Christmas: a prostitute found

    Christmas Eve services are funny things. There is a rhythm and familiarity about them at most churches, at least that's what it seems like. Do you know what I am talking about? You sing carols. You watch the cute kid routine of "I'm 5-years-old and singing in front of everybody" which causes all the parents to tear up. You read the account of the birth of Jesus. We do all this to celebrate the incarnation of God the Son.
     In the midst of all this tradition, my mind wandered. For some reason I couldn't help but think of one thing. I just kept thinking about an old prostitute.
     Did I just say it like that out loud? It didn't sound that bad in my head while I was typing. Yikes, I cringe as I reread that sentence. Okay, it's really not as bad as it looks. Let me explain...
     As Luke's account was being read I looked at Matthew's account. And I was reading through the genealogy of Jesus, my eyes were drawn to one word. I couldn't focus on anything else. It was a word I have researched before, actually it was the name of a person.
     The more I looked at her name, the more I saw the irony of it all. Here in the Gospel of Matthew, the gospel that according to scholars was written for and to the Jews - a patriarchal society, amidst the history of the Messiah stands the story of a woman. Not just an ordinary woman, here embedded in this genealogy is a woman of disrepute, a harlot, a prostitute. Found here is Rahab.
     It's amazing to think about her story in the context of history. This woman who walked the streets and made her body available for whatever the going rate was discovered a birthright not her own. I know it's a funny way to state what happened, but this is the reality. When she made a deal with Jewish spies she entered into a covenant, which unbeknownst to her inherently held the promise of new life, as she responded to God's moving by protecting His people.
     And when she entered into this covenant her life would never be same again. The woman once noted for her self degradation was not only grafted in the culture of God's chosen people, her life was celebrated by the author of Hebrews by being listed as hero of faith in chapter 11 (v31)! Found here is Rahab!
     To see how upside down this history of the Messiah is leaves me breathless. When you add this woman to the list of people in this genealogy it just doesn't add up. You have a liar & coward (Abraham), a cheat (Jacob), a disappointed widow (Tamar) who sleeps with her deceitful father-in-law (Judah) to bear a child, a murderer & adulterer (David), and then to top it off add in a bunch of unfaithful kings. When you look at this list it doesn't automatically equate with the Chosen ONE, the Lord of life, the promised KING!
     I guess this is what strikes me as so beautiful. Woven throughout this lineage of the Messiah is the brokenness of our humanity. Yet each of their stories has been, is being, and will forever be redeemed in the arrival of the Christ child - Immanuel, God with us. In each of their tales of brokenness I see that reality has not changed much over the centuries. In this lineage I see us, I see me. We cowards, we liars, we cheats, we disappointed, we deceitful, we adulterers, we murderers, we prostitutes, yes, WE are all found here.
     This is why Christ came as He did from this ancestry. It allows us to see that He is not only willing to but that He does make space for each of us in all our sinful stupidity. But He doesn't leave us there wallowing in our poor estate; He offers us so much more. The Christmas story is more than just a baby in a manger. It's the story of God putting to rights all that was marred in our willful rebellion by the extravagance of His grace found in the gift of His Son. For there in the backdrop of angels singing, cattle lowing, and shepherds watching - Rahab is found.

is there sex in heaven?...

For those of you who do not know who Peter Kreeft is, he is a professor of philosophy at Boston College.  He is Catholic in upbringing and education, but his writings have blessed my life in the past.  His book Three Philosophies of Life challenged my theology and helped me see this life of faith in new ways...

Anyway, I was perusing his site and found this old article he wrote entitled Is there sex in Heaven? I am not sure if you have ever thought about how sex, humanity, and heaven all work (or do not work) together; but this was an interesting read that might provide some fodder to contemplate. There are some things in this article that I am not sure how to process emotionally or mentally.  But it is helping me seek God's heart more in the arena of life.  Let me know what you think...

the Shepherd of the sheep... a poem by D. Case

The poem below was penned by my friend's dad who is suffering in the hospital with/from cancer.  His perspective is humbling, and his faith inspires me. The picture is of him a few days ago (picture and poem used by permission)...

The road is often narrow

and the path is often steep,

but my heart will rest by peaceful streams
with the Shepherd of the sheep.

Rejoice my soul in valleys

and fields of lily white,

The morning star will soon appear

and chase away the night.

Take wing ye burdens to that lonely hill,
and cast thy yoke beneath the tree
where His blood is flowing still.

So be strong my heart and praise Him 
when waters are so deep,
The path you trod is quite well known
to the Shepherd of the sheep.

a word no one really likes...

Being a parent of two kids three-years-old and younger I have come to savor those moments of quick compliance from the aforementioned munchkins. Yet, this idea of how they listen and respond has captured me lately. This thought process provokes much in me in regards to a word that I learned to perceive as ugly over the years. Actually, it seems to be a word no one really likes... The word is obedience.

Reading books by Christian authors about raising kids can be a very spiritually introspective endeavor. Never did I think it would be the cause of such self-consternation. Much of the mental fodder has been produced by the book Shepherding a Child's Heart by Tedd Tripp. The author's definition of obedience is very clear and frankly a bit unnerving. He says, "obedience is the willing submission of one person to the authority of another. It means more than a child doing what he is told. It means doing what he is told - without challenge, without excuse, without delay."

For those of you less rebellious at heart this may not be a difficult concept. For those of you with my penchant for wanting to do things on my terms this definition can leave one undone. The first sentence is something I get, and I appreciate. In terms of my followership of Jesus, all in all, I would say I am moving toward an every moment life consuming submission to HIM.

But even though that is where I am moving, it doesn’t mean that I move well. The second part of his definition shows where my obedience is found wanting. The terms of “without challenge, without excuse, without delay” add up to a demanding standard for obeying God. I’ll be honest I do ok on “without excuse”. I am better when it comes to “without delay”. But when it comes time to ante up “without challenge”… yikes! I fail miserably.

In my life I have come to realize I am a person who questions things the first time around – shoot, I’ll even question it the second time just for good measure. I am sorry to say I have done/do this with the Lord. Even though I know God is Sovereign; there are often moments when I question His sanity, because the ways He chooses to move often do not make sense to my finite mind. Therefore, I hedge at times in doing what I feel He may be asking in the moment.

Hold up a second, I guess I have to retract a prior statement. Because I do tend to challenge, I see that there is a delay in the way I respond to God. And because I delay I line up the arguments of why I may not have obeyed in the moment… hmmm, sounds like more excuses. I guess I am not the man I would like to think I am.

The more I look at the terms of this type of obedience – without challenge, without, excuse, without delay – I am forced to confess I can’t do it on my own.

Because of this my thoughts have been forced back to John 15. Christ knows that in my humanity I can’t do it, and so He states this reality. In verse 5 He says, “I am the vine you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” Then after helping me see I can’t do it on my own He talks about obedience! In verse 10 He says, “If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in His love.” For this statement to come after the previous seems so cold and relentless. For the longest time I loathed myself because I didn’t understand this passage. According to this passage I need to obey to remain/abide in His love. Well, how am I supposed to obey if I can’t do anything?

As I have gotten older the Lord has allowed me to see this passage through different lenses. Verse 5 for so long left me feeling frustrated. I know can’t do squat, but for Christ to say it left me feeling like I got kicked in the groin. Since then, thankfully, my perspective has matured. Now I see that in verse 5 Christ grants me freedom to be ok with my ineptitude. The way He clearly communicates my inability to do anything with out Him allows me to embrace my brokenness and empowers me to seek more of HIM.

The fact is I am a child of God at the price of a blood that was not my own. I was not able to muster up anything that could/would bridge the atrocity of the sinful mess I am to reconcile me to the Holy, Loving God Almighty! So, if it took this to start the relationship, why do I strive as if the onus on remaining in fellowship is solely mine? If it started with HIM, it needs to continue with HIM. If this whole thing started simply by His grace than we must be sustained in the same vein!

The older I get the more I see that the untenable standard called obedience is something more beautiful than what I once perceived as an ugly list of do’s and don’ts. Obedience is God’s greatest call to and experience of His sustaining grace in my life. This call of obedience forces me to choose submission to the Holy Spirit every moment. Obedience leads me to a place where dying to my self is the best (and only reasonable) option; for as I obey I remain/abide in His love. And if you think about this, this in itself is a gift. This obedience to which I am called brings about more of my transformation into His life for my own good so that I might be used more for His glory.

The onus is not on me to manufacture but to remain. Remain in the place that allows me to know and feel my desperate need for the One who bought me at the price of His blood. Remain in the place where He becomes my Everything as I embrace that I have nothing. Obedience is the call to remain and be sustained by grace; it’s no longer just a word no one really likes.

a message for those who minister...

For those of you who minister to people (whether formally or informally) this "charge" given by N.T. Wright to a group being ordained is humbling. This charge is based on 1 Corinthians 1:18-2:5. The profundity found in this simple wisdom is freeing and empowering. Click here to read the transcript. Be blessed!

parks, poop, and public restrooms... a father's tale

A couple of weeks ago I was forced to come to terms with the reality that I am not the "cool dad" I thought I was. Mommy had to work and I had the kids for the night. So, in all my genius I thought I would take the kids to Mingo Park. That is a local park in our town that must have been designed by engineers who were either completely discontented as kids by a simple teeter totter; or, more likely, they were tripping on acid when they drew up the plans for this playground area.

Anyway, with this brainchild of mine before me I began to pack up the kids. I had my two and a half year old daughter, Vera, go to the bathroom. While she was doing that I changed Jonah's, my 14-month-old son, diaper. She sounded like she had unleashed Niagara Falls in the toilet, while I changed his "soiled" diaper. In that moment I thought I was golden. After both were done, I let them run around a bit while I did the dutiful dad thing of packing an extra set of clothes and snacks. When all was completed, off we went.

When we got to the park we snagged a bench and set our stuff down. As the three of us ran up the entrance ramp to the playground I noticed a foul stench emanating from the nether regions known as my son's bum. I couldn't believe it! I lifted the boy up to confirm and my gag reflex began to kick in as I did. All the while Jonah just smiled.

So, I told Vera to go play while I changed Jonah on the grass next to our bench. Even though the changing of poop filled diapers in public like that may be un-kosher to some, I chose that route to allow visibility of Vera as she kept playing. As people passed the reactions covered the spectrum - the glares of "how dare he!" to "aww, that's so cute!" After finishing up something dawned on me. Vera had stopped jabbering and running and all I could see was the top of her head peaking out over one of those tic-tac-toe walls. The following dialogue went something like this...

Me: "Vera, you ok sweetie?" Silence... "Vera, you ok?"
Vera: "Yeah, dad... (Insert long uncomfortable pause). Daddy, I pooped."
Me: "Did you already poop or do you need to poop?"
Vera: "Daddy, I pooped. And I need to poop some more"
Me: "Yikes."

So, the three of us walked over to the public restroom. Now there are all sorts of things I could say at this point, but the fact is there is no redeeming value in talking about the condition of a men's restroom at a park. I am sure you understand what I mean.

Anyway, I put Jonah down next to me to help Vera out of her sullied underwear. He watched us for a second then bolted toward the urinals. Considering that all the liquid I could see in the urinals were a brownish yellow hue the scenario playing out before me was not good. So, with one hand already helping Vera balance as she was trying to carefully remove the dirty undie, I snag one of his arms with my free hand. He stopped dead in his tracks. Then as soon as he felt me relax he lunged forward. Thankfully he's only one so once I tightened my grip he couldn't get any further. As she continued to step, oh so carefully, out of her dirty skivs I managed to get him into a position I could carry him comfortably.

After that we threw away the underwear. Our next task was to get her to the toilet to help her finish "the deed". The first two stalls were... what's the best way to say this? Full! The third was empty, but it had that look. You know "that look". It's the look that says if one were to make skin contact with the seat that person would become intimately acquainted with scabies. I looked around for one of those seat cover dispensers, but, of course, none could be found.

The funny thing is even my daughter at the age of two seems to have developed sensibilities to how toilets should look. She looked at me as if to say, "I am not sitting on that thing." So, while holding Jonah in one arm I lifted her up and helped her stand on the seat. Still holding my arm she safely balanced herself and then carefully squatted over the pot.

Thankfully she was ready and she dropped off the remaining kids at the pool in less than a minute. Vera got so excited that she started squealing as only a two-year-old girl can. Jonah just stared quizzically trying to figure out what was so exciting. Now, as truly awkward as that moment was, I couldn't help but laugh. Soon, all three of us were laughing as we stood there in the stall cleaning up. After a minute of that, we walked out of the stall, got new underwear on the girl, washed our hands, and then raced toward the entrance ramp to the playground once more.

When people talk about father hood they don't talk about moments like these; we should, but we don't. I can clearly say that even though it wasn't pretty or perfect, we got through it - together. Even more so, amidst all the craziness of that instance I couldn't help but be humbled by my inadequacy. I don't know how mothers make it look so easy! The truth is that even something as inane as this event has clearly shown me how much I need Jesus to get through each day - especially the ones involving parks, poop, and public restrooms.

Recovering Biblical Worship

Tonight, I listened to a talk N.T. Wright gave back in 2002 at Calvin College. Wright's take on life, theology, and spirituality have always challenged me to reevaluate whether I am living the Christ-life on God's terms or seeking to fabricate it on my own terms. Reading and hearing his perspective on Biblical worship in this setting was no different.

To hear the talk click Freedom and Framework, Spirit and Truth: Recovering Biblical Worship. To read the transcript, click here. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Blessings...

Quiet the Noise (Save me)

The poem below is entitled Quiet the Noise (Save Me). With this poem comes a specific context, so let me try to explain… When I hear people talk about how to “get saved” or how he/she needs to be “saved” it more often than not has a distinct connotation. It intimates an “Oh, that? Yeah I’ve done that” type of attitude. And with that I am starting to believe the experience of the Christ life gets short-circuited. With this little slip of the tongue a heart’s status is revealed.

Yes, there is a moment when we as Christ followers can look back and say, “God saved me!” To not do so in joy and awe would trivialize the glory and power of what Christ did on the cross. However, the power of His death and resurrection shouldn’t be relegated to that moment a person is “saved.” His death and resurrection hold the power of God that keeps saving us. It’s all throughout the New Testament. Paul talks about “working out our salvation (Phil 2:13-14).” And Peter calls the churches to rid themselves of “all malice, and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind… so that you may grow up in your salvation (1 Peter 1:1-2:3).” When I see these passages I realize how we limit His work.

In general when a person is “saved from” something that means that they are “saved for” a purpose or “saved to” someone. It’s the logical progression. Imagine a firefighter saving a baby from a burning home and afterwards the firefighter leaving the baby in the yard; how would you feel? That action of the baby being left in the yard is almost offensive to our natural sensibility. I’m thinking the stinking firefighter needs to find the kids parents and hand the baby over to them. It’s only natural! Right?

The Biblical call is to be transformed. We are being saved more from our sinful nature every day, and thus we are being saved TO know Christ more FOR the purpose of revealing Him to rest of His creation… daily! Jesus called us to make disciples – life long followers; He did not call us to make just converts.
So this reality that I need Him to save me more TO Himself today than I did yesterday is the context for this lyric. It's been my prayer lately, feel free to make it your own...

--------------------

Quiet the noise and everything that I’ve let crowd You out.
Quiet my soul and take the stage that should be solely Yours.
Quiet the lies plaguing my mind, the whispers that seem to shout.
Quiet my soul and take the place that You deserve O Lord.

For I long to see You as You are,
and not as I’ve conceived.
And I long to hear Your voice that brings
Your presence and Your fear.

So I sing, Hosanna, I am Yours.
So I sing, Hosanna, save me more.
So I sing, Hosanna, I am Yours.
So I sing, Hosanna, save me Lord.

a religion that frees...

A friend sent me this lecture from Charles Finney. For those who struggle with loving God simply, this is a good reminder. Remember Finney lived in a time where the language was less casual and so the vernacular will feel cumbersome, but it's worth the read. Click here...

an evangelical seduction?

I found an article in USA TODAY that brought up some interesting questions with the fall out of the drama involving Jon & Kate. It's an interesting read. Click here for article

Now whether you want admit it or not, I am sure you have heard about Jon & Kate Plus 8. I am not here to judge or defend this couple. Actually, I am saddened over what the Gosselin family has gone through. But I think their lives beg a bigger question than the article linked above brings up. The question that we as the American church need to answer is, how do we pursue Christ-like character in a celebrity driven culture?

The article above used the word "seduced" in regards to the evangelical church claiming the Gosselin family for their own. It's a word laced with imagery, but it fits. However, I don't think it was their "piety" that drew in so many from the realm of the church-going. Actually, I think a legitimate malady of today's western Christian sub-culture reared it's head. Let me explain.

For some reason the Duggars - the massive family with a different reality show on TLC who profess faith in Christ - don't seem to get the media love that the Gosselins have. Let's face it, Jon & Kate were perceived as the "cool" couple with adorable kids that happened to wear the appropriate t-shirts flashing bible verses. They were also willing to show on TV they went to church. What's not to love!?!... So, my pragmatic side wonders, was it simply the fact that the American church was looking for celebrities of some sort that might validate the claim that faith in Christ is still "relevant" or "cool" in the here and now?

Now, just for kicks, compound the American church's perceived lack of relevancy with this next reality. Our culture is enamored with instant everything - from fast food to hi-speed internet. Shoot, even William Hung parlayed his short yet memorable audition on American Idol into an album. The fact is we love everything "on demand" at the touch of button - even our celebrities. Realistically Jon & Kate fall into this category of instant celebrity. They went from being a couple with just twins to adding sextuplets, then mix in a TLC one-hour special, and bang... stardom. Five years later they are household conversation nationwide.

It's clear our culture has cultivated an obsession with celebrities. But here's the irony, today's celebrities don't seem to have the wherewithal or the consistency of character to avoid the pitfalls that come their way. Instead, once these celebrities have the spotlight, they only intensify that spotlight by scandalizing their lives - DUI's, questionable internet pics/videos, etc... you know what I am talking about. Today, celebrities rise quickly and fall even faster.

So, where does that leave the church to stand? Well, after watching how many in the evangelical contingent ate up everything Jon & Kate I would say the American church followed the culture's lead. Don't misread this as a knock on the Gosselins (or even the Duggars for that matter), this is the furthest thing from the sort. More appropriately, I believe this evidences how far today's pop-culture has crept into the way the American church follows Jesus.

This enfatuation, even borderline obsession, with the instant even colors our perspective on our faith. The reality of our mindset is actually more similar to our modern day attitude toward a "dial-up" connection - it's nothing more than an inconvenient truth that can affect our lives in those unexpected moments in the middle of nowhere. It's apparent in our pulpits when preachers say you can "claim the blessings" that are our birthright NOW. Or in our bookstores when authors write about 5-step processes to experience the victorious Christian life today.

The mentality many of us have about our spirituality is not what author Eugene Peterson would call for; he asks us to view it as "a long obedience in the same direction." I would have to agree with Peterson's take. When I look at Biblical heroes very few were instant. Goliath was slain by a boy who cultivated a trust in the God who delivered him (and his sheep) from a lion and a bear. Israel walked across the Red Sea following the lead of a murderer - redeemed by God - who had fled from Egypt before. The man known as the "father of many nations" had to wait years past his prime for Yahweh to make good on the promise of a son. Unlike the Bible, it doesn't seem that we in today's church cherish the fellow saints in our faith communities who have walked with Christ well for years, for decades. We like our Christian role models like we like our celebrities - instant, successful, hip, relevant, and sexy (ok maybe that's too strong, in the least, "attractive").

Maybe it's just me, but this saga involving the Gosselin family serves a simple reminder. When Jesus called His disciples, He called them to follow. He called them to come along with Him and follow as individuals in community. He calls us to do the same today, as He leads. Learning to follow takes time, because we are submitting to another's design and direction. It can not and will not be quick. He called the disciples to follow Him as He moved toward the cross and the empty tomb. They grew by a strength not their own into following well enough to step where He stepped, to speak how He spoke, and to love as He loved.

So, as we move forward in this same strength, let us be wary of the spirit of this age that screams "instantly", "faster", and "now!" May we embrace a focus on the only celebrity with life in His hand, the One worthy of celebrating - Jesus, the Christ! And may God grant us the resolve to NOT succumb to the seduction of evangelicals today - the celebration of the instant.

when good things become god things...

I am not sure what you may think of Mark Driscoll, the pastor of Mars Hill in Seattle. For those of you that know the name know that he can be a polarizing figure. Whatever you may think of him, the fact is he wants people to encounter Jesus as Lord.

This talk he gave to a group of ministry leaders forced me to do a "worship check". There are seasons of my soul where I need to periodically "check" my heart and ask God to weed out my crap. Hearing this talk led me to echo David's prayer in Psalm 139:23-24. ²³ Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. ²⁴ See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

It's entitled simply "Ministry Idolatry". Click here to link to the download page... May you be blessed by it as I have been.

the possibilities of provision

So, I’ve been reading through the Gospel of John lately, and as funny as it sounds it has been good for me to get reacquainted with the Jesus that John knew. Anyway, for the last couple of days one phrase in a very familiar passage has forced me toward much over-thinking. Shocking, I know.

The story is the account of Jesus feeding the five thousand in John 6. You know the story. The masses are following Jesus around, and He looks at Philip and says, “so, where we gonna get food for everybody!?!” Philip then plays the part of the realist letting Jesus know that eight months of wages couldn’t pay for this crowd’s meal. After that Andrew steps forward with a boy. The boy’s got five barley loaves and two fish. Then Jesus prayed, everyone ate, and abracadabra... leftovers. As awe-inspiring as the whole account is, it’s been one little verse that has captured me. Stuck in between Jesus’ query and Philip’s helpful insight (note the sarcasm) there stands verse 6. “He asked this only to test him, for He already had in mind what He was going to do.”

This little verse stirs wonder with in me. Jesus obviously had the whole storyline for that moment in mind, yet he thought it appropriate to “test” Philip. Jesus knew what He was going to do to work things out, but He still desired to engage Philip in the process. Part of me wonders what would have happened if Philip would have responded differently.

What would have happened if Philip didn’t respond with the skepticism and disbelief that the text portrays? Maybe Philip would have found the boy with the goods. Or Jesus could have had Philip touch a rock and make bread appear. Or Jesus could have had Philip physically regurgitate enough whole loaves of bread to feed the masses just for dramatic effect. The possibilities are endless.

Honestly, it doesn’t matter what the provision for the 5,000 was. What matters is that Jesus had a provision in mind. The reality of provision wasn’t contingent on Philip’s response, it was there already – Jesus knew the end of the story. The only thing contingent on Philip's response was Philip's experience of the story unfolding.

As I meditate more on this account I am struck by one thing. If Jesus is asking, the answer is in His hands. If He is asking me to go somewhere or do something, He’s already HAS the way in mind. It may not necessarily look like I picture or even want, but that’s for Jesus to work out, not me. So many times I forget this, and I respond as Philip. Instead of seeing Jesus as the Holder of all possibilities and responding with whatever I have, I doubt or delay in choosing obedience because I respond to what I don’t have or don’t see.

Oddly, it’s reminiscent of Isaiah 6. Do you remember that story? Isaiah saw the Lord seated on a throne. The angels were calling out, “holy, holy, holy.” The place was shaking and filling with smoke. Then Isaiah cried in verse 5, “Woe to me!... I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.”

Then the craziest thing happens, one of the angels does a fly by with a burning coal taken from the altar and touches Isaiah’s lips. If it's ok I would like to say something about this. I am not sure what things you have allowed to shape the constructs of your theology, but "suffering" has become one of mine. The moment with the coal is humbling and hopeful all once. As painful as that moment was, that act does what it was intended to do. Isaiah’s guilt is gone and his sin atoned for, so he is now able to respond rightly to God’s call issued later.

It's not too unlike my life, our lives. I, even as Christ-follower, have a tendency to do whatever it takes to avoid God's provision if it includes discomfort, suffering, or brokeness. And as I do what I can to protect myself from the pain, the fact is I am often saying "no" to the way God deemed necessary to bring about my wholeness. I'm just playing a hunch, but if Isaiah had a choice he probably would have preferred a different route other than having his lips burned with hot coals. The fact is it most likely hurt beyond comprehension. And it most likely left scars that would serve as an ever present reminder of how suffering (of all sorts) can give birth to a new intimacy with Christ and a new empowerment to press on as we follow Him.

To use this idea as a jumping off point, here’s the beautifully haunting similarity to John 6. Before Isaiah had even voiced his unworthiness God made a provision for him. The smoke filled the temple in verse 4, and then Isaiah publicly recognized his filthiness in verse 5. The coal used to cleanse this prophet had burned so long that its byproduct – the smoke – surrounded him as he spoke. God knew what was needed even before Isaiah understood how desperate his condition was. In that moment Isaiah knew no possible way to rightfully stand, all the while God had already provided the needed atonement.

Isn’t this amazing? With all the things God asks me to do or even reveals about my condition, I can find comfort in the reality that He is providing a way – His perfect means – for me to move forward with Him. It’s liberating. When God puts something before (or “tests”) me the onus is not on me to produce something I don’t have or even find the path myself. The onus is on Him. It’s on Him! When He asks or tests, He’s got the answer; He just wants me to engage with the possibilities of His provision.

don't waste your life...

found some video work on the Desiring God blog that challenged me to honestly evaluate. it is worth checking out.... click here.

woke up wanting...

Ever have mornings where you realize you are needy? You think about the day ahead with all that has to be done - work, caring for your kids, shopping for groceries, etc. - and you just exhale slowly as you try to clear your head. Then you realize how comfortable your bed is and all you want to do is curl up for another two hours. Well, that was me this morning. In that moment I didn't know what else to do but simply pray, "Jesus, help."

A moment later, I was forced out of bed by the wimpering pleas of my 1-year-old son. I say "forced" because he's one of those kids who gives you about 5 or 6 whimpers before he is all out "scrying" (for those that don't know that would be "screaming" + "crying"). Once the scries begin then big sister wakes up and the morning duties ensue before I have a chance to rub the crust out of my eyes. So, I got him up, went downstairs, got him some milk, changed his diaper, and laid him back down in his crib. He then went back to bed peacefully.

Now that I was up, I began my morning routine. After cleaning up and getting dressed for work I headed to the kitchen. As I began the ritual of getting the coffee brewed one thought kept running through my head, "Jesus, help." I emptied the filter, washed out the pot, filled the coffee maker with water, and then something abnormal happened. The Sacred crept in and overwhelmed the rote. As I scooped the grounds into the maker, words from an old worship song came forth from my mouth. And as I began to dwell on the words, my little prayer of "Jesus, help" had a melody.

It's a song called "I just want to be where You are" written a while back by Don Moen. Check out the lyrics below...

Verse 1
I just want to be where You are, dwelling daily in Your presence
I don't want to worship from afar, draw me near to where You are

Verse 2
I just want to be where You are in Your dwelling place forever
Take me to the place where You are, I just want to be with You

Chorus
I want to be where You are, dwelling in Your presence,
Feasting at Your table, surrounded by Your glory.
In Your presence, that's where I always want to be
I just want to be, I just want to be with You

There in the quiet of my kitchen I KNEW His presence - Immanuel, God with us - was enough to walk me through this day. I know this song may not express a perfect theology, but I can see past that because this song does express the frailty of a longing heart - my wanting heart. So, I am making it my prayer today before I feel any need to scry along with my son. (If you are where I have been this morning, I invite you to do the same.)

I am not sure why I felt so needy this morning. Maybe it's the sleep deprivation induced from living with a kid who is a lousy teether. Maybe it's because I realize I am not as capable as I thought I was to bear the burdens of my day. Or maybe it was simply to remind me that His mercies are new - today. All I know is that my morning coffee wouldn't have been as good if I hadn't woke up wanting...

the "gospel" in Galatians...

For those of you who are looking for a succinct and more holistic perspective on the term "gospel" in Galatians, the piece linked below by N.T. Wright is worth the read...

Click The Gospel in Galatians

"catch me"

the kids being themselves...

Hope Deferred... It Resonates

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life. - Proverbs 13:12

Thank you, Captain Obvious! I know the author of Proverbs possessed an intelligence and wisdom beyond any capacity I might have. But this one little verse seems like the most glaring understatement in Scripture.

Please excuse me for the irreverence that seems to pour forth as I put words to paper. I mean in no way to dishonor this passage. It’s just that every time I hear or read this passage something in my soul wants to sound off, especially lately. It seems no matter what I do or whom I meet the truth in this passage resonates through out all walks of humanity. Hope deferred makes the heart sick…

It resonates when the economy tumbles and families can no longer afford their homes. It resonates in the cries of a mother giving birth to a stillborn child. It resonates in the ache of a sister grieving over the loss of her 23-year-old brother to cancer. It resonates in the voice of an elderly man who faces the reality that his body can no longer do the simplest of tasks that his mind envisions. It resonates in our rejections, failures, shortcomings, dysfunctional behaviors, and unhealed hurts. Hope deferred makes the heart sick… it resonates!

If it’s ok with you, allow me a little tangent. As a journalist by erudition I have learned to see life as a story that holds many interwoven subplots. There are similarities that run in the storylines of every person on earth. An obvious subplot is satisfaction. In many ways we are driven daily by our need to be satisfied. This need to be satisfied moves that woman to find the perfect job. It arouses that man to fall in love with a woman and pursue a life long relationship with her. It stirs me daily to leave logs in the porcelain throne in my downstairs bathroom. No matter how profound or superficial our longing, the fact is we move in this way because we "hope" that thing will satisfy the need that has been aroused in the moment.

You see I believe that we as humans have instilled in us this desire, this yearning to experience more in this life than what we know presently. And this unction draws us forward. In this life I have come to see hope as the beautiful bastard child that bears witness to the image in which all humanity was fashioned. Let me explain.

The power of hope is that it depicts life (or even a moment) where all is as it should be - or more appropriately said all is as we think it should be. That picture before us entices us to take steps we may otherwise be unwilling to take. Yet, even though hope here on earth carries a beauty that woos us to continue, the sad thing is we find that the hope we cling to on this earth is tainted, incomplete, and unfulfilling. It’s a bastard child. It displays all the promise of that which gives life but we are left wanting. So, instead of knowing the splendor and strength of a hope that causes our humanity to yearn for more, in the frailty and brokenness of this life we come to know the disillusionment of a hope deferred, denied, and destroyed.

As depressing as this reality is, it still doesn’t negate this innate sense that we need to be satisfied. I agree with what author C.S. Lewis once penned. "If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy then the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world." This desire in us reveals that we were created to know more than the false hope for which we tend to settle. So it stands that any temporary thing in which we place our hope to satisfy us will only take the edge off temporarily at best. More times than not, those things don’t do anything but leave us disheartened.

I am no stranger to this tension as a Christ follower. I have put my hope in the One who is called Immanuel – God with us! I have chosen to respond by entrusting my life to the Lord of heaven and earth – the ETERNAL ONE, the One who holds satisfaction in His hand. Yet, I still struggle daily with disappointment. I still sin against God and fall short of expectations – my own and those that others put on me. The world is still tainted and that which is just and right gets trampled by the fallen reality we know. Have you seen the news lately? Floods and tornadoes kill people, people kill people, and even swine kill people.

With all this in the landscape of my view, I fight to believe daily. I find myself echoing Peter’s confession in John 6:68 "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life…” And as I do I find there is something that speaks comfort to this man’s soul. Look at the second half of Proverbs 13:12. “A longing fulfilled is a tree of life.”

Now even though this verse is doling out practical truth in a pithy way, it's dealing it within the confines of our temporary reality thus only offering temporary relief. Yet I am humbled as I read this passage again. It reminds me that even though it feels like a temporary relief, it is meant to be a growing, life-giving hope. The more I dwell in the second half of this verse I realize the imagery used is purposeful. Unless your name is Jack and you have magic beans, plants of any substance do not grow to full maturity over night. So it’s safe to say trees like this take time.

You see even though I have been saved to know eternity with the God of the universe; I am still called to “work out” my salvation in the here and now. For “it is God who works… to will and to act according to His good purpose” as a hope deferred resonates all through out our broken, tainted story lines. I guess I am learning that living in hope takes time. It has to be cultivated. It has to be refined moment by moment by turning to the only place we can go to find hope – the feet of Christ. Here again I defer once more to C.S. Lewis. "Relying on God has to begin all over again every day AS IF nothing had yet been done..."

We are to begin every day in a posture of desperation knowing that only Christ holds life in His hand. It is in this daily stance where we allow Christ the time to grow us enough to know Him as the HOPE of glory for all eternity, including the here and now. Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life… it’s a truth that resonates.

Lord, I Come (Here's my life)

This is a worship song I wrote/recorded back in my college days. If you would like to hear it, download it using the link below. If you are a musician, feel free to use this when you play or lead worship. The lyrics and chords are below... God bless.

https://rcpt.yousendit.com/685627050/eb91608f254115d9faad8d4cd0868234

Intro
Lord, I come to this place
holding up empty open hands.
Lord, I come it’s by your grace,
I am searching for the strength to stand.

v1
Lord, I come to this place
holding up empty open hands.
Lord, I come it’s by your grace,
You have promised me the strength to stand.
In You I’ve found all things,
I don’t have to search for who I am.
In You I’ve found my everything,
I’ve been cleansed by the blood of the Lamb.

chorus
Here’s my life, take me now.
I have nothing of my own.
Here’s my life and I will bow
to You and You Alone.

v2
I am frail and I am weak
with nothing else to offer but my all.
I do fail but I still seek,
even when my back's against the wall.
So here I wait only for You
listening closely for Your call.
You’re my love, I know Your true,
so here at Your feet I fall.

Chords
Intro & verses: E/B/C#m/A-B
Chorus: E/B/A/B-A

way of hope (a sermon)

(This is an old sermon I gave back in 2008 during the Advent season. The conclusion is edited out because it was specific to the congregation)

Last week Pastor Joel talked about the Confident Hope we have because of the certainty of the things we know through the accounts written in the Bible. He even went so far as to show that our Hope is Christ Himself. Even though I can comprehend what he said last week, I can’t confidently say I live it very well all the time. However, I can say one thing confidently, without any equivocation; I can say that left to myself I would not be sure how this Hope is supposed to play out in my every moment.

I know theoretically what hope can do in someone’s life. It can make him ask that girl to marry him. It can propel her to rehab her knee so that she can play that sport again. It can cause her to send out her resume after graduation. It can lead him to offer forgiveness to the father that was never there.

Yet, there is a reality about Hope that often haunts us, that haunts me. Hope can lead to a harsh disappointment. I don’t like this reality, but no matter what I try to do this can be a very real result. She said no, when he asked for her hand in marriage. After rehab, she blew out her knee… again. Its 8 months later, and she still doesn’t have a job. He forgave his father for not being around just to see him disappear again. Have you ever had that happen?

You see, hope is a beautiful thing, but just like a rose there are some thorns to it. The dictionary definition of hope is “to have a wish to get or do something; or to wish for something to happen; or to wish for something to be true.” So as we look at the reality of this hope that we have that Joel spoke of, one question comes to my mind. How is this hope supposed to play out in my life day in and day out? This is why I think we need to see where Luke goes next in his thinking.

Before we look at the text, let’s pray…

If you have a Bible, open with me to Luke 1:5-25. Now as we look at this passage I want us to notice something right off the bat. He opens with the story of one couple. Take this in for a second. In his first 4 verses Luke sets up his whole book by stating he carefully investigated and is now writing an orderly account of all that has happened.

So instead of telling us about all the prophecies that have been fulfilled, or trying to prove things in an empirical sort of way, or even giving us four easy steps to live in hope daily; he chooses to begin with the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth.

Because of this reality, we can only make observations from their life. I can not give you a formula to help you live out the hope we have daily. So today I have entitled this message The Way of Hope. Hopefully by observing this account of this couple’s journey we see some similarities that can help us understand our lives, our stories, as we try to follow God in the here and now.

5 In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. 6 Both of them were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord's commandments and regulations blamelessly. 7 But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren; and they were both well along in years.

Luke takes some time in these few verses to introduce us to this couple.

1. The People
Zechariah and Elizabeth were not your typical couple by any stretch of the imagination. He was a priest and she was a daughter of a priest. They were upright in God’s eyes. And if that weren’t enough, Luke says they observed the commands and regulations of the Lord blamelessly – or faithfully! These were just good people. By the way they were both old. So, they were really good, really old people.

Then Luke adds some thing as he introduces the main characters. He introduces their conflict, their issue, their problem. 7 But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren; and they were both well along in years.

2. The Problem
So even though they were really good old people, there was a glaring, unresolved issue. Elizabeth was barren. Now in our day and age that is not a huge barrier. We have fertility specialists, medications, treatments, procedures… Today we have done our best to work around that issue.

So I don’t think we sense the stigma that comes with this conflict in their time and their lives. And honestly, if you think about it long enough, you’ve heard this story before. Abraham and Sara were barren until Isaac; Jacob and Rachel were barren until Joseph; or Elkhanah and Hannah were barren until Samuel. If you read enough of the Bible this is a recurring motif. And because it is, it can become old hat and we can become callous to the weight of this issue.

But look at what the Author and Pastor Kent Hughes says about barrenness in the culture of that time… “In any culture infertility is an aching disappointment, and for some an almost unbearable stress. But the burden cannot be compared to that borne by childless women in ancient Hebrew culture because barrenness was considered a disgrace, even a punishment.”

In fact theologian Leon Morris mentioned the flip side; children were a sign of God’s favor and pleasure upon faithful men. So, here is this couple, and according to Luke a really good old couple, with this glaring deficiency that can make them question their standing with each other, with their friends, and even their standing with God. Can you imagine? Have you had those questions before?

“That was our third miscarriage. What’s wrong with us?” “No one invited me to that party, why am I so lonely, why am I so unlovable?” “She hasn’t talked to me in weeks, did I do something to drive my daughter away from me?” We may not know the barrenness of Zechariah and Elizabeth’s day, but we might have something similar. We’ve had those quiet moments where some kind of barrenness haunts the hollows our mind. If we take a second we realize that this couple’s story is more akin to ours than what is first seen at the surface. Let’s move on…

8 Once when Zechariah's division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, 9 he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside. 11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 12 When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear.

So far Luke has given us a glimpse of the People, the Problem, and now in their story he depicts their pivotal moment, their hinge point. Luke takes time to describe…

3. The Presence
This is the moment where the whole story, even history, turns on its head. This is the moment that Zechariah will never forget. Notice a couple of things about this scenario. First, Zechariah’s priestly division was on duty and he was chosen by lot to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. Let that sink in… Yup, that really didn’t do anything for me either. And, honestly, it didn’t until I understood the weight of this moment.

You see historically he was one of around 8,000 Jewish priests living and working in Palestine at that time. The structured service of the priests was determined some 1,000 years or so earlier under King David back in 1 Chronicles 23 and 24. The priests were divided into 24 different divisions, each with 300 or more priests. And each division served at the Temple in Jerusalem for two one-week periods per year. And each day 56 priests were chosen by lot to serve that day.

Scholars tell us that in anticipation of each of two daily services at the Temple, lots again were used to determine who would do what; it was like drawing straws to determine who got which job or task or assignment for that day. That day Zechariah drew the straw that allowed him and him alone to offer incense in the Temple Holy Place at the time of sacrifice. You have to know this piece though; NO priest was ever allowed to do it more than once in his entire lifetime. Many served their whole lives without ever having this opportunity.

Are you starting to catch how huge this moment was for our boy Zach? It was game time… So, in he goes, prepared to burn incense and pray for the redemption of Israel as thousands assigned before him had. Yet, this moment was different. God decided to break from the norm. In this moment there stood an angel before Zechariah. I am not sure how many of us can say that we have seen an angel standing before us, but do you see Zechariah response? He was startled and afraid.

Have you ever experienced a moment like that? Not necessarily a moment with an angel next to you, but a moment where you sense something greater than you is present; and it just leaves you gasping, if just for a moment. And in the midst of that gasp you have an uncanny clarity about your life and a sense of fear washes over you. You feel undone; you want to say with Isaiah ‘I am ruined! I am a man of unclean lips.”

The Temple was the place in Jewish history where God made His dwelling. The day Zechariah came into the house, things were a little different! The reality of God’s Presence has been completely flipped since. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body." In the here and now God makes His presence known in and through His people. We don’t need to go to a temple, a synagogue, a monastery, or even a church to know the presence of God. If you have a relationship with God through Jesus Christ, His presence is with you, in you.

13 But the angel said to him: "Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John. 14 He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, 15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth. 16 Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God. 17 And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."

I love this part of the story. In Zechariah’s experience of the presence of God through this angel some amazing things are done through what the angel says. First, he deals with where Zechariah is. The angel speaks to the fear that was washing over Zechariah in that moment. He says, “Don’t be afraid.” Then he acknowledges what Zechariah has done by saying, “your prayer has been heard”.

In that moment Zechariah was praying. What do our moments look like? They are full of our prayers, our curses, our doubts, our joys; God knows what we’ve done. In that moment the angel acknowledges what Zechariah’s done.

Lastly he speaks to Zechariah of what God will do by revealing…

4. The Promise
"Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John. 14 He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, 15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord… 16 Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God… to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."

Amazing, in this moment of Presence a Promise occurs. The thing that strikes me about this promise is that it deals so intimately with the deficiency, the problem that this couple had known for so long. It spoke directly to their barrenness.

But it doesn’t stop there. The promise really is the answer to the prayer that Zechariah was assigned to pray as the incense was being burned. Remember he was praying for the redemption of Israel. So now the story of this couple becomes knit into the fabric of a nation’s story. The child that would be born to the barren was to usher in and prepare the way for the coming King, the long awaited Messiah!

It’s not unlike what God does now with us. He speaks to where we are, He speaks to what we’ve done, but He speaks of what He’ll do, not only in us but through us for the good of those around us.

The last thing I want us to take note of in the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth are…

5. The Possibilities
Look at the last bit of this passage… 18 Zechariah asked the angel, "How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years." 19 The angel answered, "I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. 20 And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their proper time." 21 Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple. 22 When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak. 23 When his time of service was completed, he returned home. 24 After this, his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. 25 "The Lord has done this for me," she said. "In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people."

Do you see the possibilities that stem from seeing the promise of God in the presence of God? There are choices of how to respond in those moments. The responses are depicted through those involved.

There is Zechariah. His initial response was an understandable skepticism. (I might be dating myself but for some reason I picture Gary Coleman saying “what you talking bout Willis?”) Zechariah says, “How can I be sure of this? I’m old and Elizabeth ain’t no better.” So the angel steps up and says “I’m Gabriel, I stand in the presence of God and have been sent to give you this news of the fulfillment of your prayers! Because you’re not picking up what I’m throwing done, you’ve lost the privilege of speaking until it comes to pass.” Well, that’s more or less how the conversation went…

Then you have the people who were waiting for Zechariah. Now notice that while all this is happening to Zechariah, they were wondering and waiting. And then when he came out and he was making signs and not speaking; they realized something happened. But you have to guess since they couldn’t understand what Zechariah was trying to communicate; they probably just continued to wonder and to wait.

Lastly, there was Elizabeth. She was overwhelmed by the love God displayed to her by taking away the shame and disgrace she knew for so long. If you keep reading, later in the chapter we see how the birth of her son brings joy to many. 58 Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.

Now there are many more responses that could have taken place in this account. What would have happened if Zechariah would have responded in faith, believing the promise that God gave to him from the start? There would have been no confusion in the waiting and wondering masses. They would have heard right away of the awesome intimacy of God breaking into Zechariah’s reality there in the temple. But he chose a different route and so the masses, the crowds, the people just continued to wait. This is not unlike our lives. How many of the people around us continue to wait because we fail to respond in faith to the things that God does in our lives the moment they happen?

Actually some did get to hear of God breaking into Zechariah’s reality. "62 Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child. 63 He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone's astonishment he wrote, "His name is John." 64 Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue was loosed, and he began to speak, praising God. 65 The neighbors were all filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things. 66 Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, "What then is this child going to be?" For the Lord's hand was with him."

Then there is a whole section after that where Zechariah publicly praises God. Amazing! After that man’s initial faithlessness; God still writes him a key scene in the lives of the wondering and waiting masses.

I started with the question of “How is this thing called hope supposed to play out in my life day in and day out?” I want us to recognize the truth that God hears us and knows the barrenness that we have known. You heard a story of a couple who experienced how He makes his presence known and how He speaks a promise of hope. You’ve seen their possible responses.

He wants to make His presence known to us, and show us the promise that is found in Christ. As you take some time to process this, I would like to bring up George Lantz and let him share his story…

Lantz testimony...

As you have heard all that was said, some of you are seeing the barren places in your life really clearly – the difficult relationships, the past disappointments, hurts, the illnesses, the unpaid bills, etc. You follow Christ, yet these are areas that still feel so barren, so hopeless. These moments of heartache and emptiness are God’s invitation to us to press in and know Him as Immanuel – God with us.

Though it is difficult in those moments we need to invite Him to work and lead. That looks different for every moment…

a lament...

(i am taking a class at church where they asked us to write a "psalm of lament". below is what came about... picture by Gareth Bate)

To You O LORD I lift up this plea.
To You Alone may my soul's cry rise.
You are the One who fashioned the heavens.
You formed the stars and named each one.
You appointed the sun to rule over the day
and the moon to govern the night.
You orchestrated the seasons that the earth
may find its breath, its death, and its life.
You said to the seas, "you may go this far,
but here are your borders."
You are the Sovereign One above all.

To You O LORD I lift up this plea.
To You Alone may my soul's cry rise.
You are the One who fashioned this man.
You formed my being and bestowed a name.
You appointed my each and every moment,
and You know the plans You have for me.
You orchestrate my seasons that I might
find my breath, my death, and Your new life.
You have said to my enemies, "you may go this far,
but here are your borders."
You are the Sovereign One over me.

To You O LORD I lift up this plea.
To You Alone may my soul's cry rise.
Why have You fashioned me with such frailty?
I am formed powerless to do that which I ought to do.
Why have You appointed me to know
certain ambiguity in the moments of my day?
Why have You orchestrated this season so that
I feel far removed from our intimate acquaintance?
Why have You hemmed me in saying "here are your borders."
You are the One who brought me here!
You!?! You are the Sovereign ONE???

To You O LORD I lift up this plea.
To You Alone may my soul's cry rise.
You are the One who fashions & who forms.
You are the One who appoints & who knows.
You are the One who orchestrates & who speaks.
You are the Sovereign ONE.
You Alone hold my hope, my life, my everything.
You are the Sovereign ONE who loves me!

To You O LORD I lift up this plea.
To You Alone may my soul's cry rise.

little hoss...

my son pushing his big sister... can't help being a proud daddy!

For the love… just don’t call the man black

With a title and picture like that I am pretty sure you can see where I am heading. I am even sure that you have read pieces with similar sentiments. But the fact is I think my journey there may be a little different than most.

Last week two seemingly unrelated things happened that somehow pushed me down a strange path that helped this man’s soul connect with a bigger picture. Check this.

First, I was driving to work listening to a local gospel station when a commercial started. There I heard a passionate argument for why I would “need” to buy commemorative coins (shown above) honoring our first African-American president. For some reason, I couldn’t get that out of my head all day. Something irked about that 30-second sound bite, but I couldn’t put my finger on it.

As I thought about it, I realized why I was annoyed. Since November the media has blitzed us with video & audio clips, stories, editorials, and pictures of our first “black” president. Don’t get me wrong; I get the historicity of the moment. As a man of non-white descent myself, I appreciate having a non-pigmently challenged man living in the White House. But the fact is and remains; he is not just African-American.

We (the media included) all understand the reality that Obama is half-white and half-Kenyan, raised for a time by an Indonesian step-father, and from then on reared by his white grandparents in Hawaii. But it doesn’t seem like the public wants to talk about or celebrate those facts. These facts reveal an incredible diversity that seem very reflective of today’s America. Yet, even with all this understanding we reduce a man because we are enamored with 50% of him.

A few days later the second event occurred and the gears in my mind shifted. One of my wife’s best friends went into premature labor. Their baby did not make it. Chloe Faith passed away 21 weeks into this thing called life.

As I have heard about how that family has tried to commemorate their daughter’s life and grieve their loss, I am humbled how little I understand. Death sobers one’s soul and forces you to look at life, whether you want to or not. So, even though I try to avoid totally getting lost in the self absorption of reflection, I fail miserably.

I begin to think through my kids and the time I have with them. I’ve tried to put myself in the place of that grieving family. As I do, I see that there are aspects of my children that I fail to recognize. One of them is reminiscent of the president’s plight.

You see my kids are like the president. They are bi-racial. Considering how they look, my daughter won’t ever be mistaken for a white girl, and my son may never be taken as an Indian. My wife can walk down the street with our daughter and people think she is the nanny not her mother. As humorous as that might be at times, when I think through the brevity of life this saddens me. The fact is even though our kids appear one way there is a whole aspect of their heritage that forms and shapes them that people may easily discard. I don’t want the beauty of my wife’s heritage to be slighted in my daughter’s eyes because people associate her with me simply due to the color of her skin. This also applies to my heritage in my son’s perspective.

Now I realize in light of the death of Chloe Faith, these simple thoughts seem trite. But I guess in some ways it feels safer for me right now to write about this than try and grapple more weighty things. So, thus I write all this to make one simple request. For the love, call the president something else. Call him bi-racial. Call him ethnically diverse. Call him pigmently well-endowed. But please, please, just don’t call the man black.

a little longer...

(Yesterday a friend of our family went into premature labor. The baby did not make it. This poem was my initial reflection on the passing of Chloe Faith.)

What does one say when words obviously fail?
Sitting, waiting, unsure of what happens next.
One may think it’s time to move on.
While Another whispers “linger, wait a little longer.”

What does one do when everything feels stale?
One says the answer is somewhere in the text.
Others cry, “God, this just seems wrong.”
And He whispers “linger, just wait a little longer”

What does one see when all colors begin to pale?
One clings to whatever’s closest, as the world around falls.
Others struggle to remember a line to any song.
The Whisper comes “linger, just wait a little longer.”

What does one have when God seems to fail?
No one is sure, but this is where we call.
Others scream just to be heard before the break of dawn,
The WHISPER is here; “linger, wait a little longer.”