Annual Christmas Post--The Mystery of Christmas

Hey y'all:

Since I started this blog about 8 years ago, I have posted a piece I wrote around Christmas 2003. It kind of sums up for me what is the "Mystery of Christmas" as I meditated on the Incarnation and its implications for humanity (and perhaps for God as well!). The very idea of God becoming "one of us among us" (Immanuel) still fascinates and overwhelms me. God, the creator of all things, entered his own creation so as to renew and redeem us (and, ultimately, all of creation as well). God, the Creator of all things, became flesh so that he might be the perfect sacrifice for our sins. The God who never knew death would die for us. The God who never knew sin would become sin for us. What amazing love! Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift! As you celebrate the first advent of our Lord Jesus Christ, I hope you enjoy this rerun. Feel free to make comments if you'd like.

A little over 2000 years ago, a tiny child was born in some pretty bleak conditions. Oh, he wasn’t the only one born in a bad state. In fact, in some ways, he was one of the lucky ones. He and his mother actually survived childbirth and thrived. Still, this story is unique and amazing on several levels.

First, this child would literally change the way time is reckoned in the world. His life and abilities would so impress generations of others that a brand new movement would be created, one that would radically change the very face of the earth (sometimes for good, sometimes for bad). His name would become recognized among the names of the greatest of humans, yet he never forgot his humble beginnings or lost a sense of who he was.

The second thing about this child is tied to the first in that this baby, this helpless lad full of spittle and mush, was born as the very Son of God. When Mary held his little head to her breast, he drank human milk. Yet, he was (and is) the God of the universe. Can you picture this simply ridiculous, yet somehow poetic scene? God, who calls the stars by name, pressed to the human breast for sustenance. Humble, yet almighty, is how most folks would no doubt recall this child.

A little over 2000 years ago, God proposed that the only remedy for the human condition of sin would be if he humbled himself, stepped out of eternity and into human flesh, and suckled at Mary’s breast in preparation for the greatest, most impressive conversion of all. God, in Mary’s arms, toddling around Joseph’s shop, learning to talk, learning to walk, tasting and touching things with human hands! As the Psalmist says in Psalm 139, “Such knowledge is too wonderful for us, we cannot contain it!”

God knew that the only way to redeem us was if he did it himself. Haven’t you ever had that thought? You know, the one where you say, “If I want something done right, I’ll just have to do it myself?” Imagine God having that thought about bringing us to proper relationship with him. Imagine again that the only way he knew he could do that is if he came to earth as a baby. Think of it—-how vulnerable the almighty God was at that moment, how paradoxical that the God of all creation had to learn to walk! And why did he put himself in this situation? Out of his divine sense of justice and righteousness, out of his inexpressible love for each of us he acted in this manner.

In a sense, he became insane that we may be sane. He became flesh so that we might walk in the Spirit. He became sin that we might be righteous. He became poor so that we might be rich. He who had the reputation of Creator became a humble servant with no reputation. He became a toddling, dribbling, helpless babe so that we could become mature humans in the image of the almighty Son of God. What wondrous love! What humility and service! How then can anything he asks of us be too difficult?

Lord, in this Christmas season, remind me of your sacrifice and love so that I might be a light shining in darkness to others. Teach me to live a life of humble service like your Son did on my behalf so many years ago. As I celebrate the babe in the manger, may the glory he revealed in his life shine through me towards others that they may know God. May the grace of God and the peace of Christ rule in my family and my life.

Thanks for reading!

Merry Christmas!

No Reputation--A Christmas Meditation and Plea

Philippians 2:5-9 NASU

"Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross."

This passage may not usually be associated with Christmas, but for some reason that is how it comes to me this year. Look closely at the passage above, then read the quote from The Jesus Style by Gayle D. Erwin below.

“Christ Jesus . . . made himself nothing.

“He made himself nothing, he emptied himself—-the great kenosis. He made himself no reputation, no image.

“I can recall my father shaking his head and repeating over and over to himself, ‘If only I knew what this meant. There is something powerful here. If I only understood it.’ Maybe that is why this Scripture has glued itself to my mind and equally disturbs me. Reputation is so important to me. I want to be seen with the right people, remembered in the right light, advertised with my name spelled right, live in the right neighborhood, drive the right kind of car, wear the right kind of clothing. But Jesus made himself of no reputation.”

Christmas in America means lots of things to lots of different people.

For some it becomes a political event that pits “the true meaning of Christmas” against the bias of some against religion. For others Christmas is just another time to visit families and to pretend to get along with each other. For others Christmas is a season that involves incredible profits (or expenses) and lots of activities. This year some may see Christmas as a bleak season filled with bad economic news and the dread of a new year. For still others Christmas is simply a winter break, a time to regroup for a new year.

I know I’ve left a large group out! There are those who see Christmas as the celebration of the birth of the world’s Savior. But I want to twist the prism a bit and look at Christmas from a different angle.

Almost all of the views above look at Christmas from the perspective of what humans gain from the season. I wonder if we can look at the season as something we can offer to others, a gift of sorts. I wonder, can we make a gift of Christmas? Can we this year find a way to give the "spirit" of Christmas to those around us?

Hear me out . . .

This passage from Philippians reminds me that Christmas for Jesus wasn’t about what he would gain. In fact, he lost just about everything! He left the comfort of his Father’s place, he became a tottering, dribbling little baby, he had to learn to talk, to walk, to eat, he left his riches behind for the poverty of a manger, and ultimately he would even become sin and even die, two things he had never experienced. As Paul says, he made himself of no reputation.

Imagine what Christmas would be like this year if those of us who follow Jesus would do as Paul admonishes here and have this approach to the season. Imagine if we actually attempted to have the same attitude towards others that Jesus has towards us! What would Christmas look like if we didn’t care about what we got out of it but became more concerned about what we could give to others? How would our world change if we laid down our lives . . . our reputations . . . our desires in order to bless others this Christmas? What if we even went further and did it anonymously, with no expectation of reward or recognition?

Ronald Reagan is credited with the saying “There is no telling what you can accomplish if you don’t care who gets the credit.” We don’t like that approach though, do we? We kick against it! I mean, we deserve to be recognized, don’t we?

You came up with the idea that made the company money, shouldn’t you be rewarded? Maybe you found a problem and fixed it, and that fix saved someone’s job. Shouldn’t you be shown gratitude? Maybe you did some kindness for someone you knew couldn’t pay you back, shouldn’t you get credit for that? You gave that money to charity, shouldn't someone say "thank you"? You gave of your time to that charitable organization, shouldn't there be some "benefit" in it for you?

Don’t we all think that we should be center stage, center of the world, the most important person in the world? How many times have you heard “I quit going to that church because MY needs weren’t being met”?

No reputation.

Let that sink in.

NO Reputation!

No fame, no credit, no automatic acceptance, no celebrities, and no place where who you know or what you know earns you admittance or recognition.

Jesus made himself of no reputation. The very God of the universe became nobody. He emptied himself, he became a servant. As Isaiah said, he was not handsome or attractive in such a way as to draw attention to himself. He lived to give attention only to God. He had "no reputation."

Ouch!

We love our awards, the acceptance of others, the glamor of being “somebody,” or the wonderful happiness of fame, don’t we? We like to be recognized, remembered, acknowledged, accepted, and celebrated.

“Don’t neglect me” is the motto of many in our society and our churches.

The motto of Christ and his followers should be “No reputation.” God chooses such people to further his agenda. Will we be involved, or do we like our perks too much?

In Job 1, Satan appears in God's court. God acknowledges the good job done by Job, and asks Satan if he has noticed what a righteous person Job has become. Satan's response is a tough challenge: "Does Job fear God for nothing?"

Think about what the evil one is implying here. He is asking, "Will a human serve God with no expectation of something in return?"

Will humans serve God for nothing?

That hurts, doesn't it? Even the mere thought of it as a possibility smarts a bit. Surely the mighty God of the universe wouldn't expect me to show him respect and serve his purposes without expectation of payment for services rendered, right?

RIGHT? (yeah, the question kinda lingers harshly, doesn't it?)

Will you serve God for nothing?

Can we humble ourselves to the point where we realize that God owes us nothing? Quite literally, we have done nothing to merit a reward. Even our service is a response to his continued mercy.

Will we, like Christ, humble ourselves to the point of no reputation? Are we willing to be "nobodies" in God's service, among his people, even among those who ought to "recognize" us?

What would Christmas look like this year if we (all of us) decided to give with no expectation of return? What if we humbled ourselves and expected no acknowledgment? What if we chose to serve anonymously and to bless others without receiving a blessing in return? What would happen?

What can you do this Christmas season that will bless others and garnish no reputation for you? Who can you serve that can't repay you? This year let's commit ourselves to serving, giving, and loving as Christ did. Let's look for opportunities to bless others in a way that does not give us recognition. Instead of asking for things for ourselves, let's give to the needs of others. Instead of expecting gifts, let's give our lives away in blessing others.

How would that change Christmas in your neighborhood?

Thanks for reading!

One Response to Tragedy and Grief

I sit here in my comfortable home and realize that my almost 8 years in Virginia have been at times chaotic. The month before I moved here, my father passed away after an extended illness.

Ten months after moving here a cousin close to my age passed away unexpectedly.

Then in October 2005, a pastor friend in Waco passed away unexpectedly. He was electrocuted during a baptism. He was 33, had a wife and children. More grief!

In December 2005, a very dear friend died in Waco. He was 44, healthy, and died in his sleep. No one knows why.

In the Spring of 2006, my aunt (the mother of the cousin above) passed away after a time in the hospital.

Then in the summer of 2006, one of my best friends died in a plane crash. More grief!

In 2007, there was the tragedy at Virginia Tech and the death of Jerry Falwell.  Even more grief and sadness.

Many of these tragedies and experiences of grief have been documented on my blog.  I am sure there are others, but I can't recall them at the moment. 

Then comes Friday, December 14. A sick person kills almost 30 people on the campus of school in Newtown, Connecticut.

The news of the event makes many people numb, angry, even scared.  I don't know how to respond. I mean, so many lives ended in an instance.

How do you move on? What do you do?

I feel so (what's the word?) angry, upset, sad. . . . I'm not sure what to say.

The shock of hearing about these untimely deaths (is death ever timely?) is bad enough, but this sudden bit of bad news has hit some people harder than I would have imagined. You see, grief comes knocking on our door, and he (Grief) was not expected. We weren't prepared, in fact we were getting ready for the celebration of the birth of Jesus, the Prince of Peace.  We were in the middle of celebrating Hanukkah, the festival of lights and of dedication in which the story of a mighty miracle by God is told.  And in the midst of these holy seasons, Grief came for a visit!

As a result, we don't know how to act or what to say!  Some of us are actually in shock!

Grief often shows up at the most inopportune time. He is seldom a welcome guest and even more rarely an invited one. He walks in unannounced and tries to take over the household. Grief immobilizes you. It makes you stop and hurt. I guess grief is useful, but when you are experiencing it you just want it to stop. You want the uninvited pest to go away. Something important was taken away without our permission!

Grief has come to us, he came uninvited. We will walk a while with Grief, probably in silence. In the end, we will still miss our friends or family members, but hopefully we will cherish life more.

Grief is not my friend, but he helps in some ways, I guess. Grief came knocking on our door, and we didn't check to see who it was before we answered. Now Grief is a guest in our homes again. How long he'll stay is anybody's guess. He'll leave quietly one day and the only evidence that he was there will be the memory of our missing friends and a few tear-filled tissues. Grief will go, but hopefully he will leave us wiser and more grateful.

Don't misunderstand me . . . I'm still confident in God's character.

I know God is faithful and good.

But this whole thing is just so wrong.

I hate death.

Yes, I hate it.

On the day when Death and Hades are kicked into the bottomless pit, I will stand and cheer. I will dance about wildly, flinging my arms and body in all sorts of directions in praise of a great accomplishment--greater than any touchdown, home run, or pay raise. I will celebrate madly the final death of Death. I long for the day.

For now, we will pray and grieve, though.

On the other hand, please remember that your grief is not in vain. Let it work a good work in you. Don't use it as an excuse to turn to anger or bitterness, but rather use it as a reminder to cherish those around you more, to revel in the friendships, the relationships, the life you have today.

Let grief drive you to enjoy the good in life today! Let it push you to a kind and merciful God who knows how to see you through it.

Let grief be the tool that causes you to appreciate life.

Life is precious, may we remember to cherish it and to nurture it.

I know, it is time to turn off the rant. You've heard enough.

Remember to pray for the community of Newtown, Connecticut and the friends and families who are hurting now.

Remember to express your own grief (or anger or sadness), to develop an appreciation for life.  You are precious.So are those around you. Cherish them, cherish the moments, the "little" things.

Okay, I'm done.  I'm praying for mercy and grace in this time.  May the Prince of Peace chase sadness away and give us true peace.  Blessings!

Thanks for reading!

Going Sane in a Crazy World: Some Musings on Rest from a Weary Pilgrim

A little over two weeks ago, I was asked to teach at Gospel Community Church.  I had planned a sermon on worship, but God changed my mind.  God's Spirit had lodged Matthew 11 in my mind and heart for a couple of weeks, and I kept hearing "Come to me all who are weary, and I will give you rest."  I needed that rest, so I went back to Psalm 46 and tried to connect it to Matthew 11.  You can hear what I said on this page (just look for September 23 and listen):  http://www.gospelcc.org/media/media-2012/.  My notes are below, but they aren't exactly like the sermon.  I hope it blesses you!

 

"Going Sane in a Crazy World"

Psalm 46/Matthew 11:28-30

Introduction

The Tick and Arthur

“You aren’t going crazy chum, you’re going sane in a crazy world”

We live in a crazy world

Economic issues

Crazy election going on

Wars and rumors of wars

Stress is everywhere! And it shows. It shows in our bodies — in our relationships — including our relationship with God.

Is that you today? I know it's an area where I really battle. I want to do everything. So I react in the moment. I say yes when I should say no — forgetting that my time is already allotted to other things. We react in a response of the flesh instead of acting under the Holy Spirit's control.

You see, God knows our pressures and our conflicts. And He has made provision for each and every one of them. And that provision is Himself.  He is our Refuge and our Rest.

Psalm 46:  The Frame is God’s Presence (v. 1) and our Position (v. 10)

When God seems silent, be still and know his presence

When the world turns against us, be still and know his power

When things get hectic, be still and know him

Going Sane means to Rest (Matthew 11:28-30)

When God Seems Silent: Come to Jesus

Psalm 46:1-3

When life goes crazy, where is sanity?  Where is rest?  Where is God?

In what way is God a refuge when life is in tatters?

C. S. Lewis—A Grief Observed

“Where is God?  When you are happy, so happy that you have no sense of needing Him, so happy that you are tempted to feel His claims upon you as an interruption, if you remember yourself and turn to Him with gratitude and praise, you will be -- or so it feels -- welcomed with open arms.  But to go to Him when your need is desperate, when all other help is vain, and what do you find?  A door slammed in your face, and a sound of bolting and double bolting on the inside.  After that, silence.  You may as well turn away.  The longer you wait, the more emphatic the silence will become. . . . What can this mean? Why is God so present a commander in our time of prosperity and so very absent a help in times of trouble?”

God’s presence has not changed, yet we seem to be unable to access it

God seems distant, or at least a bit unconcerned

Our world is shattered, where is the glue to hold us together?

Be still and know his presence

In Matthew 11:28, Jesus commands us to come to him

Who should come? 

All who are weary or heavy burdened

All who think that their lives are over

All who think God has turned his back on them

All who face the awful silence of others and even God

His promise is to give rest

He doesn’t promise results

He doesn’t even promise a “word from God”

He promises “rest”

Rest is a relief from hardship, pain, distress, and turmoil

It is the presence of Christ in our hard times

Come to him and find rest

Col. 1:15-17:  Jesus is the glue that holds reality together

The Psalmist calls us to put our trust in God who holds all things together

The words “refuge” and “strength” speak of God’s security and power

Our security is not in the ground beneath our feet (remember Haiti or Chile?)

God is our ultimate unshakeable reality  and the greatest power of all

Just because I don’t see the sun that doesn’t mean it ceases to exist

When life gets hard, we need to stand still, to desist, to stop striving and to dwell on his presence

We need Jesus’ rest

God is omnipresent, he has gone nowhere

Be quiet, and listen

Psalm 91:7

Be still and know his presence

When the World Turns Against Us:  We Take His Yoke

Psalm 46:4-7:  God is with his beloved Jerusalem

2 Corinthians 4:7-10—Jars of Clay

We are not exempt from hardships, difficulties, and bad emotions

But we are more than survivors (Romans 8:31-39; especially v. 37)

We may be shaken, but we cannot be destroyed

•The power by which we live and by which Jerusalem is sustained is the power of God

•When things go south, we must learn NOT to rely on our abilities

Our power MUST come from a higher source

God is There, and He is Able

Be still and know his power

In Matthew 11:29-30, Jesus gives two more commands:  “Take my yoke” and “learn from me”

Jesus doesn’t think that rest is necessarily sitting still

This is a work in progress, it is still work

Yoke is what oxen wore

You often put an untrained ox with an older ox in order to help it learn

The yokes were specifically fit to the oxen

So it is with us, Jesus prepares us for the work he has in this world by fitting our yoke just to us, joining us in the yoke, and teaching us how to work—That is Rest!

Jesus’ humility and gentleness in teaching us gives us rest

As we learn to rely on the humble Christ, we find rest

Rest in his yoke, rely on his power

When Things Get Hectic: His Yoke is Easy

Psalm 46:8-11

God's Word to us when we're on the ragged edge of reality:  Be Still, Desist, Cease striving, Stop Struggling, Rest.

Psalm 46:10 says to "Be still," which may mean “rest.” It means to "let your arms down to your side"—to be vulnerable to God.

God also says to "know that I am God." He calls for a cognitive and a personal response.

We cease striving not because we know how it's going to work out, but because we know the God who will work it out.

C. S. Lewis, A Grief Observed (continued)

"I have gradually been coming to feel that the door is no longer shut and bolted. Was it my own frantic need that slammed it in my face? The time when nothing at all in your soul except a cry for help may be just the time when God can’t give it; you are like the drowning man who can’t be helped because he clutches and grabs. Perhaps your own reiterated cries deafen you to the voice you hoped to hear." 

Come to the Jesus, whose humility led him to die for you

Wear his yoke, do only his work

Do not look around at what everyone else is doing (This is Peter’s reaction at the end of John)

Keep his easy yoke and light burden as your protection

Only do those things God has placed on the yoke you share with Jesus

Remember, he gives rest while he helps bear our load

All kinds of things may be going wrong, but God remains unmoved and unchanged

He is constant, he is there, he is not silent, he has not moved

To know him is to know security even in the most hectic time

To know him requires time and stillness

We must sit with him, spend time with him, learn from him

We need time with our Father

We need to unravel, to experience Selah

His presence is ours, our position is to be still with him

Be still and know him

Now What?

So, life is going crazy

How do we go sane in a crazy world?

How can we find firmness when things seem unsound?

We must begin with a proper focus

Whatever consumes our attention soon overwhelms our senses and colors our perspective

Instead of being consumed by the problem, we should turn our face to the Lord

This week we must schedule time with God

We must stand still on God’s firmness and stability

We must learn to quit striving, to cease kicking, to be still and to be vulnerable to what God may be doing

We must embrace God as our sole refuge, as our primary source of satisfaction

This week find ways to create a space of peace in your hectic schedule. Take time to sit still.

This week, when the bottom falls out, when God seems silent, when the world turns against you, when things get hectic

Be still, and know God’s power, presence, and person

And you’ll find that he is a genuine refuge in time of trouble

Thanks for reading!  

Happy Birthday USA! July 4: Independence Day: Repost

I posted most of this a couple of years ago.  I decided to add some things, but I thought this was a nice way to celebrate July 4. I hope you enjoy it!

Well, the USA is celebrating yet another birthday, and although some people think that the brightness has worn off this "city on a hill," I'm not ready to read her obituary yet. I went back into the archives to find some quotes for you today. The first one comes from John Wayne.  In the movie "The Alamo," Duke plays Davey Crockett, leader to the Tennessee volunteers. At one point in the movie he gives a speech about the USA and the idea of a "republic." Here is the excerpt I liked the best:

"Republic. I like the sound of the word. It means people can live free, talk free, go or come, buy or sell, be drunk or sober, however they choose. Some words give you a feeling. Republic is one of those words that makes me tight in the throat - the same tightness a man gets when his baby takes his first step or his first baby shaves and makes his first sound as a man. Some words can give you a feeling that makes your heart warm. Republic is one of those words."

Finally, I wanted to share some song lyrics with you all.  Johnny Cash was a singer/songwriter whose music I heard a lot growing up.  I think my dad had every Cash album ever made!  At any rate, Johnny Cash has a song that I think is appropriate for this day.  It is entitled "Ragged Old Flag," and here are the words:

I walked through a county courthouse square,
On a park bench an old man was sitting there.
I said, "Your old courthouse is kinda run down."
He said, "Naw, it'll do for our little town."
I said, "Your flagpole has leaned a little bit,
And that's a Ragged Old Flag you got hanging on it."


He said, "Have a seat", and I sat down.
"Is this the first time you've been to our little town?"
I said, "I think it is." He said, "I don't like to brag,
But we're kinda proud of that Ragged Old Flag.


"You see, we got a little hole in that flag there
When Washington took it across the Delaware.
And it got powder-burned the night Francis Scott Key
Sat watching it writing 'Oh Say Can You See.'
And it got a bad rip in New Orleans
With Packingham and Jackson tuggin' at its seams.


"And it almost fell at the Alamo
Beside the Texas flag, but she waved on through.
She got cut with a sword at Chancellorsville,
And she got cut again at Shiloh Hill.
There was Robert E. Lee, Beauregard, and Bragg,
And the south wind blew hard on that Ragged Old Flag.


"On Flanders Field in World War I
She got a big hole from a Bertha gun.
She turned blood red in World War II.
She hung limp and low by the time it was through.
She was in Korea and Vietnam.
She went where she was sent by her Uncle Sam.


"She waved from our ships upon the briny foam,
And now they've about quit waving her back here at home.
In her own good land she's been abused--
She's been burned, dishonored, denied, and refused.


"And the government for which she stands
Is scandalized throughout the land.
And she's getting threadbare and wearing thin,
But she's in good shape for the shape she's in.
'Cause she's been through the fire before,
And I believe she can take a whole lot more.


"So we raise her up every morning,
Take her down every night.
We don't let her touch the ground,
And we fold her up right.
On second thought I do like to brag,
'Cause I'm mighty proud of that Ragged Old Flag."

On this fourth of July, as you give thanks for the freedoms and opportunities God has given you in this land, please remember to pray for those who defend our way of life and for the families of those whose loved ones paid the ultimate price so that we can enjoy our great republic. Remember, it may be a cliche, but it is still true:  "Freedom isn't free."

Happy Birthday, USA!

Thanks for reading!

Father's Day: A Repost

With Fathers' Day coming up tomorrow, I couldn't think of any better way to honor my Dad than to repost something I wrote some years ago.  You see, my Dad passed away in 2004, just before I had the privilege of coming to work for Liberty University.  You see, it was always my Dad's dream that I would get to go to Liberty, but you would not believe how excited he was to know that I would be teaching there! 

My Dad was quite a man, and almost everyone who ever met him loved him.  He could tell some of the funniest stories, but most of all he kept us connected to the history of his family.  To be honest, I miss him, and I would love an opportunity just to hear his stories all over again. Some of you never knew him, and I am genuinely sorry. He enriched the lives of so many with his infectious smile and easy generosity. I feel so much poorer without him, but I know heaven is richer. I love you, Dad.

I first wrote this in 2005, but it speaks volumes about my memories of my dad, Bobbie Eugene Percer, Sr. My dad was a hero to me in many ways, and I am terribly sorry that I never told him that to his face. At his funeral in 2004, literally hundreds of people stood in line for hours to tell us of the way my dad had blessed them. I heard stories of dad witnessing to people and leading them to the Lord, stories of dad giving money or clothes or time or work in order to help someone else find a better path in life, stories of my dad going out of his way to help others, etc. It humbled me. I had no idea how "big" a man my father was, how much of a blessing he was to many people. My dad left some mighty big shoes, and I hope I can be half the man he was. With that in mind, here is the first thing I wrote about my dad way back in 2005.

With Father's day coming up this weekend, I wanted to share some thoughts about my Father. You see, my father passed away in August 2004, and for many reasons thoughts of him have been central in my mind recently. I’m afraid I’m losing him.

Let me explain.

My dad wasn’t very active the last few years of life. Due to his own lack of proper care for his physical body and a host of problems with illness, the primary memory my children have of their grandfather is dad sitting in a big lounger watching TV and occasionally waking up long enough to tease them.

My children did not get to know my dad. Oh, my dad was never the most active guy in the world (I think I know where my own lack of activity comes from!), but he didn’t sit around a lot as I remember it. Dad coached baseball, football, basketball, if it had “ball” in the title, he learned it, played it, and probably coached it. My dad cared about folks that no one else wanted. He loved kids, especially his own. I once saw my dad kick a field goal from the 45 yard line (that’s a 55 yard kick, if you didn’t know!). I was in high school then, so dad was probably in his mid-40s. He could kick the ball further than the place kicker on our team.

I remember looking for dad’s vehicle to pull up at the football practice field. I don’t know if he knew that I saw him, but I looked for him to show up so I could perform for him. Dad didn’t get real excited about sports (that was mom’s job!), but you could tell when he was enjoying something. He had this infectious grin and mischievous smile that would literally light up his face. I heard that for almost 10 years after my younger brother graduated high school, dad would make his way to the practice field and sit in his car and watch the players go through their paces. For me, his watching was a comforting presence that reminded me that he was there if I needed him. Oh, I’ll admit that I didn’t “need” him as much as he would like, but it made me feel real good to know dad was there.

I miss him.

Sometimes in my work here, I think that dad is sitting in heaven, in his heavenly lounger, watching his boy perform. Oh, I’m not blindsiding running backs and quarterbacks any more, but I can’t help but think that dad is silently cheering for me. He sits there, intently studying me as I pace a classroom or teach a class or grade a paper. When I make a particularly brilliant play, he smiles that smile. Even when I don’t do so well, dad looks approvingly on his boy. I can see him, sitting there, a big glass of sweet tea on the table, a smile in his eyes, and joy in his heart. I want to make him proud, and I think he knows that.

My last words to my dad face-to-face were spoken around Easter of 2004. I don’t remember everything we discussed, but I remember putting my arm around his shoulders and looking into that face. His eyes were a bit dimmed by senility due to old age and strokes. But somewhere in those eyes I saw the place kicker kicking a field goal from the 45 yard line. I remember saying this to him, “Dad, I love you. I’ll see you later.” At his funeral in August 2004, the pastor asked me to pray at the grave site (actually, my mother asked me to do it). As I walked away from dad’s coffin, I touched the lid and said, “I love you, dad, see you later.”

I miss him, but thank God I will see him later. If your father is alive, call him up. Tell him you appreciate him and love him. Memories are great, but I’d love to have my dad here to hug again. He’s much better off, but I need his smile. Dad, I love you. See you later!

Thanks for reading!

Having a Hard Time? Hang in There

Here are a couple of poems that have often given me encouragement and motivation when in the midst of hard times. For those of you experiencing hardships or just a some down time that seems to never go away, these poems are for you.

"Hast Thou No Scar?" Amy Carmichael

Hast thou no scar?
No hidden scar on foot or side or hand?
I hear thee sung as might in the land,
I hear them hail thy bright ascendant star.
Hast thou no scar?

Hast thou no wound?
Yet I was wounded by the archers,
Spent and leaned me against a tree to die.
And rent by ravening beast that compassed me,
I swooned.
Hast thou no wound?

No wound, no scar.
But as the master must the servant be
And pierced are the feet that follow Me.
Yet thine are whole.
Can he have followed far who had not wound nor scar?

And finally, a little encouraging poem from Samuel Rutherford:

It cost Christ and all his followers sharp showers and hot sweats,
Ere they went to the top of the mountain.
But still our soft natures would have heaven coming to our bedsides while we are sleeping,
That we may go to heaven in warm clothes.

But all who came there found wet feet by the way,
And sharp storms, that did take the hide off thier faces.
And found tos and fros and ups and downs,
And many enemies along the way.

Too often we think we are entitled to avoid problems, or we compare our experiences to others and wonder why our situation is not falling out as favorably for us as for someone else.  Maybe we even think that God is somehow being "unfair" in his treatment of us.  As a former pastor reminded me, we need to develop a "hell up" attitude:  Anything that is above "hell" is a blessing since we deserve hell.  We rarely get what we deserve, but we often are blessed beyond what we should receive.  As you trudge through your hard time, remember that God has not forgotten or forsaken you.  It may "feel" that way, but it is not true.   

I like to read these poems when I am tempted to complain about my situation. They seem kind of harsh to read, but they remind me of William Law's admonition "Whenever you find yourself disposed to uneasiness or murmuring at anything that is the effect of God’s providence, look upon yourself as denying either the wisdom or goodness of God." God's goodness is sometimes inscrutable, especially in the hard times. God has not asked us to suffer as much as we sometimes think, and that is why I like to remind myself with these poems. It reminds me to be thankful for the "easy" way that my Lord has led me.  As John Chrysostom reminds us, "The providence of God shines in every object and every creature in the world.  Do not try to scrutinize God’s motives in acting so generously to you.”


Let me end this post with an anonymous encouragement--"Remember, after every winter is a spring. After every spring is a summer. After every summer is a fall."

Remember that even the life of a Christian contains cycles. You may be going through a hardship today, or you may have it relatively easy. Either way, let's remember that our ancestors in the faith faced even worse. Our way is not easy, but God is good. Hang in there!


Thanks for reading!

Memorial Day Poem by Edgar Guest

Last year I posted this same poem, and for Memorial Day this year it seemed relevant yet again.  I love the poetry of Edgar Guest, and this poem in honor of Memorial Day seems rather appropriate today. Let me know what you think!

The finest tribute we can pay
Unto our hero dead to-day,
Is not a rose wreath, white and red,
In memory of the blood they shed;
It is to stand beside each mound,
Each couch of consecrated ground,
And pledge ourselves as warriors true
Unto the work they died to do.

Into God's valleys where they lie
At rest, beneath the open sky,
Triumphant now o'er every foe,
As living tributes let us go.
No wreath of rose or immortelles
Or spoken word or tolling bells
Will do to-day, unless we give
Our pledge that liberty shall live.

Our hearts must be the roses red
We place above our hero dead;
To-day beside their graves we must
Renew allegiance to their trust;
Must bare our heads and humbly say
We hold the Flag as dear as they,
And stand, as once they stood, to die
To keep the Stars and Stripes on high.

The finest tribute we can pay
Unto our hero dead to-day
Is not of speech or roses red,
But living, throbbing hearts instead,
That shall renew the pledge they sealed
With death upon the battlefield:
That freedom's flag shall bear no stain
And free men wear no tyrant's chain.

Thanks for reading! And thanks to all military who served or currently serve to protect our freedoms! May God bless you and your families.

Peter: Example of a Transformed Life and Leader

This morning I've been reading in 1 & 2 Peter, and I am struck with the dramatic change in this man's life after the resurrection of Christ.  His growth as both a Christian and a leader if pretty amazing, and I wanted to share a few thoughts.  First, let me give credit where credit is due, I hold no illusions that all the material below came from my own mind, but I will do my best to give proper credit to those who taught me.  That said, let me offer a quote from Eugene Peterson on the issue of Peter (this quote comes from his notes at the beginning of 1 Peter in The Message):

Peter's concise confession--"You are the Messiah, the Christ"--focused the faith of the disciples on Jesus as God among us, in person, carrying out the eternal works of salvation.  Peter seems to have been a natural leader, commanding the respect of his peers by sheer force of personality.  In every listing of Jesus' disciples, Peter's name is invariably first.  In the early church, Peter's influence was enormous and acknowledged by all.  By virtue of his position, he was easily the most powerful figure in the Christian community.  And his energetic preaching, ardent prayer, bold healing, and wise direction confirmed the trust placed in him.

The way Peter handled himself in that position of power is even more impressive than the power itself.  He stayed out of the center, didn't "wield" power, maintained a scrupulous subordination to Jesus.  Given his charismatic personality and well-deserved position at the head, he could easily have taken over, using the prominence of his association with Jesus to promote himself.  That he didn't do it, given the frequency with which spiritual leaders do exactly that, is impressive.  Peter is a breath of fresh air.

The two letters Peter wrote exhibit the qualities of Jesus that the Holy Spirit shaped in him; a readiness to embrace suffering rather than prestige, a wisdom developed from experience and not imposed from a book, a humility that lacked nothing in vigor or imagination.  From what we know of the early stories of Peter, he had in him all the makings of a bully.  That he didn't become a bully (and religious bullies are the worst kind) but rather the boldly confident and humbly self-effacing servant of Jesus Christ that we discern in these letters, is a compelling witness to what he himself describes as "a brand-new life, with everything to live for." 

Peter has long been one of my favorite disciples but not for the reason that many will offer.  For me, Peter is the disciple whose life was perhaps the most dramatically changed (besides Paul, perhaps).  We know that Peter was married, we know that his family included him in a business that seemed successful and what we would today deem (at least) middle class.  Peter left the comfort of a family business, the comfort of a marriage situation, even the comfort of immediate and extended family to follow an itinerant preacher from Nazareth.  It seems to me that he had what many of us seek--success, safety, and a sense of satisfaction in life.  He was willing to leave that behind to chase the dream of Messiah.

In many ways Peter had what we would call today "the American dream"--a family, a career, and a future.  There was something, however, in that itinerant carpenter that commanded Peter's attention.  So much so that Peter became the de facto spokesman for the disciples and a kind of "public relations" man for Jesus.  Remember Caesarea Philippi?  There Peter made his amazing confession, and there Jesus turned the tables on him by saying (essentially), "I am not a militant Messiah, I will die.  You will witness it and be heartbroken." 

Peter's response is telling:  "God forbid, Lord!  This will never happen to you!"  In other words: "Jesus, you are speaking negatively when your popularity is at an all time high!  You need to strike now or you will lose momentum." 

Jesus said in response:  "Get behind me Satan!  You are a stumbling block to me; for you are not setting your mind on God's business but man's business."

Peter even tried to make it up later by swearing he would die for Jesus, just before Jesus predicted that Peter would deny him three times.  What's my point?  Peter is in some sense every one of us.  We think we have God figured out, we even begin to tell him how his Word ought to work, then God turns the tables on us by reminding us that we are not God.  He jolts us to awareness of our own inherent selfishness by reminding us that we are NOT in charge. 

Peter led that life right up until the resurrection.  But, oh, after that day, what a different man we find in this Rock, this Pebble called by God to lead his sometimes all-too-human church in the first century!

Peter's arrogance seems to have been bludgeoned out of him by the events of Christ's crucifixion and resurrection.  He didn't lose  a position of power, but rather Peter began to act in an almost unnatural way.  As Peterson says, Peter "could easily have taken over, using the prominence of his association to Jesus to promote himself."  By God's grace, Peter did not "lord it over" the church.  He embraced suffering, he embraced a life of humility, he became a servant!

This successful man, who became a leader of the disciples, later would learn to lead truly by serving others.  He learned humility in what he suffered, and he learned to put the needs of others first.  He became a well suited vessel to remind the early suffering church that suffering leads to an opportunity to serve others while proclaiming the great kindness of God.  He learned a new definition of success--humble service to others in spite of how they treat you.  The sharp tongued and quick witted leader of the Twelve became a man who spoke softly, compassionately, and who served humbly.  He followed Jesus' example even in death. 

Oh that we could all come to live as Peter lived!  May we all learn to live and to think like Peter, or more importantly, like Peter's Lord!

I have more to say, but I think I'll save it for another day.

Lord, teach us to be like your servant Peter; train us to be true disciples.

Thanks for reading!