Advent 2021: My Annual Christmas Post--The Mystery of Christmas

 Hello everyone:

I started this blog many years ago, and every year since I have posted a piece I wrote around Christmas in 2003. It kind of sums up for me what is the "Mystery of Christmas" as I meditate 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, humbled himself, became of no reputation, and entered his own creation so as to renew and to redeem and to rescue us (and, ultimately, to do these things for all of creation as well). God, the Creator of all things, became flesh so that he might accomplish the plan to make his grace and glory known in humans and in all of creation. 

The One who had no beginning would now have a birthday. The creator would now be like the creature. The One who never knew death would die for sinners. The God who never knew sin would become sin for us. He would break the power of sin, condemn sin in his own flesh, and provide for all of us the rescue we need to become the people God always intended us to be. 

What amazing love! Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! As you celebrate the advent of our King, Jesus the Messiah, 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 less than optimal conditions. In fact, in some ways, he was one of the lucky ones. He and his mother actually survived childbirth. Still, this story is unique and amazing on several levels.

First, the life of this child would literally change the way time is reckoned in the world. His life and abilities would have such an impact on 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 not so much). His name would become recognized among the names of the greatest of humans, yet he never forgot his own 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 awesome, this is how some 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 home, learning to talk, learning to walk, tasting food, and touching things with human hands! As the Psalmist says in Psalm 139, “Such knowledge is too wonderful for us, we cannot attain to 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 and mercy, out of his incredible love for humanity he acted in this manner.

God humbled himself, even to the point of death on a cross! The living God, incarnate as the Word, would know what it means to die. In one sense, he took on our insanity so that we may be sane. He became flesh so that we might walk in his Spirit. He took our sin so 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?

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

Thanks for reading! Remember, God became one of us to reach us. He served humbly, what more can he ask of us? To love one another calls for humble service. It is enough.

Merry Christmas!  May you know the blessings of the God who humbled himself and served! 

Advent 2021: No Reputation--A Christmas Gift

 A few years ago I posted this little meditation on Christmas, and as I read through it today I realized that I needed to hear it again.  It is easy in our society today to be a bit too full of ourselves, to think a bit more highly of ourselves than we ought,  . . . but I am quickly coming to the conclusion that that is not the Spirit of Christmas, and it certainly was NOT the Spirit of Christ.  Bear with me, if you will, while I contemplate what it means to have no reputation as a follower of Christ.  

Philippians 2:5-8 HCSB

"Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus, who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be used for His own advantage.  Instead He emptied Himself by assuming the form of a slave, taking on the likeness of men. And when He had come as a man in His external form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death-- even to death on a cross."

This passage may not usually be associated with Christmas, but it describes in a straightforward manner the Incarnation of God in Jesus the Messiah. 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 means lots of things to lots of different people.

For some it becomes a political event that pits “the true meaning of Christmas” against a bias 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. For still others Christmas is simply a winter break, a time to regroup for a new year.

I know I’ve left some groups out in that all-too-brief description! One group is comprised of those who see Christmas as the celebration of the birth of the world’s Savior and the Incarnation of God. I want to twist the prism a bit and look at Christmas from a slightly 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 starkness of a feeding trough; and ultimately he would even become sin and die for humanity even though he was innocent.  Remember, "dead" and "sin" were two things the Son of God had not experienced before in his eternal existence. 

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 (among others) is credited with saying something like: “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? All too often, we are full of "I" problems as we drone on and on about individual accomplishments or seek after individual acclaim for our actions. "I did this" and "I did that" and "Look at me" often occupy too much of our focus. Like toddlers, often we just want to be noticed, don't we?

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

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 we 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.  That requires true humility!

Jesus made himself of no reputation; he humbled himself. 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. Jesus was truly humble.  He had "no reputation."   

Ouch!

We love our awards, the acceptance of others, the glamour 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” or "It's all about me" could be the slogans of many in our world.

The motto of Christ 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 us to show him respect and serve his purposes without expectation of payment for services rendered, right?

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 from him. 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?

As Dietrich Bonhoeffer says in God is in the Manger: 

“Who among us will celebrate Christmas correctly? Whoever finally lays down all power, all honor, all reputation, all vanity, all arrogance, all individualism beside the manger; whoever remains lowly and lets God alone be high; whoever looks at the child in the manger and sees the glory of God precisely in his lowliness.”

Tish Harrison Warren reminds us further:

"Christ's ordinary years are part of our redemption story. Because of the incarnation and those long, unrecorded years of Jesus' life, our small, normal lives matter. If Christ was a carpenter, all of us who are in Christ find that our work is sanctified and made holy. If Christ spent time in obscurity, then there is infinite worth found in obscurity...There is no task too small or too routine to reflect God's glory and worth."

What can you do this Christmas season that will bless others and produce 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!

Tone Deaf or Servant? A Contrast of Leaders

Some of this material was originally posted about 6 months ago, but I think it is time to revisit the issue. So, here we go! 

A while back, I wrote down some thoughts about leadership, but they were not necessarily thoughts about good leadership. I listed a few characteristics that might identify the "tone deaf" leader. You can find the list below. I then decided it might be a good idea to contrast the "negative" with a "positive" view of leadership. So, I jotted down a few ideas about what servant leadership entails. That list is also found below. Please feel free to add to these as needed.

Tone deaf leadership . . . 

1)  . . . thinks it knows the people it leads, when in reality it only knows a caricature of those people. 

2) . . . pretends to "belong" to the people while really keeping a safe "distance" from them.

3) . . . enjoys the perks and prestige of the position, enjoys acknowledgement and acclaim, but fails to identify with the lowest of the low or the humble people. This leader wants the "best" but refuses to identify with the "least."

4) . . . likes to enjoy the "best" things in life while thinking that others are "beneath" or "unworthy" of such things. The tone deaf leader is an elitist and arrogant. 

5) . . . offers a message that is "emotional" in content while lacking intellectual context or perspective.

6) . . . pretends to be a great communicator while utilizing simple catchphrases or pithy emotional slogans instead of topics of substance; prefers cliches to actual intellectual give-and-take. 

7) . . . talks in ambiguous terms and tries to make people think he is a "prophet" or a stellar intellect while simply saying what will gain the most attention or the largest audience. 

8) . . . desires attention and focuses on gaining an audience or attention without giving concerns to consistency or the needs of others. 

9) . . . tends to be idle--comfort and success are more important than anything else including the people he claims to "serve." 

I'm sure that there are more, but these are the characteristics I wrote down over a year ago. For comparison and contrast, look at Jesus' standard of leadership as revealed in Philippians 2 by Paul. The materials in verses 1-8 of this chapter reveal the actions and heart of a servant leader. 

The servant leader . . . 

1) . . . strives for unity and has the purpose of helping others be more like Jesus. 

2) . . . does not lead out of selfish ambition or conceit. 

3) . . . in humility considers others as more important than himself. 

4) . . . does not look out only for his own interests but is concerned for the benefit and success of others. 

5) . . . obeys God even if it is costly to him personally. In fact, the servant leader prefers to pay the price rather than forcing someone else to do it. 

6) . . . does not think too highly of his own gifts or abilities, but sees gifts as an opportunity to equip others to succeed. 

7) . . . does not see "power" or "prestige" as the goal of leadership, but rather sees service and humility as necessary. 

8) . . . desires to see the people he serves succeed even if no one notices him or his activities. 

9) . . . is not afraid to get his hands dirty while working with and for others. 

10) . . . does not consider others as "servants" to his cause, but rather sees himself as a "servant" to others so that they may become better equipped to succeed.

Matthew 20:25-28 is Jesus' personal statement on the issue and sets forth the principle that the one who desires to lead must first be humble and serve. 

Which leader would you rather follow? 

Thanks for reading! 

The Ministry of "Staying Put" Part 2

 Hello all:

I've been thinking a lot lately about the ministry of "staying put" and patiently waiting on the Lord's direction. People have a variety of opinions on how Christians should respond when a ministry or place of service turns difficult or veers off of its proper mission. Some people think that the best thing a Christian can do in that situation is to cut ties with the offending ministry and look for a "better" place of service. Others think that staying in place and being a "light shining in darkness" is the best option. Scripture seems to offer a variety of stories depicting both of these approaches. I want to share with you my personal experience. It is by no means intended to be the "measure" by which you should decide your course of action; rather, I would desire that you earnestly seek God's face and then obey his directions. That is the measure of a successful disciple--obedience to his Lord. So, dear reader, as you read my experience, take to heart these words: "Who are you to judge another's household servant? Before his own Lord he stands or falls. And he will stand, because of the Lord who is able to make him stand." (Romans 14:4) Obey God and you will be successful in the eyes of the only one who matters.   

I remember living in Waco, TX when I encountered a bit of trouble and seriously considered leaving the church I attended at the time. As my wife and I prayed about our situation, I kept returning to Psalm 37. Verse 3 of that Psalm says, "Trust in the LORD and do good; Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness." As I read this Psalm from David, I was reminded that sometimes the best thing I can do is simply wait before the Lord. I have learned that sometimes I simply need to "be still, and know that God is Lord." 

We are often tempted to take what I call an "American" approach to ministry:  We "work" our way up the ladder and progress from a "smaller" ministry to a "larger" one. We try sometimes to "help" God out by making our own opportunities instead of working diligently at the work God has placed in front of us. I'm not saying it is wrong to leave one work from another, I am simply stating that sometimes we need to "stay put" until we know God wants us to move to the next thing. We are full of anxiety, and we want to "make our mark." We should be listening to our Shepherd's voice. Does he want us to stay or to go? Obedience is success. 

Sometimes, however, that requires patience and humble waiting on marching orders from God (an area in which I know my own deficiency!). Others may move on to "bigger" and "better" things, but God sees fit to keep us in the "small" thing or in the "unknown" or even "difficult" ministry. We are told to remain somewhere that is hard, while others are freed by God to pursue ministry in what appears to us to be less difficult pastures. It is a hard word, but one that we need to hear. Sometimes the ministry in front of us, the ministry of "today" is best for the moment. Being faithful in the little things sows seeds for faithfulness in the larger endeavors. The goal is to find where God wants you, then stay there until he releases you to a new opportunity. Remain faithful, and let God lead. 

If you are in a "waiting period" at the moment, I want to share a poem I found in Streams in the Desert with you.    I hope it is a blessing to you. It is entitled "Patience in the Routine." 

"Stay there until I tell you."  (Matthew 2:13)

"I'll stay where You've put me;
I will, dear Lord, Though I wanted so badly to go;
I was eager to march with the 'rank and file,'
Yes, I wanted to lead them, You know.
I planned to keep step to the music loud,
To cheer when the banner unfurled,
To stand in the midst of the fight straight and proud,
But I'll stay where You've put me. 

"I'll stay where You've put me; I'll work, dear Lord,
Though the field be narrow and small,
And the ground be fallow, and the stones lie thick,
And there seems to be no life at all.
The field is Thine own, only give me the seed,
I'll sow it with never a fear;
I'll till the dry soil while I wait for the rain,
And rejoice when the green blades appear;
I'll work where You've put me. 

"I'll stay where You've put me; I will, dear Lord;
I'll bear the day's burden and heat,
Always trusting Thee fully; when even has come
I'll lay heavy sheaves at Thy feet.
And then, when my earth work is ended and done,
In the light of eternity's glow,
Life's record all closed, I surely shall find
It was better to stay than to go;
I'll stay where You've put me." 

Oh restless heart, that beat against your prison bars of circumstances, yearning for a wider sphere of usefulness, leave God to order all your days. Patience and trust, in the dullness of the routine of life, will be the best preparation for a courageous bearing of the tug and strain of the larger opportunity which God may some time send you.

Last month I posted a note entitled "Others May You Cannot." It deals with a similar issue, and you can find it here if you'd like to consider it as well: Others May You Cannot. 

 Thanks for reading!  

"Others May, You Cannot" by G. D. Watson

 While in college (several decades ago), I came across a tract named "Others May, You Cannot." I read it over and over for years until the tract fell apart. Before that happened, I made a handwritten copy of the contents, and later I typed them into my computer. Periodically this little article comes back into my life, and recently it was posted by a friend. I share it here for others who may need to hear the message.

Others May, You Cannot

If God has called you to be really like Jesus, He will draw you into a life of crucifixion and humility, and put upon you such demands of obedience, that you will not be able to follow other people, or measure yourself by other Christians, and in many ways He will seem to let other good people do things which He will not let you do.

Other Christians and ministers who seem very religious and useful, may push themselves, pull wires, and work schemes to carry out their plans, but you cannot do it; and if you attempt it, you will meet with such failure and rebuke from the Lord as to make you sorely penitent.

Others may boast of themselves, of their work, of their success, of their writings, but the Holy Spirit will not allow you to do any such thing, and if you begin it, He will lead you into some deep mortification that will make you despise yourself and all your good works.

Others may be allowed to succeed in making money, or may have a legacy left to them, but it is likely God will keep you poor, because He wants you to have something far better than gold, namely, a helpless dependence on Him, that He may have the privilege of supplying your needs day by day out of an unseen treasury.

The Lord may let others be honored and put forward, and keep you hidden in obscurity, because He wants you to produce some choice, fragrant fruit for His coming glory, which can only be produced in the shade.

He may let others be great, but keep you small. He may let others do a work for Him and get the credit for it, but He will make you work and toil on without knowing how much you are doing; and then to make your work still more precious, He may let others get the credit for the work which you have done, and thus make your reward ten times greater then Jesus comes.

The Holy Spirit will put a strict watch over you, with a jealous love, and will rebuke you for little words and feelings, or for wasting your time, which other Christians never seem distressed over.

So make up your mind that God is an infinite Sovereign, and has a right to do as He pleases with His own. He may not explain to you a thousand things which puzzle your reason in His dealings with you, but if you absolutely sell yourself to be His love slave, He will wrap you up in a jealous love, and bestow upon you many blessings which come only to those who are in the inner circle.

Settle it forever, then, that you are to deal directly with the Holy Spirit, and that He is to have the privilege of tying your tongue, or chaining your hand, or closing your eyes, in ways that He does not seem to use with others.

Now when you are so possessed with the loving God that you are, in your secret heart, pleased and delighted over this peculiar, personal, private, jealous guardianship and management of the Holy Spirit over your life, you will have found the vestibule of Heaven.

G. D. Watson, in Living Words

Thanks for reading! 

"Failed": A Word of Encouragement to those who think they are "Failures"

 “Failed.” Your greatest fear realized, you are certain you have failed. I mean, just look around at everyone else. They are succeeding. Their acclaim is clear. They are “living the dream,” and here you sit, failing again. I get it, you really tried. You had aspirations, dreams, you even put in some hard work to achieve what you thought was your “destiny.” You even experienced some early success—people seemed to clamor for your help, for your attention, for your advice. Now? Well, now you just sit wondering what happened. You went from helping hundreds (Is “thousands” too arrogant?) to basically being ignored. I understand. You hoped for more, longed for it, you even tried your best to obtain it.

“Failed.” It stings especially since no one wants to be second place (or, WORSE, “last” place)! How I hate failure, and yet how often I have felt like that is only thing at which I seem to succeed (there is an irony there, succeeding at failing). So, what do you do? Quit? That’s just more failure. No, here’s what you will do: you’ll get up tomorrow, brush your teeth, put on your clothes, and you’ll go out and live a life of service to others even if no one notices.

Here is the rub, though, people do notice. In fact, there are many (I am among them) who see your perseverance and stubborn obedience to Jesus and are encouraged. Your continued faithfulness to serve God and to serve others is evidence of a success. Right now it feels like “failure” is all you can see, but you need to understand that the story isn’t over yet. What seems like “failure” may result in amazing victory, only time will tell.

When you think you’ve failed, remember this: Jesus knows you and your heart. If you are heading towards him, you are no failure. There are also many of us who take courage from so-called “failures” like you. We see your faithfulness and your stubborn willingness to follow God no matter what, and we see HOPE and SUCCESS. I understand it doesn’t “feel” that way, but it is true nonetheless. Jesus is here for you, and so am I. I want to learn from and to bless you! Walk on, weary pilgrim, you aren’t home yet, and your witness/work here is not done. We need you!

Annual Father's Day Post

 With Fathers' Day right around the corner, I couldn't think of any better way to honor my Dad than to repost something I wrote years ago. You see, my Dad passed away in 2004, just before I had the privilege of coming to work for Liberty University. My Dad's dream was 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 my dad, and I would love an opportunity just to hear his stories all over again. He was a man who loved Jesus and loved to introduce others to Jesus. 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 he is with the Lord he loves so much. I love you, Dad. Here is the Father's Day note I wrote about him several years ago: 

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 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 excellent 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 old age and sickness. 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!

Peter: A Transformed Life and Leader

 Lately I've been reading in 1 & 2 Peter (since I'm preaching through 1 Peter at Forest Community Church), and I am struck with the dramatic change in his life after the resurrection of Jesus. His growth as both a Christian and a leader is pretty amazing, so 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. Our movement is going strong, and your negative language threaten to end it!" 

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, and shortly after 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 even 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 his tribe increase! May we all learn to live and to think like Peter, or more importantly, like Peter's Lord!

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

Thanks for reading!

Tone Deaf Leadership versus Servant Leadership

 A few months ago, I began to write down some thoughts about leadership, but they were not thoughts about good leadership. I decided to list a few characteristics that might identify the "tone deaf" leader. You can find the list below. Please feel free to add to it as needed.

Tone deaf leadership . . . 

1)  . . . thinks it knows the people it leads, when in reality it only knows a caricature of those people. 

2) . . . pretends to "belong" to the people while really keeping a safe "distance" from them.

3) . . . enjoys the perks and prestige of the position, enjoys acknowledgement and acclaim, but fails to identify with the lowest of the low or the humble people. This leader wants the "best" but refuses to identify with the "least."

4) . . . offers a message that is "emotional" in content while lacking intellectual context or perspective.

5) . . . pretends to be a great communicator while utilizing simple catchphrases or pithy emotional slogans instead of topics of substance. 

6) . . . talks in ambiguous terms and tries to make people think he is a "prophet" or a stellar intellect while simply saying what will gain the most attention or the largest audience. 

7) . . . desires attention and focuses on gaining an audience or attention without giving concerns to consistency or the needs of others. 

8) . . . tends to be idle--comfort and success are more important than anything else including the people he claims to "serve." 

I'm sure that there are more, but these are the characteristics I wrote down. For comparison and contrast, look at Jesus' standard of leadership as revealed in Philippians 2 by Paul. The materials in verses 1-8 of this chapter reveal the actions and heart of a servant leader. 

The servant leader . . . 

1) . . . strives for unity and has the purpose of helping others be more like Jesus. 

2) . . . does not lead out of selfish ambition or conceit. 

3) . . . in humility considers others as more important than himself. 

4) . . . does not look out only for his own interest but is concerned for the benefit and success of others. 

5) . . . obeys God even if it is costly to him personally. 

6) . . . does not think too highly of his own gifts or abilities, but sees gifts as an opportunity to equip others to succeed. 

7) . . . does not see "power" or "prestige" as the goal of leadership, but rather sees service and humility as necessary. 

8) . . . desires to see the people he serves succeed even if no one notices him or his activities. 

Matthew 20:25-28 is Jesus' personal statement on the issue and sets forth the principle that the one who desires to lead must first be humble and serve. 

Which leader would you rather follow? 

Thanks for reading! 

When Jesus Shows Up: This Changes Everything! John 20:19-31

 Here is a sermon I preached almost two years ago about the resurrection of Jesus. I thought it might be a good note for Easter. I hope it blesses you! 

John 20:19-31—When Jesus Shows Up, This Changes Everything

Introduction—Empty Tomb, Mary, A Transformational Encounter with the Living Lord/God; The empty tomb is evidence of the resurrection, but an encounter with the living Jesus is a transformational experience. The disciples believed Mary’s report about the tomb, but they lacked the encounter with the risen Lord. Think about it, how many Old Testament people of faith had a transformational encounter with God? Abraham met God, and we are told that he trusted God to the point to where his faith was counted as righteousness. His encounter with God caused him to believe the God was able to raise someone from the dead. How about Jacob? At Bethel, as he is scared for his own life as he prepares for a meeting with Esau--Jacob has a wrestling match and wins an injured hip. He realizes after the fact that he has encountered God, and he is transformed! Moses meets God in a burning bush, and the encounter with God's glory wrecks his life and gives him a new purpose. He is transformed from a shepherd living in exile to a shepherd of the flocks of Israel! In the New Testament we have the radical encounter of Saul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus. He encounters the resurrected Jesus and changes from a persecutor to a disciple and the apostle to the Gentiles.

Mary encountered Jesus and her testimony changed from “They’ve taken his body” or “The tomb is empty” to “I’ve seen the Lord!” This encounter changed everything for Mary. No longer concerned to find a corpse to prepare for burial, she has met the living Lord and can’t wait to tell others. She runs to the disciples, but would they believe her testimony? That is the topic of our text today. What happens to the disciples after Mary sees Jesus? What happens when Jesus shows up? This changes everything! (Read John 20:19-31)

Jesus Comes, He Speaks, He Shows

1) When Jesus Shows Up Behind Closed Doors—Scars and Fear (19-23)—The disciples didn’t believe Mary’s testimony about Jesus' resurrection apparently. On the same day that Mary has her encounter, they gather together and hide for “fear of the Jews.” They are scared, and they are hiding. Think of Adam and Eve in Genesis 3: they were scared and they were hiding, and God came to find them. We have a similar situation here, but it is not created by disobedience and sin. 

Remember, these men had expected Jesus to overthrow Rome, to take on the job of Ruler/Messiah. They watched him ride in triumphantly to the praise of the crowd. Expectations were running high, and then everything was dashed to the ground by a single betrayal and a horrible crucifixion. Jesus took on the sin of the world and by dying as a perfect sacrifice provided a means to atonement between fallen humanity and a righteous God. 

The disciples didn’t seem to see that. They saw the gore, they saw the horror, and they were afraid that they might be next on the “hit list” of the Jews and Romans (Remember Don Francisco’s song “He’s alive”). Even though Mary told them the good news of the resurrection, they weren’t having any of it. They hid because they were scared. 

Fear may not be the opposite of faith, but fear can keep us from being faithful. The disciples were afraid. How are we afraid? How does our fear cause us to hide? Maybe we’ve been hurt, and that hurt has driven us to hide from fear of being hurt again. As Adam and Eve (and later, the disciples) learned, hiding in fear doesn’t stop the pain. Maybe we hide in things that cover or mask our pain? Maybe we find ways to ignore or “hide” our scars? Like the disciples, we hide because we are afraid. When we are afraid, we close the doors to keep danger (and others) out. God isn’t hindered by a closed door or by fear. In just these situations, Jesus shows up. 

See how he responds to the disciples. He comes—the door is no obstacle. Whatever you fear, whatever has hurt you cannot keep Jesus from showing up. In fact, those situations are often the special times where he regularly shows up. Think of Abraham, Moses, David, or others in the Bible.

He speaks—Peace be with you. Jesus speaks “Shalom” (wholeness, peace, well-being) to his frightened disciples.

He Shows himself (scars and all)—after he speaks he showed them his hands and his side. Why? To prove it was Jesus, the very same Jesus that they saw horribly murdered just a few days ago. Also, Jesus showed them his scars to remind them that sometimes scars are God’s way of dealing with fear or even bringing peace. Jesus’ scars are the price for our salvation, his suffering brings us peace with God and peace with others. The scars remain EVEN after resurrection as reminders that there is no crown without a cross. There is no salvation without suffering. 

Scars tell our story: Think of your own personal scars. They may be victorious (I won the game!) or sorrowful (I was mistreated or I did something foolish), but scars are part of our identity. Jesus’ scars are part of his identity. They are the reminder of what he did to save us. Yes, scars sometimes come from fear (or maybe fear causes scars), but even those scars (gracefully redeemed by a merciful God) can identify us in our redemption. 

Scars and Fear—when Jesus shows up, these are changed. (Even ugly scars can become beautiful reminders of redemption when God shows up—the scars remain, but they tell a different story because of God’s work—forgiveness story). The presence of Jesus changes everything.

Jesus gives the disciples the Holy Spirit and tells them that he will send them as the Father sent him. They are agents of forgiveness who may well suffer for the ministry to which God has set them apart. Suffering may result in the healing of others (kind of like Jesus’ suffering saves us from our sins), but we are sent nonetheless. As the Father sent Jesus, we must go so that others can meet Jesus and receive his forgiveness. 

People may be afraid of what Jesus has to offer through us, but his presence will be their redemption too. Scars and Fear—when Jesus shows up, these are changed. The presence of Jesus changes everything. But in our story Jesus didn’t just show up to the fearful behind closed doors, he also makes himself known to the bothered and bewildered—to Thomas. When Jesus shows up, even the bothered person can find peace. This changes everything

2) When Jesus Shows Up to the Bewildered and Bothered—Scars and Doubt (24-28)—Thomas is known primarily for one thing—he is the Doubting one. Nonetheless, this isn’t "beat up on Thomas" day, so I want you to see Thomas’ story through different lenses. Just like the fear of the other disciples caused them to hide (and even created some scars—think of Peter’s denial and his later restoration in John 21), the doubt of Thomas creates a scar for him. 

This is the Mary story all over again. The disciples saw Jesus, and their story went from “The tomb is empty” to “We’ve seen the Lord!” Their radical encounter with the living Jesus had changed everything for them, but Thomas wasn’t having any of it. He wanted to see for himself. A good empiricist, Thomas wanted hard evidence—the warm body of Jesus and not just the hot words of testimony from the disciples. 

A week after that first dinner appearance, Thomas is with the disciples when Jesus shows up again. Jesus comes, he speaks, and he shows. Thomas is changed by the encounter: “My Lord and my God!” Thomas got it. This appearance of the living Messiah, this resurrected, warm, breathing, and scarred Jesus wrecked the doubt of Thomas. Doubt (like fear) isn’t necessarily the opposite of faith (faithlessness is the opposite of faith—to disobey is the opposite of faith). Thomas wanted to see for himself, he wouldn’t accept the testimony of many others. He’d been scarred before. Maybe the words of others didn’t pan out for him? Maybe the testimony of others caused him harm or didn’t work out positively? 

Maybe you can identify? Yeah, you hear the testimonies of others and you wonder “I’m not sure I buy it. Things don’t work out for me that way.” But note what Thomas’ doubt did for him—he asked he hard questions—“Jesus show us the Father” and “Where are you going, Lord?” (John 14) and now he is asking for hard evidence. Maybe our doubt keeps us locked in fear, and we simply don’t speak up. We don’t want to be the “odd duck” in the crowd. Remember, Jesus shows up when we are locked up in our doubt. Jesus shows up and shows his scars. 

Thomas sees his scarred Lord and makes a bold confession. Jesus wants to show up in our doubts, he wants to apply the balm of his scarred body to our scars of doubt and fear, but we must respond to him. Will we? Will we speak up? Will we confess him as “Lord and God” even when things don’t seem to be going well? Do we have to see to believe? Jesus shows up, and his presence changes everything. But there is really good news—you don’t need a physical revelation of Jesus. He comes, he speaks, and he reveals himself in many ways even today.

3) When Jesus Shows Up Beyond Sight to Faith—Scars and Faith (29-31)—Most of us have never had a “burning bush” or a “Damascus Road” vision with God (but if you have had one, I’d love to hear the story), but we can experience God’s presence by the testimony of others and by the words of his revelation (his Scripture and his Spirit). In fact, Jesus says here that we are more blessed than even those who first heard, first saw, and first testified of the living resurrected Lord. When we believe in him without the empirical or mystical experience, we are living breathing tabernacles of the living God, we are his examples.

Jesus comes to us—in our problems, our scars, our fears, our doubts

Jesus speaks to us—by his Book and by his Spirit

Jesus shows himself to us—in his community of faithful people and in creation around us.

We have scars, but in the midst of these struggles Jesus calls us to faith—faith is faithfulness, it is responding to God’s revelation with obedience and trust that Jesus will do what he promised. It is the child trusting his Father to act like a good father. Faith is hearing the testimony about and of God, and responding with obedience. When we do that, we’ll find that we are adding to the written (and spoken) testimony of centuries of believers. We become some of the “other signs” performed by Jesus.

Conclusion—What now?

How do we respond to this? Will we continue to hide in fear or abide in doubt, or will we choose to believe in this transformational God and embrace him as a person who wears scars to save us even in our fear and doubt? 

Here are some practical applications for this sermon.

1) Admit your fear, but don't let it keep you from seeing Jesus. Remember, he is among us as the Suffering Servant, the one who bore our sins in his scars. This week, ask God to show you where you are letting your fear hinder you from obeying God. This week confess your fear, admit your doubts, then step out and obey God anyway. Do a search in Scripture for the words "Peace" and "Do not be afraid." Note how many times God shows up to his people when they are fearful or in need of his peace. Note also how many of those people then acted in obedience to God in spite of their fear.

2) Embrace your scars. I'm not saying that we need to celebrate or rehearse the wounds that have harmed us or hindered our spiritual growth. What I mean is we need to remember that the scars are part of life, and they tell part of our story. Let God redeem those scars and change them from ugly wounds to marks of redemption. How do we do that? We have to come to the wounded Savior, to recognize that his wounds heal us and make our wounds beautiful. Your scars and the story that goes with them may well speak grace and peace to someone else. Let God use your scars . Imitate Jesus here. His scars identified his suffering, but they also showed his victory. Jesus' scars heal us, and he can use our scars to help others. 

3) Renew your relationship with Jesus. Remember that a personal transformational relationship is possible, but relationships run two ways. We must invest time with Jesus if we hope to grow in relation to him. Any relationship to which we do not devote time and communication is pretty much destined to fail. God has spoken to us in Scripture and in the life of Jesus. This week spend time in God's Word, spend time in prayer with him, and grow in your knowledge of and relationship to him. Make time for Jesus. 

Remember, when Jesus shows up, this changes everything! 

Thanks for reading! 

Forest Community Church Palm Sunday Sermon: The Meaning of Palm Sunday

 Today I had the honor of preaching at Forest Community Church. My topic was "The Meaning of Palm Sunday" and comes from John 12:12-19. For congregational reading we read Psalm 118:19-29 and Isaiah 50:4-9. Here is a video of the sermon itself: The Meaning of Palm Sunday. I hope it is a blessing to you. 

Thank you for watching/reading! 

Podcast from Jude 3 Project: The Problem of Evil and other Issues

 Hello all:

I was recently a guest on the Jude 3 Project podcast hosted by Lisa Fields. We discussed a variety of topics including the problem of evil, humility in apologetics, and even the letter to the Hebrews. If you'd like to watch it, please visit this link: Jude 3 Project. Comments are welcome!

Thanks for reading/viewing!

A Brief Word of Encouragement

 We want God to fit the narrow confines of our personal preferences for him, we want him to sit in the corner until we need him. But that is not the God of the Bible: He hears the oppressed cry out and sends an amazing deliverance that ruins Egypt, he sees a woman struggling with life and relationships and sits by a well to talk theology with her, he sees an educated man curious about God's ways and astounds him with ideas he may not have thought before, he meets a shepherd in a bush that burns but isn't destroyed, he meets a persecutor/oppressor on the road with a brilliant light and vision, he comes to scared people at dinner and speaks peace to them, he naps on a boat assailed by a storm and when awakened cares for the needs of the alarmed sailors.

He is the God who suffers . . . he is not so aloof as to fail to understand our suffering. No matter how dark our Gethsemane, the Light of the world is there. He suffered outside the city, alone, forgotten, with a sense of utter abandonment . . . and he knows. He knows we are weary, he knows we are "fed up," he knows we are lower than we have ever been. . . and he cares. Weeping may last for the night, but joy comes in the morning. May the God of peace soon crush Satan beneath our feet . . .

Thanks for reading! 

Stealing Quiet . . . Finding a Center . . . Seeing Him Alone

Here's a song from 40 Days that I really enjoy. The song is "Quiet" by Mark Warren and Joel Warren. Here are the lyrics:

Walk into a crowded room, into a faceless sea
I feel right at home
Remember not to look too close so they won't see through me
They can never know that there's a voice inside my head
Inside my mind
If I could find that secret place
A place to hide

Chorus:
It would be alright if I could stay there for awhile
It would be alright if I could steal the quiet
Deep down I have a need that I cannot deny
It would be alright

I sense you there across the room
A blinding light stills me where I stand
I didn't think you'd come this soon
If I may, if I might find out where I stand
I didn't plan to leave you out for all this time
I took for granted you were here
But if you don't mind

Chorus:
It would be alright if I could stay there for awhile
It would be alright if I could steal the quiet
Deep down I have a need that I cannot deny
It would be alright

I don't know why this song speaks so strongly to me. I think it is the whole idea of stealing quiet.

Finding a center . . . Hunkering down for a moment of peace in a world of white noise.

Brother Lawrence said, "To be with God there is no need to be continually in church. Of our heart we may make an oratory, wherein to retire from time to time and with Him hold meek, humble loving converse." (The Practice of the Presence of God)

Sometimes we need to retire, to separate ourselves into a sort of solitude just to be in the presence of the One who really matters. Thomas Kelly in A Testament of Devotion calls this the process of centering on God. It is the discipline of finding a place to be, a place to just sit with Abba and simply to breathe.

If we make time for this practice, for this centering, for this laser like focus on what really matters, we may well find that God often appears in those times in ways we may not have expected. As Evelyn Underhill notes in Practical Mysticism.

"Because mystery is horrible to us, we have agreed for the most part to live in a world of labels; to make of them the current coin of experience, and ignore their merely symbolic character, the infinite gradation of values which they misrepresent. We simply do not attempt to unite with Reality. But now and then that symbolic character is suddenly brought home to us. Some great emotion, some devastating visitation of beauty, love or pain, lifts us to another level of consciousness; and we are aware for a moment of the difference between the neat collection of discrete objects and experiences which we call the world and the height, the depth, the breadth of the living, growing, changing Fact, of which thought, life, and energy are parts and in which we 'live and move and have our being.'"

I think that sums up the second verse of the song--sometimes we are just jolted out of our activity, out of our busy-ness, out of our mundane existence, and then we have a clarity we have not experienced and maybe cannot adequately express. We see.

We see HIM.

We get IT.

Like the disciples on the mount of transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-8) we sometimes find ourselves in terrifying times, yet in those times we need a fresh vision of Jesus--the One who removes our fear and gives life meaning and direction. Matthew 17:7-8 says "Jesus came up, touched them and said, 'Get up; don't be afraid.' When they looked up they saw no one except Jesus alone." When they faced something they feared, after they fell on their faces terrified, at that point Jesus came and touched them and spoke comfort to them. When they saw "Jesus alone" they were no longer terrified  . . . they were home  . . .  they were comforted. His touch and his voice can have that effect. When the world goes crazy and things seem to spin out of control, that's when we really need to see "no one except Jesus alone." 

So, I need the quiet. I need to get it. I need to crawl into my Father's lap and be shocked into an awareness of how interconnected my world is to His, how his grace overflows in every aspect of my existence, how completely all-encompassing is this One called God. I need Jesus and I need him alone. His touch, his voice, his gracious presence . . . in my worries, my fears, and my anxiety . . .  JESUS ALONE is my need. 

So today, do it! Steal the quiet.

Take the risk and get into God's presence. Get alone with the One who Loves. Get alone with Jesus. 

Let the Mystery and Meaning of life jolt you into the reality of this great grace which sustains us all. Look for opportunities today to raise yourself above the mundane/temporary/overwhelming to that which will never fade. Set your mind to pursue it, and wait for the sheer shock of God's interruption.

We need to steal the quiet. We need to stay there for a while. We need Him. We need Jesus alone.

Thanks for reading!