Glimmers at first. Now - a remnant.
Faithful but inward. Hospitable. Build there?
Old stones on this side of the tracks.
The roots of a heart on the other.
Homemade quilts in the backyard of a stranger.
Cookies. Koolaid. Safety. Concern.
Exhaust through the cornfields leads from emptiness
To mint chocolate chip
And craft paint.
The dwindling.
A restart? A regenesis? A death? A rebirth?
The bridge crosses the tracks & beckons me home.
Will I walk it? Will I go? Can I make it that far?
Monday, May 12, 2008
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Character Puzzle
Piercing through the thick unknowing
Shrouded droplets cling with roots
To darkly tinted glass
Surely unsure of the weight of the keystone
Heavy or light? Needed at all?
Unable to commit to the one or the other
Unwilling to choose from the this or the that
Unstable fence-rider!
Splinters & splits
The privilege - not robbery
Equality. Identity.
The crux, a crutch, revolving portals
Breaking through the utmost finish
Entrance there through force-field doors
Many rivers flow and merge
Only to plunge from the downpour cliff
In a fiery crash of mist & whitewater
Whittling away at the rock of offense
Shrouded droplets cling with roots
To darkly tinted glass
Surely unsure of the weight of the keystone
Heavy or light? Needed at all?
Unable to commit to the one or the other
Unwilling to choose from the this or the that
Unstable fence-rider!
Splinters & splits
The privilege - not robbery
Equality. Identity.
The crux, a crutch, revolving portals
Breaking through the utmost finish
Entrance there through force-field doors
Many rivers flow and merge
Only to plunge from the downpour cliff
In a fiery crash of mist & whitewater
Whittling away at the rock of offense
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
The Tallest of 4
Her toothbrush is the tallest of four
Worn out, frazzled & leaning to one side
Quietly
Inside the cheap plastic cup
Worn out, frazzled & leaning to one side
Quietly
Inside the cheap plastic cup
And her life is so hard
With the bills, mismatched pajamas, tantrums
Scary nights
It's a struggle, it's a fight
But at least she struggles & fights
Her bed is the warmest in the house
Not quite as wide as it needs to be
For 40 toes, 8 knobby knees, 4 resting heads
A couple of snores
Not quite as wide as it needs to be
For 40 toes, 8 knobby knees, 4 resting heads
A couple of snores
That stupid van never runs like it should
A knock, a jolt, a belt
A whatsamathingy
But the road never stretches too far too fast
(How far could she get
If she slammed the pedal down hard
Bald tires screeching
And never looked back?)
But, her toothbrush is the tallest of 4
And her bed is the warmest in the house
And even though it's a struggle, it's a fight
Worth fighting
The quiet breath of sleeping angels
Is her favorite sound in all the world
So they brush their teeth, crowd in together
And dream pretty dreams
Is her favorite sound in all the world
So they brush their teeth, crowd in together
And dream pretty dreams
Original Write Date = 20071230
For a friend...
For a friend...
Ekklesia [a prophecy]
The jet black vultures hover & circle, darkening the sky
Descending on the perfect brick building - clean and polished - steeple aimed high
The spire jutting upward - piercing - the clouds with its whitewashed paint
Yet unseen beneath the fatal wounds, an underground spring flows to new places
Original Write Date = 20071223
Descending on the perfect brick building - clean and polished - steeple aimed high
The spire jutting upward - piercing - the clouds with its whitewashed paint
Yet unseen beneath the fatal wounds, an underground spring flows to new places
Original Write Date = 20071223
Holy Discontent
Monotone ringing out
Heavy sighs of unsure groaning
Escaping from a numb-like breathing
Only wanting evermore
Good stuff? Yes
But what of better?
Greater still
What of the best?
Burning discontent with simple mediocre
Aching drive inside to thrust for the upper rung
Golden ring in shiny splendor
Shining forth with Spirit life!
Ever reaching, grasping, stretching
Out a hand that longs for light
Perfectly content with going one
Step further, one inch more
Original Write Date = 20071104
Heavy sighs of unsure groaning
Escaping from a numb-like breathing
Only wanting evermore
Good stuff? Yes
But what of better?
Greater still
What of the best?
Burning discontent with simple mediocre
Aching drive inside to thrust for the upper rung
Golden ring in shiny splendor
Shining forth with Spirit life!
Ever reaching, grasping, stretching
Out a hand that longs for light
Perfectly content with going one
Step further, one inch more
Original Write Date = 20071104
A Sure-Coming Summer
As I awoke this morning, I found myself thinking about seasons & how they gently meld into one another. God could have kept us in a constant state of summer & we would never have known that other possibilities were even out there. But, He has chosen to give us seasons. And we are only aware that there could even be such things - because He reveals that truth.
I can imagine the seasons working in reverse: spring flowers closing, shrinking & the new sprigs sucking back into the ground. Water seeping up through the soil, forming a layer of white that separates and then floats upward in tiny flakes. The crisp, fallen leaves taking flight back into the warming air, reattaching themselves to their limbs and changing into a uniform green.
But, when God wants to make things new He doesn't take dead leaves & reattach them - He lets them decay. Trees go bare for a time. But, sure enough, He creates fresh, new, vibrant leaves to replace the dry, lifeless ones.
I can't quite draw all these thoughts together but there is a connection here somewhere with putting new wine in old wineskins. My faith is intertwined somewhere in here too. I am not willing to live a life that is a constant attempt at reattaching old, dead leaves to a tree that wants to fall asleep...
Even if it means the ice of winter - the cold of a temporary death - I want that newness of spring. I will shiver for a time - if that's what it takes - to see the bud shoot forth. I just want to find that new wineskin & discover what it should hold. For I know that in so doing, I will reach that promise of a sure-coming summer.
Original Write Date = 20071009
I can imagine the seasons working in reverse: spring flowers closing, shrinking & the new sprigs sucking back into the ground. Water seeping up through the soil, forming a layer of white that separates and then floats upward in tiny flakes. The crisp, fallen leaves taking flight back into the warming air, reattaching themselves to their limbs and changing into a uniform green.
But, when God wants to make things new He doesn't take dead leaves & reattach them - He lets them decay. Trees go bare for a time. But, sure enough, He creates fresh, new, vibrant leaves to replace the dry, lifeless ones.
I can't quite draw all these thoughts together but there is a connection here somewhere with putting new wine in old wineskins. My faith is intertwined somewhere in here too. I am not willing to live a life that is a constant attempt at reattaching old, dead leaves to a tree that wants to fall asleep...
Even if it means the ice of winter - the cold of a temporary death - I want that newness of spring. I will shiver for a time - if that's what it takes - to see the bud shoot forth. I just want to find that new wineskin & discover what it should hold. For I know that in so doing, I will reach that promise of a sure-coming summer.
Original Write Date = 20071009
Healing Flash
The darkened depths that dip within
to both the hard & softened parts
So deep beneath the thickened skin
where sovereign light has never gone.
Oh so deep. Ever deep.
They stretch out wide with rubber arms
to wrap around & help them hide
Those secret & clandestine charms
who duck & dart to not be found
In the caves. Darkest caves.
Hidden chambers, trapdoor hatches
Open. Close. Fold in. Swing wide.
While locking all the hooks & latches
to block out help that waits nearby
With a smile. Peaceful smile.
But light! It bends. It splits. It curves.
to maze its way around the stops
To shine, to glow, to grow, to surge
and cause the crouching rogues to squint
Oh so bright. Painful bright!
Thrust upon them - burning stars
blaze the darkness, flood the night
Mushroom clouds & halo bombs
refract, reflect, revamp their lives
In a flash. Healing flash.
Original Write Date = 20070925
to both the hard & softened parts
So deep beneath the thickened skin
where sovereign light has never gone.
Oh so deep. Ever deep.
They stretch out wide with rubber arms
to wrap around & help them hide
Those secret & clandestine charms
who duck & dart to not be found
In the caves. Darkest caves.
Hidden chambers, trapdoor hatches
Open. Close. Fold in. Swing wide.
While locking all the hooks & latches
to block out help that waits nearby
With a smile. Peaceful smile.
But light! It bends. It splits. It curves.
to maze its way around the stops
To shine, to glow, to grow, to surge
and cause the crouching rogues to squint
Oh so bright. Painful bright!
Thrust upon them - burning stars
blaze the darkness, flood the night
Mushroom clouds & halo bombs
refract, reflect, revamp their lives
In a flash. Healing flash.
Original Write Date = 20070925
Friday, April 18, 2008
E a R t H q U a K e
So... my family woke up this morning around 4:40 am to a quivering floor. Is it a storm? A train? Did an oil pipeline blow up? Is Jesus coming back....
Southern IL was hit by a 5.2 magnitude earthquake this morning. We're about 1.5 hours from the epicenter. They felt the quake all the way up in Chicago - 5+ hours away from the origin... So, yeah, we felt it alright!
It was kinda eeire, kinda surreal. Just a rhythymic rocking, shaking. And it was so quiet... When I looked outside to see if it was a train - I saw a dark orange moon above the trees. A load of scriptures came rushing at me all at once..."earthquakes in many places.." "the moon will be turned into blood" "...like a thief in the night..."
Had I missed out on one of the most important events of a believer's life?
The kids woke up a little spooked. We had them climb in bed with us. As parents, we certainly couldn't stop the earth from shaking beneath them, but we felt better having them close to us. We prayed, talked for a little bit, then they voluntarily went back to their own rooms. We were a little sad to see them go...
There's still this haunting feeling about the whole thing. The experience is still hovering at the forefront of my thoughts. Everyone is buzzing about it - sharing their own experience. It made me question my beliefs - check myself to make sure I'm right with God. What if Christ had really returned at that moment? What if it was more than just an earthquake? What if it had been an 8.0 on the Second Coming scale?
And, I believe I'm alright. Even though some questions are still lingering... So, I'm climbing in bed with my Daddy so He can keep me safe until the trembling stops...
Southern IL was hit by a 5.2 magnitude earthquake this morning. We're about 1.5 hours from the epicenter. They felt the quake all the way up in Chicago - 5+ hours away from the origin... So, yeah, we felt it alright!
It was kinda eeire, kinda surreal. Just a rhythymic rocking, shaking. And it was so quiet... When I looked outside to see if it was a train - I saw a dark orange moon above the trees. A load of scriptures came rushing at me all at once..."earthquakes in many places.." "the moon will be turned into blood" "...like a thief in the night..."
Had I missed out on one of the most important events of a believer's life?
The kids woke up a little spooked. We had them climb in bed with us. As parents, we certainly couldn't stop the earth from shaking beneath them, but we felt better having them close to us. We prayed, talked for a little bit, then they voluntarily went back to their own rooms. We were a little sad to see them go...
There's still this haunting feeling about the whole thing. The experience is still hovering at the forefront of my thoughts. Everyone is buzzing about it - sharing their own experience. It made me question my beliefs - check myself to make sure I'm right with God. What if Christ had really returned at that moment? What if it was more than just an earthquake? What if it had been an 8.0 on the Second Coming scale?
And, I believe I'm alright. Even though some questions are still lingering... So, I'm climbing in bed with my Daddy so He can keep me safe until the trembling stops...
Monday, February 11, 2008
As God Wants It
I found this quote from some guy named Wolfgang Simson.
Don't know who he is & don't know what he's all about.
But... I have, indeed, been hearing God say the same thing for quite a while now.
"God is changing the church, and that, in turn, will change the world.
Millions of Christians around the world are aware of an imminent reformation of global proportions. They are saying in effect,
'Church as we know it is preventing church as God wants it.'
Amazingly, many are hearing God say the same thing to them."
Makes me want to cry, work, run, pray, bail, jump, do, be!
Don't know who he is & don't know what he's all about.
But... I have, indeed, been hearing God say the same thing for quite a while now.
"God is changing the church, and that, in turn, will change the world.
Millions of Christians around the world are aware of an imminent reformation of global proportions. They are saying in effect,
'Church as we know it is preventing church as God wants it.'
Amazingly, many are hearing God say the same thing to them."
Makes me want to cry, work, run, pray, bail, jump, do, be!
Raise That Torch!
The glowing blue lights bobbed & swayed in the air - their rhythmic weaving reminiscent of fireflies dancing or a school of luminescent fish swimming in unison. But the periwinkle light was not coming from insects or underwater creatures. The soft blue glow was that of thousands of cell phones brightening the air.
‘Back in the day’ I attended concerts where the crowd lit & held their archetypal lighters in the air. Man did your thumb get hot pretty quickly! That was many years and a lot of technological advances ago. Since cell phones have become more prevalent than smokers, they have replaced the lighter as the unofficial concert torch.
As we worshipped & celebrated at an evangelism conference this past weekend, thousands of students (& chaperones) held up these digital torches. It might take some convincing if you’ve never seen it, but this display was actually quite beautiful. The crowd of over 9,000 was somehow unified by the constellation of lights scattered across the stadium. As the musicians used their gifts to enhance our worship, there was a connection of the worshippers with one another. We experienced that tangible thrill that comes when many individuals bond together for a common purpose, a common goal, a common task, a common mission. In that moment, our focus was on celebrating the love, joy & hope found in our saving God.
It’s easy to keep the torch in our pocket – refuse to hold it up. We can use our cell phones for their intended, functional purpose and never be part of something different & alive & beautiful. Who first decided to hold up his glowing cell phone in the context of a concert? Did others laugh, point, pull out their own digital lights? Innovation can be beautiful – especially if it leads to advancement or a deeper sense of organizational unity. In fact, without breaking into new frontiers & creating new uses for old things, progress cannot be made. The best way to propel the gospel forward is to pray for invigorating new methods, concepts & contexts in which to share it. And then, we must implement the guidance the Lord provides.
When is the last time you found a new use for an existing object – or giftedness – or strength – or idea that you possess? When is the last time you raised your torch in unison with others for a God-sized purpose? What exciting ministry, outreach, worship, discipleship, fellowship concept has been lying dormant within you – just waiting to be flipped open and held high for all to see? Would you discover it? Share it? Incite thrill in those around you with it? It’s time to raise that torch.
‘Back in the day’ I attended concerts where the crowd lit & held their archetypal lighters in the air. Man did your thumb get hot pretty quickly! That was many years and a lot of technological advances ago. Since cell phones have become more prevalent than smokers, they have replaced the lighter as the unofficial concert torch.
As we worshipped & celebrated at an evangelism conference this past weekend, thousands of students (& chaperones) held up these digital torches. It might take some convincing if you’ve never seen it, but this display was actually quite beautiful. The crowd of over 9,000 was somehow unified by the constellation of lights scattered across the stadium. As the musicians used their gifts to enhance our worship, there was a connection of the worshippers with one another. We experienced that tangible thrill that comes when many individuals bond together for a common purpose, a common goal, a common task, a common mission. In that moment, our focus was on celebrating the love, joy & hope found in our saving God.
It’s easy to keep the torch in our pocket – refuse to hold it up. We can use our cell phones for their intended, functional purpose and never be part of something different & alive & beautiful. Who first decided to hold up his glowing cell phone in the context of a concert? Did others laugh, point, pull out their own digital lights? Innovation can be beautiful – especially if it leads to advancement or a deeper sense of organizational unity. In fact, without breaking into new frontiers & creating new uses for old things, progress cannot be made. The best way to propel the gospel forward is to pray for invigorating new methods, concepts & contexts in which to share it. And then, we must implement the guidance the Lord provides.
When is the last time you found a new use for an existing object – or giftedness – or strength – or idea that you possess? When is the last time you raised your torch in unison with others for a God-sized purpose? What exciting ministry, outreach, worship, discipleship, fellowship concept has been lying dormant within you – just waiting to be flipped open and held high for all to see? Would you discover it? Share it? Incite thrill in those around you with it? It’s time to raise that torch.
What Tribe Are You From?
“Can you help us? Our success rate is only 65%. How do we get more people to receive Jesus when we share the gospel?” This was the question that a native Kenyan posed to a short-term American missionary. This local evangelist was deeply disturbed because only 2 out 3 of the people he witnessed to accepted Christ. How would we, in America, feel about such a ‘low’ percentage?
Some of us may be blessed with a 100% success rate. You see, if we never share the gospel, then there is never the opportunity for failure. So, in essence, not sharing is probably the only way to keep a perfect record! But, I have a really tough time believing that God is pleased with that type of ‘success’. I’m sure He’d much rather us have a 100% obedience rate in sharing the story of the love of Jesus with everyone we come in contact with.
I asked this short-term missionary, Eric, to share how exactly the natives of Kenya shared the gospel with their fellow countrymen. “I don’t really know. Even though they spoke English most of the time, they used each individual’s tribal language when sharing the gospel.” How beautiful.
I see in this answer a great truth that we in the West need to learn. Regardless of how you slice it – America is no longer a ‘Christian nation.’ Sure, there are still plenty of Christians in it. There are thousands upon thousands of church buildings. But what about our heart? Our worldview? Our priorities? Our values? Our overall attitude to the exclusive claims of Christ? Whether we like it or not, many researchers tell us that we are actually in a ‘Post-Christendom’ America where churches no longer hold their once-prominent, central place in society.
If this is true, then believers have to reevaluate how we minister to the culture around us. One thing we can learn from the Kenyans is that we must speak to each soul in his or her own tribal language. Do we present the gospel to a 21 year-old the same way we present it to a 55 year-old not-yet-believer? Is there a different dialect that we must employ to engage each tribe? Is it OK to share the eternal truths of God’s Word in different ways based on a person’s background, age, lifestyle, needs, media exposure, communication methods, interests, etc?
It better be.
If we are not willing to engage people with a language they understand, we might as well shoot for the 100% success rate that comes from not even trying. But, once again, I have a tough time believing that’s what God expects from us.
Some of us may be blessed with a 100% success rate. You see, if we never share the gospel, then there is never the opportunity for failure. So, in essence, not sharing is probably the only way to keep a perfect record! But, I have a really tough time believing that God is pleased with that type of ‘success’. I’m sure He’d much rather us have a 100% obedience rate in sharing the story of the love of Jesus with everyone we come in contact with.
I asked this short-term missionary, Eric, to share how exactly the natives of Kenya shared the gospel with their fellow countrymen. “I don’t really know. Even though they spoke English most of the time, they used each individual’s tribal language when sharing the gospel.” How beautiful.
I see in this answer a great truth that we in the West need to learn. Regardless of how you slice it – America is no longer a ‘Christian nation.’ Sure, there are still plenty of Christians in it. There are thousands upon thousands of church buildings. But what about our heart? Our worldview? Our priorities? Our values? Our overall attitude to the exclusive claims of Christ? Whether we like it or not, many researchers tell us that we are actually in a ‘Post-Christendom’ America where churches no longer hold their once-prominent, central place in society.
If this is true, then believers have to reevaluate how we minister to the culture around us. One thing we can learn from the Kenyans is that we must speak to each soul in his or her own tribal language. Do we present the gospel to a 21 year-old the same way we present it to a 55 year-old not-yet-believer? Is there a different dialect that we must employ to engage each tribe? Is it OK to share the eternal truths of God’s Word in different ways based on a person’s background, age, lifestyle, needs, media exposure, communication methods, interests, etc?
It better be.
If we are not willing to engage people with a language they understand, we might as well shoot for the 100% success rate that comes from not even trying. But, once again, I have a tough time believing that’s what God expects from us.
Monday, January 14, 2008
Is It Just Me?
I read over our ‘Church Covenant’ again today. It hangs in the hallway right where the old & new sections of our building come together. It hangs there – where the new – and the old – come together. The glass covering the Covenant is cracked. Someone has made an attempt to doctor it and smoothen the sharp edges with a few strips of scotch tape. There are a lot of challenging concepts to chew on in those inch-high letters.
“…we…most solemnly & joyfully enter into covenant with one another as one body in Christ.”
Is it just me? Or does it seem like we’ve got the solemn part down but neglect the joyful part at times? When I step into the life of Jesus, I see a big, welcoming smile on his face. I smell life. I taste joy. I feel love. I hear laughter seamlessly woven into his words of infinite truth. Joyfully.
“…to avoid all tattling, backbiting and excessive anger…”
Is it just me? Or does it seem like we, far too easily, stumble into dry seasons where we forget this commitment? All it takes is one sharp tongue, one quick word, one tired moment, one untethered opinion and an inferno is unleashed in the forest. (See James 3:5) Living water can put it out.
“…to be zealous in our efforts to advance the kingdom of our Saviour…”
Zealous. Is it just me? Or does that word have power behind it? Zealous. Say it out loud. It sounds strong, immediate, sure, unstoppable. Zealous.
“…to be slow to take offense, but always ready for reconciliation & mindful of the rules of our Savior to secure it without delay…”
Is it just me? Or is there great wisdom in rinsing the dishes as soon as you get done eating? Otherwise, the food gets dried & caked on and it takes a whole lot more scraping & scrubbing to get them clean again.
“We further engage to watch over one another in brotherly love…”
Is it just me? Or does it seem like the spirit of this line is to take care of one another? It seems that our ‘watching’ should take place more in the role of a caregiver or a close, loving friend than in the role of a babysitter or a guarddog. And it ought to be done in brotherly love. Love.
There are some good biblical precepts behind that broken glass in the hallway. Those words give a strong sense of the reason that we exist as a body. I can see the wisdom in most of what is recorded there in the hallway - where the old – the new - come together. I hear echoes of Jesus’ all-knowing voice. Does anyone else hear it? Or is it just me?
“…we…most solemnly & joyfully enter into covenant with one another as one body in Christ.”
Is it just me? Or does it seem like we’ve got the solemn part down but neglect the joyful part at times? When I step into the life of Jesus, I see a big, welcoming smile on his face. I smell life. I taste joy. I feel love. I hear laughter seamlessly woven into his words of infinite truth. Joyfully.
“…to avoid all tattling, backbiting and excessive anger…”
Is it just me? Or does it seem like we, far too easily, stumble into dry seasons where we forget this commitment? All it takes is one sharp tongue, one quick word, one tired moment, one untethered opinion and an inferno is unleashed in the forest. (See James 3:5) Living water can put it out.
“…to be zealous in our efforts to advance the kingdom of our Saviour…”
Zealous. Is it just me? Or does that word have power behind it? Zealous. Say it out loud. It sounds strong, immediate, sure, unstoppable. Zealous.
“…to be slow to take offense, but always ready for reconciliation & mindful of the rules of our Savior to secure it without delay…”
Is it just me? Or is there great wisdom in rinsing the dishes as soon as you get done eating? Otherwise, the food gets dried & caked on and it takes a whole lot more scraping & scrubbing to get them clean again.
“We further engage to watch over one another in brotherly love…”
Is it just me? Or does it seem like the spirit of this line is to take care of one another? It seems that our ‘watching’ should take place more in the role of a caregiver or a close, loving friend than in the role of a babysitter or a guarddog. And it ought to be done in brotherly love. Love.
There are some good biblical precepts behind that broken glass in the hallway. Those words give a strong sense of the reason that we exist as a body. I can see the wisdom in most of what is recorded there in the hallway - where the old – the new - come together. I hear echoes of Jesus’ all-knowing voice. Does anyone else hear it? Or is it just me?
Monday, December 31, 2007
Bleeding Into Society
The darkness is real. It is still lingering all around you.
Rip the match over that little sandpaper strip and ignite the little stick to life! Flick your thumb in that short quick motion and turn on the flashlight. Melt the wax off the tip of the wick and give your candle the flame it is hungering for. Flip the switch. What good is having a light source & not shredding back the darkness with it? What’s the point of placing 100 lights in one room while the rest of the house remains shrouded in darkness?
Listen believers! Light your torches & plunge into the thickening darkness. Ease into the black corners, the lowly out-of-the-way places. Head underground if you have to. Take the back alleys. Find a patch of the prolific darkness all around you. Then set it ablaze with the light of the good news that God misses those who are far from Him. He wants them back in his sunlit arms.
What good is the salt in the shaker? Shake it out! Fall onto some tasteless meat. Sprinkle yourself into the cracks & crevices of your own personal mission field. You know the one. You call it ‘My Life’. Season the unique culture, relationships, acquaintances, locales & interests you find yourself blessed with. Salt isn’t for church. It’s for the world.
Is God surprised by the people you work alongside, live near, sit next to, play with? Is it by accident that you live where you live, work where you work, sit where you sit in class & play where you play? Are you salting these people & places?
What about a new metaphor? The phrase ‘bleeding into society’ is ringing true in my spirit. It makes me think of the very real, very wet, very precious sacrifice that my Savior poured out for the world. It brings to mind the way a bit of dye soaks in and spreads into the very fiber of a cloth - in it, around it, through it. The cloth drinks in the dye - absorbs and receives it. But the dye must first come in contact with the cloth.
Are we doing all we can to make sure this color-changing grace seeps into the fabric of the lives all around us? As the body of Christ as a whole & as individuals in particular, are we bleeding into society? Or are we shrinking away from it – creating our own safe Christian version of it? The dye must touch the cloth.
“Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again?” Luke 14:34
“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.” Eph 5:8
Lord, what do you want me to do to make a dent in the lostness right where I live? Help me bleed into society, be salty salt, be shiny light. Show me how I can help you in redeeming this place for yourself.
Rip the match over that little sandpaper strip and ignite the little stick to life! Flick your thumb in that short quick motion and turn on the flashlight. Melt the wax off the tip of the wick and give your candle the flame it is hungering for. Flip the switch. What good is having a light source & not shredding back the darkness with it? What’s the point of placing 100 lights in one room while the rest of the house remains shrouded in darkness?
Listen believers! Light your torches & plunge into the thickening darkness. Ease into the black corners, the lowly out-of-the-way places. Head underground if you have to. Take the back alleys. Find a patch of the prolific darkness all around you. Then set it ablaze with the light of the good news that God misses those who are far from Him. He wants them back in his sunlit arms.
What good is the salt in the shaker? Shake it out! Fall onto some tasteless meat. Sprinkle yourself into the cracks & crevices of your own personal mission field. You know the one. You call it ‘My Life’. Season the unique culture, relationships, acquaintances, locales & interests you find yourself blessed with. Salt isn’t for church. It’s for the world.
Is God surprised by the people you work alongside, live near, sit next to, play with? Is it by accident that you live where you live, work where you work, sit where you sit in class & play where you play? Are you salting these people & places?
What about a new metaphor? The phrase ‘bleeding into society’ is ringing true in my spirit. It makes me think of the very real, very wet, very precious sacrifice that my Savior poured out for the world. It brings to mind the way a bit of dye soaks in and spreads into the very fiber of a cloth - in it, around it, through it. The cloth drinks in the dye - absorbs and receives it. But the dye must first come in contact with the cloth.
Are we doing all we can to make sure this color-changing grace seeps into the fabric of the lives all around us? As the body of Christ as a whole & as individuals in particular, are we bleeding into society? Or are we shrinking away from it – creating our own safe Christian version of it? The dye must touch the cloth.
“Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again?” Luke 14:34
“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.” Eph 5:8
Lord, what do you want me to do to make a dent in the lostness right where I live? Help me bleed into society, be salty salt, be shiny light. Show me how I can help you in redeeming this place for yourself.
Random Year-End Thoughts
Random Thought I:
The Lord has been moving in my heart & life these last couple weeks.
As the year comes to a close, there are a few swallowtail questions that keep circling my mind. Where are we heading as a church? Why do we even exist in the first place?
Are we fulfilling that purpose? Am I doing my part?
Random Thought II:
If I were asked to name our greatest need as believers, I believe my answer would be that we need to be utterly broken before God. Then, his strength could be made perfect in our weakness. It wouldn’t hurt for us to catch a vision - like an incurable disease – to genuinely love the lost around us with both our words and our actions. That’s what I’d say if I were asked…
Random Thought III:
I have made some mistakes this year. I guess Solomon was right - there’s nothing new under the sun. (smile) Thankfully, my Jesus has helped me stay faithful and a few things have ended with eternal significance. I can see many beautiful ripples on the sea of 2007. I expect to see their rings grow increasingly larger in the upcoming year.
Random Thought IV:
Patience is a good, hard, slow & painful thing.
Random Thought V:
Sometimes we confuse paralysis with patience.
Random Thought VI:
As believers, we are !!FREE!! in Christ.
Free to dance. Free to love. Free to sing.
Free to serve. Free to breath. Free to laugh.
Why do we sometimes choose to return to bondage?
The Lord has been moving in my heart & life these last couple weeks.
As the year comes to a close, there are a few swallowtail questions that keep circling my mind. Where are we heading as a church? Why do we even exist in the first place?
Are we fulfilling that purpose? Am I doing my part?
Random Thought II:
If I were asked to name our greatest need as believers, I believe my answer would be that we need to be utterly broken before God. Then, his strength could be made perfect in our weakness. It wouldn’t hurt for us to catch a vision - like an incurable disease – to genuinely love the lost around us with both our words and our actions. That’s what I’d say if I were asked…
Random Thought III:
I have made some mistakes this year. I guess Solomon was right - there’s nothing new under the sun. (smile) Thankfully, my Jesus has helped me stay faithful and a few things have ended with eternal significance. I can see many beautiful ripples on the sea of 2007. I expect to see their rings grow increasingly larger in the upcoming year.
Random Thought IV:
Patience is a good, hard, slow & painful thing.
Random Thought V:
Sometimes we confuse paralysis with patience.
Random Thought VI:
As believers, we are !!FREE!! in Christ.
Free to dance. Free to love. Free to sing.
Free to serve. Free to breath. Free to laugh.
Why do we sometimes choose to return to bondage?
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Where Did All the Genres Go?
I came across something unexpected at the new Wal-Mart in Marshall. The CD section in the store is not broken down into the separate genres of country, rap, rock, Christian & pop. Instead, it is arranged in simple alphabetical order by the artist's name. I'm sure this is a tremendous help to the employees who are stocking merchandise. As long as they know that "M" comes after "L" and then "N" comes after that, then they have it made.
We have a lot of categories that divide up those who squeeze onto the shelf of Christianity. There are little signs snapped into place that divide conservatives from liberals, evangelicals from mainliners, moderns from postmoderns. Further distinctions then subcategorize us by all kinds of topics from preferred musical style to eschatological outlook, baptism method to view on women in leadership, ecclesiology to spiritual gifts. Each local church and individual can peel and stick the labels they deem the most appropriate. There are an infinite number of designations within the broader Christian section.
Heaven is going to be like the CD section at the new Wal-Mart. No subcategories. There won't be an endless list of genres to neatly divide up and categorize followers of Jesus. We will all be one, in the presence of a holy God, worshipping for eternity. We will be there in a state of divine unison. No genres. Not even lined up from "A" to "Z". Just there in one accord, overwhelmed by the great truth that is the Alpha & the Omega, the beginning & the end.
"You need to know that I have other sheep in addition to those in this pen. I need to gather and bring them, too. They'll also recognize my voice. Then it will be one flock, one Shepherd." Jesus in John 10:16 (TMSG).
Christmas reminds me that each believer is part of a diverse, worldwide family of faith. We share a common Father & are bound together by a common bloodline that flows from our common Savior. Those who believe in Jesus' substitutionary death are members of that global family. Very soon, all of his true followers will be gathered together in one place with no unnecessary distinctions. Imagine Christ's entire body worshipping together in a community without categories. Christmas reminds us that God was born as a baby to make that dream a reality. While it may be harder to find a specific genre at the Marshall Wal-mart, we won't even think to look for any kind of label in Heaven.
We have a lot of categories that divide up those who squeeze onto the shelf of Christianity. There are little signs snapped into place that divide conservatives from liberals, evangelicals from mainliners, moderns from postmoderns. Further distinctions then subcategorize us by all kinds of topics from preferred musical style to eschatological outlook, baptism method to view on women in leadership, ecclesiology to spiritual gifts. Each local church and individual can peel and stick the labels they deem the most appropriate. There are an infinite number of designations within the broader Christian section.
Heaven is going to be like the CD section at the new Wal-Mart. No subcategories. There won't be an endless list of genres to neatly divide up and categorize followers of Jesus. We will all be one, in the presence of a holy God, worshipping for eternity. We will be there in a state of divine unison. No genres. Not even lined up from "A" to "Z". Just there in one accord, overwhelmed by the great truth that is the Alpha & the Omega, the beginning & the end.
"You need to know that I have other sheep in addition to those in this pen. I need to gather and bring them, too. They'll also recognize my voice. Then it will be one flock, one Shepherd." Jesus in John 10:16 (TMSG).
Christmas reminds me that each believer is part of a diverse, worldwide family of faith. We share a common Father & are bound together by a common bloodline that flows from our common Savior. Those who believe in Jesus' substitutionary death are members of that global family. Very soon, all of his true followers will be gathered together in one place with no unnecessary distinctions. Imagine Christ's entire body worshipping together in a community without categories. Christmas reminds us that God was born as a baby to make that dream a reality. While it may be harder to find a specific genre at the Marshall Wal-mart, we won't even think to look for any kind of label in Heaven.
Monday, November 19, 2007
Commercial Christmas
You had better hurry! Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. If you want to get a jump on things, you should go ahead and start decorating with hearts & doilies today! I know you’re still munching on Thanksgiving turkey and the Christmas tree just got plugged in for the first time. But, apparently that’s perfectly OK. Now is the time to start thinking ahead and begin buying roses, cards & candy for February.It seems that every year the marketing starts flying at us earlier & earlier. Nowadays, you can begin stocking up on glitzy ornaments and overpriced wrapping paper in late September at some stores. If you’re a shopoholic or just like maxing out credit cards, then Commercial Christmas has your name written all over it!
Many battles have been fought over the last couple of years about calling this time of the year the ‘Holiday Season’ instead of ‘Christmas’. The reason: to make room for other faiths & winter celebrations and to keep from offending some with the name of Christ. But I wonder, if people are really not going to keep Christ in ‘Christmas’ in the truest sense, would it actually be better to just call it the ‘Holidays’? After all, if this time of the year has been boiled down to songs about Santa, slick marketing ads, flashing outdoor lights and enticing buy-one-get-one-free-sales, would Jesus really want his name associated with it?
We’ll soon begin hearing people talk about ‘the true reason for the season’. You mean it’s not about checking off items from my consumer wishlist as family, friends & coworkers spend more money than they have on things I don’t really need? Hmmmm…. Then what IS the season all about?
It’s about a baby.
But, not just any baby – the God baby. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. Deity submitting Himself to wear skin for awhile. Royalty choosing to experience our poverty. Light piercing the darkness. Perfection willingly immersing himself in the stench and decay of a sin-tainted world. Glory veiling itself. Holiness dwelling among filth. The Author of creation wrapped in swaddling clothes, GOD asleep in a manger.
It’s about grace.
It’s about love. It’s about our need. It’s about the Savior invading our world. It’s about Christ. And it doesn’t matter what it’s called if followers of Jesus will set apart God in our hearts this season.
“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear” I Peter 3:15.
Will you keep ‘Christ’ in your Christmas?
Monday, November 5, 2007
A Lesson From Spanky
As a child, I watched “The Little Rascals” as reruns on TV. I can only remember a few scenes from all the episodes I saw. And even the ones I can recall are fuzzy in my memory. I do vaguely remember that in one of the episodes, Spanky was babysitting. And either because the baby was crying or just because he wanted to be free from the responsibility, Spanky spread tar on the baby’s diaper. Then, he stuck the baby inside a kitchen cabinet and closed the door! The baby was stuck in there. And, of course, he kept crying.
I bring this up for a couple of reasons.
(1) While working with a group of teens this past week, it came out that none of the teenagers knew there used to be a show called “The Little Rascals”. They thought the 1994 movie version was a new creation that stood on its own. They were totally unaware of the show that began as “Our Gang” back in 1922.
(2) As believers, leaders, guardians, parents & teachers – we can’t just stuff crying babies under the sink! It is up to us to make sure this generation and the ones coming up after it do not forget the GREAT STORY OF GOD. The evidence is crying out all around us. People are more and more forgetting God and His ways. The memories are becoming fuzzy – like my unsure recollection of an old TV episode.
Our world, our nation, our town is seeing a new generation that doesn’t know [or realize they don't know] the rich history of the Christian faith. They feel like it’s just some independent thing that exists apart from anything relevant to their lives. Instead of a newer movie with roots going back to a much-loved series, they see Christianity as an old black and white film that has no bearing on the lives they’re living today. That’s where we come in…
“…I will teach you hidden lessons from our past- stories we have heard and know, stories our ancestors handed down to us. We will not hide these truths from our children but will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the Lord. We will tell of his power and the mighty miracles he did.” Psalm 78:2-4
“…I will teach you hidden lessons from our past- stories we have heard and know, stories our ancestors handed down to us. We will not hide these truths from our children but will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the Lord. We will tell of his power and the mighty miracles he did.” Psalm 78:2-4
Our children are crying out for hope, for direction, for relevance, for meaning. We know where all these things can be found. But – listen closely – it is not enough to just tell them about Jesus & righteousness & love & faith. We must live it out before their very eyes in vibrant, 3-D, technicolor, action-packed reality. A simple retelling of the old stories simply will not do.
The young ones are crying out. Just shoving the babies under the sink will not stop their heart-felt tears. Let’s do what it takes to meet the spiritual needs of this generation. The way of Spanky won't get it done.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Mistakes & Misunderstandings
MISTAKES.
I have some pretty strong opinions on things & [for better or worse] I'm normally not afraid to voice them. I recently recorded one of these strong opinions on this very BLOG. While it expressed my personal conviction on a particular issue our church was facing, I now understand that as a Pastor, it should not have been shared in the public forum of the internet. I apologize for that. I also apologize if those words hurt anyone. It was intended as merely an emotional release for me. I had a lapse in judgment. I made a mistake. Please forgive me.
MISUNDERSTANDINGS.
Through some insightful conversations with some Godly church members, I have also become aware of some misunderstandings. Unwittingly, my messages and demeanor have apparently been conveying something that I had not intended them to. Some very sincere Christians have shared that they sometimes get the sense that I look down on believers who are affluent, choose to dress their best on Sunday mornings or who prefer traditional music in worship. That idea could not be further from my heart!
My message is that Jesus Christ came to seek and to save that which was lost. I believe we can honor God by wearing our best clothes or by choosing to wear our everyday clothes to church. We can connect with God through contemporary or modern or traditional or blended music. We can be financially blessed or in deepest poverty. The point is that none of these things decides where our relationship with God truly stands. Instead,“…whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Joel 2:32
None who are willing – rich, poor, middle-class, blue-collar, white-collar, no collar, turtleneck, v-neck, t-shirt, no shirt, shirt-and-tie… should be hindered from entering the Kingdom. While we all enter through one door – Jesus Christ – we don’t all take the same route leading up to that door. And once we pass through his blood into saving faith, it’s OK that we celebrate, worship, think & serve God in gloriously diverse kinds of ways.
If it hasn’t come through clearly – that’s what I’ve been trying to say all along. We should respect the diversity of how each of us relates to our loving God. There is no one right way to worship as long as we truly worship in spirit and in truth. Is it possible that our greatest unity can be found in acknowledging our rich diversity?
I have some pretty strong opinions on things & [for better or worse] I'm normally not afraid to voice them. I recently recorded one of these strong opinions on this very BLOG. While it expressed my personal conviction on a particular issue our church was facing, I now understand that as a Pastor, it should not have been shared in the public forum of the internet. I apologize for that. I also apologize if those words hurt anyone. It was intended as merely an emotional release for me. I had a lapse in judgment. I made a mistake. Please forgive me.
MISUNDERSTANDINGS.
Through some insightful conversations with some Godly church members, I have also become aware of some misunderstandings. Unwittingly, my messages and demeanor have apparently been conveying something that I had not intended them to. Some very sincere Christians have shared that they sometimes get the sense that I look down on believers who are affluent, choose to dress their best on Sunday mornings or who prefer traditional music in worship. That idea could not be further from my heart!
My message is that Jesus Christ came to seek and to save that which was lost. I believe we can honor God by wearing our best clothes or by choosing to wear our everyday clothes to church. We can connect with God through contemporary or modern or traditional or blended music. We can be financially blessed or in deepest poverty. The point is that none of these things decides where our relationship with God truly stands. Instead,“…whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Joel 2:32
None who are willing – rich, poor, middle-class, blue-collar, white-collar, no collar, turtleneck, v-neck, t-shirt, no shirt, shirt-and-tie… should be hindered from entering the Kingdom. While we all enter through one door – Jesus Christ – we don’t all take the same route leading up to that door. And once we pass through his blood into saving faith, it’s OK that we celebrate, worship, think & serve God in gloriously diverse kinds of ways.
If it hasn’t come through clearly – that’s what I’ve been trying to say all along. We should respect the diversity of how each of us relates to our loving God. There is no one right way to worship as long as we truly worship in spirit and in truth. Is it possible that our greatest unity can be found in acknowledging our rich diversity?
Monday, October 15, 2007
The Heart
Why is it so easy to look at the outside of a person and never be able to see the 'real' person within?
Why is it so easy to listen to a person's words but hear something totally different than what they actually said?
Why is it so easy to pass judgment on others without getting to know where they're coming from?
Why is it so easy to make accusations about someone you don't really know as a person? as a fellow believer?
What if I chose to get to know others by who they are on the inside?
What if I asked others to clarify what they mean instead of drawing my own conclusions about what I think they meant?
What if I got to know what makes a person tick - instead of trying to put them into a neat little box, all labeled and sealed shut?
What if I invited my fellow believers over for coffee, or asked them out to lunch, or invited them on a walk around the park and got to know their hearts?
Why is it so easy to listen to a person's words but hear something totally different than what they actually said?
Why is it so easy to pass judgment on others without getting to know where they're coming from?
Why is it so easy to make accusations about someone you don't really know as a person? as a fellow believer?
What if I chose to get to know others by who they are on the inside?
What if I asked others to clarify what they mean instead of drawing my own conclusions about what I think they meant?
What if I got to know what makes a person tick - instead of trying to put them into a neat little box, all labeled and sealed shut?
What if I invited my fellow believers over for coffee, or asked them out to lunch, or invited them on a walk around the park and got to know their hearts?
Monday, October 8, 2007
United or Untied?
There are many beautiful and challenging metaphors for the ‘kingdom of God’ that stretch our imagination as to what it is really all about। A treasure. A pearl. A mustard seed. Yeast in dough. Some new metaphors that I have heard have included the kingdom as a canvas, a computer network and even an interactive, flowing dance. So I searched my heart and set about imagining my own metaphor for the kingdom…
The kingdom of God is like a woven tapestry. A thick yarn runs from the heart of God to the heart of each believer. And then smaller threads of a slightly different shade continue to connect each believer with one another. So the kingdom is woven together & these connections create the warp & the weft of the kingdom. The strings that make up this tapestry are invisible - but strong. And one-who-is-not-yet-woven-in may, perchance, run into one of its connecting threads. And, even without seeing it, may hold it loosely in the hand and walk along its length until coming to its source – either the Master Weaver himself, or another follower who has the thread woven into his heart.
At any moment, the Woven Ones can tug on the yarn leading to God or one another in order to interact. And at any moment, those wishing to join the tapestry need only to walk to the Master Weaver, unroll a bit of thread from the spool of her own heart and offer it to the Weaver’s skillful hands. In less than a moment, He will intertwine the two threads in such a way that they can never be untied again. If you could see this new connection at all, you would not be able to tell where one heart ends and the other begins.
Now, even though these hidden, invisible threads stretch and cross, weave in & out and bind believers & God together in inseparable bonds, others may pass right through them without even knowing they are there. And the Woven Ones may, at times, forget that there are threads that link them together. But the loosely woven tapestry is still there nonetheless.
The Weaver is a patient one. He knows that one day all the needed threads will be added, woven and knit in just the right pattern. And when that time has come, when all the individual strings of yarn are in place, He will slowly draw all the Woven Ones to Himself. The space between the threads will shrink & disappear. The expanded, loose Woven Ones that have been separated by time & distance will be cinched together into a close-knit tapestry of beauty & grace. And that tapestry will reflect the glory, diversity, unity, beauty, intimacy & design of life as the Master Weaver intended it to be. And together, wrapped around the Master at the center, their perfect interconnectedness will remain throughout eternity.
This metaphor is certainly not perfect। But the metaphors of the kingdom can never catch it’s truest beauty. It is about something bigger – better – other – than the kingdoms of this world. Where would you fall within this metaphor? Are you united to others in the tapestry or are you alone, unwoven, untied?
Q: What metaphor of the kingdom rings truest in your own heart?
Q: Would you dream it, write it down, share it, live it?
The kingdom of God is like a woven tapestry. A thick yarn runs from the heart of God to the heart of each believer. And then smaller threads of a slightly different shade continue to connect each believer with one another. So the kingdom is woven together & these connections create the warp & the weft of the kingdom. The strings that make up this tapestry are invisible - but strong. And one-who-is-not-yet-woven-in may, perchance, run into one of its connecting threads. And, even without seeing it, may hold it loosely in the hand and walk along its length until coming to its source – either the Master Weaver himself, or another follower who has the thread woven into his heart.
At any moment, the Woven Ones can tug on the yarn leading to God or one another in order to interact. And at any moment, those wishing to join the tapestry need only to walk to the Master Weaver, unroll a bit of thread from the spool of her own heart and offer it to the Weaver’s skillful hands. In less than a moment, He will intertwine the two threads in such a way that they can never be untied again. If you could see this new connection at all, you would not be able to tell where one heart ends and the other begins.
Now, even though these hidden, invisible threads stretch and cross, weave in & out and bind believers & God together in inseparable bonds, others may pass right through them without even knowing they are there. And the Woven Ones may, at times, forget that there are threads that link them together. But the loosely woven tapestry is still there nonetheless.
The Weaver is a patient one. He knows that one day all the needed threads will be added, woven and knit in just the right pattern. And when that time has come, when all the individual strings of yarn are in place, He will slowly draw all the Woven Ones to Himself. The space between the threads will shrink & disappear. The expanded, loose Woven Ones that have been separated by time & distance will be cinched together into a close-knit tapestry of beauty & grace. And that tapestry will reflect the glory, diversity, unity, beauty, intimacy & design of life as the Master Weaver intended it to be. And together, wrapped around the Master at the center, their perfect interconnectedness will remain throughout eternity.
This metaphor is certainly not perfect। But the metaphors of the kingdom can never catch it’s truest beauty. It is about something bigger – better – other – than the kingdoms of this world. Where would you fall within this metaphor? Are you united to others in the tapestry or are you alone, unwoven, untied?
Q: What metaphor of the kingdom rings truest in your own heart?
Q: Would you dream it, write it down, share it, live it?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
