Like a rubber band being stretched as far as it can go, often we find ourselves being stretched to the same point of tension. When I experience tension, my knee-jerk reaction is to try to relieve the tension. In fact, that seems to consume my thoughts: "How can I get out from under all of this tension?" I would argue that we all have our own ways of trying to cope with and/or relieve the tension. Some of us hit the gym and others of us hit the bottle, but what if any attempt to relive the tension, healthy or unhealthy, is really a way of avoiding the good God has for us on the other side of the tension? What if our desire to relieve the tension is keeping us from the greater good God has for us?
Anna is studying Genesis in Bible quizzing and the other day she was recounting the story of Abraham being asked by God to sacrifice his only son, Isaac (Genesis 22). Surely, Abraham wanted to relieve that tension. Certainly, Isaac, must have felt the tension as he unknowingly followed his father up the mountain.
"Where is the lamb for the sacrifice, Dad?," Isaac asked.
"The Lord will provide," answered Abraham.
How heavy Abraham's heart must have been...how confused his mind must have been--why would God ask him to sacrifice the boy who was God's miracle gift of blessing? With every step they took, the tension grew.
Finally, Abraham built an altar out of stones. He then tied up his only son and lay him on the altar. Can you imagine looking into the terrified eyes of your child as you lift the knife to sacrifice him to God? This is more than tension, it is devastating. But Abraham would not relieve the tension for himself or his son. He lifts the knife...
Then, just before the knife cuts through his son's heart, the angel of the Lord cries out, "Abraham, stop!" Suddenly, a ram's, "baaahhh," is heard. There in the thicket, God has provided a ram.
God relived the tension and Abraham and his son experienced the provision and faithfulness of God in a way that they never would have, if he had relived the tension himself.
Will you and I learn from Abraham? Our culture teaches us to relieve the tension. We don't need God. We have prescriptions, credit cards, Dr. Phil, the Internet, divorce and 1000 other ways to relieve the tension in our lives. But what if every time I insist on relieving the tension myself, I miss out on experiencing God's provision and love? What if God does not allow us to experience tension to harm us, but to free us? What if every time I walk up the mountain of tension's sacrifice trusting the Lord to provide rather than me trying to figuring a way to avoid it, I will get to experience something from God that will not only impact me now, but help me the next time tension stretches me beyond what I think I can bear?
Of course, Abraham and Isaac's story foreshadows another story that gives us all the more hope for the tension points of life. God the Father did not provide a lamb to take his only Son's place on the cross. Jesus endured the full weight of the tension of pain and loss sin brings into our lives and world. The tension broke and killed him so that the tension, not even death itself, need not break us. Look at Hebrews 4:14-16. It reminds us that Jesus sympathizes with our weaknesses and now intercedes to the Father on our behalf. When the tension comes, rather than try to relieve it ourselves, we can turn to the very one who overcame it for us and now prays for us. He is the lamb in the thicket we need, not the tension reliving device we are so tempted to use. "Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need" (Hebrews 4:16).
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
Tuesday, November 26, 2013
Fragile but Eternal
Sunday we received word that Kimberly's cousin's husband (Michael) died from injuries sustained from a fall from a ladder while at work. Michael was only 40 years old and leaves behind two elementary age boys. I just keeping thinking about those two little guys. How does a Mom tell her boys that Daddy won't be coming home? How do boys at that age even begin to process what this means for them now and for the rest of their lives? How does the widow have time to grieve when she has two little boys who are grieving? How does the family celebrate Thanksgiving when the following two days they will face calling hours and a funeral?
I am sorry to be somewhat of a downer during a season of thanksgiving, but perhaps it is this honest dose of reality that will allow all of us to take the meaning of this season all the more seriously. You see, when I think of this 40 year old dad's death, I am reminded that life is fragile. As much as I want to believe that I am invincible and that it is other people who get sick and die, the reality is my life is just as fragile as that of anyone else. And that means your life is fragile, too. The Bible says, "It is good for a man to think of his own death." It is good because until we accept just how fragile life is, can we ever truly appreciate what a gift life is?
The more I see how fragile life is the more free I am to let go of what does not matter and more fully embrace all the little things that truly do matter. Like the kiss of my beautiful wife of 11 years. The giggle of my son as I tickle his belly. The smile of my baby girl as I tell her she is beautiful. The phone call from an older sister in Christ who I know has my back. The email from a friend that speaks truth in a way that makes me want to be more like Christ. The presence of Christ showing up in that intimate way that no one and nothing can take away. The more I see how fragile life is, the more I can embrace what makes life worth living.
But I am even more thankful that life is not only fragile, but eternal. Michael knew Christ and the Bible says in Romans 8 that not even detach can separate him from the love that is in Christ Jesus. The more I accept that life is eternal, the more I have reason to give thanks. I am living for more than I can cram into the timeline I have been granted. Our purpose is bigger than a birth and death date. Our value, according to God, is infinite. And when I can take account of my life from an eternal perspective, my life not only takes on more meaning, but it also gives me all the more reason to give thanks in all circumstances. We serve a God who refused to let death have the final say. He broke out of the grave just to show us that life may be fragile, but it is also eternal!
I know that most people who read these "Random Thoughts" of mine already have a personal relationship with Christ, but today if you are reading this and you are struggling with how fragile life can be and desire to experience eternal life even before you die, I hope you know that I am here and I would be honored to talk and pray with you.
I pray for all of you a Happy Thanksgiving as you celebrate all of God's gracious gifts in this fragile life and God's forever gift of eternal life!
I am sorry to be somewhat of a downer during a season of thanksgiving, but perhaps it is this honest dose of reality that will allow all of us to take the meaning of this season all the more seriously. You see, when I think of this 40 year old dad's death, I am reminded that life is fragile. As much as I want to believe that I am invincible and that it is other people who get sick and die, the reality is my life is just as fragile as that of anyone else. And that means your life is fragile, too. The Bible says, "It is good for a man to think of his own death." It is good because until we accept just how fragile life is, can we ever truly appreciate what a gift life is?
The more I see how fragile life is the more free I am to let go of what does not matter and more fully embrace all the little things that truly do matter. Like the kiss of my beautiful wife of 11 years. The giggle of my son as I tickle his belly. The smile of my baby girl as I tell her she is beautiful. The phone call from an older sister in Christ who I know has my back. The email from a friend that speaks truth in a way that makes me want to be more like Christ. The presence of Christ showing up in that intimate way that no one and nothing can take away. The more I see how fragile life is, the more I can embrace what makes life worth living.
But I am even more thankful that life is not only fragile, but eternal. Michael knew Christ and the Bible says in Romans 8 that not even detach can separate him from the love that is in Christ Jesus. The more I accept that life is eternal, the more I have reason to give thanks. I am living for more than I can cram into the timeline I have been granted. Our purpose is bigger than a birth and death date. Our value, according to God, is infinite. And when I can take account of my life from an eternal perspective, my life not only takes on more meaning, but it also gives me all the more reason to give thanks in all circumstances. We serve a God who refused to let death have the final say. He broke out of the grave just to show us that life may be fragile, but it is also eternal!
I know that most people who read these "Random Thoughts" of mine already have a personal relationship with Christ, but today if you are reading this and you are struggling with how fragile life can be and desire to experience eternal life even before you die, I hope you know that I am here and I would be honored to talk and pray with you.
I pray for all of you a Happy Thanksgiving as you celebrate all of God's gracious gifts in this fragile life and God's forever gift of eternal life!
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
God's Will for Your Life
Over the past 14 1/2 years of Pastoral ministry, I have watched countless people struggle over and strain to uncover God's will for their lives. I am sympathetic because I also used to see God's will as some sort of great mystery that only the super-spiritual types among us could ever truly discern. Furthermore, I use to see God's will as a tight rope; it was this very narrow line you walked and the slightest deviation would leave you plummeting into the darkness of being "out of the center of his will." Many people over the years has confirmed that my past view of God's will is a common one, if not the prominent view.
But then, several years ago, C.S. Lewis, in his small allegory, "The Great Divorce," along with some other wise College and seminary professors began to challenge my perception of God's will. What if God's will is less like a tight rope and more like wide open spaces? What if God's will is less a mystery and as simple and plain to see as the nose on your face? What if the point of God's will is not to bring about great anxiety and discouragement, but to be the place where we tap into the depths of God's power and love? Suddenly, God's will was not something I dreaded seeking, but something I found myself desperately hungry to explore.
So, let me ask you a question: Do you know God's will for your life? If your answer is anything but certain, I have good news for you. I know the answer to that question. You no longer need to fret over it because I am going to tell you plainly and clearly, right here and right now, what God's will is for your life. Are you ready?
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, spells it out this way: "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." What if God's will is less about where you work or where you live or what car you drive or where your kids will go to school and more about how you live where ever you live. The Bible says it so clearly. God's will is not a mystery. His will for your life is that you will be joyful always, pray continually and give thanks in all circumstances.
Think about how our lives and those we come in contact with would be changed for the better if we grabbed hold of this as God's will for our lives and became absolutely determined to let God makes a person who lived joyfully, prayed continually and gave thanks all the time. Wow! Talk about the power to change your home, your work place, your kid's school, your community, our country, the world...! This is God's will for you! Don't cheapen his will by turning it into tight rope details! Rather, let this, his will, spelled out for us in 1 Thess. 5:16-18 expand his purpose for us into the wide open spaces, where no matter how far we run, we can never reach the boundaries of the joy, fellowship and thanksgiving we can experience and lead others to experience in Christ Jesus!
But then, several years ago, C.S. Lewis, in his small allegory, "The Great Divorce," along with some other wise College and seminary professors began to challenge my perception of God's will. What if God's will is less like a tight rope and more like wide open spaces? What if God's will is less a mystery and as simple and plain to see as the nose on your face? What if the point of God's will is not to bring about great anxiety and discouragement, but to be the place where we tap into the depths of God's power and love? Suddenly, God's will was not something I dreaded seeking, but something I found myself desperately hungry to explore.
So, let me ask you a question: Do you know God's will for your life? If your answer is anything but certain, I have good news for you. I know the answer to that question. You no longer need to fret over it because I am going to tell you plainly and clearly, right here and right now, what God's will is for your life. Are you ready?
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, spells it out this way: "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." What if God's will is less about where you work or where you live or what car you drive or where your kids will go to school and more about how you live where ever you live. The Bible says it so clearly. God's will is not a mystery. His will for your life is that you will be joyful always, pray continually and give thanks in all circumstances.
Think about how our lives and those we come in contact with would be changed for the better if we grabbed hold of this as God's will for our lives and became absolutely determined to let God makes a person who lived joyfully, prayed continually and gave thanks all the time. Wow! Talk about the power to change your home, your work place, your kid's school, your community, our country, the world...! This is God's will for you! Don't cheapen his will by turning it into tight rope details! Rather, let this, his will, spelled out for us in 1 Thess. 5:16-18 expand his purpose for us into the wide open spaces, where no matter how far we run, we can never reach the boundaries of the joy, fellowship and thanksgiving we can experience and lead others to experience in Christ Jesus!
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
Floating Fire Ants
Living Hope Member, Justin Moorman, shared these words with me this week. I thought there were so good and applicable that I asked him for permission to pass them on to you. I pray this speaks to you as it did me. Thank you, Justin!
"I once did a science lesson with my students about fire
ants. They live in some very dry places. Whenever there is a downpour in areas
like that, it actually causes what is the equivalent of a massive flood for a
fire ant, because the ground simply can't absorb the water quick enough. If a single fire ant is trapped out by itself when this happens, that individual
ant will unfortunately drown. What is unbelievable, though, is what happens to
the ants that are a with the colony. Instead of setting up shop in their hill,
digging in and hopping for the best, they come to the surface to face the
flood. But they don't drown. They lock legs, hold on to each other with their
mouths, and refuse to let go. And, contrary to what seems to make sense, that
colony of fire ants floats. They float right on top of the flood, in the middle
of the downpour, and flow wherever the current takes them. They are in it
together. Once the flood is over, and the waters finally soak into the ground,
the fire ants do another cool thing. They don't start marching back to their
old hill. The let go of each other, and set up shop right where those flood
waters carried them. That place is their new home.
Dr. Cubie ( A Professor Justin and I both had at Mount Vernon Nazarene University), I believe, once said to me that God's love is
bigger and deeper and wider than any ocean we could ever imagine. That sounds
awesome, but what he said next really made me think. He said, "And, if you've
ever heard stories of people stranded in the ocean alone, you know it is a
terrifying experience." You know all too well that you can't be in God's love
on your own; it is way too overwhelming. You can't be in that kind of flood by
yourself, because you'd never make it. It's sad to leave what you've known;
what is your home. And believe me, it's sad for us to have you leave. But
you're not the fire ant that got caught away from the colony, and neither is
Living Hope Church. You have a whole group of ants that are going to keep you
afloat, and keep each other afloat, as God's terrifying, awesome love washes
over us during this next step. And, while we won't be physically floating with
you up to Canton, we're absolutely all there with
you, praying for his waters to guide you and your family."
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
A Walk to the River
When I was a little boy, my best friend was my Grandpa Clyde. Sometimes we would walk down to the shores of the Great Miami River, which was less than a 5 minute walk from his home. Once at the river Grandpa would find an old can that the river had washed ashore, cast it upstream (Don't judge us; this was before we were as environmentally sensitive as we are now :-) and then the two of us would pick up stones and try to hit the can as it floated away. Grandpa could hit the can three times before I even found a rock and made my throw. I don't think I ever hit the can. It always seemed like the river swept it away too quickly for my ability. But I sure did love casting cans and rocks with my Grandpa.
Can I let you in on something? God the Father, wants you to love casting things much bigger than cans and rocks. And he does not want you to cast with him, but to cast ON him. 1 Peter 5:7 says, "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."
Can't you just see Jesus taking your little hand and walking with you down to the Great Miami of life. He says, "Go ahead, pick up a can of your best anxiety. What keeps you up at night? What breaks your heart? What makes you want to scream? What do you have no power to change, but you are desperate to see changed? What do you worry about? What scares you? Yes, that can of anxiety. Pick it up. OK, now cast it. With all of your strength, cast it as far as you can." So, you muster up as much strength as possible and you cast that can into the river of His Spirit. You pick up some rocks to throw at your can of anxiety, but before long it is gone. At first it is too far away to hit with a rock and before long it is too far away to even see.
That is what Jesus invites you to do with all of our cares and anxieties. Why do we hold onto what he invites us to let go of? Why do we try to control what we can't? Why do we dig our heels in when he has made us to run free? Why do we take on the weight of the world, when he has already died for the world? Why don't we just pick up the can of anxiety and cast it on him. If we will do that, then he will carry it away like a can in the Great Miami River.
Doesn't that sound good? It does to me. But, then there is a part of me that thinks, but this is my anxiety, why should I bother him with it? He answers those kind of questions at the end of 1 Peter 5:7, "Because he cares for you." He wants you to cast your cares on him because he wants you to experience the truth that he carees for you.
OK...ready? Jesus is here. He wants to take a walk down to the river with you. I don't know about you, but I have a can of anxiety I can't wait to cast.
Can I let you in on something? God the Father, wants you to love casting things much bigger than cans and rocks. And he does not want you to cast with him, but to cast ON him. 1 Peter 5:7 says, "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."
Can't you just see Jesus taking your little hand and walking with you down to the Great Miami of life. He says, "Go ahead, pick up a can of your best anxiety. What keeps you up at night? What breaks your heart? What makes you want to scream? What do you have no power to change, but you are desperate to see changed? What do you worry about? What scares you? Yes, that can of anxiety. Pick it up. OK, now cast it. With all of your strength, cast it as far as you can." So, you muster up as much strength as possible and you cast that can into the river of His Spirit. You pick up some rocks to throw at your can of anxiety, but before long it is gone. At first it is too far away to hit with a rock and before long it is too far away to even see.
That is what Jesus invites you to do with all of our cares and anxieties. Why do we hold onto what he invites us to let go of? Why do we try to control what we can't? Why do we dig our heels in when he has made us to run free? Why do we take on the weight of the world, when he has already died for the world? Why don't we just pick up the can of anxiety and cast it on him. If we will do that, then he will carry it away like a can in the Great Miami River.
Doesn't that sound good? It does to me. But, then there is a part of me that thinks, but this is my anxiety, why should I bother him with it? He answers those kind of questions at the end of 1 Peter 5:7, "Because he cares for you." He wants you to cast your cares on him because he wants you to experience the truth that he carees for you.
OK...ready? Jesus is here. He wants to take a walk down to the river with you. I don't know about you, but I have a can of anxiety I can't wait to cast.
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Straight Ahead
Kimberly refers to me as a "distracted driver." I wish I could argue with her, but it is true. When I drive I like to read signs, bumper stickers, take in the view and do just about everything but keep my eyes straight ahead. And those stupid rumble strips on the side of the highway are a dead give away every time I look too long to the right or left. We'll rumble across them and the whole car-- wife, kids and all--will echo, "Daddy, keep your eyes on the road."
In the men's Bible study/accountability group I am in on Wednesdays (By the way, these men are incredibly courageous in their honesty and they crack me up), we have been studying the book of Proverbs. I have not been able to get away from what we looked at a couple of weeks ago. Proverbs 4:25-27 says, "Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you. Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm. Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil."
In other words, what gets me in trouble in driving will get us all in trouble in life. The wise one of Proverbs warns us to not even look to the left or right. Keep your eyes fixed straight ahead.
As I was reading this, my mind was then drawn to another part of the Bible. It is the story of Jesus walking on water. Peter cries out, "If it is you Lord let me walk out to you." Jesus tells Peter to come to him. Peter steps out of the boat. He is walking on water! Its amazing! Its a miracle!
But then the Scripture says Peter took his eyes off of the One he was walking toward and looked all around at the waves. As soon as he saw the waves he began to sink. Jesus rescued him and rebuked him for his lack of faith. The reason Peter's faith failed was because he looked to the right and the left. And when we look at the waves of a storm it is scary. Had Peter kept his eyes fixed straight ahead on Jesus he could have continued walking on water.
I encourage you today! Jesus wants you to walk on water with him. Keep your eyes fixed straight ahead. Jesus invites you to step out of the boat and its only scary if you take your eyes off of him.
In the men's Bible study/accountability group I am in on Wednesdays (By the way, these men are incredibly courageous in their honesty and they crack me up), we have been studying the book of Proverbs. I have not been able to get away from what we looked at a couple of weeks ago. Proverbs 4:25-27 says, "Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you. Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm. Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil."
In other words, what gets me in trouble in driving will get us all in trouble in life. The wise one of Proverbs warns us to not even look to the left or right. Keep your eyes fixed straight ahead.
As I was reading this, my mind was then drawn to another part of the Bible. It is the story of Jesus walking on water. Peter cries out, "If it is you Lord let me walk out to you." Jesus tells Peter to come to him. Peter steps out of the boat. He is walking on water! Its amazing! Its a miracle!
But then the Scripture says Peter took his eyes off of the One he was walking toward and looked all around at the waves. As soon as he saw the waves he began to sink. Jesus rescued him and rebuked him for his lack of faith. The reason Peter's faith failed was because he looked to the right and the left. And when we look at the waves of a storm it is scary. Had Peter kept his eyes fixed straight ahead on Jesus he could have continued walking on water.
I encourage you today! Jesus wants you to walk on water with him. Keep your eyes fixed straight ahead. Jesus invites you to step out of the boat and its only scary if you take your eyes off of him.
Thursday, October 24, 2013
A Bold Teen
Bold is not just something people exhibited for Christ in the past as we have seen in the stories of Stephen, Nathaniel and John.
Bold is not something that is only attainable by a few courageous men like Pastor Saeed Abedini who has been imprisoned for his faith in Iran while working on a government approved orphanage.
Bold is something that the Holy Spirit is willing to let any of us live in and for Kingdom of God. You are in a church family filled with people who are daring to be bold for Christ! And it is not just adults, but even our teens!
Ben Durbin is one of the teens who participates in our teen ministry. About a month ago, he took a bold move. He decided to initiate prayer on the football field. He approached his team with an idea to have a prayer circle before every game. The team willingly followed Ben's bold leadership! For the past month, teen age Ben, has been boldly leading other students in this public-school, football setting to encounter Christ. Ben's Dad said, "It has been amazing to watch! Ben is more excited about leading this prayer circle than playing football."
Ben, as I was praying for your bold influence to continue to be spread and used by God I was reminded of a Scripture verse that is a promise for us all: "For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, love and of self-discipline" (2 Timothy 1:7).
I want to thank all of our teen ministry leaders and parents who understand that a win for our teen ministry is a win for our whole church family and beyond! This story is a great example of that. For those parents who have not yet gotten your child involved, I challenge you to let Ben's boldness embolden you!
Bold is not something that is only attainable by a few courageous men like Pastor Saeed Abedini who has been imprisoned for his faith in Iran while working on a government approved orphanage.
Bold is something that the Holy Spirit is willing to let any of us live in and for Kingdom of God. You are in a church family filled with people who are daring to be bold for Christ! And it is not just adults, but even our teens!
Ben Durbin is one of the teens who participates in our teen ministry. About a month ago, he took a bold move. He decided to initiate prayer on the football field. He approached his team with an idea to have a prayer circle before every game. The team willingly followed Ben's bold leadership! For the past month, teen age Ben, has been boldly leading other students in this public-school, football setting to encounter Christ. Ben's Dad said, "It has been amazing to watch! Ben is more excited about leading this prayer circle than playing football."
Ben, as I was praying for your bold influence to continue to be spread and used by God I was reminded of a Scripture verse that is a promise for us all: "For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, love and of self-discipline" (2 Timothy 1:7).
I want to thank all of our teen ministry leaders and parents who understand that a win for our teen ministry is a win for our whole church family and beyond! This story is a great example of that. For those parents who have not yet gotten your child involved, I challenge you to let Ben's boldness embolden you!
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