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.

Walking Billboards for Jesus

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The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them: You shall be holy, for I, the LORD your God, am holy. Leviticus 19:1-2

Leviticus – the third book in the Bible, which many try to speed read on their way through their “Read the Bible in a year” plan. However, if and when we slow down in our reading, we realize that “Be holy, for I am Holy” is at the heart of Leviticus. We come face to face with the holiness of God.  If your church still has hymnals, pick up one and let the words of this great hymn, “Holy, Holy, Holy,” speak to your heart in a new and fresh way.

Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty!

Early in the morning our song shall rise to thee:

Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty!

God in three Persons, blessed Trinity!

Leviticus is not usually read as good news, and most certainly not in the context of how the world now determines what is a modern, culturally acceptable worldview. However, J. A. Motyer looks at Leviticus differently. He writes, “Leviticus is good news. It is good news for sinners who seek pardon, for priests who need empowering, for women who are vulnerable, for the unclean who covet cleansing, for the poor who yearn for freedom, for the marginalized who seek dignity, for animals that demand protection, for families that require strengthening, for communities that want fortifying and for creation that stands in need of care. All these issues, and more, are addressed in a positive way in Leviticus.”

Spend some time meditating upon chapters 18 and 19 in Leviticus. Try reading these verses as one who seeks God, treating life as holy, and allowing God to have control of your life. At the heart of each requirement is the holiness of God in the life of his people, a people set apart from the world. Culture no longer determines the standards; only God does.

As you read these two chapters, mentally or literally, create two columns. At the top of the columns, title one “God’s values” and the other “Human Values.”  It doesn’t take long to realize God’s values and human values are worlds apart.

Augustine wrote that “The LORD himself not only shows us the evil we are to avoid and the good we are to do (which is all that the letter of the law can do) but also helps us to avoid evil and to do good things that are impossible without the spirit of grace. If grace is lacking, the law is there simply to make culprits and to slay; for this reason, the Apostle said, “The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life” (2 Corinthians 3:6)”

Unfortunately, chapters 18 and 19 are not a Golden Corral buffet of principles. We don’t get to go through the line choosing what we like and leaving out the others. It can be so easy to pick a verse and sling it at someone, yet at the same time, avoid verses we would prefer to overlook. The problem is that God didn’t give us a choice. Each requirement interlocks with the others, forming a strong family, church, community, and culture.

Leviticus’ requirements set the people apart from the other nations. Jesus would take the law and empower it with grace. “Christ came provided with the Holy Spirit after a peculiar manner…that he might separate us from the world, and unite us in the hope of an eternal inheritance.”—John Calvin.

Living a life set apart from the world requires God’s grace. Our focus shifts from the world to God. Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote that “Your life as a Christian should make non-believers question their disbelief in God.”

New Orleans Saints linebacker Demario Davis won the 2021 NFL Bart Starr Award for outstanding character, integrity, and leadership on and off the field. His wife, Tamela, told the Christian Post, “Our primary mission has always been to be a walking billboard for Christ, so that others may be able to see and encounter Him through us and our experiences.”

Undoubtedly, Leviticus is a challenging book with some difficult passages, yet what a difference when our heartbeat is that of being holy. Take some time in prayer and reflect on where you are in light of God’s values. What will it take to restore and empower you to live a life set apart for God? Thomas Kelly wrote, “It is said of St. Francis not merely that he prayed, but that he became a prayer.”

Maybe in a world that is growing indifferent to God’s message, the best way we can reflect a different image is to become “walking billboards for Christ,” or as Jesus said, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” –Matthew 16:24

God is great!

Connie and I are on a mission trip to Kenya. This is a reprint from several years ago, but I thought it was appropriate for all that is happening in the world.

Update from Kenya. What a blessing the last few days have been working with Glory Baptist Church in Eldoret.  Women and men’ s conferences, children day camp, prayer walk and a wonderful day of worship.

Turn the Spotlight on Me

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As your spiritual teacher I, by the grace God gave me, give this advice to each one of you. Don’t cherish exaggerated ideas of yourself or your importance but try to have a sane estimate of your capabilities by the light of the faith that God has given to you all. For just as you have many members in one physical body and those members differ in their functions, so we, though many in number, compose one body in Christ and are all members to one another. Romans 12:3-5 Phillips Translation

Where would Batman be without Robin? How would Sherlock Holmes solve murder cases without Dr. Watson? What would have happened to the Winslow family without their nerdy neighbor, Steve Urkel? Andy Griffin needed his Barney Fife, Cheers wouldn’t have been the same without Frasier, and mischievous Uncle Fester spiced up the Addams Family.

Can you imagine a world without those iconic sidekicks? They are secondary characters who somehow ingrained themselves into our hearts and often stole the spotlight from the main character.  Playing second fiddle has never been easy and definitely goes against the most recent cultural phenomenon called “Main Character Syndrome.” The term didn’t originate from a university psychology department, but rather from social media, especially TikTok.

What is “Main Character Syndrome (MCS)?” It is not a clinical diagnosis but popularized by social media platforms. Anna Gotlib, an associate professor of philosophy, defines it as, “MCS is a tendency to view one’s life as a story in which one stars in the central role, with everyone else a side character at best. Only the star’s perspectives, desires, loves, hatreds, and opinions matter, while those of others in supporting roles are relegated to the periphery of awareness. Main characters act while everyone else reacts. Main characters demand attention, and the rest of us had better obey.” (Aeon Newsletter)

Though the term is a recent addition to our language, the concept is as old as time. Paul understood well the MCS of his days when writing in Romans, “Don’t cherish exaggerated ideas of yourself or your importance.” Today’s social media platforms feed the motivation to be adored and loved, but throughout time, the same motivation has been part of humanity.

The Old Testament is filled with MCS performers. King Saul stood head and shoulders above the average man, yet was filled with jealousy and suspicion. When the women came out to greet the King and his men after a battle, they were singing the newest hit song, “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.” This didn’t go over well with King Saul since he “was very angry…They have credited David with tens of thousands, “he thought, “but me with only thousands. What more can he get but the kingdom?” (I Samuel 18:7-8)

King Nebuchadnezzar was a classic MCS and had every reason to be proud. He was the most powerful man at the time, leading the nation of Babylon to annihilate all opposition. Who could blame him when he proclaimed, “Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty.” (Daniel 4:30) The King got a quick lesson on the reality of MCS when God removed him from center stage.

The challenge of spiritual MCS impacts even those who have walked with Jesus for years. James and John, two of his closest disciples, asked if they could take the two places of highest authority. They were so focused on the “me” factor that they forgot what it really meant to be the greatest. “Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.” (Mark 9:35)

The challenge of Main Character Syndrome doesn’t just impact the YouTubers, TikTokers, or being “Instagrammable.” It is for anyone who breathes air and gets out of bed in the morning. It is an even greater challenge for those who seek to follow God and make their life a reflection of their faith in Jesus. MCS is not a puzzle to solve but a lifestyle decision to bring constantly before God. “The most spiritually dangerous kind of idolatry is idolatry of the heart.” (Paul David Tripp). An idol of the heart is anything we let rule our hearts instead of God, especially ourselves.

British pastor Pete Greig writes, “Main Character Syndrome (MCS) has become a popular trope on social media, describing the tendency to project myself as the most important person in any encounter and perceive myself as the central character in the movie of my life. I acknowledge how often I talk without really listening, how subtly I try to control my own environment, and how secretly I prioritise my own personal feelings and preferences as more important than those of other people.”

Jesus understood we would all face the temptation to be on center stage, so he gave the disciples a great life lesson that applies to us. “He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.” (Mark 9:36-37). What could be a better example than a child who was powerless, with no authority, and yet fills every home with life and energy?

There is nothing wrong with being on center stage if it focuses on God first, which will then naturally include all others. “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” Philippians 2:3-4 NIV)

God is great!

 

 

The Intersection of Brokenness and Hope

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Photo by Thanh Thương Fycam

How long, LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me? Look on me and answer, LORD my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death, and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,” and my foes will rejoice when I fall. But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing the LORD’s praise, for he has been good to me. Psalm 13 NIV

Every major city has one. Every rural area has one. There are 15.8 million of them in the continental United States, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety report. What is that one? It is an intersection that can turn into a nightmare at a minute’s notice. There is one intersection that we want to avoid at all costs, even though we know that there are no viable options. We may live in a rural area and think we are safe; unfortunately, though the rural area represents 18% of the population, it accounts for 36% of the deadliest intersections. (Fang Law Firm)

If you have lived, been to, or visited Peachtree City, Georgia, you know that one intersection is 54/74; many of us have spent a thoughtful moment or two sitting there waiting to get through it! I assumed it would be number one on the list when I started writing this blog. However, it doesn’t even rank in the top tier of worst intersections. You know why? It’s not really that bad after all, since I have only had to sit for maybe a maximum of 15 minutes. What made it the worst? It’s the one I go through frequently.

You have your own intersections, maybe not in traffic, but in life. The intersection of brokenness and hope impacts every one of us in life, often every day. Since my last week’s blog post, a prominent activist voice was silenced by an assassin’s bullet, a young Ukrainian refugee was brutally stabbed on her way home from her Charlotte job, and a 16-year-old student carried a revolver and ammunition into the Evergreen High School and randomly started shooting students.

Charlie Kirk, Iryna Zarutska, and two high school students’ paths converged at the intersection of brokenness and hope. The junction of brokenness is devastating and almost impossible to get through. If we only followed the news stories, we would think that brokenness and devastation were the only intersecting roads. When Charlie Kirk was asked in an interview, “How do you want to be remembered?” Kirk answered, “I want to be remembered for courage for my faith, that would be the most important thing. The most important thing is my faith in my life.”

The intersection of devastation seemed to be the only road, yet during this same timeframe of devastation, I couldn’t miss the incoming flow of hope at the same intersection. We have a good friend who was able to ring the bell at the City of Hope Cancer Center. Around the world, there were thousands of people gathered in over 1,700 Prayer Rooms as part of the Global Week of Prayer to pray for the nations, communities, and leaders. I found hope even in the small joys of life, such as my grandkids going to the zoo.

I don’t mind coming to the intersection when I am driving on Hope, but brokenness is not where I want to be. Yet it is often at that intersection that I have come to understand more fully God’s love for me. Oswald Chambers said it well, “God takes you through a way that you temporarily do not understand. And it is only by going through the spiritual confusion that you will come to the understanding of what God wants for you.”

Peter in his opening remarks to the church in exile wrote, “To God’s elect, exiles scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance.” (I Peter 1:1-2 NIV)

Izwe Nkosi commented on this passage about the contradiction of exile and elect in a recent Lectio podcast. Nkosi said, “I notice the contradiction in the lives of the community Peter is addressing—they are ‘elect’, but also ‘exiles”. Chosen by God, but living fragile, displaced lives. Being chosen by God doesn’t mean my life will be easy, or that everything will feel blessed and wonderful all the time. But this place of contradiction—living between the promise and the sometimes tough reality of life—is precisely the place where the Triune God is forming me so that, wherever I am, I will still know “grace and peace…in abundance.”

Life happens!  All of us will find ourselves at some intersection of brokenness and hope at some point. What will you do when you enter that intersection? Our life of faith may find us struggling for answers. It is easy to doubt the goodness of God when we find ourselves on the road of devastation; however, at that intersection is where we will discover God most present.

Out of the darkest valley, David was able to write, “Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” (Psalm 23:6)

God, would you remind me moment by moment today, however I am feeling about myself or my life situation, that I am known and loved by You, and that right now, I am in the process of being formed and transformed by the Trinity, working in action together.

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13 NIV)

God is great!

 

 

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!

God’s Unchangeableness

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Photo by AS Photography

God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill? Numbers 23:19

Morning rush hour in Atlanta is often dangerous and chaotic, but can you imagine if there were no consistency in traffic rules?  At least when you come up to an intersection, you know to stop on red, go on green, and speed up on yellow (partially kidding).  Traffic signs provide a measure of safety since they are based on consistent rules and regulations that never change. You may have a different thought on how fast you should go, but you follow the signs that tell you what you can and can’t do, what speed to drive, and which way to go.

Life is filled with moments when we never quite know how a person will react to us. Maybe the one exception is going through the Chick-fil-A drive-through, and you always hear “My Pleasure.” We are not always guaranteed outcomes in life, as illustrated by the story of six-year-old Brandon. He had great intentions, but things went from bad to worse.

Little Brandon decided one Saturday morning to surprise his mom and dad by fixing pancakes before they woke up. He found a big bowl and spoon, pulled a chair to the counter, opened the cabinet, and pulled out the heavy flour canister, spilling it on the floor. He scooped some of the flour into the bowl with his hands, mixed in most of the other ingredients, all the while leaving a floury trail on the kitchen floor.

Brandon was covered with flour and getting frustrated; he only wanted to surprise his mom and dad. He didn’t know what to do next, whether to put it all into the oven or on the stove, but he didn’t know how the stove worked! Suddenly, he saw his kitten licking from the bowl and reached to push her away, knocking the egg carton to the floor. Frantically, he tried to clean up this growing mess, but slipped on the eggs, getting his pajamas white and sticky.

Just then, he saw his dad standing at the door. Big crocodile tears welled up in Brandon’s eyes. His valiant efforts to do something special had turned into a terrible mess. He was sure a scolding was coming, maybe even a spanking. Through teary eyes, Brandon watched his dad walking through the mess, who gently picked up his crying son, hugged him, and reassured him that it was ok, even getting his own pajamas white and sticky in the process. (adapted illustration from unknown source)

Does that father sound like someone you know? God walks into our failed attempts to do something good, looks over the mess we made, and pulls us into His caring arms and holds us close to Himself. No scolding, just caring. No rejection, just acceptance. No ridicule, just love. Most of us are somewhere between finishing up one mess and starting on another.

Brandon’s dad extending grace that morning makes it a nice, feel-good story. But what if Brandon’s dad has a horrible week at the office and isn’t in the mood for messes? Or maybe Brandon’s dad had already told him not to be in the kitchen without one of them, but Brandon decided to disobey him? Unfortunately, we have all been in situations where the outcome was totally unpredictable. Brandon’s dad is human, and all of us humans react differently in different circumstances depending upon our emotions, situation, or perspective at any given point in time.

Thankfully, the same can’t be said about God. “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” (James 1:17 NIV)

How God responds isn’t dependent upon how He feels, His mood for the day, or the current fad of the day. His reaction is based upon His unchanging character, purpose, truth, and promises. When we blow it, God sees and responds not on how He feels but upon his unchangeableness. The external circumstances don’t impact His nature, which gives us a firm foundation for our lives. God’s unchangeableness is captured in a rich, powerful theological term: immutability. This is not a word we use very often, but we can be thankful for God’s immutability. If God changed with the wind, then what kind of god would he be?

“The immutability of God is grounds and encouragement for worship, “wrote Puritan writer and pastor Stephen Charnock in the 16th century. “What encouragement could there be to lift up our eyes to one that is of one mind today, and of another mind tomorrow? What comfort would it be to pray to a god that, like the chameleon, changed colour every day, every moment?” Charnock went on to write, “God’s immutability is the greatest encouragement to prayer. Prayer is an acknowledgment of our dependence upon God. Our dependence could have no firm foundation without God’s unchangeableness.”

You may not discuss immutability very often with your friends at Waffle House unless you want to impress them with big words! What will come up in the conversation will be the crisis you are facing and how much you are depending upon God to help you, or problems your children are facing and how you trust God to help them deal with the problem. How thankful I am that God listens to our problems. “You can’t base your understanding of God and what he is doing on your own interpretation of your circumstances. No, it’s your knowledge of who God is and what He does that allows you to understand your circumstances properly.” (Paul David Tripp)

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Hebrews 13:8; The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever. Isaiah 40:8”

When you find yourself at the intersection of disaster and hopelessness, it is reassuring to know that God is already there for you and will gladly take over, even if you made the wrong turn to get there.

 

God is great!

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God, the Master Rebuilder

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

God is great!

 

 

Community, The Inner-Journey

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Together, making an impact outwardly and inwardly!

God is great!

 

 

 

In God, Our Solid Ground

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

God is great!

Living Free in Freedom

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

God is great!

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