moving...

This blog has moved! I made the jump to Wordpress.  So, check out the new home of Frailglory (hint...click on the link) :)  Thanks for journeying thus far with me.  Hope you continue to down the road.  Grace & peace to you my friend...

Remembering: a good old fashioned shoulder carry... (CJ4)

     Joshua 4 always kind of makes me laugh.  Seriously, think about what is happening.  The nation of Israel just walked across the Jordan River on dry land - the nation, not just a few families, the NATION.  Those twelve tribes - plus cattle and belongings - made their way across the Jordan River, all the while there stood the designated priests holding the Ark of the Covenant to keep the waters in their place.   I can't help but chuckle as I think about these dignified, educated men just holding the Ark through the hours this endeavor encompassed. The scene I picture in my mind is as comical as it awe-inspiring.  
    Yet, the funniest thing is that God doesn't put them out of their misery quickly.  He has one last instruction for Joshua before the Ark is allowed to move. ¹ When the whole nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the LORD said to Joshua, ² "Choose twelve men from among the people, one from each tribe, ³ and tell them to take up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan from right where the priests stood and to carry them over with you and put them down at the place where you stay tonight."
     So, Joshua follows the instructions given.  These stones aren't small either, Joshua tells each man to "take up a stone on his shoulder".  These weren't pebbles.  These were rocks that had some serious girth to them, otherwise they wouldn't be deemed worthy for the shoulder carry (the carry every man who has ever had to carry shingles up to a roof knows all too well).
     All the while the priests stood and held their positions.  I felt sorry for them when I first thought about their predicament.  Their arms were heavy laden for the Ark was no small box. And their hearts were humbled for the Ark was the tangible evidence to a finite people of the infinite God's presence. But as I started to dwell in their perspective I saw something I might not have seen before.  Joshua 3:15-16 says "as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water's edge, ¹⁶the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away..."
     These priests were not only agents whom God used in this moment, but they were also witnesses to the goodness of God. With each step each tribe took the priests saw the faces of wonder as each person walked by the Ark.  As each person passed by (from an instructed distance of reverence) and looked at the Ark, in the backdrop, they saw this great heap of water just waiting to be unleashed. The dumbfounded stares must have been priceless.  Maybe these expressions acted as a soothing balm to the aching arms of these faithful men.
     Anyway, after witnessing all this, these priests watch these men carry these stones of remembrance right from the spot where they stood so long with the Ark.  To carry these rocks from this place carried a significance few could deny.  But what made this moment so beautiful is that God deemed this the best remembrance.  
     You see, in this instant society to which we have grown accustomed, we today don't take the time to do the hard work of remembering.  We don't, well, I don't do the things that would be good to do to help me remember the moments where God's handiwork was undeniable in my life.  And when I don't, I forget.  More often than not I need to "shoulder carry" something (in a literal or symbolic way) that would bring a bit of recognition to this distracted mind.
     Joshua knew how important the memorial constructed from these stones would be. "²¹ He said to the Israelites, "In the future when your descendants ask their fathers, 'What do these stones mean?' ²² tell them, 'Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.' 23For the LORD your God dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over. The LORD your God did to the Jordan just what he had done to the Red Sea when he dried it up before us until we had crossed over. ²⁴ He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the LORD is powerful and so that you might always fear the LORD your God."
     Yet, here is the thing I saw.  This moment may not have necessarily been orchestrated in this way just for people of Israel.  I think it was done so for the priests.  The role of these men of the cloth was to stir the mind of the people to remember God in the daily doldrums of their lives.  Yet, they were NOT to remind the people that God wanted to be part of their daily routines.  Actually, they were to remind their people that their lives were to fit into the story Yahweh was and is writing. In some ways I feel this moment was just as much for the priests of God as it was for the people of God.  The stones were taken from where their feet stood, not from a far where the people tread.
     I am not purporting that their should be a greater divide between the clergy and the congregation in this day and age.  On the contrary, I feel their should be a greater understanding that according to 1 Peter 2:9 we are part of a royal priesthood.  We live in an age that saints of old longed to see.  We, the children of God (defined by John 1:12), are in-dwelt by the Spirit of God.  There is no distance between the presence of God and us, the redeemed people of God.  His Spirit lives in us thus we know the intimacy of Immanuel - God with us!

     All this is to say, don't forget that we are called to stir remembrance in one another.  We are priests and we stand so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the LORD is powerful and so that you might always fear the LORD your God. This is the end that is good for all, and brings glory to the Lord of all.  So, in those moments you are certain you "won't ever forget", ensure that reality by not being afraid to do something to stir your remembrance.  The work of remembering sometimes is nothing more than a good old fashioned shoulder carry...

Consecrate... (CJ3)

     Honestly, Joshua 3 has left me a bit annoyed.  I have been trying for a while to verbalize the thoughts running through my head; but my words falter and my finger tips fail to move. There are so many things that should be worthwhile to ruminate over in this passage. For goodness sake, the waters of the Jordan just piled up so that Israel can pass through on dry land. Yet with all this fodder for dialogue I can't move past verse 5.
        ⁵Joshua told the people, "Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do amazing things among you." 
     I feel as though my life of faith gets exposed so easily in the simplicity of this verse. The expectancy Joshua instills in the people drives his call for them consecrate themselves.  He doesn't want any of the people of God to miss out on the move of God. And so he implores them to set themselves apart to the service of and for the knowledge of God.  I am humbled. So, I can do nothing other than whisper the prayer my heart groans.
     "Lord, I am sorry.  I have not asked you to transform me with the expectation that you would do the amazing among this life of mine.  I have been asking you to grow and change me to be more like you, but I have not come asking in a way that is befitting of who you are.  Remind me that you are the lavish Father who wants do good by His kids.  Remind me that you have never given me anything begrudgingly; but that you give out of the overflow of Your nature which is merciful, loving, and extravagant.  Remind me of how you bent over broken through the gift of Jesus on the cross so that I might have a means to expect that You will do the unimaginable in my midst.  Tutor my heart to expect You to show up as I pray with honesty... Lord consecrate me, in Jesus name, amen."

A Prostitute's Pad: God's Perfect Provision (CJ2)

     The title of this entry probably allows too much room for speculation and even some juvenille humor.  No matter how fitting that might be that is not where I am going today.  Actually, since I reflected a bit on Rahab already in a previous blog, I have been captured by another thought about Joshua 2.
     Just take a second and look at verse 1. Then Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two spies from Shittim. "Go, look over the land," he said, "especially Jericho."  So they went and entered the house of a prostitue named Rahab and stayed there.  When I read this last week I couldn't help but laugh. For this time in my life I noticed a reality that escaped me before.  So, I don't want to talk about Rahab, or even Joshua.  I want to talk about those two cats that Joshua sent to spy out the land.  
     What the sin were they thinking!?!?!?! (If you are wondering, yes, I said "What the sin?" If you are wondering why, I ask.. why not?) I mean, for real?  The first place you go is the local bordello? I guess I missed that opening day lesson in Counter-Intelligence 101.  At least I know the screenwriters of most any Bond movie seem to have read at least one part of the Bible.
     Seriously, in all the times I have read this story I have never noticed that the way the writer of Joshua notes that these spies went to the house of a prostitute and then stayed there.  They didn't go anywhere else. They did not pass go, and they did not collect $200. I am not here to speculate about outlying issues that this may cause to come up in a person's mind.  That is a waste of the little time we have. But through this little nuance of this story, I have come to realize a truth that gets lost in the church's black and white world.
     The Lord is willing to use the least likely of settings to steal back the glory that is rightfully His ALONE!
     You see, God thought it best to redeem what was a traditional bastion and stronghold of the enemy.  In that moment two spies were led to find safe haven in the home of a woman who financially benefitted from adultery.  The Holy One of Israel thought it best to team His covenant children with a prostitute who lived in enemy territory.
     I do not purport to know why God chose this means, but it does cause me to pause and wonder if we as the church haven't discounted His work in someone's life who may not be His "usual" vessel of grace.  If that doesn't make sense, let me put flesh to the statement with some examples.  
     An openly gay man says that He wants to start giving financially to the work of God. Do we allow him or do we say "get right everywhere else first"?  A known adulterer begs a wife for a second chance because he says he has encountered Jesus. Does she take a chance or does she close him out?  A bar owner says that he's willing to let a church plant use his facility on Sunday mornings since he's not.  Does that plant accept the offer?
     I am not sure that God wasn't speaking indirectly to these types of moments when this account in Joshua 2 was penned.
     In verses 8-13 Rahab speaks of how she knew that the Lord was moving on Israel's behalf.  She spoke this way because of what she heard. And an honest and appropriate fear of the Lord left her yearning for mercy. Who are we to say that God isn't doing the same in  the life of those that may be a little rough around the edges.  We the church, His covenant people, have too often relegated His work so that it can only be done in a sanitized manner.  We like our sanitary standards so much that we forget the goal is sanctification.  Do we heap to many things on a person's first move in response to the God who is calling them to Himself?
     I guess all I am saying is that God led His kids to find shelter in the residence of a woman who many would call an unfit ally.  Yet, when I see the story as a whole, His heart to redeem her shone through as He was leading His people forward.  So, I am left simply saying that a prostitute's pad was God's perfect provision in that moment for those followers; maybe, we shouldn't overlook any and all vessels of His grace in our life of following.
     

Now Then: a transitional perspective... (CJ1)

      Are you good with transitions?  If you are, good for you.  If you're not, join the club.  Transitions seem to be one of the few consistent themes for every person in every stage of life.  If you look at the list of top 10 stressors you will see how many of them revolve around change.
      That is why the way the book of Joshua opens in chapter 1 resonates with me.  The opening verse begins with a significant change for Israel - the covenant people of God.  Their leader and shepherd, Moses, died.  And then we see God respond to this painful loss in how he addresses Joshua in verse 2.  
      "Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready..." Funny how God shows as much gentleness as my 3-year-old daughter does when she points to my stomach saying "daddy, your tummy is getting big."  
      This dialogue is odd.  He doesn't waste time wallowing in the grief over the death of Moses with Joshua.   And he definitely doesn't worry about coddling Joshua in anyway.  The Lord just jumps right in with out delay. Here God moves Joshua forward - past the trauma of his mentor's death, past the enormity of his new position, past everything that might give him reason to pause - with just a transitional phrase, "now then." 
      Don't let this be misconstrued in your mind.  It's not as if God hadn't spoken clearly to Joshua or that He left him with this unexpected burden.  Actually, if you look at the end of the book of Deuteronomy you can see how long the Lord had been preparing Joshua for this moment. The Lord had Moses prepare Joshua.  In Deuteronomy 31 we see some of what Moses imparted to him for the road ahead...
      7 Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the presence of all Israel, "Be strong and courageous... 8 The LORD Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you or forske you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.  But he didn't leave Joshua with just words he even passed along a gift 3 chapters later. 34:9 Now Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands on him. So the Israelites listened to him and did what the LORD had commanded Moses.  So, this odd opening dialogue in Joshua 1 has a very specific context.  God gives him his marching orders so quickly, because He has been prepping Joshua for so long.  
      Yet, after giving him these abrupt orders, God speaks a more personal word to Joshua that seems betray a hitch of some sort in Joshua's giddy-up.  Even though Joshua gives no hint of fear, the Lord spoke to this ol' boy in a way that would help him man up to don this new mantle of responsibility!
      Look how the LORD ends this opening dialogue... ⁵ "No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. ⁶ "Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. ⁷ Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. ⁸ Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. ⁹ Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."
      I am not sure if God was speaking to the current state of Joshua's heart - meaning that HE saw the trepidation no one else did. Or if it was a case that HE was speaking to a future state of Joshua's heart - meaning that HE knew there would be moments of terror, loneliness, discouragement, and weakness on the road ahead.  I am of the school of thought that it was not solely one over the other, but more so a mix of both.  When you look at it, either way God promises Joshua the very thing he needs to move forward through this state of heart.  God promises HIMSELF to Joshua!
      Now then, it seems as though the context for God's "now then" moment with Joshua holds a depth that may not have been witnessed before. 
      You see the older I get the more I see the prodigal heart of God when I dwell in these type of accounts.  These moments where God calls and moves a person through a transition always seem to follow some kind of road of preparation.  And that road of preparation deepens our understanding of just how intimately acquainted He is with every part of our humanity.  HE is not scared off by our fears or put off by our insufficiency.  Rather He seems to see these moments as a time to prove His nearness and His sufficiency.  
      Now then, I am forced to recognize the truth.  When a moment of change or transition encroaches on the life I know, I am supposed to see the implicit invitation.  The invitation is simple.  The LORD of heaven and earth is inviting me to experience His nearness and His sufficiency.  The LORD of life is inviting me to choose HIM over and my self, my affections, and my wisdom. This is the truth before me and all of us when change occurs.
      Hopefully, we will choose wisely as Joshua did.  In verse 10 we see how Joshua obeyed the Lord.  And just as God didn't waste time giving the order, Joshua didn't waste time in fulfilling the order.  Yet, the funniest thing is that after following the Lord's lead Joshua found affirmation from the least likely place - the people he was called to lead. ^"16 Then they answered Joshua, "Whatever you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. ¹⁷ Just as we fully obeyed Moses, so we will obey you. Only may the LORD your God be with you as he was with Moses. ¹⁸...Only be strong and courageous!"
      The point I am trying to drive home in my own soul (and hopefully you catch it too) is that even though transitions and change seem like unwelcome bedfellows in this life, they are beautifully necessary.  They force me to find the end of my self, so that Jesus has room to move me, as He sees fit.  Now then... what will we choose?

Contemplating Joshua (CJ)

Just as a heads up, I am reading through the book of Joshua (in the Old Testament) currently.  So, for the sake of my sanity and as a method of remembering I am going to put to paper the stuff God is stirring in me as I dwell in this book for a season.  I am not certain what necessarily may come forth in print, but I pray that as I look at and reflect on this section of Scripture my life will not be as it was when I started.  Hopefully, if you choose to read along and engage with this book also, you can say the same. Blessings...

like father, like son... yearning for mercy

     There are moments in a man's life where you realize you are more like your dad than you care to admit.  I had mine the other day.  Except it wasn't funny or ironic it was scary.  Don't get me wrong, I love my dad.  He is a great guy who loves Jesus and loves people.  We may not (and in some cases "may never") see life and faith the same way; but the fact is if I follow Jesus with half as much reckless abandon as my dad has the Lord will be pleased.
     But the fact is my dad is older and not the man he once was.  He was diagnosed a little while ago with early onset Alzheimer's.  It really hasn't slowed him down too much, but lately things have been changing.  He's more absent minded. He takes longer to accomplish tasks that were once so natural for him.  There are times when you can see him visibly saddened by not being able to do the things he once did.
     Seeing him go through this has brought me to the point of re-evaluating my life, health, and future.  At 32-years-old I am sad to say that I am more absent minded and it takes me longer to accomplish tasks that once were so easy for me.  Yes, I am in the midst of season where I have been sleep deprived because of having 2 kids under the age of 3, a wife who works nights, and having to get up at 5:30 am to get to my job on time.  Yet, if this is me at 32 what will I be like in 10 years.  I know it's selfish to think of me and not my dad in this reality.  But this is where I am right now.
     So I pray simply... 
     Lord of heaven and my life, show mercy.  Grant me the grace needed for my next moment.  Grant me the strength needed to love You and my fellow man as You have called.  Protect my mind that I might help spur on my wife to experience You more intimately daily.  Protect my mind that I might help shepherd my daughter to love You above all other suitors.  Protect my mind that I might help shepherd my son to seek You as the ONLY Wellspring of Life!  
     Lord of heaven and my father's life,  show mercy to him as he seeks Your touch in the momentary fog.  Be gracious and kind; allow him, your servant, to forget not Your benefits.  Be merciful to us, be merciful for the sake of Your glory in our lives, in Jesus name, amen.

Worth the Watch

This video is from Matt Chandler, the pastor of the The Village Church.  It was his message to the church before he had surgery to remove a tumor on his brain.  I am challenged by his faith and his "followership" of Jesus!

Video from Matt

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.