Now Don't Settle for the Back of a Scrap

As my friend Todd came into the room he grabbed some paper from a stack by the door. The stack was a set of questionairres from the day before at a Men's Conference we were attending together. I asked him if he had not gotten the info the previous night and he said- "Oh yes-but I need some paper to take notes on for the coming session- The back of one of the leftover sheets will do nicely." Funny thing was, as he opened his pad to begin the session- Some fresh unused paper- Paper he had missed in the shuffle of other papers was right there.

Somehow he had missed it-

but what he needed-

It was right there all along!

That's the way it is with me and God sometimes-

I get busy and I miss Him.

I get worried and I don't see Him.

Life goes crazy and I look right past Him.

My friend was ready to settle for the back of a scrap-

Yet fresh clean paper was right there all the time-

Available.

When will I reach a point in my life that I see God-

All the time-

Available.

When will I stop settling for my own make shift answers-

And simply go to Him-

Ask Him for help.

Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him;

For he that cometh to God must believe He exists,

And He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.

Father rise up in my mind and heart all the time-

So that I will seek You-

So that I will put my trust in you

as my first line of thought.

Help me to never miss the reality that You are here with me-

All the time-

Available.

Amen

On Butterflies and Courage

Warm Springs- Yes the pools at Warm Springs, GA- Talk about a misnamed place- Warm- Are you kidding me-

When I first stepped in that water I about froze my patooties off-

Please don't ask me what a patooty is.

Maybe it just seemed cold- Maybe because it was a cool morning- Maybe it was the stiff breeze blowing through the tree tops- Whatever it was- I did begin to adjust to the temperature as I lay back in the water- Determined to try my hand at simply floating for a while. As I lay back looking up into the deep blue sky- Something caught my eye- Some movement flitting about- High up in the strong air currents.

Have you ever noticed a Butterfly on a windy day?

This exquisite wonder of God's creation- Normally beautifully graceful in flight- This black and golden marvel- Moved with all the grace of a drunken sailor- Drunken, but in fast motion. The power of the elements first tossed my poor friend to the left- Then to the right- Then into some kind of awkward erratic corkscrew motion- Then up- Then down-

It was madness I tell you-

Simply madness in motion.

But wait- As I lay in what truly was becoming Warm Springs- After following this poor creature's path with my eyes a bit- I began to notice something-

Progress!

Amazing-

What once looked like a pitiful lightweight-

At the mercy of the elements-

Had now become a fighter!

This creature had a destination in mind- Maybe a flower to to gain nourishment from- Maybe just a search for calmer air- This wonder of creation was courageously moving forward- Refusing to surrender to the elements- Even in the craziness.

Joshua 1:9 Have I not commanded you?

Be strong and courageous.

Do not be terrified;

do not be discouraged,

for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."

Father in Heaven-

I know that You are with me.

Help me to take hold of Your Love and Strength today-

Even as the elements beat against me.

Please move in me for Courage and Determination-

Courage and Dtermination and Love-

To live the life You have for me.

Amen

On Beauty, Grace and Splendor

I love Saturday mornings with my friends. I love being on the bicycle- Riding with a partner- There is such community in it-

Much Grace is given and much Grace is received.

There is the time we spend at Bojangles- Sharing Hope over a warm Bo-Berry biscuit- Meeting new folks like Mr Cummings and Joe Jackson- Two elderly black men who love Jesus- Men who bring a whole different set of life experiences to the table. Men who even with all they have been through- Growing up in the South in the 40's and 50's- Can sit at the table with a bunch of white guys- Sharing breakfast and the Love of Jesus.

God extends much Grace at that table-

Through these men's Grace towards us.

Ah, and then there is the sheer beauty of a fall morning on the river- The crystal blue sky- The water rushing over the rocks- Deer grazing as we ride the trail by the river. Seeing the families as they are out with their children for a morning walk- Even the dogs being walked seem to be smiling!

What is it about beauty that so captures us?

Is it some beckoning back to Eden-

Some longing for what we had so long ago-

A calling out from creation to the life of Jesus in us.

I met a young man on my ride this past Saturday- An Artist- I could not help but notice as he sat quietly at the Canal Headgate- His baby daughter asleep at his side- Todd Cass sat capturing the beauty of the Gatehouse- Capturing splendor with charcoal and a pad. The Artist was immersed in his work- Clearly captivated by the beauty- The beauty he was capturing on his pad.

I think that might be how it is with the beauty of God-

Maybe it's nature is such that we can't truly take hold of it-

Capture it for ourselves-

Until we are first captivated by it.

Job 37:14 and 22-24 Excerpts "Listen to this, Job-

Stop and consider God's wonders........

Out of the north He comes in golden splendor-

God comes in awesome majesty. The Almighty is beyond our reach and exalted in power...... Therefore, men revere Him

Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus, Spirit of the Living God-

Slow me down a bit today-

Open the eyes of my heart to see-

To see Your Golden Splendor-

To see Your Grace toward me in all the gifts of the beauty of Your Creation.

Amen

By the by- the young artist Tood Cass did some amazing work even in the short time I visited with him. If any of you out there have any need for an original drawing or painting or Carpentry work, I got the feeling he could use the support with a young baby and a wife in the military. I have his contact info if any of you are interested let me know!

Mosh Pits and Community (Part 2)

"Dad-
The best thing about a hard core show-
(A particular musical and dance style-
That is shall we say.......a bit dangerous-
Dangerous-
In the sense that there are some pretty wild movements-
Movements that can lead to collisions on the dance floor)

Uh..... let me start over-

"Dad-

The best thing about a Hard Core show-

Is that you don't have to worry about hurting anyone-

About starting a fight................

It's sort of expected that people will crash into one another"

There are so many different directions I could run with that statement-
Many predictable-
I think I will run with the less predictable.

It is amazing to me how much Grace my son seems to

find in something as crazy as a Mosh Pit.

A question-
Do you have a place you can go where you can totally be yourself-
Where you can let down all the facades-
Where you can be honest-
About your fears-
Your doubts-
Your temptations-
Your............... sin?

Do you have a place where you can flail about wildly-
Sometimes rythmically-
Sometimes not so rythmically-
A place where you can collide with other Christians-
Without having to worry about offending-
Without having to worry about starting a fight?

Do you have a place where much Grace is given-
A place where much Grace is received?

We live in a dangerous world.
It seems we always have to be on gaurd-
On the defensive.

I don't know about you but,

I need a safe place.

A place where I know am loved........

No matter what.

I need a place where I can set aside theology-
A place where I confess the good and the bad-
A place where I don't have to work so hard.........
To look good.

I need a place where I can feel the arms of Jesus wrapped around me.
I need people who won't judge me.......
but will still challenge me.

I need a place where I feel Love of God........
Through the Love of His people.

Acts 4:32-33
All the believers were one in heart and mind.

No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own,

but they shared everything they had.

With great power the apostles continued to testify

to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus,

and much Grace was upon them all.

Heavenly Father-

Thank You for my close friends-

Thank You for how You use them in my life to show Your Great Love for me.

Father,
Help me more and more to come into Community with my brothers and sisters.
Help me to be an instrument of Your Grace to all those You bring my way.
Make us all into safe havens for one another-
Even as we collide in the Mosh Pit of this Life.

Lord Jesus, Holy Spirit-

Take even the pain of the collisions

and use them to spur us on to Love and good works.

Amen

Mosh Pits and Christianity

My son Matthew loves hard core dancing-
If you are not familiar with that style-
I think it essentially involves something called a mosh pit-
A mass of humanity strewn together-
Arms and legs flailing about wildly-
Some rythmically and some not so rythmically-
In such close proximity to one another-
There can not help but be some contact.....errr...collisions.
Matt came home from a hard core show (concert) recently and said to me,

"Dad,

I got kicked in the leg,

hit in the face,

a busted lip and

almost knocked out"

"It was great!"

Alrighty then........
More and more I am agreeing with the statement, "Youth is wasted on the young" :)
At any rate-
When Matt said this-
There was such a smile on his face-
Such a brightness about his eyes-
I couldn't help but think-

My son just gave the perfect description of the Christian Life-

James 1:2 Consider it pure joy,

my brothers,

whenever you face trials of many kinds

Pure Joy-

Now that's bold in the face of trials.
Yet.........

What is it about a mosh pit that can inspire pure joy-
In the face of a busted lip and almost being knocked out?

I might be wrong-
But somehow I think in the case of the mosh pit-

(I have never experienced one)

There must be a sort of joy.......
In being lost in the moment.

There must be some sense........
That the pain fades into nothingness-
As the dancer is lost in his freedom of expression.

I wonder............

Can we get there in the Christian Life?

Can we get to a point where the trials fade into nothingness?

Can we get to a point where we are so consumed with Christ-

So lost in the expressions of the Glory of God in our lives-

So confident in His Grace towards us-

His Love for us...........

That we can live the life of freedom-

The life He has won for us-

The Life of abandon and boldness in Love?

No one would ever venture into a mosh pit out of a sense of duty-

No-
They go to dance-

They go for the freedom-

They go for the Life!

Father God,

Bring me into the Joy of Life today-

Your Life in me.

In the midst of the trials-

Rise up in us to be the expression of Your Glory-

To be the expression of Your Love.

Fill us Holy Spirit

to all these good ends.

Praise, Honor and Glory be to You.

Amen

My Beloved

Yeah!!!!!!!!!!!! Today marks mine and Julie's 31st Anniversary and I thought maybe another attempt at poetry might be in order. Please bear with me, but this one is for my wife!

My Beloved

My beloved comes near

Smiling wistfully

Beautiful smiles

Smiles that drive away

All that I could ever fear

Oh Father in Heaven,

What is this You have done

To give me such a gift

The gift of my beloved one

My beloved , I am captured

Captured by your eyes

Eyes so deep and brown

I am lost in wonder and surprise

Oh Father in Heaven,

What is this You have done

To give me such a gift

The gift of my beloved one.

Mark 10:7-9 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother

and be united to his wife,

and the two will become one flesh.'

So they are no longer two, but one.

Therefore what God has joined together,

let man not separate."

All Praise, Honor and Glory be to the One who has joined me to Julie.

Amen

Jesus? Who is that?

Quick- When you hear the name Jesus- What comes to mind? Savior? Teacher? King of Kings and Lord of Lords? Nice Man? Healer? Miracle Worker? Baby in a manger? Peacemaker? Sucker Outer of all fun? Hero? Good Shepherd? Bread of Life? Wise man? Dreamer? Holy man? Lunatic? Avenger? A man on a cross......... Friend? What picture comes to mind? What do you feel when you hear the name? Whatever it is- I venture to guess it is rooted in some deep personal experiences. Maybe in Church- Maybe in a relationship- Maybe in some tragedy- Maybe in some beauty. Whatever we feel, think of or picture when we hear that name- I will also venture to guess- Is incomplete- A very good, but only partial truth. Maybe all the truth we can handle just now.

1 John 3:2 Dear friends, now we are children of God,

and what we will be has not yet been made known.

But we know that when He appears,

we shall be like Him,

for we shall see Him as He is.

Isn't that really what a lot of this life is all about-

Coming more and more to see Him as He is-

In all His fullness-

And as we do-

Being drawn up into Him-

To be united to Him-

Spirit, Soul and Body-

Heart, Mind and Will.

Faith grows and becomes stronger by being challenged-

Is our view of Jesus-

Of God-

Being challenged just now?

It is a good thing- A great blessing- Let's lean into the challenge- He will appear- He will show Himself- He is Faithful like that. Let's look for Him in ways we may not be accustomed to. Let's take hold of all God is revealing about Himself - Even as our pictures of Him are challenged.

Lord Jesus,

Open the eyes of my heart-

Open the essence of my spirit-

To see you in all Your Glory-

And as I see You-

To be transformed more and more into Your Likeness.

Amen

I am still hopeful that part 3 of the Jet Ski adventure will happen sometime next week!

On Jet Skis and Strange Joy (Part 2)

As we eased around the last bend in the cove- Bill called out over the sound of the boat motor- "Charles, it's getting too shallow to go much farther". Just then, a sudden loud grinding sound caught my attention followed by immediate silence. "We just broke the prop on a tree stump" Bill said with more than a hint of concern in his voice.

"Reeebecccccaaaa" I called out over and over again.

It had been more than 15 minutes now since I had last seen my baby zoom off on the Jet-Ski into the long deep cove and dissappear. Now, at last I could see the end of the narrowing, tree stump infested cove- Still no Rebecca. The last words I had called to her now played over and over in my mind-

"Faster, Faster"

I yelled as she had sped away from the dock-

"If you slow down the Jet-Ski will fall over and you'll be stuck."

What had I done?

There were houses on one side of the steep bank of the cove-

On the opposite side only woods-

Thick woods on a bank that was not quite so steep.

Daaaaaaaad-

Over here!

My baby girl- I heard her-

I know I heard her.

But where was she?

Was it really her?

Could it have just been some haunting, hopeful echo in my mind?

No, It had to be her-

But where was she?

Daaaaaaad-

I heard her again!

But it made no sense-

The sound was coming from............

Well as hard as it was to grasp-

It was coming from the Woods.

She had been on a Jet- Ski-

In the Lake-

How could she be in the woods?

Just then I saw some movement on the bank-

Could it be-

Yesssssssssss!

She was there-

Making her way down through the trees and brush toward the shore line.

Thank You Jesus!

Joy shows up in the strangest places-

A little girl walking down out of the woods-

A little girl I expected to find on a Jet-Ski in the lake.

Matthew 4:18-19 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. "Come, follow Me," Jesus said, "And I will make you fishers of men"

Joy shows up in the strangest places-

A man walking along beside a lake-

A man who calls out, "Come, Follow Me"-

Follow Me into the Life you were meant to Live.

Where will our invitation to Joy come from today?

Lord Jesus-

Open the eyes of our hearts today so that we do not miss Your invitations to Joy. Invitations that come from strange, unexpected places.

Kisses blown to us from heaven-

The smile of a friend-

The feel of a breeze on my face.

Lord Jesus in this hard, hard world-

Lead us into Joy-

Lead us into You!

Amen

Part 3 coming soon- I think- maybe.

On Jet- Skis and Shared Suffering (Part One)

2003- A beautiful summer day on Lake Oconee- My sister and her husband had invited our family to their home on the lake for a day of fun and sun. There was swimming off the dock, there was eating- There was boat riding, there was eating- There was tubing, and well there was more eating- I tell you it's like a mini vacation anytime we can steal away and visit these wonderful people. The sky was blue, the sun was hot and the water had just the right tinge of coolness to bring delightful sensations of bliss as we drifted on floats off the end of the dock. Then there was the Jet-Ski. I had never ridden a jet ski before- The thought of zipping around the lake- A cool breeze in my face was....... Well........... I just had to try it. The ride was everything I imagined- There was the speed- A pure adrenaline rush- There was the sense of flying- Freedom and Danger all rolled into one-

It was a blast!

Our daughter Rebecca, who was 13 at the time- After seeing her dad cut the fool on that Jet- Ski contraption- Just had to give it a go for herself.

Didn't I do a blog before on how it was dangerous to follow Dad?

Anyway, after some brief instructions- Far too brief- She hopped on and away she went- Heading into a deep long cove- The intention was that she turn quickly back toward the main body of the lake- The turn never happened- And so she quickly dissappeared around a sharp bend in the cove. We could hear the engine of the jet-ski for only another moment or so before even that sound faded into silence. After another minute or so- Still no Rebecca- No Jet Ski sound- Nothing. How can I describe the feeling that came slowly at first- But more and more quickly washed over me in those moments.

She was gone-

My baby was gone-

Disappeared-

She should have been out of that cove by now-

Why had I ever let her- Where was she? What if.......... Panic, Fear and Dread sprang to life in my heart. Bill (my brother-in law) and I quickly jumped into his boat and began to ease back into the cove to find my lost daughter. He tried to reassure me- "The engine probably just cut out Charles" - Yes- that's what must have happened- The engine had just cut out- Rebecca would be there waiting for us around the next bend- Yes- the engine just cut out I told myself. By now every foot we crept forward in that narrowing cove- Not seeing my beautiful, precious daughter- Just made the fear grow in my gut- Like some sort of slow but powerful poison.

She had to be alright- We would find her-

She had to be alright.

Hebrews 2:14-18 (Excerpts) Since the children have flesh and blood, Jesus too shared in their humanity............ He had to be made like His brothers in every way, in order that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God............Because He Himself suffered when He was tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted.

I wonder now-

If as Jesus was suffering on that agonizing cross-

He not only carried the pain of my sin-

But He also carried the Suffering of that day-

And so many other days like it-

For so much suffering humanity.

I know that somehow He was with me that day-

Not just for comfort-

But also in my very suffering-

Agonizing there with me -In me

Maybe this is the key for us in enduring those brutal times-

Somehow, to draw on the Life of Jesus-

That Life now in us-

And so somehow to live out His Trust in the Father-

Even to the point of death.

Lord Jesus,

Thank You for identifying with not only my sin, but also my pain and fear.

Thank You for living through that time with me-

Thank You for carrying me in it.

Lord God Almighty help me to always come to my Jesus for all the Life I need.

Amen

Don't be such a Whiner or Striver or Whiner or Striver or............

My life is not as I would arrange it. My story is not as I would write it. I do not have the perfect job. My children don't follow my script for their lives. I don't have enough money to do what I want. My wife does not always cooperate with plans. I do not have the physical prowess or the body I would like to have. I do not have the status my ego craves.

Whine, Whine, Whine...............

What a whining little egocentrical fool I can be- Sometimes I whine so much I become disgusted with myself. Why can't I have more of a positive attitude?

Whoa...... Isn't that amazing-

I can even whine about what a Whiner I am!

So what am I to do? What is the cure for my condition? Maybe I should settle for discontentment- After all, It is what it is............Right? Maybe I should just resign myself to never having all I want. Or............ Maybe I should fight it- Maybe I should make my plans- Do everything in my power to manipulate them into being. You know the mentality don't you? I can do anything- I am the Master of my domain- If I can believe it, I can achieve it- How about shifting from......

Whine, Whine, Whine....................

to Strive Strive, Strive...........

Truthfully........

I've spent alottttttttt of time in my life striving-

And while it is definitely more productive than whining-

In the end-

All my striving has only led to a different sort of misery-

Certainly not the Life Jesus won for me-

The Life God meant for us.

Matthew 16:24-25 Then Jesus said to his disciples,

"If anyone would come after Me,

he must deny himself

and take up his cross and follow Me.

For whoever wants to save his life will lose it,

but whoever loses his life for Me will find it.

It's time for a new way of Life-

Away with the whining and striving-

Away with all the complaining and manipulation.

It's time to take hold of the Great Paradox-

It's time to forget trying to write my own story-

It's time to forget trying to take His place as the center of the story.

It's time to die into Christ-

It's time to let His Life and Love be lived out through me.

More and more I am coming to see-

Little by little-

Bit by bit-

This is where I can find the life I long for.

Holy Spirit lead me deeper into Jesus today-

Lead me deeper into Life.

Amen

On Love, Lust and Desire

It was a beautiful truck. The first time I saw it I was riding down Hwy 80 out of Statesboro toward Savannah. Midnight blue with the perfect striping package and Moon Roof- It sat right up front at the roadside Used Car Dealership- The figure $9,999.00 was painted right there on the tinted windshield. Four Wheel Drive- Tires so big I swear the thing could have floated if I had wanted it to double as a fishing boat. This Red Neck's dream sat up so high off the ground I think my poor wife would have needed a ladder to make it into the passenger seat.

I was in lust!

I drooled over that truck- It consumed me........... As much or more than I had ever let any woman capture my imagination. From the moment I saw it I had to have it- That truck was the answer- Everything in my world would be right- If I could just have it as my own. Blinded to anything but my own desire- My own sense of urgency- My devious little mind immediately went to work- Scheming- How could I convince my sweet wife Julie that this was just what we needed?

Mishandled Desire is a dangerous thing.

Psalm 37:4 Delight yourself in the Lord

and He will give you the desires of your heart.

Ah....... Delight yourself in the Lord.

Enjoy Him.

Live in the reality of His Goodness.

Embrace His tender mercies.

Unite to His Heart in His Love for people-

The people He brings around us....... even today.

Relax in His care.

Take in the fullness of His creation-

The wonder of Crystal Blue Sky -

The Power of a Thunderstorm.

Take joy in the touch of a friend.

Yes....... Delight yourself in the Lord- Today!

Lust blinds-

It creates a sort of tunnel vision-

It narrows our world-

Shrinks our world-

I miss so much when I am in lust.

Love -

Love for God-

It opens vision.

It is a strange paradox-

The more I am consumed with Christ-

Delighting in Him-

The more my vision seems to open to all He has made me for.

In all this-

This delight in my Creator-

Somehow the desires of my heart seem to find their fulfillment.

Lord Jesus, Father in Heaven, Holy Spirit

Lead me into the way of delighting in You today.

Lead me into a deeper Love and Appreciation for Who You are and what You are doing in and around my life today.

Lead me into a deeper appreciation for Your Grace and Beauty.

Help me more and more to take hold of the life that is truely Life.

Amen

Oh, by the way-

In case you're wondering-

Julie said no to the truck.

A Poem

I have only ever written a couple of poems in my life- This is one of them- A Fearful Calling Oh this thing in me- Bandying about my heart- Longing for Eternity- Reaching for Light in the dark. What is it? This desperate desire- What is it? Some fearsome fire. Light calls out to me- Consuming, pure light- Just now- I am but the moth Fluttering to it’s height. What is it? This call to the Light- What is it? This beckoning to what’s bright. Look! It is my Father, The one whose image I bear- Look! It is Abba Father Waiting…………. Calling ……... Just there. He beckons quietly- Come home my son- Come now- Die into Me- And we will be one. What is it? This desperate desire- What is it? This Great Consuming Fire. Come Home my son.............. Come Home.

Revelation 3:20 Behold I stand at the door and knock-

If anyone hears My voice and opens the door-

I will come into him

and sup with him

and he with Me.

Thank You Great Father for Your calling to our hearts and you promise of Life.

Amen

You Shouldn't Go Out There (Part 2)

It really seemed like a good idea at the time- You know- Fling caution to the wind- Go for it- Answer the call to Adventure and Wildness and......... Well.....................Life.

It is a strange thing to be floating upside-down in a kayak, in a rushing river.

So how did I end up there? Bottom side of my boat up- Thinking- If I don't remember that wet-exit thing- I'm Done.

Matthew 14:28-31 "Lord if it is you" Peter said, "Tell me to come to you on the water". Jesus answered, "Come". So Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind and the waves, he was afraid and began to sink.

Peter cried out, "Lord, save me!"

Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him....."

Ignoring the instructor, I had paddled hard for the fast water- "The Chute".

I started fine- thinking I would ferry a bit into the chute-

Then peel out into the fastest part of the current to ride the whitewater the hundred yards or so down into the calmer river below.

Then...........

In the midst of the turn to peel out into the rapid, I had the oddest feeling that the boat was somehow beginning to slide out from underneath me.

It felt like slow motion, but insantaneous-

All at the same time-

And there was nothing I could do to stop it-

In that split second I couldn't see anything but the rushing water-

Panic and Desperation-

Both rushed in together to consume me-

Along with an angry river.

God's calls-

At one point in our lives we would answer-

We would fling caution to the wind-

For the promise of Adventure and Wildness and Life-

His Life-

A Life of Bold Enterprises of Faith and Love for the Kingdom.

Ah, but then something shook us-

Maybe the wind or the rushing water-

Maybe a bad experience or naysayers-

Maybe we even ended up sinking or upside down-

Lost in panic and desperation-

We took our eyes off Jesus.

It doesn't take much to lose heart-

To resign ourselves to a life of safety.

Ephesians 5:14 " Wake up, O' Sleeper-

Rise from the dead

and Christ will shine on you"

Do you hear it? Can you sense God's Call?

Can you feel the hand of Jesus reaching down to "Catch" you?

As you recognize Him on the shore are you ready to cast all else aside and throw yourself into the water again to get to Him?

He is waiting there and just like Peter-

He will give you a charge-

"Feed My lambs- Take care of My sheep- Feed My sheep"

It's time.

Father God, help me to recognize all Your calls to Life today- Help me to rise from my slumber and follow You into the Life You have won for me. Help me to cast the scales of callousness and defeat off my eyes and to see rightly-

Help me to see.

Awaken my heart again- the Good Heart You have created in me through the Love of Jesus.

Move in us all for the Courage to follow our Captain- Our Lord Jesus.

Holy Spirit lead us into all these things today- Deep into Jesus.

Amen

You Shouldn't Go Out There

At certain times of the day when there is a high demand for electricity in the Augusta area there is huge rush of water over the Savannah Rapids Spillway. In that rush of water there is one particular spot where the water comes over in mighty torrents. Just there, an especially fast stream of whitewater below the spillway is created that feeds out over the next couple hundred yards into the beautiful Savannah River.

That rush of water- That was what I wanted!

It had been a fruitful but tiring morning as my friend Rich and I had spent the previous four hours honing our paddling skills on the placid waters of Lake Richardson. Our Kayaking Instructor had been patient, but firm as she lended us her tutelage on skills such as Ferrying, Eddying and something called a Wet Exit.

I was going to need that "Wet Exit" skill.

Finally, after a good morning and a quick sandwich we loaded the Kayaks and headed to the river. We put in just below the Spillway and after a bit of Paddling, Eddying and Ferrying in some of the calmer water closer the the shore I looked over at our instructor and declared,

"I want to go out there"

Pointing to the fastest part of the river- the fun part- the part that would give the perfect fix to an adrenaline junkie.

It was calling me-

Beckoning me forth-

Into Irresistable Life!

"You shouldn't go out there" were the last words I heard our Instructor say as I had already begun to paddle toward the torrent of bubbling mayhem.

John 21:7 Then the Disciple whom Jesus Loved said to Peter,"It is the Lord". The moment Simon Peter heard him say, "It is the Lord"....... he jumped into the water (To go to Jesus).

I rush to so many things in my search for Life-

But there is one thing-

One Irresistable, Wonderful Call -

People may say-

You shouldn't go out there, but..........

I hope anytime I see- We see-

It is the Lord-

We will fling ourselves out onto Him-

Even following Him into a torrent of bubbling mayhem-

A wild and dangerous world-

To do battle-

To take ground for His Kingdom.

Isaiah 43:2 When you pass through the waters I will be with you;

And when you pass through the rivers they will not overflow you.

Father God, Holy Spirit, Lord Jesus-

Give us courage today to fling ourselves out on You-

To Trust You with all our Hearts- So that we are able to take ground for Your Kingdom today as we go about the business You set before us-

Loving You by Loving People.

Amen

Life is Opposed

Why is it hard to get out of bed in the mornings? Why is it hard to stay in shape? Why do we have to toil in our jobs- Even many times in good jobs? Why do we struggle in relationships?

Why can't Life just be................ Easy?

I think for me one of the great traps of the enemy I have fallen into is the notion that as a Christian my life should be easy. Even as I write that last line the Holy Spirit brings into my mind the absurdity of the thought. How did I ever get the idea that if I just did the right things- You know- Daily Devotionals, Church, Tithe, Treat others well...........and on and on........ I would somehow be guaranteed this easy, happy, care free life? I think of Jesus warning- "In this world you will have trouble" I think of the Call to Be Strong in the Lord- To Put on the Full Armor of God- To Stand Firm- To be Strong and Courageous.

Guess what Charles- Courage and Strength are not needed for a life of ease!

Oh now don't get me wrong-

I have not resigned myself to a life of misery-

I have not given up on the Abundant Life Jesus has won for me-

But.................

I think I finally may be realizing

I am going to have to fight for the Life I long for.

Maybe the fight itself is a part of the Abundant Life.

It is a Worthy Battle-

A Transcendent Cause He has brought us into.

God has not saved us so that we may retire to a life of ease-

God has saved us so that we can join the Battle.

Love is opposed-

Life is opposed-

The Kingdom of God in this World is opposed-

Ah, but the Gospel-

Christ has Overcome-

Take Heart- Christ has Overcome

Romans 8:11 And as the Spirit of Him Who raised Jesus from the dead is living in us-

That same God who raised Christ from the dead will also give Life to our mortal bodies through His Spirit Who Lives in us.

In the words of Eldredge-

There is an Adventure to live guys-

There is a Battle to fight-

There is a Beauty to rescue-

A Kingdom to be Restored-

Let's stay in the fight!

Father in Heaven, Lord Jesus, Spirit of the Living God-

Come to life in us today to be Strong and Courageous-

To Stand Firm-

To Love Well-

To Rise Up in the place you have put us-

To take ground for Your Kingdom.

All Praise be to You our Captain and our King.

Amen

A Strange Invitation

1990- Shaggy headed and in dire need of becoming presentable- I saw a sign that instantly grabbed my attention- Especially the attention of the miserly part of my brain that has been disproportionately developed through a lifetime of poverty- Or just plain cheapness- Take your pick!

Hair Cuts - $5.00

Yes! Just what the doctor ordered.

As I walked into the shop, I noticed two Barber Chairs-

One Barber-

And to my good fortune-

Only 1 customer whom the old Barber was busily snipping away at.

As I sat to wait my turn, I smiled and greeted the crusty old Barber-

To which he politely nodded with nary a word spoken.

As I sat patiently, I began to take notice of this man's skill and demeanor.

Studying his face a bit-I couldn't help but notice his concentration as he earnestly went about his task-Expressionless and silent-Exposing nothing that might betray any hint of emotion.

One thing I did note however, as he pulled out a straight razor to finish up the back of the neck of his current victim- uh customer- was what appeared to be a light brown stain around the corners of his mouth.

The origin of this anomaly was soon made clear -

As he put the finishing touches on a quite nice haircut-

This elderly "stylist" leaned forward and projected a healthy dose of brown tobacco juice about 3 feet into a nearby trash can.

My newfound Barber then proceeded to go around to the rear of his now vacant chair-

Look directly at me for the first time- Smile broadly-

A tobacco laden, brown toothed smile that will be etched into my memory for time immemorial-

And still without a word spoken-

Pat the back of the chair 3 times as if to say- Your Turn.

Ah- the moment of truth!

Should I cut and run?

Should I accept the invitation into this man's care?

Should I trust this venerable old character with a set of clippers for my head and a straight razor around my neck?

Luke 5:27-28 After this Jesus went out and saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at his tax booth. "Follow Me" Jesus said to him and Levi got up, left everything and followed Jesus.

Did you get that?

Left everything and followed Jesus-

Everything.

How strange it must have been to Levi-

A man dedicated to a way of life that was the antithesis of all that Jesus represented-

To hear and receive this invitation from Jesus.

Come to think of it- It's pretty strange for all of us.

A little like the smiling old Barber-

Who looks a bit strange to me-

But handles his business great with skill and care-

He invites me to trust him-

Put ego and neck on the line and be amazed at what He can do.

Father in Heaven, Lord Jesus, Holy Spirit- I will trust you today. I will follow you. Move in me Holy Spirit so that I go deeper into Jesus today. Move in me to live a Loving, Courageous, Faithful, Hopeful Life today- Your Life in me.

Amen

Loyalty (Part 2)

I love Weddings- The Pageantry- The Beginning of a new life together- Two Becoming One- The Uniting of Hearts and Lives- The Celebration- The food- The Beauty of a Bride and her Court- The Groom at his best- Stong and True- Did I mention the food? I wish I would get invited to more Weddings- Maybe I need to become a Wedding Crasher! That's it- that's the answer- I'll be a Wedding Crasher! Well.............. maybe not. Anyway- As I was pondering over this business of Loyalty, I suppose it was only natural (or maybe Supernatural) that the Holy Spirit would bring Weddings up into my conscious thoughts- Particularly the exchanging of vows. You remember them don't you?

The promise to love, honor, cherish and keep

In sickness and in health

Forsaking all others

Keeping only to your Beloved

All the days of your life

Forsaking all others

Now there's the rub-

A great source of difficulty in the Christian Life.

Does God place this same call on my life in my loyalty and devotion to Him?

Loyalty to my Father in Heaven may mean forsaking people-

At least it may feel like we are forsaking them.

Luke 14:26 Jesus said, " If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters- yes even his own life- he can not be My disciple."

Hard words-yet read on.......

1 John 4:20 If anyone says he loves God yet hates his brother he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother whom he has seen, can not love God whom he has not seen.

Okay now, wait a minute-

Which is it- What's it gonna be?

How about this-

My truest Loyalty to Him is lived out by sharing His Love and Life with People.

I can only be Loyal to Him by Loving them-

With His Love.

Maybe there are times when I have to fall back on this "tough love"-

Times when my loyalty to Him feels like being forsaken to them.

John 3:16 For God so Loved the World (People- All People) that He gave His Only Begotten Son............

If I believe this is truely where God's Heart is-

In the restoration of His people-

In the salvation of His people-

Then maybe it's time to entrust some of these people I love into the hands of a God who Loves them infinitely more than I can comprehend or imagine. Maybe my loyalty to Him is the best way to love them.

Lord Jesus, Father God, Holy Spirit- Thank You for even giving me the ability to love anyone at all. Move in me to entrust You with the lives of those You have brought my way. Enable me to Love them truely by Loving You.

Amen

Loyalty

Ally was a good dog. She was a Black Lab we bought as a puppy to help our son Matthew overcome his fear of dogs.........................It worked. Matthew fell in love with that puppy as we watched her grow into a 125 lb dynamo of feet, tail and drool. Now as much as she bonded with Matthew and Rebecca..... and even me- The most powerful connection into our family came with my wife Julie. Julie was the one who walked her, played with her, loved on her and yes even overfed her. I can tell you there was more than once that I envied the love my wife gave that dog- But I shouldn't have been surprised. Julie is like that- A warm, loving, kind woman who can live it out with the best of 'em. Couple that with Ally's love for Julie- Always smiling (Yes I said smiling-Ally had an awesome smile), Always happy to see Julie, Always pouring out unbridled affection for my wife. I imagine there were times Julie wondered why I couldn't have been more like Ally.

With Ally there were no divided loyalties.

She knew who loved her best.

She would choose Julie over all others.

At any sign of threat She would defend Julie for all her worth- Transforming from a sweet adorable pooch- To an incredible display of fury that led many a stranger to ask, "Is your dog safe?"

Ally was a picture of Loyalty.

Mark 12:29-31 Jesus said, " The first command is this- The Lord your God is one.....Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is like it- Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these."

I wish I could say my own loyalty to my Lord- Father, Son and Spirit- was as pure as Ally's to her Mistress. With Ally it was simple- She knew who loved her best- She knew where her best hope of anything good was coming from. She embraced that and attached herself to my wife in ways that expose my own devotion as paltry.

Her displays of Love for Julie were extravagant.

Father God, Lord Jesus, Holy Spirit- Forgive me for my divided heart, forgive me for forgetting who Loves me best. Forgive me for not trusting You- for complicating what is simple in an effort to manipulate my own way. Father God, today- because You are in me and have given Life to my dead heart- I will love You, trust You and follow You in all I do. Lord Jesus, Holy Spirit- Rise up in me today so that this will be true of my life- Unite my heart to Your great Heart so that all that comes out of me today flows from Love for You.

Amen

A Song

The first song I can ever remember learning went like this-

Jesus Loves me this I know-

For the Bible tells me so-

Little ones to Him belong-

They are weak-

But He is Strong-

Yes Jesus Loves me-

Yes Jesus Loves me-

Yes Jesus Loves meeeee-

For the Bible tells me so.

I sang it, having no real grasp of what it meant-

Yet..........somehow.......... it felt Good-

Jesus Loves me

It made me feel Safe-

It made me feel Valued-

It made me feel Wanted

Deep in my heart-

I believed it.

Now- years later- I still don't really grasp it-

This Love of Jesus-

Oh, my theolgy is more sophisticated-

I have some apologetics down-

I can share the 4 Spiritual Laws-

I even teach Sunday School from time to time-

But in many ways I am not sure I feel it like I did back then.........

As a Child.

Now......... as I get a bit older-

As I deal with a bit more of my own cynicism-

As I endure a little more of the pain of this world-

There is even the temptation -

From time to time-

To question His Love.

You know what I mean, don't you?

Things run through my mind like-

"If God really Loves me then why............... "

You fill in the blank.

In many ways it was easier as a child.

Jesus Loves me this I know-

For the Bible tells me so.

Mark 10:14- 16 Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me....for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the Kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." And He took the children in His arms, touched them and blessed them.

Lord Jesus, I pray that You might grant me the blessing of feeling Your arms around me today. Father take me back to those times when the reality of Your Love saturated me. Help me to live in it- to find my Life and Hope and Identity in Your deep deep Love.

Amen

I got no ettiquette.

Juxtaposition- To place unexpected combinations side by side.

Are you impressed?

I went to a luncheon recently that honored a group of people who had reached some milestones. As I sat at my table next to a young lady I had not met before, but had seen around our work place I noticed the table setting. The silver (Plasticware) was wrapped in a napkin there on the table and the dessert was sat out in temptingly ornate style. This arrangement suggested some level of expected formality. Now I have to tell you I am not altogether comfortable at formal meals- For one thing I am never sure at these kinds of functions which place setting is actually my own- Is it the napkin, spoon and fork to my right or to my left? To confuse the issue even more, I am left handed, which seems to throw me off in all sorts of ways. Anyway, I went on to introduce myself to the young lady and explain to her my confusion- I got no ettiquette training- This nice lady mercifully educated me a bit on what was what- At least she gave me enough information so that I did not use her spoon and fork. In my own explanation for my lack of knowlege of the social graces, I am not really sure where the words came from- maybe just wondering aloud- but I can hear myself saying,

"Really I guess I shouldn't worry about all this- I mean how formal do I have to be when the beautiful meal is actually being served on plastic plates."

Ah, the beauty of juxtaposition. Yes there was this sense of formality- But there was also the reality of the common man- The two folded together in an incredible way. Me the common man invited to the table of the ornate. The ornate itself descending to a level that gave me access- Wait- beyond even just access- Actually inviting me to come and to participate- Just as I am- No ettiquette and all. Amazing!

Colossians 1:15-20 (Excerpts) Christ is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation- by Him all things were made- things in heaven and on earth, things visible and invisible....... He is before all things and in Him all things hold together...... God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Christ and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself.

Philippians 2:6-8 Jesus, being in very nature God Himself, did not consider equality with God something to cling to, but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled himself .

John 1:1 - 2 and 14 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. The Word (Jesus) became flesh and dwelt among us

The Ornate opening the way for the common by taking on the form of the common-

Raising the common from ordinary to sacred-

From death to Life.

Thank You Lord Jesus for opening the way to the ornate- Thank You for bringing God Himself into this world to be juxtaposed against all that is broken here in this place. Holy Spirit move in me today and tomorrow and every day after that to live out this same juxtaposition-Move in me to live out the reality of Your Life in this world- Move in me to invite all You bring my way into the Life You have won for us.

Amen