Month: March 2008

Today is opening day for most of major league baseball. I am leaving soon for my real job directing the Texas Rangers at Seattle Mariners television opener. And that will likely be my real job until you people start buying more books!

In my mind there is no more special day in sports than opening day in baseball. The smell of freshly cut emerald green grass delights the senses. The base lines are painstakingly and perfectly defined by a grounds crew that is committed to perfection on this day.  Red, white, and blue bunting give the ball park a festive world series look. The players today act like little boys. This is the one day that these privileged athletes seem to forget they are millionaires and actually appear grateful that they are paid to play a kid’s game. Children skip school and parents do not care because memories are being made for both of them. The hot dogs taste like gourmet food.  Tacky souvenirs are treasures to be kept. Giant foam fingers become family treasures. The atmosphere is magic. It is opening day and every team has hope. Each fan has dreams and they are hopefully, or perhaps hopelessly, optimistic. Last year’s disappointments are gone and the hope of a new season dawns for fifty thousand fans in the park and thousands more across the city. The mood is upbeat and the expectations high. This is a new day and a new season. Old mistakes are forgotten. Past errors are no longer important. Today is the annual renewal of the incredible marathon that is big league baseball. It is a clean slate. The team has a new identity.

I longed for such a defining moment in my walk with Jesus. And recently I have been understanding that God’s Word tells us that every day can be like opening day (Dave’s paraphrase). There can be new hope. Yesterday’s sins are forgotten if you have accepted the gift of Jesus on the cross.  Every morning that I awake and see the magic of a new sunrise I have a new chance to be renewed and optimistic about the day. I don’t have to wait a year to have a chance for renewal. Paul writes that every day has the potential for the spiritual magic of renewal and victory in Christ.

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice–the kind he will accept. When you think of what he has done for you, is this too much to ask? Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is.

    As God’s messenger, I give each of you this warning: Be honest in your estimate of yourselves, measuring your value by how much faith God has given you. Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, 5so it is with Christ’s body. We are all parts of his one body, and each of us has different work to do. And since we are all one body in Christ, we belong to each other, and each of us needs all the others.

    God has given each of us the ability to do certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out when you have faith that God is speaking through you. If your gift is that of serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, do a good job of teaching. If your gift is to encourage others, do it! If you have money, share it generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.

    Don’t just pretend that you love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Stand on the side of the good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. Never be lazy in your work, but serve the Lord enthusiastically.

    Be glad for all God is planning for you. Be patient in trouble, and always be prayerful. When God’s children are in need, be the one to help them out. And get into the habit of inviting guests home for dinner or, if they need lodging, for the night.

    If people persecute you because you are a Christian, don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them. When others are happy, be happy with them. If they are sad, share their sorrow. Live in harmony with each other. Don’t try to act important, but enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!

    Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. Do your part to live in peace with everyone, as much as possible.  Romans 12  NLT

    I am grateful that in my spiritual journey God that has given me a chance for “opening day” renewal every day. I have had some bad seasons during my career as a follower of Jesus. But I am learning that everyday is a gift.  Today as I enjoy the hope of opening day I realize that every day with Jesus can be like this special day in baseball. I can be transformed and new. Past losses (sins) are redeemed and forgiven. There can be freshness in the journey and joy. I can realize that I am a child of God and I can be grateful that I call Him Father. I can believe that hope for the future is real. I can understand that I must be a better teammate to other followers of Jesus and not expect my team to be perfect. The magic of a fresh start happens once a year in baseball. It can happen any day and every day for a follower of Jesus.

Today I am preparing to attend another funeral. Our friend Nancy lost her fight with cancer and is now at peace with Jesus. Several months ago my niece told me about a song by the group Diamond Rio. The song is called “God Only Cries For The Living” and I revisit that tune at times like this. Here are some of the lyrics from the song.

God only cries for the living,
‘Cause it’s the living that are left to carry on.

That is a hard truth. The living are left with the financial and legal affairs. Disposing of personal items that generate tearful memories. And the living are left in a place that Scripture tells us is only a temporary dwelling place. Paul writes about our “dual citizenship” in his letter to the Philippians.

For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven.

It was interesting to talk to the hospice nurses who cared for my Mom before she died. One nurse said that it is nearly impossible to not believe in something beyond this world when you watch so many people die.

Everyone knows that we have a finite time on earth. I believe that there is more than just my 54 plus whatever years I have left here. So I must decide how to navigate how I live this life while being mindful of the next. There is a balance that is implied by the concept of dual citizenship. I remember a quote that some Christians are “so heavenly minded that they are no earthly good”. That is not what Paul is saying. Clearly we have a spiritual purpose in this life. Jesus gave us our purpose with these two items that He made clear are not just helpful guidelines…they are commandments.

“‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’This is the first and greatest commandment.  A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”

It reminds me of the line from the movie Bull Durham concerning the game of baseball. “”This is a very simple game. You throw the ball, you catch the ball, you hit the ball. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, sometimes it rains.” In many ways Christianity is a very simple faith that we have made incredibly legalistic and difficult. To paraphrase the line above. “You love the Lord your God. You love your neighbor. Sometimes it is easy. sometimes it is hard. Sometimes life rains on you.”  I wonder how the body of Christ would look differently if we concentrated on those two simple commands? Would we worry so much about the worship music style and the vestibule carpet color? As we concentrated on those two commands we would look forward to making the move to our heavenly home.

 “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?  John 14 NLT|

The song from Diamond Rio echoes the belief that Jesus has gone ahead to prepare a better place.

An’ all the angels up in Heaven,
They’re not grieving because they’re gone.
There’s a smile on their faces,
‘Cause they’re in a better place…

I believe that Nancy is in a better place today. I love my life on this planet. I am not anxious to leave my family and friends. But I am not afraid. This lyric from the song by Diamond Rio portrays a powerful thought.

God only cries for the living,
‘Cause it’s the living that are so far from home.

That becomes more and more real to me as I get older. I have so many family and friends that have gone ahead to their eternal home. My Dad. My Mom. My daughter. My nephew. Countless friends. I miss them so much. But I rejoice for them because I am  realizing more and more that I am the one who is so far from home.

Yesterday I suffered a nasty bout of writer’s block so I decided that if I was going to be unproductive I might as well watch television. That philosophy of time management has been challenged on more than one occasion by the lovely Mrs.Burchett. Surprisingly the dip into the often vapid world of cable television proved productive. I stumbled upon a fascinating History Channel feature on Ben Franklin. I knew Franklin as a brilliant statesman, inventor, writer and a bit of a scoundrel.

 Courtesy of www.earlyamerica.com

But I did not know that in his autobiography the venerable statesman admitted a radical plan. 

“I once conceived the bold and arduous project of arriving at moral perfection.”

Wonder how that worked out?

Benjamin Franklin could have saved himself some aggravation by reading Paul’s letter to the Roman church. Hold that thought. Franklin outlined the thirteen virtues he desired to master. Here are his baker’s dozen of admirable traits as written in his autobiography and in the language (and spelling) of the day.

   1. TEMPERANCE. Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation.
   2. SILENCE. Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation.
   3. ORDER. Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time.
   4. RESOLUTION. Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.
   5. FRUGALITY. Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; i.e., waste nothing.
   6. INDUSTRY. Lose no time; be always employ’d in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions.
   7. SINCERITY. Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly.
   8. JUSTICE. Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty.
   9. MODERATION. Avoid extreams; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.
  10. CLEANLINESS. Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, cloaths, or habitation.
  11. TRANQUILLITY. Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.
  12. CHASTITY. Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dulness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another’s peace or reputation.
  13. HUMILITY. Imitate Jesus and Socrates.

There is a lot of good in that list although Franklin’s personal life might have made number 12 his biggest challenge. Nonetheless the optimistic Franklin devised a plan to avoid drinking to elevation, engaging in trifling conversation and limiting his venery.

Ben decided that taking on the whole list would be too daunting so he ordered the list and planned to address one virtue at a time until that trait was a habit. He devised a grid to chart his progress. As Saint Paul predicted in his treatise to the Romans, Benjamin Franklin’s system was destined to fail. Franklin wrote a passage not unlike the Roman argument.

“But I soon found I had undertaken a task of more difficulty than I had imagined. While my care was employed in guarding against one fault, I was often surprised by another; habit took the advantage of inattention; inclination was sometimes too strong for reason.

Hmmmm. Sounds a lot like old nature and sin nature. Centuries earlier the imprisoned Paul had outlined the same struggle. “I try to do the right thing but I invariably do the opposite.” Paul noted that the law clearly demonstrates our sinful condition just as Franklin’s thirteen virtues convicted him of his failure. Paul would have told Franklin that the law convicts all of us of the impossibility of living a sinless life that would satisfy  a Holy God. The Apostle’s lament would be depressing if he had stopped after this proclamation to the Romans. “For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want.”

But Paul did not stop there. He explained that only a miraculous theological event could free us from the enslavement of the law.  That the penalty was paid and we are justified by faith and nothing else.  He argued that our sin was literally crucified with Christ so that we no longer would have to be a slave to that sin.  He wrote that all of the junk from our sin past is now dead in God’s eyes and we have no condemnation if we are in Christ Jesus. Emerging from that shame into the light of grace allows me to begin a path toward sanctification. Realizing how powerless I am to control my sin causes me to come to the same logical conclusion that Ben Franklin sadly deduced. I can’t do this on my own.

But there is the difference between Saint Paul’s plan and Benjamin Franklin’s plan. Paul realized that it is only through Christ who lives in us that we can be free from the slavery of our sin nature. Realizing that we need to lean wholly on Christ and the empowering awareness of the Holy Spirit allows us to begin to resolve our sin issues. Only then can we be free, without condemnation and lavished in His amazing grace. Paul’s letter to the Romans was not a plan to achieve moral perfection. That is not possible in this go around. Some of the principles that my friends at TrueFaced espouse have reoriented my thinking. By the way, you can download and sample a part of the TrueFaced Romans series when you visit their website.

The day I put my belief in Christ by faith I was changed. I have a new nature. God is no longer interested in changing me. I have already been changed. God is interested in me maturing into what it is already true about me. The old sin nature is dead. But the old nature needs to be brought under the gentle control of the Holy Spirit. Steadfastly marking off my good deeds on a list of virtues will not make me holy.  Righteousness is not gritting our teeth and determining to sin less. When we begin to trust the truth of what God says is already true about us we actually can begin to resolve our sin issues and begin to understand righteousness as God sees it.

Ben Franklin had a great goal.  He just needed a better theology than self-effort.

If you, the tens of readers, have wondered where I have been please allow me to explain. The lovely Mrs.Burchett and I had a wonderful spring break trip to Arizona last week. The week concluded by crossing off a long time “bucket list” item for me when we enjoyed a hot air balloon ride over the red rocks of Sedona, Arizona. It was amazing.

This is a shot of the other balloon that took off with us that morning. At the end of the journey we celebrated with a champagne breakfast and I received an award that beleagured readers of these ramblings will heartily endorse. After completing the hot air balloon ride each passenger received a diploma from the pilot. The diploma is from the “College of Hot Air Knowledge” and that is an institution that should have offered me a scholarship. Now I can add that diploma to my impressive bio that includes such stunning credentials as “member of Sam’s Club”.

Back home in not quite so scenic Garland I finished a walk today with dog friend Hannah. A song by Blood, Sweat and Tears resonated in an odd way on our walk. Yesterday we received an adorable photo of a young couple’s first child. Last week another dear friend died because of cancer. The lyrics sung by David Clayton Thomas reflect the cycles of our lives.

And when I die, and when I’m gone,
There’ll be one child born
In this world to carry on,
to carry on.

But it was the next stanza that caused me to reflect the most.

Now troubles are many, they’re as deep as a well.
I can swear there ain’t no heaven but I pray there ain’t no hell.
Swear there ain’t no heaven and I pray there ain’t no hell,
But I’ll never know by living, only my dying will tell.
Yes only my dying will tell.
Yeah, only my dying will tell.

Recently I created a Facebook page in my sad and ongoing attempt to be hip. It actually is a fun way to stay connected with others and what they are up to each day. I will admit that most of the users tend to skew a bit less experienced than me. There is a little profile on each page that lists birthday, political leaning, religious preference and so on. One dear friend listed his religious view as agnostic. That made me sad because this is one person that I would enjoy hangin’ out with in eternity. The definition of agnostic is one who is not committed to believing in either the existence or the nonexistence of God.

That is too big a gamble for yours truly to offer a death bed no comment. I regularly choose the wrong line at the supermarket, the wrong lane on the freeway and the wrong teams on my NCAA Bracket. With my track record I want to be really careful about what line, lane and team I choose for eternity. I suppose that is a pragmatic reworking of Pascal’s wager. The reality is that I am more convinced than ever of the truth that I try to live out each day. I am not hedging my bets. I am convinced of the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

To be honest I went through a period that I could best be defined as agnostic or perhaps by a category I wrote about in my book “Bring’em Back Alive”.

Atlantic Monthly columnist Jonathan Rauch wrote an article declaring that Christians in America have become lukewarm and apathetic about faith in God. Rauch, an acknowledged atheist, calls the behavior apatheism.

While I disagree with many, if not most, of Rauch’s smug conclusions, I would have to agree that the behavior of many so-called Christians gives credence to his obviously biased and very disturbing accusations. Far too many Christians live lives of functional agnosticism. By that I mean that our daily behavior shows little or no evidence of a life-changing and empowering relationship with the God of the universe. Think about that for a moment: If we really believed that Jesus came to this planet to allow us to know God personally, shouldn’t we demonstrate a few behavioral differences when we show up to work on Monday? Yet many of us compartmentalize our faith and fail to integrate Christ into our daily activities. Classic radio comedian Fred Allen made the wry observation that “what we really need is a faith that works the other six days of the week.”

I don’t propose that we stand on street corners with bullhorns and sandwich boards to let the world know we believe in Jesus. Instead common sense and some very discomforting scriptures lead me to believe that a life-changing relationship with Jesus should show. For the record, may I offer the following exhibits?

Whatever is at the core of our hearts—whether Christ or golf or gardening—will be evident to those who spend even a modest amount of time with us. My desire is to make sure that those around me know that my faith in Christ is paramount to who I am. Achieving this goal—and avoiding Jonathan Rauch’s apatheism—has been a point of emphasis in my recent faith journey. Perhaps a life like that will cause my friend to revisit his position and embrace the God who has changed my life.

I have always proclaimed through good times and the Florida BCS debacle that I am a proud Ohio State Buckeye fan. This week I go back to my Buckeye roots to proclaim another proud association. My hometown of Chillicothe, Ohio is known to many Ohioans as the first state capital. Others know Chillicothe as the principal town of the great Shawnee Chief Tecumseh. Others remember Chillicothe as the place that Anne-Margaret tells Elvis she grew up in a brilliant scene from the cinema classic Viva Las Vegas. But now I have one more thing to put on the list. This past weekend the Cavaliers of Chillicothe High School won the Division 2 state high school basketball championship. I once played for the Cavaliers and for one of the great coaches that I have ever met, Tom Cuppett. Coach Cuppett put in place a winning attitude that I hope began to lay a foundation that eventually led to being state champs. Congrats to the Cavaliers! I guess you don’t get a ring if you graduated thirty-six years ago.

I am also proud of my later alliance with the Baylor Bears. This week the Bears complete a miracle comeback when they make their first appearance at the NCAA Basketball Tournament in two long decades. No matter what happens in their game against Purdue I will be enormously proud of Coach Scott Drew and this special group of young men. Hannah and I join in a hearty “Sic’em Bears”!

The lovely Mrs.Burchett and I have been enjoying a little time together this spring break week. A junket to beautiful Sedona, Arizona has been restful and restoring. Today we visited one of God’s masterpieces here in Arizona.

We paused during a hike to sit and listen to the sounds of a mountain creek. I happened to look up and noticed something unusual. The trees were completely barren except for one single leaf hanging onto a dead and lifeless branch. That one lonely leaf had attached itself to a source without hope of life and growth.

For some reason I began to think about how many Christians hang on to a dead and lifeless theology. There is no chance to grow and flourish.  I thought about how many sincere followers of Jesus accept the safe and familiar even if it is miserable and lifeless existence. They choose the safe instead of risking the vibrant and joyful adventure of fully trusting Christ.

Jesus gave a similar analogy when he described the vine in the Gospel of John.

I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you’re joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant. Separated, you can’t produce a thing. Anyone who separates from me is deadwood, gathered up and thrown on the bonfire. But if you make yourselves at home with me and my words are at home in you, you can be sure that whatever you ask will be listened to and acted upon. This is how my Father shows who he is—when you produce grapes, when you mature as my disciples. (John 15, The Message)

Still we too often hang on to a theology that ain’t workin’ and refuse to take the chance to graft into the vine that produces fruit. When we came to Christ we were grafted into this vine. I often quote the book TrueFaced and I am going to do it again. We were changed when we trusted Christ. When that occurs God is no longer interested in changing us. We are already changed and rewired with the identity of Christ Himself. For the Christian God is now interested in each one of us maturing into what is already true about us.

So we don’t need to hang onto a lifeless branch with no hope. We have been grafted into the living vine that produces fruit. The prayer is that we will trust that truth and mature into what is already true about us in the eyes of our Loving Heavenly Father.

A couple of years ago I saved an article from USA Today . The title, We are Easter People, was intriquing enough to merit a second look. Here is a portion of the piece written by Diane Cameron.

One of the lowest points in my life occurred years ago when I was living in Washington, D.C., at Easter time. My older sister had recently died and both of my brothers were seriously ill; my best friend was leaving town, and on top of that I was questioning my work. In my journal that April I wrote, “Am I depressed?” When I read those pages now I laugh and shake my head. “Depressed?” That I even had to ask. In that long year I thought I’d never laugh again, just as I thought I’d never again feel love, the joy of easy friendship, or the satisfaction of good work.

I went to church that Easter out of both habit and desperation. I had grown up in a church-going family. It was what we did. And so to honor the family that I was losing I went. Easter after all, is the centerpiece for Christians, honoring and recalling Christ’s triumph over death.

I chose a big downtown church for Easter services — one with hundreds in the congregation — not daring to visit a smaller church where I might have to speak to people or be embarrassed by my own tears. I wanted the paradoxical safety and anonymity of being in a crowd.

The minister that Easter Sunday said many things that I don’t remember, but one sentence has stayed with me all these years. He said, “We live in a Good Friday world.”

That I understood. A Good Friday world is a world full of suffering, questioning, unfairness, trouble, mistakes, hurts, losses and grief. Good Friday in the Christian faith is the day Christians commemorate Christ’s suffering and death on the cross. So that certainly made sense to me at that difficult time in my life.

“But,” he continued, “We are Easter people.” Those words stopped me cold. I was stunned to be reminded that painful morning that there was something other than what I was feeling.

Wow. What an amazing message as we head into the Easter week. We do live in a Good Friday world. How easy it is to stop right there,  just short of healing,  not realizing the hope of resurrection. The story of Easter week did not stop on Friday. The hope of this season is all about Sunday. Tony Campolo writes about a life changing sermon he heard in his book It’s Friday but Sunday’s Comin’. (Note to spiritual cyber hall monitors…I know Mr.Campolo is controversial. Just enjoy this illustration, take a deep breath, and move away from the keyboard). Campolo writes about hearing a wise African-American pastor preach about the events of Easter week.

For an hour and a half he preached one line over and over again…”It’s Friday, but Sunday’s comin’!” He started his sermon real softly by saying, “It was Friday; it was Friday and my Jesus was dead on the tree. But that was Friday, and Sunday’s comin’!” One of the Deacons yelled, “Preach, brother, Preach!” It was all the encouragement he needed.

He came on louder as he said, “It was Friday and Mary was cryin’ her eyes out. The disciples were runnin’ in every direction, like sheep without a shepherd, but that was Friday, and Sunday’s comin!”

The preacher kept going. He picked up the volume still more and shouted, “It was Friday. The cynics were lookin’ at the world and sayin’ `As things have been so shall they be. You can’t change anything in this world; you can’t change anything. But those cynics don’t know that it was only Friday. Sunday’s comin’! It was Friday, and on Friday those forces that oppress the poor and make the poor to suffer were in control. But that was Friday! Sunday’s comin’!  

It was Friday, and on Friday Pilate thought he had washed his hands of a lot of trouble. The Pharisees were struttin’ around, laughin’ and pokin’ each other in the ribs. They thought they were back in charge of things. But they didn’t know it was only Friday! Sunday’s comin’!

Campolo continues, “He kept on working that one phrase for a half hour, then an hour, then an hour and a quarter, then an hour and a half. Over and over he came at us, “It’s Friday, but Sunday’s comin!” By the time he had come to the end of the message…He had me and everybody else so worked up that I don’t think any of us could have stood it much longer. At the end of his message he just yelled at the top of his lungs, `It’s FRIDAY!’ and all 500 of us in that church yelled back with one accord, `SUNDAY’S COMIN’!”

A lot of people who stumble across this site might be in the middle of what seems to be an interminable Friday. It is hard to accept suffering and illness. Relationships that hurt us make Friday seem like it will never end. The trials of living on a fallen planet will make this seem like a Friday world at times during the journey. Two years ago Joni’s diagnosis of cancer put us into a Friday state of mind. But we trusted that Sunday’s comin’! As we told our wonderful sons, if your faith doesn’t work at times like this it is of little value for the rest of the time. And it does work. We have been blessed with healing for now but we have the greater hope of the resurrection of Jesus as we continue. We trust in a God that has been faithful to strengthen us for the battle, work through us for His glory, and teach us to be dependent on Him.

I believe the message of this week. Sunday’s comin’. And I believe that with all of my heart and soul. Paul wrote in Romans…

I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”   Romans 1  NIV

I am not ashamed of the gospel. I fact I am excited about the gospel. Even though I may be living in a Good Friday world today I am convinced that Sunday’s comin’!

Today is a bit of deja vu for me. I am in the middle of my real job which is television sports directing. This week I am working at a college basketball tournament. You may know that some of the humble ramblings appear at Crosswalk.com. I look at the credentials of my fellow bloggers on Crosswalk and I have to chuckle. Lots of doctorates and titles. Perhaps they haven’t noticed that my bio is filled with items like, “Dave is a member of Sam’s Club.” 

The deja vu moment came from the realization that it was during a similar March madness basketball tournament that I got the inspiration for what would become my extremely modestly selling book, “Bring’em Back Alive“.  Here is an excerpt from the introduction.

My spiritual insights generally aren’t revealed during television broadcasts of women’s basketball. I suspect that hardly makes me unique. But inspiration came clearly and forcefully during a telecast of an NCAA Women’s basketball tournament game from Boulder, Colorado.

Let me set the stage for you. I am a television sports director. I call the camera shots that dictate what you see on your screen at home. Yes, I am the faceless guy you yell at to see this shot or that reaction. On this night an undermanned (or should I say underpersoned?) Louisiana State University women’s team was battling Colorado. And battling was the right word since LSU was down to only seven players who were dressed to play in the game. Five key players sat injured on the bench in civilian clothes. That was the background for my spiritual revelation.

I selected some shots of the tired players on the court. “LSU has fought gamely”, the announcers reported. “With only seven players on the active roster.” I took a shot of the five players in street clothes. “But when these five talented contributors are nursed back to health and you add a group of skilled recruits…LSU is going to be a powerful force next year.”  Then it hit me. We don’t follow that simple principle in the church. When we have injured and wounded players it is often too easy to ignore them and simply concentrate on recruiting new ones. I have watched dear friends walk away from my church “team” and I realized that my life and the body life of my church would never be quite the same. We lose the value of experience and depth that healing those wounded Christians would bring. I have wondered if we throw the term “church family” around a bit too loosely because I surely would pursue and attempt to heal a member of my genetic family that wanders away.

Do the math on my basketball example. If LSU returns seven players plus heals the five injured and brings in five recruits they have seventeen to choose from. If they discard the wounded they have only twelve players to enter the battle. How much talent and ability have we removed from the church by not aggressively seeking to find and heal our wounded lambs? And we must not ignore the uncomfortable fact that many injured lambs sit near us every Sunday. They have not wandered off physically but they have left us emotionally and are therefore rendered ineffective for the Kingdom.

That was written about five years ago. The volume of emails and notes that I get tells me we still have an enormous problem with our “injured” saints. I pray that the Holy Spirit will give us the heart to seek them and help restore wounded saints to the team. We need them. The body of Christ needs every single family member to be fully healthy.

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son  into the world that we might live through him.  This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.  I John 4

Am I suffering from March “madness” to dream and believe this can really happen?