I didn't grow up in a tradition of "Advent". We simply had Christmas. I think I was first introduced to this term during our years at First Covenant in San Francisco and it certainly was a word used during our years in Minnesota at our Evangelical Free church. For the first years at our present church it was not mentioned nor emphasized often but in the last several years, perhaps 10, it was emphasized to various degrees.
In my mind there is a subtle but significant difference. Christmas feels like a day whereas Advent implies season. Certainly "Christmas" can imply a season but the youthful places in my heart remember the run-up to the big day and the let down of December 26th. I am now more inclined to embrace Advent so as to enjoy the entire four week period from yesterday; the first Sunday of Advent, until December 25th.
This is why I was saddened yesterday at my home church's complete retreat from "Advent". No lighting of the first candle, no reading of the first passage, not even a mention. Frankly, I had forgotten it was the first Sunday of Advent until I was driving home and it hit me, no Advent.
While I am disappointed at this turn of event, I do know this, nothing stops me from embracing personally the Advent season, with or without a corporate acknowledgment on the part of my church home. I've decided my celebration will happen here, at the keyboard as I reflect on some of the characters that play important roles in Advent.
There are two mothers, Elizabeth and Mary. Neither should have borne sons; Elizabeth due to age and Mary due to virginity. I have often been intrigued by Elizabeth and her story. Obviously, while I can't understand from experience the wonder she must have felt at this baby growing inside her, I can imagine how incredibly happy with wonder she must have felt. John's mother was a woman of deep wisdom that had grown through all the childless years. The hurt and disappointment she must have felt for years deepened something in her so that when Mary enters her home and her unborn baby leaps she instantly recognizes the magnitude of Mary's baby, "How is it that the mother of my Lord should come to me". It is the first record of declaration of Jesus' Lordship and all before He is even born. By faith, she simply knows.
Mary is another story, isn't she? We protestants make too little of her, nearly making her a footnote to the wonder and drama unfolding. In all probability she was a teenager. I don't think it is proper to make too many comparisons between teenagers of our culture and teenagers in Mary's culture but Gabriel's announcement that she is highly favored does indicate there is something special about this young woman. We quickly learn how special she is with her response, "I am the handmaiden of the Lord". Such submission, such faith. It should startle us at our core. She has only a glimpse of what she is agreeing to. No one will believe her story and she knows that will mean becoming an outcast. She will always have to cast her heart, soul and body into the hands of the unseen God she reveres.
Shortly after the birth of Jesus, she finds herself in Jerusalem, her baby swept up in the arms of an old man, Simeon. And it is then she is told a sword will pierce her heart. What teenager can bear such news? A young woman of faith.
I am also struck by one other note regarding Mary; she is the only person to know, without faith, she conceived as a virgin by the Holy Spirit. In some way, this sets her apart but does not mitigate what she would always endure for the rest if her life in that culture. Surely there were those that believed her but I am just as sure that most would not and would always look on her with whispered suspicions. It takes faith and strength beyond her years to be willing to walk that journey.
So, two mothers revolve around each other in the opening of this Advent season. Two women of deep faith in the goodness of God. They call me to ponder anew my own faith.
Monday, November 28, 2016
Monday, November 21, 2016
Sleepless
Two weeks ago on Monday night I could not go to sleep. I finally ended up getting up after about three hours of fitful sleep. I remember because I could not shut down. On Monday evening I am usually outside with my dog Murphy and my computer and my Bible getting ready for the Bible study I lead on Tuesday mornings. Its a small group of men, six of us. We've been meeting for about seven years.
We are currently looking at the gospels, attempting to look at them all at once. I use a parallel website that puts the recorded events together so it is easier to look at the four gospels as a whole. Two weeks ago we started looking at the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew, chapters 5, 6 & 7. I'd spent that evening looking at the opening, the "blessed are's" that begin this magnificent discourse. I wrote out some thoughts about the different blesseds that are listed and found myself so caught up that I simply could not shut down when I went to bed.
I fear I will once again be unable to shut down tonight. Maybe writing here will help me, but I doubt it.
I keep thinking about the response recorded at the end of the discourse, the people were amazed at Jesus' teaching and His authority. I am putting myself in that place, sitting there and trying to "listen" as if I'd never heard these words before. Tonight I am caught up in His telling those gathered that we are salt and light. He tells us this right after turning their world upside down by telling them what is really important in the Kingdom of God - the opening "blesseds". They really did turn things upside down for those listening that day and still do when we lay alongside what He tells us is important in the Kingdom side by side to our own culture of what is important for success.
So now those hearing, both then and now, are salt and light. Wow! Not the theologically learned, not the professors in hallowed halls of learning, not those out doing the extraordinary, but the poor in spirit, those that mourn, those that are meek, those that hunger and thirst for righteousness, those that forgive, those that are peacemakers. It boggles my mind.
He then goes on to say He came not to abolish the law but to fulfill it. Then he gives example after example of ways we think we keep and obey the law only to hear how being angry at a brother is the equivalent of murder, that lust is adultery. The rest of the passage pins us to the wall with the choice of perfection or humble submission to what is to come, namely His righteousness indwelling me via the Holy Spirit given at second birth.
He completely turns their world, and our religious world upside down, if we but listen carefully.
Tonight, I am once again captured by Him, His clarity and mystery alongside His authority. Man, I just want to follow this guy. He's really something. I do fear though, that I will have a hard time shutting down to sleep.
We are currently looking at the gospels, attempting to look at them all at once. I use a parallel website that puts the recorded events together so it is easier to look at the four gospels as a whole. Two weeks ago we started looking at the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew, chapters 5, 6 & 7. I'd spent that evening looking at the opening, the "blessed are's" that begin this magnificent discourse. I wrote out some thoughts about the different blesseds that are listed and found myself so caught up that I simply could not shut down when I went to bed.
I fear I will once again be unable to shut down tonight. Maybe writing here will help me, but I doubt it.
I keep thinking about the response recorded at the end of the discourse, the people were amazed at Jesus' teaching and His authority. I am putting myself in that place, sitting there and trying to "listen" as if I'd never heard these words before. Tonight I am caught up in His telling those gathered that we are salt and light. He tells us this right after turning their world upside down by telling them what is really important in the Kingdom of God - the opening "blesseds". They really did turn things upside down for those listening that day and still do when we lay alongside what He tells us is important in the Kingdom side by side to our own culture of what is important for success.
So now those hearing, both then and now, are salt and light. Wow! Not the theologically learned, not the professors in hallowed halls of learning, not those out doing the extraordinary, but the poor in spirit, those that mourn, those that are meek, those that hunger and thirst for righteousness, those that forgive, those that are peacemakers. It boggles my mind.
He then goes on to say He came not to abolish the law but to fulfill it. Then he gives example after example of ways we think we keep and obey the law only to hear how being angry at a brother is the equivalent of murder, that lust is adultery. The rest of the passage pins us to the wall with the choice of perfection or humble submission to what is to come, namely His righteousness indwelling me via the Holy Spirit given at second birth.
He completely turns their world, and our religious world upside down, if we but listen carefully.
Tonight, I am once again captured by Him, His clarity and mystery alongside His authority. Man, I just want to follow this guy. He's really something. I do fear though, that I will have a hard time shutting down to sleep.
Sunday, November 13, 2016
Lap
I can't write easily with him on my lap. I am sitting on my front porch on a warm November afternoon and I can't write sitting off to the side so my lap is cocked off towards my left in such a way to accommodate my dog Murphy.
There, that is better. I put him down. You see, he is a Yorkshire Terrier, Shitzhu mix. The Yorkie in him causes Murphy to act like an idiot when someone comes to the door. His protective nature kicks in and he barks up a storm that causes my wife great consternation. The Shitzhu (forgive me if I am spelling this incorrectly) is another area that causes him to crave my lap. My understanding is that this breed was bred to sit on the Chinese Royal's lap. I sit outside here to do much thinking and studying for some of my commitments and it is here that I often choose to write here. He will be good off my lap for a period of time but then will start to whine and cry to come back up and sit a while. He simply needs some lap time from me. I can tell him "no" and he will, more often than not, accept my rebuff but eventually I will have to give in and let him leap up on my lap.
I've recently been thinking about this act of sitting on a lap. At 63 I am well past sitting on someone's lap but I recall fondly sitting on my father's lap when I was very little. Dad would let me sit on his lap while he read the local newspaper in the evening. Often our little black dog, Zeke, would join us. I felt safe and comforted.
I am also thinking of having my own children and now my grandson sit on my lap. It was a comfort to me as well as a comfort to them. Lap sitting is a very comforting and healthy place for little ones as they grow. Eventually though we grow too large for the laps we once occupied.
Please take a moment and think about your own experiences of lap-sitting. Hopefully you had those times of comfort and deep physical contact with a loved one and you can, with some effort, recall those feelings associated with lap-sitting.
My church family is looking at growing closer to God through a 4-part series of messages. There are many ways that we need to be intentional about if we are to grow close to our ever-present Abba and I am looking forward to hearing more of what is to come. I find it interesting that for about a month I've been thinking about my dog Murphy and his need for my lap and some of the spiritual implications of this need that I still carry as an adult. I've thought about writing here about this and this desire to write now coincides with this important series of messages.
While I am looking forward to hearing more, I am finding I need to approach this simply. I am reminded of a couple of things Jesus taught. First was His reiteration of the Great Commandment, to love God with our whole heart, mind and strength. The second thing that falls along side this reminder is His conviction that we need and have a Father, Abba and He longs to be our father. Jesus modeled well that relationship while on earth. Implied in this is our continued child-likeness that is needed, required in this relationship with Abba.
We grow physically and can no longer enjoy the comfort once had in the lap of a parent or grandparent but I think we still need to find some lap-sitting for our souls. We are children of the Most High and He has come to us, we are in Him and He is in us. Why not place ourselves in His lap? Why should we not recall our own memories of lap-sitting and ask God to become the parent He is and let the comfort of His presence enfold our souls as we recall the safety and comfort we once had with our earthly parents?
Let those memories come along side your God-given imagination and let yourself sit in His lap. It may feel a little silly or juvenile but if we are honest with ourselves, we may admit we long for that experience from time to time. For me, I find it easiest to find this comfortable posture when I am outside, especially when I am sheltered by a tree. Maybe a comfortable chair is a better place for some of you. The point is to say "yes" to God's invitation for intimacy and comfort with His presence. Take a moment and find some quiet and ask to sit in His loving embrace, His loving lap and see where He will take your soul.
Well, Murphy is getting insistent for my lap again. I've rebuffed him three or four times while writing this so I think I need to invite him back up.
There, that is better. I put him down. You see, he is a Yorkshire Terrier, Shitzhu mix. The Yorkie in him causes Murphy to act like an idiot when someone comes to the door. His protective nature kicks in and he barks up a storm that causes my wife great consternation. The Shitzhu (forgive me if I am spelling this incorrectly) is another area that causes him to crave my lap. My understanding is that this breed was bred to sit on the Chinese Royal's lap. I sit outside here to do much thinking and studying for some of my commitments and it is here that I often choose to write here. He will be good off my lap for a period of time but then will start to whine and cry to come back up and sit a while. He simply needs some lap time from me. I can tell him "no" and he will, more often than not, accept my rebuff but eventually I will have to give in and let him leap up on my lap.
I've recently been thinking about this act of sitting on a lap. At 63 I am well past sitting on someone's lap but I recall fondly sitting on my father's lap when I was very little. Dad would let me sit on his lap while he read the local newspaper in the evening. Often our little black dog, Zeke, would join us. I felt safe and comforted.
I am also thinking of having my own children and now my grandson sit on my lap. It was a comfort to me as well as a comfort to them. Lap sitting is a very comforting and healthy place for little ones as they grow. Eventually though we grow too large for the laps we once occupied.
Please take a moment and think about your own experiences of lap-sitting. Hopefully you had those times of comfort and deep physical contact with a loved one and you can, with some effort, recall those feelings associated with lap-sitting.
My church family is looking at growing closer to God through a 4-part series of messages. There are many ways that we need to be intentional about if we are to grow close to our ever-present Abba and I am looking forward to hearing more of what is to come. I find it interesting that for about a month I've been thinking about my dog Murphy and his need for my lap and some of the spiritual implications of this need that I still carry as an adult. I've thought about writing here about this and this desire to write now coincides with this important series of messages.
While I am looking forward to hearing more, I am finding I need to approach this simply. I am reminded of a couple of things Jesus taught. First was His reiteration of the Great Commandment, to love God with our whole heart, mind and strength. The second thing that falls along side this reminder is His conviction that we need and have a Father, Abba and He longs to be our father. Jesus modeled well that relationship while on earth. Implied in this is our continued child-likeness that is needed, required in this relationship with Abba.
We grow physically and can no longer enjoy the comfort once had in the lap of a parent or grandparent but I think we still need to find some lap-sitting for our souls. We are children of the Most High and He has come to us, we are in Him and He is in us. Why not place ourselves in His lap? Why should we not recall our own memories of lap-sitting and ask God to become the parent He is and let the comfort of His presence enfold our souls as we recall the safety and comfort we once had with our earthly parents?
Let those memories come along side your God-given imagination and let yourself sit in His lap. It may feel a little silly or juvenile but if we are honest with ourselves, we may admit we long for that experience from time to time. For me, I find it easiest to find this comfortable posture when I am outside, especially when I am sheltered by a tree. Maybe a comfortable chair is a better place for some of you. The point is to say "yes" to God's invitation for intimacy and comfort with His presence. Take a moment and find some quiet and ask to sit in His loving embrace, His loving lap and see where He will take your soul.
Well, Murphy is getting insistent for my lap again. I've rebuffed him three or four times while writing this so I think I need to invite him back up.
Sunday, September 11, 2016
Speaking
Some days I spend a bit of time thinking about our God Image-ness. I think there are many aspects of this notion that we overlook. We live in a culture that, for the most part, views us a evolved animals. Of course I don't buy into that because we are told in Genesis that we are created in His image, the image of God. We are not gods but we reflect and are an image of Him.
Today I am thinking about speaking, our ability to form and create complex sounds that convey thoughts, the frivolous alongside the deep thoughts. Speech is important and I believe is one of our many distinctives that set us apart from the animal world. Yes, I think we can observe some forms of communication that occur within other species. My dog Murphy has developed a bit of a vocabulary to get me to do some things he wants me to do but frankly there really is no comparison and I think it foolish to attempt to make that comparison.
Speaking is important and powerful. If we are to take the creation story in Genesis literally - and I do - all of creation was spoken into existence. That is POWER! It makes me marvel and causes me to believe that our ability to choose to speak is an important, fundamental part of our God Image-ness, something to consider whenever we choose to speak. There is power in this ability, a power for good and evil.
This morning our Pastor was in the second part of a series on Freedom. He is starting out the series by speaking of our identity. This is so important. I don't want to rehash what was said this morning but rather tell of something he had us do. In our bulletin was a two sided page in color that listed on both sides many of the things Scripture tells us about our identity in Christ. It is a powerful list that I will refer to again in the days to come. What Scott had us do was read out loud each and every one of the identifiers that tell us who we are in Christ. It was powerful to hear the voices reading aloud the list.
We need to hear, in our own voices those things that we are told we are to help make them more real. There is something in the hearing that helps ingrain them into our hearts. Anyone who has done any acting knows that memorization is aided greatly by speaking aloud the lines as we try to memorize them. (I also have to write as I speak. Six years ago I was deep in memorization to prepare to play Scrooge in our production of A Christmas Carol and I wrote page after page of dialog!)
There is another aspect of speaking truth aloud that is probably more important but may be overlooked. We have an enemy, the father of lies whose native language is lies. There we are again, speaking, language and the power of language. Anyway, I don't believe our enemy can read our minds. I think he's had thousands of years of observing humans and has developed well all sorts of ways to disrupt us in our quest of living with Jesus but I don't believe he can know my thoughts. He will suggest those things that have worked in the past to get us off the rails and unfortunately, we all know he has some success in doing this.
He may not be privy to our thoughts but I do believe he hears our words. Our words are heard by the enemy. Think about that. This morning nearly 2000 people declared in the hearing of our enemy who we are in Christ. It was not just a declaration for ourselves and each other but a declaration of war. We are Christ's possession and do not belong to this world and the forces that are out to get us. John writes in Revelation 12 that we are hated for following after Jesus. We need to, at times, declare aloud who we are and what we stand for, especially when we sense we are being assailed by our enemy. Our words have power when heard by those that hate us in the heavenly realm.
I am not a "name it and claim it" kind of believer. I don't believe God works that way. I do believe that there is power in speaking aloud the words we read in Scripture that tell us who we are in Christ. Next time you come to a passage that says who we are, don't just give mental assent, speak them, declare to the heavenly realm who you are and who you love.
Today I am thinking about speaking, our ability to form and create complex sounds that convey thoughts, the frivolous alongside the deep thoughts. Speech is important and I believe is one of our many distinctives that set us apart from the animal world. Yes, I think we can observe some forms of communication that occur within other species. My dog Murphy has developed a bit of a vocabulary to get me to do some things he wants me to do but frankly there really is no comparison and I think it foolish to attempt to make that comparison.
Speaking is important and powerful. If we are to take the creation story in Genesis literally - and I do - all of creation was spoken into existence. That is POWER! It makes me marvel and causes me to believe that our ability to choose to speak is an important, fundamental part of our God Image-ness, something to consider whenever we choose to speak. There is power in this ability, a power for good and evil.
This morning our Pastor was in the second part of a series on Freedom. He is starting out the series by speaking of our identity. This is so important. I don't want to rehash what was said this morning but rather tell of something he had us do. In our bulletin was a two sided page in color that listed on both sides many of the things Scripture tells us about our identity in Christ. It is a powerful list that I will refer to again in the days to come. What Scott had us do was read out loud each and every one of the identifiers that tell us who we are in Christ. It was powerful to hear the voices reading aloud the list.
We need to hear, in our own voices those things that we are told we are to help make them more real. There is something in the hearing that helps ingrain them into our hearts. Anyone who has done any acting knows that memorization is aided greatly by speaking aloud the lines as we try to memorize them. (I also have to write as I speak. Six years ago I was deep in memorization to prepare to play Scrooge in our production of A Christmas Carol and I wrote page after page of dialog!)
There is another aspect of speaking truth aloud that is probably more important but may be overlooked. We have an enemy, the father of lies whose native language is lies. There we are again, speaking, language and the power of language. Anyway, I don't believe our enemy can read our minds. I think he's had thousands of years of observing humans and has developed well all sorts of ways to disrupt us in our quest of living with Jesus but I don't believe he can know my thoughts. He will suggest those things that have worked in the past to get us off the rails and unfortunately, we all know he has some success in doing this.
He may not be privy to our thoughts but I do believe he hears our words. Our words are heard by the enemy. Think about that. This morning nearly 2000 people declared in the hearing of our enemy who we are in Christ. It was not just a declaration for ourselves and each other but a declaration of war. We are Christ's possession and do not belong to this world and the forces that are out to get us. John writes in Revelation 12 that we are hated for following after Jesus. We need to, at times, declare aloud who we are and what we stand for, especially when we sense we are being assailed by our enemy. Our words have power when heard by those that hate us in the heavenly realm.
I am not a "name it and claim it" kind of believer. I don't believe God works that way. I do believe that there is power in speaking aloud the words we read in Scripture that tell us who we are in Christ. Next time you come to a passage that says who we are, don't just give mental assent, speak them, declare to the heavenly realm who you are and who you love.
Tuesday, August 30, 2016
Myron
Several weeks ago I heard a sermon based upon Matthew 26:31-46, the separation of the sheep and the goats. The speaker treated the passage as parable. It appears at the end of a fairly long teaching to the disciples after asking Jesus about when He will return. Frankly, I am not inclined to view it as parable. There are parables in the proceeding discourse - The Ten Virgins and the Talents - that speak of watchful readiness for His return but I am inclined to see this passage as visionary prophecy. There is no "... it will be like..." statement of introduction that sets the stage for parable. "When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him..." sets the passage apart from the proceeding parables.
Some may argue this a minor point but I don't believe it minor at all. I believe Jesus is giving the 12 a glimpse of what is to come and some concrete ideas of what "watchful readiness" looks like in His Kingdom. Treating the passage as parable lets us off the hook allowing us to define more comfortably the issues of justice He lays out for us. I see this as a very uncomfortable passage.
I was reminded of my friend Myron. I knew him about 35 years ago when we lived in Minnesota. Through no fault of our own we nearly became homeless. Myron, his wife Joan and their two teenage daughters invited us to live with them for a few weeks in their basement. If memory serves me, my daughter was three and my son was a year old.
Myron had been captured by this passage. Again, if memory serves me, he was unemployed, he had time on his hands and the passage ate at him. Economically our nation was in a deep recession and he saw many were out of work, fearful and hopeless. He felt compelled to do something.
Sitting at his kitchen table, smoking cigarettes and drinking Diet Pepsi he started making phone calls. Myron had the gift of gab and a tenacious yet humble boldness. He called those he knew were well off and asked for donations of food to give to those in need. Word got out about what he was up to and he started getting calls from those in deep need. This little endeavor started there at his kitchen table grew to become Manna Lifeline. He headed up this non-profit for the rest of his life. Myron is home now with our elder brother and Lord Jesus.
Myron read the passage literally and discomfort at what he read caused him to take concrete action to address injustice. I believe this passage ought to cause holy discomfort that will shake us out of our complacency.
If one reads the passage carefully we can see some of what is important in God's Kingdom; hunger, thirst, loneliness, nakedness, sickness and those imprisoned, issues of justice. In every age proceeding Jesus' time on earth and every age since these issues have always been with us. Responding to these issues of justice takes on a non-optional imperative in light of how Jesus expresses Himself as recorded by Matthew.
Honestly, I am uncomfortable with my own complacency. I've not done all I could.
That day in church the bulletin carried a card asking for a response to the passage. Part of the card asked for an affirmative response to Jesus' call to accept Him as Lord and Savior. Amen!
The other part asked for a response to action in bulleted areas of ministry at the church: Administrative (ie Office Help/Phones/Typing), Hospitality (ie Greeter/Usher/Parking Posse), Physical Labor (ie Chair Set-Up/Gardening/Campus Clean-Up), Technical (ie Sound/AV/Lighting), Events (ie Decorating/Hospitality/Cooking/Clean-Up), Nursery/Children/Youth/LifeGroup Leader/Host, Visitation, and the ubiquitous Other.
As I sit writing and looking at the card I did not use, I am saddened and grieved. These are legitimate needs to be met by an organization that strives to be relevant to our present culture, but the point was missed entirely. Jesus' concern for justice in a very unjust culture was watered down, set aside, dismissed. Responding was made easy in a way that unsettles me.
I read the passage again and I let the words work discomfort that hopefully will cause action. Action on my part that is more in alignment with the issues important to Jesus.
Myron, I miss you. Thank you for taking these inspired words and doing what you could. Well done, my friend!
Some may argue this a minor point but I don't believe it minor at all. I believe Jesus is giving the 12 a glimpse of what is to come and some concrete ideas of what "watchful readiness" looks like in His Kingdom. Treating the passage as parable lets us off the hook allowing us to define more comfortably the issues of justice He lays out for us. I see this as a very uncomfortable passage.
I was reminded of my friend Myron. I knew him about 35 years ago when we lived in Minnesota. Through no fault of our own we nearly became homeless. Myron, his wife Joan and their two teenage daughters invited us to live with them for a few weeks in their basement. If memory serves me, my daughter was three and my son was a year old.
Myron had been captured by this passage. Again, if memory serves me, he was unemployed, he had time on his hands and the passage ate at him. Economically our nation was in a deep recession and he saw many were out of work, fearful and hopeless. He felt compelled to do something.
Sitting at his kitchen table, smoking cigarettes and drinking Diet Pepsi he started making phone calls. Myron had the gift of gab and a tenacious yet humble boldness. He called those he knew were well off and asked for donations of food to give to those in need. Word got out about what he was up to and he started getting calls from those in deep need. This little endeavor started there at his kitchen table grew to become Manna Lifeline. He headed up this non-profit for the rest of his life. Myron is home now with our elder brother and Lord Jesus.
Myron read the passage literally and discomfort at what he read caused him to take concrete action to address injustice. I believe this passage ought to cause holy discomfort that will shake us out of our complacency.
If one reads the passage carefully we can see some of what is important in God's Kingdom; hunger, thirst, loneliness, nakedness, sickness and those imprisoned, issues of justice. In every age proceeding Jesus' time on earth and every age since these issues have always been with us. Responding to these issues of justice takes on a non-optional imperative in light of how Jesus expresses Himself as recorded by Matthew.
Honestly, I am uncomfortable with my own complacency. I've not done all I could.
That day in church the bulletin carried a card asking for a response to the passage. Part of the card asked for an affirmative response to Jesus' call to accept Him as Lord and Savior. Amen!
The other part asked for a response to action in bulleted areas of ministry at the church: Administrative (ie Office Help/Phones/Typing), Hospitality (ie Greeter/Usher/Parking Posse), Physical Labor (ie Chair Set-Up/Gardening/Campus Clean-Up), Technical (ie Sound/AV/Lighting), Events (ie Decorating/Hospitality/Cooking/Clean-Up), Nursery/Children/Youth/LifeGroup Leader/Host, Visitation, and the ubiquitous Other.
As I sit writing and looking at the card I did not use, I am saddened and grieved. These are legitimate needs to be met by an organization that strives to be relevant to our present culture, but the point was missed entirely. Jesus' concern for justice in a very unjust culture was watered down, set aside, dismissed. Responding was made easy in a way that unsettles me.
I read the passage again and I let the words work discomfort that hopefully will cause action. Action on my part that is more in alignment with the issues important to Jesus.
Myron, I miss you. Thank you for taking these inspired words and doing what you could. Well done, my friend!
Tuesday, August 16, 2016
Ache
Three weeks in
it aches.
Surprised with
a heart
missing Mom.
With all
said,
done,
I expected relief.
Now
my unguarded
heat
longs for Mom
and the mother
she rarely was
but might have
been
deep
in her heart.
She was there
but could only
rarely appear
through the
thick
protective walls
hiding her
fears
her flaws.
Somehow
even
my own heart
knows
she was there.
She loved
poorly
but loved
as best
she could.
I long for
even that
as I remember
good and
difficult days
with Mom.
it aches.
Surprised with
a heart
missing Mom.
With all
said,
done,
I expected relief.
Now
my unguarded
heat
longs for Mom
and the mother
she rarely was
but might have
been
deep
in her heart.
She was there
but could only
rarely appear
through the
thick
protective walls
hiding her
fears
her flaws.
Somehow
even
my own heart
knows
she was there.
She loved
poorly
but loved
as best
she could.
I long for
even that
as I remember
good and
difficult days
with Mom.
Sunday, February 21, 2016
Missing
Quite some time ago I wrote a blog post here titled "Wandered" written from the perspective of a sheep that has wandered off from the flock and needs to be found by our Good Shepherd. It has occurred to me that there can be other forms of leaving besides just wandering off from the flock.There are those who are missing and don't think they want to be found.
On December 2, 2013 I tried to call my older sister on her birthday. Her phone went immediately to "The person you want is not available at this time". I had a funny feeling in my stomach that something was up. Carla and I didn't talk often but this had never happened. I tried to call again for several days afterwards getting the same message. Carla has always lived on the edge financially so I assumed she was unable to pay for more time for her cell phone. Nonetheless I kept trying off and on for some time.
Fast forward to May 2015, Gail and I were at my younger sister Elizabeth's house near Seattle for a visit. We talked about Carla and both assumed the same regarding her finances. A few weeks after our visit I received a call from Elizabeth. She'd called the La Crosse WI police and asked for a wellness check at Carla's address. They'd gone by and found out she had moved out in April of 2014. This past week Elizabeth called Carla's phone number again and it had been reactivated, it now belongs to someone else. Elizabeth has a few more clues so this story may not be finished, but at this point Carla Meredith Bowers Everson Sipley is missing and apparently does not want to be found.
I have thought about reasons why someone does not want to be found when they go missing. There are many reasons but in the case of my sister I believe the most plausible explanation is shame. I personally don't believe our enemy has a very big bag of tricks to keep us separated from our Heavenly Father but what tricks he has are very effective with shame being the most effective one to drive us into self-imposed exile. It clouds our judgement to the point of agonizing darkness leaving us to come to some very wrong conclusions about who we are, situations we find ourselves in and God's heart towards us when we have gone AWOL.
I think of my own journey with shame and know it has caused much destruction in my own life and has at times kept me from hearing the Good Shepherd's voice. It can define us internally to the point that we believe we are unworthy of God's attention and if He does pay attention we believe He is the line judge in some cosmic game ready to whack us with a 2X4 anytime we stray. There just isn't any grace in a life driven by shame.
We are all surrounded by people driven by shame. What should be our response to those in our personal realms? Of course we need to speak of what we know. I am reminded of the woman at the well who left her water pots and rushed back to the Samaritan village and simply told of what she knew at that point about Jesus. We often make speaking about Him too complicated. Certainly we can speak simply about His presence in our lives.
I also believe something else needs to be at play. Do we live in the abundance of life that Jesus spoke of in John 10:10? Does the manner in which we live out this relationship cause others to be thirsty for the water Jesus spoke of to the Samaritan woman that day? I believe there needs to be authenticity between our words and how we live out the love so lavishly bestowed by Abba. Often, I find myself missing this resonance between words and actions. It grieves me.
I wish I had the opportunity to talk to my sister and tell her that I care, I love her and she was important to me when I was very young. Unfortunately I doubt she would be able to hear or receive those words should the opportunity arise for that conversation.
I also believe many also don't want to hear that they are loved lavishly. They simply can't believe it and choose to remain missing.
On December 2, 2013 I tried to call my older sister on her birthday. Her phone went immediately to "The person you want is not available at this time". I had a funny feeling in my stomach that something was up. Carla and I didn't talk often but this had never happened. I tried to call again for several days afterwards getting the same message. Carla has always lived on the edge financially so I assumed she was unable to pay for more time for her cell phone. Nonetheless I kept trying off and on for some time.
Fast forward to May 2015, Gail and I were at my younger sister Elizabeth's house near Seattle for a visit. We talked about Carla and both assumed the same regarding her finances. A few weeks after our visit I received a call from Elizabeth. She'd called the La Crosse WI police and asked for a wellness check at Carla's address. They'd gone by and found out she had moved out in April of 2014. This past week Elizabeth called Carla's phone number again and it had been reactivated, it now belongs to someone else. Elizabeth has a few more clues so this story may not be finished, but at this point Carla Meredith Bowers Everson Sipley is missing and apparently does not want to be found.
I have thought about reasons why someone does not want to be found when they go missing. There are many reasons but in the case of my sister I believe the most plausible explanation is shame. I personally don't believe our enemy has a very big bag of tricks to keep us separated from our Heavenly Father but what tricks he has are very effective with shame being the most effective one to drive us into self-imposed exile. It clouds our judgement to the point of agonizing darkness leaving us to come to some very wrong conclusions about who we are, situations we find ourselves in and God's heart towards us when we have gone AWOL.
I think of my own journey with shame and know it has caused much destruction in my own life and has at times kept me from hearing the Good Shepherd's voice. It can define us internally to the point that we believe we are unworthy of God's attention and if He does pay attention we believe He is the line judge in some cosmic game ready to whack us with a 2X4 anytime we stray. There just isn't any grace in a life driven by shame.
We are all surrounded by people driven by shame. What should be our response to those in our personal realms? Of course we need to speak of what we know. I am reminded of the woman at the well who left her water pots and rushed back to the Samaritan village and simply told of what she knew at that point about Jesus. We often make speaking about Him too complicated. Certainly we can speak simply about His presence in our lives.
I also believe something else needs to be at play. Do we live in the abundance of life that Jesus spoke of in John 10:10? Does the manner in which we live out this relationship cause others to be thirsty for the water Jesus spoke of to the Samaritan woman that day? I believe there needs to be authenticity between our words and how we live out the love so lavishly bestowed by Abba. Often, I find myself missing this resonance between words and actions. It grieves me.
I wish I had the opportunity to talk to my sister and tell her that I care, I love her and she was important to me when I was very young. Unfortunately I doubt she would be able to hear or receive those words should the opportunity arise for that conversation.
I also believe many also don't want to hear that they are loved lavishly. They simply can't believe it and choose to remain missing.
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