Heart Soul and Might

Long ago, I gave up on the traditional “New Years Resolutions” since it was usually the third week in January that I gave up on my New Years Resolutions. So, a few years ago I started doing something different: I began asking the Lord in December what word He’d want me to focus on in the following year. This would be a word that would focus my thoughts, shape my goals and give me something to think about during the entire year. No longer did I have a set number of pounds to lose or a fixed number of times per week I would work out - these always led to failure. My word for the year would give me something to meditate on, to think about, to live by - it would bring me to certain books to read, messages to listen to, websites to check out… No failure. Only victory!

This word always inevitably comes from something that is already a theme in my life in some way - but maybe something I want to challenge myself with over the course of the next year. In 2004, I knew I needed to get beyond my self-focus, so my word was “others”. In 2005, He actually gave me three words: purity, humility and dependence. In 2006, it was church history.

A few weeks ago when I began to think about my “word for 2008″, I was thinking about my boys. I thought about the fact that they get jazzed at just about everything they see, no matter how common or simple. Jonathan still looks up at the moon sometimes and says “Daddy! The moon, the moon!” Unfortunately, I’ve looked at the moon so many times I hardly see it anymore and have gotten bored with it. It just blends in to the night sky now. I’ve forgotten that it’s an amazing orb 240,000 miles away from earth whose lunar pull actually affects ocean tides here on the earth! And it struck me that somewhere between the age of five and me, humans tend to lose the childlike wonder and awe that my boys have. Many people trudge along just trying to get through life, unaware of the incredible things in, around and above us that can inspire that same childlike wonder. I don’t want to be one of those people.

A few years ago, I read my favorite book of all time The Pleasures of God by John Piper, and he introduced me to a fascinating man - his mentor, Clyde Kilby. Kilby lived every day by his “Eleven Resolutions for Staying Alive to God’s Glory.” His seventh resolution said this:

I shall open my eyes and ears. Once every day I shall simply stare at a tree, a flower, a cloud, or a person. I shall not then be concerned at all to ask what they are but simply be glad that they are. I shall joyfully allow them the mystery of what Lewis calls their “divine, magical, terrifying, and ecstatic” existence.

I love where these resolutions take me. They make me open my eyes and my heart - and they take me to the glory of God - to His mystery and wonder. I too seldom live according to these resolutions that I adopted as my own a few years ago, and I know God wants me to recapture His glory by opening my eyes to His wonder. The wonder of all that He has made, the wonder of how He’s redeemed me, the wonder of the relationships He’s blessed me with…

So, it is with great expectation that I live 2008 with my word for the year: Wonder.

I looked up “wonder” on dictionary.com and here’s what it says:

One that arouses awe, astonishment, surprise, or admiration; a marvel:

I look forward to seeing what God brings my way that will arouse awe, astonishment and surprise - as I open my eyes to the wonder of all that He is and all that He has made - staying alive to His glory. And I invite you as well, to keep your eyes and ears open to experience the wonder God has in store for you.

As many now know, the world lost one of it’s most passionate animal advocates yesterday in the untimely and freakish death of Steve Irwin, known as “The Crocodile Hunter.” Today, I received this from my dad, written by Alvin Reid, a prof at Southeastern Baptist Seminary in Wake Forest, NC. I couldn’t have said it better, so here it is in its entirety:

Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that
they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they
realized that they had been with Jesus. (Acts 4:13, NKJ)

I have always had an interest in snakes and other reptiles. I have a
python in my office, my son has a corn snake in his bedroom, and my
eight-year-old daughter loves to play with her little ball python who
dwells in her room. My wife has no reptiles, but she does possess a
great amount of patience! I am most proud of my newest addition, a
five-foot-long, black-throated monitor lizard named Goliath. We like
to take him for walks on a leash - he does draw a crowd! I often quip
that as an evangelism professor who likes herps (that is, reptiles), I
actually teach soul winning and snake handling. Don’t worry, we do
not handle serpents in church!

With this in mind, you might guess my favorite television show - you
got it - The Crocodile Hunter. It has been a long time since I was as
excited about a television show as I am about The Crocodile Hunter, or
the shorter Croc Files for kids.

Whenever I speak to young people, I ask how many of them know who the
Crocodile Hunter is. The response is telling. Nearly every one of
them knows who he is, although his primary show, The Crocodile Hunter,
appears on the cable network Animal Planet. The show’s star, Steve
Irwin, has jumped from “just another host” of a little known program
on this smaller market cable network, to the host of primetime
specials on network television and an occasional appearance on movies
and commercials.

Steve Irwin’s incredible rise in popularity can teach us some things.
The enthusiasm of young people from age 5 to 25 for the show is
obvious. They know his sayings: “She’s a beauty!” (I have to admit
even a snake lover like me has a hard time calling a salt water
crocodile beautiful!) If a particular python attempts to bite him,
you will hear him say, “Oh, you’re being grumpy, mate!” “Danger!
Danger! Danger!” is another of his popular sayings.

Believe it or not, I think Steve Irwin’s rise - from a man running a
zoo in Australia to internationally known figure - can teach us some
things about how to make an impact on this culture.

First, he is passionate. Have you ever seen anyone so incredibly
zealous for a bunch of lizards and snakes? On several occasions he
has said, “I would give my life to save this crocodile!” Now that is
passion! Oh, that we as believers would have such a passion for
Jesus, who is of infinitely greater value than a reptile! Our lost
culture desperately needs people who will live for Jesus with a
passion. Great movements of God in history, from the First Great
Awakening to the Jesus Movement, have been led by people ablaze with a
passion for God.

Second, he is real. His videography is inferior to what you see in
National Geographic specials, but no one cares! We live in a society
today where reality is in, and synthetic is out. Look at the
popularity of shows like Survivor, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, and
The Weakest Link, all of which feature everyday people rather than
phony Hollywood actors. The primary way The Crocodile Hunter has
grown to reach the masses is not through marketing. Rather, it has
touched a chord in the lives of many in the culture, especially the
coming generation of young people, who are sick and tired of slick
approaches to push a product. This culture wants real, not slick.

The best way to witness in this postmodern, increasingly radically
unchurched culture is to be just like the early believers. They did
not make an impression by their background, or their position, but by
their genuine, obvious, and deep love for Jesus. Acts 4:13 gives one
of many examples of this: Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and
John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant, they
marveled; and they realized that they had been with Jesus. The most
remarkable aspect of the early believers was that they were
unremarkable. That, and they were real.

Third, Steve Irwin takes risks. No, that is inaccurate. He loves
risks. His first show that put him on the map concerned his adventure
to capture the ten most venomous serpents in the world with his bare
hands. It seems he spends his life trying to get as close to being a
crocodile dinner as possible. He would not be happy unless he were
chasing down a wild pig by foot, or grabbing a cobra with his bare
hands, or jumping in a river on the back of an alligator. He will
make sacrifices to save an animal. Oh that we would make sacrifices
for the salvation of the lost! Could God even use a Crocodile Hunter
to spur us to take risks to reach the unchurched at any cost?

I teach at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, a school known
for its doctrinal convictions and evangelistic passion. We are
uncompromising theologically, but we have some unusual people -
besides me, I mean. One of the members of our prestigious Board of
Visitors, Richard Headrick, sports a long ponytail and loves to wear
shirts with logos like “Hellfighter” on them. I like to tell people
that our theology is black and white, but our approach to ministry is
in living color. In other words, while we must consistently contend
for the faith once delivered, we must live in a way that demonstrates
the radical, passionate, total abandonment of our lives to Jesus.

Examine yourself: what are you doing for the sake of the Kingdom of
God that could compare to the zeal shown by Steve Irwin for the sake
of a pile of snakes?

This was written in 2001.

Technorati Tags: Steve Irwin, The Crocodile Hunter, Crocodile Hunter

I’m going to hear Os Guinness speak at a Porter’s Call event tomorrow morning at Fellowship, so I grabbed my copy of his book The Call from my shelf to remind myself of his thinking and writing style. This is from page one of chapter one:

As modern people we are all on a search for significance. We desire to make a difference. We long to leave a legacy. We yearn, as Ralph Waldo Emerson put it, “to leave the world a bit better.” Our passion is to know that we are fulfilling the purpose for which we are here on earth.

All other standards of success - wealth, power, position, knowledge, friendships - grow tinny and hollow if we do not satisfy this deeper longing. For some people the hollowness leads to what Henry Thoreau described “as lives of quiet desperation”; for others the emptiness and aimlessness deepen into a stronger despair. In an early draft of Fyodor Dostoevsky’s The Brothers Karamazov, the Inquisitor gives a terrifying account of what happens to the human soul when it doubts its purpose: “For the secret of man’s being is not only to live…but to live for something definite. Without a firm notion of what he is living for, man will not accept life and will rather destroy himself than remain on earth…”

Call it the greatest good (summum bonum), the ultimate end, the meaning of life, or whatever you choose. But finding and fulfilling the purpose of our lives comes up in myriad ways and in all the seasons of our lives…

Os Guinness, The Call, pp. 1-2.

I’m immediately reminded of what the Psalmist says in Psalm 138:8: “The Lord will fulfill His purposes for me.” I agree that we are all on a quest for significance - to make a difference and to find our purpose. And when we can trust God and HIS purposes for our lives, we can find true biblical contentment no matter our circumstances. I certainly haven’t arrived yet. The journey has a lot of ups and downs…peaks and valleys. But I have found its easier to have peace in the journey as I trust God for His purpose for my life. When I push too hard with my own self-driven agenda, I spin my wheels. But finding and walking in HIS purposes means patience, perseverance, suffering, humility, steadiness, discipline, pain, time, trust, faith, trials, refining, testing, breaking, serving, dying, loving, giving…

How dark to walk in emptiness or aimlessness that leads to despair. I pray that I don’t get to that point - but if I do, to trust in God’s sovereignty and hope in His goodness and purpose.

I want to live for something definite. That something is God’s glory as revealed in human relationship, the Church, God’s Word, Jesus Christ, the Gospel, creation, truth, beauty, love, eternity… That’s my purpose. Right now it’s being fulfilled in the Church and in particular in Global Outreach, worship, equipping, etc. As long as lives are being challenged and changed, I feel I’m walking in God’s purpose.

Do you sense His purpose for your life? Are you doubting it? Are you questioning it? That’s perfectly normal and OK. Give it to Jesus and let Him carry it. He already knows anyway! The question we all need to ask ourselves is: “What do I need to do or change to know I’m walking in ‘the call’ on my life - God’s ultimate purpose for me?” If we are prayerfully dependent, God will make it known. Trust in Him. Stay saturated with His Word…

Heidi and I are sitting here wiping the tears from our eyes after watching this video that friend and fellow blogger Carlos Whittaker produced in his efforts to raise the necessary $22K to “Bring Losiah Home.” Losiah is a little boy in Korea that Carlos and Heather are adopting and once they raise the money, can bring home. I met Carlos and Heather at this year’s Re:Create Conference.

I don’t think it’s a question of “if” God is calling us to adopt, it’s a question of “when.” Both Heidi and I sense this is from the Lord and are praying about the next steps. Once we have boy #3 in December, we’ll most likely start taking the next step at some point. We’ve talked and prayed about it for years and I look forward to seeing how God moves and works to bring us a daughter.

If you’d like to contribute to the Baby Losiah fund, click on this link and contribute on Carlos’ site Ragamuffin Soul.

There are some exciting new changes in ministry that the Lord has recently led me to pursue! A few months ago, one of our staff elders and good friend Maridus Kinder asked me if I’d consider taking the position of overseeing Fellowship’s Global Outreach ministry. We’ve partnered together extensively over the last few years in developing Worship Global, our Worship and Arts Ministry’s interaction with and influence to the world. Trips to Hungary (2002, 2003), Nigeria (2004) and Peru (2005) and our planned trip in October 2006 to Kenya and Nigeria have fueled the flame in my heart for global outreach. I have sensed my heart beating stronger and stronger with the Lord’s for reaching out beyond our borders to the world. So, I told the Elder Board that I’d pray about this potential during my sabbatical and come back with a decision one way or another.

One important factor in the decision was that I’ve been hands-on involved and/or leading worship and arts ministries at some level for 16 years at two churches, and have greatly enjoyed seeing much fruit come to bear. And not merely leading the ministry, but enjoying shepherding a body of believers toward a higher view of God’s greatness and glory, leading to a more passionate and dependent lifestyle of worship. And through much prayer, I know and am confident that no matter what ministry I’m most directly involved in, that will always remain my heart and posture toward God.

Over my sabbatical, the answer became very clear. God was giving me the “green light” to make a monumental ministry shift - saying goodbye to worship and arts ministry directly, and “hello” to Global Outreach! I will still continue to lead worship on occasion, but my primary focus will now be overseeing the relationship with our Ministry Partners all over the world.

This last year, our church sent out over 15 short-term teams to work with our Ministry Partners in Kenya, Sudan, Nigeria, Russia, Peru, Slovenia and other countries throughout the world. Our vision is to provide “Wind and Water” to these various global partners. Wind is resources, equipping, teaching, teaching materials, financial resources, etc. (ala providing wind in their sails). Water is providing assistance to meet basic needs - food, water, shelter, agricultural training… (ala providing a cool cup of water in the desert).

This is all very new and exciting to me and I look forward to direct ministry and partnership with the many talented and gifted servants we work with throughout the world. If my 5-6 mission trips over the last few years are any indication of the influence, impact, life change and fulfilling ministry that are ahead, I can’t wait!

In addition to overseeing Global Outreach and continuing to lead worship, I’ll also continue to provide leadership in the area of prayer at Fellowship and will be helping to lead and teach in our Equipping Center as part of the Equipping Ministries Team. There are a number of other areas of ministry I’ll be involved in as well, and I hope to expand on those in the days and weeks to come.

Thanks for walking this journey with me!

The following is from a sermon John Piper preached almost 25 years ago. (Click here for the whole sermon) Keep in mind, Piper is against the consumption of alcohol… but he’s against something else far more adamantly…

I want to hate what God hates and love what God loves. And this I know beyond the shadow of a doubt: God hates legalism as much as he hates alcoholism. If any of you still wonders why I go on supporting this amendment, after hearing all the tragic stories about lives ruined through alcohol, the reason is that when I go home at night and close my eyes and let eternity rise in my mind I see ten million more people in hell because of legalism than because of alcoholism. And I think that is a literal understatement. Satan is so sly. “He disguises himself as an angel of light,” the apostle says in 2 Corinthians 11:14. He keeps his deadliest diseases most sanitary. He clothes his captains in religious garments and houses his weapons in temples. O don’t you want to see his plots uncovered? I want Bethlehem to be a place Satan fears. I want him to be like the emperor in “The Emperor’s New Clothes.” And we will be the babes (not in thinking! 1 Cor. 14:20) who say, “Look, he thinks he is clothed in white, but he is naked and ugly.”

Listen as I uncover one of his plots. Legalism is a more dangerous disease than alcoholism because it doesn’t look like one.

• Alcoholism makes men fail; legalism helps them succeed in the world.

• Alcoholism makes men depend on the bottle; legalism makes them self-sufficient, depending on no one.

• Alcoholism destroys moral resolve; legalism gives it strength.

• Alcoholics don’t feel welcome in church; legalists love to hear their morality extolled in church.

Therefore, what we need in this church is not front end regulations to try to keep ourselves pure. We need to preach and pray and believe that “Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision, neither teetotalism nor social drinking, neither legalism nor alcoholism is of any avail with God, but only a new creation (a new heart)” (Gal. 6:15; 5:6). The enemy is sending against us every day the Sherman tank of the flesh with its cannons of self-reliance and self-sufficiency. If we try to defend ourselves or our church with peashooter regulations we will be defeated even in our apparent success. The only defense is to “be rooted and built up in Christ and established in faith” (Col. 2:6); “Strengthened with all power according to his glorious might for all endurance and patience with joy” (Col. 1:11); “holding fast to the Head from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together … grows with a growth that is from God” (Col. 2:19). From God! From God! And not from ourselves.

HT: Between Two Worlds

WOW!

Heidi and I just got back tonight from a week-long Husband & Wife Adventure at JH Ranch in Northern California. Good friend and fellow worship leader at Fellowship - Ronnie Freeman - leads worship at JH Ranch every summer and has been telling me for years that I need to take Heidi out to the Ranch, and this year we did it! What an experience.

Nestled in a valley between the Salmon Mountains, JH Ranch is in one of the most beautiful places on the planet. We hiked a few times up into the nearby mountains and enjoyed a number of beautiful rushing rivers flowing with meltwater from the mountain tops.

We didn’t have a clue as to what to expect for the Husband & Wife Adventure - all I really knew was that I was going to get to spend a week in the wilderness with my best friend. It turns out, we also made some new friends because we went through the Adventure with a number of other couples. We did almost everything with these couples througout the week… (with a few exceptions of course): Mike & Georgann Richter from Houston were our team leaders; Lynn & Carol Gilbertson from Minnesota (pictured above); Mark & Peggy Scheel from Houston; John & Amy Candy from Collierville, TN; Warren & Phyllis Hamm from Vestavia Hills, AL; Bruce & Jenn Harshman from Idyllwild, CA; Doug & JoBeth Martin from Marietta, GA; John & Chrissy Rogers from Mobile, AL; Bry & Carrie Stuart from Mobile, AL. In addition to all of the outdoor activities and challenges we took part in, all the couples met together for a daily session to walk through various marriage enrichment issues. Mike and Georgann were great facilitators and really led with vulnerability.

I have to hand it to JH Ranch for going all-out with their facilities and activities. It is a world-class quality camp with incredible facilities. They have a low-ropes course, high-ropes course, a 50-foot-high Alpine Tower with over 55 ways to climb to the top, brand-new Odyssey Challenge - you have to see it to believe it…, horse-back riding, and a lake with a bunch of fun activities including a 30-foot high Super Swing… Yep, I took up the challenge - only to perform one of the most awkward and painful-looking entries.

Heidi and I both agreed that one of our absolute highlights was scaling the 50-foot high Alpine Tower together. Heidi is now known as the first pregnant woman to ever scale to the top of the Alpine Tower at JH Ranch! The picture to the left is us at the bottom prior to the ascent - notice you can’t even see the top in the picture.

The picture here to the right is us victorious at the top of the tower! I have to tell you - I was mighty proud of my bride. It was a great feeling making it to the top of this deal - together.

Another highlight of the week was an overnight trip to the Klamath River for an adventurous rafting trip down the river. We took the two-hour trip to a campground on the banks of the river, set up our sleeping bags under the stars, and slept for a few hours - awakened only by the sound of sausage sizzling on the grill and the smell of french toast wafting through the air. OK… maybe we woke up a few times because we thought we heard a raccoon or a bear… but we did get SOME sleep. (Yes… we did hear later that there actually WAS a bear in the area that night!)

What we didn’t know was that we would be led down the river by a legend in the northwest… Court Boice. Court has over 30 years experience on the River, mainly on the Rogue and, as his website will tell you, in addition to operating over 6,000 trips on the Rogue River since 1972, “is without question the most experienced and most knowledgeable river jet pilot in the world.” Now, he’s employed by JH Ranch to lead the team of guides who take JH Ranchers down the river all througout the summer. And… WE got Court in OUR boat! I have to admit… I was impressed. This guy is the real deal. I thought we were being guided by Daniel Boone himself. It was a blast. Court knew every shrub, every bird, every crag, every tree on the trip. Here we are with the legend himself in the picture on the right.

Every night at the Ranch, the day closes at the “Big Top” where everyone gathers for an evening of worship led by Ronnie and a focused message by one of the staff. The Ranch has honed their message over the years and each night has a specific theme focused on challenging teens and adults in their walk with the Lord. One of the highlights of the week was the Friday night open mic sharing. One after one, teens and adults stood up to share how their life had been changed by their week at the Ranch. It was a very impactful sharing time. Lots of life-change is happening at this Ranch.

I could say more about this trip, but I’ll end with a big ole endorsement of JH Ranch - they have programs for teens, Parents and Teens, engaged couples, Husbands and Wives… It ain’t cheap… but it sure is worth it. It’s life-changing. If you have the chance, you need to go. Take your husband, wife or teen and watch God do some incredible things in your life and your relationship.

Scottish theologian Sinclair Ferguson notes,

“The evangelical orientation is inward and subjective. we are far better at looking inward than we are at looking outward. Instead, we need to expend our energies admiring, exploring, expositing, and extolling Jesus Christ.”

C.J. Mahaney, Living the Cross-Centered Life, p. 40.

From C.J. Mahaney in Living the Cross-Centered Life. (sounds a bit like Fenelon??):

On a daily basis we’re faced with two simple choices. We can either listen to ourselves, and our constantly changing feelings about our circumstances, or we can talk to ourselves about the unchanging truth of who God is and what He’s accomplished for us at the cross through His Son Jesus.

C.J. Mahaney, Living the Cross-Centered Life, p. 38.

Every Friday is Fenelon Friday, where we drink from the very deep well of my favorite 17th century French Bishop in the Catholic Church. (Everyone should have a little Fenelon with their coffee in the morning…) Francois de Salignac de La Mothe-Fenelon (born 1651) was a mentor to a number of younger men on the court of Louis XIV. In fact, he was given the responsibility of raising the young man who would proceed Louis XIV to the throne of France (the King’s grandson). Many of Fenelon’s writings are actually letters he wrote to some of these young leaders as they sought to walk the life of faith in the face of opposition and adversity. Fenelon’s teachings were met with resistance within the Catholic Church because they aligned more with Reformation teachings than with Catholic dogma at times, and his hope was that once his student became the King of France, he would be instrumental in the reformation of the Catholic Church and bring a real witness of Jesus Christ to France. Those hopes were dashed in 1712 with the premature death of the King’s grandson. Fenelon died not long after that in 1715 at the age of 63, but his teachings live on and continue to influence 300 years after he died.

True Friendships are Founded Only in God

We must be content with the friends that God gives us, without having selfish choices of our own. It is right that His will shall be done, not ours. Better still, His will shall become ours without the least reservation, in order that it may be done on earth as it is done in Heaven. This is far more important than satisfying self. Oh, how precious our friendships are, and how near we are to each other when we are all one in Jesus! What heavenly fellowship and conversation is ours when we are thinking only of Him and His will for us. So if you want to find your true friends, I will tell you where to look. Begin with God. He is the only source of true and eternal friendship. you are best suited for spiritual communication and friendship when you sink in silence into the bosom of God. He means everything to the kind of friends you seek. They talk of Him and live for Him and their whole lives are wrapped up in Him. That is why I tell you to sink into His bosom. This is where true friendship is. No matter what means of fellowship you have, you will find them all supplied in the bosom of God. Even if such friends should fail you, you will still be able to confide in God.

Francois Salignac de la Mothe Fenelon, Let Go, pp. 37-38.

I’ve learned much about friendship from Fenelon. I love friendships and really value relationships, but have definitely found that friends aren’t perfect, often fail, and sometimes even deeply disappoint and even hurt each other. One of the best things I’ve taken away from years of reading Fenelon is the encouragement to see everything as having come from the hand of God - even friendships… and yes, even the hurt and pain of broken friendships. This way, no matter what happens, God gets all the praise and glory. Praise for the wonderful, life-giving and mutually edifying friendships. And glory from the growth that happens when friendships fail and bring us to our knees at the feet of Jesus.

I praise God from the depths of my heart for those friendships He’s blessed me with that have given life. It doesn’t get any sweeter than good friends spending time with each other, challenging one another, praying with each other, having a blast, being stupid, laughing at dumb jokes, sharing scripture, making memories… the list goes on and on.

I also praise God for those friends He’s given me for a shorter time that have fallen away where we’ve either lost touch, or in some cases have decided to mutually part ways due to disagreements, pain or whatever the case may be. Because, even those relationships, while difficult to understand, have contributed in some way to the richness of life, building of character, testing of faith and greater establishment of dependence on my Savior. And, thinking in this way helps me not fixate on pain or hurt, but rather give praise to God for doing something that maybe only He can see. But, that’s why He’s sovereign and omniscient and I’m not. But He’s ALWAYS at work to fulfill His purposes (Psalm 138:8) and bring glory to His great name!

Thank you, Lord, for the great friendships with which you’ve blessed me. And thank you, most importantly, for being my closest Friend, and one who will never leave me.

I read this familiar passage this morning in my time in the Word:

“If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” Mark 9:35

The context is kind of funny to me, because after many miracles (feeding the 5,000, feeding the 4,000, sending out demons,  healing the deaf and mute, …) in which Christ proved His deity and yet displayed ultimate humility, His disciples are found arguing about who is the greatest. And when Jesus asked them (rhetorically, of course!) what they were arguing about, they were silent. They had to be embarrassed. They got caught! And then, he turns their human logic on its head… If you want to be first, you must be last. What?!? But this is so contrary to our natural human nature! That’s the point. That’s a common theme in seeking to live as Christ did.

In a culture where image and position is seen as the ultimate goal, it’s truly countercultural to be a servant. To be others focused. To set “self” aside for the sake of others. But if we want to exhibit the mind of Christ, this is a non-negotiable. Unless we’re a servant, our pious attempts at being good don’t mean much. What does it look like to be last in your world? What changes do you need to make to become a servant? I mean, truly… a servant. Not lip service…
I can think of SO many things that need to change in my world.

Last night I was in the presence of a great man. I’d never heard of him until meeting him at a university alumni event last night, but it didn’t take long to realize that this is a man upon whom God has smiled. He had Jesus all over him - and he was so not about himself. I got the impression he would rather you remember Jesus than himself. Until a recent “semi-retirement”, Dr. Jim Walters had been the Chair of the Biblical Studies department at John Brown University since 1968.

I met his wife, too. Beautiful woman - in the way you could see Jesus in her as well. She spends her life in a wheelchair with little movement, hands knarled, her body ravaged by what Dr. Walters calls the “insidious beast that invaded her body in 1978″ - multiple sclerosis. They were married in 1964, she was diagnosed with MS in 1978, she had to stop driving in 1989, and went to a wheelchair full-time in 1991. And Dr. Walters has been faithfully standing beside Linda, taking care of her every day. He told me they’re more in love today after 42 years of marriage than they were the day they got married - and I could tell that he was telling the truth.

I watched carefully how he related to Linda. He was the featured speaker of the evening, but his primary concern always seemed to be how she was doing rather than how he was coming across to the crowd of alumni and donors. They laughed together often and he always spoke respectfully to her, often adjusting her sweater that would sometimes creep up under the seatbelt that held her in her wheelchair.

During his talk, Dr. Walters held up a black and white picture of his family back from 1968 - he and Linda and their two sons - and inevitably I noticed the difference in how they’ve changed in the 38 years since. Dr. Walters was smiling widely and had darker (and more) hair. Linda had a beautiful smile and looked so full of joy in the picture. I looked over at her in the wheelchair. Her smile looked much different, her bottom lip now drooping awkwardly and her eyes tired and unfocused. But her smile was undoubtedly there and it was impossible to miss the joy they both clearly still have. Could it be that they live this temporal life with an eternal perspective? They have every right to be jaded. To be cynical of a God who would allow this terrible disease to thwart their plans for a peaceful life, free from pain and suffering - and concluding with a care-free retirement. But instead of cyncism or anger - or even pity - I saw a man who loves life…abundantly. He enjoys life supremely because he no doubt loves God supremely.

That’s why I had to meet Dr. Walters and shake his hand. This man obviously finds such satisfaction in God that he can live this life with supreme joy no matter the circumstances. As I shook his hand, I thanked him for being an inspiration to younger guys like me and that he obviously has Jesus all over him. His response didn’t surprise me. First, he graciously said Thank You, and then said he just deeply loves God’s Word so much and wants others to as well.That’s the key to his joy.

You can’t love God like he does without loving His Word like he does. And you can’t love God’s Word like he does and live with anything but an eternal perspective that puts God’s glory above earthly, temporal comfort.

I’ve been deeply impacted by this encounter with this great man of God. I hope and pray that I can love Heidi like Dr. Walters loves Linda. It will take another 40 years of loving Heidi to pass that test. And, I hope and pray that I can live with supreme joy no matter the circumstances in the way that this great man has modeled. It will take another 40 years of loving God and His Word to pass that test.

This morning, once again I came to one of my favorites psalms - and had a sweet time in the Word meditating on a psalm that I think of probably more often than most. Some of my favorite verses in Psalm 91 are:

91:1 “He who dwells in teh shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.”

91:4 “He will cover you with His pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge.”

91:5 “You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day.”

91:11 “For He will command His angels concerning you, to guard you in all your ways.” (I pray that over Heidi and the boys often…)

But this morning, while I did spend time meditating on some those favorites, the Lord had me spend more time ruminating on His promises for me in vv. 14-16. Those verses start out with this:

91:14 “Because he holds fast to me in love, I will…”

I asked myself, What does it mean…what does it look like to hold fast to God in love? Does this describe my life? Does this describe how I approach my relationship with my God? What is the intended meaning of “hold fast?” To better clarify what is meant here, I went back up to verse 9 to see a kind of parallel in the same chapter. The author says “Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place - the Most High, who is my refuge…” and then lists a number of things that will happen because of this.

So, one way to “hold fast to God in love” is to make Him my dwelling place. My place of refuge. The first place I go when I need shelter from what the world brings. Rather than finding my satisfaction in other things, places or people - in love, I hold fast to my Lord and rest in Him. And here is what came over me like cool refreshing water from the purest stream of grace… A list of promises available to those who make the Lord their dwelling place, and who hold fast to God in love:

I will DELIVER him.

I will PROTECT him.

I will ANSWER him.

I will BE WITH him in trouble.

I will RESCUE him.

I will HONOR him.

I will SATISFY him with long life.

I will SHOW HIM my salvation.

These are the promises of God to those who have an intimate, personal relationship with the Father. They are promises, not wishes. They aren’t chances… God takes pleasure in delivering, protecting, answering, rescuing, honoring, satisfying and showing… For those of you who see God as punitive or arbitrary, or unloving or one who is always just waiting for us to trip up so He can unleash His wrath… Read Psalm 91. He is a God who is FOR His people. He wants us to succeed, to be blessed, to be satisfied… only in Him.

But often we make it harder on ourselves than we should. Instead of finding our satisfaction in God alone and truly holding fast to Him, we try to operate independently, in our own strength. We rely on ourselves. Our natural abilities. Our instincts… When, if we will humble ourselves and make Him our dwelling place, holding fast to Him in love, we have all of these promises, and their corresponding benefits - at our finger tips to enjoy and find great satisfaction.

I need His deliverance.

I need His protection.

I need to hear His voice.

I need Him to be near me - especially when it seems He’s the farthest away.

There are times when I am so low, I desperately need Him to rescue me.

I must find my satisfaction only in Him. Whether its a long or a short life, that I would be satisfied only in knowing Christ and pleasing my God. Too often, I am satisfied by far less than God wants to give me in Himself, and I need to learn a difficult lesson.

O God, will you teach us what it means to “hold fast” to You in love and show us what it feels like to experience all that you offer to those who abide in You, dwell closely to You, hold fast to You and You alone. Satisfy us and show us Your salvation…

Every Friday is Fenelon Friday, where we drink from the very deep well of my favorite 17th century French Bishop in the Catholic Church. (Everyone should have a little Fenelon with their coffee in the morning…) Francois de Salignac de La Mothe-Fenelon (born 1651) was a mentor to a number of younger men on the court of Louis XIV. In fact, he was given the responsibility of raising the young man who would proceed Louis XIV to the throne of France (the King’s grandson). Many of Fenelon’s writings are actually letters he wrote to some of these young leaders as they sought to walk the life of faith in the face of opposition and adversity. Fenelon’s teachings were met with resistance within the Catholic Church because they aligned more with Reformation teachings than with Catholic dogma at times, and his hope was that once his student became the King of France, he would be instrumental in the reformation of the Catholic Church and bring a real witness of Jesus Christ to France. Those hopes were dashed in 1712 with the premature death of the King’s grandson. Fenelon died not long after that in 1715 at the age of 63, but his teachings live on and continue to influence 300 years after he died.

Preserving Peace with Others

To be really pleased even with the best persons, we must be satisfied with little and we must bear with much. The most perfect people have many imperfections. We also have imperfections, and great ones. Our faults, joined to theirs, make our bearing with each other very difficult. But bear one another’s burdens, and so you shall fulfill the law of Christ. we must make a charitable allowance in this matter. Frequent silence, habitual recollection, prayer, detachment from ourselves, renunciation of all the carefully crafted criticisms, faithfulness in abandoning all vain judgments of a jealous and fastidious self-love - all these things tend very much to preserve peace and union with God. We spare ourselves much trouble by this simplicity. Happy are those who pay no attention to self-love, and who pay no attention to the criticism of others.

Content yourself with leading a simple life according to your circumstances. For the rest, obey the Lord and bear your little daily crosses. You need them, and God gives them to you only out of pur mercy. The great thing is to make light of yourself sincerely, and to consent to be made light of by others if God permits it. Nourish yourself with him alone. St. Augustine says that his mother lived only by prayer. We also are to live by prayer and die to all the rest. We can live to God only by a continual death to self.

Francois Salignac de la Mothe Fenelon, Talking With God, pp.133-134.

I think it’s that first sentence that always trips me up. To be “satisfied with little, and bear with much” - ugh… that just doesn’t satisfy my flesh like I often want it to! To bear with much must mean that we give much grace, overlook faults and harsh words, listen more than talk, wait patiently for the Spirit to do His work… I know that God has shown me “forbearance” in so many countless ways… withholding the judgment and scrutiny my words and actions have so rightly deserved. But when it’s my turn to show someone forbearance, sometimes it takes every ounce of energy I can muster! O God, may I live these wise words of Fenelon,perserving peace with others, not giving to the cravings and longings of my self-love which seeks to preserve my position, reputation and standing. But caring only for Your glory as it is revealed when your children live in peace with each other because of Christ’s work on the cross for all of us.

When we come together to worship…to pray…to share life, based on Christ and the Cross, there is no condemnation, no judgment - no reason to fear. There’s only freedom here. In keeping with this thought, here is a prayer from one of my favorite books - The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions. As you read this, I would encourage you to join with the centuries of believers who have prayed these same words, believing God for true freedom. I’m beginning to experience it.

Freedom

O HOLY FATHER, thou hast freely given thy Son,

O DIVINE SON, thou has freely paid my debt,

O ETERNAL SPIRIT, thou dost freely bid me come,

O TRIUNE GOD, thou dost freely grace me with salvation.

Prayers and tears could not suffice to pardon my sins,

nor anything less than atoning blood,

but my believing is my receiving,

for a thankful acceptance is no paying of the debt.

What didst thou see in me?

That I a poor, diseased, despised sinner

should be clothed in thy bright glory?

That a creeping worm

should be advanced to this high state?

That one lately groaning, weeping, dying,

should be as full of joy as my heart can hold?

That a being of dust and darkness

should be taken like Mordecai from captivity,

and set next to the King?

Should be lifted like Daniel from a den

and be made ruler of princes and provinces?

Who can fathom immeasurable love?

As far as the rational soul exceeds the senses,

so does the spirit exceed the rational in its knowledge of thee,

Thou hast given me understanding to compass the earth,

measure the sun, moon, stars, universe,

but above all to know thee, the only true God,

I marvel that the finite can know the Infinite,

here a little, afterwards in full-orbed truth;

Now I know but a small portion of what I shall know,

here in part, there in perfection,

here a glimpse, there a glory.

To enjoy thee is life eternal, and to enjoy is to know,

Keep me in the freedom of experiencing thy salvation continually.

The Valley of Vision, Arthur Bennett, p. 56.