The Gospel According to Dave

Guest Post

2011-05-02T21:41:00.003-05:00

I received this email from my 19 year old son, JD, today. I'm reposting with his permission (and a great sense of pride in the man he's becoming)...

Hey,

I had something really cool happen to me this morning and I really wanted to share it with you. Figured gmail would be the best platform for it.

I was in St. Charles this weekend visiting the Mabry's when Zach Hyde calls me and asks for me to do him a huge favor. He told me that he was taking a bus up to St. Louis so he can come back to Macon and he needed a ride. So I told him that oddly enough I was already in town and as long as he got in early enough for me to go get him and get back to work then that works out great. His bus was set to arrive at the station around 7:30 this morning so I would just have to wake up early enough to go down there and get him. Simple enough right?

Well I woke up today at about 8:00 and tried giving him a call to let him know that I was coming. His phone was off, and I had no way of getting ahold of him. I guess it was just dead so I figured that nothing changed and I needed to pick him up anyways. I head downtown to the Amtrak/Greyhound station to get him. Walked in to see an almost empty station. I asked the Greyhound lady if a bus had stopped by from Texas and she said no. Asked the Amtrak lady about a train, still a no. Tried calling him again and after about 20 minutes or so he called me back. Said it'd be around 11:30 until he got there.

I had about two and a half hours to kill and walked outside to head to my car, get some food and read a little. As I walked out I had a guy shout out to me and asked if I had a cigarette. I told him that I didn't, but I do happen to have some gum in my car.

We walked over to my car and he thanked me for it. Started talking to him found out his name was James and that he is 42 years old. He asked about my stethescpe I had and asked if I worked in the health field. Told him about my trainig and asked what he did and if he was fom around the area. He looked back, smiled, and said, "You could say that. I'm currently unemployed though. I guess some would say that I'm homeless."

So I told him about being from out of town and that I was waiting for a friend to get off the bus, but that it would be a couple hours before that, so why not hang out until then? I asked him if he had gotten anything to eat this morning, in which he hadn't, and we started to walk towards Union Station where there's some fast food joints and we were gonna share breakfast together.

We talked about everything. He was actually a pretty intelegant man, well informed in politics and current events, along with educated and religious. He said something along the lines of, "Time is funny. The past is called the past, 'cause it's past. The not sure why the future is called the way it is but it is, but the present is special. The present is today, and I like that. Cause each day is a gift."

He told me about how he was a chef at a nice restaurant downtown and he had a wife and daughter. A few years ago they were in a car accident where a drunk driver had hit them and both had died. After that he just hit a real low stage and lost everyting.

I had no idea what to say back to that. So I went with the only thing I knew and started off on how sometimes the church is so worried about the hell in the after life, that we sometimes miss bringing heaven to earth to counter the hell here. He smiled and said, "Like in the Lord's Prayer. 'Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as in heaven." I laughed back in agreeance.

After seeing nothing we wanted at Union Station we decided we'd find a White Castle to get some grub there. On the way we talked more about life and God and how the world/America has seemed to forget some of the teachings of their savior. Like in Matthew 5 how we're supposed to care for the weak and the hungry, and in just the next chapter how we aren't supposed to store up treasures on earth but in heaven.

We saw some pigeons flying around and we shared stories about him sharing bread with the birds, and me having fun with them over in Vienna. He then continued into Matthew 6:25-26 even further with how God takes care of them, and of course he'll do the same for us. We talked about his hopes for his portable grill stand he wanted to set up in downtown and how I, with my EMT work, was hoping for the job that I'd soon be looking for.

We get to White Castle where he saw someone he recognized and she smiled when she saw him. They talked a little and she blessed us in our day and went on her way. There were others he knew there too, apparently this man knew his area, and had been sharing with the people the lord and his light.

We orderd 2 #1's with 4 sliders, fries, and a drink. Sat and ate and talked even further. He shared about the homelessness problem from a first person point view and we talked of "inner city life" (we both thought it was funny they called it that cause how do you have a city in a city?) I shared about growing up in faith, and then straying away with and my run in with drugs and alcohol.

That's when we talked about Matthew 16:24-27 with how to gain a new life, we must lose oursleves and forget the world. We talked about how he's lost his worries in the world and is carrying his cross, and he even challenged me to do the same. He said that he can't wait to see the treasures the lord has for him, and he joked about how he'll be one of the first since he's in last now. Ha!

We finished our meal and I noticed he still had two more burgers in his bag. I asked him about it and he said, "You know how we were talking about the Lord's Prayer? Well the next part of it is daily bread. And I'm saving these for two kids I met yesterday" That hit me hard. Not only have I been struggling with the ideas of losing this life and gaining new, or bringing the kingdom here, or what that would even look like. I also had been worrying about my future and daily bread. All of these things we talked about were so parrallel to things I've been thinking lately that it was almost frightening.

He then continued with this story of his experience with daily bread, that had just happened in the last 24 hrs. Yesterday he had asked a nice dressed man if he could spare any bit of money so that he could eat. The man then reached into his pocket, grabbed his money, and started counting. James said he must have counted through about thirty $100 bills before the man looked back and him and said, "Sorry, if I had any smaller bills I'd give you them."

I was heart broken to hear that, classic story of the rich missing the point and not helping the poor. I mean what's the difference between $2900 and $3000 to you if you just carry it in your wallet like it was nothing? I expressed my anger about that and he just kinda laughed.

"I was mad at first of course", he said, "I mean I just watched him count this abundance of money that most people don't make in a month only to hear that he didn't have any smaller ones to give. As if I wasn't worth just one of the large ones. But instead of getting mad I looked and him and said, 'That's fine, sir. Thank you for your time. I know the lord will provide me somehow. God bless.' And I walked away.

I couldn't believe he just said that.....

Another guy on the street had saw that happen and he rushed up to James and said to him, "Hey... I only have $7, but I'll give it to you so you can eat." He thanked and blessed him and started walking down the street to the store to get some grub, but God wasn't done yet.

On his walk it started to rain, and he had an umbrella someone had given him the other day during the real bad storm (yeah... the tornado one.) and he kept treking on. That's when he happened to pass a family of four, two of which were younger kids, that were huddled under a single blanket trying to stay dry and keep warm. He stopped to talk to them, gave them the umbrella, even went to the alley he kept his stuff at and got another blanket for them too. After all that he reached into his pocket and gave them the $7. They tried to deny the money to which he said again, "It'll be fine, my God will provide for me."

He went back "home", soaking wet, and cuddled up in his last blanket and fell asleep...

He was saving those burgers to give to the kids that he provided for the day before...

He knew God was gonna provide for him back...

Of course the next day when he woke up, he went to the bus station, as I did, looking for something, and like I had found nothing that we were looking for. But the beauty of it is we happened to cross paths.

By that time Zach's bus arrived and he helped us carry his luggage to the car. I asked him if he knew how to get back to the highway and he said that if I gave him a ride he'd show me. (he was headed that way anyways). He bragged to Zach about the awesome morning we had, the laughs we shared, the things we talked about, the food we ate, and the wonderful gift God had given us both that morning. He said that Zach should be thankful for a great guy like me picking him up, and he also mentioned that he knew I'd g on to be a great EMT and man of God (I can only pray and hope he's right, and accept that complement wih humble gradification).

We pulled up to a corner and he said, "That's my stop, thanks for the ride. Oh and I'll be seeing you later, someday." I told him I'd be praying for him and he said likewise. And that was it...

So please... pray for James. Pray that in the life he's lost, and the place of last he's in, that God will continue to provide his daily bread. Pray that he continues to be a light for the people he touches in the downtown area. Pray that eventually his life will have abundance, so he can be generous for the glory of God. And if not, pray that his light never goes out, so that when he goes to be with God, and we meet again, that his treasures will be great.

Amen

Crosses and Ashes

2011-03-03T15:36:00.003-06:00

The church year is a cycle of events that are meant to keep us constantly focused upon what God is doing in the world and within each of us. At Good Shepherd we are more subtle about expressing the church year, but we do have practices that relate directly to it.

The church year begins at Advent. That's the four Sunday

prior to Christmas (usually beginning with the Sunday following Thanksgiving.) During Advent we celebrate the expectation of the coming of the birth of Christ. We know it has already happened, but remembering an event allows us to relive the important themes that led up to it.

We celebrate Christmas eve instead of Christmas day at Good Shepherd because we are more likely to see people in worship on the 24th rather than the 25th. It's tradition, and it's the tradition of most Christians.

The season of Epiphany is one that is much more subtle. Epiphany means "To be seen in the flesh." During this season the church celebrates the recognition that Christ is God in the flesh. At Good Shepherd we tend to do worship series that relate to how we as the body of Christ can interact with the world... to be God in the flesh to the world around us.

Lent comes next. It begins on Ash Wednesday which is the day we remember that if

not for the forgiveness won by Christ on the cross, we are nothing but dust and ashes. It is meant to be a time of humble reflection on the power of God and His gracious action of forgiveness through the cross. Some traditions have church members make crosses out of the palm branches that they get on Palm Sunday (near the end of Lent and one week before Easter.) On Ash Wednesday 325 (+/-) days later those crosses are burned and the ashes are used in worship. During worship the ashes are put on the forehead of each worshipper as an anointing to remind us that we are but dust and yet God lifts up the dust in honor through Christ.

This coming Wednesday is Ash Wednesday. We'll have a service of communion and ashes at 6:30 pm. Hope you'll join us.

At another time I'll share the rest of the description of the church year with you. I

know you're on the edge of your seats waiting for that post.

The Mentor and the Student

2011-02-26T11:02:00.004-06:00

Several people have asked me for the story I shared last week about the student and the mentor so I'm posting it here:

Two pilgrims are on a journey to obtain knowledge from the wisest people in the land. One pilgrim is the teacher and one the apprentice. On this journey they are intentional about stopping at the homes of the wisest person of each village. When they arrive at a village they inquire of many people as to who in their town is considered the wisest. They will then seek an audience with this possessor of wisdom in order to gain a greater insight into the things of this world.

They came upon one town, larger than most they had encountered, which claimed to have the wisest of all persons. Everyone they inquired had a similar response, "I hear that the hermit on the hill over looking the town is wise beyond any one's understanding." Intrigued by this response the teacher began to ask, "Have you made the journey in search of the hermit's wisdom." With each inquiry came a simple "No."

Early the next morning the teacher and the apprentice started out for the hilltop to visit the wise hermit. When they reached the top they found the hermit and introduced themselves. Honorable Hermit, we are simply wanderers in search of wisdom. We come to you seeking to deepen our knowledge of the world. Would you please share with us some of the wisdom you have gained.

The hermit simply looked at them and grunted. Then, offering them a place to sit and a cup of tea responded. My wisdom is simply too much for you to understand. Your minds will not be able to comprehend the depth of my knowledge nor the width of it's application. I regret that you made this trip because it has been a journey of folly for you.

The apprentice began to argue about the amount they had learned thus far. He proceeded to defend his credentials and those of his teacher. The teacher simply rose, bowed to the hermit and left; the apprentice hustling to catch up.

As with all their encounters, when leaving a village, the teacher asked the student what he had learned. As they traveled the student shared his indignance at their dismissal by the hermit. How could he be so arrogant as to believe they could not comprehend what he might share. Quite honestly he had learned nothing. “Quite to the contrary” said the teacher, “I have learned the wisest lesson of my life and I ask that you help me to live out this lesson. If there is anything I have failed to teach you, please ask me. What I have learned is “Wisdom unshared is equal in ignorance to knowledge unsought.”

(Note: this story is of my own making as is the "moral" to the story. Feel free to use it, change it, improve upon it.)

Stickers, Gold Stars, and Merit Badges

2011-02-24T11:12:00.002-06:00

Recently a church member posted this on facebook:

Erin is a big girl! Has gotten five potty stickers already today and four of them came from her saying she needed to go!

Another friend commented in response that it was the best thing her mother ever taught her. (Potty Training). She uses it daily. I laughed out loud on that one. I remember getting gold stars for things I did well, though I honestly can't remember potty training. But there were papers at school and chores at home that won me a gold star or two.

As I grew older I found that my achievements had a more formal approach. In school there were grades and in the Boy Scouts there were merit badges. In my work life there have been promotions and merit pay increases that have acted as incentives.

What about everyday life? Wouldn't it be great if you got a gold star for the things you did in everyday life? What would you reward others for? Showing up to work.... Gold Star. Fixing breakfast, lunch or supper.... Gold Star. Completing assignments on time.... Gold Star. What are the other Gold Stars you would award?

Perhaps we should look to the Beatitudes for a hint of the Gold Stars Jesus hands out. (Matthew 5) If you're poor in spirit.... Gold Star. If you mourn.... Gold Star. If you are meek.... Gold Star. If you hunger and thirst for righteousness.... Gold Star. If you're merciful, pure in heart, a peacemaker, or persecuted for righteousness sake.... Gold Star.

Earned any Gold Stars lately?

At Your Service

2011-02-22T11:33:00.004-06:00

Occasionally I blog about customer service, usually from the perspective of the experience of a lack of it. However, I want to share my experience this morning. UPS stopped in bringing a couple of packages. One of them had a "thank you" gift for the work we did getting the Numana project worked out. Frankly, we're all so jazzed about the success of the project that we should be thanking Numana. But they sent three of us these nice jars of peanuts. Honestly, I did very little beyond blessing this project, but as you can see I've managed to put a dent in the peanuts anyway.

Later this morning I had a voicemail. Let me set this up a bit. We have a website service we pay each month for hosting our site. From the day we made our down payment we've been dissatisfied with them. Customer service is handled only through email. If you want to redesign anything it's a $500 commitment before someone will call you at a predetermined time to talk to you about what they are willing to do. I've regretted doing business with them, literally from the first day we paid the first payment. (As you might expect, their sales force is very good at closing the deal by promising much that they don't ever deliver on.)

Recently one of our members took the time to do the leg work to find a new company to deal with. Cloversites.com quickly surfaced as a very strong candidate. This member believed so much in what they had to offer that he and his wife popped for the $1000 initial investment. We won't be ready to go live with the site for another couple of months. Suffice to say, however, we are very pleased with what we've purchased. If you have a question, just call the number, they actually answer. The one time I called and left a message I got a return call while I was out for lunch. They persisted though and called back again until they got hold of me.

Today I get this phone message. "Hi David, this is Jen with Clover Sites. I know that you recently purchased a site with us and I see that you are well underway editing our template. I was just calling to see if you have any questions or how I might be of assistance. If you would like to chat with me my directly line is....." What customer service company do you know of that will do that for you? They called me. I didn't prompt it at all.

Recently, Guy Kawasaki wrote a book entitled "Enchantment: The art of changing hearts, minds and actions." Here's a description of Guy's book from his own website:

Enchantment: The Art of Changing Hearts, Minds, and Actions is Guy’s tenth book. In it, he explains how to influence what people will do while maintaining the highest standards of ethics.
The book explains when and why enchantment is necessary and then the pillars of enchantment: likability, trustworthiness, and a great cause.
The next topics are launching, overcoming resistance, making enchantment endure, and using technology. There are even special chapters dedicated to enchanting your employees and your boss.
Finally, because there are times you may want to resist enchantment, there’s even a chapter about how to do this too.
If you want to change the world — or even part of the world, this book is for you

I haven't read the book, but I think I've been enchanted by Numana and Cloversites. I'll probably get the book too.

OK, you knew I was going to get to scripture, right? Well I don't think that Jesus was talking customer service in Matthew 5 when he said these things, but I think he's teaching us something about enchanting others in a way that shares our desire to love them on behalf of God.

Questions:

1) How would you apply this passage from Matthew 5 to our everyday life?

⁴⁰ And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. ⁴¹If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. ⁴² Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

2) How do you see your church applying this passage? How can we do a better job of it?

Dale, Job, Jesus, and Others

2011-02-19T10:46:00.003-06:00

One more picture from my trip to North Carolina. This is the 10 year anniversary of the death of Dale Earnhart. He died in a crash during the last lap of the Daytona 500 in 2001. Dale's son, Dale Jr., has become something of the controversial fan favorite of the racing world. This despite his less than impressive record.

It reminds me that all of us are, in some way, shape or form, standing on the shoulders of giants. There have been people that have come before us who have made it possible to grow in our understanding of the things of this world because of the thoughts they've left us with. There are others who have approached the world with such grace and goodness that they have left us with a view of the world that colors ours with such grace. There are those who have accomplished much by the standards of others and they have inspired us to seek those higher standards.

Like Dale, Jr. they have been parents or grandparents we've known. Sometimes we haven't known them personally but only known of them. Still others have been of such renown that everyone knows at least something about them. In the case of Dale, Sr. I'm not much of a NASCAR fan but I know the name. I also know that if I want to know something about the sport, I ought to learn something about the ones whose names have made an impact upon the sport.

In the book of Job we find a man who is seeking to know God. His teachers and friends have failed in providing a understanding of God that makes sense. So Job seeks to go to the source. Eventually he finds himself in the presence of God. After God has addressed Job he responds by saying "I've known about you. Now I know you. And I am humbled by the One I have met." (My own translation of the story.)

As I write this I am preparing a sermon on the virtues of Learning. It is so important in learning that we not only learn about, but that we come to a knowledge of. This means that we meet the teacher and the message. In Jesus Christ I have met the teacher and that has had a profound impact of the way I read the message.

Lost and Found

2011-02-17T13:19:00.003-06:00

This is a picture of the lost and found at Good Shepherd. Any thing look vaguely familiar? There's lots of good stuff. If you're fond of coffee, there are mugs aplenty. There are a couple of Bibles. I'm guessing the owners, upon noticing they were missing their Bible immediately went to the church bookstore and bought one of those nice leather bound ones we've had in the store for the last year (hint.) Or possibly they just started using www.youversion.com app on their smart phone. There are pacifiers, blankets and children's clothing. There's a camera tripod, an Easter basket, and a Gus's Pretzels stocking cap (Kim?). There's a Cabellas XL winter jacket that I'm eyeing and I've grown rather fond of that lizard.

I really don't like the feeling I get when I've lost something. The other day I was walking back to church from Subway when I found $40 on the sidewalk. I walked into all the adjacent stores to ask if anyone had lost any cash. No one reported anything missing, so I kept it. I can only imagine the feeling the person had when they went into their pocket and it was gone. Actually, I know that feeling because when I was in an airport in Asheville, NC I went into my pocket for the $11 I knew was there and it was gone. (On the lost and found cash register of life I'm only up $29 now.)

When you've lost something of value you take time to diligently search for it, right? Here's something that should never pass us by... That feeling you get when you've lost something is the feeling God gets when you and I have gotten lost from the path of life which leads us back to Him. God is searching for you. Sending out search parties. And once found, God invites you to join in searching for others who have lost their way. When you count up the pluses and minuses of friends who are lost and found on God's path, are you up... or down? Help a friend find their way back onto the path.

Mountain Tops and Valleys

2011-02-07T13:49:00.002-06:00

Lots of great things happen on the mountain top. Christ rejects Satan's offer of power and is transfigured in the presence of friends, Moses receives the Ten Commandments, Elijah hears the voice of God. In a more modern day context, Martin Luther King, Jr. travels to a visionary mountain top and has a dream about what could be possible in race relations. Mountain tops hold the power of providing a place where some pretty amazing things happen.

"Mountain top" experiences are those times and places where we have found a deep and profound connection with the divine that moves us to the next level in our spiritual lives. I've been fortunate enough to experience many of those in my life. One such experience was years ago when I took a youth group on a mission trip to a camp known as Mountain Top. We ate and slept at the camp, but during the day we were at the homes of the poorest people in the smoky mountains doing repairs and helping them have a more comfortable life. It was truly a mountain top experience.

This camp had a song that we sung about the mountain top experience and the fact that we would eventually have to return to the valley below. The valley is where we live, not just physically, but spiritually as well. Most of us don't experience the sustained spiritual high that we find on the mountain top. Up there God is so clear and obvious and we find a certain kinship with the people who join us on the mountain. Down below our vision of God becomes a bit clouded by the regular comings and goings of life.

I think the key is the difference between going up the mountain to get to the other side, or going up the mountain only to return to whence you have come. If I have a mountain top experience and I don't take steps to allow it to propel me forward, I might as well return to the place I started. The journey up the mountain becomes more of a sight seeing tour than an odyssey that is life-transforming.

In your journey of life, have you scheduled some mountain top visits? Maybe Sundays at worship can become a short hike up a hilltop. One or two hours devoted to worship won't make a mountain top, but it can be a series of small peaks that help you move forward in your faith. What about days of service like our recent 100,000 meals project? Spiritual retreats like Walk to Emmaus, the Good Shepherd Womens' retreat, or other such weekends can be journeys up the mountain. Or maybe you can serve in a week of camp or a weeklong mission trip. Whatever it is, head for the mountain top as often as you can schedule it.

Take a Break

2011-02-04T09:14:00.004-06:00

I recently read this line... "Sometimes the speed bumps in the road of life are God's way of saying 'Remember the Sabbath.'" This picture was taken at Lake Junaluska Conference and Retreat Center outside of Ashville, NC where I just spent a week at a conference on Camping and Retreat Ministries. The house behind it is a rental cottage where people can spend time looking out onto Lake Junaluska as they take a Sabbath rest.

While I did manage to avoid the Missouri blizzard of 2011, this trip was not a time of rest. We pretty much had meetings from 7 am to 10 pm. (I'm not asking for sympathy, I'd rather work hard in 40 degree weather than hunker down in -10 degrees. My prayers have been with you all along.)

I'm not very good at Sabbath taking. I find it easier to be productive by studying, writing, and working in the various tasks that make up pastoral ministry. I like to have an answer when someone asks, "What did you do today." However, I am also aware that the most commonly ignored of the Ten Commandments is to "Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy." Holy means "set apart." The Sabbath (day of rest) is to be set apart from the 6 days of work to allow your body to recover, to allow your mind to process the week, and to allow your spirit to rest in the Spirit of the one who created the Sabbath for your own rest. Jesus reminds us in Mark 2:27 that the Sabbath was made to serve our needs.

I have Saturday off and I'm looking forward to some rest. You need a rest, too. Take a break.

Book It

2010-12-09T10:58:00.002-06:00

Every year I teach a Leadership Forum class that is designed to help people who are now, or one day will be, leaders of the church to understand what church leadership is all about and how it is different from leadership in other venues. What happens in a business setting, institution, or non-profit differs from what happens at the church. We can't run the church like a business, though we must understand sound business practices. We can't run the church like a non-profit, though we must understand non-profit management. We must run the church realizing that it isn't ours. The church belongs to Christ and we're simply the care-takers of this ministry. We are called to be bold, ambitious, but also pastoral and caring. We are called to be all things that Christ was in His earthly ministry and to understand that this all belongs to Him.

With that in mind, I've been working this week on book selection for the class. We'll read 8 books in 10 months and gather monthly to learn together. When I started this course one of the books I used was Leadership on the Line. It's written by two Harvard professors, one in the business school and one that teaches psychology. (It's an excellent book on organizational psychology and still worth the read.) However, I've decided that there are enough books on church leadership that a business book just didn't make sense.

Actually, I've come to wonder what it might be like if businesses started asking their managers and manager trainees to start reading books on church leadership? What would happen if businesses began their managers with a course in grace, compassion, and caring. What would it be like if every business leader was asking "what can our organization do to enhance the lives of our customers as well as our employees?" What if the single motivating factor wasn't the bottom line? What if instead of increasing corporate profits the goal was to decrease the level of suffering in the world? I know that there are a few companies that actually operate out of such a mindset, what if there were more?

Busted

2010-12-01T13:00:00.002-06:00

Hurt my back. Saturday I was out running. When I stepped off a curb I felt a catch in my back but it didn't hurt. I finished my run and by Sunday I was hurting. Monday I felt fine so I ran again and by 2 pm Tuesday I had to head home and rest on a heating pad. This morning I headed for the Chiropractor so Dr. Rippee could do his magic.

As I was sitting in room one waiting on the doc I heard him coming out of one of the other rooms with another patient. What I overheard didn't so much surprise me (I've known Bruce for about 4 years) but it did catch me off guard. Bruce was talking about how his faith is an important part of his everyday life. As he was sharing his faith and walking past the door to the room I was in I called out, "Preach it Bruce." He looked in a laughed and introduced me to the patient he was sharing with. She said that her daughter had been wanting to go to church but they didn't know where to go so Bruce invited her to our church. I handed her a card and suggested she check us out online and consider joining us for worship. Bruce shared that he loved our worship because it rocks and is so uplifting.

Bruce had no idea I was coming today. I just showed up at the office unannounced and figured I would wait on an opening to get my back worked on. Essentially, Bruce was busted being faithful. One of the important definitions in life is that integrity is who you are when no one is watching. Maybe a more specific definition would be that faith integrity is who you are when your pastor isn't looking. If I surprised you at work, at home, or at play would I bust you sharing your faith with another? Thanks, Dr. Bruce for your example today.

Decidedly Different

2010-11-27T14:19:00.002-06:00

I was at a funeral yesterday for long time Good Shepherd member Eileen Carpenter. She was 75. Her generation was decidedly different from mine. I saw that at the funeral. I was right on time for the service as Pastor Marsha officiated. Which meant that I was late by that generation's standards. I greeted the family and then moved to the rear of the funeral chapel. One older couple walked in to an already full chapel and moved to a couple of rows in front of me. There were two seats but they were in seperate rows, one in front of the other. The gentleman offered his wife the seat in front of him. As she started to move in, the man seated next to the empty chair saw what was happening and immediately stood up to move to allow the couple to sit together.

Here's what see that makes that generation different. There was no assumption on the part of the couple that they could ask anyone to move for their sake. They accepted the situation and lived with it. The other man didn't ask the question, "You wanna sit here?" He didn't offer the option, he just stood up assuming that a single man doesn't require a married couple to sit apart from one another. By the way, the man who vacated his seat didn't assume that he was welcome in the empty seat behind him either. He waited for the single young woman to invite him to sit down.

I'm just impressed when people assume manners and courtesies without pause or question. This season you will be presented with many opportunities to live out manners and offer courtesies. In the mall parking lot, the church parking lot, the check out line or where you sit in worship. I hope your faith will be lived out in both your places of worship and commerce.

Digital Lunch Time

2010-11-15T12:09:00.002-06:00

Remember back in the day when telemarketers would call at supper time and your parents would get so angry? Things seem to have changed now that we all have cell phones and the hours worked varies so widely. It's lunch time as I write this so it must be time for telemarketers to pick up the phone and dial my cell. I received three such calls in the span of 4 minutes and the experience was vastly different in each of the three.

The first call came from Medco. This is my mail order pharmacy. It really wasn't a pure telemarketing call, but it was a customer service call that I actually found to be oddly pleasant. The call came with a digital voice that said something like this... "Hello, this is Medco, your online pharmacy. Is this John Israel (my first name is John)? Respond with Yes or No." "Yes" "Great, we want to let you know that the prescription your doctor faxed on Friday, November 12 has been processed. We expect that prescription to be mailed today, Monday, November 15. There is nothing more you need to do. Would you like me to repeat this message?" "No" "Alright, thank you for using Medco, your online pharmacy."

The second call came from a security alarm company. "Hello, this is ADT, the experts in home security. This week we're going to have our security experts in your neighborhood and would like to offer you a free security assess...." Click (on my part.)

The third came in... "Hello, is this Daveeed Ishrael?" "Ummmm, yes it is." "Daveed this is Frank (guessing not his given name at birth since most people with this particular accent are normally not named Frank) with American Consumer Counseling." "I'm not interested, Frank." "We hear that from many people who have not yet taken time to consider their debt struggles." "Goodbye Frank." Click (on my part.)

Now, I'm tend to over analyze most things, so here goes. The first call was a recording, yet I found the pro-active customer service to be refreshing. I think that if they called to say, we can't fill that order until we have further information, I would have been OK with that, since they were telling me ahead of my own frustrated call. Nancy uses a local pharmacy who constantly struggles to get her 'scripts correct. I even encourage her to go elsewhere but she perseveres. They have never called her to say, "We can't process this right now, we'll let you know when we've finished following up." They simply put it aside until she calls to find out if it's done or stops in and finds it's not.

The second call was a sales cold call. I used to do this in my former profession. However, I was a real person showing up at a potential customer's office. I wasn't a recorded voice hoping to set an appointment for a salesman to show up and tell me my home could get raided by any person with a crowbar. I have nothing against ADT, there is a church member who works for them and he is a fine man. As a matter of fact, if I wanted an alarm, he'd be the first I would call. But I won't respond to a impersonal recording trying to get my business.

The third call always tickles me. I've apparently gotten my phone number into the data base for all third world telemarketers. These are real people working for insignificant wages trying to feed their families. I feel for people who are trying to make a living this way. I also know that many times they get paid for the number of seconds they can keep someone on the phone. Sometimes I'll let them go through their whole pitch before hanging up, just hoping that might have meant a few extra dynars in their paycheck that week. However, even though this is a person and not a recording, there's still no way I'm buying.

We are in a digital and technical world. These kinds of interruptions are becoming the rule rather than the exception. Oddly, I thought my pharmacy was able to find that balance between the impersonal recording and the personalized message. I thought the ADT call was far too impersonal and the personal voice from Pakistan was digging for information I just wasn't going to share over the phone.

Sometimes in this age we struggle to find the comfort of the personal in the digital way of life. Yesterday, Bishop Schnase preached at Good Shepherd. In a part of his message he said that Jesus invited us to a way of life and not a system of beliefs. That way of life is very personal. It is intended that we know one another and care for each other's hopes and hurts. In the next sermon series we will be inviting you to make Christmas more personal. We hope that the most important gifts you give will be your personal time and care rather than something you've bought. I know that, in the end, the Christmas time spent with family means far more to me than the gift cards we exchange.

Jesus came to make our faith personal. We can start that way of life this Christmas season.

How Mature Are You?

2010-11-13T08:37:00.002-06:00

I just read James 1:15 this morning and it struck me in a curious way. It says "Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death." I talk about faith maturity all the time. Our task as followers of Jesus Christ is to become fully formed members of His Church. In order to do so we work on our Christian maturity. We seek to "grow up" in our faith and mature into what God wants us to be; Christ-like. However this scritpture causes us to see that there is a possibility that we might grow up in other ways as well.

Are you maturing in your sin? "Sin" can be defined as those things that we do and thoughts we pursue that draw us away from God. In life we tend to ignore our sins to the point of allowing that they are simply "bad habits." We allow our desire for the things that seperate us from God to control us to the point that we excuse them. We brush off their harmful effects as they work their way into our lives. They mature as we cast aside any concern saying, "That's just the way I am."

Over time these sins lead to our death. Not a quick and merciful death, but a death that is slow, painful and agonizing. They lead to separation from people we once loved. They lead to lack of satisfaction in life. They ultimately lead to separation from God as we allow ourselves to hate God in our mature sin.

Which maturity are you intentionally choosing; faith or sin?

25 Years

2010-08-10T08:49:00.005-05:00

I must be part Nomad. I've never stayed anywhere or done anything for any length of time. I'm the poster child for ADD in my everyday life and in the whole of my life. In the 25 years since I graduated college I've been a CAE executive and a district executive for the Boy Scouts. I've held the positions of quarry salesman, concrete salesman, and sales manager at LaFarge St. Louis. I sold doors, frames and hardware (1 job) at Henges Associates. I've pastored at 4 churches; Salem in Ladue, The Oak, Macon UMC and now Good Shepherd UMC. In my lifetime I've lived in 10 houses, 4 apartments, 2 dorm rooms, and a fraternity house. I have played the guitar, harmonica and clarinet (with no success.) I've collected rocks and stamps. I've been addicted to countless TV shows (yes, I watched General Hospital during my college years.) I've been to 5 foreign countries.

There really is only one things I've maintained for 25 years. Nancy and I have been married 25 years today. This is my greatest accomplishment and a testimony to her ability to withstand my nomadic ways. Thanks for 25 great years and I look forward to 25 more.

Saturday Mind Dump

2010-07-17T11:01:00.003-05:00

Here are a few thoughts as I conclude the week and look forward to starting a new week in the presence of the Almighty:

377 children experienced God's Word and presence at VBS. Was that great or what? "Aye, Aye, Jesus!" A huge thank you to all who worked over the last 4 months in preparation, the huge number of volunteers who worked during the week, and the many who stayed afterward to take down the decorations and prepare for Sunday worship. And a special thank you to Colene for her dedicated work to help our children take another step closer to God.
Speaking of VBS... who knew that VBS worship was a weight loss program. Check out this video to see how our active praise of God is aerobic.

Two churches will benefit from the hard work that our VBS design team put in over the last four months. They will be picking up many of those Styrofoam pieces so their children can enjoy the visual fun of VBS the way we did. I love it when churches help churches to be successful in their ministry.
My sermon is going to challenge you to consider what things you're called to do, but are allowing someone else to do. What's your "Slacker" quotient?
My phone somehow lost the ability to get voicemail. After over an hour with the Apple technical support we accidentally got it working again. Thanks to Breanna at Apple for her patience and perseverance as she walked me through the fix. If you left me a voicemail in the last couple of days, you might want to call back.

Sneak Peak

2010-07-12T10:15:00.007-05:00

As usual the decorations are looking awesome for our High Seas Adventure VBS. I took a few pics for you to get a sneak peak at what's to come....

You can still register your children, grandchildren, neighbor's children, and anyone else's children. Get here before 6 to avoid the line.

Random Thoughts

2010-07-08T10:38:00.002-05:00

Been Away for a while. Sometimes I find it hard to blog a deep thought. You can decide if that's because I have so few of them or they are too deep for words. However, I've decided that I'm going to try just blogging some of the wonderings and wanderings I have throughout the day. Here are a few that are occupying my mind at the moment.

In the Name of Christ... In John 14 Christ tells us that whatever we ask "in my name" he will do it for us. So often that line has been misinterpreted and misused. Back in the day, to do something "in my name" meant that you were acting on the authority and in the character of the person named. For instance in old movies when a cop would say "Stop in the name of the law" he was saying that by the authority of the laws of the land you were he had the power to command you to stop. This "in my name" is a legal "agency." As an agent of Christ you have his authority to act in the way he acted and say the things he said. So when you ask for something "in his name" it must be consistent with his character. When Janis Joplin sings "Oh Lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz..." she doesn't get it because that wouldn't be consistent with "Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." (Matt 8:20)

Happy Family Day. A friend on facebook posted that today is the celebration of the 8th year that her adopted daughter has been a part of their family. There was a time when families kept adoption secret from the children, but today those things are much more open. (Besides, how does a white, Germanic family hide the adoption from their Chinese daughter?) This got me to thinking that all Christians are adopted as well. How many of us regularly (and publicly) celebrate the adoption we have through our baptism? Or are we just keeping that a secret from others?

100 Plus Years

2010-05-06T14:49:00.003-05:00

Ernie Harwell died a couple of days ago. Many of you have not heard that name, he was a sportscaster for the Detroit Tigers until he retired in 2002. He had that job for 42 years. 42 years! Longevity in a job is not the norm in this day. Harwell certainly sets the bar.

What are the benefits of longevity in a church job? Knowledge of the people, participation in the culture, less supervision and more leadership, a deep sense of caring and contribution to the mission and vision, to name a few.

At Good Shepherd we have a leadership staff of 10. Here's that list:

David Israel, Lead Pastor

Marsha West Eichler, Associate Pastor, Director of Worship and Inviting Ministries

Colene Homa, Director of Children's Ministries, Director of Media, Internal Communications

Diane Cline Dotson, Business Manager

Bryan Rezen, Director of Student Ministries

Maryanne Denning, Director of Adult Ministries

Jeff Derdich, Director of Music

Tiffany Hermsen, Director of Little Lambs Pre-school

Jen Meyer, Director of Parents Day Out

Edie Buchanan, Childcare Director

As I looked around the table at a staff meeting yesterday it occurred to me that we have a staff of dedicated people who have either been employed or been in service to Christ through Good Shepherd for a long time. I added it up and found that we have a collective history at Good Shepherd of 105 years. That's 105 years either on staff or in attendance at Good Shepherd. That's 105 years of seeking the heart of God and serving Him. That's 105 years of successes and failures. That's 105 years of making a difference at the corner of 96th and North Oak.

105 years... and we're a 20 year old church!

I'm proud to serve with such a dedicated group of followers of Jesus Christ who are willing to walk the walk of faith here at Good Shepherd.

Lent Devotion: Worship, Day Six

2010-04-03T10:08:00.001-05:00

Matthew 2 (NIV) ¹³Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. ¹⁴But John tried to deter him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" ¹⁵Jesus replied, "Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness." Then John consented. ¹⁶As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. ¹⁷And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."

Baptism is not a very well understood concept by the average church participant. In many traditions, baptism is a ritual for babies. Many think of baptism as a static moment in time. We say, “I was baptized as an infant” or “I was baptized at First Methodist Church.” Baptism isn’t a moment; it is an entry into a new life.

It is more appropriate to speak in terms of being part of the baptized community than to mark a location or time when the event took place. The baptized community represents those who have decided to follow Jesus Christ. As one who is baptized, you are united with the family of God. You have a new last name – Christian. God calls you to participate in advancing God’s Kingdom. Through your baptism, you are a son or daughter of God.

You are part of the largest and most prestigious 2,000-year-old family in the world. You are a sibling to all who have been baptized into this family throughout history. This means you have millions of brothers and sisters spread throughout the world. You are in the family business with all these relatives. Your job is the ministry God has called you to. Your baptism uniquely equips you to accomplish this job.

Reflect on this the next time we celebrate baptism.

Lent Devotion: Worship, Day Five

2010-04-02T09:31:00.001-05:00

Luke 22 (NIV) ¹⁷After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, "Take this and divide it among you. ¹⁸For I tell you I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes." ¹⁹And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me."

Luke 4 says Jesus could be found in worship on the Sabbath. Coming to worship helps us walk with Christ. The Bible also tells us Jesus read from the scriptures, preached, and participated in holy festivals. (Much as we do at Christmas and Easter.)

There are few practices in our Sunday worship where we do exactly what Jesus commanded. Communion is one of those practices. We usually have Communion the first Sunday of the month and at other times during the year. It also is called The Lord’s Supper or Eucharist. These terms describe a part of worship Jesus asks us to do regularly.

During Communion, we remember the last meal Jesus ate before he was crucified. That meal was actually a part of the Jewish celebration called Passover. Jesus altered the ritual in a way that caused his disciples to sit up and take note.

In the Passover meal, a lamb was slaughtered as a sacrifice to God. Jesus bypasses the reference to the sacrificial lamb and instead focuses attention on the bread and wine. (We use grape juice in our communion so everyone can participate.)

Jesus says, “my body broken for you.” This is sacrificial language. He refers to the wine as his blood saying it is the blood of a new sacrificial covenant between you and God. This meal and the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ create a new contract between you and God. Your sins are forgiven, and you are forever accepted into God’s grace and love.

Lent Devotion: Worship, Day Four

2010-04-01T08:39:00.000-05:00

Micah 6 (The Message) ⁸But he's already made it plain how to live, what to do, what God is looking for in men and women. It's quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor, be compassionate and loyal in your love, And don't take yourself too seriously— take God seriously.

The book of Micah is about the difference between the worship we think we are offering God and the worship God really desires. At one point, the prophet Micah tells the priests (who are in charge of worship) that God hates their offerings and sacrifices. This must confuse them. They are simply doing what the Bible tells them to – sacrifice a lamb on this day, a bull on that day, burn incense at appropriate times and offer certain prayers. If they’re following the prescription for worship, what is wrong?

It seems worship had become all about what they did on the worship day with no relationship to what took place the remainder of the week. They established strict rules making it difficult to worship. If you didn’t have money to buy the lamb that was required, you couldn’t participate. If you lived in a certain region or had a certain job, you couldn’t worship.

What happened during the week wasn’t all that important if you were part of the in-crowd. You could loan money at a ridiculous rate or pay your workers substandard wages and it didn’t matter. If you could pay the price and follow the rules you were accepted.

Micah says God cares for the poor and oppressed. God doesn’t respect our worship on Sunday if it has no impact on what we do the rest of the week. God cares that we act in a just and righteous manner – not only with a sympathetic attitude but also in a way that actively brings relief to people in need. Real worship moves our hearts to make a difference to others.

Lent Devotion: Worship, Day Three

2010-03-31T10:12:00.000-05:00

Joshua 24 (NIV) ¹⁵ But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD."

We often walk away from worship with the question, “What did I get out of it?” That’s a good question to consider. We need to examine if we are giving the attention necessary to move forward in faith and whether the church is providing us what we need for the journey. If worship doesn’t stir our souls and feed our spiritual needs, we won’t get far.

Worship, however, is not really about us. Worship is like a play. When we go to the theatre we are the audience. The job of the actors is to play for us. If they do their job, we will come away feeling entertained and possibly even inspired. The same is true in worship, but we are not the audience. The central focus of worship is God. We are the actors. God is the audience.

Worship is as much about attitude as activity. We can show up, stand up, sit down, shake hands, sign-in, make an offering, smile as we leave, and count ourselves successful. We’ve accomplished the activities of worship, but the attitude of our hearts is what God sees. God is the audience of one who notices whether or not you are actually engaged in celebrating God’s presence in the theatre.

Pay attention to how you think and feel. As you sing, let the words become your conversation with God. As you listen to the message, open your heart to what God is saying through the words. As you watch the images look for the way God is revealed. As you greet the person next to you, recognize the presence of God in that individual.

Lent Devotion: Worship, Day Two

2010-03-30T13:43:00.000-05:00

Colossians 3 (NIV) ¹⁶Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. ¹⁷And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Worship at Good Shepherd is constantly evolving yet ever connecting to the worship of the first Christ followers. Our goal is to help you take another step in your faith journey. Your journey has an ancient, present and future context. We want to connect you to all three.

The ancient aspect involves the traditions of singing together, praying as a group, reading scripture, and celebrating the sacraments of communion and baptism. When it makes sense, we use the ancient creeds and prayers many of us memorized as children. In this way, worship connects us to the historical faith our ancestors celebrated.

Worship also must be in the moment. The present context of worship is important. If the music is antiquated and the style seems out of date, it won’t connect people to God. The music at Good Shepherd is often edgy and reflects what you might find on the radio. The total worship experience – music, message, visuals, and hospitality – is designed to be relevant and to help you understand how your faith can be lived out today.

Finally, worship must be future-oriented. Worship equips us for the days ahead. Worship at Good Shepherd is both prophetic and eternally focused. Prophetic worship calls us to consider how we will seek to be faithful to God in the future. Eternally focused worship reminds us we’re answering questions about eternal life.

This coming Sunday, pay attention to the different aspects of worship. How do they move you toward God?

Lent Devotion: Worship, Day One

2010-03-30T13:39:00.000-05:00

Psalm 100 (NIV) ¹ Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. ² Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. ³ Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. ⁴ Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. ⁵ For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.

In the midst of church history, someone got the idea worship should have many attributes that most today find boring. Worship should be proper. Worship should be stoic. Worship should be quiet and reflective. There is a place in the worship of God for each of these attributes; however, that’s not the way worship was in the past.

Psalm 100 dates to the earliest times of organized worship in Israel; 3,000 years ago worship was a raucous occasion. Even as recently as the 1800s, the earliest Methodists (Good Shepherd’s denomination) were considered to be rowdy worshipers. There is more evidence for the validity of worship as a joyful celebration than the restrained boredom experienced in much worship today.

Gathering for worship is an act of worship in itself. Just showing up is the beginning, but if that’s all we do we’re missing the opportunity for a spiritual journey with God. Think of worship like a concert with your favorite musician or a ballgame with your favorite team. You cheer or chant with the crowd. You sing along with the music. You may raise a lighter (or cell phone) to show your support and appreciation for what they are doing. None of this is out of bounds in worship, if we make it clear that God is at the center of our worship.

Lent Devotion: Fasting, Day Five

2010-03-26T09:54:00.002-05:00

Matthew 4 (NIV) ¹Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. ²After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. ³The tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread." ⁴Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'

Jesus spent 40 days in the wilderness without food or water. This would be fatal to most of us and should not be attempted. Just a few days without water is dangerous and should never be included in a fast. The strict fast – going without food for a period of time – is not for the faint of heart or the weak of spirit; however, it is one of the best ways to allow God to speak to your heart.

There are things in our lives that control us. While it may seem subtle, we are controlled by our car loan, home mortgage, and electric bill. Since we’ve decided to make these things a part of our lives, we must spend time earning an income to ensure we have them. In a sense, they have us more than we have them. These are things we could do without if push came to shove, but very few people in our society make that choice.

Food is a necessity. We can’t do without it. The fact we often give it little reflection indicates it may own us more than we own it. As you fast, whenever the hunger pangs come, spend time in fellowship with God. God will be present in your efforts. Mealtime becomes God time and an opportunity for you to seek God’s heart. Start by missing one meal per week, and then maybe two. In time, you will experience God inviting you to miss a full day with more joy than pain.

Lent Devotion: Fasting, Day Four

2010-03-25T10:54:00.000-05:00

Begin with a fast you can handle. Select something that isn’t terribly difficult to give up, and do without it until noon on Sunday. That’s pretty lengthy if you think about it. This would not be a good time to begin a strict food fast. Three days is a long time without food if you haven’t practiced the art of fasting. If you’re on certain medications, you want to be extremely cautious about food fasts anyway. Consider the noise or amusement fasts to begin.

Pick something to fast for the next 72 hours. I suggest you do without television for that time. The goal is to gain margin, not fill the time with something else. Take time to jot down the most common hours you would be occupied, or distracted, by having the television on:

Thursday –

Friday –

Saturday –

Sunday –

If your show is on during that time, set the DVR and watch it on Sunday. You’ll enjoy it even more.

Find a way during the undistracted time you create to concentrate more on your relationship with God. That may mean you crack open your Bible. If you have the discipline to pray for 30 minutes or an hour, you may want to do that.

You could sit or walk in a quiet place – especially outside. Watch the time pass, and focus on the thoughts that enter your mind. Another possibility is to spend time with your family. Play a game, or sit by a fire. God will bless whatever margin you create.

Lent Devotion: Fasting, Day Three

2010-03-24T09:52:00.001-05:00

If fasting is giving up something for a period of time, what should you give up? Food is the obvious first answer. It’s not the only answer. The object of your fast is to deepen your relationship with God. As I noted Monday, fasting is about gaining margin in your life so God can step in and write a note on your heart. What are the things that vie for your time and attention? These are the things that shrink your margin and make it difficult to let God in.

Consider limiting the amount of noise you allow for a period of time. Is the television constantly on in your home? Are you an MP3 fanatic who is never without music? These are things that distract your attention. A recent article challenged the notion that people today are better able to multi-task. It said that there really is no such thing. The brain can only focus on one thing at a time. Fast from TV, radio, or MP3.

Amusements are another potential fast. Some might call them time wasters, but I reject that notion. If you are one who enjoys video games, digital social networking, or even old fashioned reading, you may want to fast from those amusements for a period of time.

Other fasts might include getting away to a wilderness campsite or hotel room to be alone. You may want to fast a particular food for a period of time. Some couples decide to withhold intimacy from each other for a time and agree to pray together during that time instead. What is the one thing that dominates your time and attention that you could consider fasting?

Lent Devotion: Fasting, Day Two

2010-03-23T09:03:00.001-05:00

A fast is a period of time when you go without something that is normally a part of your life. When you think of fasting you probably conjure up the image of one who is trying to lose weight. You think of the misery that going without food for a length of time produces. Perhaps you’ve had to fast for a surgical procedure. Maybe it was for a blood draw and you could barely wait until you could go through the McDonald’s drive through to get that cholesterol laden breakfast burrito.

Fasting doesn’t rank at the top of most of our agendas, but we do fast. We just happen to sleep through most of it. The term breakfast literally means breaking the fast. For most, that time lasts about 12 hours (depending on late night snacks and the amount of sleep you get). Perhaps that’s why you enjoy that first cup of coffee or tea. Maybe that bowl of cereal, piece of fruit, or breakfast bar really hits the spot. Breaking the fast can be a very enjoyable moment.

Most people think of fasting in terms of what we give up. When that is the perception, your attitude will be skewed. The point of a religious fast is to allow yourself time to focus on something different, like prayer, but often the act of avoiding something tends to make it more current in your mind. As you begin thinking about fasting, consider distractions to be your friend.

Let’s say you decide to do a traditional fast. The most common would be to go without food for a 24-hour time period. (Caution, if you have medical issues that would be adversely affected by this practice, consult your doctor first.) Shortly into the fast, you will find yourself obsessed with your next meal. Pray about that. Say, Lord I’m looking forward to having that wonderful plate of scrambled eggs and toast. Thanks for the way you provide so much in my life.

Lent Devotion: Fasting, Day One

2010-03-22T11:56:00.000-05:00

I'm a child of America, the most consumer-minded country in the world. I'm a child of the 70's, a.k.a. the me decade. The notion of the spiritual practice of fasting just doesn't show up on my radar very often. So I've been praying, and I've been reading the works of others to seek clarity.

One of the things I do when I read is write in the margins of the book to make sure I can quickly access the important points. Sometimes I just put a check mark. Sometimes I repeat what the author wrote. Sometimes I argue with the author by writing my own thoughts. The point, though, is the margin. The greater the margin the more opportunity I have to be in conversation with the author.

Fasting is about the margin. The author of my life is God, but God allows me to determine how much margin I provide in the book of my life. Fasting isn't about giving something up. That's the notion many of us have. If you grew up in the traditional church you may have thought about it in terms of what you were going to give up during the season of Lent. Others think about fasting in the medical field when we go without eating or drinking prior to a procedure, test or surgery.

I'm choosing to think about fasting as what I gain rather than what I give up. When I fast, I am creating space to be in conversation with God.

How wide is your margin? Maybe just as important is the question, how often do you provide margin? Is your life, your diet, your day so busy and full that there is no margin for the author of your life to annotate it with His own commentary? Are you giving up or are you creating space.

Lent Devotion: Spiritual Practices with Others, Day Six

2010-03-20T06:52:00.000-05:00

John 14 (NIV) ⁹Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? ¹⁰Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. ¹¹Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me.

In week two, I mentioned the image of the Christ follower as a window. The point of the window is to reveal the light and scenery that is beyond. The window is not the focal point. When you begin your faith life you are a window with flaws. Don’t get down on yourself for your flaws, simply allow God to perfect them.

Some flaws in glass warp and distort the view. You may have ideas that are warped by outside ideologies and cultural misperceptions. As you grow in faith and trust in God, you find these distortions are cleared up and it is easier for people to see the true God through you.

Some flaws are sins and habits you tend to return to. Think of these as dirt and smudges on the glass. You need a little bit of cleaning up. That will take a bit of discipline on your part and the help of a forgiving and redeeming God.

As you practice your faith, your ultimate purpose is to become like Christ and to encourage others to do the same. Jesus is asked, “show us the Father [God].” His response is simply, if you want to see God look at me and all the things I’ve done.

Consider how you can be a window to God today.

Lent Devotion: Spiritual Practices with Others, Day Five

2010-03-19T09:08:00.000-05:00

1 Kings 19 (The Message) ¹⁹ Elijah went straight out and found Elisha son of Shaphat in a field where there were twelve pairs of yoked oxen at work plowing; Elisha was in charge of the twelfth pair. Elijah went up to him and threw his cloak over him. ²⁰ Elisha deserted the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said, "Please! Let me kiss my father and mother good-bye—then I'll follow you." "Go ahead," said Elijah, "but, mind you, don't forget what I've just done to you."

Elijah was near the end of his ministry for God. He had lived a long and illustrious life and had been faithful in some pretty dire circumstances. He was at a point in his career where he was ready (and even commanded by God) to mentor someone. Elisha became that person. The notion of mentoring is not only the buzzword of this century, it has a long history.

God had to instruct Elijah to mentor Elisha. Elisha apparently took the idea lightly until Elijah said, “don’t forget what I’ve just done to you.” What Elijah had done was offer an invitation into a deeper spiritual commitment. He didn’t want his soon to be understudy to miss the depth of that invitation.

Today, business schools and books explore the subject of mentoring. The concept of apprenticeship is making a comeback. Experienced people in all fields are recognizing their best legacy may be helping someone else become an expert. In the area of faith, the need is the same or greater.

If you look at your faith life, and in all humility can say you are at a place where you have something to pass along, consider being a mentor.

If you need a mentor, seek those you consider to be farther along in their faith life. I am sure you’ll find they are open to walking the faith journey with you.

Lent Devotion: Spiritual Practices with Others, Day Four

2010-03-18T08:56:00.000-05:00

Matthew 5 (The Message) ^38-42"Here's another old saying that deserves a second look: 'Eye for eye, tooth for tooth.' Is that going to get us anywhere? Here's what I propose: 'Don't hit back at all.' If someone strikes you, stand there and take it. If someone drags you into court and sues for the shirt off your back, gift-wrap your best coat and make a present of it. And if someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff. Live generously.

In every relationship we have there is a give and take. The first question we should ask when meeting someone new is, “How is God speaking to me through this friend?” Seeing each person who comes into our lives as a messenger from God brings our relationship into a powerful light.

Clearly there are times when God speaks through the words and actions of a friend in a way that directly improves our lives. A friend who is generous and giving teaches us the same.

There also are those whom God places in our lives who are needy. They need help, money, physical care, some other assistance. They may be spiritually lost or bankrupt. These persons come into our lives giving us the chance to learn patience, compassion, generosity, kindness and faithfulness.

No friend is perfect, nor will you ever be the perfect friend. If you view your friends as those who are sent by God to improve and perfect you, you’ll begin to see what it’s like for Christ to be in relationship with you. Today, think about those people God has placed in your life. List them and make a note about what each has taught you.

Lent Devotion: Spiritual Practices with Others, Day Three

2010-03-17T09:18:00.000-05:00

Matthew 4 (NIV) ¹⁸As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. ¹⁹"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." ²⁰At once they left their nets and followed him.

Since the time Christ walked the earth, we have searched for a concise understanding of what it means to be a true follower. The Apostle’s Creed lists specific beliefs about God the Father, Jesus Christ His Son, and the Holy Spirit. Teachings called catechisms have been developed to outline what it means to be a Christ follower. Some of them are quite long and take more than a year to fully study.

Beliefs are important, but being in a right relationship with Christ is simply, being in a relationship. It’s not what you do, or say, or know, or believe. It’s a relationship with God that is made possible through Jesus Christ. Jesus issues the same invitation to us as he did the first disciples, Simon and Andrew. He invites us into a friendship, mentorship, and leadership relationship. It is alive and organic. It is not scripted with rules and regulations. It isn’t based in being, doing, believing, or behaving rightly. It is a relationship much like all your other relationships; however, it supersedes and defines those other relationships.

Moving from the congregation to the committed means going from knowing the people around you to entering a Christ-like relationship with them. Consider how you can begin to develop relationships with people you know that will allow you to do life together.