Aches and Pains

I am getting older.  This is somewhat a “duh” statement as the truth is, we all are.  I recently had my 43^rd birthday.  By God’s grace, I have outlived my father, by grace I will live longer.  They say, with age comes maturity and wisdom, and, if we are attuning to God’s direction, this too is largely true.  But the other thing that comes with age is aches and pains.  The time in which it arrives is determined largely by how well we have taken care of these earthly vessels, but ultimately, all of our bodies will fail and begin to decay and with that come aches and pain.  Now there is an entire theology of suffering and God’s use of it in our individual lives.  However, as I was reading this morning, I was reminded of the spiritual lesson that God gives ALL of us who have sickness, pain or suffering—HOPE.  Look at what I mean,“¹ For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home [our earthly bodies] is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. ² For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, ³ if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. ⁴ For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. (2 Cor. 5:1-4, ESV)

Paul tells us that our aches and pains are reminders that we have a heavenly building awaiting us.  Our heavenly duds that we get to exchange when we take off our earthly clothes.  Every time I hurt, every time I get frustrated with the way our world is decaying, I am reminded of this one truth.  I have an new set of clothes awaiting me on the other side.  How do I know of sure?  Paul tells us in his next verse. “⁵ He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.” God gives His Spirit. (ESV)

So, how do we respond when we hurt, get sick or suffer?  He goes to say, “⁶ So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, ⁷ for we walk by faith, not by sight. ⁸ Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. ⁹ So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him.” (ESV)

So be encouraged.  Like the old Gospel song tells us, “This is not my home, I’m just a-passing through!”

The Cross Alone

It has been years since I sat down and blogged.  I don't know if this will be a comeback, or wishful thinking.  I find that since leaving our ministry in Vermont and begun at the Boys Ranch, our pace of life has quickened considerably.  Since blogging for me is a time consuming task, this is likely to be an occasional visitation.  Nevertheless, I felt prompted by the Holy Spirit to write this morning.  Perhaps this will encourage or challenge you today...

I recently finished my revisit to the book of Beginnings (Genesis), so I decided to walk through Paul's letters to the Corinthian church.  I have found that as I age, every time I reread a book of the Bible, it is like sitting down with an old friend and catching up on what has transpired since we last visited.  God's word never disappoints!  With an old friend, you revisit where you have been together, and then share what is new in life.  I experience the same with God's word.

I walked through the verses of Paul's typical and yet personal salutation to this collection of saints.  Then, I was reminded that Corinth was a place filled with petty divisions, like many churches still today.  This first division was centered around personalities-- nothing new under the sun there.  Then, Paul's response to this in verse 17 caught my eye, "For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power." (1 Corinthians 1:17 ESV)

As a member of church staff for 2 decades, my mind immediately defaulted to the corporate application of this verse.  I thought of how often local churches rely on gimmicks and fads to reach people.  In so doing, they empty the cross of it's power (if that is possible) by learning to trust in the latest greatest scheme to "reach people" and build our religious empires.

But, then the Holy Spirit turned the table inward, once again, and I began to reflect on how, so often, I too rely on my own strength and ability rather than the power of the Cross.  Then, Paul gives such a powerful prescription for regaining that power in verse 26 and following,

"For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1:26-31 ESV)

I realize that every time I trust in my own strength or talent, I am shamed.  I am robbing God of the glory of the power that was used to save me.

Lord, forgive me when I function in my own strength.  Help me to consider my calling.  Thank you that you took this weak, foolish, low and despised man and made me Your child by Your grace, and Your grace alone.   Today, I will boast only in the Lord.  Amen.

Fabulous Quote!

"In any museum we will find quite ordinary things - clothes, a walking stick, a pen, pieces of furniture - which are only of value because they were possessed and used by some great person.  It is the ownership which gives them worth. It is so with the Christian. The Christian may be a very ordinary person, but he acquires a new value and dignity and greatness because he belongs to God. The greatness of the Christian lies in the fact that he is God's."

                                                                                                                            -- William Barclay

Take a Peek

This morning, as I spent some time reviewing Luke's account of the Resurrection, I noticed a couple of verses that I had not noticed before...
"...but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home marveling at what had happened." (24:11-12) 

This morning all over the world, millions of people gathered to celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus, and to hear once again the story of the empty tomb.

As I reflected on these two small verses, I was reminded that the same thing that happened this morning, also hapened that morning 2000 years ago.  Some women told the story of what they had seen and heard, and there was two responses to their story.  Some who heard the story thought it was just an "idle tale" and did not believe.  Peter, however, had a different response.  He believed and went to take a peek.  Oh to have been there on that day to be the one of the first to see the grave clothes, the stone rolled away,  the angels. 

If you have heard the story, how have your responded.  If you haven't, here is a powerful unique musical video version of this story... take a few minutes and enjoy... take a peek...come close, listen to the story...

Now that you seen the story, how will you repond?  Disbelief?  Celebration?  Life change?

A Day of Weeds

I hate weeds. They mar the look of the yard because they grow faster than the grasses I desire. They often bring stickers and burrs. They invite more pollen to incite the onslaught of my allergies. I HATE WEEDS! I think this sentiment is common amongst most people.

I have learned over the years that weeds do not infest only our yards, but also the hearts of those in our churches. Consequently, we are losing ground in the culture that we live in with regards to effectiveness of our witness. Allow me to explain. In Luke 8, Jesus is addressing a crowd of followers. Why were they there? A variety of reasons: some were curious; some needing healing; some wanted a show; some were drawn by the Lord. He turns them and begins a parable: the sower.

If you are familiar with this story, Jesus describes a farmer who is sowing seeds which fall in four different locations. These locations represent the four different heart conditions that are given the Word of God. The first fall on the side of the road and get snatched away by birds. The second, rocky soil, which withers for lack of moisture. Number three is the weeds and thorns. The seed sprouts, but grows up in the midst of weeds that choke it out. Finally, some seed also falls on good soil which grows and yields a crop.

The third soil is the one that jumped out at me today. Jesus explains the parable in verses 9-15, and it was the three things in verse 14 that act as weeds in our hearts that captured me: worries, riches and pleasures of this world. It was what Jesus said these things do the heart of the person (soil) that stood out to me. He says it causes them to "bring no fruit to maturity," The NIV renders it, "they do not mature." That hits the nail on the head of too many in our churches. So many us are just anemic in our faith, and the tendency is that we have gotten ourselves so fixated on what the world has to offer, we become fruitless or immature. Our faith isn't growing, we become self-centered-- some call us "consumers" and we lose heart quickly.

Now, are these things bad in themselves. No, however, when they become the center of our lives, and we allow them to dictate to us how we are to live, those things become godlike and thereby become idolatry. James actually describes this by saying, "whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God." (4:4)

What is it that drives us. Do we spend most of our time worrying about things that are going to blow away in the wind or can be lsot with the next stock market plunge? Or are we storing up treasures in heaven that are eternal. Today we are living in a day of weeds. I guess it is time to do some gardening!