Moving Beyond Wishes

There is something magical about putting together a “wish list.” You can let your imagination run wild, think of all the things you like to do and how the right accessory or piece of equipment or item of clothing would magnify your pleasure. Even if you consider that the someone who will be doing the shopping is on a budget, you’re never quite sure how generous they may be feeling; so it’s not that hard to throw constraint to wind and put something on your list that is particularly outlandish.

But wishes are just that: trial balloons you send up to see what might come to you if you open your hands wide enough and leave them out long enough…and maybe, put on a pouty face every now and then for good measure. While there may be a high correlation between what is on your “wish list” and what you find under the tree on Christmas morning, as you mature you begin to understand that there is more at work than your wishes. Indeed, wishes have very limited power.

While the shopping season may be fueled by “wish lists,” Advent is a season for contemplating hope. There may have been a time when you didn’t draw any distinction between “making a wish” and “being filled with hope.” Faith teaches us that hope has the power to sustain and transform—a power that wishes never have.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu replied to someone’s question about Nelson Mandela: “Was he a saint? Not if a saint is entirely flawless. I believe he was saintly because he inspired others powerfully and revealed in his character, transparently, many of God’s attributes of goodness: compassion, concern for others, desire for peace, forgiveness and reconciliation.”

I believe Nelson Mandela revealed God’s attributes because he was a man who was filled with hope. That is what gave him great power over his enemies even while they had him locked up in prison. That is what led him to practice reconciliation once he was released. Hope informed his life and transformed a nation.

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13).

Slow Down

No matter what pace you are keeping—whether you are walking on the sidewalk, running at the park, or driving down the highway—other people are always passing you. Everyone is in such a hurry. You may wonder where they are going at such a breakneck pace, but you also have to admit that you feel the nagging temptation to speed up.

Lots of voices out there encourage you to move along, get more done, check more things off your list. Your boss keeps setting benchmarks closer to one another, so deadlines approach with alarming speed. Retailers and online vendors announce sales that end tomorrow, so you feel pressured to make the purchase today.  As the invitations and announcements pour in and your calendar fills with events and opportunities, you begin to wonder whether you are the one who is driving or the one who is driven.

In the midst of this pressure to hurry from place to place, task to task, person to person; it becomes increasingly difficult to discern what God is doing in your life. Peace on earth, hope of the ages, joy to the world, and the transforming power of love become little more than greeting card sentiments. In haste your “hallelujah” becomes “humbug.”

Advent comes as an invitation to slow down. It is a season of waiting and it reminds God’s people of the way God continues to complete the work of salvation in God’s good time. Together we linger over the reality of God’s patience with us and with all creation. We take the time to contemplate God’s marvelous grace which extends from generation to generation. We savor the complex richness of God’s unfathomable love.

As we move through this month toward the celebration of our Savior’s birth, let me invite you to rest a while. Resist the temptation to cram in every sale, concert, party, or parade; but consider carefully your opportunity to join the faithful who come to worship and adore the new born king.

Confessions of an Endurance Athlete

You may have noticed fewer runners out on the roads and in the parks the last few days. It’s been recovery week for me and for a few thousand other area runners who competed in the Rock ‘n’ Roll Savannah Marathon & Half Marathon. Even with proper conditioning, nutrition, and equipment; running 26.2 miles takes a toll on the human body.

I heard of a few people who were planning on running the race without any significant training. I haven’t heard how that turned out for them; but I don’t imagine they had a very good result. On the other hand, there were thousands of people who crossed the finish line at Forsyth Park with grins on their faces and hands raised over their heads in celebration because they had done the long, hard work of preparation for race day.

They were teenagers, college students, young adults, and scores of others whose memories of those days are fading. They were school teachers, shop keepers, factory workers, and business professionals of all kinds. You could look at some of them and tell they were obviously athletic. Let’s just say, it would be very unlikely to find a picture of some of the other finishers on the cover a fitness magazine.

They may have had very different journeys to the starting line of Saturday’s event; but I am confident that those who finished well made the commitment months ago to avoid the distractions, to face the challenges, and to endure the struggles that would prepare them to accomplish what some of their own family and friends thought was impossible.

Let me confess that training for endurance events is not always fun. There have been times when I’ve wanted to ditch a workout or just quit all together; but I press on because there is something more important than another finishers’ medal that keeps me going.

Living a faithful life is an endurance event. Paul warned several congregations of the temptation to give up. There are distractions. You get tired. You face opposition—sometimes from the most unexpected people and at the most inopportune times; but to those who remain faithful—who persevere to the end—God has promised an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading. Let us press on for that prize.

One Step at a Time

You have all heard the story. You have seen the picture. A strong, lean man dressed in an ordinary tunic is carrying a sheep on his shoulders. The flock is still some distance away. There may be some suggestion of danger lurking in the background; but, overall, you feel glad that disaster has been avoided and reunion is imminent.

Have you ever wondered how one sheep could wander off from the other ninety-nine? There have been quite a few times when I have become separated from my family at the mall or a theme park. Just a few of them. Lots of other people moving between us. Unfamiliar territory. But how do you get separated from such a big crowd in open country?

If you have asked that question, you probably got this answer: “One bite at a time.” That is the way it happens with sheep. They are pretty focused on first one clump of grass and then the next. The shepherd may lead them to the pasture; but once they are there, each sheep becomes intent on satisfying his or her appetite. When you are guided by your appetite, it is not unusual to lose your way. 

Your Invitation

Banquets present so many options they can feel more like work than a party. At the same time, it is not that unusual to feel trapped in an uncomfortable situation when you accept an invitation. You are never sure who else will be there, what will be on the menu, how long you will be expected to stay, or whether you are going to be asked to do something that you really don’t want to do.

Then there is often the dilemma of figuring out where to sit. Do you sit near the front where you see what is happening on the stage? Do you sit near the buffet line so you can slip back for seconds if you’re still hungry? Do you sit near the door so you can slip out if things get boring? Do you sit with the folks you know (but don’t really like) or do you take a chance and sit with strangers hoping to make some profitable contacts?

Other times you may not have much choice about where you sit. Your host has assigned the seating before you arrived. Then you are faced with the task of finding your place. There may be a chart you can check; otherwise, you find yourself with the awkward chore of wandering through the tables until you locate your designated seat for the evening.

With so many potentially uncomfortable situations it is not that difficult to understand why receiving an invitation to a banquet is marked with ambivalence. Is this going to be a great party or another wasted evening? Am I going to remember this event fondly for years or regret it for a lifetime?

I can’t tell you how to respond to every invitation, but there is one you can be certain will bless you every time. That is the invitation to join the Lord at his table. You may not feel like you have been blessed every time; but when you come to the Lord’s table, when you eat the bread and drink the wine; Christ gives you himself, the Holy Spirit gives you power, God gives you purpose and a mission.

“Christ our Lord invites to his table all who love him.”

Come! 

Growing in Grace

Some days it is a challenge to do something that helps me become more like Christ. To do the things he would do. To say the words he would say. To love the way he would love. Let me confess, most days I find it impossible—in my own strength—to do anything that helps me become more like Christ.

When Wesley called people to pursue perfection or holiness or entire sanctification, he knew that he was calling them to something they could not accomplish on their own. Nevertheless, his deep conviction of the love of God helped him see that God provides resources for those who have faith in Jesus. These resources Wesley called the “means of grace.”

The means of grace are those spiritual disciplines that are described in Scripture and which have been practiced by people of faith for thousands of years. Wesley summarized them as “works of mercy” and “works of piety.” The “works of mercy” are doing no harm, avoiding evil, and doing all the good one can. Today these “works of mercy” are sometimes referred to as the “General Rules,” and may be described as acts of compassion and acts of justice. The “works of piety” include private and family prayer, searching the Scriptures, The Lord's Supper, the public worship of God, Christian conference, and fasting or abstinence.

Wesley believed "first, the Christian life is most fundamentally lived as a response to God's love for us. To know God truly is to experience that love. Second, our love for God and our neighbor are core affections, emotions, or tempers which govern the Christian life." The means of grace are the means to living out this love. As they are faithfully practiced, the relationships of love for God and for neighbor are nurtured.

The means of grace draw us out of ourselves and into the world as channels of God's love. They form us, by grace, into the image and likeness of Christ. They draw us closer to one another in love. As we are drawn closer to one another, we are drawn closer to Christ and become more like him.

That's the way the world is transformed!

Made Whole

Holy. Most people know right away that when you use the word you are going to say something about God; and if not God, then something that has to do with God—the Holy Bible or the Holy Spirit. They have no reservations about singing hymns that proclaim God’s holiness. They will gladly repeat prayers that acknowledge God’s holiness. Some of these same people bristle when you remind them “the Scriptures say, ‘You must be holy because I am holy’”(1 Peter 1:16).

Some of the resistance people have to the call to “be holy” may be attributed to their experiences with people who claimed the concept, but whose actions fell far short of resembling or honoring God. There are few ways they would want someone else to describe them that would rank below “holier than thou.” Besides all that, it seems such an impossible, unreachable, challenging goal. “. . . and doesn’t God love me just the way I am?”

The origin of the word “holy” goes back to the Middle English word “whole.” How would it change your response to the call to be “holy” if you heard it as an invitation to be “whole”?

When something is “whole” it is free of wound or injury—unhurt. It is free of defect or impairment—intact. With so many reminders of your brokenness, you might feel excluded right away; but “whole” also means recovered from a wound or injury—restored.

“Whole” is used to describe someone who is physically sound and healthy—free of disease or deformity; as well as someone who is mentally or emotionally sound. For all those people who feel like something is missing in their lives, “whole” means having all its proper parts or components—complete.

Here’s the good news: “Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes” (Ephesians 1:4). It is another sign of God’s grace. The One who saved us is working to restore us and make us whole.

Working behind the Scenes

It’s opening night. As you approach the front of the theater you can sense the excitement in the air. Everyone seems to be eager to get in the building and find their seats.

You hand your ticket to the person at the door. You were more than slightly surprised that your friend wanted you to be here tonight. It feels like months since he’s had time for you—almost like he dropped off the face of the earth.

You take back the stub. Someone hands you a program. One of the ushers points you in the right direction. You find your row and then edge your way past the people already in their seats until you find yours.

You flip through the program nervously, looking up every once in a while to see if there is anyone else there who you know. They are mostly strangers. It really is a quite diverse group.

The program has a message from the director. You try to read it, but you are too distracted by everything else going on to really understand what you are reading. A few pages over you find a picture of your friend and a little bit of information about him that you find much easier to comprehend.

Before you can read much more, the lights begin to dim, the curtain rises, and the show has begun. The action captures your attention from the beginning. People moving back and forth, on and off the stage, with such purpose and action. It seems so natural and, at the same time, so carefully choreographed.

Your friend comes on stage. You recognize him immediately; but as the character he portrays moves about the stage and interacts with the other actors, you begin to wonder if it is really him. Indeed, you realize that the drama unfolding onstage has become its own reality. You have been transported to a different time and place—all without leaving seat L-31.

Suddenly a question springs to mind: How much time and effort went into making this evening possible? Weeks, months, years? So many elements brought together to make this possible—a show that will only be performed a few nights.

That leads to an even deeper question: What about my life? Who is working behind the scenes to make my life what it is—preventing me from tragedy and preparing me for blessing?

In that moment you realize it is impossible to step outside God’s gracious reach. Indeed, God is always actively engaged in leading you, blessing you, loving you, flooding your life with his grace.

Learning along the Way

When he was 10, Jimi Ray's dad brought home two things that would change his life: a very cheap acoustic guitar and a recording of John Denver’s “Rocky Mountain High.” He would listen to that record and play his guitar until he eventually realized he could sing. He started playing and singing in public, but mostly at church.

In 1987, fresh out of college, Jimi decided to make his love of music his profession and livelihood. Along with a friend he formed an acoustic-rock band that would later be named Age of Faith. They spent many nights in church basements playing for small youth groups.

That was where I met Jimi—in a church fellowship hall when he was playing for our youth group. The band had just signed with the Benson Music Group. Jimi told me about the conversation he had with the Benson executive who had signed them. The question that had sealed the deal was, “How many times have you performed in public?” When Jimi answered, “Well, last year we did over 100 concerts,” the executive could hardly keep from falling over himself.

Most of the bands who sent this executive demo tapes had never performed in front of a live audience. They might sound great in the garage, but the big question was always how they would handle themselves when something went wrong during an actual performance. Guitar strings break. Microphones, speakers, and amplifiers fail. Sometimes you just don’t feel like singing. Would they have the ability make sure “the show goes on?” This executive knew that if Jimi and his friend had done over 100 concerts—and had dozens more already scheduled—they had the experience they needed to succeed.

Through the next 13 years AOF would go through several member changes, but would remain constant as a touring, recording and working band. The band recorded 5 nationally released projects garnering positive revues from critics. They shared the stage with some of the biggest names at the time in Christian music, like Geoff Moore, Newsboys, DC Talk, and Third Day. AOF played nearly 150 concerts a year, in nearly all 50 states and parts of Canada until the band parted ways in late 2000.

That’s when his life derailed dramatically. He has written about his struggles over the next six years in a book due to be released early next year. “There were many days when I wondered if God had turned his back, when in reality I was the one turning. God was there all the time. The amazing love, mercy, and redemption shown to me was unbelievable. I pray others who now walk in the shoes I walked in will realize the same thing.”

What you learn along the way can make all the difference in whether you succeed or fail. May you learn those things that bring life. 

The Standard Text

Since the first edition came off of Johannes Gutenberg’s printing press nearly seven billion Bibles have been printed. “The Bible is the best-selling book of the year, every year,” according to The New Yorker Magazine with estimated annual sales of around 25 million copies.

According to Guinness the whole Bible had been translated into 349 languages; 2123 languages have at least one book of the Bible in that language, which means that at least some of the Bible is available in the languages spoken by over 90 percent of the human family.

If you travel in the United States, you are likely to find a copy of the Bible in your hotel room—placed there by Gideons International; but, as their name suggests, they are working around the world. Since 1908 “Gideons have placed or distributed more than 1.7 billion complete Bibles and New Testaments in more than 190 countries around the world . . . so far.”

Not so long ago it was common to find a copy of the family Bible on the coffee table in the living room of many homes. While it may not be displayed as prominently these days, there are not many homes in the U.S. that don’t have at least one copy—even if it’s just one of those they took from the hotel on their last vacation.

Many people carry a copy of the Bible with them every day. Others make sure they have their copy with them when they head to church on Sunday. If they happen to forget their personal copy, they can usually find a stack of Bibles somewhere in their classroom and nearly always count on finding one next to the hymnal in the pew racks.

With all these copies of the Bible available, you might be surprised to learn that more than 60 percent of Americans can't name either half of the Ten Commandments or the four Gospels of the New Testament. When the Barna Group conducted a survey to explore biblical literacy a few years ago, they found “none of the four generations were particularly likely to say they aspired to read the Bible more as a means of improving their spiritual lives.”

John Wesley would be very sad to learn this. He proclaimed the centrality of scripture for doctrine and for holy living. It was the basic authority for the Christian life. Where its truths are clear there was no alternative but obedience if one desired to be a faithful Christian. The way to learn its truths is to read it—not just own it.

Always On

The day we moved into the Garden City parsonage, the lights were out. The power company had been given instructions to come and read the meter, but not to disconnect the service. Apparently, the standard procedure is to disconnect service when a technician is sent out to read the meter; so either he didn't read the work order carefully or whoever was responsible for writing it up left out that vital part of the instructions.

While we were waiting for power to be restored, we heard that it was not that uncommon to experience an interruption in service from time to time in our neighborhood. Some of the outages came during storms, but then others just seemed to happen for no apparent reason. I am happy to say that we haven’t experienced that many interruptions in service in the past year or two, although they did seem to come pretty regularly the first few months we were here.

There are parts of the world where most people rarely have dependable electrical service. They know that most evenings will be spent in the dark. Our visit to Kenya while Kathy was serving there with the Peace Corps made us more aware of that reality. Some evenings the power would stay on all night; and then other evenings we would try to make sure all our preparations for the next day were completed before the sun went down, because we didn't want to have to sort through our luggage with a flashlight in our mouth. There are parts of Honduras, Mexico and Belize where I have also found this intermittent service to be the rule rather than the exception.

Jesus promised his followers that he would not leave them alone. He would send a Comforter. The Holy Spirit would remind them of the things Jesus had taught them; but this same Holy Spirit would do much more than that. The Holy Spirit would give them the power to do great things—even greater things than Jesus had done. Furthermore, Jesus promised that this power would be available to them always. On day of Pentecost—the birthday of the Church--this promise was fulfilled. 

The church doesn't need to wait for the power to come on to start doing the work that God is calling it to do. Jesus has promised and God has sent the Holy Spirit to provide all the power the community of faith needs to accomplish great things—and great things are happening through Christ’s church. Would you join me in praying that more believers would claim the power and quit acting like the lights have been switched off? Then the church would truly be the blessing God has called us to be. 

Living in Unity

From the beginning, the television series, Lost, confronted its viewers with steady stream of questions: What caused Oceanic Airlines Flight 815 to crash? Where is this mysterious tropical island on which they find themselves? Who are these people?

One of the central characters was Dr. Jack Shephard. As the only physician to survive the crash, he quickly becomes a leader of the group as he is called upon to treat the injuries of his fellow castaways and direct their continuing care. Like the others, he initially believes someone will come to rescue them in a few days.  

As the days pass and the supplies from the plane begin to run out, tensions among the survivors begin to flare up. Hesitantly, Jack steps forward to challenge the group to ask themselves a few key questions:

It’s been six days. We’re all still waiting—waiting for someone to come; but what if they don’t? We have to stop waiting. We need to start figuring things out.

A woman died this morning just going for a swim and he tried to save her and now you’re about to crucify him.

We can’t do this. ‘Every man for himself’ is not going to work. It’s time to start organizing. We need to figure out how we’re going to survive here….

Last week most of us were strangers, but we’re all here now and God knows how long we’re gonna be here; but if we can’t live together, we’re gonna die alone.

“Live together or die alone” becomes a recurring theme for the rest of the six seasons. In one situation after another, cooperation leads to better relationships and improved living conditions; competition produces calamitous results.

When you read the New Testament you discover every one of the leaders of the early church—Peter, James, John and Paul—warned the members of the faith community about the dangers of pursuing their own selfish motives. They lived in a dangerous environment and they needed to care for one another, serve one another, encourage one another, love one another. Paul counsels the Romans, “Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone” (12:18).

Jesus prays that the community of the faithful may not only live in peace, but also discover the power of authentic unity: “I pray that they will all be one” (John 17:21). That is the power that will convince the world of the love of God and lead them to believe in the one who can give them life.

May the world see that power demonstrated in the community of believers.

No Fear

It is a scary world.

IED’s in Afghanistan.

Chemical weapons in Syria.

The growing threat of nuclear attack from North Korea.

And the violence is not just “over there.” Disturbed people with access to assault weapons make the places we go every day the scene of death and carnage. Radicals with an agenda mail letters laced with poison to elected leaders. People desperate for money—to support their addiction or pay their rent or buy the latest pair of Nikes—rob and steal from those who seem vulnerable. Someone you live with gets mean when they have had too much to drink.

Even if you are tucked safely into your home in a gated community with all the doors locked and the alarm system armed; you may find yourself lying awake on your pillow-top mattress worried about your balance at the brokerage. Will the Euro-zone collapse? How long can our country sustain its pattern of deficit spending? Are we headed for another “Great Depression?” Can I count on my job being there tomorrow? Next week? Next year?

What are you afraid of?

Loud noises? Dark rooms? Big dogs?

Roaches? Spiders? Snakes?

Running off the side of the road? Running out of time to complete an assignment? Running out of ketchup?

It is a scary world! Especially if you believe you have to face all the threats (perceived or ignored, imagined or real) on your own. There is no way anyone can protect themselves from every danger that puts them at risk. And a new menace seems to arise just when you think you have them all managed.

Here’s the good news: Jesus promises peace to those who love him and live their lives according to his plan. “And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid” (John 14:27).

Remember that the next time some strange noise wakes you up in the middle of the night.

An Unexpected Blessing

Even if you are not an avid fisherman, there is something attractive about an invitation to go fishing. Perhaps it’s the thrill of the hunt. It could be the anticipation of a good catch. For some it’s the opportunity to be refreshed as they experience the wind and the water.

On the other hand, some folks look forward to a fishing excursion as a time to get away. They are hoping for some peace and quiet. Hours spent in still and quiet are a tonic for their soul. It’s a chance to escape from the press of their everyday life. They are fairly confident that nobody is going to ask them to do anything more challenging that to pass them a cold one.

A few days after the resurrection, seven of Jesus’ disciples were together when Peter said, “I’m going fishing.” The others said, “We’ll go with you.” It’s not clear why they thought this was a good idea. Their reasons may have been as different as anyone’s reasons for going fishing today might be.

Peter, Andrew, James, and John had all been fishermen when Jesus invited them to follow him. They knew the routine: handling the boat and the nets. A night spent out on the water would have felt very familiar. It was a return to what they were used to.

The other three may have enjoyed the few boat rides they had taken while Jesus was with them—all except that one when the storm almost sunk their boat. A few hours spent out on the water seemed like a whole lot better option than sitting around looking at one another; worried that some unfriendly face might show up to arrest them.

After a whole night of casting the net and dragging it back into the boat empty time after time had taken the fun out of it for all of them. As the sun was coming up, they realized they weren't that far from the shore. This could be over pretty quickly. Even with nothing to show, that might be better than a few more hours stuck on the boat.

Just then someone standing on the shore called out, “Have you caught anything?” A mournful chorus replied, “No!”

The man on the shore said, “Throw the net off the right side of the boat and see what happens.” They did what he said. All of a sudden there were so many fish in it, they weren't strong enough to pull it in.

In a few minutes they were having breakfast with Jesus on the beach. Not what they had expected; but more evidence of Jesus love and care for them. 

Moving Beyond the Doubt

“Eat the food. Lose the weight.”

“Build your confidence and boost your energy with our versatile home gym.”

“The leading language-learning software in the world makes learning a new language second nature. Millions of learners in more than 150 countries have already used our software to gain the confidence that comes with truly knowing a new language.”

“With today's economic uncertainty, adding gold to your portfolio has become a recognized diversification strategy - serving as a potential hedge against inflation and a declining dollar.”

“Our portable oxygen therapy solution truly gives active patients the freedom they deserve. It lets them do the things they want – without worrying about running out of oxygen.”

“A reverse mortgage can help you keep your home and live a better lifestyle without the worry of everyday bills or rising medical costs.”

Every day you hear so many promises from so many people who seem to truly care about your physical, mental, financial, professional and psychological well-being; the problem is you soon discover their “caring” comes at a cost. When you find out how much of your money they want in order to provide you with the peace of mind (and all the other results) they promise, it is only natural to begin to ask questions, show some skepticism, voice your doubt.

“The Lord has risen!” It was the women who had followed Jesus who initially told the disciples the startling news. They didn’t believe the women. They thought their words were nonsense. Even the testimony of the ten disciples who were in the room when Jesus appeared to them did not convince Thomas.

In spite of all the money spent to purchase new clothes, plush stuffed bunnies, and foil-wrapped chocolate eggs, there are still lots of folks who do not believe that “God raised Jesus from the dead, never again to be subjected to death’s decay” (Acts 13:34). And even if they giving a nodding acceptance to this good news they have real doubts that, “just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too can walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4).

The Lord has risen indeed! Move beyond the doubt to new life.

No Expiration Date

Digging through the pantry you discover a jar full of a special treat your best friend gave you. It was a special gift. Something you would never buy for yourself. And so you had put it away with the idea of saving it for a special occasion—maybe one when you could share it with the friend who gave it to you.

Now you wonder how long has this jar been hiding behind the pickles and jelly and olives and mustard. You twist it around in your hand looking for that subtle marking that says: “Best if used by . . . .”

You may not pay much attention to the expiration date of the food you purchase as you shop for groceries week after week. You know the stock never stays on the shelf for long. There have been too many times when you asked someone to go check in the back for what you wanted.

Still there are some sections of the store where you reach past the items on the front of the shelf to see if there is a loaf of bread or a carton of milk that is a few days fresher. And even though the vegetables in the bulk bins are not marked with an official end date, you sort through the produce until you are satisfied that you have found the freshest specimens available.

It is all just one more reminder of what seems to be the inescapable inevitability of decay. Food goes bad. Clothes wear out. Appliances break. Organs shut down. Death wins.

Those who celebrate the resurrection of Christ know that death is not the end. We gather as a community of faith to give thanks for a new reality:

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who are being protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, even if now for a little while you have had to suffer various trials” (1 Peter 1:3-6).

Imperishable. Undefiled. Unfading. No expiration date on those who believe in him. “Death has been swallowed up in victory” (1 Corinthians 15:55). 

Christ is risen. He is risen, indeed!

Listen to the Shouting

March Madness. Even if you haven’t watched a single college basketball game this year, even if you aren't planning to watch a single game of this year’s tournament; if you turn on the television or listen to the radio or glance at the posters on your way into the restaurant, you have noticed something is happening in sports arenas across the country.

If you tune in to watch one of these games, there is one thing you can be sure of: when the buzzer sounds to end the game you will witness one of the more enthusiastic victory celebrations you will see anywhere.

All the players know this is a single-elimination tournament. If they lose, they go home. Their season is over. All they can do now is watch from the sidelines and dream about next year.

If they win, they have the opportunity to play again. They meet another opponent. Their hope of a national championship stays alive. The possibilities are thrilling—especially as they play before bigger and bigger crowds and the attention grows more and more intense.

Sweet Sixteen. Elite Eight. Final Four. National Champions. It is hard not to get caught up in the excitement. Even if you’re not a fan—of the sport or the team—if you watch the last few minutes of any of the games, don’t be surprised if you find your heart rate accelerates and you’re tempted to join in the cheering.

We love winners. We always have. As Jesus entered the city of Jerusalem riding on a colt, the people who had followed him remembered many of the things they had seen Jesus do: heal the sick, feed the hungry, teach the crowds, challenge the authorities, welcome the children, raise the dead. This was their opportunity to praise God for all the deeds of power they had seen. This was their chance to cheer for their champion. “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”

Some wanted the shouting to end there; instead, the shouting changed over the next few days—from praise to scorn, from cheering to jeering, from acclamation to condemnation. Still Jesus kept “advancing” from one loss to the next—betrayal, arrest, trial, scourging, crucifixion, death, burial.

It is a very different path to victory from the one played out on basketball courts around the country. As we move through these days as a community of faith, let us remember that it is the one who emptied himself, humbled himself, and became obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross, who was highly exalted by God and given a name above every other name.

Lavish Grace

The way you picture God makes a difference in the kind of person you are becoming. Many of the most strident adversaries of Jesus were those who imagined God was more ready to kick people out than welcome them in. Consequently, they found one opportunity after another to pronounce judgment and to find reasons to exclude people from the community of faith. Throughout the gospels, you find them repeatedly grumbling that Jesus was welcoming sinners and eating with them.

Jesus offers a very different picture of God.  Over and over Jesus portrays God as one who does everything possible to make sure whatever is lost is found. Furthermore, God is the one who rejoices in the finding. God's mercy is not laxness, but love. In other words, God is bent toward mercy, toward lavish grace.

Early Christianity and early Methodism understood that part of becoming “bent toward mercy” was to begin practicing acts of mercy toward others. These acts of mercy were understood to be among the “ordinary means of grace.” Practicing works of mercy opens your heart to the grace and mercy of God, creating pathways for the Spirit to continue and bring to completion the entire bending of your heart and life toward love.

There are so many temptations to become judgmental in our increasingly polarized and self-justifying culture. There are so many who welcome the opportunity to step into the role once occupied by the Pharisees. The challenge during this season of Lent is to remove whatever is keeping you from believing, receiving, and sharing this lavish grace of God.

As a community of faith let us remember that our task is not to judge people for where they are on their journey, but rather to help them identify where they are and offer solid support for them to take the next steps in cooperation with God's sanctifying grace.

As this picture of a loving God becomes more real for us, may the lavish grace of God at work in us convert us into people who will go running after the lost, even while they are a long way off—not out of compulsion, but out of the joy of love.

Our Generous God

If you have been to Forsyth Park on a Saturday morning in the last week or two, you may have been surprised to find a score or more of vendors selling the produce from their gardens. February—and even the first few weeks of March—are not the time when you tend to think of bountiful harvests. This wet and rainy season seems much better suited to finding a warm cozy spot inside to pour over the seed catalogs, make lists of crops you want to harvest, and sketch out plans for ways to fit everything in the space you have to garden.

Nevertheless, a stroll down the sidewalk at the south end of the park is a powerful reminder that, even in the middle of winter, the earth is producing a rich and varied harvest. While the palette is mostly green, there is such a diversity of shapes, sizes, and textures that it is nearly impossible to come away unimpressed.

The season of Lent is a time when Christians are encouraged to consider their practice of the traditional spiritual disciplines—prayer, the study of scripture, fasting, and works of service. It is also a time when the faithful are asked to reflect on the habits and inclinations that have led them away from God; and to admit that they need to turn away from those things in order to return to God. Psychologically, emotionally, and spiritually this can feel much like the wet, rainy days we have been living through—especially if you believe that God is holding out on you.

Let me remind you that God loves you. God is not holding out on you. God is ready to bless you and full your life with good things. God is always more ready to forgive than we are to repent. You don’t have to earn God’s approval; you have to accept the grace, mercy and love that God is waiting to give you.

God is more concerned with what you are going without, than with what you are giving up. Consider these words from the prophet Isaiah: “Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength? Why pay for food that does you no good? Listen to me, and you will eat what is good. You will enjoy the finest food” (55:2).

Here’s the good news for Lent: “Seek the Lord while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near. Let the wicked change their ways and banish the very thought of doing wrong. Let them turn to the Lord that he may have mercy on them. Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously” (Isaiah 55:6-7).

A New You

Even though it has been almost 45 years since Sammy Davis, Jr. recorded his hit single, "I've Gotta Be Me," some people seem to think they invented the phrase. They use it to explain their peculiarities, to justify their decisions, and to excuse their lapses in judgment. They would lead you to believe the most unreasonable thing you could do would be to challenge them to move out of their self-defined comfort zone. They complain, “That's just not me!”

While there is certainly some value in knowing yourself—your strengths and weaknesses, your good and bad habits, the way other people interpret your personal relational style; most people are not content to live a life that offers no promise of improvement. Indeed, many more people are frustrated that they can’t make the changes they would like to see reflected in the mirror, than are content to just accept the status quo.

The forty-day season of Lent began on Ash Wednesday. It has been a time when the community of faith has turned its attention to spiritual preparation, repentance and reconciliation. A time when the whole congregation is reminded of the mercy and forgiveness proclaimed in the gospel of Jesus Christ. A time when we reclaim the hope that “anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

It is also a time when we recall that “all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ” (5:18). No one is able to recreate themselves entirely from their own resources. By self-examination and repentance; in times of prayer, fasting and self-denial; and by reading and meditating of God’s Holy Word; those who seek God’s will for their lives, remember that only by God’s gracious gift are we given everlasting life.

     Lent is a season when we are challenged to exercise some discipline. As we enter this season together, let me encourage you to notice the beauty all around you as flowers spring from the earth and trees and shrubs are covered with blossoms. Let that be a reminder of the transformation God wants to work in your life as God’s grace changes you. That will make this Easter a particularly significant celebration of new life.

Destined for Greatness

A little over ten years ago I was serving as the Minister of Youth at St. Luke in Columbus. During the summer the group traveled to Six Flags over Georgia for a Christian music festival. While we were there we heard a new group from Australia perform at one of the late night stages. The youth really liked the group and their music, so we talked about inviting them to our church to do a concert that fall.

After we set the date and negotiated a contract, I called one of our church members whose family owned a local radio network to ask him if he would help me promote the concert in the area. He had never heard of the group and asked me if I could bring him one of their tapes. I took him the one cassette I had purchased at Six Flags and he passed it on to his program manager.

The concert date was getting closer and I hadn’t heard anything from either the church member or from the program manager. Some of our youth had not made the trip to Atlanta and I wanted them to hear who we had coming so they could tell their friends to join us for the concert.

When I went back to the radio station to retrieve my cassette tape, the program manager was a little embarrassed that he couldn’t find it at first. When he learned it was my only copy, he went back to his office and looked again. In a few minutes he returned with the tape in hand. “I threw it in my ‘junk’ box,” he explained.

I was more than a little disappointed that he thought it was “junk.” The concert was just a few weeks away and now it looked like we were not going to get much help from them to let the community know who was coming.

The band was “The Newsboys.” Over the last ten years they have sold over 8 million units, garnered six Gold albums and 28 #1 radio hits. They have been nominated for four Grammy awards and won five Dove Awards. Their website reports: “Just last year they captured the headlining slot on the world’s biggest tour, the Winter Jam Tour, playing to more than half a million people.”

Peter, James and John had spent over a year with Jesus before they went up “the mount of transfiguration” to pray with Jesus. Even after they saw his “glory,” they still didn't know how to respond.

Let’s pray that the Spirit will help us recognize and testify to God’s glory whenever and wherever it appears.