SEEING THE EXTRAORDINARY

Category: Sabbath

  • Out of Rhythm

    In the middle of all that has happened in our world, I wonder how we are doing with our Sabbath?  When everything is “normal”, we find a rhythm and hopefully our sabbath rest becomes a part of that rhythm.  We learn that we cannot go 24/7 and if we try, we collapse.  We learn that God has given us a day to simply be.  It is a day to worship, to relax, to fellowship, and to enjoy.  It is not a day like any other.  It is set aside.  It has been set aside by God and our bodies crave it.  We are not the same when we do not take the sabbath rest we need.  But it seems like with all of the uncertainties, we can easily get out of rhythm.  We lose sight of what day it is.  We forget how important it is to worship.  Our lives become jumbled and it is difficult to separate it all.  Yet, this is exactly the time when sabbath rest becomes so important.  This is the perfect time to be reminded that God does not need us to be “on” all the time and that we were created for rest.  We were created to simply live in his existence.

    I am sure that the children of Israel lost all sense of time and direction when they were in the wilderness.  They were nomadic.  They never had a sense of home or of rhythm.  They were not in their normal life and were not doing the things they had done before.  They were no longer slaves in Egypt but they were stuck in the “in between” time.  They didn’t know what was next and the uncertainty loomed overhead.  Would they reach the Promised Land?  Could they actually get there and find a home?  Would things ever get back to some sense of normality?  It was during this time that God introduces the Sabbath.

    Yes, it is part of the 10 commandments – which should mean there is no compromise of it.  But we generally try to compromise everything or negotiate or rationalize.  So why not this one too?  I find visuals are helpful sometimes.  Apparently God’s people needed visuals to really get it as well.  So this visual comes to them to help them get a tangible understanding of how Sabbath works.  Maybe it speaks to you as well.

    Exodus 16:13-30

    13 In the evening quails came up and covered the camp; and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. 14 When the layer of dew lifted, there on the surface of the wilderness was a fine flaky substance, as fine as frost on the ground. 15 When the Israelites saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat. 16 This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Gather as much of it as each of you needs, an omer to a person according to the number of persons, all providing for those in their own tents.’” 17 The Israelites did so, some gathering more, some less. 18 But when they measured it with an omer, those who gathered much had nothing over, and those who gathered little had no shortage; they gathered as much as each of them needed. 19 And Moses said to them, “Let no one leave any of it over until morning.” 20 But they did not listen to Moses; some left part of it until morning, and it bred worms and became foul. And Moses was angry with them. 21 Morning by morning they gathered it, as much as each needed; but when the sun grew hot, it melted.

    22 On the sixth day they gathered twice as much food, two omers apiece. When all the leaders of the congregation came and told Moses, 23 he said to them, “This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Tomorrow is a day of solemn rest, a holy sabbath to the Lord; bake what you want to bake and boil what you want to boil, and all that is left over put aside to be kept until morning.’” 24 So they put it aside until morning, as Moses commanded them; and it did not become foul, and there were no worms in it. 25 Moses said, “Eat it today, for today is a sabbath to the Lord; today you will not find it in the field. 26 Six days you shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is a sabbath, there will be none.” 27 On the seventh day some of the people went out to gather, and they found none. 28 The Lord said to Moses, “How long will you refuse to keep my commandments and instructions? 29 See! The Lord has given you the sabbath, therefore on the sixth day he gives you food for two days; each of you stay where you are; do not leave your place on the seventh day.” 30 So the people rested on the seventh day.

    6 days they would get up and they would gather the food for the day.  The first 5 days, they would get enough for just that day.  The 6th day was the exception.  They were to get enough for 2 days worth.  Any other day, if they had tried this, it would have rotted and smelled up the place.  But the 6th day was special.  It was the day that they gathered enough for the Sabbath.  They gathered enough so on the 7th day, they did not need to go out and get any food.  They ate leftovers.  They had what they collected the previous day.  And that was enough.

    Some even tried to test the commandment – there is always a few in every crowd.  They went out on the 7thjust to see if it was there.  And they found nothing – just as God said.  Except, their lack of trust seems to have frustrated God.  He had given them instructions for their good.  The rest was for them.  God didn’t need rest – they did…and we do.  God knew what the people needed and he had provided it.  They simply needed to trust in him.  They needed to allow him to provide and to rest.  Sounds simple enough…except it isn’t.

    I remember growing up and my dad’s parents adhered to this commandment strictly.  My grandmother cooked on Saturday so that Sunday’s lunch could be heated up.  My grandfather made sure there was gas in the car so that none had to be bought on Sunday.  He would walk to church before he would spend any money.  Now…the church was just down the road, so it wasn’t that huge.  But you get the point.  He believed in keeping the Sabbath holy.  He believed God had provided and this would be the way of life.  I always thought he was so old school.  If you needed gas, go get it.  If you needed to run by the grocery store, just go.  No big deal.  If that was the only day you could wash the car, wash it.  Just don’t let my Dad see you…or let my grandparents hear about it.  But in their old school way, they were actually living out a rhythm that we may be missing.  They may have been much wiser than I would have given them credit.

    This really became apparent to me most recently.  Life is so unusual.  We are working from home more.  We aren’t traveling as much.  We aren’t going out to eat as much.  In general, we are spending more time in our homes.  So does that count as Sabbath?  I don’t think so.  It isn’t a special day set aside.  It isn’t different.  There isn’t anything unique about the Sabbath if we just collectively say that we have spent time at home more.  We are missing the gift of Sabbath.  We are missing what God has given us.

    So what do we do?  It seems so simple but it takes a lot of focus.  We should make the Sabbath special. Maybe we commit to having a meal ready the day before.  Maybe we make a conscious effort to spend time in worship to God.  Maybe we take the time to see what God is up to right outside our doors.  It might mean a slow stroll around our yard.  It may look like sitting outside before the sun comes up – it’s hot right now.  It may mean that we spend time focusing on what God has given us and to give thanks for it all.  It always means a different rhythm – a different feeling – a different way of functioning.  It always means resting in God and allowing him to care for us.

    What are you missing in this chaotic world?  What could be done away with on your Sabbath to make it special?  What can we do without to remind us that we trust in God and not in the things around us?  What is it that we are depending on instead of God?

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  • Peace Be Still

    There are moments when calm seems to appear out of nowhere.  It can happen at the least expected times in our lives.  When all seems to be in an uproar, a small yet defining moment of peace appears and overwhelms our situation.  It doesn’t always stay.  It isn’t always noticeable to anyone else.  It is just for a moment.  In our greatest times of need, it is as if peace is being spoken.  And it is a welcome message for us all.

    Being experienced on the water was their trade – it was in their blood – it was their lifeline.  It is almost as if these guys were born on the water.  They lived it, they breathed it, it was always a part of them.  They had encountered abundance as they threw out nets and brought in a catch that would not only feed their family but others as well.  They had felt the agony of returning home with nothing and wondering what went wrong.  The exhaustion of trying all night long weighed heavy like a big wet blanket over them.  The excitement of THE catch overjoyed them for days.  It was a life of highs and lows, like most any.  No one knew the waters better than them.  No one understood the tides and could predict the weather like they could.  They were the ‘go to’ for most anyone.  They were the fisherman of the town.  It was generational.  But more than that, it was a part of who they were.  They had been through more storms than they could even count at this point.  They had wondered if they would come out alive – and kissed the ground when they finally arrived.  To say that the water was their home would have been more than accurate.  They were fisherman after all.

    So to know that those who spent their life on the water were scared speaks more volumes than words can ever express.  Language cannot hold the amount of fear felt by these guys.  Imagine a storm that frightens experienced, lifelong fisherman.  They just knew this storm could be their last.  It may be the last time they ventured out onto the water.  It may be the last time they saw their families.  This was THAT storm.  And they were caught.  The wind was so fierce, there was no steering the boat.  The waves were crashing so hard, they wondered if the boat would become swallowed up.   They did all they knew and it still wasn’t enough.  Nothing would ever be enough with this one.  The sea was angry and they were enveloped in the brunt of its anger. Fear is a mild word for what they felt.  They worked and held on, they did all they knew just not to capsize.  Just hold on until it passes…if it ever does.

    One person in the boat was calm, not anxious at all about what was going on.  The waves did not shake him.  The water didn’t awake him.  He was not fearful.  And he was not even a fisherman.  Not being a fisherman could account for his ignorance of the magnitude of the storm.  Maybe he didn’t understand that they could easily die from this.  Maybe he was oblivious to the severity.  So they would explain it to him.  This was their home and they knew the danger they were facing.  Get up and pay attention…it may be the last you ever see!

    And yet, it was not the end.  He was not anxious because he knew what was needed.  He was not overwhelmed because this was actually his creation, not theirs.  And so he gets up and speaks…and when he does, things change in the blink of an eye.

    Mark 4:35-41

    35 On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” 36 And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him. 37 A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. 38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” 39 He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. 40 He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?” 41 And they were filled with great awe and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

    Three simple words spoken from him changed everything.  Three words breathed a renewed life into an otherwise disastrous situation.  Three simple words became the catalyst that brought a calm that was unexplainable.  Peace be still.  Breathe that in for a moment…peace be still.

    For my anxious mind, that speaks life.  For my overwhelmed heart, that covers me in calm.  For my fearful body, that slows the shaking.  Peace be still.  It isn’t the words, of course.  Anyone can say the words and they can mean nothing.  It is the words spoken by the One who brings peace that changes everything.  It is the words spoken by the Creator of it all – the ONE with power which really echoes into the very recesses of our fear.  Peace be still is more than a declaration from an encouraging speaker.  It is a command of the world around to simply stop – for the Creator has spoken.

    I don’t know about you, but I allow the anxieties of this world to become a part of me.  I allow the fears that are in my mind to capture my being.  I allow the chaos of the day to rule my spirit.  It isn’t as if I seek it out.  I do not get in a boat hoping for a storm.  I am simply trying to live my life day to day.  I am just doing what I always do – working, trying to provide for my family, seeking to do my best.  I didn’t cause the storm.  I didn’t seek out to get caught up in it.  I would have avoided it if I had known.  But when I do get caught – my world becomes a whirlwind.  It is in times like these that the words of Jesus speak more to me than anything else…peace be still.

    To hear the words takes some humility, I think.  It takes an acknowledgement that this is all out of my control.  I can’t do anything about this storm.  The waves are crashing and the boat is being thrown from one side to another.  All I can do is hold on and pray…and maybe scream a little.  But ultimately it is all out of my control.  This isn’t something I can fix.  I can’t row hard enough or long enough.  All I can do is hold on.  It is these times peace can happen.  It is when we let go, we can hear the words of our Savior speak peace.

    I need to hear words of peace over anxiety…peace over my fears…peace over my worries and concerns…peace over my life and peace over my days.  Peace be still.  When our faith is in God, peace is the way.  When we trust in the Creator of it all, peace becomes possible.  When we realize that we are exhausted and give up rowing, peace takes over.  Peace be still.

    They didn’t realize the one in the boat had such power.  They had failed to pick up on the cues who this really was.  This man was more than the average teacher.  This wasn’t your everyday guy.  This is the one who had power.  This is the one who could speak and the whole earth would listen.  This is Jesus.  Before we criticize them for their ignorance, we have to take a self-check.  Do we realize who is with us every single day?  Do we really know who it is we are following?  Do we understand who calls us his beloved?  How often do we forget the One who created us is still creating…and creating peace in us?  We can’t be critical of the fisherman, we find ourselves in the same place – even when we know Jesus is Savior and Redeemer.  Who are you trusting to speak peace in your life?

    My prayer is that peace takes over you today.  The peace of God that goes beyond all of our understanding…may it wash over you.  The peace that allows us to breathe, may it calm you.  May Jesus speak peace to your chaos…and may you know the Savior is with you.  Peace Be Still.

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  • Not Out for the Count

    I don’t know about you – but during times like these, I feel a little beat up.  The continual talk of sickness…the constant fighting and bickering…the judging and pointing fingers…arguing about who is right and who is wrong…it all just becomes overwhelming.  It is a bit depressing and it is hard to escape.  It seems that during these times our faith gets a bit beat up too.  We are not in worship as a community of believers together currently.  We are not serving together.  We are not working through scriptures in person.  Even when it is in person, it is distanced and masked.  It is so different.  And we may wonder how long we can take this.  We feel a little knocked down.  The good news is that we are not out for the count.  We may get beat up a little but we can come out stronger from all of this.  We can survive.  We are built for the struggle.  You are made to be a survivor.  You have been given what you need to hold on and to grow stronger, even in the middle of the challenges.  This is not the end.

    Ephesians 2:1-10

    You were dead through the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once lived, following the course of this world, following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work among those who are disobedient. 3 All of us once lived among them in the passions of our flesh, following the desires of flesh and senses, and we were by nature children of wrath, like everyone else. 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us 5 even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ —by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God— 9 not the result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.

    You have been created for this.  You have been redeemed for this.  You have been set free for times like this.  You are not alone in the battle.  This is not the end.  Your faith may be beat up but it will not fail you.  And all of this is true because we have a Creator that loves us.  The letter to the Ephesians tells us that there has been a time when we were defeated.  There have been times when we were out for the count and out of the battle.  There have been times when it was all over.  But not any longer.  That is not our current situation.  That is not where we are today.  If you are a follower of Christ, you are not there any longer.  There is so much more.

    When we were redeemed and set free, God did so out of his great love.  Think about that…God’s great love for you is given freely.  It is not because of who you are – but because of who he is.  God has so much love to offer his creation – yep, that’s you – that he offers a new life and we are not held back any longer.  What once would have held us down now will lift us up.  What once would have been our defeat now is our victory.  It is through love that this is even offered – now that is powerful love that changes things.

    Because of this love, we are offered grace.  This is the unearned gift of God.  We do not receive grace because we did enough good things.  We receive because we are loved that much.  Since we cannot earn it, we cannot brag about all the things we have done.  God did it.  God is still doing it.  God is the creator and author of it all.  It also means that you didn’t do too many bad things to be loved.  You are not beyond help.  You are not a person that is too far gone.  You are loved.

    What the news does not tell you…what the virus cannot relay to you…what we often fail to understand is that God is bigger than all of this.  When our faith is being beat up on every side, God has not left us to fight alone. When all is out of sorts and there seems to be no end, God is still working.  Thankfully things are not dependent on me…thankfully grace is free and is not a result of me…thankfully God’s love is so powerful it is can conquer even my fears and doubts.

    The key in all of this is God.  God’s great love for you and his grace offered to you is the focus here.  Some of you feel so beat up that you don’t know if you have a place.  Some of you are so defeated that you wonder how God could ever love you.  Some of you feel so overwhelmed that you haven’t heard from God and  you don’t know that you ever will.  I get it.  You know God is love but you don’t feel his love.  You know God is strong but you feel so weak.  You know God is conqueror but all you see is destruction.  I get it.  You don’t feel worthy.  I hear you.

    God is not done with you.  God…is…not…done…with…you.  He hears your cries.  He sees your distress.  He understands your pain.  He knows the struggles.  He feels your fears.  He knows what it takes to face each new day.  And his grace is not measured by your faith.  It is measured by his love.  Grace is freely given.

    Today, your greatest accomplishment may be to simply rest in him.  Rest in God’s promises that you are not alone.  Rest in his love understanding that because you didn’t earn it, you don’t have to work for it.  Rest in the joys of knowing that God is not asleep.  Rest in the peace that when the world is in an uproar, God is not.  There will be days for moving forward…maybe today is your day to rest.

    I am grateful that God created me to follow him.  I am grateful he has called me his own.  I am grateful that his grace is not based on my faith.  I am grateful to be his beloved.  The good news…you are his beloved too.  You have been created to be his.  You have been created to be loved with this powerful love.  You have been created for good.  You have been set free to be redeemed.  It is not because of what you have or have not done…this is a gift of God.

    Know what your role in all of this is?  Your role is to follow.  God calls, you answer, you follow.  He takes care of all the rest.  Simply follow the One that has a path for you more beautiful than you could ever dream.  Follow the One who created an incredible life and loves you because you are his own.  Follow the One who knows your heart, feels your struggles, and offers rest.  Follow the One who has good things prepared, just for you.  You are loved that much – and so much more than you could ever imagine.  Follow.

    It really is that simple and yet that powerful.  Today, you may feel beat up, but today does not define the fight.  Today is simply one day.  The fight is not over.  Grace wins.  Love conquers.  Hope appears.  And we are given new life when we follow…Follow God into a beautifully challenging tomorrow.

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  • Truly Set Free

    Worthless, beat down, invaluable, helpless…he had to feel this way.  He had no choice but to feel this way.  He was paralyzed so he was at the mercy of others, always.  He could not get out of his bed so he had nothing he could contribute, or at least that is the way it seemed.  He existed and not much else could be said – at least from the outside.  But oh he still had personality and character.  He was still who he was created to be.  He had value, but it was difficult for him to see because he was confined to a bed unable to care for himself.  He depended on others for everything.

    But someone cared about him, he was a friend.  He meant something to someone.  He was mother’s son.  He had a father.  He could have been a brother or a nephew.  He was someone’s grandchild.  He was an important person.  He was valued.  There were others that knew him for the guy that he really was.  They heard his story.  They saw his pain.  They got that there was so much more to him than this bed.  This bed was not him.  He was so much more.  He had a name.  He had a life.  He had joys and hopes, dreams and aspirations.  They could look into his eyes and see the desperation.  He didn’t want to be in this place.  He simply wanted to be loved.

    And there were people who saw him.  They wanted to do anything they could to help, no matter the cost.  They loved him.  They believed in him.  And they had experienced someone that would love him just as much as they did.  So they did something which is rarely done…they move him.  Yes – they make him mobile.  It is a difficult task because he can’t help.  He is completely dependent on their efforts.  He can only go where they carry him.  He doesn’t get out or go places, it is too much work for people.  But today, they carry him.  He has somewhere to go.

    Matthew 9:2-8

    2 And just then some people were carrying a paralyzed man lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.” 3 Then some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming.” 4 But Jesus, perceiving their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? 5 For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Stand up and walk’? 6 But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he then said to the paralytic—“Stand up, take your bed and go to your home.” 7 And he stood up and went to his home. 8 When the crowds saw it, they were filled with awe, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to human beings.

    When we read this story, we read the lesson.  There is a lesson about faith.  There is a lesson about who Jesus is.  We could leave it at that.  But I don’t think that is the whole story.  This man, he is not an object lesson, he is a real person.  He is not to be used to make a point, but rather a person to be seen and heard.  He is someone who has suffered and has struggled.  He has led a real life that has been challenging.  His life has been confined to a bed.  Jesus sees him.  Jesus sees him as one of his own.  He calls him his child.  He also sees the hearts of those with him.  They don’t need to say a word.  He gets it.  They have selflessly given of themselves so that this man can have a new life.  They want the best for him.  He isn’t an object, he is God’s beloved.  He is a child of God, no less precious than anyone else.

    Jesus takes care of the man.  He offers forgiveness.  This man must have been weighed down by the things in his life.  Jesus would have noticed more than a paralyzed person.  He would have seen the heart of the man.  He would know what was hurting him.  He would understand that there is so much more going on than his outward situation.  He saw the man’s heart.  And he began healing him on the inside.  That probably isn’t what the friends had in mind.  This wasn’t what the man was expecting, I am sure.  Those in the room were dumbfounded.  Why would this be the answer?  But the man…no one asks him how he feels about all of this.  No one seeks to know how he is –  in the middle of all of this.  They simply begin to make assumptions and criticize.  They want to trap Jesus instead of realizing what has been done for him.

    He has been forgiven, set free.  He has been released from his past.  The heavy weights that have held him down are no longer a factor.  Jesus has done something for him that no doctor could ever do.  He has provided him with new life.  Even if he is still in the bed, he is not consumed by the worry of his past.  He has been set free.  This is an incredible gift.  But instead of celebrating, the religious in the room began to criticize.  Who does Jesus think he is?  What does think he is doing?  Who gave him the right to forgive sins?  And is this guy even worthy?  He isn’t a religious person and he can’t even go to worship.  Is this even happening?

    Just like Jesus sees the heart of the man and the heart of his friends, he also sees the heart of the religious.  And their heart is thinking evil.  Their heart is stained.  They have no clue that their seemingly religious heart is damaged.  They are too busy pointing out the stains of someone else to realize they are covered.  They are too consumed with who is worthy to realize that they need his love more than anyone.  They haven’t looked up from their rule book to see a man, a human, one of God’s children lying on a bed in front of them.  They have missed the person to make a point.  There is a person.  There is a life.  But Jesus sees.  He knows their hearts.  And he understands who truly seeks him.  He gets what is going on.  And he calls them out.  But he doesn’t forget the man.

    After he has taken care of the most important part – the weight of his past – he then gives him the freedom to move, to go on his own.  The healing was taken care of when he released his heart from the pain.  Now he helps him move forward with his new life.  He gives him a new start, a fresh breath, a whole new beginning.  It isn’t just about picking up the mat, it is about moving forward with a whole new life.  He is no longer the paralyzed man.  The bed no longer defines him.  But his past doesn’t define him either.  He has been released.  And he makes it to Jesus because he had friends that saw something special.  He has friends that understood he was more than his circumstance.  They didn’t feel sorry for him, they wanted more for him.  They loved him as he was but knew that so much more was out there for him.  They had faith that his healing could turn things around.  They love him and offer something so much more – they offer to introduce him to the one that would not judge him for his past or his present.  They offer him Jesus, the one that would set him free of it all.

    Those who observed couldn’t believe what had happened.  They were in awe.  I can only imagine the celebration.  The friends would gather round and tell this story for years to come.  It was a truly remarkable event.  But there would always be those who would question…was he worthy…did he deserve to walk…why him…what did it mean to be forgiven…what made him special.  But this man knew his life had been changed forever, and it meant more than the ability to physically take a step.  He had been freed leaps and bounds before he even got up from the bed.  He had been set free.

    What might you do if Jesus set you free?  Maybe he has and you are still confined because you don’t realize how much you have been freed.  Maybe you don’t understand that your healing may be more than a physical healing.  Could it be that you are free because Jesus has healed you spiritually?  Has he called you, forgiven you, and given you a new life?  Are you still held back because of what others think of you?  Are you being held down by the expectations of those that judge?  Are you weighed down by the opinions of others?  Know that when Jesus sets you free, you are free indeed.  You are meant to live abundantly.  He fills you with grace and mercy and gives you a brand new life.  He offers you so much more than to get up.  He provides all you need to really live.

    What’s holding you back?  May you call out to Jesus.  May you realize that you are his beloved.  And may you be set free.

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  • Called Out

    We have heard a lot about the church in the last few weeks.  Lengthy discussions have been carried out over locking up the church.  Many are angry that they cannot come to church in person.  As churches begin to reopen their doors, many changes must be made that will make church services unlike anything in the past.  It will not be the same, at least for now.  That makes many upset.  Singing carries issues farther than talking.  Shared hymnals can cause problems.  Even something as simple as opening a door can be potentially serious.

    All of this has certainly caused us to rethink church.  What is the church?  Why do we go to church?  How do we worship as a church in a way that is safe and protected for everyone?  What does the church even do?  Is the church necessary?

    Today’s scripture helps me to begin in the search for these answers, and I hope it begins to help you as well.

    Ephesians 1:15-23

    1:15 I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, and for this reason
    1:16 I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers.
    1:17 I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him,
    1:18 so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints,
    1:19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power.
    1:20 God put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,
    1:21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come.
    1:22 And he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church,
    1:23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

    Do you hear anything about the church?  I do hear an intent and purpose.  Look closer.  Listen to what is being said.

    Christ is above all – ruler, guide, all powerful.  He has immeasurable greatness of his power that is given to those who follow him.  And his power changes things.  He is the head of it all, and that includes the church. The church is his body – his vehicle for doing his work.  The church is about wisdom and growth and seeking but it is also about going and living and loving.

    Maybe we have been shut up in the walls of a building too long and have forgotten that to be the church is to live for Christ.  Maybe we have gotten so comfortable in our pews that we haven’t allowed ourselves to follow Christ when we leave those pews.  It could be that we have grown so accustomed to the way things have always been that comfort was all we were seeking.  Could it be that we have made the church more about us than about Christ?  Could it be that we have made church what we wanted it to be – comfortable for us to sit with a group of people that look like us and agree with us?  Maybe, just maybe this is our time to be the church.

    IF we are the body of Christ, that seems to be a movement forward – a carrying out into the world.  It seems to me that this would be living out the vision and mission that Jesus lived as an example.  I do remember him gathering in the place of worship, but I don’t remember that being the only place he went.  Actually it seems like he spent more time with those that were discarded and forgotten than those that claimed to be devout.  He spent more time loving those on the outside that had never experienced love before.

    Do not misunderstand me – there is great value in gathering.  Jesus did it.  He taught in the place of worship and spent time there.  We gather to gain knowledge, we gather to seek wisdom, we gather to pray together, we gather to worship.  All of those are vital for our spiritual lives.  We gather in community.  We gather in resources and gifts to carry further the cause of Christ.  But this is a gathering.  This is not the end all, be all.  Gathering is only part of the equation.  And I think that we have gotten comfortable with gathering only because it makes us feel like we are doing what we should do – it is a box to check off on our holy list.

    But what if gathering is to prepare us for something more?  What if we have been taught how to worship and now we are being called out to worship in the world?  What if we have been given what we need to go out and serve?  What if we are being called to live for Christ as a unified body that isn’t in a building right this moment?  What if we are so worried about not gathering in a building because it is the only time we serve?   Could it be that we have been called out for times like these?  Could it be that we have been equipped to be God’s people right here and right now?  Could it be that we are to serve faithfully until we gather again?  And might we be changed when we do gather to value serving in and out of the building?  Maybe it will make us uncomfortable enough that we don’t get too comfortable when we return to the building.  That might just be an important gift in it all.

    The writer of Ephesians helps us to understand that in knowing Christ better, our heart is enlightened, we are given hope, and we are given a spirit of revelation and wisdom.  We have been given what we need.  Are we serving with a heart for Christ?  Are we filled with hope?  Do we live in wisdom?

    We are in this together, church.  And I mean more than Trinity.  I mean THE church.  We are all in this together.  We have been given all the gifts we need.  We have been strengthened for service.  We have been given courage to do as Christ calls.  Until we can safely gather in this building, it does not mean you are free from being the church – unless you feel that being in this building is the only time you are a follower of Christ.  You are actually given a great responsibility to seek to serve in this time.  You are called to encourage, pray, study, and above all else – love like never before – not from a comfy pew but out in a world that is starving for Christ.

    We will gather again in a building…and when we do, I pray that God has so filled us with his power that we are even more eager to go back out.  I pray that our pews are no longer comfortable and our worship reminds us that we are in this together, for Christ.  When we return, I pray we return changed, challenged, and called.

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  • New Life is Beginning…Easter Sunday

    You cannot fully appreciate the resurrection of Sunday until you have been through the darkness of Friday and the silence of Saturday.  You do not know what joy it brings to have new life until you have seen the old life die.  You cannot grasp the gravity of the defeat of death until you have wallowed in the grief of the grave.  You cannot fully understand life until you have experienced life taken.  You cannot embrace the love of Christ until you begin to see that this Love was willing to die for you.

    We absolutely celebrate this Easter Sunday that Jesus is arisen – he is arisen indeed!  But that celebration follows the heavy, dark, deep grief of the last two days.  For just a moment, we have to put ourselves in the place of the disciples.  Their lives have been destroyed, moment by moment, as Jesus was beaten, battered, and eventually hung on a cross to die.  Jesus breathed his last breath.  Take that in for a moment.  Jesus breathed his last breath.  The Creator and Sustainer of life had no life.  He was put to death.  He was put to death and no one really fully understood why.  No one really got it.  It was a rush, an opportunity by the authorities to get this done, to pull one over while the chance offered itself.  If you get rid of the problem, everything goes back to normal, right?  If you can stop the one that is making trouble and challenging the control, then all will resume, surely.  Jesus was taking away control from those that had the clutches on control.  Controlling people was their specialty.  They may have even tried to control…God?  But Jesus had none of that.  Now he is dead, though.  He is dead and control is back where it belongs.  Except it is not.  Nothing will ever be the same again.  Jesus may be dead, but that is not the end of the story.  The disciples don’t know that.  They didn’t understand there was more to the story.  They didn’t get that this was the end of a chapter, not the end of the book.  There was more.  There is more.  But the disciples and Mary, Mary Magdalene, Martha, Lazarus…all they see is defeat, death, the tomb.  It had all happened so fast and now everyone is reeling from it all.  Everyone.  What is next?

    For the Marys, it is time to prepare the body.  That is what is next.  Passover has concluded, they can now do what their tradition holds for them to do.  It is part of their duty and yet it brings such peace – a sense of being able to do one last thing for Jesus.  As difficult as it is, they would have it no other way.  Jesus deserved the best and they would give that to him.  Except, they couldn’t.  He wasn’t there.

    Matthew 28:1-10 *scripture included below*

    It is Easter Sunday so you know…He IS risen.  But look at all the activity that took place for those first to the tomb, for those that were up early to serve.  They caught a glimpse of the mystery, they were invited into the Holy, they became a part of the unveiling.  God was NOT done yet.  A messenger brings what we consider good news – but what must have seemed like absolutely confusing and strange – even fearful news at the time.  He is not here.  Such a simple few words with more meaning that our minds can possibly comprehend – HE IS NOT HERE.  Where is he?  What happened?  What do you mean he is not here?  Who moved him?  What could possibly be going on?  Why is he not here?  And what do we do about this?  Then the news…he has been raised.  Raised from what?  Raised from the ground?  Taken to higher ground?  Raised higher in the tomb?  Taken to a safer place?  Not here and raised…what does this even mean?  Then the words…Come and see.  See for yourself what has happened.  See where he was and where he is no more.  Come over, get a closer look, and experience the mystery…experience what God has done.  He is NOT here!

    And now they are told to go.  Come and see – experience, take it in – allow it to wash over you like a shower of forgiveness.  And now go.  Go tell, go see for him for yourself.  Go tell the others what you have seen and what has happened…and then go meet him.  He is waiting for you.

    Matthew tells us that they left with fear and great joy.  That seems like a mix of emotions.  I bet they were a ball of nervous and confused energy.  What do we do with this?  What does this mean?  We saw him die, we know he died.  How can he be alive?  What has happened?  Excitement, fear, joy, sorrow, highs, lows and everything in between -all rolled into a ball as big as the stone that covered the tomb.  Except it has been moved.  Jesus knew this.  Jesus knew these women better than anyone.  He knew their heart, their sincerity, their love.  He knew their grief, he watched them mourn at his very feet.  He understood the weight of what had been poured down as his blood trickled right before their very eyes.  He got it.  And so he meets them on the way – for assurance, for guidance – but most of all, for love.  This was not the end, this is the turn of the chapter, a new life has begun.

    Our new life has begun.  In the middle of the turmoil, despite the darkness, in the center of our fears, new life is beginning.  Jesus is risen and that means something today – just like it meant something to Mary, Mary and the disciples.  It means hope has been restored.  It means the light has not been extinguished.  It means there is still life – and life forevermore.  Death does not have the final say, God does.  The devil does not have the ultimate hold, Jesus does.  Hatred, fear, anger do not have to rule our hearts – love can – love will – love does.  Love overwhelms and shines light in the dark places.  Love conquers – love wins.  Jesus brings new life.

    So, if you feel the darkness and the heaviness – if you are weighed down by the destruction, the mess that has too long wreaked havoc in your life, the hatred that has filled your very heart, and anger that has overtaken your mind – this is not the end.  You are not defeated.  You are no longer captive to your sin.  You are no longer a slave.  You are not captured, but you are set free.  Because Jesus arose, light has shone brighter than the noonday.  Because Jesus arose, you have the opportunity for life – real, true life.  You have the opportunity for freedom and joy.  You can have peace.  Darkness does not have to be all you see.  Because Jesus arose, he brings love where love has never been welcomed – into our hearts.  Jesus is alive.  Is HE alive in you?

    Jesus died so that we would have life.  If you are tired and longing for real life, seek Jesus.  If you are overwhelmed and beat up, find Jesus – he is waiting.  He died for you so that you would not live in the misery.  Jesus heals, your heart and your life.  Today, may we invite Jesus to live in us, through us, and with us.  May his Spirit guide our steps.  May his love wash over us and spill out everywhere we go.  And may he set us free – for he truly redeems.  Seek and you shall find, knock and the door will be opened, ask and you shall receive – Jesus is waiting for you today.  Blessings as he changes your life forever.

    Scripture Reference:  Matthew 28:1-10

    After the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. 2 And suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. 4 For fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men. 5 But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he[a] lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead,[b] and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.’ This is my message for you.” 8 So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9 Suddenly Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came to him, took hold of his feet, and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

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  • The Unexpected…Palm Sunday

    I woke my wife and kids early.  I had heard about this exciting day and did not want to miss it.  There was a sense of apprehension in the air.  So many people were in the city, gathering for the festival.   It was elbow to elbow at the market, trying to find the produce of the day.  This time is even more challenging because everyone is trying to prepare the same basic meals – it is the time of celebration of Passover.  Passover has always helped us to remember what God had done and a powerful reminder of what he could still do.  If only…if only this was not just an ordinary Passover.  If only things were different.  We are tired of bondage.  We are tired of the lack of freedom.  We are tired.  Just to hear from God one more time would be an answered prayer.  To hear something other than what we have been doing wrong would be a welcome message.

    Today, though, seems to have its own intrigue.  My neighbors tell me there is a prophet coming through town and many are gathering to welcome him.  Some rumor this may be the long awaited Messiah.  If it is, in fact, the Messiah, then he has a lot of work to do.  So much is wrong in our land.  Political powers will be difficult to tumble.  I don’t envy this position.  But I do find a little glimmer of hope…the butterflies gathering in the pit of my stomach as I consider the possibilities.  What if God really has sent the Messiah he promised?  What if this man really does have the answers?   What if this is really the day we meet the Anointed One?  What if…could it be…is there any way?  With all these questions, I decide that me and my family will gather and see for ourselves.

    So we dress and head out earlier than usual.  We want to get a good view – I hear the crowds will be thick today – like a parade in the center of town.  With some many in the city, that is definitely a possibility.  We find our way to the right spot.  My kids can see and experience.  We all want to catch a glimpse.  As I look around, I notice that people have brought cloths and palm leaves to lay down on the road.  Now I know something is going to happen today.  This is reserved for the best of the best.  In the excitement, I ask my wife and kids to stay where they are and hold my spot.  I run out to find palm leaves for us.  I don’t have to go far, the trees line the way.  So I grab one for each of us and bring them back.  The kids immediately start to try them out – they wave so beautifully in the air.  I have to remind them not to hit anyone with them.  They find they can divide the ends and watch all of it waive like fingers in the air.  They think it is funny to look like they are waiving their own hands with the palms.

    It wasn’t long until we hear the shouts.  He must be coming.  The excitement is electric.  We can hardly wait.  I am a little blown away as he comes into view.  It is a man on a donkey.  My first thought is that this doesn’t look so regal or powerful.  It all looks so…plain and ordinary.  He isn’t dressed in warrior’s clothes or even the clothes of a king.  He looks like me, like we could be family.  He doesn’t seem to be welcoming all of the praises but instead, he looks concerned.  The look on his face makes him appear as though he is a million miles away.  He isn’t at all what I pictured would be coming through.  He has a peaceful sense about him.  But we shout with the rest and waive our palm leaves.  I can’t keep my eyes off of him.  There is something about him…something so very different.  If he is the Messiah, he’s not like any I have read about or imagined.  This could be even more interesting than I originally thought.  I’m not sure this guy wants to conquer kingdoms.  He doesn’t even look like he’s ready for any battle at all.  Maybe we got it wrong…

    *Today is Palm Sunday.  It is a day that marks the beginning of Holy Week.  For this beginning, I wanted to take you there for just a moment.  What must it have been like on that first celebration?  It may not have been as clear as we want to make it.  It may not have been the celebration we think it would be.  Most had no clue what Jesus was about to do and why.  It was based really on a hope and a curiosity.  They needed something to believe in, that this life they were living would not always be like it was.  They wanted to a Savior, but weren’t sure what that even meant.  Sometimes, neither do we.

    I find myself in the crowd hoping for one thing but finding out that I don’t have it all figured out.  I don’t know everything about this man on a donkey.  I don’t fully understand what he was about to do.  They wanted a political redeemer.  We often want Jesus to be who we want him to be…to answer our prayers the way we want…to give us the things we think we need…to be there at our beckoned call for our every whim.  But what if Jesus is so much more?  What if we miss who he is because we haven’t decided who we want him to be?  What does it mean for Jesus to be the Christ…the Messiah…the long awaited one?  I think it means surrender.  I think it means giving ourselves to the ONE…completely.  Jesus is much more than they imagined on that first day…and he is so much more than we can imagine today.  On this Palm Sunday, I am reminded to simply surrender…my intentions, my notions, my ideas of who he is…surrender my life to Jesus.

    Happy Palm Sunday!

    The message today is based on Matthew 21:1-11

    21 When they had come near Jerusalem and had reached Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, just say this, ‘The Lord needs them.’ And he will send them immediately.[a]” 4 This took place to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet, saying,

    5 “Tell the daughter of Zion,
    Look, your king is coming to you,
    humble, and mounted on a donkey,
    and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”

    6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them; 7 they brought the donkey and the colt, and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them. 8 A very large crowd[b] spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting,

    “Hosanna to the Son of David!
    Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
    Hosanna in the highest heaven!”

    10 When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, “Who is this?” 11 The crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.”

     

    Note:  It is my intention to take this “family” I began writing about from the beginning through the week long journey of Holy Week.  Check out the writings for this week to follow the journey.

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  • Sabbath? Who me?

    What I am still learning about 1 of the BIG 10…

    I really enjoy reading, I find it peaceful and it seems to take some of the stress out of an ordinary day.  The list of books I want to read is long…I have been accumulating the list while in Divinity School.  So far, the books I have chosen are books that I heard about in seminary but didn’t get a chance to read or are by authors I read excerpts from.  I began with NT Wright’s Surprised by Hope.  This is a book that I used in research so I knew just enough about it to know I wanted to read the whole thing.  Wright speaks about a topic that has become very important in my own spiritual walk…creation care and Romans 8.  The book did not disappoint and creation care continues to be an essential part of my walk.  I decided to continue on this same path, but from the perspective of seeing God through what he has made.  I came upon An Altar in the World by Barbara Brown Taylor.

    There are so many lessons that I have learned from reading this book.  One of the greatest takeaways, though, is the idea of Sabbath.  I know what the Sabbath is.  I have studied the Sabbath.  I even know its importance.  I have studied the Sabbath as a part of creation and as a command from God.  And, there is this:

    “Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work. 10 But the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God; you shall not do any work—you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the alien resident in your towns. 11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but rested the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and consecrated it.” Exodus 20: 9-11

    Yep, that’s from the “Big 10″…you know, the Ten Commandments.  We know it.  Many of us memorized it.  We learned it in Sunday School right along with the Beatitudes and the Lord’s Prayer.  There it is…the Sabbath.  In the book, Taylor points out that the Lord blessed and consecrated the day.  It was more than “good” as the other parts of creation were.  This was something extra special.  Now…I knew this.  This is not something new.  What was different is that someone who has served in parish ministry is writing about it.  She wrote about how she never really got it while she served…it wasn’t until she was no longer in parish ministry that she discovered the Sabbath.

    I have used every excuse I can come up with to show why I do not honor this commandment…and feel good about my excuses.  I am a minister and I am called to work on Sunday.  I am bi-vocational which means I also work another job that I can’t just take a day off.  There are things to be done around the house.  I have a family.  I…blah, blah blah – you get it.  I have as many excuses for not celebrating the Sabbath as Moses had for not doing what God called him to do.  Several years ago, Dad and I had an ongoing “conversation” about the Sabbath.  He would always tell me that I had to take a Sabbath…so I would ask him how his was going.  Neither of us did really well at it.  I’m still not doing really well at it.

    This week, I found myself craving a Sabbath.  I told Wendy I was going to have to take a day and rest.  Not only did God command it, but my body needed it…bad.  I felt myself being snappy with my girls, frustrated at work, and generally angry.  That’s not me.  So – today is my first attempt at taking a Sabbath.  It is Saturday…the day of rest for me.  It has not been easy because there are a million things that need to be done.  I did attend a prayer breakfast at church, which presented an opportunity for worship.  I spent time with a friend on the trails outside…an opportunity to walk in creation and just talk.  I finished the book I was reading…so I could start another.  I even planned out my garden and spent time outside with the dogs in my yard.  I have prayed and I have enjoyed some great coffee.  I must say that although my house needs attention and there are so many things to be done…I am THANKFUL for this Sabbath.  I already know that God is right…but this just confirms it.  That commandment is not to punish me or make me feel guilty…that commandment is for my good – just like all of them are.  

    I’m looking forward to the next Sabbath…and hearing God speak…and just resting.  How are you doing on your Sabbath?