Mar 31 - "Our Slight Momentary Affliction"

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 -- “Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day. For this slight momentary affliction is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all measure, because we look not at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen; for what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal.”

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Do you have something you are looking forward to right now? Are you excited about an upcoming event? How about a different question; are you in the midst of a painful situation or difficult stretch in your life? The truth is, you can probably answer ‘yes’ to both of these questions, the theme of which Paul is speaking in these verses.

The good news about the tough times is that eventually, they do go away. They may not come to an end in the way we anticipate: a long battle with illness for a loved one who succumbs to its affliction; a financial struggle which ends a loss of savings; a precarious relationship which breaks apart. But, they do come to an end and we are given the opportunity to look back and reflect on their lessons and value as the pain of that moment, starting bright and hot, fades and diminishes over time.

However, let’s not be mistaken. It is really hard while we are living through those very tough times which cause us to question our existence and the assurance of God’s steady hand in our lives. If you are in the midst of one of those moments right now, my heart goes out to you in prayer and encouragement. It is easy for people to say “don’t worry...it will be all right...hang in there”. They, nor I, am experiencing the pain you feel right now. It is personal and unique to you and no amount of words can allow someone else to know exactly what you are going through.

Paul’s words are interesting in the sense that maybe he is just not talking about a tough time he and the Corinthians are going through. This verse always strikes me that he might be referencing something larger; the entirety of our time on this earth. In general, life is a bit of a slog. In the scheme of things, it is a constant struggle. Of course, we have times of great joy and periods where it seems at least that things are going better than worse. But let’s face it, life is tough!

The good news is that, even though we can become discouraged by life’s long march, we all have something to look forward to. When we have a taste of something larger, when we can feel or see just a glimpse of what might be the bigger picture, aren’t we more excited about its impending arrival? Surprises are great, but when they come, our joy is instantaneous and quickly becomes happiness derived from looking backward. The anticipation of what is to come, an eternal life with God in Heaven, can help us get through the harsher moments. This time on earth provides experiences, both good and bad, which allow us to build an appreciation for what is to come. Our pain refines us and our joy fills us.

So, remember, this too shall pass. But, while we are living in this time of struggle...a life of struggle...recognize that there are also great joys around us and to which we can look forward. The refinement we are experiencing through this time can be a means to bring us enrichment and strength. We look forward to the great joy to come despite this momentary affliction, whether it lasts 90 seconds, 90 days, 90 months or 90 years. It is temporary; focus not on the temporary, but the eternal and the great joy it will bring.

Mar 30 - "The Servant Leader"

Mark 10:42-45 -- “So Jesus called them and said to them, ‘You know that among the Gentiles those whom they recognize as their rulers lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. But it is not so among you; but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.’ ”

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It is one of the more difficult things to do, to be a “lord” and a servant at the same time.

Each of us at different times in our lives, especially related to work and career, have most likely had the opportunity to be in a position of leadership. This same example of serving and leading can also apply to our family lives as older siblings, parents or grandparents, aunts or uncles. How good are we at leading and serving at the same time? On our best days, we do a great job of being available to provide support and guidance. Our directions are clear and founded in logic. We take the time to explain our actions. We teach. We help those whom we are leading and they see we are truly serving them and their needs.

But at times, we can slip into a mindset that our position as a leader has power and, as we know, power can corrupt. We restrict our presence, limiting access and falling into the trap of self-importance. We give arbitrary commands, barking out orders which may come from the fear of appearing incompetent or inadequate. We start to believe that the actions we take from our position of power do not require explanation or justification and take offense when questioned. We become selfish, focused on serving ourselves, leaving those whom we are supposed to serve feeling abandoned and on their own.

In the part of Mark’s Gospel, just before these verses above, we see Jesus predicting His own death a third time. A week from today, we will be reminded again of His torture and death in our observance of Good Friday. Yes, even though we continue to celebrate His life and in a couple of days, rejoice in His triumphant entry into Jerusalem, being praised as a King on Palm Sunday, we know His death is soon to come. Jesus, in His conversation with the disciples here, speaks very specifically about the connection between being “great” and taking on the mantle of service.

Jesus us gave us the ultimate example of servant leadership. During His time on earth, He used His power for good by healing, teaching and feeding thousands of people. He washed His disciples feet. He took on a thorn of crowns, was beaten, mocked and nailed to a cross. He purposefully remained in pain, blessing those around Him...even those who were responsible for the brutality committed against Him. He gave up His life for us, taking on the sins of the world -- past, present and future -- in order for us to have eternal life with our Father God.

Are we capable of such service? There are certainly those who come close. Men and women who have voluntarily entered the fray as a soldiers, policemen, firefighters and other first responders, and then gave the ultimate sacrifice of their lives in order to save others are examples of this. But we also have the opportunity to serve in much more simple and abundant ways. Our actions every day in the little things we do for those around us are the ways we serve. We don’t have to think that service only comes in these giant efforts or intense sacrifices of time, talent or treasure.

So, how will you serve? How will you lead? Take time today to lend an ear or a helping hand. Commit that anonymous act of selflessness of which only you and God are aware. For we have the example in Jesus of the ultimate servant leader. Rejoice in the knowledge that He served us in order that we might be encouraged to pass along that same service to others, putting ourselves last and Him first.

Mar 29 - "Freed"

2 Corinthians 3:7-18 -- “Now if the ministry of death, chiseled in letters on stone tablets, came in glory so that the people of Israel could not gaze at Moses’ face because of the glory of his face, a glory now set aside, how much more will the ministry of the Spirit come in glory? For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, much more does the ministry of justification abound in glory! Indeed, what once had glory has lost its glory because of the greater glory; for if what was set aside came through glory, much more has the permanent come in glory! Since, then, we have such a hope, we act with great boldness, not like Moses, who put a veil over his face to keep the people of Israel from gazing at the end of the glory that was being set aside. But their minds were hardened. Indeed, to this very day, when they hear the reading of the old covenant, that same veil is still there, since only in Christ is it set aside. Indeed, to this very day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their minds; but when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit.”

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Do you feel free? When you think about the options you have available to you every day, at any given moment, do you believe the choice on how to act is yours alone?

Paul makes an interesting and important comparison between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant in his second letter to the church in Corinth. He talks about the Ten Commandments and how the rules and laws (all 613 of them, the Mitzvah) put in place by the ancient Hebrews pushed down and restricted them. The complexity of the rites, rituals, sacrificial requirements...pigeons for this sin, bulls for that sin, wheat for yet another...made for a labyrinthine path to righteousness. Contrarily, when Jesus came, His sacrifice fulfilled the Law and it was no longer necessary.

When I was younger, I remember thinking that I could not wait until I grew up and could eat whatever I wanted...and not eat what I did not want...stay up all night, do the things I wanted to do. I felt like the restrictions my parents, teachers and others in authority put on me were unfair and kept me from enjoying the life I wanted to live. Don’t we all feel this way as kids, especially as teenagers or young adults still living at home? Believe me, as parents of a sixteen year old daughter, Greta and I fight that battle every day, coming from the other direction.

I often chuckle when thinking about some of the dietary requirements associated with ancient rules and laws. Honestly, I do believe they came from God. I picture God saying to Himself thousands of years ago, “OK, I created these things called Lobsters and, when cooked properly, they taste awesome. If My Chosen People figure this out, they’ll want to eat it all of the time. But, I’m not sure they can figure out how to cook and eat these weird creatures in the right way without killing off most of their families. I’ll just put it on their hearts that they are not supposed to eat lobster. Once they figure it out in a few centuries...and by the way, I send My Son to fulfill the law...I’ll make it OK to eat lobster. Oh yeah...I need to do the same thing with pork because of that little Trichinella bug I created. That could be bad too.”

Sorry for the little bit of heretical familiarity with how God may think, but, it does help make the point that there are times when we need to follow rules and do things in ways that don’t seem to make sense at the time. We ask “why?” We can’t wait for the time when we will become unfettered from these rules. And yet, as we grow older and gain wisdom over the years, we start to realize that all of those restrictions had their importance at the time. They were the means to form us and steer us in the right direction, often keeping us from harming ourselves.

The glory of Christ’s sacrifice and the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives takes the early laws established by Moses and his people, laws focused on things external to our being, and frees us to focus on what is inside. Why do we feel guilty or bad about ourselves when we do something we know is wrong? I’m not necessarily talking about when we break the speed limit or roll through a stop sign. I’m talking about when we say a hurtful word, when we don’t seize the opportunity to help someone in need or when we turn away from the Divine creation God has allowed and encourages us to be. We have these feelings of unworthiness because the Spirit is in us. When we made the choice to accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit comes into us and the veil is removed. We turn around and see God in all that we are and in all that we do. When the Spirit is in our bodies and our being, but we turn back to our old ways at times, the Spirit does not allow us to enjoy our sin any more. With freedom comes responsibility; to ourselves and to others. “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.” (Luke 12:48)

So, I’ll ask again: do you feel free? It is a hard thing to consider. We feel free in the sense that we have immeasurable ability to make choices...good and bad...every day. But remember that the glorious blessing that comes with with freedom is the equal blessing of being given great responsibility, to ourselves and to others. Be encouraged by the fact that with our freedom, we are no longer bound by Laws which restrict our ability to love, to give, to provide help and to care. The law of death is gone and we are freed, glorious in the law of eternal life.

Mar 28 - "Stupid Questions"

Mark 10:2-9, 13-16 -- “Some Pharisees came, and to test Him they asked, ‘Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” He answered them, ‘What did Moses command you?’ They said, ‘Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of dismissal and to divorce her.’ But Jesus said to them, ‘Because of your hardness of heart he wrote this commandment for you. But from the beginning of creation, “God made them male and female.” “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.’ People were bringing little children to Him in order that He might touch them; and the disciples spoke sternly to them. But when Jesus saw this, He was indignant and said to them, ‘Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it.’ And He took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them.”

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Sometimes, we humans, when questioning the Divine, ask all of the wrong questions. Due to the often petty nature of our concerns and fears, we can spend time worrying about things which, in the scheme of things, do nothing to build up our faith or further God’s Kingdom.

Look at the Pharisees. They have Messiah standing in front of them, but they do not want to or cannot believe. Their hearts have been hardened. Because of their hearts of stone, they are focused on the wrong things. Instead of seeking a genuine understanding of the teaching and words delivered by God in human form, they spend time on the inane. Their goal of questioning is not to develop or embolden their faith. They are just trying to trick Jesus (as if they could). Their faith has become so complex and twisted that they are unable to see the simple and beautiful Holiness right in front of them.

Is this silliness, bordering on the heretical, left in the past? Unfortunately no. We still see today the battles fought even among Christians, related to what we believe. Arguments are pervasive and deep over sacraments and liturgy or translations of the Word. Vicious debate splits church communities over questions of sexuality and whether gay or lesbian brothers and sisters should be able to serve as ministers, clergy, priests or bishops. Let us not forget that one of the first major divides in the Church, splitting the Body of Christ into the Orthodox and the Catholic, was over one word (“filioque”) stated in the Nicene Creed (“...from the Father and the Son...” vs. “...from the Father and through the Son...”). What would Christ have to say about that?!?

There are many times when in a conversation, a person will begin a line of inquiry with, “This may be a stupid question, but...”. People who preface their comments in this way most often already know that what they are about to ask is either meaningless or not germane to the dialogue in which they are participating. They are usually asking the question for another reason; maybe to try and make an obvious point, trick the person presenting the information or derail the conversation in some way. Regardless of the intent, very often the questions are not genuine, seeking to understand, but are merely some kind of head fake with an ulterior motive.

One of my favorite funny websites is www.despair.com, which takes the traditional motivational posters we see everywhere and puts a cynical twist on them. There is one poster with a picture of a lightbulb, stating underneath it, “There are no stupid questions, but there are a lot of inquisitive idiots.”

The closing of this section in Mark’s gospel, related to the faith of children, is not an accident. Whether the scene with these little ones approaching Jesus occurred immediately after the dialogue with the Pharisees or not, is irrelevant. What does matter is the juxtaposition of these two examples of “faith”; the complex and the simple. Do young children ask questions such as the one asked by Pharisees? Are they caught up in the silliness of petty concern? No. They approach Jesus with open hearts and smiles; they approach Him with love. Their faith in Him beautiful and genuine. Maybe this is because they are much closer to the time when their souls were with Him in Heaven before they were born, than we who have lived many years, where time has allowed our faith grow in sometimes cynical ways.

So, look into your heart and inquire, “Am I asking the right questions? Am I focused on the wrong things, when it comes to my faith?” Asking questions to build our faith is not wrong; God has given us inquiring minds which He wants us to use in a discerning manner, enriching our belief. But, we can’t allow things of this world to turn our hearts from genuine seeking to a position of asking the stupid questions.

Mar 27 - "Building Up"

1 Corinthians 14:26-27 -- “What should be done then, my friends? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up.”

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How much of your day yesterday was spent commenting, complaining, criticizing, gossiping or otherwise using words to do something besides speaking in a positive way? I certainly have days like these where it seems like I do nothing but spew out an unending stream of negativity. Every person I speak with on these kinds of days hears me complain about whatever is going wrong.

But does all of this negative talk help me? Venting can be an important cathartic activity when done genuinely in that way. “Getting it off your chest” can be a means to release the anger or frustration pent up inside, allowing a healthy cleansing of sorts. There are dozens of emails I have written and thankfully never sent, but the processing of putting down the words, reading and then promptly deleting them helped me work through the situation. It probably saved my job or a relationship on a few occasions. However, when we spend time in this gloomy and harmful state for too long and drag others into it, the value of the release can turn against us.

I have written previously about the power of words (Mar 2 - “Watch Your Mouth”). The spoken or written word can become powerful truths when repeated often enough. This is what Paul is telling us today. Our words can and should be used for building each other up. I do not think he was saying that we should make false statements or tell white lies in order to make someone feel good, even if we know the things are saying are not true. He is saying that when we are together, at all times, there is a way to use words to create a spirit of genuine support for one another.

The power of a person’s words, in my opinion, comes directly from the Spirit. Yes, words of anger and hate can come from the wrong kind of spirit, but the good ones, the ones which uplift, support and encourage certainly come from the Holy Spirit. When we hear a great speech, funny joke, an awesome song or other positive words, isn’t it funny how our first response is to share them with someone? We immediately forward a web link, call a loved one to tell the story, text to a friend or jam our earphones into the nearest family member, saying, “You’ve got to listen to this song!”. We know that the uplifting feeling we have is best when shared with others.

Mark Twain said, “I can live for two months on a good compliment.”; truer words were never spoken. When a person takes the time to offer us genuine words of encouragement for something we have done well, it makes us want to do more of that good thing. I don’t think the way this is described as “building up” is accidental; the kind words make us stronger, enabling us to continue down a positive path.

So, today I offer you words of encouragement. You are perfect in the eyes of your Creator. You have been given gifts of grace and intelligence that are unique and special to you, even if the world tells you differently. Your smile is a thing of beauty. You have value. You are loved!

Mar 26 - "Let God Take Care of the Rest"

Romans 12:9-21 -- “Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are. Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’ No, ‘if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink; for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (a favorite)

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There are a few places in the Bible where a bunch of really good things are packed into one area. The fourth chapter of Philippians, 1 John and Colossians are examples of this, in my opinion. Believe me, there are also long stretches, like the books of Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy, where I struggle to find meaning in three whole books and dozes of chapter. It’s too bad that the writer of Ecclesiastes 6:11, who intimated “The more the words, the less the meaning, and how does that profit anyone?” had not come before the author of the these books. However, this section from Romans is not one of those; here, less is more.

Paul seems to be writing this in a fashion that is almost a random stream of consciousness of sorts. These verses fall in a section of Romans which some translations (this one is the NIV) have entitled it “Love in Action”. To describe the gift of Love and how to transform it from being just more than a “feeling”, we see a list of all the things we can do to put our Love to work. Many of the things Paul lists are what you might call common sense: “Serve the Lord.”; “Live in harmony with one another.”; “Do not claim to be wiser than you are.”. There are others, however, which might not normally make the list of things you’d think about when describing how to put Love into action.

One of my favorites from this section is “Do not lag in zeal”. Don’t we all know that person who seems to be on fire with the Spirit 24/7? Every time we see them, they are full of joy, vibrant and alive. When a good thing happens, they are the one who cheers the loudest. These are the people we know and love who are the first on the dance floor at a party or the ones at the beginning of the line to belt out a tune at a late-night session of karaoke. They seem fearless. Their passion and zest for life is admirable, wonderful and beautifully contagious.

Another one I like is also the one I probably struggle with the most: “If your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink; for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads.”. I tend to leave this one behind all too often. Whether it is someone I struggle with at work or in another personal situation, my first inclination is not to “kill them with kindness”, as this verse directs us to do. My actions to them do not reflect Love, but are the opposite. Does this make the situation better? Will these people to become my friends by treating them as my enemy? Certainly not. This is me trying to take control over a person as opposed to letting God handle it.

So, remember, all we are asked to do is love. Give Love...be Love. When we are truly living in the Spirit and walking along God’s path and plan for us, Love abounds out of our being. Know that focusing on all of our petty challenges, trying to control outcomes and dwelling to long in sadness puts a dark veil over our light of Love. Just love, and let God take care of the rest.

Mar 25 - "His Majesty"

Psalm 8 -- “Lord, our Lord, how majestic you are! You have set your glory in the heavens. Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, who am I that you are mindful of me, that you care for me? You have made me a little lower than the angels and crowned me with glory and honor. You made me ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under my feet: all flocks and herds, and the animals of the wild, the birds in the sky, and the fish in the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas. Lord, our Lord, how majestic you are!” (a favorite)

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Last evening, our family and friends celebrated the life of my Grandma Bonnie. The service was a beautiful remembrance of all the joy, wit, care, lessons, but especially...love...that she brought to all of our lives. The time we spent with many people yesterday sharing memories and stories, joy and tears, was a blessing for all who were there.

My cousin Kristin read Psalm 8 as a part of her tribute to Grandma Bonnie. Although I have read it before and heard it more than a few times...that it has been hanging in a frame at my parents house in the upstairs hallway for almost 30 years...the words came across to me in a new a special way. The power and humility of this Psalm brings to mind the fact that even though God created the most formidable forces in the universe, the stars, the planets, oceans and continents, He still cares for us above all else.

We so often discount our importance as God’s creation in this world. He has given us the ability to do great works. When we are at our best, we make amazing things happen. Whether it is a large group of people coming together behind a noble cause and changing the lives of thousands or a simple act of outreach by a single person anonymously to another where only they and God are aware of the gift given, all of it comes from the power God has created in us.

Yet, so often, we are not at our best.

Who am I that God is mindful of me?!? I am a flawed man, full of selfish thoughts and sinful action. Aren’t there more important things for Him to be focused on? I fail Him over and over again, and yet He still considers me of immense value, desiring that I always return and am close to Him. He has the ability to strike me down and return me to dust without a second thought. Why should he care for me?

All I can do is sit in sheer awe of His majesty. His ability to continually reconcile my failures and allow me again to be with Him is awesome and beyond my understanding. The fact that He would send His own Son to be a sacrifice for me, when I did not deserve such a gift humbles me to my core.

So, dear friends, recognize the fact that God has chosen you above all creation to be in His special care. He has given you power to change things for the better; to love; to bring joy; to spread happiness. Know that He will always watch over you, no matter what, and that even when we feel like we are at our lowest, when we fail Him, we can return to Him and His majesty will not fail us.