2014: The Year of Adventure

In years past, I have sometimes had to think a good deal to find a word that could sum up my life over the year, but almost from the start, I knew that 2014 was to be the year of adventure. This has undoubtedly been the most adventure-packed year of my life, as previous posts will evidence, and it’s almost hard to believe that all of it actually happened in only one year. Webster’s Dictionary defines adventure as: “Risk of which one has no direction . . . a bold undertaking, in which hazards are to be encountered, and the issue is staked upon unforeseen events.” My life this year has indeed been quite a series of unforeseen events, and each has led me to greater boldness and willingness to risk giving up my direction – meaning both my control and my aim. Adventures were laid in my path by God, but it was my part to choose the bold undertaking and stake my security on His direction. Had I chosen a risk-free, calculated year of trying to accomplish my goals my way in my familiar comfort zone, I would perhaps be at the end of it once again trying to figure out what exactly changed in my life.

Instead, God took the modest list of goals that I might have managed by my own hard work, and replaced it with a loftier one than I would have dared imagine, only doable by His hand. I hardly recognize my old intentions, but once God takes you on some adventures, it’s not so hard to aim a little higher. No doubt there are more hazards yet to be encountered, but it’s so nice not to be the one directing things, I’ll gladly stake my future on the Author of adventures. Above all, I believe that this adventuresome year has taught me to fear less and trust more, if those common words are enough to describe the satisfaction of setting out on another blissfully unforeseen chapter of God’s adventure for me. As blessed as 2014 has been, I welcome 2015 and all it has to hold with open arms. May it be glorious – amen!

“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.”

Joshua 1:9

On Journeys

Having recently returned from my fourth road trip of this year, I've had journeys on my mind quite a bit.  There is a good deal to be learned from long travels to other places, and I've brought away from my own a few observations, better than souvenirs . . .

First, journeys are costly.  We all know that gas and airline tickets are not cheap, and there are plenty of other expenses to keep in mind.  Most of the time, traveling requires a considerable commitment of personal resources.  On top of that, journeys take time, and lots of it – I've spent more hours this year in a cramped truck, van or plane than I’d like to count.  If a thousand miles on the road doesn't teach you patience, I don’t know what will!  And with all that time and money invested, journeys demand endurance.  You can’t simply decide to be done whenever you feel like it.  You can stick it out to your destination or you can turn around and go back, but either way, you can’t just quit in the middle of what you've started.

Most of the time, those long journeys are best with a companion, or companions.  There is safety in numbers, they say, or at least less boredom, and there is no better way to get to know people than to travel with them until sleep deprivation, hunger, and unexpected circumstances reveal their character.  For I've found, too, that journeys hardly ever go as planned.  Be it the weather, road construction, plane delays, getting lost, truck breakdowns, or any number of other variables, it seems that something always comes up to make things interesting.  You can plan all you like, but without a good measure of flexibility, you’re in for a lot of frustration.

Planning is important, of course, because journeys need a goal.  If you don’t have some fairly concrete idea of where you’re going and why, you’re not traveling, only wandering.  There has to be a point to it, because eventually, all journeys must come to an end.  For the most part, they end in the same place they began: going home we call it.  Even if it is only a one way course, travel to no end is once again nothing more than wandering.  For those who return to their starting point, it may seem that everything will return to the way it was before they went away, but even though nothing else may have changed in his absence, journeys change the traveler.  He knows more about the world for having seen a different part of it, and though he may not realize it, he will not see even the old familiar things quite the same way again.

All this is true of journeys in our world, and so it is with the journey of the Christian life.  This is a costly journey, and time-consuming: it will require everything you have and all your lifetime.  There is no turning back once you commit to it.  Thankfully, though, you have many companions on this journey.  Some will go with you for a leg or two, and a few may stick close all the way, but there is one true Companion who promises to be right beside you no matter what.  This journey is guaranteed to have unplanned turns, but whatever may happen, you know where you’re going.  In fact, though you've never been there before, you’re going home, and the experiences along the journey will change you in a way you will not realize until you get there.

No one ever said that journeys were always enjoyable.  They are much more work than staying comfortably at home, but the end is worth it.  It would do us all good to leave the comfort zone of our homes, states, or countries for a time, if only for the lessons learned for the great journey of the soul.

Not One Lost

One hundred years ago, Antarctic explorer Ernest Shackleton set out on an expedition to be the first to cross the Antarctic continent.  Little did he know that his ship, aptly named the Endurance, would be trapped in the ice and sink, leaving the party of twenty-eight men stranded on the frozen ocean.  The expedition turned into a test of endurance as the goal became survival.  Shackleton led his men safely to an uninhabited island, then, with five men, he made an incredible 800-mile journey in one of the lifeboats from the ship, fortified to withstand the brutal Southern Ocean.  After landing and miraculously crossing the unmapped South Georgia Island, he reached a whaling station and finally found a ship he could take to rescue the rest of his men.  Ernest Shackleton was a leader in every sense of the word -- he faced and overcame tremendous odds for the sake of his followers, and he was committed to make sure every one of them got home alive, whatever the cost.  Though the mission he had planned failed, he was successful in what mattered -- he did not lose one man.

While we will likely never have the responsibility of leading a great expedition-turned-rescue-mission, we will be leaders in some area of our lives.  There are many things that make up a great leader, but the quality demonstrated by Ernest Shackleton of commitment to one's followers may not be one that is often thought of.  It is obvious that a leader needs to earn the commitment of his followers, but while a leader may do his utmost to be worthy of respect and loyalty, he cannot control the hearts of those he leads.  Shackleton's crew was composed of many loyal followers, some nasty troublemakers, and even a stowaway, yet he was faithful and committed to the best interests of every one of them, regardless of their quality.  Those we lead in the Christian life will come in many different attitudes -- some will stick by us no matter what, some will cause headaches, and there may even be some we never wanted as followers.  But the quality of a leader is to see that every one God has placed under our care reaches the goal, whatever it takes, even at personal cost.

The greatest Leader of all time said, "Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost" (John 17:12).  Jesus was faithful to His followers, from John the beloved who stuck with Him all the way to the foot of the cross, to hot-headed Peter who failed Him miserably in the darkest hour.  And He is faithful still to us who follow Him, no matter how many times we wander.  What a comfort that "He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus" (Philippians 1:6).  As our Lord is so committed to those He leads, should we not follow His example?  It is indeed a great responsibility, but let it be said of us as leaders that no matter what kind of followers we have -- encouraging, exhausting, or just plain exasperating -- we stopped at nothing to lead them to the finish without losing one.

My brothers, if one of you should wander

from the truth and someone should bring him back,

remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the

error of his way will save him from death

and cover over a multitude of sins.

James 5:19-20

Prayer Beyond Belief

On my shelf sits a cute card which reads, "Pray really big!  Believe even bigger!" I liked it at first, but then I wondered, should I believe bigger than I pray? It would not seem so from the verse that accompanied it, Matthew 21:22 -- "And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive." Prayer and belief go hand in hand, for prayer is, in essence, an expression of our belief in God's goodness. Without belief, however small, prayer is no more than words. But without prayer, belief is only theoretical. James 4:2 says not, "You do not have because you do not believe," but, "You do not have because you do not ask." Belief that goes beyond what we are willing to pray is not true faith, but wishful thinking. God does not grant our wishes, He answers our prayers. If we truly believe He can do a thing, why should we not dare to ask?

My tendency is to pray too small, and believe even smaller. Such prayers are not worthy of God's power, for God's ability will always be bigger than my belief. The greatest thing I could possibly ask is a small matter to Him, and to ask less is actually saying that I don't believe He will give me what I really desire. Either I doubt the ability of the Almighty, or I am not convinced that my request is in His will. Whatever the case, small prayers are evidence of small belief, and they give little room for faith to grow. Better to stake all on the greatness of God and ask beyond belief: "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief" (Mark 9:24)!

Beloved of God

Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who

begot also loves him who is begotten of Him. . . . Beloved, now we are children of

God . . . if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. . . . he who

loves God must love his brother also. . . . My little children, let us not

love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.

1 John 5:1, 3:2, 4:11, 21, 3:18

There is very little more heartbreaking than families at odds.  Yet the family of God is all too often a chaos of arguments, grudges and breakups -- where is the unity that the Scriptures call for?  Believers fight with each other even while trying to win unbelievers, and wonder why their efforts are in vain.  This is perhaps our enemy's favorite secret for our failure: break up the ranks and he can laugh at our pathetic confusion.  Yet the cry of Jesus' heart is that we all may be one (John 17:21).

"Children of God" seems to be just a figure of speech to many Christians -- our first mistake may be that we don't literally see ourselves as a family, with God as our Father.  Family is forever: you will be stuck with these people for eternity, so you might as well learn to get along now!  There is no such thing as passing friendships among believers.  Circumstances may separate you physically, and limited earth time may disallow investing in friendship as we know it, but nothing should ever separate you in spirit and heart from your brothers and sisters.  A spat with a sibling is a hindrance to our relationship with the Father -- if we truly love Him, we will love His other children.

So easy to say, so hard to do!  Yet so rewarding to realize.  Just think what a privilege you have to belong to God, His child forever.  And around the world, millions of others have this same privilege.  You belong to the greatest family on earth, and every member, great and small, is beloved of God.  Should we not, brothers and sisters, be beloved of one another?

Too Perfect

It's hard for me to imagine absolute perfection.  My life is very good these days, so good it almost feels wrong.  What am I to do when everything seems just too perfect?  Looking back over my old posts, I get the feeling that I wrote better when life was tough.  Now, there just seems so little to write about, which for me as a writer means that something must be lacking.  It's conflict, of course: I'm around a bunch of people that I like, doing things I like, in a place I like, and I'm as happy as I've ever been -- no conflict.  But something in me doesn't want a smooth and happy life all the time.  I'm so used to struggling, it feels normal and even good somehow, and I know it is, because struggles strengthen.  So when things seem too good, I get a little uneasy, because I know that a flat calm with no wind for the sails can kill a sailor as surely as a hurricane if it goes on long enough.  When life is easy, complacency can set in and stop forward motion.

But it doesn't have to.  I am truly thankful in my happy circumstances, and I know I am being changed and shaped as God desires even in the good times.  Though He often does, He is not bound to working through hard times.  Furthermore, I do not have to struggle any more than I have to sin.  I have been given the victory!  (1 Corinthians 15:57)  I suppose it is my pride that wants a problem to focus on, a trial to conquer, just so I can feel myself working.  But it is a mark of maturity to come to the place where I can love God without being forced to run to Him because I'm in trouble.  His aim for me is perfection -- joy and confidence in Him that are not dependent on difficulties for contrast.  Because one day, life really will be completely perfect.  A world without battles is so foreign, it's hard to grasp, but I must learn that the glory is not in the fight, it is in the celebration of victory.  And that victory is already won.  Why should I not be happy?

Jonathan, Man of God

If I had to choose a favorite Bible character, I think it would have to be Jonathan, son of Saul. His claim to fame is his friendship with David, and while that friendship is a great tribute to him, the rest of his accomplishments are often overlooked. The story in 1 Samuel 14:1-23 of his bravery and trust in God surely deserves recognition along with David's classic victory in chapter 17. The setting is this: King Saul's army has dwindled to 600 men, only two of whom are suitably armed. The Philistines have come against them in droves, and are camped at a fortified garrison. While Saul's little force waits in fear, Jonathan sets out on his own with his young armor bearer to scope out the enemy. After a look at the stronghold on the hill, Jonathan turns to his companion with a very bold suggestion: go up to the garrison, just the two of them. He reasons, "it may be that the Lord will work for us. For nothing restrains the Lord from saving by many or by few."

The fearlessness of Jonathan is astonishing, but almost more so is his leadership -- his armor bearer trusts him so fully as to immediately and unquestioningly agree to his idea. Only when he is assured of his comrade's support does Jonathan lay out the plan: they will come out into the open, and if the Philistines call them to come up to them, that will be the sign that God will give them the victory. Sure enough, when they step out of hiding, the Philistines mockingly call them to come up so they can teach them a lesson. Without another thought, Jonathan and his armor bearer climb up to the fortress and promptly take down twenty men. From there, God takes over -- He causes an earthquake, and the camp of the Philistines is overcome with fear. After discovering Jonathan's absence, Saul and his men show up just in time to see the enemy fleeing, killing each other in their confusion. "So the Lord saved Israel that day," the story concludes.

Jonathan was a man who trusted in God against all odds. In every episode Scripture gives of his life, he shows his total confidence in God's plan, from an impossible victory to David taking his rightful place as Israel's next king. He was known as someone who "worked with God" (1 Samuel 14:45). What an example for us to follow -- when things look grim, can you step out with complete confidence in the Lord's ability to work for you? Can you be committed to seeing God's plan fulfilled, even if it means you lose your status? Is your mind and your life focused on the Lord above all else, like Jonathan, the man of God?

And They Call This "Misery"?

When I announced that I was going to Children's Ministries Institute in Missouri this fall, a common response was, "So, you're going off to 'misery'?" Today marks one month since my arrival at Child Evangelism Fellowship international headquarters -- the longest I've ever been away from home. But so far, I've found it to be anything but misery. Some things I love about being here:

. . . Real thunderstorms. We've had four so far.
. . . Amazing instructors.
. . . People from all over the world. Especially when they speak other languages.
. . . Crazy classmates and thoughtful ones (sometimes in the same person).
. . . In jokes. Slurp it up, people.
. . . Laughing until my head hurts.
. . . Being stuck in traffic and talking about God. Even if we broke curfew.
. . . Blazing sunsets and a bigger horizon to see the stars.
. . . Writing a theology paper. You already know how much I like that.
. . . Little blue butterflies.
. . . Amazing prayer warriors. And the prayer plaza.
. . . Acoustics in the stairwells of a remodeled monastery.
. . . Dressing up.
. . . Internet. And sending newsletter e-mails.
. . . Hearing first-hand about God's works around the world.

I'm not one to get homesick, but of course there are things that just aren't the same so far away. Some things I miss about not being home:

. . . Fresh food.
. . . Sleeping outside.
. . . Playing piano whenever I want.
. . . Coniferous forests.
. . . My family.
. . . Quiet and darkness.
. . . Animals.
. . . Children (ironically scarce).
. . . Going barefoot.
. . . Friends who know me.
. . . My church.
. . . Driving.
. . . Living in a house.
. . . My Good News Club.
. . . Doing chores.

I'm very happy where I am, because it's very obvious that God wants me to be here. I love my good old Pacific Northwest, and I always will, but I begin to believe I could be happy almost anywhere. No doubt God will test that statement, but if home is where the heart is, I hope that I could feel at home anywhere, my heart all for the One who is everywhere.

Puzzle Pieces

The frame of the puzzle was complete, and nearby, a jumbled pile of pieces waited to be fitted into the center. The size and shape had been determined -- now what would the picture be? Looking at this scene on a friend's desk, I saw a perfect analogy for our lives. It's easy enough to agree that God has a specific plan for each of us, but we all know that finding out that plan seems to be a wild goose chase at times. Too often, the problem is that we want God to show us the whole picture all at once. But in the puzzle of our lives, we don't get the box with a picture to refer to -- only God has that. He gives us the pieces, one at a time, and our task is to put them together.

Throughout your life, you will collect pieces: where you were born, how you were raised, your personality, influences, experiences, and opportunities all contribute to the picture. Sometimes they are edge pieces, defining the shape of your life. Those tend to be the easy ones because they're pretty logical. They expand your boundaries and set clear limits. Then comes the daunting part: filling it in.  The rest of the pieces don't have a straight edge to guide you -- they could go anywhere. And God rarely hands you each piece in the order it was made to fit. The pile of loose pieces gets larger and larger, and as impatience and frustration build, the tendency is to start smashing pieces into any possible space just to make some progress. Often, one piece must wait for another that may come much later to connect it to the picture.

Sometimes God will hand you a piece you can't make sense of -- it's dark and ugly, and doesn't appear to have any place in a beautiful picture. So you shove it under the pile and struggle on, when that may be just the piece that was needed to make an important connection. Other people will have their own view of your puzzle, and sometimes, perhaps with the kindest of intentions, might hand you a piece and say, "Here, try this one." But if it didn't come out of God's puzzle box with your name on it, it won't fit. And try as you might, it will only cause fruitless stress. You may be able to make it work for the moment, but the picture is guaranteed to be a sorry mess of the picture God had in mind.

When nothing seems to be fitting together and you feel like you've been staring at an empty frame longer than you can stand, don't give up! Ask for help from the One who knows the picture, because without it, your chances of making a right connection are very slim indeed -- your life is far more intricate than any 1,000-piece puzzle. With His guidance, keep trying patiently until something fits, and wait for Him to give you the next piece that might make all the difference. Nothing could be more sad than to come to the end and have all the pieces, but no beautiful picture because you refused to work with what God gave you.

"His divine power has given us

everything we need

for life and godliness."

2 Peter 1:3

The World, the Flesh, and the Devil

A month ago, amidst the usual beauty I yearly enjoy in the coastal forests of Drift Creek Camp, I and others also came up against some unwelcome encounters – Satan’s forces were on the move. Even there, hidden in the mountains away from the world, they found us, and set about to make life difficult and tie down God’s work. I have seen the enemy in action before, but never met him in such a battle as swept through the camp in those few days, on the fringes though I was. Seldom in the experience of American Christians do we see Satan attack undisguised, which of course is one of his strategies to keep us unprepared. I was reminded that the source of all our troubles is threefold: the world, the flesh, and the devil; and we must be aware of what we are dealing with to know how to best respond.

The world is of course where we live, and it is certainly less than ideal. Since the fall, everything around us is deteriorating and corrupt, and the natural result is hardship. Storms, sickness, death, accidents, pain, ugliness and decay all come from an earth that is falling apart. Certainly, nothing pleases Satan better than seeing God’s creation suffer, but he does not truly have control over the state of nature – it is a condition that God has allowed as the result of man’s violation of His order. God is neither responsible for the world’s decay, nor has He lost control of it – the sorrows of the world give some of the greatest opportunity for God to show His redemptive power and bring glory to Himself. Our response to trouble from the world should be recognition that we live in a fallen state, but God is still in control even in this world as it is, and through His Son has provided a home for us in the perfect world to come.

The flesh is the nature of sin that each of us struggle with daily. Temptations to selfishness and pride are ever present, and these manifest themselves in sins as varied as the people in the world. Hatred, divorce, laziness, slander, injustice and addiction are all examples of man’s flesh upsetting his own life and the lives around him. Satan’s deception in the Garden of Eden destroyed man’s innocence, and he has surely been laughing ever since at the conflict of men against each other and against God. But it was man’s own choice that brought him to this sad state, and man’s choice makes him responsible – God cannot violate his chosen inclination to evil, nor is Satan to blame for his willful acts of sin. The flesh plagues every one of us, and time and time again, we give in and bring disaster on ourselves. But in contrast to our hopeless condition, Jesus had perfect victory over the flesh. And our response to trouble from our flesh should be to turn to Him, confessing our inability, and receive His righteousness in place of our own.

The devil is Satan, our very real enemy with an army of demons at his command. He was the first to rebel against God, and out of hatred for Him, set about to destroy His creation, particularly that special creation made in His image. Satan undoubtedly uses the world and the flesh in more or less undercover ways to trouble us, but at times he will make a personal attack. As the devil and demons are spiritual beings, this attack is on our souls. Supernatural fear, darkness, oppression, and even possession are his direct works to keep us in chains. The child of God belongs to God and can never be possessed by another, but Satan, the prince of the world, may still come against us while we are in his domain. If ever we meet with trouble from the devil, we should respond not flippantly to this skilled destroyer, but with boldness take up our armor and wield the sword of God’s word, for Christ, who has provided this to us, has already won the victory!

Put on the whole armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.
Ephesians 6:11

When God Speaks

The human race communicates primarily by the spoken word: sounds grouped together in a vast variety of ways to convey meaning. These sounds, words, are the means of revealing the mind of the speaker. Adam was created in God's image with the ability to speak so that he could talk with God, but after the fall, verbal communication between God and man became very rare. Then came the confusion of languages at the tower of Babel -- God saw that because all people had one language, there were no boundaries for them. Their common communication allowed them to manifest their pride in a unified way. So God created a very effective boundary to prevent that unity: whatever language had been before, it became quite inadequate for universal expression of the mind among people.

But God still desired to express His mind to mankind, and He did so in human language, through one nation, a group of people with one language. And through that one nation and language, God kept His promise of sending redemption for all nations and languages. The Word came. Jesus, God in the flesh, walked the earth and revealed God's mind to man. Though the Man Jesus spoke Aramaic and Hebrew, His portrayal of God's heart could be understood by people of any language. His very words had power to create, heal, and even restore life, not because there was anything special in the sounds He spoke, but because they were an expression of God's thoughts. And when God speaks, things happen. The word of God is the revelation of His will, and the word of man will never stand against it.

By the word of the Lord the heavens were made . . .

[He upholds] all things by the word of His power.

 Then God said . . . and it was so.

 Psalm 33:6, Hebrews 1:3, Genesis 1:9

My Country, 'Tis of Thee . . .

My country, ’tis of thee,
Sweet land of liberty,
Of thee I sing;
Land where my fathers died,
Land of the pilgrims’ pride,
From every mountainside,
Let freedom ring!

My native country, thee,
Land of the noble free,
Thy name I love;
I love thy rocks and rills,
Thy woods and templed hills;
My heart with rapture thrills,
Like that above.

Let music swell the breeze,
And ring from all the trees,
Sweet freedom’s song;
Let mortal tongues awake;
Let all that breathe partake;
Let rocks their silence break,
The sound prolong.

Our fathers’ God, to Thee,
Author of liberty,
To Thee we sing;
Long may our land be bright
With freedom’s holy light;
Protect us by Thy might,
Great God, our King.

~Samuel F. Smith

America has been a nation chosen and blessed by God.  She has been given stewardship of one of the richest and most beautiful lands in the world.  She has been the protector of many other nations.  She has been given power among the peoples of the world and prosperity and security for her citizens.  She has been the birthplace of many great men and women, people who have taken the gospel to the farthest parts of the earth and changed the world.  Truly, God has blessed America, because from the beginning, America blessed her God.  Our freedoms are based on the principles of God's perfect law, and so long as our nation is under His rule, so long will she remain blessed.  God bless America . . . America, bless God!

Blessed is the nation

whose God is the Lord.

Psalm 33:12

I Will Hold Your Hand

The warrior squinted across the shimmering heat of the battlefield, eyes blurred with sweat and blood. The fight he had entered for the love of his king had become a fight for his life, and he was alone -- alone in a sea of foes. He could remember nothing now but the violence he had endured, and could endure no longer. He swayed as the dark swarm of enemies advanced, and his hand trembled, dropping his sword. His legs gave way, and the empty quiver rattled against his back as he fell to his knees. Suddenly, a strong arm encircled him from behind, raising him to his feet again. A voice he knew well spoke in his ear, "Fear not, I will help you."

"My lord!" the warrior cried, and new vigor entered him as he remembered the one he served. He willed himself to stand, but his quivering fingers could not hold the weapon that lay in the dust. He felt shame for his weakness, but his king stood beside him, took his shaking right hand in a kind and firm grasp, and turned toward the enemy, holding his own sword aloft. The warrior took up his shield, sheltering himself between it and his king. He heard the shouts and cries of the battle, but they seemed far away -- nothing mattered but the hand that stilled the trembling of his own. When he opened his eyes, all was still. He scanned the battlefield once more: not one foe remained. Again he fell to his knees, this time in wordless gratitude to the one he fought for, the one who fought for him.

For I, the Lord your God,

will hold your right hand,

saying to you,

'Fear not, I will help you.'

Isaiah 41:13

Friends . . . and Family

Many years ago, two fathers paced expectantly in the waiting room of a Southern California hospital.  Both of their wives were laboring to bring a child into the world, and as the two husbands waited impatiently for the moment they would see their offspring, they struck up a conversation that would lead to a lifelong friendship.  One of the two men, a pastor, welcomed a daughter that day.  The other, a restaurant owner, welcomed a son.  Years passed, and the friendship between the families grew.  Then the pastor moved his family to Oregon.  They did not forget their friends in California; in fact, they invited them to join them in the lovely Willamette Valley.  So the restaurant owner and his family packed up and headed north as well, where they started a successful new restaurant.

Meanwhile, a college girl in South Dakota was bored.  That is, she didn't have any plans.  She had another bored friend, and they had one friend who had moved to Oregon.  This friend invited them to join her in the lovely Willamette Valley.  So they packed up their cars and headed west.  The college girl needed a job, so her friend told her about a restaurant that was hiring -- a new one owned by a Californian.  The college girl got the job, and she met up with the restaurant owner's son.  It wasn't long before they fell in love, then they got married, and the pastor who was there the day the son was born happily officiated at the wedding.

The restaurant owner's son and the college girl are none other than my parents.  Through their friends, God brought them from their widely separated homelands and introduced them to each other . . . and here I am!  God is splendidly creative, and there is no detail that doesn't tie into the story He writes for each of us, from one's birthdate to a wild "why not?" whim.  Very often, He uses our relationships with others to shape our own lives -- how might He be using you in the story of someone else?

 

And in Your book they all were written,

The days fashioned for me,

When as yet there were none of them.

Psalm 139:16

When God Gets Angry

Canyons, deserts, coastlines, plains, downs, hills, mountains, cliffs, crags, bluffs . . .  As I journeyed through widely varied terrain recently, I was struck by the awe-inspiring beauty of even the most forbidding and untamed landscapes.  In the days of Noah, God displayed His wrath against sin in a truly violent fashion with a world-wide flood.  Yet even in this terrifying revelation of anger, God was masterfully creative.  Whatever the world may have been before the flood, it was transformed by this raging catastrophe into a vast gallery of breathtaking scenes carved and sculpted to monumental perfection.

Why a flood?  Why didn't God just send a plague to destroy all the wicked people and leave the earth the way He originally created it?  And why do we actually like the "revised version" so much if it's a destruction of what we were made for?  God displayed His holiness in the flood -- He hates sin so much that He had to purge the earth itself of it, and a flood was certainly the most practical way to do it.  God also showed His awesome power through the flood, creating reminders everywhere of how majestic He is.  Never again would anyone be able to miss the fact that God's power is infinitely superior to man's.  The power to shape the earth so dramatically in endless variety is a power to be feared!  Perhaps God knew that man needed the limits that the redesigned earth would impose -- mountain passes definitely slow people down, even today.  The obstacles that the flood created serve to control the spread of wickedness so that the unchecked corruption of Noah's day may not reoccur on that scale.

God designed us for grandeur of the kind that the flood brought about.  Though they came about as a result of sin, we respond to such things as mountains and canyons because they are intrinsically beautiful and good.  They teach us of God's character, they humble us, they lift our hearts.  Through His response to sin, God gave us a great gift.  In destroying, He created, in hate of sin, He showed love for man, and as the ark shows us, in wrath, He showed mercy.  He still does the same today in the lives of His children -- He will destroy our sin, often violently, and recreate our hearts to display more of Him.  Sin is always ugly, but God in His wisdom turns it into a great tool for His glory.  After the flood, He will bring mountains out of the waves!

God's anger toward sin is a vital part of who He is.  He could not be God without it, not in Noah's day, not today.  And two thousand years ago, God again took out His wrath for a wicked world, not in another flood, but in the death of His Son, Jesus.  The earth still bears her scars, Jesus still bears His.  And they are both unspeakably beautiful.

It's All Good

And what adventure it has been!  In the past few weeks, I have:

. . . Seen the Grand Canyon from the air

. . . Prayed for favor with border guards

. . . Visited Mexico to participate in the ministry of FFHM

. . . Worshiped in Spanish

. . . Made dozens of duct tape bracelets

. . . Built new relationships and improved old ones

. . . Prayed for rain and seen it come

. . . Gotten lost in Mexico

. . . Been rescued by a “Harley-riding angel”

. . . Gotten out of Mexico to get stranded in San Diego

. . . Gotten out of San Diego to America’s Midwest

. . . Met the cutest cousin ever for the first time ever

. . . Explored the ruins of a historic house

. . . Been “on tour” at Mt. Rushmore’s stage

. . . Stood by an overheated truck on top of a mountain

. . . Seen a moose in Yellowstone

. . . Found no room in the inn

. . . Seen a handful of bolt halves and an axle sticking through the hub

. . . Been rescued by a “pot-smoking angel” mechanic

. . . Come home humbled by God’s provision

Through all the culture differences, beautiful scenery, and unexpected delays, God has showed Himself exclusively good and tremendously in control. The clear blessings and the “mishaps” were all opportunities to see Jesus and praise Him. It’s all good because He is good! Amen!

You are good, and do good;

Teach me Your statutes.

Psalm 119:68

Going on an Adventure

Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. When they saw Him, they worshipped Him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

Matthew 28:16-20

Before Jesus returned to Heaven, He sent His followers on the greatest adventure of all time: we call it the Great Commission. Most Christians know it well, but few actually follow it -- perhaps we need to take another look. What Christians usually have memorized is Jesus' words in verses 19-20, but the passage really starts before that. Let's get the backstory: a while before this moment, Jesus had given his disciples instructions to gather on a certain mountain away from their normal surroundings. This is the first step for us, too: we need to have such a relationship with Jesus that we will do the relatively small and easy things He asks of us without question. We need to get away from our everyday lives to a special place where we can be with Him and hear His voice.

And what happens when we get there? For the disciples, when they saw Jesus, they had no doubt about who He was. They couldn't help responding to Him with worship, but they still had other doubts. The word is also used of Peter when Jesus rescued him from his failed attempt to walk on water: "Oh you of little faith, why did you doubt?" (Matthew 14:31) It seems to me that after the first step of faith, we inevitably have a moment of wondering, "What on earth was I thinking? I can't do this!" And we're right. Doubt is a key element of any adventure because if we can handle it just fine, there's really nothing adventurous about it. The first step of following Jesus doesn't seem too hard, but once we realize what we've gotten ourselves into, doubt is natural.

But Jesus reassures His disciples and us, "All authority has been given to Me." In other words, He's in control; we don't have anything to worry about. We are right to doubt ourselves, but He is more than enough to compensate for our weakness. We can't go on our own authority, we go in response to His authority, knowing that all that exists is under His command. And His command for us is, "Go." Go down from the mountain, go out into the world, and keep going until you've reached all the nations with the gospel that has changed your life. You will never hear of anyone staying on an adventure. You have to go on an adventure. If you don't go, nothing will happen. For most of us, we will never make the effort to accomplish Jesus' commands, baptizing and teaching, unless we go somewhere -- across the street, at least. It takes active obedience, an effort of will on our part; hardly ever will the unsaved come to us.

Going is scary. It can make a mess of your plans and your comfortable life. You might lose friends. Chances are, you'll run off unprepared or meet up with trouble you don't feel at all ready for. But never fear, Jesus gives His simple reassurance once more: "I am with you always." If we say yes to the discomfort, the misunderstanding of others, the gigantic obstacles at every turn, He will be there every step of the way, even when we feel alone. Oh, He'll be there too if we decide to stay home, but we'll miss out on seeing Him do some amazing things. We'll miss out on Him guiding us through lessons that will make us stronger. We'll never know what kind of great adventure we might have had if we said yes and joined Him where He was working. And at the end? Yes, all His children will go home with Him, but only the ones who chose the adventure will take treasure with them. Are you going? I am!

Where can I go from Your Spirit?

Or where can I flee from Your presence?

Psalm 139:7

Remember!

I will remember the works of the Lord;

Surely I will remember Your wonders of old.

Psalm 77:11

Many times in scripture, God's people are commanded to remember God's miraculous works for them, as well as their own failings, so that they will trust Him and not repeat their sin.  The psalmists often bring to mind God's past goodness to encourage them in troubled times.  We humans tend to live very much in the moment -- whatever is going on right now is the determining factor in the state of our lives, which leads to a lot of frustration when the present situation is less than ideal.  Today's drudgery and tomorrow's unknown take center stage and throw us onto a downhill slope of plain ol' negativity.  It's hard to remember a time when we really enjoyed life.

So we have to be told to remember.  We've all seen God do amazing things in our lives, but the ecstatic moment passes and we're back to normal, wondering when God is going to show up and bless us.  Think again.  He already has.  Remember the day you were saved?  Or that extra cash at the right moment?  Or that time you should have died?  Or the friend you talked to just this morning?  Or the air you're breathing right now?  Yes, God is good.  But we forget.

This week marked one year since my epic lost-and-found experience.  I saw God at work in dozens of amazing ways in less than twenty-four hours last April, but since then, I haven't always remembered God's goodness, even though He has continued to bless me, day after "ordinary" day.  I have so much to thank Him for, not just that I'm not still wandering in the woods somewhere, but that He has given me everything I need and more.  God, help me to remember You!

His divine power has given us

everything we need for life and godliness

through our knowledge of Him

who called us by His own glory and goodness.

2 Peter 1:3

Passion

"You still have passion -- that matters more!"  I love this line from my favorite movie, "Amazing Grace", spoken by Barbara Spooner to her future husband, William Wilberforce.  From 1787 to 1807, William Wilberforce battled to end the slave trade in England.  Though he was voted down eleven times, he kept coming back, kept fighting against the overwhelming odds.  For twenty years, he ate, drank, slept, breathed, lived the abolition of the slave trade.  The cost was immense, but he refused to let anything stand against his vision to change the world.  Now, that's passion.

Passion is a rich word.  Webster's Dictionary has about a dozen definitions, one of which is, "intense, driving, or overmastering feeling or conviction."  Passion is associated with suffering, anger, and romance.  It is "a strong feeling that causes you to act in a dangerous way."  Passion breeds recklessness and disregard for consequences.  A passionate person is unstoppable, destructive to whatever stands in his way . . . bad or good.  True passion consumes a person's entire being.  The greatest heroes and the worst villains have this in common -- it's downright dangerous.

Another definition of passion is, "the sufferings of Christ between the night of the Last Supper and His death."  Today is Good Friday, commemorating the Passion, those agonizing hours when Jesus endured supreme humiliation and appalling death.  It was not easy for Him.  Passion in the form of suffering weighed on Him as no other person has ever known it.  Every muscle and vein of His body rebelled against the torture of the cross, to the point that He sweat blood -- a very rare condition in cases of extreme stress.  His soul pleaded for a way out of the flood of God's wrath.  But there was only one way out, and that was in.  To go into being betrayed and deserted by all His friends, into mocking, lies, rejection, into scourging of the kind that often killed its victims, into being brutally nailed to wooden beams, displayed as the worst of criminals before His people, the people He loved.  And worst of all, God, His own Father, would not even look at Him.  He died there, completely alone.  And why all this?  Passion.

Jesus had a consuming passion: to do His Father's will.  He ate, drank, slept, breathed, lived it.  He said, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work (John 4:34)."  He knew that God's will included His death for the sins of the world (John 12:27), and when He cried "It is finished!" He knew that He had fulfilled His mission.  Nothing could stop Him; not ridiculing Pharisees, not confused disciples, not angry mobs, not Roman executioners.  He could have put an end to it all with one call for an angel army.  But He didn't.  He carried through with perfect focus from beginning to end.  And why?  Love . . . passionate love.  He loved His Father, and He loved us.  It was intense, driving, reckless.  It was dangerous and destructive -- the power of sin was crushed forever.  That is Passion.

What about us?  Passion will destroy -- either it will ruin our lives with selfishness, or it will obliterate evil in striving for Jesus.  Do we have the kind of passion that would go to a cross for people who hate us?  Do we have the kind of passion that would persevere for a cause for twenty years?  Most of us don't even have the passion to accomplish an all-day project, let alone hold down a job or have a lasting marriage.  Good passion isn't easy.  It's painful.  But the end is unspeakably worth it.  Think of William Wilberforce's joy when the slave trade finally ended.  Think of Jesus' joy when He sees all His redeemed loved ones praising Him in Heaven.  What really matters more -- the odds against you, the fear of failure, the comfort of avoiding the labor, or the joy at the end of it all?  God does not want half-hearted servants.  Passion matters more!

The Evergreen Oak

All winter long, while other trees were bare, one proud oak remained green and leafy.  But on closer inspection, the leaves proved not to be its own: it was the host of masses of evergreen mistletoe and lichens.  Slowly, the parasites had taken over this once mighty tree, lending it an illusion of continual life even while draining it of its strength.  When the trees around it that had appeared dead began to show their lively young green once again, its own appearance of life began to pale in comparison to the real life it was now too enfeebled to display.  It remained dull green, leafy . . . and dead inside.

How often do our lives reflect the false life of this oak?  We are ashamed to look bare and empty, so we cover ourselves with substitutes to disguise the lack we feel of the real life God would have for us.  But upon encountering true life in its humble vibrancy, we can see the worthlessness of our sorry attempts.  We would not wait for God to bring color to our lives in His time and His way, and now we reap the reward: weakness and inability to live an unhindered, growing life.  The parasitical substitutes must be cut away before they kill our hearts and leave us nothing but a dead host for dull, worthless habits.  In the seasons of dormancy, let us not be deceived by our lack of glorious life, but be assured that God is preparing us in the winter for a flourishing spring of His grace.  Wait for Him!

A Child's Faith

“The stranger himself did not make her afraid.  On the contrary, he reassured her. . . . Since she had met this goodman in the wood, it seemed as though all things were changed about her. . . . Before her soul was cold, now it was warm.  Cosette was no longer afraid . . . she was no longer alone; she had somebody to look to.”

~Les Misérables, by Victor Hugo

It is the nature of young children to be trusting.  Indeed, they often must be taught to be wary of strangers, because to them, any kind person may instantly become a friend with whom they will be willing to go anywhere or do anything.  They do not take into account their companions’ appearance, reputation, name, or status, only the affection and acceptance they offer.  They will readily believe anything that a trusted adult tells them.  Innocently gullible as they are, they possess a refreshing trait which most of their elders have lost: they are uncalculating in their response to love, their hearts not yet hardened and skeptical.

In adulthood, experience too often leads us to demand assurance before we will risk opening our hearts to another person.  We have to know first: well-informed (or perhaps uninformed) judgments and suppositions about others take the place of child-like trust.  We have concluded that we must guard our own safety, manage our own provision, and depend on no one.  A child trusts only because he can’t manage alone; we can take care of ourselves.

Just as a child’s trusting attitude toward man can be so easily directed in simple faith to God, the grown-up’s independent distrust of his fellows likewise may correspond to his view of his Creator.  It is a great risk to put his whole life in the hands of One he cannot see or understand.  He continually seeks proof of God’s goodness, afraid to respond unreservedly, like an innocent child, to the love showered on him.  No wonder Jesus says that only the childlike will enter His Kingdom!  A child’s faith can put his teachers to shame – he is told that God is good, and he believes it without question.  He may know next to nothing about theology, but to him, God is real, and He is his Friend.  Such a child knows what we are so quick to forget: we are not alone; we have Somebody to look to, if we will.  May we become like children again, throw all self-preserving skepticism to the wind, and take His hand in fearless trust.

"I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the

Kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it."

Mark 10:15

Dominion

With my family's recent bathroom remodel and thoughts of an addition, I've been thinking a good deal lately about a home, a place to call my own.  The thought of a palace, a dominion, a land to tend and rule however small, excites me, just as it has countless souls since the world began.  This quest for a homeland has been the drive that scattered mankind to the farthest corners of the earth -- the command to "fill the earth and subdue it" is stamped forever in the very core of our being.  Pride has corrupted the urge into a lust for power and supremacy, but still the desire to do as we were made to do is inescapable.

God created earth to be inhabited by Man, a special being created in His likeness to be a reflection of the Great Ruler.  All that God is, He desires us to be on a humble, finite scale, pointing always to Him.  The position of authority afforded by a dominion, even the smallest, is an ideal platform from which to portray the attributes of the Creator; it is a thing to be taken very seriously.  Not even in Heaven will we lose the inborn requirement of a home of our own -- Jesus said, "In My Father's house are many mansions (dwelling places, rooms); I go to prepare a place for you."  We will continue the mandate given from the beginning, no longer tainted with the will to supplant God's Lordship, but as the faithful stewards we were designed to be.  Let us begin now with what palaces and lands as we are given!

"Well done, good and faithful servant;

you were faithful over a few things,

I will make you ruler over many things.

 Enter into the joy of your Lord."

Matthew 25:21

Finite Grace?

"Grace is not infinite." I instinctively recoiled at these heretical words, as I deemed them, yet on further consideration, I conceded that, depending on what kind of grace we're talking about, there may be truth in them. For me, as for most Christians, the word "grace" instantly brought to mind saving grace, God's gift of salvation through Jesus, or, "God's Riches At Christ's Expense." But that definition leaves out far too much. Perhaps a better definition of grace would be "something good that you don't deserve." Saving grace definitely falls under that, but it is not the only kind of grace, nor is grace strictly limited to being expressed by God.

Another kind of grace is what I might call general grace: the grace that all mankind receives, regardless of their relationship with God. Every living human being is sustained by God's hand. Air, light, food, water, DNA, an earth to live on . . . all of it is grace. God is in no way entitled to give us life or anything else, but He chooses to do so. Some will complain, "But so many people suffer for lack of those things -- God isn't fair." You're right, God isn't fair; He shouldn't give any of us anything at all since none of us deserve it. By definition, grace cannot be "withheld" since it isn't merited in the first place.

In context, the statement "grace is not infinite" actually referred specifically to yet another kind of grace, what I would term special grace. This is the sort of grace we typically pray for, that extra help for particular needs.  The shifting of circumstances, material abundance beyond our labor, unexplained strength of body or mind in a crucial moment . . . these are grace. Special grace is supernatural aid for a particular situation, and it rarely happens the same way twice. This is the sort of grace we most often try to "earn", forgetting that God is not impressed by our efforts to be deserving. True, He often gives rewards to His obedient children, but even these are grace, since we did nothing to earn the saving grace that originally brought us into His favor.

So then, is grace really infinite or not? In the case of saving grace, it is infinite in the sense that a child of God will never "fall from grace" once he is born into God's family. But saving grace is also unique in the sense that it must be asked for, in which case it may be said to be finite, though it is enough to cover all who come. How about general grace? Surely in this fallen world it cannot be infinite -- a quick glance over the ruins of sin will reveal many seemingly "God-forsaken" lands. Yet even in the middle of the Sahara life may be found. Though that might more likely fall under special grace! Special grace is easy to call finite: it is certainly not always available at our slightest wish.  Still, is not God infinitely powerful?

In the end, it is in a sense true that grace is not infinite. But God is. Grace is not God. God gives grace. Because it is part of His infinite nature, His supply of grace is endless, but the manifestation of it is carefully measured by His infinite knowledge and wisdom. Some of us act like we can wheedle grace out of God, but if we could, it would not be grace at all. Let us be thankful for the grace He chooses to give us, and strive to be like Him in giving grace to others!

Now to him who works, the wages are

not counted as grace but as debt.

Romans 4:4

Be With Him

And He said, "My Presence will go

with you, and I will give you rest."

Exodus 33:14

When Moses asked God for direction and proof of His grace, this was God's simple reply -- no answer to his urgent questions, just gentle, kind reassurance of His Presence.  He didn't tell him where to go, or when, or with whom, only that when he went, God would be right there.  I'm so often like Moses, arguing with God, "You have said, 'I know you by name and you have found grace in My sight.' . . . show me now your way . . . that I may find grace in Your sight."  (Ex. 33:12-13)  I know I belong to God, but I'm tempted to doubt His grace unless I know what He's doing, or I imagine that His grace depends on me knowing and doing what He wants.

I'm afraid we tend to see God as an Employer -- He's given us a job to do, and if we don't keep up He'll leave us behind.  And half the time we're not even sure what the job is, let alone how to keep up, so we throw a fit at God, "Just hurry up and tell me what I'm supposed to do!" so we can get on with it and feel good about our performance, maybe even earn His praise.  Pride and lack of trust, plain and simple.  God's invitation is not a "Now Hiring" sign.  He wants children and friends, not employees.  Yes, our Heavenly Father may expect us to do some chores, but that's not His main purpose with us.  Mostly, He just longs to be with us, starting now.  Let's stop getting so worked up about work, and rest in His Presence!

"Father, I want those you have given Me

to be with Me where I am . . ."

John 17:24

Dance!

“Life’s a dance” they say, and the parallel is quite fitting, as I’ve been reminded in my recent opportunities to participate in some English country dancing.  Besides being wonderful exercise, dance certainly tests one’s skill of mind, especially under pressure!  Learning the steps can make for plenty of amusing blunders, but once you’ve got it down, it’s a thrill to be part of perhaps a sizable crowd all moving together in time with the merry music.  Dancing is no idle game physically or mentally, and it also connects dramatically with our souls.  My grandma requested that we dance at her funeral, and for good reason: it’s very hard to dance and be sad at the same time!  Even in scripture, dancing is one of the highest expressions of joy and celebration – Miriam danced after the crossing of the Red Sea, the women danced after David killed Goliath, and David himself danced when the ark of God was brought to the city.  It’s a natural human reaction to overflowing joy – we just can’t keep still!

Dancing with others requires careful coordination and cooperation if it’s going to work smoothly.  So it is with life: we can’t make it work alone, and we can’t make it work well without doing our part and helping others do theirs.  As in an intricate dance, we each have a role to fulfill at the right time and place, and if we don’t step up when it is needed, the whole thing will go wrong.  It’s easy in life to imagine that we are not really needed, to stand by and watch while others take care of things.  Perhaps our part feels small and boring, like the corner position of a post jig.  But if we are not faithful with the role we happen to have, the people around us will suffer for it.  In the dance of life, we must work together!

And in order to work together, we must all be listening to the same directions.  One person may perform the steps of the Spanish waltz flawlessly, but if everyone else is dancing to a different tune, the result will be a complete failure.  So in life: we will run into each other with perhaps disastrous results if we are not all obediently under the direction of one dance Caller, God Himself.  He chooses the tune and the steps, and the results will be beautiful only if we pay close attention to His plan, and only His plan.  When we do, we will find success and thrilling joy.  God wants to have fun with us – the rules are not there to restrict us, but to guide us for the greatest enjoyment of His plan.  So dance!  Dance through life according to God’s perfect choreography, and whenever you get the chance, dance for joy on your own two feet!

Let them praise His name with the dance . . .

Psalm 149:3

Immortality

Humankind has always longed for immortality.  Legends and stories are full of the pursuit of it, and now, with today's technology, we still do everything we can to not die -- sometimes it seems that the goal of life is just to keep it going as long as possible.  Yet at the same time, immortality is seen as a thing to be feared -- we would have to admit that death is actually a mercy compared to living on forever in the world as it is going.  Yet still we refuse to resign ourselves to it.  We hate the thought of getting old, but what else do you think will happen if you don't die young?  Is there an answer?  Or are we doomed to go on searching for something we can't have and, come to think of it, don't really want?

I venture to suggest that the reason mankind can't stop thinking about immortality is because we are immortal.  And somewhere deep down, we all know it.  Whether we like it or not, we will continue to exist forever, and whether we will like it or not depends entirely on our choices in our "mortal" life (which is merely a prelude or "trial run" before the continuation of it).  Or should I say, our Choice -- either to trust God's plan of redemption from death through Jesus Christ, who defeated it on our behalf, and embrace the true life He offers, or to do the best we can to create our own artificial immortality and earn nothing but living death forever.  Yes, such an immortality we would do well to fear!  But the other promises glories beyond all we could imagine in a million years, because it will last far longer than that.  Is there any choice, really, when faced with these options?

What a difference it could make if we truly believed in our immortality!  Not only would we take seriously our own eternal well-being, but we would see others quite differently.  As C. S. Lewis says, "There are no ordinary people.  You have never talked to a mere mortal. . . . it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploit -- immortal horrors or everlasting splendours."  Would that thought affect the way we treat and relate to others?  It should.  What kind of immortality will you have, and will the people around you share it?

"Our Savior, Christ Jesus . . .

has destroyed death and has

brought life and immortality

to light through the gospel."

2 Timothy 1:10