passengers, was awakened during the night as the supposedly unsinkable Titanic hit an iceberg and was sinking. Harper made sure his sister and daughter were safe in a lifeboat, then he went about helping others. Amid the chaos, Harper’s calm and reassuring voice could be heard shouting, “Women, children, and the unsaved into the lifeboats!”  Until the final seconds of Harper’s life, when the cold and uninviting waters pulled him into eternity, he was pleading for those without Jesus to pray for salvation. Throughout the night, Harper had encouraged, comforted, and pleaded, even giving up his own life jacket to save others. John Harper knew what really mattered in life.

Nan and her aunt would be rescued. Nan would grow up in the home of John’s brother, George. His brother wrote of John, “My beloved brother was a man mighty in prayer. He was a master of this holy art. I have been with him in prayer again and again when his whole frame shook like an aspen leaf, so earnest was he in his pleadings with God for a perishing world. Little wonder hard hearts were broken and stubborn wills subdued under his ministry.”

James Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family, understood what really matters. Dr. Dobson died last week at the age of 89, still speaking about issues important to families. My good friend and former colleague, Dave Clark, shared a quote from Dr. Dobson when Dave worked for Focus on the Family. Someone asked Dr. Dobson how he’d like to be remembered, to which he replied:

“I don’t think it’s important that I be remembered at all. I don’t think it’s of any great significance in the great scheme of things that I be remembered, except by my loved ones—my family. For those, I would hope I would be remembered as a person who gave unselfishly and who loved Jesus Christ. For me, the most important reason for living is to anticipate that moment when I stand before the Lord and I hear him say, ‘Well done, thou good and faithful servant.’ That, I want more than anything in my life. That is the ultimate goal I have for living—and to take as many people with me to heaven as I possibly can.”

Does it really matter? It mattered for two men who were deserving of their punishments, as they were on their own versions of the Titanic. These were the two criminals hanging on either side of Jesus that day on Golgotha –  one rejected Jesus, the other cried out for mercy, “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom!” And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:42-43)

‘Does it really matter?’ It doesn’t matter about everything, but there are a few essential things that really do matter, such as family, relationships, character, and faith. God gently reminded me last week, as I was walking out of the house to my office shortly before sunrise, of His infinite glory and what really matters. I couldn’t help but marvel at the celestial display of God’s majesty in the rare occurrence of six planets being in perfect alignment. I personalized Psalm 8 to reflect my heart on what really matters.

LORD, our Lord, How majestic is Your name in all the earth. You have displayed Your splendor above the heavens! Even the cries of babies and children awaken my soul to Your ever-present watch over me. When I consider Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, the works of Your fingers, the crescent moon, and stars which You have set in place. What am I that You should think of me, just an ordinary person, that You are concerned about me? Yet to realize You made me in Your image! You crown me with glory and majesty! You have tasked me to rule over Your creation. You have let me manage the works of Your hands; Everything!

LORD, our Lord, How majestic is Your name in all the earth!

Corporations will change logos, tragedies will strike, politicians will say dumb things, bad decisions will be made, and choices will get blurred, but in the end, the only thing that will really matter is letting God be God in your life! What really matters to you?

God is great!

Just A Glimpse For Now

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Once when Jesus was praying in private and his disciples were with him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say I am?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, that one of the prophets of long ago has come back to life.” “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “God’s Messiah.” –Luke 9:18-20 NIV

I didn’t recognize you! These are words most of us have said at one time or another over our lifetime. Perhaps you met the person in a different setting, or he/she had changed hair color or lost weight. Whatever the reason, you simply didn’t recognize him.

Connie and I were in Richmond for our appointment service with the Foreign Mission Board (now International Mission Board), and one of the new appointees got on the elevator with then-President Keith Parks. In good Southern hospitality form, she “struck up a conversation”. Now, by this point, all of us who were being appointed had received a ton of mail, information, pictures, and documents, many signed by Dr. Parks himself. Unfortunately, she didn’t recognize the president and asked him, “So, what work do you do here?”

This is probably not the best way to start your missionary career, but at some point or another, all of us have failed to recognize someone. A long-running TV reality show works on that very premise: Undercover Boss. The show aired for the first time on February 7, 2010, with an estimated 38.6 million viewers, garnering 32% of the market share. It did help to get the series off to a good start since it followed Super Bowl XLIV, when the underdog New Orleans Saints won their first Super Bowl with Drew Brees as Quarterback.

Undercover Boss had a simple format: the owner or one of the high-level executives went undercover, disguising his or her appearance, creating some fictional story, and starting as an entry-level worker. The purpose was to gain an understanding of the inner workings of their own company, what’s good, what’s not, and highlight good or poor performers in the company. Through the years since the show has been on TV, these high-powered executives have cleaned porta-potties, changed sheets in hotel rooms, cleaned swimming pools in 110-degree heat, and done all the things that it takes to make a company successful.

Towards the end of the episode, the executives reveal their true identities after being undercover for a week, inviting some of the employees into their office. As the producers admit, it is a reality show with a bit of embellishment for entertainment purposes, but in the end, the executives admit they have learned a lot about their own companies, the spirit of the workforce, perceptions about their companies, and, more importantly, a bit about themselves.

Last week, within several streams of the Christian faith, Believers observed the Feast of the Transfiguration, a commemoration of the occasion when Jesus took Peter, James, and John up on a mountain, where Moses and Elijah appeared and Jesus was transfigured. “About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John, and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. …While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and covered them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. A voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.” (Luke 9:28-30,34-35)

St. John of Damascus wrote in the 7th century, “Christ is transfigured, not by putting on some quality he did not possess previously, nor by changing into something he never was before, but by revealing to his disciples what he truly was…For while remaining identical to what he had been before, he appeared to the disciples in his splendor; he is indeed the true light, the radiance of glory.”

Undercover Boss may capture an embellished situation of the boss taking on a subservient role to better identify with those who work in their company, but the Transfiguration represents a life-changing encounter for the three disciples, when God Himself revealed His true identity. Jesus’ identity revealed to these disciples what they knew in words but now experienced in real time. Can you imagine the three, coming out of a sleepy fog, standing face to face with Israel’s greatest prophets, Moses and Elijah- the greatest of the prophets, talking reverently with their Rabbi Jesus. As they tried to grasp everything that was happening around them, all of a sudden a cloud descended, enveloping all of them, and a voice boomed out, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen, listen to him.”

This was a life-changing experience, a moment that became a milestone for them. This Jesus, whom they were following, had grown up with, played games with as boys, fished together, knew his mother, and over the last several years, walked miles together on dusty roads. This Jesus, their Rabbi, was the very Son of God. A.W. Tozer wrote, “Christ dazzles me and stirs within me such feelings of amazement that I can never get over him.” I have a feeling Peter, James, and John would have echoed these words.

The Transfiguration provided these three beloved disciples and the others, as they later would hear the story, the hope and encouragement needed because in a very short time their Rabbi would be nailed to the cross. This milestone moment allowed them to understand more deeply who Jesus was before their world was literally turned upside down. Peter’s declaration, “You are the Messiah,” now became a living declaration.

“Truly, we live with mysteries too marvelous to be understood…Let me keep my distance always from those who think they have the answers. Let me keep company always with those who say “Look!” and laugh in astonishment and bow their heads.” (Mary Oliver)

Jesus allowed Peter, James, and John at the Transfiguration a glimpse into who He is. Jesus walked out of a cold, lifeless tomb to give us a glimpse of who He is! “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.”

God is great!

 

In God, Our Solid Ground

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

God is great!

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!

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!

Which Door? Blessing or Disaster

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My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Colossians 2:2-3 NIV

How would you define a blessing? A bigger home, a new Tesla, a vacation to Europe, or an 8% return on your stock market investments? If you are lying in a hospital bed with an incurable cancer, blessings would look very different. Blessing would look very different if you were homeless on the streets, fortunate to get one meal a day and a warm bed. A forever home to a foster care child would look like heaven on earth. Peter Scazzero, in his book Emotionally Healthy Spirituality, shares a story about how an event can appear, either as a blessing or a disaster.

Scazzero tells the story of a wise old man living on one of China’s frontiers. When his son’s horse ran away and was stolen by nomads, the villagers offered their condolences to the son, but the father said, “What makes you so sure this is not a blessing?” Months later, the horse returned, bringing a magnificent stallion. Everyone congratulated the son’s good fortune, but now his father said, “What makes you so sure this isn’t a disaster?”

It looked like a great blessing when the son’s household prospered from the horse, but then one day, while the son was riding the stallion, he fell off and broke his hip. Once again, the villagers offered their condolences for his misfortune, only to hear his father say, “What makes you so sure this is not a blessing?” A year later, nomads invaded the border, and every able-bodied man was required to go into battle. “The Chinese families living on the border lost nine of every ten men fighting.  Only because the son was lame did father and son survive to take care of each other.”

Scazzero writes, “What appeared like a blessing and success has often turned out to be a terrible thing. What appeared to be a terrible event has often turned out to be a rich blessing.”

Scripture is filled with disaster-to-blessing and blessing-to-disaster stories. Paul David Tripp writes, “It is vital for us to understand that the most important realities in all of life cannot be seen with our physical eyes. Our God, who sits on the throne of the universe, ruling with holy wisdom, absolute sovereignty, and awesome power, cannot be physically seen or touched. His existence, rule, and plan for his creatures are the most visible things in the world, but they are not physically visible.”

Satan, from the very beginning of creation, sought to destroy God’s good creation by sowing doubt and disobedience into Adam and Eve’s story. It is a story that could have ended in disaster until God stepped in and offered grace, mercy, and a way of redemption. The whole story was turned around from disaster to blessing.

Joseph was the apple of his father’s eye, a bit of a brat until he was sold into slavery by his brothers. What was a disaster when given to God ended up becoming a blessing. Joseph, at the end of his life, told his brothers, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” (Exodus 50:20)

Samson was blessed with amazing power and fighting skills until he squandered his life in godless living and poor decision-making. A life began with potential having been set aside from birth, and yet ended up as a prisoner because “he did not know that the LORD had left him.” (Judges 16:19b)

Job went from having everything money could buy to hearing the advice of his wife, “Curse God and die!” Yet out of disaster upon disaster, Job stayed committed to God. “In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.” (Job 1:22) Job had no guarantees that anything good would come from his misery, yet he never lost faith. He was willing to accept what came, though he didn’t understand, nor would he ever fully understand.

Augustine would write centuries later, “If you understand, it is not God you understand.” Thomas Aquinas wrote a few more centuries later, after finishing his twenty-volume work on God, “This is the ultimate knowledge about God, to know that we do not know.” Scazzero finished his quote with the words, “I, too, can honestly say that the more I know about God, the less I know about him.”

We have just finished celebrating Easter. The cross was a terrible disaster, but when God took over, he turned the disaster into a rich blessing. The people watching the death of Jesus on the cross that afternoon saw a very different picture compared to the view from heaven. Jesus walked out of the tomb, breathing life into those who would follow.

Defining an event as a disaster or blessing can look different depending on your vantage point. Life may bring the mystery of trying to see how an event is either a disaster or a blessing, yet we hold strong in a foundation centered upon God’s love and purpose for us. “With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.” Ephesians 1:9-10

I offer condolences to Catholics around the world as they mourn the loss of Pope Francis, who died Easter Monday at the age of 88. You may disagree with his views politically and theologically, yet most could agree that he lived his life seeking to help the poor and marginalized of society. One of his consistent prayers that his grandmother taught him as a young child was, “Jesus, make my heart more like yours.” It is a simple prayer that is appropriate for any of us.

God is great!

The Road from Easter – Walking with a Risen Savior

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I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen. –Matthew

Don’t be alarmed, he said. You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. – Mark

Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen. – Luke

Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” – John

He is risen! Words that brought hope and joy to those who followed Jesus then, and words that have vibrated through the ages for those who follow Jesus. The Road to Easter had been a tumultuous and challenging time for each person in Jerusalem that week. Expectations had been all over the place, with many looking only for a political Messiah, a few for an economic Messiah who would restore Israel’s dominance, and others a compassionate Messiah who would heal the sick and care for the poor and needy. Still, very few had been looking for a sin-bearing Messiah.

Friday probably represented the end of their hope. Jesus had been crucified and placed in a tomb. Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus had tenderly washed and anointed his body with spices, wrapped his body, and placed Jesus in the borrowed tomb. Their Road to Easter had come to an end.

The disciples were scattered throughout the city, hiding behind locked doors and mourning the loss of not only their friend but the one they thought was the Messiah. There were the faithful women who followed Jesus and others who looked with hope to Jesus. Their Road to Easter had come to an end.

Yet something strange was happening on that early morning, word was spreading that a group of women had braved the darkness and morning chill to go to the tomb, only to find it was empty. What have you done with the body of Jesus?  Could it be true?  Then the hushed whispers turned to shouts, He is not here, He has risen! “He has risen” became a roar throughout the city and the generations beyond. He has risen!

Jesus understood that the Road from Easter would not always be easy. It would be filled with pain and often suffering, but He is the risen intercessor on our behalf. It is easy to be fearful, which could be a reason that Scripture tells us over 350 times, “Fear Not” or its equivalent. “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” –Hebrews 4:14-16 NIV.

Jesus was offered an easy way out, but he chose the road he had to walk, even though the pain and agony of the cross would be the result. Jesus knew that sin was destructive and ultimately would lead to death. The cross was the only answer! “The cross is the ultimate demonstration that sin is real and has consequences, but also that God’s mercy is real and will ultimately triumph over judgment. Because sin is the bad news we have to accept, grace is the good news we all need to hear and believe. No one is without a need for grace. No one. (Paul David Tripp)

Though Dietrich Bonhoeffer was martyred, he knew what it meant to be a disciple on the Road from Easter. He preached a morning message in the concentration camp where he was a prisoner, concluded the message with the words, “This is the end—for me the beginning of life,” and shortly afterwards was led to the gallows. “When they are welcomed into a house, Christ enters with them. They are bearers of his presence. They bring with them the most precious gift in the world, the gift of Jesus Christ. And with him they bring God the Father, and that means indeed forgiveness and salvation, life and bliss. That is the reward and fruit of their toil and suffering.” (Bonhoeffer)

How will we walk on the Road from Easter? We walk with a bold confidence that our Savior has risen. A Savior who walked before us and now with us to enable us to carry a message of hope and redemption. The only message that brings life, filled with faith and with promise.

We can walk as ones who are redeemed, no longer carrying the baggage of our past but with the freedom of thru-hikers on the Appalachian Trail. British pastor Pete Greig writes, “It’s easy to assume that my past suffering and sin have disqualified me from God’s best for my future. That the world, the flesh, and the devil have somehow successfully conspired to derail me from God’s absolute best purpose for my life…There is no such thing as a Plan B…Whenever I lose my bearings and return to him, he simply finds a way to map a new Plan A. He recalibrates, like a GPS, to give revised directions to my original destination. I rejoice that the Lord sees me not as the person I was, nor even as the person I currently am, but as the person I am becoming in and through his Son, Jesus Christ.”

“He is risen” captures one of the most beautiful yet powerful statements ever spoken. In those words, we can now walk this Road from Easter with a quicker, lighter step because of Easter morning. “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him, he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”  (Hebrews 12:1-2)

Thank you for being on this journey during this Lent season as we walked the Road to Easter and now travel together the Road from Easter.

God is great! He is risen!

The Road to Easter – The Road Jesus Walked

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In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:1,14 NIV

Ask any Oklahoman if they know the name Baker Mayfield, and you will likely get a thumbs up even if they are not Sooner football fans. The best word to describe Mayfield is colorful. Wherever Mayfield plays, whether at college or in the pros, he creates excitement as well as controversy. He became the first and only walk-on to win the coveted Heisman Trophy.

Winning the Heisman Trophy, being a No. 1 overall draft pick, a consistent playmaker, and just as consistent a play dropper, you would think he was at the top. Yet in all the spotlight, he was searching for something. Mayfield said, “God taught me a lesson. He had to take my career down to the studs and make me realize that I’m more than a football player.”

Mayfield found himself in a downward spiral in 2022 with a public departure from the Browns, shoulder surgery, bouncing between the Panthers and the Rams, marital problems, and finally a temporary football home in Tampa Bay. Mayfield admitted life wasn’t going well, which allowed God to get through to him. He became vulnerable and open to accepting the grace that Jesus offers.

When asked how he would describe Jesus to a young teammate, Mayfield said, “Jesus is obviously the Son of God. But it is grace, it’s perfection. Somebody who sacrificed everything, who gave us this opportunity to live life. For me, when you say he’s your Lord and Savior, you proclaim it whenever you can. But he’s the reason we’re here, and the story of Jesus walking among the flesh, the only perfect man and to be sacrificed on the cross and die for our sins forever. And when you accept that grace, it’s an unbelievable feeling.” (Stephanie Martin article)

What changed Baker Mayfield is why Jesus took the Road to Easter for us. Christmas, even for non-believers, is a feel-good holiday. Christmas allows us to focus on the humanity of Jesus, who doesn’t like a cuddly little baby?  Yet it is Easter that gives Christmas the ultimate reason to celebrate, as the fullness of Jesus’ divinity brings salvation and redemption. Christmas and Easter are the bookends that bring hope for humankind in Jesus, who is fully man and fully God.

Though the manger was important to hold the Savior of the world, the cross was essential to hold the Savior of the world. Ray Stedman wrote, “Take the cross out of Christianity, and Christianity collapses. It is the cross that makes Christianity Christian. You cannot preach Christ without preaching the cross.”  Paul wrote of the centrality of the cross in Galatians: “May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”  (Gal 6:14)

Jesus chose to walk his Road to Easter with his humanity on full display. As each whiplash tore into his flesh, his cries of pain were for us. As the man-made thorn of crown was shoved onto his head, he felt the rejection of mankind. As the soldier hammered the nails into his hands, he felt the agony of sin’s power.

Jesus had the power to save himself. “Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?” (Matt 26:53) Yet he chose this road for us. “But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?” (26:54)

The Road to Easter for Jesus was not lined with easter eggs and colorful baskets but with purpose, suffering, and love. “When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:33-34a)

“Forgiveness is the most powerful thing in the world, but because it is so costly we prefer to settle for second best. Jesus, already on his way to paying the full price, offered nothing less than the best.” (N. T. Wright)

Isaac Watts left a powerful legacy of hymns that have lasted beyond his death in 1748. It was his practice to compose a new hymn or psalm for every sermon he preached. (George Grant). This rich treasury of hymns gave us a strong foundation of theology and worship. Among the most beloved of his works that have impacted each generation is “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross.” Words that echo Paul’s words, “May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

“When I survey the wondrous cross, On which the Prince of glory died, My richest gain I count but loss, And pour contempt on all my pride.

Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast, Save in the death of Christ my God; All the vain things that charm me most, I sacrifice them to his blood.

See, from his head, his hands, his feet, Sorrow and love flow mingled down; Did e’er such love and sorrow meet, Or thorns compose so rich a crown.

Were the whole realm of nature mine, That were a present far too small; Love so amazing, so divine, Demands my soul, my life, my all.” (Baptist Hymnal 1975 edition)

On your Road to Easter, as we move into Holy Week, I trust these words from this old hymn will be a fresh reminder of the cost that Jesus paid for us that we would have life. “Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, ‘I am thirsty.” …When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.” (John 19:28,30)

What more can be said except, Thank You Jesus!

God is great!

 

 

The Road to Easter – Packing the Essentials for the Journey

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When he rose from prayer and went back to the disciples, he found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow. “Why are you sleeping?” he asked them. “Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.” Luke 22:45-46 NIV

What do you need for your trip to the beach? You have a general idea that you will need swimming suits, shorts, and flip-flops. More than likely, you wouldn’t pack your snow skis, gloves, or heavy jacket. You normally pack for a specific journey, not for all the various possibilities you might encounter. That is, unless you are Lewis and Clark.

Meriwether Lewis and William Clark were commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson to undertake a precarious journey that would eventually take them on an 8,000-mile, two-year trek through the recently acquired Louisiana Purchase. So, what do you pack since Walmart will not be where you are going? Starting out in the spring of 1804, the two intrepid explorers had spent a year accumulating what they thought would be needed. According to original packing lists, over 180 items were purchased, such as coats, weapons, food, and survey instruments. Yet like all good travelers, they still forgot a few things.

We all know the challenge of getting ready for a trip. It takes lots of planning and preparation to get everything together. That is true for a vacation but even more so for a spiritual journey such as the Road to Easter. Jesus had spent years teaching his disciples, sharing what truth looked like, healing and restoring people. Every step along this road we have everything we need because of Jesus’ preparations. One of the most critical pieces we have is prayer.

“Prayer is one of life’s great mysteries. Most people pray at least sometimes; some people, in many very different religious traditions, pray a great deal. At its lowest, prayer is shouting into a void on the off-chance there may be someone out there listening. At its highest, prayer merges into love, as the presence of God becomes so real that we pass beyond words and into a sense of his reality, generosity, delight and grace.” N. T. Wright

Jesus fully knew how desperate we would get and would need to make prayer a central component of our lives. Nestled in the middle of his life-giving, life-changing Sermon on the Mount, he gave us a beautiful framework for praying out of intimacy with God. “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one.” (Matthew 6:9-13)

Jesus knew we could get lost if we failed to keep God as the focal point. “Following Jesus is not just a matter of skill and grit; it is made possible through a life of being with God in prayer.” (Rich Villodas) There are lots of religions that focus on the repetition of words, believing that the number of words said over and over is the only way God can hear. Jesus laid the groundwork of praying by saying, “But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen…And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words…For your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” (Matthew 6:6-9)

Throughout the four Gospels, we get brief pictures of Jesus’ prayer life. We get little of his dialogue, but enough to show us the importance of prayer. We can see the gift of prayer as Jesus prayed. Each of the Gospel writers invites us into the final days of Jesus’ road to Easter and his intimate encounter with the Father in the Garden of Gethsemane. “Sit here while I go over there and pray.”

Jesus knew that his earthly ministry was ending. Unlike most leaders who would spend the days strategizing on how to increase the ministry, naming who would fill key positions, and how to ensure a smooth transition, he spent the time in worship and prayer. The road forward would not be conventional but super-natural.

There was a vulnerability in how Jesus prayed when he tells his disciples, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” (Matthew 26:38) Somehow, we think we are not being spiritual if we allow God to see our pain and hear our hurts, but Jesus prayed out of a soulful vulnerability. “By enduring our trials with our eyes fixed on Jesus, we submit our trials to Him. He is with us through our trials, one painful step, one ragged breath at a time.” (Megan Fate Marshman)

There was an openness in how Jesus prayed. “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me.” Jesus prayed honestly and what He desired to be the outcome. We don’t have to play a form of spin-praying, praying words that we think a good Christian should pray. We pray what we desire to the One who hears and wants to hear us. However, if our only desire is to get something out of God, then we miss the beauty and intimacy of being with God.

There was submission in how Jesus prayed. “Yet not as I will, but as you will…My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.” (Mt.26:39b,42) Submission is never easy when we must give up control or do something we don’t want. Yet Jesus prayed one thing, that His Father’s will be done. “As His disciples, our lives must be a holy example of the reality of our message. It takes a heart broken by conviction of sin, baptized by the Holy Spirit, and crushed into submission to God’s purpose before a person’s life becomes a holy example of God’s message.” (Oswald Chambers)

God is great!

 

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