How Does It End?!?!

Grandmother read the last chapter of a book first. Before she invested her time in reading the entire book, she wanted to make sure she liked the way it ended. If she liked the ending, she would read the rest of the book. If she didn’t like the ending, she would give the book away or take it back to the library or throw it in the garbage can.
Her logic doesn’t make complete sense to me. I have often wondered why you would read a book if you already knew how the story ended. When the movie Titanic came out several years ago, I had little desire to see it – after all, I knew that towards the end of the movie the boat would sink. Knowing the ending takes away the mystery. Reading the last chapter takes away the suspense of finishing a chapter and having to start another one to find out how the plot lines will unravel.
So I don’t read the last chapter first when I read a book. But in my life – I find that I want to know the end before I endure the suspense and the mystery and the wonder of the story slowly revealing itself to me. I feel this way especially when answers seem slow in coming or the storyline doesn’t go the way I think it should. In those moments I want to skip to the next chapter or fast-forward a little way and see how things are going to work out. Let’s face it, sometimes the pages of life just turn too slowly.
Now, having said all of that, let me tell you about the last chapter of a story that will not take away the suspense or the mystery or the wonder of the story. It is the story of Easter. The discovery of the empty tomb is the beginning of a chapter that leads to a life of mystery and suspense and wonder. Satan tried to write the last chapter on the cross, but God displayed his power in raising Jesus from the dead. The cross reminds me of my guilt and shame… and God’s love and mercy. The empty tomb reminds me of my new life in Christ. And this life in Christ is ever-new, ever-surprising, ever-amazing, ever-incredible. Sure, there are times that I want to know how the chapter ends – but I already know the story ends with God’s love and that is good enough for me.
Life as I know it is often mysterious, sometimes gut-wrenching, occasionally bland, and full of unknowns. But life as I know it is also possible because of the one who died for me. For that reason, I will do my best today to live my life to glorify Him.

This Is My Body

(Here is another communion meditation from a few years ago. May it be a reminder of the reason we gather together each week with fellow brothers and sisters.)

“While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples saying, ‘Take and eat; this is my body.’ ” (Matthew 26:26)
By now the apostles are used to Jesus saying and doing some things that seemed strange at the time. They have learned to trust him even when things don’t exactly make sense. But they must have still been dumbfounded when Jesus passes bread around the table with the explanation, “This is my body.” His natural body was present, but Jesus alludes to a different body, saying that this was now his body.
It probably didn’t make sense until Jesus used a similar meal to reveal what he was saying to his followers. It happened on the day of his resurrection. Two of Jesus’ followers are leaving Jerusalem heading toward the city of Emmaus. As they were walking, Jesus came up and walked with them as they discussed the recent events.
Apparently his body was different somehow, for they did not recognize him as he walked and talked with them, but, “when he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight.”

“This is my body.”

Picture the scene in the upper room a bit differently now. Jesus takes the bread, gives thanks and breaks the bread giving it to his disciples with the instruction, “take and eat.” Then, looking around the room at each person, putting his arms around those on either side of him, he says with great pride and joy, “this is my body,” referring to the people in the room as well as the bread that was broken. That’s not the way it is recorded, but that is the reality of what was happening that night. It is the same thing he was doing on the road to Emmaus – showing his new body to those who had seen his old body. In the upper room Jesus was putting his arms around his followers, the ones who would become his body on earth after he was gone. And he was encouraging them by giving them something that they could hang on to after he had returned to the Father.
The scene continues to unfold before us today. And those words continue to be powerful words as we break the bread and eat. But it is more than bread, it is community. It is brother and sister, uniting together to become something powerful. It is member being joined to member so that we become a whole. As we gather around this table and partake of this feast, Jesus puts his arms around us, his brothers and sisters, and says to the world, “this is my body.”

And as we eat this bread, let us remember that we share this meal of the body of Christ as the body of Christ with the body of Christ.

My Doggie Has a Second Name...

Our dog’s name is Breeze. She has been a huge part of our family since this past September. And she has been a tremendous blessing to us. But she now has a nickname – “Satan.” I beg a little bit of patience from all the pet lovers reading this. It is actually a biblical name. And I don’t call her that in public – just when I’m working out.
Here’s the reason for the new nickname. When I exercise, Breeze goes ballistic. If I’m lifting weights, she will sit and watch me, waiting for that moment that I am done and I relax. Then she skillfully closes in on me and licks me. But that’s not the reason for the nickname – just supporting evidence. The real reason for the nickname is what happens if I do anything involving jumping or running. As soon as I begin, her tail starts wagging. After about the second bounce she begins jumping with me. By the fourth bounce she is usually jumping at me. As the dance continues she will begin growling and nipping at me (all the while her stubby tail wagging ferociously) and pawing at me and shoving me sideways into walls or other objects…until I stop. When I stop, she will stop and stand there panting with her tail wagging waiting for me to start again.
In the midst of this behavior this morning, I told her to git several times. For those not from Texas, that’s a real word that means go away, leave, get out of here. And even though Breeze has lived in Texas most of her life, her mom is from Colorado and apparently she didn’t learn the word “git,” because she didn’t. With the repetition of the word, I began to add a familiar verse to my Texas rebuke and wound up saying, more to myself than to the dog, “get behind me, Satan!”
It was in that moment that I heard Jesus’ rebuke of Peter a little bit differently. The name has always been problematic. Did Jesus actually call Peter, Satan? I think Jesus does that because he has just changed his name from Simon to Peter and was illustrating that he was not acting like the Peter he was supposed to be, but was acting as one who was trying to lead Jesus astray. So redact the secondary name change and listen to what Jesus says.
“Get behind me! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.” -- Matthew 16:23
I began to hear this as less of a rebuke and more of a call to discipleship. Jesus is not telling Peter anything other than what he called him to beside the Sea. (“As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. ‘Come, follow me,’ Jesus said, ‘and I will make you fishers of men.’ At once they left their nets and followed him.” – Matthew 4:18-20) In both cases, Jesus is calling Peter to walk behind him. To go where he goes. To do what he does. To say what he says. They are both invitations to discipleship.
I wonder how many times I try to lead Jesus. I accepted the call to follow, but often become impatient walking behind Jesus. Instead I find myself nipping at his heels and doing my best to push him forward. As a result, I become a stumbling block…having in mind the things I want and not the things of God.
Life as I know it is lived best when I walk behind Jesus, patiently going where he goes, quietly saying what he says, humbly doing what he does. But sometimes I forget and I get in the way and I need to hear him calling to me to get back in line, “get behind me…”

Weight Room Wisdom

One of the most memorable sayings of my teen years is “no pain, no gain.” It was the weight room mantra. Every coach I ever had indoctrinated us with the idea that if we did not endure some difficulties off the field, we would not improve our performance on the field. I was reminded of that teaching this morning as I added a few pounds to my workout. And with every ounce of strength within me I fought back the retort that I had grown fond of during my teen years as I heard another coach chanting the oh-so-familiar mantra. My juvenile retort was, “no pain, no pain.”
I have never been a big fan of weightlifting… scratch that – I have never been a big fan of exercising. Loved sports. Loved playing the games. But did not like the discipline of exercise. Now as I approach my ___-ieth birthday, I find that I need the discipline of exercise. So this morning I fought the urge to skip my weightlifting and actually added a little bit of weight to my not-so-routine routine.
It was in the midst of this exercise in pain that I began to think about the spiritual condition of … . I hesitate to identify any one group here, because I think this is one of those issues where all groups are united. We are all united in the spiritual condition of adequacy. If it were a syndrome (sin-drome), it might be labeled the “just enough” syndrome. Mark Buchanan would call it living in the borderland worshiping a safe god syndrome (see his book “Your God is Too Safe,” Multnomah Press, 2001).
The essence of this mindset is that we look for the least amount necessary to be saved. Some view that as a prayer asking Christ to be Lord of their life. Some define that as baptism. Some believe the prayers of a priest are necessary. However they define the least amount needed to be saved, they go to that mark. And there they sit for the rest of their lives, content with the notion that they are safe.
As I was working out this morning and struggling to keep a positive attitude toward increasing the amount I was lifting and wrestling with the idea that I had been guilty of spiritual laziness along with the rest of …, this passage came into my head:
“For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.
“Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” -- 2 Peter 1:5-11
Make every effort.
Add to.
Increasing measure.
Life as I know it is best when we don’t settle for spiritual minimalism. Or, life as I know it is best when we add spiritual disciplines in increasing measure to our lives. Yes, it is difficult – at first. But just like lifting weights, we become accustomed to them and get to the point that we can increase a little more. I am at the point of realizing that more exercise is needed in my life for me to get in the shape I need to be in – which means the even more painful step of adding cardiovascular activity to my exercise. (YUCK!) It will be painful. But it will be beneficial. Perhaps there is a spiritual discipline that I need to add as well. And, yes that will be painful, too. And just like lifting weights, results will not be seen overnight. It is a discipline that yields results with extended intentional use. But that’s life as I know it and I know that I don’t want to repeat the spiritual mantra of “no pain, no pain” anymore. I want to be effective and productive. And for that to happen I must make every effort, add to, and increase the measure of my spiritual walk each day.

Neither

March Madness is one of my favorite sporting events of the year. Along with millions of other people, I print out a blank bracket of the NCAA tournament and make my predictions. And just like most of the other millions of fans, I watch the games agonizing each time my teams lose. This year is no exception...only this year the madness has been increased. Upsets of some of the top seeded teams have been common instead of rare. As a result, I find myself really enjoying the games while not rooting for either team. My kids ask, "who are you for in this one?" And I reply, "neither, I just hope its a good game."
Neither.
The word sticks out like a sore thumb in a world dominated by either/or's. How can you be for neither team in a contest? How can you watch two competitors and not be for either one? How can you not be one party or another?
I want to suggest that the politics of neither is a very viable option. It isn't a position of passivity or nonchalance. It is not the position of the lazy, but is instead a position of extreme clarity. Here's the beauty of neither:
"Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, 'Are you for us or for our enemies?'
" 'Neither,' he replied, 'but as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.' " (Joshua 5:13-14)
Jesus would answer in similar fashion on several occasions. When confronted with a woman caught in adultery and asked if he would uphold the law of Moses or make a new command (for which they could then stone him, too), Jesus stooped down to write in the dirt and then turned the mob's attention back to their own sinfulness. (John 8) When asked if a blind man was blind because of his own sins or the sins of his parents, Jesus said, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life." (John 9) Then he healed the man and allowed him to be able to see for the first time in his life.
It is time for Christians to begin looking for neither options. That is to say, it is time for Christians to start looking for God's will...which usually has nothing to do with the two options that are placed before us.
Life as I know it is filled with chances to take a stand on one side or another. But when we have the wisdom to side with neither and simply live as a soldier in the army of the Lord, it is so much better...

Yes, It Is You

(Another communion meditation from a few years back. May it remind us of the reason we come together each week as the body of Christ.)

“I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me.”
They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely not I, Lord?”
Jesus replied, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.”
Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, “Surely not I, Rabbi?”
Jesus answered, “Yes, it is you.” (Matthew 26:21-25)

A more accurate translation of this last phrase would be, “You, yourself have said it,” or simply “You said it.”
One by one the apostles asked Jesus, “Surely not I, Lord?” One by one they admitted their own insecurities and fears. Each one realized that he could have been the one Jesus meant when he said that one of them would betray them. And finally, after Jesus speaks again, Judas asks the question that he already knows the answer to, “Surely not I, Rabbi?” To which Jesus responds, “You said it.”
The difference between the eleven and Judas is subtle to us. In fact, we may not have noticed it. Eleven men ask, “Surely not I, Lord.” Judas asks, “Surely not I, Rabbi.” Almost without exception in the gospel of Matthew, the term Rabbi is used by unbelievers. The term Rabbi was used to identify someone as a teacher. The term Lord shows a relationship that goes beyond the formalities of teacher-student relationship. The eleven display their acceptance of Jesus as their Master. By calling him Lord, they are showing that they want to live like him, to model his behavior, his speech, his actions. By calling Jesus “Rabbi,” Judas recognizes that Jesus is intelligent and wise, but that he is not persuaded to live the lifestyle Jesus has called him to live.
The debate highlighted at this meal continues to this day. Is Jesus Lord? Or is Jesus rabbi? Sometimes the debate makes its way into the public arena as one faith argues with another over the identity of Christ. But the more important debate is the internal debate we have with ourselves. Is he my Lord?
At times he may be our Lord, and we fervently follow him. At other times he may be a teacher whose teaching we can ignore for a time. This morning, as we gather to remember his sacrifice, let us each reflect on our relationship with Christ. Is he Lord? Or is he teacher?
[Pause and think about that.]
We gather around this table as people who call Jesus “Lord.” We accept Jesus as our Master, our Teacher, our Savior. We gather because we want to live like him; modeling his behavior, his speech, his actions. We also gather because we cannot attain what we want – to be like him perfectly. So we come together this morning to eat this meal and be strengthened by our Lord.

Ouch!

Let's be honest - there are times that reading through the Bible is about as exciting as reading a Chinese phone book. Now, I haven't actually attempted to read a Chinese phone book, so maybe this comparison is a little bit unfair - but since the Chinese language uses different symbols, I know that it would not be exciting for me to try to read it.

Recently I have been reading a chronological Bible that is divided up into daily readings. It is called the Daily Bible and was edited and arranged by F. LaGard Smith. For the past month my daily readings have consisted of the laws of Deuteronomy and Leviticus fame, the numbers of Numbers fame, and most recently the physical description of the borders of the territories of each of the tribes of Israel. I made it through the laws...it was hard, but I made it. The parts of numbers where everything is numbered and repeated for each tribe...I kind of skipped over about eleven of the accounts. And yesterday, when it was time to divide Canaan among the tribes - I just turned back to the map in my other Bible...one glance told me what several chapters in Joshua tried to tell me.

In addition to reading from the Daily Bible, I also read a chapter in Proverbs - the chapter that corresponds to the day's date. Typically I read the chapter from Proverbs after I read the other.

I say all of that to say that sometimes the Bible just doesn't speak to me for a long period of time. But this morning was different. This morning just took one verse. In fact, I haven't even made it to Joshua's farewell address yet (at least it isn't more land divisions!). This morning I read Proverbs 15 first. Well, not first. Before I got to Proverbs 15, I had a couple of encounters with the kids... one of them grumbling, all of them not answering questions, one lying ... In the midst of trying to sort out the laundry and explaining myself rather bluntly, I was asked, "are you not happy that we're home today?"

Moments later I read Proverbs 15:1. "A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger." One verse was all it took today for the Bible to speak to me. I was guilty of having harsh words and stirring up anger within my own home.

Life as I know it is frustrating sometimes. In my desire for my kids to mature, sometimes I become immature. And that's why I have made it my goal to read the Bible every day...so that I can receive instruction in the moment that I need it, encouragement in the midst of trials, peace in the middle of storms, and wisdom for tomorrow.

What Price for Jesus?

(Here is another communion meditation from a few years ago. I pray that it helps us to remember the reason we gather together on Sundays as the family of God.)

Did you ever want something that you didn’t have? Maybe as a child your friend or your sibling had a toy that you really liked. If only you possessed that toy…your life would be so much better. But there was a problem. It wasn’t yours. And you didn’t have the money to buy it. But you really wanted it. So you started bartering for it. You start the conversation by saying something like, “Can I trade you something for that toy?”
To which the owner of the toy says, “What are you willing to give me if I hand it over to you?”
You quickly start showing off your treasures. A piece of bubble gum, some army men, a sling shot, and a marble. As each treasure comes out of your pocket, your friend’s eyes light up a little bit more until you finally get that last marble out. And before you can retrieve anything else, he shoves the toy toward you and grabs his loot. The deal was done.
In much the same way, Judas approaches the chief priests during the week before Jesus was crucified… “Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests and asked, ‘What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?’ So they counted out for him thirty silver coins. From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over.” (Matthew 26:14-16)
I can’t answer the question of why Judas would go to the chief priests. Some say he was greedy, some say he was trying to get Jesus to start the revolt he thought was going to take place. All I can do is watch his eyes as the treasurer slowly begins placing the coins on the table.
One…two…three. He barely looks at the table.
Seventeen…eighteen…nineteen. His stomach begins to knot, his feet shift.
Twenty-eight. Eyes wide.
Twenty-nine. He is sweating with anticipation.
Thirty. Dirty hands scoop up the coins and Judas quickly slinks away.

The irony of that moment. While Judas saw Jesus as something he could sell, Jesus saw Judas as someone he could save. And so he gave himself.

Judas gave something he did not possess for something he would not keep.
Jesus gave himself, his life, a thing he did possess for someone who would not have him.

But the exchange Jesus made was not just for Judas, it was for all of the Judases, all the Adams, all the Eves, all of you, and all of me. And so, we gather to remember the life that was betrayed for a measly price. We remember the great debt that life paid. We remember that our sins are forgiven. Let us, therefore, accept the memorial feast with thanksgiving and awe.

Track Meets World

The Bible would be easier to understand if Paul had played football. At least, it would be for me. I understand football. I can easily transfer lessons from the gridiron to the workday. But, sadly, football didn't come along until a lot later and the only sport we have in the New Testament are the type of sports that you would find at a track meet.

Each spring I am privileged to be volunteered to work the track meets at our school. On Thursday of this week, I officiated the discus competition. And on Friday I was one of the timers. As I observed the events and the things that occur around the track meet, I realized that there is a whole "track meets" world that I don't comprehend. Before I get to that, perhaps I should share my own track experience.

I was the kid that the coaches always dreaded. I had the endurance of a sprinter, the speed of a shot-putter, and the throwing and jumping abilities of a concession stand worker. (No offence intended to shot-putters or concession stand workers - just trying to illustrate...) In 7th grade, the coaches placed me in the distance events at the beginning of the year. In an effort to be able to finish the meets on the day they began, I was quickly moved to the sprints. I ran the 100 and the 200 the rest of the season. Until...the district meet. For the district meet I was introduced to the shot put. Then, I jogged the 100 and 200. I was done. So, I went to the concession stand and bought a Frito pie and a Dr. Pepper and some peanut M&M's. I had just finished them when someone ran over to tell me that the coach was looking for me. I asked why and was told that I was supposed to run the mile. I asked when and was told that they were lining up on the starting line right then. My attitude toward track soured that day (as did my stomach).

So when I observed the happenings at the track meet this week, I realized I was watching a world that I didn't understand. Athletes preparing to run events because they enjoyed the competition - not because they had to. It first hit me when I watched a girl preparing to run the 3200 (that's eight laps) by jogging a couple of warm up laps. ??? Over the course of the events, I saw joy and pain, elation and agony. The greatest display of emotion came at the end of the mile as the athlete who came in third raised his hands over his head screaming "Yes!" He then fell to the ground in elation...he had run well, finished the race... and simultaneously entered the week known as Spring Break.

Looking back, I ran track wrong. I did finally figure track out - for the last race I ever ran. In that race I ran to stay at the front, not merely on the track. I focused on finishing well, not the pain of running. I ran the best race I ever ran that day. I didn't finish first or second...or even fifth. I finished sixth in my heat - the slow heat. But I had run well, and the coach was quick to tell me how proud he was of the race I had run. And I was proud that I had finally figured out how to run.

Life as I know it is best when we stop running aimlessly and start running to win. I wasted a lot of time and energy focusing on not running when I should have been focused on running my best. Looking back over my life since that last race, I sometimes live life that way, too. Focusing on negatives, thinking about pain, having a bad attitude...instead of focusing on the goal. Which brings me back to Paul and the lack of football in the New Testament... "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize." I Corinthians 9:24-27

Powerful Quotes

I remember the day I was told "With your talents and abilities, you could be a six-figure preacher some day." At the time I was planning on designing top secret airplanes for the military, so I thanked the man who told me that and continued planning my top secret career. And even though I may have dismissed that quote at the time, it lingered in my mind. Twenty-something years later, I'm not a big fan of flying...but I've been preaching for almost ten years now. (And somewhere along the way, I realized that the six-figures included the two figures after the decimal point.)

That quote was a powerful quote in my life. It started me thinking about the future in a different way. It helped me re-imagine my life differently. It led me to the path that I would follow in life.

Recently I had another encounter with a powerful quote. This time it was from my, then, six year old son. It was early on a Sunday morning. I was spending time in quiet trying to be attentive to God. Austin was awake early because he was sick and couldn't sleep. Out of the dark quietness of the family room came this quote: "You know, dad, church is exactly like school - except you have to wear a button-up shirt." My world started spinning. Instantly I knew that what he said was beyond his ability to comprehend. Immediately my mind became focused on the exact words that he had said. And over the past few months, this quote has been etched into my brain is I try to understand the implications of that early morning revelation.

This single statement has been a powerful quote in my life. It has started me thinking about the church in a different way. It is helping me re-imagine church differently. Here's the reason - if what he said is true, then either the church is messed up or the school is messed up. Church and school are supposed to serve two different functions (although aspects of each are shown in the other). Austin's statement was, in essence, "the church has missed what it means to be church and has settled on merely educating people." There is a word for that - it is religion. It's what the Pharisees practiced. It was the modus operandi of the Sadducees. It was what Jesus railed against.

Life as I know it is lived best in a fully functioning church community. Life is intended to be an outpouring of God's teachings. Christianity is intended to be lived not discussed. Jesus is more than an interesting character in a book. But in order to really understand what he calls us to we have to stop merely studying and start doing what he says.

Ring Tone Deaf

"Someones purse is ringing!"

"Are you going to answer that?"

"I think someone is trying to call your pocket..."

Confession: I hated cell phones. My first experience with a cell phone was a large bag phone. It wasn't the fact that I looked like I was carrying a purse that bothered me as much as the reason I was carrying a cell phone that looked like a purse. The first cell phone I used on a regular basis was the cell phone for a suicide hotline. Each time that phone rang my stomach churned because I knew that when I answered it I was probably going to be talking to someone who wanted to end their life.

Even though I only carried that phone for about a year, for the next several years my stomach would churn every time I heard a cell phone ring. We've had cell phones for several years now, but I continued my hatred of cell phones...until I succumbed to the pressure of getting an iPhone last year. And part of the reason I enjoy my iPhone is that I can set ringtones so that it doesn't sound like a phone. When someone calls I can enjoy music, or a quacking duck, or crickets chirping... I even downloaded the Geico boss's annoying ringtone. (I love it and it makes the kids laugh everytime they hear it.) I set several of my contacts up with different ringtones so that when they call I know who is calling before I ever pull my phone out of my pocket.

But with all the different ringtones on all the different cellphones ... sometimes the world becomes polluted with ring tones and we become ring tone deaf. We don't hear our own phones ringing. Or we don't recognize that it is our phone ringing. Or we're just not sure where that strange noise is coming from. Forget about global warming - we are experiencing global deafening. Its happened to me many times, but here's one example of my being ringtone deaf. While in the dugout of one of the girls softball games last year, my phone started quacking. I heard the noise and began looking around for the location of the ducks thinking, "why are there ducks quacking at a softball field?"

Recently I've been thinking about God's calling. I'm pretty sure that God calls to us more than we hear. I'm also pretty sure that God calls us to more than we've heard. As I've thought about God's calling, I've been reminded of Elijah sitting in a cave listening for God's voice. Elijah experienced all those things that we typically associate with God speaking - violent earthquakes, strong winds, fire - but God did not call in any of these methods. God's ringtone for Elijah was a still small voice. Sometimes I think life would be easier if God would call and tell me exactly what I need to do. But lately I've been realizing that God is calling - I've just been ring tone deaf because of all the busyness in my life.

Life as I know it is best when I take the time to be still and listen for God's voice. This is a discipline that doesn't come naturally for me. It is something I practice rather poorly at times. But I've found that it is beneficial beyond what I can describe.
Listen. I think God is calling. Are you going to answer?

What Is Valuable at the Table?

* On Sundays (or Saturday nights for Sunday) I post communion meditations that I wrote at some point over the past few years. I pray that they will help the body remember the significance of why we gather together each week.

It is still two days before the Passover. Around Jerusalem families and friends are uniting for a yearly ritual. An air of celebration permeates everything as thoughts turn back to how God led the Israelites out of Egyptian slavery. The minds of a nation turned backward to a night long before any of them were born… a night when all the firstborn of Egypt were killed, but the Israelites were spared.
Now, years later, they celebrate the Passover near the Temple. But before the Passover celebration began, the Jews would gather in homes and celebrate, laugh, reminisce, and enjoy one another’s company. Each table would contain a mixture of family and friends as homes were opened for loved ones.
But the tables weren’t open tables. You couldn’t just walk in off the street and be welcomed to a table. Or could you?

While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper, a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table.
When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. “Why this waste?’ they asked. “This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.”
Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me. When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. I tell you the truth, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.” Matthew 26:6-13

Notice those around Jesus. A leper named Simon who has invited them all together. A sinful woman willing to “waste” a whole jar of expensive perfume. And the disciples – a group of men who are shocked at such extravagant waste in their presence. Their training with Jesus has taught them to value the poor. He has trained them to know the right answers. But they hadn’t fully understood what was valuable at the table.
At the table of fellowship, it is not the gift that is valuable, no matter the monetary value people assign to it. It isn’t the size of the check or the gift. What matters at the table is the giver and their relationship with Jesus. What matters is pouring out one’s all for the one who gave all.
As we gather around this table, don’t miss the value of this moment. It is not in any of the physical things that we see, but on the attitudes and intents of those gathered. It is on the renewing of that relationship with Christ. What is valuable is pouring out one’s own self and being filled with the Spirit of God as we partake of the body and blood of Christ.

The Widow's Might

(If I had known in 1989 how powerfully the woman pictured would impact my life, I would have at least written down her name. But as is the case with so many great stories of our lives, one of the main characters who impacts the story remains anonymous.)

We left Austin, TX in the heat of the summer of 1989. A few hours later we were in the heat of the African winter of 1989 in Lilongwe, Malawi on a mission campaign with World Bible School. Somewhere in the early days of that campaign, the woman in the picture walked to the church building where we teaching. She asked us to come with her to her apartment so that we could talk to her neighbors about Jesus. So we all crammed into the minuscule car we had rented and drove to her apartment. As she unlocked the door, the door frame started coming out of the wall. She shoved it back in place and then welcomed us into her home.

Her home was one room. She had no closet...which was fine, because the only clothes she owned were the ones she was wearing. On the floor she had a reed mat. I assume the reed mat served not only as a floor covering, but a mattress as well. She had a cardboard box. There were a couple of cooking pots. Period. That's all she had.

On our way back to the church building, she asked us to stop at a market so she could get a few things. The stop was a minor inconvenience. It was really no big deal - but another stop meant we stayed crammed into the car for a few minutes longer. And I was impatient. I hadn't really seen a need to leave the church building where many people had gathered in order to go to a woman's house and talk to her two neighbors. After that short delay, she finally returned with a little paper sack containing the things she had bought...presumably what she would eat that day since there was no food at her house. We drove back to the church building singing (no radio) a couple of songs. It was there that we said our goodbyes as she was about to head to the bus stop to ride back to her house. And it was there that she gave us the sack she had brought out of the market. She had a huge smile and insisted that we take it. Which we humbly did. The contents of the sack (and it really wouldn't matter what was in it, would it?) was as follows: 1 avocado, 2 eggs.

One day Jesus looked over at the spot where people were making their offerings and noticed an anonymous woman. No one else saw her. After all, there were some big spenders putting big checks in the collection tray that day. She slowly made her way to the treasury and humbly pulled out such an insignificant sum of money that even a child would ignore it if it were on the ground. Without fanfare she dropped the money into the basket. And no one noticed...except Jesus. (Luke 21:1-4)

I grew up hearing the story as "The Widow's Mite." But as the title of this article reveals - it is really about the widow's might. The woman in Malawi changed my life. I was with her for just a couple of hours. She didn't say anything that I remember. To me, she was unremarkable - in fact, I am quite fortunate to have a picture of her because I was not very interested in going to her house that day, to be honest. But it was there that I learned one of life's greatest lessons...

Life as I know it is best when we stop worrying about all the things we don't have and start using the things we do have to glorify God. How many times do we not act on the Spirit's nudges because we think we lack something? How many times do we fail to reach out because we are afraid others might see that we don't have as much as them? How many times do we fail to give because we are afraid to give away a small portion of our abundance? The widow in Malawi was a mighty woman for God. She used all she had to glorify him, and in return God changed the life of a man she would never see again. And I received both gifts.

The Day the Piano Moved into the Church of Christ

...Parsonage

(Would you believe I ran out of room in the title line before I could get the word "Parsonage" in?)

This past Saturday the movers brought Angie's piano from her parents house...and moved it right into the parsonage. I quietly mused about what the neighbors would think as they saw it being moved in. That's when I came up with the blog title. As of then, I didn't have any idea what type of article I would write to go with the title - but it is a great title (in my own mind).

Then a great thing began happening. The article started coming to me... Note by note it was composed in my ears and my heart and my face. If you were to put words to the notes it would be something like, "Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all ... all ... all (wrong notes can be tricky) the way." Unbeknownst (spellchecker says that's not a word - if I get the right letters, I'll see if Words with Friends will accept it) to me, the kids have obviously been tinkering around on the piano at Granny and Granddads house. Unfortunately, that's the only song they've been learning to tinker.

As I listened to the singing and the playing at the piano, I could not help but think about a couple of verses from the Bible. Psalm 8 says, "from the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise." God was receiving a Christmas concert in February and March (and if the kids don't learn any other songs I am afraid he will continue to get the same concert in April, May, and June), and I was privileged to be a front row spectator...which is pretty cool. Another verse that came to my mind was Psalm 100, "Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs." In my mind I kind of lumped those two verses together - they are one of the verses that I thought of when the kids were playing.

Here's the other verse I thought of while the kids were playing the piano. Isaiah 1 - "Hear the word of the Lord, you rulers of Sodom; listen to the law of our God, you people of Gomorrah! 'The multitude of your sacrifices - what are they to me?' says the Lord. 'I have more than enough of burnt offerings, of rams and the fat of fattened animals; I have no pleasure in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats. When you come to appear before me, who has asked this of you, this trampling of my courts? Stop bringing meaningless offerings! Your incense is detestable to me. New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations - I cannot bear your evil assemblies. Your New Moon festivals and your appointed feasts my soul hates. They have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them. When you spread your hands in prayer, I will hide my eyes from you; even if you offer many prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are full of blood; wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight! Stop doing wrong, learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow.' "

Now I'm not to the point God was at in Isaiah with the kids piano playing. At least not I'm not there yet, but I can see it on the horizon... I can see that there will be a day when the kids are told to do something and they make their way to the piano instead. I can see that there will be a day when they will plead with me to let them play me a song instead of doing the things they need to do. And on that day, the sound of Jingle Bells in my ear will not be a pleasing sound...even if they get all the notes right.

Life as I know it works best when we do not limit worship to the performance we make in a large room somewhere on Sundays, but instead allow it to overflow to the people we meet each day. The most pleasant sound of worship is a life lived learning to do right, seeking justice, encouraging the oppressed, defending the cause of the fatherless, pleading the case of the widow.

Help, My iPhone is Syncing!

If you laughed at the title - you don't have an iPhone. Those owned by iPhones moaned an instictive sympathetic sort of growl. They've been there, helplessly watching their iPhone sync, staring at the little gray bar trying to figure out if it stopped moving, tapping their foot impatiently... You see, you can't do anything with your iPhone while it is syncing. And in the nine months that my iPhone has owned me (you thought I had put the words in the wrong order the first time - let me assure you that the ordering of the words is correct, I don't own an iPhone - my iPhone owns me), it has never failed that right in the middle of syncing my iPhone with my computer I needed something from my iPhone. This morning it was Angie needing a cell number. And I stood helplessly staring at my phone... waiting... pleading with it to hurry before she had to run off to work... all to no avail. I stood helplessly and watched my iPhone sync.
In order for my iPhone to operate at its fullest potential, it is essential to allow it to sync every now and then. The only way to update some of the features and receive some applications and podcasts is to allow the iPhone to sit there connected to the computer. And it is essential to leave the iPhone and the computer hooked up until the sync is complete. I don't think it will ruin the phone - but if you cancel the sync before it is done...you have to sync it again. Yuck.
My anxiety over my phone this morning caused me to stop and think about how synced I am. Have I allowed myself to be fully connected to the source of true life? uninterrupted? receiving the information and support that I need to live life to my fullest potential?
My tendency is to run fast and furious. (Not the exercise kind of running - more like the chicken with its head cut off kind of running.) Often I pause for just a moment and try to plug in to God in a hurry, but I don't spend the time I need to fully sync up with him. Instead I get a quick fix - attending church on Sunday, reading a verse or two in my Bible, maybe even pausing to say a quick prayer when I find myself in trouble - then I unplug and try to live life on my own again.
Life as I know it is best when I take the time to sync on a regular basis. I am learning to sync by starting out every day listening to God's voice through reading scripture, listening for God's voice through prayer, spending time in silence (without my iPhone near me). It is after significant time in these disciplines that I can start my day in sync with God. It helps me tune in to God's will for the rest of the day. What about you? Are you synced?