Thank You Lord

On Monday mornings, we often have this battle of good and bad; the joy of thinking back on what may have been a great weekend of fun or rest, combined with what may be the battle of a tough week ahead.   Or, the opposite might be true; something about the past few days may have been hard, and this morning brings some release or a moving forward.

“Thank you, Lord, for what you've done for me.
Thank you, Lord, for what you're doing now.
Thank you, Lord, for every little thing.
Thank you, Lord, for you made me sing.“

Life can be full of this constant contradiction of the good and the bad, the joyful and the sorrowful.  We rarely have times when it is all of one or the other; a mix is probably more true.

“When times are good, be happy;
but when times are bad, consider this:
God has made the one
as well as the other.” (Ecclesiastes 7:14)

Many people only know Bob Marley’s music as the foundation of the Reggae sound or as songs of praise for his country Jamaica.  But at a deeper level, his music provides much evidence that he was a man who had a deep love for God.  His song “Thank You Lord” is a simple song of gratitude.  (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9DDDj_JdMA)  But, it is not just about being appreciative of the good things, it is also about the recognition that the challenges are reasons to be thankful too.

When a painful event is freshly behind us, it is hard to be thankful for it.  I don’t mean thankful it is done; that’s easy.  I mean being appreciative of the experience and the transformation it brought.  Yes, even the rough times bring value to us.  The hard times give us perspective.  No only can they provide a way for us to appreciate the easy and good times more deeply, but the tough spots change us.

In Romans 8:18, Paul talks about a comparative nature for the challenges:

“I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. “

I do not think Paul means this in a way that we should just quit complaining about the times when we are experiencing pain.  He is saying that we can embrace these times, knowing that they will pass, knowing that God can and will bring glory through this momentary trouble.  Being thankful for the hard times is about taking the same frame of mind as when we pray for someone who is “persecuting” us or bringing us pain.  The world would tell us to curse and hate that person; God tells us to bless and love.

“Thank you, Lord, for what you've done for me.
Thank you, Lord, for what you're doing now.
Thank you, Lord, for every little thing.
Thank you, Lord, for you made me sing.“

So, what is this Monday bringing you to be thankful for?  Is the world telling you to complain, hang your head in sorrow or lament your challenges?  Be thankful. Embrace the transformation being brought to you through the struggle.  Thank God for every little thing.

Slumber

Do you ever have those moments where you are so tired that you can’t keep your eyes open?  You may be pushing through a long day, waking up early to start a busy schedule or on one of those extended late-night drives to a far-away destination.  We all have times when sleep calls to us, when the peace of slumber compels us to stop moving.  Moments can draw us back to sleep; our lives can feel like a drudge.

“Days they force you
Back under those covers
Lazy mornings they multiply 

But glory's waiting
Outside your window 

So wake on up from your slumber
Baby, open up your eyes”

What about your life?  Are you awake?  I don’t mean just “not-asleep”.  I mean are your eyes truly open to the beauty around you?

“Slumber” was the first song I heard from NEEDTOBREATHE.  It was an introduction to what is now one of my favorite bands.  The images of how we are sleeping through the world and Word around us, eyes closed; that we have such low expectations for our lives, is a wake up call to a life of blessing waiting for us.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfNKE9aiKmQ

It is not as if we have to accept the zombie-life of just barely getting by.

“All these victims
Stand in line for
The crumbs that fall from the table
Just enough to get by 

All the while
Your invitation 

Wake on up from your slumber
Baby, open up your eyes”

There is One calling to us, inviting us to His table.  A table where we can be fed and never hunger again, drink and no longer thirst.  Jesus did not promise us a life that would be “just OK”.  Yes, He calls us into a life that can be challenging, causing us to question the purpose of the struggle.  Those close to us might be living a life of pain; tragedies seem to abound.  But, there is more, there is better.

“Therefore Jesus said again, ‘Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep.  All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them.  I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.  They will come in and go out, and find pasture.  The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it in abundance.’ “ (John 10:7-10)

We have so much available to us.  We can choose to go about our lives in this wandering through quiet mediocrity, or we can choose more.  Jesus does not promise enough just to get by.  He offers us a life which enjoys the richness of a new life with Him.  He brings to us a life where our eyes are open to all the blessings around us.

“Come on
Sing like we used to
Dance when you want to
Taste of the breakthrough
You’re open wide”

So, are you awake, or are you just getting by?  Drink in the richness and fullness He brings. “Awake, my soul! Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn.” (Psalm 57:8).  Wake on up from your slumber.

Come To The River

Are you thirsty?  Do you try over and over again to quench an emptiness which is never sated?

“I'm torn between myself and your truth
These cursed memories, forever seeping through
My thirst for myself left me wanting more
Till I found myself face down on your shore”

The things we do to try and quench our thirst are myriad.  We think earthly relationships with people, power or purpose will satisfy.  We look to ourselves for this filling up.

The Rhett Walker Band has become one of my go-to groups.  Their sound is a great mix of country-western, gospel and rock, all with a focus on the Message.  I love “Come To The River” because of the images it brings about being at your end, trying everything else, and God being there to refresh. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1f6fqSf8O8)

When Jesus meets the woman at the well (John 4:1-26), besides boldly professing to her that He is Messiah, He breaks down so many walls in this simple setting.  Whether it is men talking to women directly, Jews interacting with Samaritans or the lack of judgment on someone who has been married many times, Jesus approaches her as one of His own.  I love how He picks the most average people to deliver His message.  He did not come to minister to the healthy, He came to heal us who are sick and tired.

“Jesus answered, ‘Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.’ ” (John 4:13)

The image of water and its power to transform and heal appear throughout the Bible.  The stories of Noah, Moses, Jesus washing the feet of His friends all speak to the healing water can bring.  Jesus’ baptism in the river and the ancient, purposeful Jewish traditions of cleanliness and its relation to holiness also bring important lessons to us.

“My restless heart, led me astray
To my selfish pride I became my own slave
But you placed a thirst in me with no drink in sight
'Cause I could not see till I saw through your eyes”

Water is meant to flow, to move and to change things.  The funny thing about water is what it can become when it sits still for too long.  Jesus does not say that the Water He offers is a quiet pool; He designates it as a spring.  Water that is not moving can become stagnant, even poisonous.  The blessings we receive from the Living Water are not meant to stay within us.  The Water is meant to flow to us, through us and onto others.  The fact that Rhett Walker uses the image of a river, and not a calm pool of water, is no accident either.

“You say, come to the river
Oh, and lay yourself down and let your heart be found
You say come to the river
Drink from the cup I pour and thirst no more”

So, are you thirsty?  Come to the river that is Jesus.  Drink that which will satisfy now and forever.  Thirst no more.

You Are My Vision

Vision is a word that is thrown around quite a bit, especially in the corporate setting.  Creating a “vision” for an organization is seen as key to creating a foundation for its success.  Maintaining that same vision over time is critical, but can sometimes be lost or become dim.  But here, we’re going to talk about a different type of vision.  On what do we focus?

“You are my vision
O King of my heart
Nothing else satisfies
Only you Lord”

Setting foot in Ireland today, how could I not throw out a song from an Irish band?  Rend Collective, whose song “Build Your Kingdom Here” I wrote about back on St. Patrick’s Day, hails from Belfast.  This great tune is a fun take on “Be Thou My Vision.”  The album “Campfire”, from which this comes, is appropriately named. This version sounds like it was sung around a campfire with friends together, praising God.  The little fiddle at the end, with a quick measure of a jig, certainly hearkens to our daughters’ love and history of Irish dancing.
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3Z7iQrzchQ&feature=kp)

In Philippians, Paul offers to us his encouragement for what we should be focused on.  This is one of my all-time favorite verses.  By the way, he wrote this during one of the many times he was sitting in prison.

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.” (Philippians 4:8)

What should our vision be focused on?  What is the truest, simplest and most magnificent example of our best focus?  Our Heavenly Father.

“You are my best thought
By day or by night
Waking or sleeping
Your presence my light”

As we progress through life, the things we focus on can certainly change, but our vision should remain the same.  When we take our eyes off of God, off of Christ, we can lose that which keeps us on firm footing.

“ ‘Come,’ He said.  Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus.  But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’ “ (Matthew 14: 29-30)

The world, at times, demands that we take our eyes off God, looking to those things that distract, cause fear, bring doubt.  We lose our vision.  But He does not lose us.

“Heart of my own heart
Whatever befall
Still be my vision
Oh ruler of all”

So, what is your vision?  On what are you focused?  Do the things the world throws at you every day draw your eyes away from the Truth?  For me?  Every day.  But on my best days, when my eyes shine brightly with love, joy and light, my Vision is there.  “You and You only, the first in my heart.  High King of Heaven, my treasure You are.”

Crave

Living during the “in between”.  There are times in our lives when we are in a moment where we know something is coming, but we don’t know what it is.  Maybe we have received some news, and its full reveal and impact is yet to come.

“Hope sleeps without me
Her sweet dreams surround me,
But I'm left out
I'll need a reason
To believe, to feel”

A very good friend of mine is in one of these times.  The love of his life, who has battled and beaten cancer not just once, but twice, now faces its return yet a third time.  The doctor’s words, “It might be nothing, but we should check it out” do not bring hope in his situation.  They are words which leave that sick feeling in your stomach.  A simple procedure comes next, just to see if there is anything there.  And now he waits.  She waits.

“Hope is what we crave,
And that will never change 

So I stand and wait
I need a drop of grace
To carry me today,
A simple song to say 

It's written on my soul
Hope's what we crave”

Although it might have been easy to use Tom Petty’s “The Waiting” today, using that famous chorus, “The waiting is the hardest part”, or my man Bob Marley’s “Waiting In Vain”, but I thought this great selection from For King and Country offered something a little different.  Their song “Crave” speaks of this same yearning for hope and the challenge of waiting for God in a different way (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYq55gv-H2o).  These guys also have a great tune “Middle of Your Heart” which I really like too, and was my original introduction to their music.

“I won't turn to dust now
Let these tears rust now
On my face
Give me the spark now
To believe, to see”

Does worrying while we wait help?  Of course, there is that planning element which allows us to play out various scenarios, determining what actions we might take, depending on the outcome of a situation.  But there is also worry.  That is different.  It’s the heart-racing stress we feel while we wait, while we sit in fear of what is to come.  It can consume us as we anticipate the pain, heartache or disappointment that may be in store.

God’s Word offers us many encouragements for this waiting.

“I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in His word I put my hope.” (Psalm 130:5) 

“Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart.” (1 Corinthians 4:5)

I really like what this last one says.

“Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed.” (1 Corinthians 1:7)

The implication that while we wait, there is this opportunity to use the spiritual gifts God has given to us; wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing (1 Corinthians 12:4-11).  He offers these to us as tools to use while we wait.  I don’t see “worrying” on the list.  The greatest gift He gives is Hope.  He promises that through His Love for us, all will be well.  Although our definition of healing and answered prayers can often be different that what we expect, different from God’s definition of these, but believe.  They do come.

“It’s written on my soul
Hope’s what You gave”

So, please pray for my friend and his love.  Pray that their waiting will be one of waiting on the Lord, in peace, knowing that through Christ, all things are possible (Philippians 4:13).  Knowing that He works all things for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28).  Pray for their time of waiting, that Christ will be revealed.

Stars

When is the last time you were able to go outside at night and look at the stars?  If you live in a city or a place with lots of streetlights fighting against their brightness, it is not easy to do.  But when you have and you can, looking at the deep darkness with brilliant pinpricks shining brightly, it’s hard not to feel something special, something Holy.

“But when I look at the stars,
when I look at the stars,
when I look at the stars I see someone else”

There is peace in their expansiveness.  Our problems somehow seem smaller.  My dad tells a story of a night when my baby sister Abbi was pretty sick with pneumonia.  He took her outside on a chilly night to let the cool, dry air calm her lungs.  Looking up into a clear cold sky, he was also calmed and knew all would be well.

“Stars lookin at our planet watching entropy and pain
And maybe start to wonder how the chaos in our lives could pass as sane
I've been thinking bout the meaning of resistance, of a hope beyond my own
And suddenly the infinite and penitent begin to look like home”

Switchfoot is another one of those special bands whose music often spans the divide between so-called secular music and Christian Contemporary.  Their song “Stars” is a pretty heavy rocker with some booming guitars.  But for this morning, we’ll listen to their acoustic version.  For me, the message here reminds me that when I stare up into the vast expanse of bright stars on a black velvet tapestry, I can feel like everything and nothing at the same time.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6v21K5gZgJo

Because we are all a part of God’s creation, because He made us all from the same mélange of beautiful chemistry, we feel a strange kinship to things of beauty in this world.  When we recognize the Holy in those things around us, we are in essence seeing a part of ourselves…seeing God that is within us…in what is outside of us.

How can God create and care for the universe and all that is in it, and still care for me?

“Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory in the heavens.
Through the praise of children and infants
you have established a stronghold against your enemies,
to silence the foe and the avenger.
When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
what is mankind that you are mindful of them,
human beings that you care for them” (Psalm 8:1-4)

This is the awesomeness of God.  Even though there a million-billion other people, places, events and things for God to be mindful of at any given moment, He still loves and cares for me as a individual and unique part of His creation.  When I feel a Holy connection to those stars in the sky, reveling in their majesty, I say to myself “I am nothing like this”, but it is God saying to me, “You are this to me”; perfect, beautiful, infinite and Holy.

“When I look at the stars,
the stars, I feel like myself”

So, on the next clear night, find a quiet dark place to go outside and look at the stars.  When you stand in awe of their beauty, recognize that you are not seeing something outside of you, but merely looking in the mirror of God’s creation, seeing the beauty that is in you.

The Struggle

What’s your battle today?

“There's a wreckage, there's a fire
There's a weakness in my love
There's a hunger I can't control
Lord, I falter and I fall down
Then I hold on to chains You broke
When You came and saved my soul. Save my soul”

We humans certainly like to fight and re-fight the same things over and over.  Even when a battle is done and won, we can tend to revisit the issue and drag it out longer than necessary.  When we have been bound by a challenging situation in our lives and freed from it, our tendency to return to that same struggle is a curious part of our being.  The cliché “the devil you know…” comes to mind.

Today’s selection is another from Tenth Avenue North.  The Struggle paints a great picture of our repeated turning to our battle, especially the battle Jesus has already fought for us and won. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MQcd1wEosw

“So, why, Lord, do I still fail,
Do I wear thin?
Why do I still give in to temptation?
On my own, I am bankrupt,
I don't trust You or take You at Your word
What You've promised”

(On a YouTube-related note, if you have an extra 15 mins today enjoy this video of “Oceans” http://youtu.be/4g-iYws5868 which I wrote about a couple of weeks ago.  Need to see the Holy Spirit moving?  The audience singing along will move you.)

The Bible is full of stories about people struggling with God.  In Genesis, we see our sneaky friend Jacob again.  Remember, he took his brother Esau’s birthright…twice…and although not the nicest thing to do, it is evidence once again of how God uses the imperfect to accomplish the Perfect.  In this part of Jacob’s story, we learn how his name was changed as a part of his struggle.

“So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak.  When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man.  Then the man said, ‘Let me go, for it is daybreak.’  But Jacob replied, ‘I will not let you go unless you bless me.’  The man asked him, ‘What is your name?’  ‘Jacob,” he answered.  Then the man said, ‘Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.’ ” (Genesis 32:24-28)

My favorite part of this story is the meaning of the word “Israel”.  In Hebrew, the last part of the word “-el” is an ancient name for God.  The first part, “yisra-“ literally means “to struggle” or “to prevail”.  As the man with whom Jacob wrestled (assumedly as angel) points out, Jacob “struggled with God”.  What I love is that you can read this in two ways.  One option is to think of the name as “struggling against God”, meaning, constantly battling God and His will for us.  We all do this…I do this.

Jacob is struggling with God, and God knocks him down…literally takes his legs out from under him.  There are many times in our lives when we get thrown for a loop or our world is rocked.  The question we should ask ourselves, it is because we are unnecessarily fighting against something?

But consider another way to think about “struggling with God”.  We can also chose to read this as “struggling, but doing so with God at our side.”  When we are doing something “with” someone, it can also mean that we are doing it together, in partnership, as co-warriors in the fight.  I like this one better, even though I know the other way to look at it is just as true.

“Hallelujah
We are free to struggle
We're not struggling to be free
Your blood bought and makes us children
Children, drop your chains and sing”

So, are you struggling with God as an adversary in a battle, or are you struggling with God as a partner in the fray?  Has the fight left you bruised and battered, limping around?  There is One on whom you can lean, who will gladly fight beside you.  But remember, He already did, and the battle in which you struggle is already won.

Can't Erase It

We are searchers.  All of us, whether we want to admit it or not, spend our entire lives trying to figure out who we are.  Many times, just when we think we have it figured out, something changes and we are left wondering and wandering.

This song from Jars of Clay, has puzzled me for a few years.  It’s been on my regular rotation of favorites, originally because of the tune itself.  I love the mix of rocking out contrasted with beautiful harmonies.  Since the song is 15 years old, the only place I could find it online for your viewing/listening pleasure was an old concert video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CaQjGxxH1Pc).  I’m sure you can find the album “If I Left The Zoo” at the library or maybe on Freegal at no charge.  But, if not either of those, I encourage you to spend the $1.29 on iTunes.  It’s a get-up-and-go song.

The reason this song perplexed me was trying to figure out what the Jars of Clay guys were saying that I couldn’t erase.

“You know it's so wrong, can't embrace it
Wish sometimes for any other you
But you can't erase it
And you won't escape it”

What could I know to be so wrong that I can’t escape?   The honest answer is a little hard to take.  I’m a sinner.  I continually fall short.  I first have to be honest with myself.  “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. (1 John 1:8)

The hard part about all of this is that it’s easier to be bad than good.  Going along with the world’s view of who we should be, the soft bigotry of low expectations is a much smoother path in the short run.  Even when we work to do the right things, be “good”, we often find ourselves slipping back.

“Follow the crowd and love everybody now
'Cause love is the best thing for you now
But you changed your mind
You let everybody down
But down is the best place for you
It's easier that way”

We realize we have these bad traits, these limitations against God’s glory.  We pray for it to be taken away.

“Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.  Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.  But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’  Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.  That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”  (2 Corinthians 12:7-10)

Paul knew that sin was in him.  No matter what he did, he could not ever erase it from his being.  But, he chooses a different approach.  Embrace it.  Recognize the limitations we bring to the table and know that God is the only one who can truly offset our humanness.  We need him.

But, there is another message in this song. Who am I that I can’t erase?  This answer is also hard to take.  I am redeemed.  No matter what, God loves me and is with me.  Paul again:

“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.  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 8:37-29)

It is unavoidable, undeniable.

“How long will you face it
Till the weight comes crashing down on you
'Cause you can't erase it
And you won't escape it
No you can't erase it
And you won't escape it”

So, are you trying to erase who you are?  Are you searching for your sense of self, yet it is right is front of you all the time?  You are perfect in your imperfection.  Try as you might, with all your flaws, you can’t erase God’s love for you.  Embrace it.

Get Out The Map

Get Out The Map

Over the years, our family has gone from toddling around our house, constantly bound by the limited places you can hang out with very little ones, to going five different directions at once.

“Get out the map get out the map and lay your finger anywhere down
We'll leave the figuring to those we pass on our way out of town”

Just like many families, we constantly seem to be on the move.  Very often, as I lay in bed at the end of the day or open my eyes first thing in the morning, I take a little headcount.  Is everyone here, asleep in their beds?  Maybe Maddy is off singing with her school choir somewhere; Rachel might be Irish-dancing her toes off in another city; Eliza sleeping over at a friend’s house; Greta at a yoga conference.  It might even be me, with my work travel, waking up in a hotel in a far away city or country.  Regardless, when I realize we are all in the house together, sleeping peacefully, I smile.

“I’m gonna clear my head
I'm gonna drink that sun
I'm gonna love you good and strong
while our love is good and young”

The Indigo Girls…wow…I can’t say enough about how their music has woven itself through the tapestry of our life together as a family.  It is hard to count the number of times my wife Greta, our 3 girls and I have been headed down the road, music turned up, signing along with Emily and Amy at the top of our lungs.  All smiles. The one at the top of our family-sing-along hit list is certainly “Get Out The Map”. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfT6W6ZynRU&feature=kp )

“The saddest sight my eyes can see
is that big ball of orange sinking slyly down the trees
Sitting in a broken circle while you rest upon my knee
this perfect moment will soon be leaving me”

The images from this song…the roadtrip, the campfire, a call from the far away friend…paint a picture of the continual being apart and coming back together we experience in our lives.  The times we spend together as a family are treasured moments.

“Why do we hurtle ourselves
through every inch of time and space
I must say around some corner
I can sense a resting place
With every lesson learned a line upon your beautiful face
We'll amuse ourselves one day with these memories we'll trace”

One of Greta’s favorite inspirations today is Glennon Melton.  Her book “Carry on Warrior” and “Momastery” blog bring this wonderful mix of a mom’s reality, unabashed love of life and connection of disparate influences into a beautiful mélange of wisdom.  Recently, Glennon wrote about her experience attending an Indigo Girls show
(http://momastery.com/blog/2013/11/06/love-letter-amy-ray/).  As Greta read this to me a few weeks ago, I was reminded how the Indigo Girls’ music is a part of my family’s life.

As I wrote at the beginning of this year’s journey, I truly believe music is a gift from God.  When I think about how music, especially that of the Indigo Girls, has been a continual gift to our family, the joy and closeness it has brought, I know God has given us melodies, harmonies and lyrics as a way to be drawn together.  Psalm 95:1-2 says it better than I could ever:

“Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord;
let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come before him with thanksgiving
and extol him with music and song”

So, this morning, relish music and how it has played a part in your family’s love for one another.  Realize that music is the praise we offer when words fail to express what’s in our hearts and souls. Fall in love once again with God’s gift of music to us.

Turn Around

Have you ever been on a trip, a stroll on a wooded trail or a hike in the mountain wilderness and realized you were not where you thought you’d be?  In can happen unintentionally, a wandering off the trail.  Sometimes we stray on purpose, chasing after an elusive desire; “If I go just a little bit further, I can always make it back…”.  But at some point in these situations, we say to ourselves, “Holy smokes…where am I?  I’m lost.  No one is here with me and I’m not sure I know how to find my way home.”

“If you're scared that you don't matter
If you're lost and need to be found
If you're looking for a Savior
All you gotta do is turn around”

It’s usually not the big decisions that get us in the most trouble during our lives.  Lots of little decisions over time, moving us ever-closer to a line we said we’d never cross, are the real problem.  When we see that line far away, it is easy to say “I’d never do that.”  It’s such a giant step, so opposite of who we are, we can’t recognize a way that we could make that kind of choice.  But, when taken one small step at a time, an eventual crossing of the line is just one more very small step.

“Some turn to a bottle
Some turn to a drug
Some turn to another's arms
But it seems like it's never enough”

Matt Maher’s music finds a way to cut through the challenges of my daily life and speak a pretty direct message.  His current song is a great one called “All the People Said Amen” (love it!).  But the one for today is a pretty frequent “guest” on my playlists.  “Turn Around” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRiyDKmPnJg), besides being a great rock tune with a country twang, is a simple message of how to solve the problem of being lost.

When playing Candy Land as a kid, and then again as a young parent with our three girls, I always loved landing on the short cuts.  Hitting the colored square that took you up “Rainbow Trail” or “Mountain Pass” was always awesome.  And oh my goodness, pulling the card with the Neapolitan Ice Cream Float that advanced you to the top of the board was the best!

The good news is that when we have seemingly left God behind, far back down the decision trail, He does offer us a short cut back.  We don’t have to tread the whole trail on which we came.

“You don't have to
Take the broken road
You can turn around
And come back home”

I love the image of simply being able to shift my focus, change my direction without moving, and slowly rotate the other direction.  Once I turn away from what I’m chasing and set my sights back on Him, He is right there.  He does not call me from a distance saying, “I am way over here.  Once you come all the way back, then I’ll help you.”  No.  He never leaves us.

In the Great Commission, Christ calls us to be light in the world.  But, we don’t have to do it alone; “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20).  A coincidence we’re enjoying a song from “Matthew” today?  See my “Let It Be” post from 16Mar.

“No one listens to you anymore
And your heart has broken down, you don't need to move
Love has come to you, all you gotta do is turn around
All you gotta do is turn around, turn around”

So, do you think God is far from you?  Has your life, or even some small aspect of your life, strayed away?  No matter how far we wander from God…and I mean farther than you can imagine…He is still right there behind us, waiting with open arms for our turning back toward Him.  Wondering if someone’s got your back?

Turn around.

Broken Together

Why do relationships fail?  How can it be that people who come together in a deep love for each other or genuine friendship end up indifferent to each other, out of love, apart, enemies?

Are you in a relationship that you fear is coming to an end?

“What do you think about when you look at me
I know we're not the fairytale you dreamed wed be
You wore the veil, you walked the aisle, you took my hand
And we dove into a mystery”

All of us have seen relationships between people close to us burn out in anger or wind down in sorrow.

“How it must have been so lonely by my side
We were building kingdoms and chasing dreams and left love behind
I'm praying God will help our broken hearts align
And we wont give up the fight”

This song, “Broken Together” has been haunting me since I first heard it.  It is another selection from Casting Crowns new album “Thrive”.  Besides its simplicity and sublime chord progression, the constant single piano note that chimes almost through the entire song points to the persistence of the question I asked at the opening. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAAvPDgKf30

“Maybe you and I were never meant to be complete
Could we just be broken together?”

There are forces constantly trying to pull us apart.  The demands of work, false images of “love” or “completeness” brought to us by the world, temptation, our own brokenness and search for the assurance that we have value…all of these things and more…contribute to the impression that we’d be better off with someone else.

“How I wish we could go back to simpler times
Before all our scars and all our secrets were in the light
Now on this hallowed ground, we've drawn the battle lines
Will we make it through the night”

At the end of the day, the Enemy does not want us in relationship with each other or with God.  Relationships bring encouragement, love, support and true joy.  As God is in each of us, when we are in relationship with one another, we are in relationship with Him.  This upends the Devil’s plan for hurt to be constantly in our lives.

In Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, we can see the fundamental importance of relationship.

“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.
Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
But how can one keep warm alone?
Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”

When we come together at the Table, celebrating the Eucharist, we see Christ offering up an example:

“And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.’ ”

What is broken, is offered up, blessed and shared.  We have this inability to really, truly open up to others and expose our brokenness, especially to those closest to us.  But Christ shows us that when something is broken, and shared, we are fed; we embrace the brokenness and offer it up.

“Maybe you and I were never meant to be complete
Could we just be broken together
If you can bring your shattered dreams and I'll bring mine
Could healing still be spoken and save us
The only way well last forever is broken together”

So, do you fear that you are part of a relationship…a friendship…a marriage…that is close to falling apart?  Is it coming to an end because of the completeness you seek in another that can only be found in God?  Are you standing, facing your loved one and trying to repair your brokenness, all the while hiding it?  Turn from each other and face your loving Father, presenting your brokenness.  Be broken together.

I Am New

How did you sleep last night?  Sleep is such a funny thing to me.  The entirety of the animal kingdom needs sleep in order to be recharged for moving on with life each day.  When we are at our wits end, tired beyond measure, confused by the chaos of the world, it is amazing what a good sleep will do to make us new each day.

As I’m falling asleep each night, my mind often goes to the topic of “how did I do today?”  There are nights when I re-live the events of my day, and I have peace.  There are others that I feel pretty poorly about certain aspects or actions since I opened my eyes that morning.  I think we all have those times.  But, no matter how much of my day was a struggle or fell short of God’s glory, sleep can often be the means to renew me.  Each day is a new start, a new opportunity to live the life God has called me into.

Jason Gray puts out some pretty amazing music.  He has more than one song that speaks to who we are as God’s loved and cherished creation.  The song “I Am New” is a (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-w6YG2NZguc ) is one of my favorites.

“I am not who I was
I am being remade
I am new
I am chosen and holy
And I'm dearly loved
I am new”

I could not help but think of my Dad when watching the video for this song.  One of his favorite things to do is take odds and ends, artifacts others have discarded as useless, or items that would appear to be of little value, and turn them into beautiful works of art.  His use of “friendly metal”, some old wood, a piece of an old tool or machine speaks clearly to how he views the world and what he has taught me and those around him; everything and everyone has value. Everything has a chance of renewal.

We see Jeremiah witness to this too.

“This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: ‘Go down to the potter’s house, and there I will give you my message.’  So I went down to the potter’s house, and I saw him working at the wheel. But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him. Then the word of the Lord came to me. He said, ‘Can I not do with you, Israel, as this potter does?’ declares the Lord. ‘Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, Israel.’ “ (Jeremiah 18:1-6)

God is continually renewing us.  We talk about this a lot in prison ministry with our incarcerated brothers.  The first thing they sometimes need to do is recognize that they don’t have to live the life that others may have relegated them too.  They need to recognize, as we all do, that we are of God’s hands.  He speaks a truth to us that we are worthy of His Love and the blessings He offers to us, which we only but need to open our tightly-clenched fists to receive.

“Too long I have lived
In the shadows of shame
Believing that there
Was no way I could change
But the one who is making everything new
Doesn't see me the way that I do
He doesn't see me the way that I do”

So, how did you sleep last night?  If not well, if not refreshed and renewed, it’s OK.   There is One who has already made you new.  The work of Jesus Christ’s redemption is already done.  All you may need is to accept the gift of His sacrifice and say to yourself, “I am new.”

Let Them See You

A friend of mine speaks about God’s ability to forgive us continually, in spite of our many flaws, failings and falls, in this way: when we sin, God does not see us, He sees His Son.   The sacrifice Jesus made for each of us is, was and will always be a payment in full for every wrong we can do.

Wait…you’re telling me that when I do things “right”, God sees me, and when I do things “wrong”, He sees someone else?  Why would anyone pass up on that kind of deal?!?

In essence, Jesus stands in front of me as a shield from the consequences of my sin.  When I do not fully live up to the life into which God calls me, a life of benevolence and blessing, Jesus is (was) there to take on the burden I have heaped upon myself.  Humbling.

If I am being honest with you, brothers and sisters, one of my biggest struggles is too often shining the light on myself, seeking acknowledgement, glory and praise as a skewed means of determining self-worth.  I am sure it some of it comes from being an oldest son and grandson, always working to be the “good” example.  But, that’s just an excuse.  Instead of answering the question of “who?” by pointing a finger back at myself, I should be pointing it upward to Heaven.

“Take away the melodies
Take away the songs I sing
Take away all the lights
And all the songs You let me write
Does the man I am today
Say the words You need to say”

After the last couple days of quick-tempo tunes here, this song performed by the JJ Weeks Band is a quiet and poignant prayer (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mgho0_JRetk ).  Colton Dixon, of American Idol fame, also performs this song.  I have mad respect for him and how, when faced with the task of entertaining millions on the show and all the pressure that world brings, he never shied away from who he was; a man of Christ.  We should all look to his example of standing firm in our confession of Christ in the face of the world’s demand that we keep quiet.

“With every breath I breathe
I sing a simple melody
But I pray they'll hear more than a song
In me, in me 

Let them see You
In me
Let them hear You
When I speak
Let them feel You
When I sing
Let them see You”

When we fall short, we disappear and Christ is there in our stead.  When grace, love, wisdom, kindness and mercy flow through us, we need to step aside and show that Christ is there in our stead.

So, my prayer is this; remove me.  In all things I say, all I do, all I write, look to Him.  When people are looking at me…at you…let them see Jesus.

Thankful

The 20th century theologian Karl Barth wrote, “Joy is the simplest form of gratitude.”

Think about that for a moment.  When you have joy, when you are experiencing an event or remembering a situation that brings you great joy, at your core, what do you feel?

“Thankful, thankful
I’ve gotta take the time to say, that I’m
Thankful, thankful
For every single breath that I take
I’ve gotta be thankful, thankful”

Before reading this quote from Karl Barth, I had never thought about joy in this way.  Yesterday, while I was watching our two youngest girls dancing their Irish shoes off at the Rathskellar here in Indy, with a giant smile on my face, I felt pure joy.  I felt thankful.  Thankful that I have a family who enjoys spending time together, embracing our Irish-ness.  Thankful that I have a job which allows me to break away for special events like this (and fund them!).  Thankful for the innumerable blessings God has brought into my life.  I was filled with joy.

Johnny Lang, a pretty hard core blues guy who started at a very young age, put out an album in 2006 called “Turn Around”.   His song “Thankful” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CaZIG2I_0k&feature=kp) is one of my favorites, but the whole the whole album is a song of praise.  I love the gospel feel of this one especially with the choir in the background.  I’m not sure where he was in his faith walk prior to this, but in listening to these songs, there is no doubt in my mind where he is now.  The root of the word “convert”, traditionally used to describe ones transition to a life of faith, comes from the Latin “convertere”; translated as “to turn around”.

“Someone sitting in a prison cell
Wasting away in their own personal hell
Everybody got their own story to tell
I’ve gotta be thankful, thankful 

Man, I used to think I didn’t have a lot
Now I realize just how much I’ve got
Now every day I’m gonna take the time and stop to be
Thankful, thankful”

There are dozens if not hundreds of references in the Bible to being thankful and giving thanks.  They are too numerable to mention.  But one of my favorites:

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. “ (Philippians 4:6)

Oh, and yes, that is Michael McDonald of Doobie Brothers fame you hear singing along with Johnny on this one.  He and his “brothers” sang “Jesus is Just Alright”, and I fully agree.

“I’ve been riding on this roller coaster ride
Round and round I’ve seen the up and downside
And I’m here to tell you that the secret of life is being 

Thankful”

So, the next time you experience joy…not just feeling happy, but true joy…realize that in the feeling warming your heart, the tears welling up in your eyes, you are praising God, being thankful.

Build Your Kingdom Here

How could I not put something out there today that didn’t relate to St. Patrick’s Day somehow?!?

“Come set Your rule and reign
in our hearts again.
Increase in us we pray.
Unveil why we're made. 

Come set our hearts ablaze with hope
like wildfire in our very souls.
Holy Spirit, come invade us now.
We are Your church.
We need Your power in us.”

Every once in a while, we need a big-ole jump up song to get our hearts and spirits moving.  This is one of those songs (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbdJXKqVgtg&feature=kp).  Rend Collective is a fun band from Belfast, Northern Ireland who really knows how to lift spirits.  But it does not just take a fast beat to shift our souls from empty to full.  They have an awesome version of “Be Thou My Vision” (one of my VERY favorites) that they modified slightly to become “You are My Vision”.  It is worth a listen too (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3Z7iQrzchQ&feature=kp).

One of the parts of “Build Your Kingdom Here” which I love the most is how they have lyricized the concept of God within each of us.  When we choose to accept Christ as our Savior, and be filled with the Holy Spirit, it is not as if God was absent in us prior to this moment.  He is always there.

“Unleash Your kingdom's power
reaching the near and far.
No force of Hell can stop
Your beauty changing hearts. 

You made us for much more than this!
Awake the kingdom seed in us!
Fill us with the strength and love of Christ.”

There is a seed in each of us, which God planted when He brought us into this world.  Throughout our lives, it is watered by God’s grace and love; the Son shines on it; the wind of the Holy Spirit fans its spark and breathes it into life.

So, on this day when we celebrate the life and work of Saint Patrick, let this taste of Irish-ness lift us and move us. Celebrate our refusal to waste our lives, for He is our joy and prize.

Let It Be

Our lives today allow us very few opportunities to just sit in silence, quiet, alone with our thoughts and our God.  Even when we find those moments of solitude, they can often be overtaken by our mind’s natural shift to remembering lists of things to do, worries of the day and demands on our time.

“When I find myself in times of trouble
Mother Mary comes to me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be 

And in my hour of darkness
She is standing right in front of me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be”

When is the last time you sat, uninterrupted, listening for God’s voice in the silence?

This song by The Beatles needs no introduction. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsQsOjaVUuA)

When I talk about music as God’s gift to us and its ability to clarify things which otherwise may very hard to communicate, this is one of those songs that comes to mind.   It’s beauty and simplicity needs no description or commentary.  It stands sufficiently on its own.

“And when the night is cloudy
There is still a light that shines on me
Shine on until tomorrow, let it be 

I wake up to the sound of music,
Mother Mary comes to me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be”

My Grandma Bonnie brought many “quotes” to my life.  One of the most-oft, when trying to convince anyone to try something was, “It’ll make you wanna laugh and play”, usually delivered with an impish smile of knowing.  But, the one which stuck with me most that I heard from her often in her later years, especially when surrounded by the joyful noise of children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren in cacophony around her, was Psalm 46:10.

“Be still, and know that I am God.” 

Is it an accident that John and Paul reference common themes found in the Christian dialogue such as “light that shines on me”, “Mother Mary” and “wisdom”?  Is the organ music in the middle of the song just a convenient transitional element?  Is it a coincidence that their names are John and Paul?

I don’t know anything about either of them as it relates to their faith, but regardless of where anyone is on their Walk, God finds ways to shine to and through them.  God is the random; God is the coincidence.

So, sometime today, take a moment be still; to know; to Let It Be.

Dream For You

What’s the biggest dream you can dream for yourself?

Many of you know about my path to serving in jail and prison ministry.  When I originally felt God calling me to serving the least of these in this way, I had my plans…my dream…for how it would work.  I saw myself going into prisons and jails, spreading the Gospel and sharing my faith with others.  It was a struggle at the beginning and I was not able to get anywhere through my efforts.

God had a bigger dream for me.

Guaranteed to get your toes tapping on this Saturday morning, this is probably a song you have not heard yet.  It is off of Casting Crown’s new album “Thrive” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8nsJZx8eWw).  I am normally not a “run out and buy the album” kind of guy.  I listen through a couple of songs and maybe buy those.  But, when I sampled a few from this one, I knew it was one to have.  I may grab one more off it before we end this Lenten journey together.

“Hey, David, I hear you've been dreaming
About being a big time shepherd some day
You're gonna prove your brothers wrong
You're gonna sing your shepherd song
To the cattle on a thousand hills
But I’ve been thinking

I'm having trouble with a giant down the road
You're the one who's going to face him toe to toe
Wipe that grin right off his face
And whip this army into shape
I'm going to turn the nation back to Me
And David, you're right about one thing
Your little shepherd songs are going to make the whole world sing 

And I'm gonna make you king”

Instead of serving at prisons and jails in the way I imagined, God took me on a path of leading me to my great friend Alphonso Bailey (see his story here http://www.dbno.org).  When he and I met for the first time, we discussed my dream for prison ministry.  At one point, he asked me a question about why I wanted to do this?  I was pretty full of myself and said, “I want to bring Jesus into prison.”  He looked at me seriously and said, “Scott, when I go into prison, I don’t go to bring Jesus in.  I go in looking for Him.”  Wow.  My whole perspective changed.

If I had realized my dream for serving others at jails and prisons, it would have been a small dream.  But God led me in a way that allowed a bigger dream to come true, for me to serve in ways I could not have imagined, and be blessed in ways I could not even dream of.

Ephesians 3:20-21 is one of my favorites.

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."

I love how this says that no matter how big my imagination is, God can do more.  When I pray and ask for something, He wants to give me more than I ask.

“So come on, let Me dream, let Me dream for you
I am strong when you're weak and I'll carry you
So let go of your plan, be caught by My hand
I'll show you what I can do
When I dream for you
I have a dream for you”

Is your dream big?  It can be bigger!  Is your dream magical?  It can be holy!  Is your dream temporary?  It can be eternal!

So, what’s the biggest dream you can dream for yourself?  Don’t limit your life by only chasing your own dreams; let God dream for you.  He’ll show you what He can do, and it is immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine.

Every Season

Are we done with Winter yet?  Oh my goodness has this been a wild one.

While driving from Indianapolis to Terre Haute on Wednesday of this week, I think I experienced all four seasons on my trip.   It started out pouring rain for the first hour. As I continued, there was a brief moment of the sun breaking through the clouds, but it was immediately followed by strong winds, buffeting me along the way.  Finally, white-out snow to wrap up the trip.  Crazy!

“And everything in time and under heaven
Finally falls asleep.
Wrapped in blankets white, all creation
Shivers underneath.  

And still I notice you,
When branches crack
And in my breath on frosted glass.
Even now in death, You open doors for life to enter
You are winter.”

In each season of the year, it seems we can find something to complain about; too hot, too cold, too much rain, too blustery.  But, all of these things have their purpose as God renews His creation year after year.

This beautiful song by Nicole Noredeman is a poignant reminder of how we can embrace all of the extremes we experience in weather throughout the course of a year. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dwpdZdvCl8)

The familiar verses from Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 come to mind:

“There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.”

Our lives are like this too.  Just like the Winter we have been living, we have seasons where we draw inward, responding to the coldness of this world.  We can choose to look at these times from a perspective of negativity or as ones of necessity.

I love how this song builds to a crescendo as Spring comes forth.

“And everything that’s new has bravely surfaced,
Teaching us to breathe.
What was frozen through is newly purposed
Turning all things green.”

You can almost feel the buds from the trees coming forth and the warm sun shining on your face.  Trust me, Spring is coming and we are almost done with this time of shivering hibernation.

“So it is with You,
And how You make me new,
With every season’s change.
And so it will be,
As You are re-creating me,
Summer, Autumn, Winter, Spring”

So, do we push against the challenges each season brings?  Or, do we embrace them as necessary ways for growth and renewal to occur.  What season are you in?  Absorb the baking heat of Summer.  Allow yourself to be moved by the winds of Autumn.  Breathe in the chill of Winter. But most of all, open your arms and heart to the blooming of Spring.  Whether it is a season of the year or a season of your life, He is re-creating you at each step along the way.

Lead Me

The family-life/service-life/work-life balance is a difficult one to maintain.

I remember having a conversation with one of my fellow Kairos volunteers about this topic. He had asked me if I was interested in leading one of the upcoming prison ministry weekends, which meant serving as a member of the leadership team for 3 sessions in a row.  This would have been a very heavy time commitment, spanning many months.  After thanking him for considering me, I told him that I was concerned about the time I would spend away from family over multiple weekends.  He wisely responded, “I understand.  Your family is your first ministry.”

The Sanctus Real song “Lead Me” is a beautiful depiction of the struggle we face in balancing the priorities in our lives, while maintaining the important role of leading our family, especially in the area of our relationship with God.  (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLr6G8Xy5uc&feature=kp)

“I look around and see my wonderful life,
Almost perfect from the outside.
In picture frames I see my beautiful wife,
Always smiling,
But on the inside, I can hear her saying... 

‘Lead me with strong hands
Stand up when I can't
Don't leave me hungry for love
Chasing dreams, what about us?’ "

I know I tread on controversial territory when I say that the father of the household has the most important role in leading his family in the area of faith.  But, the numbers don’t lie.  When the father of a family attends church regularly, 66% of the children in these families attend church regularly later in life, with more than 75% attending on an irregular basis.  Conversely, when the father does not attend church, only 1 child in 50 (2%) attend worship regularly as adults.

Joshua gives us a great example of a man standing up and leading his family:

“But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” (Joshua 24:15)

But I struggle every day with the balance.  No matter what I do, I seem to fall short.  Work is busy and the days become long; my service life takes time away from just being a presence with them.  I wonder if I am able to keep it all together, even giving it my best effort.

“So Father, give me the strength
To be everything I'm called to be.
Oh, Father, show me the way
To lead them
Won't You lead me? 

To lead them with strong hands
To stand up when they can't
Don't want to leave them hungry for love,
Chasing things that I could give up 

I'll show them I'm willing to fight
And give them the best of my life
So we can call this our home
Lead me, 'cause I can't do this alone 

Father, lead me, 'cause I can't do this alone”

So, even as we face the daily responsibility of leading others, especially our families, to a deeper knowing and loving of Jesus, remember that we can call on God each day to have Him lead us.  We don’t have to do it alone.

Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)

This song was in playing in my head this morning as I lay in bed, newly awake, getting ready to start my day.  I could hear the rain coming down outside our bedroom window, and the haunting melodies of this beautiful piece started winding its way into my clarifying consciousness.

Do you believe in yourself?  What is that thing in your life today that your Faith is drawing you towards?

Hillsong United has a huge selection of beautiful music, ranging from hand-clapping, arm-raising praise songs to this quiet and beautiful prayer. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUCtfsyI-5I)

“You call me out upon the waters
The great unknown where feet may fail
And there I find You in the mystery
In oceans deep
My faith will stand”

In Matthew 14:22-33, we see Jesus walking on the water and how Peter uses his faith to step out of the boat, joining Jesus.  As many of you know, I love Peter because of his blatant human-ness as a human mess.  As you read about him through the Gospels, there are so many times when he missteps, says the wrong thing or jumps to the wrong conclusions.  Sound like someone you know?  I see him when I look in the mirror every day.

Peter sees Jesus on the water:

“But Jesus immediately said to them: ‘Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.’
‘Lord, if it’s you,’ Peter replied, ‘tell me to come to you on the water.’ 

‘Come,’ he said. 

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’
Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. ‘You of little faith,’ he said, ‘why did you doubt?’ 

And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, ‘Truly you are the Son of God.’ ”

I think the most interesting and beautiful part of this story is Jesus’ words to Peter: “You of little faith.  Why did you doubt?”  You could read this and Jesus chastising Peter for not believing in Him strongly enough, causing Peter to sink under the waves.  But I think this is Jesus saying to Peter, “Why did you lose faith in yourself?  I believe in you, why can’t you believe in you?”

“Oceans” continues:

“So I will call upon Your name
And keep my eyes above the waves
When oceans rise
My soul will rest in Your embrace
For I am Yours and You are mine
Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders
Let me walk upon the waters
Wherever You would call me
Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander
And my faith will be made stronger
In the presence of my Savior”

In spite of all the ways we fall short every day to live up to the life God has called us into, when we doubt ourselves, when we reject Jesus, He still calls to us.  He knows all and sees all, and even being the mess that we are, He desires to be in relationship with us and have us represent Him to those around us.  We just need to step out of the boat and believe in Him.

So, step out in faith.  Walk on water.  Jesus believes in you.

Fall Apart

If today is a day that you are filled with joy, possess a hope for all that is good, and feel like everything is in place, praise God!  At certain times in our lives, those days can seem few and far between. But when they come, we can feel God’s presence in a very real way.  We feel blessed!

But if today is one of those days where you feel like the opposite is true…joy seems absent, hope appears lost, chaos rules…consider that this may not be the worst thing ever.

“Why in the world did I think I could,
Only get to know You when my life was good?
When everything just falls in place,
The easiest thing is to give You praise.
Now it all seems upside down.”

Another one of my favorite singer-songwriters is Josh Wilson.  If you ever have the opportunity to see him praise God through his music and awesome chops on guitar, do it…you will not be disappointed.  The messages he brings forth are simple yet so impactful.  His song “Fall Apart” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3EWHPp80EA is a beautiful prayer from someone who is in the midst of a struggle.

“'Cause my whole world is caving in,
But I feel you now more than I did then.
How can I come to the end of me,
But somehow still have all I need? 

God I want to know you more.
Maybe this is how it starts.
I find you when I fall apart.”

We can feel like God is not with us on the rough days, that He has somehow abandoned us as a form of punishment.  But in reality, He never leaves us.  Sometimes, we just need a situation where we are stripped to our core, with seemingly nothing left, to feel God’s presence in our lives.  One of my friends at Pendleton Prison, whom I’ve gotten to know over the past few years, says it this way: “You don’t realize God is all you need until God is all you’ve got.”

I find myself returning to 2 Corinthians chapter 4 again and again.  I love the picture Paul paints in verses 16 and 17:

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.”

This image of our struggles renewing us brings me comfort.

I think where some people can get this message a bit messed up is the “eternal glory” part.  You could infer that Paul is saying your troubles will bring you some eventual eternal reward when we leave this world, kind of like a trade-off for our suffering.  But I think the opposite is true.  Our troubles, when we embrace them, can be blessings in the same ways our sufferings are.  Eternity is now.  God’s glory is in you.  Heaven is here.

“I don't know how long this will last.
I'm praying for the pain to pass.
But maybe this is the best thing that has ever happened to me”

So, if today is a day that you are filled with sorrow, joy can still abound, hope is ever-present.  When your life feels like a mess, embrace the potential that everything is actually in place as a part of God’s good and prosperous plan for you.  Praise God!  Realize that in the midst of your end, God begins.

You Love Me Anyway

Can we earn our way to being loved?  Asking the question the other way may be the more accurate way to look at it.  Can we earn our way to being unloved?

When I consider both questions, it is easy for me to think of a few things for the first one.  But, if I am honest with myself, there are many more items on the list for the second question.  However, what is the point of reference I am using when putting these lists together: the world’s definition of Love or God’s?

The truth is, when it comes to True Love…

(Quick segue…for those fans of the movie “The Princess Bride”, like me, I am sure the words of the priest marrying Humperdink and Buttercup are ringing your ears.  “Wuv, twooo wuv…”)

…sorry for that brief interruption.  :-)

When it comes to Love as God defines it, there is no way to earn it or to un-earn it.  This is True Love.  How do I know this?  Because in spite of all my faults, foibles, struggles and sins, God loves me.  He has always loved me.  He loves me today.  He will always love me.  Not because of anything I do or say, but because He just does; no matter what.  When I did not deserve His Love, He died for me.  “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)

What else do I know to be true?  Because in spite of all your faults, foibles, struggles and sins, God loves you.  He has always loved you.  He loves you today.  He will always love you.  Not because of anything you do or say, but because He just does; no matter what.

The band Sidewalk Prophets has a great song called “You Love Me Anyway”, which speaks so well to this True Love.  (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8BBCYFAYRI )

“It took more than my strength
To simply be still.
To seek but never find. 

All the reasons we change,
The reasons I doubt,
And why do loved ones have to die? 

But You love me anyway
It’s like nothing in life that I’ve ever known
You love me anyway
Oh Lord, how You love me”

Regardless of my questions and my doubt, He loves me.

This song builds to an awesome crescendo at the bridge:

“I am the thorn in Your crown
But You love me anyway. 

I am the sweat from Your brow
But You love me anyway. 

I am the nail in Your wrist
But You love me anyway. 

I am Judas’ kiss
But You love me anyway. 

See now, I am the man that called out from the crowd
For Your blood to be spilled on this earth shaking ground 

Yes then, I turned away with this smile on my face
With this sin in my heart, tried to bury Your grace 

And then alone in the night, I still called out for You
So ashamed of my life, my life, my life. 

But You love me anyway
Oh, God… how you love me
You love me anyway”

After all of my failings, and even the times I turn away from Him, He still loves me.

So, can we earn our way to being loved?  When it comes to God, we cannot.  He is that awesome and His Love is that big.

And, I am glad that I don’t have to earn it.

Into The Mystic

The other day, I made a comment about “secular” music, promising to talk about it again at some point in the future.   To this end, I would pose the question; “Is there any secular music, or it is all Holy?”

It is an interesting position to consider.  Now, before you start calling out songs by name that, based on the crude or degrading nature of some lyrics, or the completely manufactured sound of a melody, remember this: since the beginning of time, humankind has been able to coopt the Holy and change it to the unholy.  We have this ability to take beautiful words, God-given talents, and Holy Scripture, and twist them to our own selfish devices.  Just because we can bastardize gifts of the Holy Spirit does not, by definition, change them from their original and truest existence.

I think the answer to the question is that there is no secular music.  Only a Holy gift which, like many, can remain Holy or be changed away from its original nature.

Van Morrison’s “Into The Mystic” is one of those songs that makes me sure that, at its core, music is Holy and a gift from God.  There is no mention of God, Jesus or any scripture from the Bible.  But does that make it something less than Holy?  When I look into a beautiful sunrise, hear a young child’s laughter, or embrace a loved one after a long time apart, God is not specifically “mentioned” by word, but oh my goodness, He is definitely there!

“We were born before the wind.
Also younger than the sun.
Ere the bonnie boat was won as we sailed into the mystic. 

Hark, now hear the sailor’s cry.
Smell the sea and feel the sky.
Let your soul and spirit fly into the mystic”

I can’t hear this song without thinking of the dozens of times I have listened to this song with my wife Greta, often dancing slowly to its smooth rhythm (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVAnlke_xUY).  The way this song starts with its quiet guitar strum, leading into the simple notes played on the piano, tunes my heart and spirit to the eternal.

This song is about a journey.  And, like many songs, can mean different things to different people.  Some might take this song as the story of a young couple beginning their journey together into love.  But, couldn’t this song also be a prayer to God, of a Christian wanderer making the decision to enter wholly into the life we are called, fully trusting in Him, stepping forward without fear?

“And when that fog horn blows I will be coming home.
And when the fog horn blows I want to hear it,
I don't have to fear it. 

And I want to rock your gypsy soul,
Just like way back in the days of old,
And magnificently we will flow into the mystic.”

Yeah…the “rock your gypsy soul” might make this song as a prayer a bit of a stretch.  But think about it; might the words mean “God, I want to praise you with my full self, leaving nothing back, singing and dancing in awe of your majesty, just like we did when we humans first knew you fully and completely!”  “Rock your gypsy soul” just flows a little better and sounds way more cool.

So, next time you are listening to this one from Van, or many of his others…or any song from anyone…ask yourself, can I hear the prayer in this song?  Can I find the Holy?  If you feel that feeling we all get when we hear an awesome tune, a beautiful arrangement, or soul-filling lyrics, I guarantee you, the Holy is there.  Give it a try…

…it’s too late to stop now…

Already There

“Why?”

From pretty much the age of two, this is a question we ask of others and of ourselves for the entirety of our life in this world.  It is a question that can range from a simple form of curiosity, to a seeking of understanding, to a cry of desperation.  We continually seek to know.

Casting Crowns is one of my very favorite bands.  I know that different bands and their music speak to each of us in unique ways.  For me, their ability to create lyrics and melodies that relate to my joy and my gratitude, as well as my problems and my questions, is truly a gift from God.  Their song, “Already There” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qtg9axTtNLg) speaks to our asking of “Why?” in a way I have not found others able to do.

“From where I'm standing
Lord it's so hard for me to see
Where this is going
And where You're leading me. 

I wish I knew how
All my fears and all my questions
Are gonna play out
In a world I can't control.”

The most frustrating part of us asking “why” is that in almost all instances, someone knows the answer to our question.  In all instances, God knows the answer because it is a part of His plan for each one of us in the world, and how He fits all of it together in perfection.

“From where You're standing
Lord, You see a grand design
That You imagined
When You breathed me into life. 

And all the chaos
Comes together in Your hands
Like a masterpiece,
Of Your picture perfect plan.”

This song, from start to finish, is a beautiful prayer.  It is a real and open conversation with God which shows how we move from the position of petulant child, asking “why?” without even know what we are asking, to a being filled with the Holy Spirit, knowing that God is in control and working all things together for our good.

“One day I'll stand before You
And look back on the life I've lived,
I can't wait to enjoy the view
And see how all the pieces fit. 

One day I'll stand before You
And look back on the life I've lived,
Cause You're already there
You're already there 

When I'm lost in the mystery
To You my future is a memory
Cause You're already there
You're already there 

Standing at the end of my life
Waiting on the other side
And You're already there
You’re already there”

I have to admit, there have been many times in the past year that this song has brought me to tears.  For those of you who have read my random musings over these past six years, know my opinion on “tears”.  When we are filled with the Holy Spirit…either due to immense happiness when He magnifies our joy, or heart-wrenching sorrow when He comforts us…something has to come out.  In my world, shedding tears in either of these instances is evidence of the Holy Spirit within us.

The tears I shed when hearing this song come from being immersed in the peace of Christ, which passes all understanding, picturing God standing at the point of Eternity, welcoming me in with open arms. It is sometimes hard to get my brain around, thinking about the fact that God has already seen my life play out.  But, He has, and that’s just how it is.

So, eventually, we will get to know how it all fits together.  We will have the privilege of standing with Jesus, seeing how everything…past, present and future…fits together and “why” we experienced all we did.  But, on that day, the irony and the beauty of our eternal life with God, is that when we have this chance to stand with Him and see all that was and is behind the “Why?”, we will no longer care…

Sunday

Are you having a blue day?  Things feeling a little rough?  It’s Friday, but Sunday is coming.

Wait a second.  Don’t we spend all week in eager anticipation of Friday as the beginning of the weekend?  Why say that it’s Friday, but Sunday is coming when a tough week may finally be at an end?  Thinking about starting another week may be about the last thing you want to do right now.

Near the end of this journey through Lent, we will experience a Friday that, while it was occurring, seemed like the darkest day for all of mankind, in all of history.  Jesus Christ, Messiah, was tortured, died and was buried on a Friday.  We say “Thank God It’s Friday!” in a way that is about an ending.  But, as we know, Friday is just the beginning.

In John 10:10, Jesus tells us, “…I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”  He is not saying that life won’t be full of trials and tribulations; life will be hard at times.  But, a life in Christ is not a life of scarcity or timidity.  A life in Christ is one of abundance.

We can spend so much of our time focused on the challenges in front of us, or the persecution we experience.  These things, which are short term, can take our eyes off the big picture of how amazing our lives are.  “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:18).  One of my very favorites!

One of the earliest Contemporary Christian songs that I came to know and love is an oldie but a goody from a band called Tree63 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeBBLmFNRtM).  The message of this song is that no matter how bleak things may seem, God has great things in store for us.

“Nothing’s sacred, the days are cheap
Truth is thin on the ground
Still our prophets are crucified
Nobody believes we’re stumbling
It’s Friday, but Sunday is coming 

Someone’s saying a prayer tonight
For hungry mouths to be filled
Someone kneels in the dark somewhere
And darkness is already crumbling
It’s Friday, but Sunday is coming! 

Sunday – Hallelujah – it’s not so far, it’s not so far away
Sunday – Hallelujah – it’s not so far, it’s not so far away”

I know we’re not “supposed” to say the “H” word in that chorus above while we are observing Lent.  But, it is important to remember that this word will return to our vocabulary and worship eventually, and that should give us hope during the rough spots. I love the image of a person, kneeling in prayer, as the catalyst for darkness and hard times to move aside, letting the Light in.

So, maybe we should think about “Thank God It’s Friday!” in a different way.

Hang in there.  It’s Friday but Sunday is coming!

You Are More

There are times when we all battle with a feeling of unworthiness and it's all too easy to get to that point.  Between things at work, struggles on the home front, our past or just the quiet voice in our heads telling us that we are "no good", there is a constant pressure trying to push us down.

How do we respond to these voices?  We try to do things that will make us "good".  We participate in service activities; we give of our time, talent or treasure; we read the Bible; we try to do better.  Don't get me wrong, all of these are good things, but even with all of these efforts, we can sometimes feel like we are coming up short in the worthiness department.

After all of our efforts, how can we still feel unworthy?  Maybe we are trying to achieve something that cannot be achieved through our efforts, or lost due to a lack thereof.  I am not talking about worthiness as the world defines it, which is the measure we often use.  The type of worthiness we cannot achieve is the kind as God defines it.  It is the type of worthiness that comes from the gift Jesus Christ gave to us in the sacrifice of His life for me, and for you too.  We can’t work hard enough to earn this.

The band Tenth Avenue North has a great song called "You Are More" (www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwtcwQwgdsA).  The main way this song speaks to me is helping me to realize there is nothing I can do to make myself worthy.

"'Cause this is not about what you've done,
But what's been done for you.
This is not about where you've been,
But where your brokenness brings you to. 

This is not about what you feel,
But what He felt to forgive you,
And what He felt to make you loved. 

You are more than the choices that you've made,
You are more than the sum of your past mistakes,
You are more than the problems you create,
You've been remade."

In Romans 8:14-17, Paul lays this out for us.

"For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by Him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.”

We are not slaves, we are heirs.  And, we cannot lose the inheritance given to us as heirs.  Therefore, just as there is nothing I can do to make myself worthy, there is nothing I can do to make myself unworthy.

That’s really good news!

So, brothers and sisters, stop trying to gain something that is already yours.  When the world tells you “you are less”, choose to listen to the loving words God says to you every day.

“You are more!”

Ash Wednesday - Shine On!

One of my new favorite bands is NEEDTOBREATHE.  They are one of those special groups who use their lyrics and melodies to speak to the Faithful, but are also able to cross over into the world of so-called “secular” music.  More on that topic another day…

Their song “Shine On” may seem like an odd way to start Lent, given the somber words used when we receive the imposition of ashes today (“Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”)  However, this season is not just about a quiet preparation of our spirits for the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ.  It is about the light we hold deeply within each of us, a light that is meant to shine.

In Matthew, 6:16-18, Jesus instructs us to not allow what we are doing or experiencing to dim our light; “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” 

He also offers encouragement about our light at another point in Matthew 5:14-16; “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

The lyrics of “Shine On” are awesome from start to finish, but the parts that strike me most are the chorus and the bridge. You can watch/listen here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLyDOa40ueE )

The chorus…

“Shine on, shine on

And on to something new

It’s long and overdue

I will remember you

Shine on, shine on

And let the others see

You’ve got your victory

Will you remember me?”

…and the bridge…

“Can you see my hands are open?

I am waiting just ahead

And you think you need it all now

But you needed me instead”

This song, for me, is Jesus telling us to let our light shine.  We need His light to show us the way to Him and the victory over death that we will celebrate forty-seven long days from now.

So, my dear friends, Shine On!