Posts

Showing posts from 2008

All Stirred Up!

"Therefore, I will always be ready to remind you of these [truths of the Gospel], even though you already know them, and have been established in the truth which is present with you. I consider it right…to stir you up by way of reminder," – 2 Peter 1:12-13 I find this time of year, that it is easy to quickly rehearse the Christmas story and, because I have heard it so many times, gloss over it, and not give it the attention it deserves. I know the story well. I could quote it to you without thinking: 2+2=4! Virgin Mary + Baby Jesus = Christmas Story! Shepherds x Wiseman = rocking party + (cool gifts)3. It’s formulaic. Here just days away from Christmas, I need my heart stirred up by way of reminder. I need to be reminded that the God of the ages, who is too awesome to be contained by the heavens, put on flesh and lived the human life for thirty-three years. I need to be reminded that God submitted not only to a human life, but submitted to nine months in the womb; submi

Expectation Changes Everything

Recently Kristin and I found out we were expecting our second child. That revelation brought with it a flurry of activity! Expectation changes behavior. Overnight her diet changed – more fruit, more protein, and pre-natal vitamins. We began to think about names. We began to make mental lists to make sure we were ready for the arrival of this new baby. Expectation changes perception. Suddenly she understood why she was over-tired. She understood why she was more emotional than normal. When she viewed those emotions and feelings through the lens of pregnancy it all made sense. Expectation changes priorities. Because we are expecting, we are intentional with what she eats, we are intentional with how late we stay out, and we are intentional with preparing for that which we expect. In the midst of this I think of Mary. Betrothed to be married, she was expecting. She was already making her plans; she was already in the middle of rearranged priorities. She was expecting a wedding. Then the A

O Come, O Come Emmanuel

#211 in our United Methodist Hymnal has, for some time, been my favorite song of the Christmas season. The haunting melody bears the familiar pain of the exile, and yet this song about deep desire and current pain is filled with hope. Not just any hope, but hope of deliverance. It is the hope for the return of God. Emmanuel had been here before. Adam and Eve walked with Him in the cool of the day. But those days are long forgotten. The years of rebellion had pushed them so far away that all they had left was an ache to be remembered. O come, O come Emmanuel! Can you identify with this song? Christ came and brought about our redemption. He walked with us in the cool of the day. But years of rebellion have pushed our world to the edge of evil. Listen to the echoes of wars and conflict. Those wars happen between countries, but they also happen between family members, they happen between friends. A thousand shattered relationships make us cry out, "O come! O come, Emmanuel!" We a

In All Things, Give Thanks!

I love holidays! There is something about the recurring nature of them that helps me. At least once a year, I am reminded to give thanks for the blessings I've received! If I watch my calendar, I can't miss it! It is right there, staring me in the face! THANKSGIVING! And even if I don't pay attention to calendars, the turkey and dressing grabs my attention and jump-starts my thankfulness. Remembering can be a powerful act of Worship. It has the power to lift us out of the doldrums of our current circumstances into the very presence of God. The psalmist knew this in Psalm 66, when he recounted all of the mighty acts God had shown the Children of Israel. Peter knew it when he wrote, "I think it right, as long as I am in this body, to stir you up by way of reminder...the power and coming of our lord Jesus Christ [for] we were eye-witnesses to his majesty!" 2 Peter 1:13, 16 And Jesus knew it when he instructed us to remember him through the Eucharist. Homework this we

I Was Hungry (or: Thy Kingdom Come!)

Thanksgiving is quickly approaching! I don't think I'm alone when I say that the thanksgiving meal is my favorite of the year, closely followed by post-Thanksgiving turkey sandwiches. This is the time of the year where we are able to reflect on the blessings God has given us. A few years ago, Kristin and I went walking through antique stores and I saw a cheesy little sign that said, "Don't count your blessings, share them." Now at first glance that little truism seems trite and a bit cliché. But the more I have thought about it, especially in the light of the coming holiday, the more it has struck me, not just as profound, but as essential. In Genesis 12:2 God tells Abram, "And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing." (RSV) We see here that a primary purpose of God's blessing to Abram was that he would in turn be a blessing from God to the nations. We, as the children of Abrah

Of One Mind

You've seen it. You've known a couple who have been together so long, and loved each other so well, that, at times, it seems as though they are one person. It's like an old sci-fi movie: two bodies, one brain! They easily finish each other’s sentences; they anticipate the needs of the other and gladly meet them; they exude love. It is my hope to achieve that someday. All it really takes is time, attention, and consideration. Time – In order to be of one mind with someone, time is the first essential ingredient. It is impossible to know a person without spending time with them. I could hire an investigator, and read over the reports, but I would only know about that person, and still would be no closer to knowing them. I have to take the time to be around a person before I can ever hope to know them. Attention – Now, I can spend years around a person, but if I do not pay attention to them, I might as well be a stranger. I need to be intentional to notice what that person’s p

What’s It Worth To You?

I’ve told you my personal definition of worship, but let’s press a little further today. I’ve often thought that "Worship" is a funny word. Take a look at it. W O R S H I P . Have you ever wondered how those letters came to represent our adoration of God? Maybe I’m just a little too analytical, but I've often wondered from where we derived that word. If you're thoroughly curious now, and even if you're not, here's the answer. Worship comes from Old English. It is derived from two words, worth + ship. The original meaning is "to ascribe worth to." When we worship God we are attributing worth to Him. It is important to note that worship does not measure the actual worth of a person or object, but rather how much worth is ascribed to that person or object. By showing up on Sunday morning, you are saying, "God, you are worth at least two hours of my time and attention." By volunteering in the church or in any Christian mission, you are saying,

Still With Me

Vacations, movies & other forms of entertainment, work, soccer games & dance recitals, TV shows, etc. – we are a busy lot! 25 hours a day 8 days a week, we are moving, cramming as many things into our days as possible. In these times of busyness it is easy to neglect an important gift that God has given us: rest. Rest is important to God, so much so that he modeled it for us in the first story in the Bible! And on the seventh day He rested. But rest is very often a misunderstood concept. Rest is not the same thing as sleeping. Rest is not "vegging out." Believe it or not, rest actually takes effort! Everything in our culture sets itself against rest. We have things to do for the times when we aren't doing anything! Movies, TV, Music, Video Games, and countless other distractions offer us an escape from silence, but it is often in the silence that God meets with us. I am not suggesting that movies, TV, etc are bad. I myself am a movie fanatic! But I am suggesting t

Starting again.

If you are a voracious reader, and dig through all the archives, you will find a few repeats. The reason for this is simple. I have a new flock, and some things are worth repeating. I hope that what you read challenges you and draws you into a deeper relationship with God. Blessings,