Around The Block A Time Or Two

What is that saying about getting on the old side. I suppose some people have been around the block a couple of times, but I hope they have been more places than that. I have only been a very limited world traveller, with only a handful of countries other than this one on my list. I even spent most of my life in one state, but I been to 43 of them. That makes for some mighty long blocks. Some of those trips were real adventures, maybe not by my son's standards but for me and my wife they were real adventures. I know I scared her to death often enough on our travel paths. I am arriving at getting on the older side, but I've been doing that since day one. I keep living life, and I keep trying to fill it up. Twenty Four hour days one after another all full of something, and hoping most of them have something in them that makes them worthwhile. Some days alike, some different, all interesting and off I go to fill up the next. Who will I be with today and will it matter in some way. God only knows, but I'll be kind to those along my path and offer what I can as I go, and serve the Lord I love, and leave the rest to him. Next up, it's just around the block.

Living Life

I can focus on what I had in the past, but that will not make the parts I loved come back or the parts I hated disappear. I can live in the future, but I've found my desires never satisfy the way I thought they would and fantasy disappoints because it is usually unattainable. Today is real and I can make of it whatever I choose. I'm not saying I can make myself a millionaire today if that is my desire, nor could I change my job today or make myself healthy if I have a disease. I can however decide my attitude about life. I'm not an optimist by nature but I am kind of optimistic by faith. I may not really be able to call it optimism though because in my experience even in the most challenging circumstances God has given me a deep peace. Perhaps I have ceased to react with anxiety because Jesus has proved so trustworthy in past events. It is not that everything turns out the way I would choose, but rather that I am so sure of the ultimate outcome that the temporal outcome seems inconsequential.
That is what I call living life. It is a freedom that in my experience is not natural, but supernatural. I know people who would call it a delusion, but they don't live in my skin and have not had my experiences. I'm not some irrational person who turns off his brain, and yet often it feels like people are judging me in such a fashion. I think I have always showed respect for people who approach life as a response to their experiences, but we who have had deeply spiritual experiences are disregarded. I'll keep living life and I'll keep trusting in the greatest source of freedom and peace and love for others I've been able to find. Yes, I'll just keep Living Life.

Festivals

Soon in church we will again see the C & E people. The church will be packed and the music and service traditional in so many respects. The themes are so well know and the music so well established that it is easy to predict what we will sing on those festival occasions. I think those C& E people really think it is just the same old church without any changes. My church is different at 11 for sure 9 often during the rest of the year, but even the contemporary service comes closer to traditional on Christmas & Easter. It is no secret that the church can get stuck in the past in the way it gathers for worship. Resistance to change is inherent in the institutional church.

It is too bad that God is being graded for the performance by people who don't get the truth of the message. I may be boring at times when I lead worship, maybe even all the time to some, but I pray God will forgive me if I keep people from the experience of His love for them and the great benefit that is found in personally knowing Him. It is not about festivals or church services. It is about a God who is bigger than anything we can imagine. I heard yesterday that Tiger Woods has passed the 2 million mark in twitter followers, and I'm sure he doesn't have the biggest following on Twitter. That is miniscule in comparison to the Jesus account.  Over 35% of the world's population has a regular conversation with Jesus, those numbers stagger even the wildest high tech imagination.

I love that old saying, "Doing the same thing or and over again while expecting a different result is a perfect definition of insanity." Sometimes I think the church needs some anti-paranoia medication to overcome the huge fear of change.

Lemons

I think you've all heard the saying, "If life gives you lemons, make lemonade." Interesting that God makes  lemons and people make lemonade. Frankly as a something to ingest I'm not that fond of either one. A little lemon juice for my Caesar Salad Dressing or to put on fish, but that's about it, so the metaphor leaves something to desire for me.

I have had a lemon like week at least in part. Earlier this week, I heard a friend was perhaps facing some very serious health issues. Others I talked to had serious family issues. My van had the transmission suddenly cease to work at all. Tomorrow is three years since Marsha's death. If the metaphor really seeks to say that you can make something good out of something bad, I don't think I find that exactly.  I have been surprised at the calm I have experienced amidst all those situations. Perhaps it is only aging that helps me realize that this too shall pass has been a reality so often that jumping to anxiety is foolishness. Perhaps it is faith and a deep assurance that God will take care of my needs. I've seen enough things that don't turn out the way I want to convince me that aging alone can't explain my calm peace.

I do see this week along with many others as the evidence that faith matters. Sometimes I see miracles and God's hand clearly involved and changing circumstances against all explanations. Sometimes I see opportunities open up from the middle of difficulties. Whatever to result God is with me and God is in charge. Keep the lemonade, I know a better way to do away with bitterness.

Pleasant Provision

I have walked on the beach quite a few times this winter. Golf is exercise, but it is riding in a cart and works the legs, arms and shoulders, but not the heart. My beach walks are the place for getting the heart pumping and enjoying the ocean. Today was the first of the year for sun bathing as well. I love my gravity chair and my ipod. I think I embarrass myself a little as I sing quietly with my earphones in and my Christian music blaring in my ears. Reclining in the warmth of the sun is just so soothing. I come home from the beach and I can still feel the warmth. From now on the beach will continue to increase it's pleasure for me. Soaking up the sun, walking the beach, floating in the ocean will just add to the magnetic effect of the beach. The gate to the south end of the park has been gated closed all winter, but was open today, so I went to the place where I released Marsha's ashes. I leaned back in my reclining beach chair hit play on my ipod and the song was Amy Grant singing "I'll Remember You". God must have known where my heart was, I don't think I've heard that song in a year.

I think that sums up the way Jesus wraps me in his warmth as I relax in the sun's warmth. The physical becomes an opening for the spiritual again and again.

Almost Three Years

At one and the same time it seems impossible that it has been three years without Marsha. Impossible because I still feel her influence on my life every day and yet impossible because my grieving for the most part is over. I don't often reflect on the ways she still influences my life, but when I do such reflection I see her presence all around me. I go shopping and the pro shopper is advising me in my head. I cook and my mind sees her hands doing all those same recipes over and over through our life. I read scripture and I remember discussions we had about those very words. Although we often had the same viewpoint, often I heard her wisdom in framing a passage. I've given up watching Law & Order, but I still pick programs I know she would love as well.

When I meet people I still have this need to introduce them to Marsha. She may not be there, but they can't know me without knowing Marsha it seems. I don't know how other people who are single after being married for so long feel about life, but 46 years of marriage can't just be left behind in my life. I'm thankful for so much, but almost nothing compares to the gift of life with Marsha. I say almost because the giver of our very lives will always stand in first place for me and Marsha my love.

The Natural Rhythm

Something about a beach makes me feel like everything is in order. I am generally a person who is at peace with my life. I have an assurance of God's presence that is routinely powerful, and after saying all that the beach has something special to offer. I know many of you who read this realize that I love to float in the ocean. It is the best of the best relaxation activities for me. Even leaning back in my gravity beach chair and closing my eyes however I can feel the pulsing rhythmic movement of the waves. It is as if my breathing and maybe even my heart begin to fit in with the wave pattern in some way.

I have had other experiences of a similar nature when rocking in a hammock in and among the trees. A gentle breeze can cause the trees to sway and again the rhythm can seem to synchronize with the rhythm of life. Such moments soothe and comfort and bring us to some resting place that for me at least centers me in God.

It is such a resting place I seek when I settle in prayer and meditation. It is a little different because I am creating a rhythm of breath that mimics those natural motion I mentioned earlier. I have been on a number of silent retreats where significant amount of time are set aside for meditation. I would be surprised when so many participants would choose to skip those opportunities. I can remember returning home on more than one occasion to tell my wife Marsha that if I was more peaceful I would comatose.

I do think God meets us in those moments of natural rhythm. We avoid sabbath rest in our bust society. I think God knows we need to find a time and p[lace to find our natural rhythm again. I think God created it just for us.

Far, Let's Go Far

In a video at the diocesan convention last Saturday, I was reminded of a saying I had heard before, but which has stayed with me in a new way the last few days. The saying was in a video from Uganda and the saying was, "If you want to go fast go alone, but if you want to go far go together." As I reflect on my life I realize I have rarely gone alone and I have gone far. I think some others have gone far with me as well. An exciting life I think is always shared. I have been alone for some amazing sights and experiences, but they are most exciting when someone is there to share them. I find in my nature and perhaps human nature that we want to go far and we really want to go together. Events in my life made me choose to go alone. Trust in certain situations became difficult and keeping myself safe became more important than that need to go together. Jesus made me able to trust again and go far with not just the company of others, but the mutual help of many others.

We all carry scars from life that can reduce the quality of our lives, but we are not meant to go alone even if life can be fast and furious.  I have invested a lot of my life serving Jesus and helping Him create safe communities, places of healing. Life continues to provide people to share my journey, some have been beside me a long time, while other sGod has provided very recently. Some have been with me for serious life events and others only connected to recreation or fellowship.  We deserve to go far, but that means not alone. So Let's go far, Let's go together.

Routine

I've been on vacation from my blog for quite some time. It was not for any reason in particular other than the process was no longer feeding me. I know that sounds bad, that I only wrote the blog to feed me or better to meet my own needs. I want others to find my blog useful, but the words come from God's action in my life. I haven't been in a barren land with my Lord, but the manna has not been in the writing arena.
I have spent some of the time exploring the possibility of another relationship in my life, and have decided that is not be, at least for now. I love the life I have, even if it seems very routine. Golf, church, family and friends fill my life but it is a pretty routine existence. You know even when Marsha was alive and I was working for a living at a vocation I completely loved, life was pretty routine. I look at other peoples lives and read the status updates they write on facebook and they seem pretty routine too. Life for most people I think is pretty routine, maybe with some variation, but mostly routine. Perhaps it is judgmental to think that those whose life is not routine are avoiding reality in some way, and I guess I can't project my reality on everyone, but I bet it is more common than we could imagine. We continue on an established path putting one foot in front of the other without discerning what God might want.  I have found that God's blessing is available and powerful when I am living in the will of God for me. I just find those times are not constant. I weave in and out of God's will back into my routine, back into my comfort zone, back into the predictable path. Help me Lord to stay with you, you know my blessed life is only found there.

Just A Question?

2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his call, and may fulfil every good resolve and work of faith by his power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.


I often question if I have fulfilled God's call with every good resolve and work of faith by his power. Can any of us really sit comfortably with that question? I hope not. I look at a world that seems to be moving away from God's plan and purpose. I don't mean his ultimate plan and purpose because that can never be thwarted by mere human choice. No I speak of his temporal plan and purpose for me today; that place where I act according to the free will he has given me. I keep looking at the impact on the world of those early believers who truly responded to the Holy Spirit which has been given. We have so many more people who claim belief and yet we appear to lack the ability to effect the world through that same power of the Holy Spirit which has been given to us as well.


Maybe my question is wrong. Maybe the question is not what I do, but rather what I'm willing to let the Holy Spirit within me do. What the Holy Spirit does and only that will glorify Jesus. 

A Good Heresy?

1Thessalonians 4:7-8 For God has not called us for uncleanness, but in holiness. Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.

Who reigns in our lives? Do I reign or does God reign? Has anything changed because you have the Holy Spirit which the Lord has given you? One of the recurring heresies is Antinomianism. One of the main problems with this heresy is they did not keep from sinning. They lived wild and sinful lives thinking that all their sins were covered by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus was the magic ticket to heaven and all the earthly desires they could find. If the Holy Spirit does not rule and reign in our lives, if we do not give over our free will to the Holy Spirit that Jesus gave us, then this is the heresy for us. Universalism leans in this direction as well. I can let my own will battle with the Holy Spirit and God’s unbreakable rule will not allow the Holy Spirit to overcome our free will. So who rules and reigns in your life? Do you have that sin is inevitable attitude that denies the power of the Holy Spirit or even think that it doesn’t much matter because we are forgiven anyway?  Some heresies still persist.

Witness & Encouragement

1Thessalonians 3:6-8 But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us the good news of your faith and love and reported that you always remember us kindly and long to see us, as we long to see you— for this reason, brethren, in all our distress and affliction we have been comforted about you through your faith; for now we live, if you stand fast in the Lord.

One of our lots as priests is to leave communities of faith to which we have become attached and in the same way the many wonderful people that fill those communities. In this modern world I realize that this is not just the reality of the clergy. I quite frequently hear of troubles or difficulties in the lives of former parishioners, and I pray for them even when I may not have complete information. I can so identify with Paul when Timothy returns with news that reassures him about the community in Thessalonica. I do get more information sooner than Paul because with some of those people and communities, but we also have Facebook and other instant communication. I hate to hear about trouble in peoples lives, but I love to hear how they meet them with faith. We encourage one another so much when we live out our faith in trying times and let others walk with us in faith through the journey. I thank God for all you saints who share your lives as you follow Christ through the ups and down, the highs and lows and still display your witness to our Lord.  

Boasting About You

1Thessalonians 2:19-20 For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you? For you are our glory and joy.

Now Paul seems to switch gears and to draw the attention to himself. This at first glance seems out of line with the rest of his teaching. What could he mean? If we look at Paul’s life through the lens of his relationship with these communities what do we see? How do they measure up against the teaching of Jesus? For example, if I paraphrase, Jesus said we would recognize Him, Jesus, if we loved one another. He said those who want to be first of all must be last of all and servant of all. I think Paul does recognize that all he has suffered and all he has sacrificed so others would know the love of Christ shows him to be servant of all. At Jesus coming either at the end of my life or the end of the age, I might have a crown and joy if he sees not me but those I have served. You, meaning some of the people around me through my life, will be my testimony before my Lord. 

Did He Say That?

1Thessalonians 2: 13 And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.

Imagine having the confidence in your faith to write what St. Paul wrote here. In essence he was saying that the word thy heard from him had been accepted as the word of God, which he says it really is. Wow!!! I mean when people compliment my sermon I often say God is good, to acknowledge that God was the source, but I would be troubled to say that my words were really the word of God. Perhaps I am meant to have such confidence and boldness as I respond to the Holy Spirit, but it feels both over the top and exaggerated. What does God desire of a spirit filled Christian? Are we doing a disservice to God with our humility? Does this false humility keep us quiet in noisy circumstance? Perhaps boldness in some circumstances is more desirable than humility. The world would hear more with boldness than humility, the revelation of the gospel would perhaps be heard far more often with boldness than humility. What do you think God most desires of us?

Encouraging Godly Lives

1Thessalonians 2:10-12  You are witnesses, and God also, how holy and righteous and blameless was our behavior to you believers; for you know how, like a father with his children, we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to lead a life worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.

I was talking a lot this past week with someone who did not know the places and communities where I both found God and served God. In order to share my history, I had to remember and in some ways relive my history. I remembered all the people who had lived in my home with Marsha and I and our family. I remembered the roles God gave me in the church and other faith communities as I hope I exhorted and encouraged people to live a Christian life worthy of God. It is amazing what a walk down memory lane can do for you in putting your life in perspective. The time with the person who heard about my life for the first time was special for them, for us and for me. God was pressing in on us as I shared my history and listened to theirs. We could see God’s hand woven onto our lives and treasure the ways God had been abundantly present to each of us. Those moments are so powerful when we see the hand of God in the midst of us. Those moments really are the best times of exhortation and encouragement. I can remember a number of times when I was asked in one setting or another to create the time line of my life with key events and activities. I was always amazed at what I saw or found out when I looked at my history. As a Christian I could never ignore the presence of God right smack dab in the middle of my life. It is impressive when I see that I indeed have exhorted others and encouraged others in their faith journey, but even more spectacular when I see that they were exhorting and encouraging me at the very same time. We all have those revelations of the risen Lord through the Godly relationships that constitute our lives as the body of Christ.

Challenges Not Just For Preachers

1Thessalonians 1:5-7 For we never used either words of flattery, as you know, or a cloak for greed, as God is witness; nor did we seek glory from men, whether from you or from others, though we might have made demands as apostles of Christ. But we were gentle among you, like a nurse taking care of her children.

I wonder how many televangelist read this verse. It often feels like they use words to impress and words to cloak their greed. As a preacher it seems funny to say that I never cared to be noticed. I did often receive affirmation of my preaching, but I knew where the wisdom came from and was almost embarrassed that people praised me. I have known others who are filled with pride over the creation of their message, and I’m not sure what God thinks of that. I had some of my papers that were placed in the seminary library as examples of how to do the assignments and I was proud. I knew I was the author and the work was from my intellect and accomplishment. However I did not see them as godly even as they dealt with biblical material. It gets very confusing when you are paid to be a priest and you preach on Sundays while seeking very hard to avoid the traps found in this passage. I definitely want to be gentle among you, not demanding or boastful or greedy. They call us father some times in our church and perhaps then I am charged with care of God’s children like a nurse or caregiver. Wow how the word can make you think and find yourself in the struggle for the right path. I pray we walk gently with God listening for His voice and following His direction as we care for those He has placed around us.

Persecuted

1Thessalonians 2:1-2 For you yourselves know, brethren, that our visit to you was not in vain; but though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we had courage in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the face of great opposition.

I must admit I have faced opposition. I guess in some minimal way, although some people have told me that some of it was extreme, I too have been shamefully treated. I hope I have had the courage to continue to proclaim the gospel no matter what, but I don’t think you can point to me like I point to St. Paul. Some times I just feel like such a wimp when it comes to my life in service to Jesus. My sacrifices and risks seem so big and hard to me, but in comparison to those in the bible and in the early church  they are insignificant. At times I just have to stop and give myself a reality slap. I live in my world in my time with my set of issues and problems I can’t live in St Paul’s times and circumstances. My task is to obey Christ in my life with the opportunities and possibilities in front of me, and with the gifts and talents the Holy Spirit has equipped me to use in God’s service. I have been reconciled to God by Jesus Christ and to me has been given the ministry of reconciliation, so I ask myself how am I doing in the realm in which I live? That’s all I have. The most danger I have is all those gladiators throwing golf clubs around the course, but I can still love others as Christ loves me. Am I doing it in my time and place? That’s what matters.

The E Word

1Thessalonians 1:6-8 And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with joy inspired by the Holy Spirit; so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything.

We call it evangelism and people turn us off so fast the screen is dark before we blink our eyes. I started using Alpha way back at All Saints Whitman in about 1995. Ask Jack Foster he would know for sure, I don’t keep those things in my head but Jack would for sure. In the Alpha talks, Nicky Gumbel  talks about good news traveling fast. He tells of the day his first son was born. He was given a roll of coins with the instructions to call the people on his list with the news of the birth after it had happened. He first called Pippa’s (his wife’s) mother and told her the good news. He then tried to call the rest but each other person on the list had already heard the news before he called, because apparently Pippa’s mother and the rest in the chain were faster to spread the good news than he was in completing the list. He related he did not have to place an onerous responsibility on those people to share the news, rather you could not have stopped or slowed down the pace of their communication. These early believers were similarly enthused about sharing the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Oh but that we could only be infected with such enthusiasm. Evangelism would cease to be such a disastrous word.

Communities

I waas away in a place with no wireless connection for over a week. I kept doing my blog but couldn't post them so now I am a week ahead, but I will still post them one at a time.

1Thessalonians 1:2-5 We give thanks to God always for you all, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. For we know, brethren beloved by God, that he has chosen you; for our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction.

Paul was so sure in his writings to the Thessalonians about the nature of this community and so also of the individuals that were in it. I have been blessed to have been a leader in a number of communities about which I could write with the same kind of surety. I could write to the community at Camp Dennen that the Lord says, I have seen your great faith and the many ways you live out the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. I pray constantly that God will continue the powerful work he has done in you until the final day of his coming. I could write to the church gathered at Park Avenue that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ commends the work of the Holy Spirit in your midst that has raised up leader upon leader to continue the work Jesus has left for those who love him. What an honor and a privilege it has been to be sent by Christ to be a leader among such men and women, because each of you taught me and showed me the path of servanthood that God had planned for me. I only hope that I would never write these things out of any sense that I had done anything to be proud of, but rather that I could in some moments revel in the knowledge that God used this frail vessel to be part of His glorious work. I could watch His Holy Spirit move as He transformed lives before my very eyes. Some see Paul as prideful or sometimes even judgmental as he wrote words like these, but I think, if he was anything like me, that he just admired what God had done and what he was sure God would do among these faithful leaders of the early church. I know I am grateful for those who have shared and those who continue to share the journey with me.

Is Anyone Really Included?

Colossians 4:5-6  Conduct yourselves wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer every one.


In a supposedly inclusive society it is probably politically incorrect to say act wisely toward outsiders. Who do we think we are to say that someone is an outsider, outside of what? You see if you take the modern view than it must be assumed that no difference exists between one set of belief and another. All beliefs are just fine, whatever floats your boat or fills your sails will be just great. Therefor this outsider mentality is viewed as judgmental and wrong, but what if it does make a difference what you believe? What if all beliefs are not equal or not ok?


Clearly some children think it is good to put metal objects into electrical plugs, and need to be taught that it is hazardous. I'm glad somewhere along the way I learned that swinging a golf club in a lightning storm is dangerous at best if not lethal. Somethings are outside the realm of wisdom. Should we call them wrong?


Are harmful things only physical? Could ideas by harmful, and if they are should we just ignore that they are harmful as some people choose them? We as a society have behaviors that we judge as illegal. Some of those aren't even agreed upon by everyone. Other behaviors are even less uniformly accepted, but does that mean that all positions in the dialogue not be acceptable if the individuals conduct themselves wisely while  always being gracious? It seems to me that we have too much judgement of others today in most every arena of our lives.