How Far Did You Get?

The young man from the forestry department paused from his duties to speak to Pam and Jacki while I bypassed the conversation and plopped myself into the front seat of the car. We were hot, spent and apparently showing the wear of the day so the young man asked, "How far did you get?" We had just finished hiking the Loch Leven trail off I-80 near the Big Bend exit. We did not look like the fresh glowing youths that had passed us often as we paused for breath in the thin air of the high Sierras. We obviously had the look of well intentioned hikers who trail off the trail before it ends to return with a resolve that next time I’ll go all the way. So, "How far did you make it?" …still, hung in the air. With lowered heads we confessed, "Just to the railroad tracks." He graciously tempered our efforts with an understanding nod that it was terribly hot today and we felt consoled. But next time we’ll go the distance.

However, I think our forestry department friend posses a question that has application for all of life …"How far did you get?" Paul words it this way to Corinth, "Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you –unless, of course, you fail the test? And I trust that you will discover that we have not failed the test (2 Corinthians 13:5,6)." Now before someone piles on Jesus’ saying if we put our hand to the plow and then look back, well, we’re not fit for the kingdom… let me suggests that destination is about relationship not distance covered. The journey of life and walk of faith is not about skill levels but rather about being Spirit led, Christ filled and God centered. That is, the journey within determines the journey without. Christ in us is the hope of glory so we keep on with the struggle of the journey knowing our energy is accompanied by His working through us and in us (Colossians 1:27-29).

"So, how far have you gone?" –is a question about drawing nearer to God not some arbitrary spiritual goal. Don’t get me wrong… I think we need spiritual goals. Those goals should aid us in getting closer to God not stroke our egos with accolades from others or the satisfaction of conquering the perceived mountain for bragging rights. The question should challenge our prayer life… our faith… our love for God! So, "How far did you make it?" -DAN

Comfort

A new trend in the restaurant business is to change one’s regional and somewhat pretentious cuisine to comfort food. You know… mom’s cooking (meatloaf, mac and cheese, dumplings and the like). Comfort is from the Latin confortare meaning to strengthen much. That is, comfort implies that life is often interrupted with times of weakness and trouble. When we were children our comfort was found in blankies and sucking thumbs (or the digit of choice) but as adults the list has grown exponentially including food, hobbies, shopping, reading, entertainment media and anything that will take us away from the pain, problem or irritant that has sapped our strength and disrupted the peace. We take solace in a Savior who promises a Comforter/Counselor who provides truth, peace and comfort. The Spirit filled and led life enables faith and nurtures trust in God’s providence and watchcare. We bask in God’s grace that nudges us under the protection of His wings where we feel safe and comforted.

I love what Psalm 119:50 says about comfort, "My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise renews my life." If you recall, Psalm 119 is an acrostic that use the Hebrew alphabet to create 22 tributes to the blessing and delight of God’s Word and His Law. Thus, it is filled with various forms and synonyms for God’s Law and His will for mankind. One important (and comforting) way to view God’s will is as "promise." It truly renews life because His promises (and His promises alone) are sure and immutable. His promise is life… Life in His Son! Several verses later the Psalmist says, "Your decrees are the theme of my song wherever I lodge." I love the idea of God’s voice evidenced in all He has decreed from creation to Scripture is the soundtrack to my life wherever I find myself. That is, God is the music of my life.

Bill Cosby (the theologian of my childhood) had a bit that he did about leaving a horror movie late at night. He had to cross the unlighted 9th Street Bridge to get home. Cosby says he was okay as long as he had his music because as everyone knows monsters can not get you if you are humming or singing. I believe that as long as God is my song no power, person (or monster) can get me! The God of all comfort continues to comfort me no matter what monsters come my way. Jesus as the bread of life is truly my comfort food and I have a peace that surpasses all understanding that guards my heart day and night. -DAN

Ocean View

One of the great blessings in our lives is our retirement home in Newport, Oregon. Pam and I have always been drawn to the sea but never in our wildest imaginations believed that we would own a home less than a hundred yards from the beach. To have such an incredible view of the Yaquina Head lighthouse… well, God is good. Now, don’t get me wrong –I’m not singing that heretical and greed driven refrain, “I’m satisfied with just a little silver and a little gold.” My perspective is more Jobian for I know the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away, blessed be the name of the Lord! I embrace being a sojourner but while this blessing abides I have been infused with the beauty, constancy and reverence for the power of God that roars in the soothing music played on the crest of waves that never falter in their song. What would our faith look like if we were as faithful as the waves? What would our lives look like if like the rocks on the shore we were well worn by the constant presence of God? And most importantly, how would our hearts change if they were moved by the tidal force of God’s desire that His will be done on earth as it is in heaven?

Here are some faith lessons I have learned by listening to God’s voice in the waves: 1) Always respect the power of the ocean/God… a sleeper wave can knock you down and drag you out to sea… never take God for granted; 2) The power of the ocean/God daily changes the look of the beach/my life… expect God to change you each day; 3) The storm always drives up hidden treasures to be discovered on the beach… and so troubled waters reveal perseverance that matures a faithful witness; and 4) A lighthouse is most effective when it emits its signature light signal… our lighthouse (don’t love that we’ve claimed ownership) has a two short burst with a fourteen count pause and then repeats so mariners know exactly which lighthouse they are approaching… so should our light shine in a way that people know they are approaching a disciple of the Kingdom of our Lord!

Here’s some other things I’ve learned that I’m pretty sure are just lessons learned… green growth on the rocks is not as slippery as the brown stuff… a whale spout is exciting to track… seaweed makes great whips but wives think differently… the color of the ocean is never the same… an ocean sunset is God’s amen to the day… if it’s still moving –leave it alone… and the moonlight reflected on the calm sea is a sliver zipper that opens what heaven must be like! -DAN

Independence

184 years ago Charles Carroll’s life changed by remarkable circumstances. Charles Carroll was a retired senator from his home state Maryland, a former member of the Continental Congress and one of the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence. On July 4th, 1826 both Thomas Jefferson and John Adams died within hours of one another leaving Carroll the sole surviving signer of the Declaration of Independence. How remarkable that the only two signers of the Declaration that became president of the United States would die on the 50th year celebration of our nation’s birth and independence from British rule! Adams and Jefferson had recently renewed their friendship after years of bitter political dispute. Their correspondence reveals much about the advent of this new nation spurred by their pens. Both Adams and Jefferson were deist and thus would not acknowledge God’s hand in such remarkable history but one is hard put to not think that God orchestrated such remarkable circumstances.

The paradox is that this new nation conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal regales independence including the amended right to speak freely against a God who calls us to submit to His will. The Bible speaks counter-culturally by soliciting servitude, submission and dependence on the divine lead. The Christian declaration is not for independence nor autonomy but to follow Jesus lead to empty ourselves and take on the nature of a servant (Phippians 2:5-8). Paul pleads with Ephesus to "submit to one another out of reverence for Christ (Ephesians 5:21)." Such malleable and humble spirits champion better familial relationships and cohesiveness of the body of Christ. Here is my fourth of July declaration of dependence for those who just want to be Christians:

1) We declare the we shall take seriously Paul’s challenge to "pray continually (1 Thessalonians 5:17)" so that we may never forget to put God first in all things!
2) We declare that "the first will be last and the last will be first" is not just a saying but call to have a servant’s heart in all we do or say!
3) We declare that in the body of Christ all "its parts should have equal concern for each other (1 Corinthians 12:25)."
4) We declare that the pursuit of happiness is not a inalienable right but a path to pleasing self by pleasing God!
5) And finally, we declare that we are solely, wholly and completely dependent on the God who created us in His image and redeemed us by the blood of His Son!

Happy Fourth of July Dependence! -DAN

Felix The Cat

“Hey, there _________ you’re a real cool cat; you’ve got a lot of this and a lot of that; We all think that you’re real sweet so come on down and do the chickee, chickee beat!” If these words are foreign to you and you have been chickee chickee deprived in your life –let me explain. This Bible Camp campfire standard is a way to recognize kids and staff at camp by getting them on stage to do a silly dance that rejoices in the common identity of this week long community of self-imposed castaways escaping the grind of everydayness. O, this community has plenty of drama, pranks, flare ups and nonsense but it inevitably takes on the Spirit of God. Both campers and staff are immersed in a sense of Christian joy that transforms them. When parents arrive to reclaim their real cool cats they find a mixture of joy to see them but tears to leave their week long family.

Let me tell you about one of those real cool cats… William Felix the cat. William is a member at the May Street Church of Christ. William is a handsome African American young man who happens to be mentally challenged (but then aren’t we all). William by a landslide vote was our Mr. Camper for 2010. This honor is given to those who distinguish themselves through the week with acts of kindness, service and spiritual leadership. William was such and unlike Felix the cat who resolves things by pulling something out of his magic bag of tricks… our Felix just operated out of a heart for the Lord. William sat next to me one afternoon and preached to me the gospel of Christ. Now, I have to admit ashamedly that preachers don’t like to be preached to… because that’s kind of our territory. I fought through my natural aversion of, “Hey, who’s the expert here?” –to be still and listen. This cat knows the book but even more important he knows the Lord! So, I listened and said a few amen’s and felt the presence of the Savior.

At the banquet, the last night of camp, when William was recognized as Mr. Camper 2010, as is our custom last year’s winner puts a crown (a shiny cardboard Burger King type of affair) on the newly crowned winner. Usually, this crown doesn’t make it past the banquet and finds itself in the trash by the end of the night. William kept his on all night… and I wouldn’t be surprised if he didn’t wear it to church on Sunday! Yes, William you’re a real cool cat… you’ve got a lot of this and a lot of that… but most of all William you’re what camp is all about! -DAN

Who Is The Preacher?

I recently heard a lesson on the subject of what the Bible has to say about preachers. After defining preaching as proclaiming a message and suggesting such would include Hitler the speaker went on to say that in Scripture there is no example of a paid located minister/preacher. He couldn’t remember the location of the passage but alluded to Ephesians 4:11 as a listing of those who speak for the church. That is, “It was he (Christ) who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists and some to be pastors and teachers.” This sermon was given to a small church that was looking for a minister. To the speaker’s credit he wanted to communicate that preachers are not hired guns to do all the dirty work for the church. All proclaim Christ, all minister to the body, all reach out to the hurting, deprived or bereaved… the church is a body that works in unison. However, the lesson was arduous fare for a preacher sitting in the audience… and I wanted ever so much to say but… but… but… what about? So dear reader brace yourself because you get to hear “the what about.”

Of first importance the one we call the preacher, the minister, the evangelist, the pastor and an occasional “Hey, you” is a human. That means he is like you, ever in prayer asking God to forgive, to transform, to enlighten and to Spirit fill his life. He assumes this humble station not as excuse or to ward off accountability but because he longs to hear the still small whisper of God, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9).” It is in this cross shaped weakness that the one who desires to be nothing less than God’s man attempts to be the following: 1)A student of the Word so he may share the feast he has discovered; 2)A servant of all; 3)A reflective light of the warmth of Christ that desires to spark the love and joy of Christ in the hearts of all; 4)A counselor who is accessible who listens more than they speak; 5)A bringer of glad tidings and thus, joyously infectious; and last of all obedient to the perfect law of love that compels heart and hand to work tirelessly for the Lord.

Now I said all of that to say this, “The preacher is just one of the guys.” He’s not on a pedestal nor is he to be a footstool. He’s devoted to Christ and His body and feels a calling from God to share the good news. He laughs, he cries, he’s Tom Joad from the Grapes of Wrath on the run from sin but called to be the voice of justice in a world heavy with the fruit of the grapes of wrath. He’s James Bond fighting against sin but perceived as Barney Fife with one bullet in his pocket. He stumbles but he gets back up only to finish the day on his knees in thanksgiving and humble petition. -DAN

You Can't Attend Our Church

This past holiday weekend Pam and I enjoyed the beauty of the Oregon Coast and for a little while the joy of our Missouri grandkids (O, yeah… and their parents too). Caelleb is always full of energy and Trystyn at four months has a win your heart smile and Tia is well… Tia. She’s a juggernaut karaoke tornado gale force wind of non-stop imagination and incessant verbiage but I love her to bits. But she DOES go on. On our way to lunch she asked me if I could clap. Ever so helpful I responded, “I miss that day at school and I didn’t learn how to clap.” “Yes, you did Pappy… show me how you clap.” I start snapping my fingers… she lets out a sigh and says, “That’s snapping.” I flap my hands in the air. She sighs and narrowing her eyes says, “If you can’t clap then you can’t attend our church!” Membership into the kingdom is getting tougher and tougher these days!

Tia as she often does unwittingly gets me thinking about the way we see the world and experience our place in it. I think our Lord’s prompting to be more child-like in how we view the kingdom is an exhortation to simplify things… well, at least in part. Children reduce the complex or inflated precepts to their most basic application. They want to know why but don’t question the reality of what is to be done. That is, they may want you to give them motive but never demand more choices or alternatives. If we clap in children’s church then clapping must be important. No discussion about is sacred music melody driven or does Psalm 47 give our youth license to jazz up the service with their syncopated hand popping camp nonsense? It’s eyes that trust, hearts that are open and imaginations still fertile and receptive.

You see… Tia wants Pappy to know that if you want to serve the Lord and be filled with praise then you need to get with the program and learn how to clap. You need to follow the leader… hold hands while you cross the road and sit in your square quietly until you hear directions. In short, take God at His word and stop fussing and fighting over what He didn’t say or what you thought He said and just praise the Lord! And O yeah, learn to clap! -DAN