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| The answer seems so simple....... Jadon Lavik sung this song to my heart via Pandora today. Probably singing it to Jesus, which makes it better, but, selfishly, couldn't have come at a better time me
The melancholy heart/personality that I'm cursed/blessed with feels things way too strongly , loves too easily, hurts too deeply....
... and maybe that's okay
Maltbie Babcock, the author of the words below, and I share much....
- a love for the Syracuse Orange (his alma mater and my favorite basketball team)
- a love for nature and athletics
- the longing of eyes that are searching for eternity in the midst of the craziness of this temporal and physical world
This is my Father’s world, and to my listening ears
All nature sings, and round me rings the music of the spheres.
This is my Father’s world: I rest me in the thought
Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas;
His hand the wonders wrought.
This is my Father’s world, the birds their carols raise,
The morning light, the lily white, declare their Maker’s praise.
This is my Father’s world: He shines in all that’s fair;
In the rustling grass I hear Him pass;
He speaks to me everywhere.
This is my Father’s world. O let me ne’er forget
That though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet.
This is my Father’s world: why should my heart be sad?
The Lord is King; let the heavens ring!
God reigns; let the earth be glad!
This is my Father’s world, dreaming, I see His face.
I ope my eyes, and in glad surprise cry, “The Lord is in this place.”
This is my Father’s world, from the shining courts above,
The Beloved One, His Only Son,
Came—a pledge of deathless love.
This is my Father’s world, should my heart be ever sad?
The lord is King—let the heavens ring. God reigns—let the earth be glad.
This is my Father’s world. Now closer to Heaven bound,
For dear to God is the earth Christ trod.
No place but is holy ground.
This is my Father’s world. I walk a desert lone.
In a bush ablaze to my wondering gaze God makes His glory known.
This is my Father’s world, a wanderer I may roam
Whate’er my lot, it matters not,
My heart is still at home. | | |
| My Good Confession...time to come out of blogging hibernation. There's too much going on not to take an opportunity to reenter this space and place of sharing.
In the last week...
1) We have inaugurated the first African-American man as President of the United States. I told someone that I can not personally understand or appreciate the depth of what that means, but it's HUGELY significant for our nation and world.
That said, Mr. President...
a. You are already scaring me a bit with your first movements being to free up money to fund abortions, not even in the U.S., but internationally.
b. You have a huge task ahead of you. God alone has what you desperately need to do well  in the challenges ahead.  c. You are not superman. I'm afraid you are being set up for failure by people who are expecting you to save them. Our world already has a Savior. Point people to Him, not yourself. I pray that I do the same. d . If you want some wisdom, look here... Psalm 33:10-11... align yourself with God's purposes
11 But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations
2) Our church family has been touched by ... a. a 10 month old baby goes into the doctor for a check up on an ear ache and they find that her young body is filled with cancer... pray for Cora
b. a young family finds that a 22 week pregnancy and the life of the child is hanging in the balance c. one of our pastors is watching his dad (a lifelong missionary and man who shared Christ with John Lennon) die slowly. d. a family is burying their 10 year old son today who battled brain tumors for most of his life. e. another family travels to Iowa today to bury a grandpa who had cancer f. countless challenges and trials that only God sees.
I spoke at a school chapel this last week, praying that kids that hear biblical truth daily wouldn't tune out to "one more pep talk." I spoke on a thing that I'm needing to hear myself, as I wrestle with big UNANSWERABLE questions....
PEACE
"I've told you all this so that TRUSTING ME, you WILL be unshakable and assured, DEEPLY AT PEACE. In this godless world you WILL continue to experience difficulties. But take heart! i HAVE CONQUERED THE WORLD."
- Jesus, (john 16:33 from the Message)
I am waiting for that truth to take over. But it doesn't, automatically. It seems that my default, my natural tendency, is to worry, to feel like I have to carry the weight of impossible things. My first choice is to try to figure it out myself, instead of desperately and helplessly bringing it to Jesus.So, since that truth doesn't automatically eradicate fear and alleviate stress, it becomes a daily and moment by moment discipline of my will to remember. It takes a conscious decision to choose to believe Jesus and not to focus on the chaos. One of my favorite passages...16-18 "So we're not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There's far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can't see now will last forever."
- 2 Cor. 4:16-18 from the Message
Big things are ahead.... big challenges and big blessings. God give us the grace to be good stewards of both.In the words of Andrew Peterson's "The Good Confession"...I believe, You are the Christ, Son of the Living GodBe my Vision and Focus in these crazy times
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| State of the Union...I'm wrestling.... deep and foundational questions...
Who do I trust? Where is my hope? What is God's will for me? What does God intend for our nation and world?
I didn't have any recent blog inspiration or desire to write until today.
I have been reading Facebook status updates and hearing comments all week. I've been in interesting and, at times, heated conversations. And I'm seeing a polarizing trend that I want to address.
It seems that everyone who labels themselves a "conservative" is reeling this week, not having had "their candidate" achieve White House residency. A friend asked me facetiously, "So, do you think the world will really end now?" And to hear conversation and response, some people are legitimately believing that and asking that question.
But on the "other side of the aisle" there is dancing and celebration, akin to Jesus riding the donkey into Jerusalem. Our "savior" has been elected! Or so you would think by the commentary and public opinion, both stateside and around the world.
I think that we need to step back a moment and evaluate our lives-our nation-our world. I think we need to consider what it means to seek God and follow Him. I think we need to view these current times in light of eternity and in light of God's Word. We need to re-think what God's ultimate goal and agenda is for people.
Does the result of this election really change anything about our lives, and about eternity? Don't we need to pray just as hard and seek God just as passionately, no matter who is in the White House? To some, it's as if everything would have been A-OK if McCain would have been elected, but now we're doomed. To others, it's as if all our problems are solved and we can put our troubles behind us now that Barack's at the wheel. Neither view is true.
Another friend told me today, "When it comes down to it, Barack Obama won that election because it was God's will." He was not saying that Obama perfectly represents God's heart (or that McCain does either), but that nothing happens that has not passed through God's hand. God has ordained, in this time and place, for Barack Obama to lead our nation starting in January. Does that change our perspective? Should it maybe change the way we pray from "Lord put ______________ in office," to "Lord, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven" ?
And so, as yet another friend told me, we are not "political beings" but "spiritual." Our challenge is to honor God no matter who is President, no matter how high/low gas prices are, NO MATTER WHAT!!!! And maybe our greater challenge is to not reject people for their political beliefs, but to pray for the strength and grace to be Christ to people who think differently than we do.... that's true on whatever level or side of an issue that we come from.
We easily forget that the biblical letters or stories that refer to joy and contentment were written by, or experienced by, those who were in prison, or at least in situations much worse than anything we can relate to as Americans. To have the freedoms and privileges (VOTING) we have today, and to belly-ache and groan about "inconvenience" shows that we are not necessarily in touch with reality. In fact, I admit personally, and confess for our nation, that I am/we are spoiled and ego-centric. If we can't have things our way, than it's wrong or tragic or NOT GOD'S WILL. And that is not biblical or realistic.
But we still have hope. No matter what our attitude and perspective today, there is something and SOMEONE bigger at work.
Our hope is not in George W. Bush... or Barack Obama, or even John McCain. Our greatest concern is not gas prices, the economy, the environment, or war in Iraq or Afghanistan or even Iran and Israel.
Our greatest hope should be focused firmly on Jesus and what He has communicated about TRUE LIFE... and our greatest concern is that we should be living in communion and in line with what He has said and what He has made possible through the cross.
I'm glad this election is over. I think it's time we moved on and renewed our focus where it needs to be... desperately and passionately seeking Jesus. He is firmly seated on His throne. He is carrying us forward according to His plans and purposes. His ways don't always reflect our own. That's as true in the last 8 years as it will be in the next 4.
We can trust Him.
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| Two nagging thoughts...I can't really simplify my thought process these days, but there's two things that are troubling to me. These are not simple things with quick answers, but complicated, fundamental things that are ingrained in the fabric of our lives, culture and world....
Thought #1- Have social websites (Facebook, Myspace, and even Xanga) become so popular and populated because people aren't pursuing real-life, face-to-face relationships with people? Are all the status and mood updates meant to be funny, or are they desperate stabs at connecting with anyone who might care to listen?
I think there's great and potential connectivity represented, but also great tragedy in that people settle for relationships that are technical, distant, and easily masked. (and even identities that are fake)
There's a sadness in the apparent answer... Yes. tons of people are isolated and lonely and not being heard by the people in their lives. So they type their heart on a computer screen in some Russian Roulette attempt to hit the target in some else's heart.
Thought #2- Why does it feel like the words coming out of my mouth are in a different language? Why is it so hard to communicate in a way that brings understanding and growth?
Babel.... there are obvious cultural and international/cultural/race lines that divide and make it hard to relate and communicate, but what is going on in our homes, churches, towns, and schools where we share the same language and yet can't stay on the same page with each other?
Am I doing the hard, relational work of communicating these things to real people in my life, or am I settling for the same surface connection that is plaguing our society and world?
Deep, deep thoughts....
We need a Savior. We have a Savior.
Mighty to Save
Verse 1
Everyone needs compassion
Love that's never failing
Let mercy fall on me
Everyone needs forgiveness
The kindness of a Saviour
The hope of nations
Saviour
He can move the mountains
My God is mighty to save
He is mighty to save
Forever
Author of salvation
He rose and conquered the grave
Jesus conquered the grave
Verse 2
So take me as You find me
All my fears and failures
Fill my life again
I give my life to follow
Everything I believe in
Now I surrender
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| The story behind the song...There's a song that has captured my heart... but a story behind it that knocks me on my rear (and on my knees) as I see how much deeper God thinks, and the sovereign and gracious way He is pursuing the world...
Chris Tomlin sings "God of this City," but he did not write it. A UK band, Bluetree, wrote the song, and lived the following story. (I can't find the link on their site, but this is the story they've shared)
"There's a couple from Carrickfergus, Ian and Leslie, and they moved
out to Thailand to a place called Pattaya. We got asked to go and be
part of an event called Pattaya Praise. Pattaya is a seaside
town/resort place, and physically, it looks to be like the darkest
place you'll ever go to. And spiritually, it is THE darkest place we
have ever been to. You just feel the evil. You just feel the enemy all
over that place. It's a very small place. . . But in that small area in
Thailand, there are 30,000 prostitutes and that figure excludes kids
and excludes anything that's outside of the range of, say 18-30, and
who are female. . .
Part of what we were asked to do was to go out and be part of an
event which runs for four or five days. It had things like 24/7 worship
and prayer and social action going on helping the people who clean the
streets every morning. We played in a school and ministered in an
orphanage and tried to get a heart for that city. As a band we were
getting cold feet because we had four days in Bangkok to start, and in
those four days it was great. We'd be quite hyperactive, and it was
flat-out, four days; not an hour was lost to sleep in those four days.
On the Sunday we managed to play in one church and it was brilliant,
but we wanted more. And then when we got to Pattaya . . . we said, 'If
you can get us anywhere else to play, anywhere, we want to play. We
just want to do what we do in the middle of somewhere and just go
head-on into it."
"There was a bar called The Climax Bar - on a street that's about 10
metres wide, it's a kilometre long and it's filled with everything you
can physically imagine. And I promise you, as a red-blooded male, to
keep your head in the right place you've got to look down at the ground
and walk down that street and pray because it is just so in your face.
People hit you with menus about everything, flashing lights, just
everything you can imagine goes on in that place. You see kids as young
as eight, nine, 10, just selling themselves, you know?! You see
60-year-old guys walking down the street with two 13 or 14-year-old
girls. Forget about the Christian thing, you just get raging! You
properly get raging when you see that happening, you know?!"
. . . We got the chance to play in this bar, a two-hour worship set
in this bar. I don't think the people in the bar spoke a word of
English but we basically got to go in. The deal was that we play and we
bring a following of people with us; so we're there, set up, really
good gear! So we all set up and there was like 20 Christians all
standing in front of us, and the deal was we play, they buy lots of
drinks, alright? I don't think the place has ever sold so much Coke in
its whole life in one night!
And we got to play for two hours. And just the way the band set up,
we like using loops, and at one point I just started singing out. I
started singing "Greater Things", something along those lines, almost
prophesying over the city. And without going into the band dynamics,
slowly this groove emerged from this thing. And long story short; we
walked out of that Climax Bar with pretty much a nailed song, as
strange as that sounds. Then we were on the way home.We were all. . .it
was that tumbleweed silence, you know? It was like, 'What actually just
happened in that time?!' It was one of the most powerful worship
experiences we've ever had. I actually remember looking out, and you're
looking down a wee alleyway, into the street, and it was just 50 or 60
probably British tourists and they're just sitting there listening
going, 'What is this all about?' Coming from The Climax Bar which is
pretty much a strip club. Just, here we are singing about Jesus in the
middle of this. . . It was one of the most random experiences but it
was a God thing, God was there." God is able to shine His light in the darkest places. Will we go?
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