Month: February 2009

Thanks to my amazing ability to procrastinate (it may be my superpower) I get to recycle an article from last year. When last year’s Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue arrived I shared this dangerous exchange with my wife.

I was on the road when the swimsuit issue arrived at my home. The lovely Mrs.Burchett led me into a marital minefield with this simple statement.

“Your swimsuit issue arrived today.” She waited.

Work brain, work! Must step carefully. Following the lead of Nehemiah I “prayed to the God of heaven, and I answered”. 

My response was simple.

“Throw it away.”

Joni thought she had (to quote Roger Clemens) “misheard”.

“What?”

“Throw it away. I don’t need to see that.”

I think I surprised the Missus. This has been a process for me. I have gone over the years from eagerly anticipating the SI issue to guiltily perusing it to quickly flipping through the magazine and then tossing it. This year I never even saw the issue. Next year I plan to make Al Gore happy by opting out of the swimsuit issue and not forcing a tree to die for such a meaningless cause.

Sadly, I was like Timothy Geithner and his taxes. I forgot. I never contacted SI to opt out of the issue. So yesterday I go to the mailbox and there it was.(Cue Jaws music) The lovely Mrs.Burchett is at a conference so now I had a new challenge. Frankly it was easier telling my bride to toss the issue. I remembered an annoying quote. Integrity is doing the right thing even when no one is looking. I looked at the cover. I was tempted to look inside. Really tempted. I went to the trash compactor, put the magazine inside and dumped some coffee grounds on it in case I had second thoughts. I know me.

Cynics will say that I am just getting old. I hope it is a little more than that.

Those unfortunate enough to know me well would hardly describe me as an uptight prude. I am a television sports director so I am all too well aware of “progressive” attitudes toward sexual issues. I am never surprised by inappropriate comments or images in my work world. Today’s thoughts are addressed to my fellow followers of Jesus. I have recently been focusing on my identity in Christ. I believe that my very spiritual DNA was rewritten when I trusted Jesus for my salvation. With that decision I changed. My behavior needs to reflect that change. Paul addressed these words to the church at Ephesus.

Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God. Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people. Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God. You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.  (Ephesians 5, NLT)

Several years ago my reaction would have been something like this. “Come on, it is just a bunch of skimpy swimsuits. Lighten up.” Alcoholics cannot sometimes have a drink. They must avoid it because they have a drinking problem. Most men have a lust problem. Can we sometimes indulge sexy images and be spiritually healthy? For me the answer is clear. Lust is mostly visual. Lustful images are almost impossible to delete from the mental hard drive. Images can lead to fantasy that can lead to really bad decisions. Paul had a simple solution. Run.

Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body. Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body. (I Corinthians 6, NLT)

Many years ago I was a regular reader of a men’s magazine famous for foldouts so I am not speaking out of “self-righteous” ignorance. I know why men read such magazines. Incredibly, it is not for the articles! Any man who tries to rationalize that is disingenous at best and a liar at worst. Christian men should have no part of such magazines or websites. I am stunned by men who make threatening comments to young men that come to date their daughters and then go out and ogle and lust over the daughters of others. In New Man Magazine author Matthew Paul Turner writes that “pornography alters your view of humanity by objectifying people. And, it’s almost impossible for a porn habit “not to affect the relationships you hold most dear.”

That is truth. You can believe it now or find out, to your dismay, later.

I work in a secular and testosterone driven world. There may be a small percentage of men who can view these types of magazines or websites and not lust. I have not met any of them yet. If you are that man would you join me for lunch (and bring along a lie detector)? I will buy if you pass.

I miss my Dad. It was five years ago this month that he passed into eternity with Jesus. I still find myself wishing I could share good news with him. I still sometimes think it is him when the phone rings on Sunday afternoons.

I wish he could have seen how his grandsons in Texas have grown up to be godly and good men. I wish he could have seen how his daughter-in-law trusted God as she faced down cancer. I wish he could have seen how his son finally began to understand how to live in the amazing grace of Jesus. I wish I could have told him that his example gave me a foundation for how the grace of God is possible. If my flawed earthly father could love me that much and without condemnation then I can begin to understand how a loving God can love me despite my junk and flaws. Not every man can say that and I am grateful that I can.

I couldn’t help but smile when I thought of him as I watched the news today. The current debate in Washington and the selfish agendas of our “representatives” would have driven him nuts. I could almost hear him ranting about the politicians and how we just need someone with “some uneducated good old common sense” in our Nation’s Capital. He earned the right to rant. He was one of the incredible men and women who served our country during World War II. The flag from his military funeral is one of my proudest possessions.

I find myself becoming my Dad more and more each day. Today I dialed up a couple of his favorite songs that I have on my iPod. It was the musical version of comfort food. The first song was particularly appropriate in the context of today’s news. I have sat here stunned as Senator after Senator has confessed they don’t know everything  that is in the bill they are about to vote on. In previous years I would have been beside myself with frustration. But today I listened to one of my Dad’s songs and felt comfort wash over my soul. The song is called “I Know Who Holds Tomorrow” and it was written in 1950 by a traveling preacher named Ara Stanphill. This is a song of trust written during a time of agony and doubt in his life. Stanphill’s wife battled addiction and left him for other men. You could imagine the gossip that flew in that era when a preacher’s wife left to live a life of sin. Yet Stanphill forgave her, tried to reconcile and remained true to his vows. But he was human and he suffered depression and grief. He wondered why God would allow such a fate for a man dedicated to His service. One day he was feeling sorry for himself as he drove. In the book Turn Your Radio On author Ace Collins relates the struggle that Stanphill faced. In the depths of his sadness he began to hum a tune and the next thing he knew he was singing a song. He sang about not knowing what was in the future but knowing that God was with him every step of the way. He rushed to his piano when he arrived at his office and jotted down the words.  I remember hearing Faron Young sing these lyrics on a scratchy vinyl record.

I don’t know about tomorrow;
I just live from day to day.
I don’t borrow from its sunshine
For its skies may turn to grey.
I don’t worry o’er the future,
For I know what Jesus said.
And today I’ll walk beside Him,
For He knows what is ahead.
Many things about tomorrow
I don’t seem to understand
But I know who holds tomorrow
And I know who holds my hand.

I believe those words. I don’t know why some things happen. I am angry, frustrated and deeply concerned about what is going on in Washington. But at the end of the day I put my hope not in politics but in Jesus. I know who holds tomorrow and I know who holds my hand. And then I listened to what I would guess was my Dad’s favorite song. He would sing along loudly and I remember that I also inherited my Dad’s lack of singing talent. But his heart believed the words that Red  Foley and the Sunshine Boys sang.

Well, I’m tired and so weary
But I must go along
Till the lord will come and call, call me away,
Well the morning’s so bright
And the Lamb is the light
And the night, night is as black as the sea,

There will be peace in the valley for me, some day
There will be peace in the valley for me, oh Lord I pray
There’ll be no sadness, no sorrow, my Lord,
no trouble, trouble I see
There will be peace in the valley for me

My Dad is experiencing that today. No more sadness, no sorrow, no troubles. So in the midst of craziness and confusion I hold on to the hope that my Dad believed. I know who holds tomorrow and I know there will be peace in the valley for me some day. More and more I understand the words that C.S.Lewis wrote.

“If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.”

That is what Jesus was saying as He comforted His followers with these words recorded in the Gospel of John.

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.”

Had my good friend Mike been with Jesus I suspect he would have smiled and said these words. “That’ll work!” Indeed it will. So today I choose to trust God for today and sing this little chorus.

Many things about tomorrow
I don’t seem to understand
But I know who holds tomorrow
And I know who holds my hand.

Chicken Little is feeling a little smug this week. It appears that the ultimate alarmist was right. The sky, according to the media and Washington, is apparently falling. The official theme song for the nightly news could be the song they used to sing on Hee Haw called Gloom, Despair And Agony On Me. Everyone sing along….

Gloom, despair, and agony on me
Deep, dark depression, excessive misery
If it weren’t for bad luck, I’d have no luck at all
Gloom, despair, and agony on me

I see a lot of gloom in our country. And I see a lot of fear. I think it is apropos to remember that the most frequent command in the Bible is “do not be afraid”. Followers of Jesus can be a tremendous beacon of light if we are not afraid. Confident and content Christians can offer real hope that can really change lives. I learned a valuable lesson about handling fear from our Golden Retriever Charlie. He died a few years ago at the ripe old canine age of 14.                                                                                          

This excerpt from my book “Bring’em Back Alive” documents an experience I had with Charlie that gave me a little hint of how our relationship with Jesus should work when we fear our circumstances.

Charlie suffered a health crisis late in his life. He developed a large benign tumor under his front leg that made walking difficult. We took him in for what would be a rather serious surgery at the ripe old canine age of twelve. The vet did a masterful job in removing the growth and taking care of Charlie. We were called to the animal hospital to pick him up. We waited as the workers brought him out. Charlie shuffled slowly out and I was taken aback by his appearance. He was trembling, frightened and appeared to be in some pain. His head was down and his perpetual motion tail was strangely still. He seemed confused and disoriented. Then I walked over to Charlie and simply touched him. Almost immediately he quit trembling and he made a valiant attempt to wag his tail. His breathing calmed down and he relaxed.

As I reflected on that scene it struck me that Charlie’s reaction to my touch and mere presence was a wonderful illustration of how Jesus comforts (or desires to comfort) me when I am afraid. When I (his master) touched Charlie he was comforted. His pain was not gone. He was still frightened. He was still a bit disoriented and unsure. Charlie’s circumstances hadn’t really changed at all. But he knew that his master was there and that made it better. What a picture that is of how the touch of Jesus enables us to respond when we are frightened, in pain, disoriented and confused. We need to remind ourselves that Jesus never promised that all trouble would vanish when we believe in Him. Jesus did promise that He would be there and that would be enough. But the tough question arises…do we truly believe that? Jesus gave us an amazing promise at the end of the Great Commission.

Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

He is with us always. In good times and bad. Even to the end of the age. My prayer for myself and for you today is that we will trust and be comforted by that promise. I pray that we will seek the comforting touch of the Master. As I learned with Charlie, it doesn’t really matter what the circumstance might be, it is the knowledge that the Master is there that makes all the difference.

Today is National Signing Day for college football. All of the highly touted prospects sign their paper work and officially commit to play football at good old Whatsamatta U. (No wait, that was Bullwinkle. And where did they find the helmet that fit around his antlers? But I digress). At any rate, hundreds of young men with dreams of gridiron glory celebrate this day. Overwrought fans compare their list of “commits” to Rival U. to see if their school “won” the recruiting battle. Part of the process is a number of websites that evaluate prospects and assign stars to each player based on their perceived talent. A five star prospect is deemed a “can’t miss”. I wonder about the wisdom of giving stars to assign value to young athletes. Yet I confess that I get caught up in the recruiting drama and hope that some big-time players will be wearing the colors of my beloved Ohio State Buckeyes or my adopted Baylor Bears.

Every year they run a story about how the players highly rated four years ago actually panned out. The results are always mixed. Some four and even five star recruits flame out or have very average careers on the field. Sadly, we never check to see if they are good students or citizens. Some lightly regarded players become stars. Some transfer to another school or even drop out of college entirely. The number of stars by their name was no guarantee that football success would follow. It is a football parallel of the parable that Jesus told about the seed that falls on different types of soil. But that would be another blog.

I thought about how performance standards permeate our culture and our self-image. When we reduce young men to performance stars is it any wonder that we cannot wrap our minds around the concept that better performance is not how we produce holiness in our Christian journey? And don’t most of us do exactly what the recruiting geeks do when we evaluate and judge people in the church? It plays out something like this.

That person is bright, funny and talented. A four star Christian. Make sure they are on the board. Over there is a woman who can sing like an angel. Five stars. Keep her happy. That man is a very successful businessman and he is making tons of money. We need to recruit more five stars like him if we are going to finish the building project. New Testament agitator James would have hated the star system in recruiting and especially in the body of Christ.

My brothers and sisters, do not show prejudice if you possess faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ. For if someone comes into your assembly wearing a gold ring and fine clothing, and a poor person enters in filthy clothes, do you pay attention to the one who is finely dressed and say, “You sit here in a good place,”and to the poor person, “You stand over there,” or “Sit on the floor”? If so, have you not made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil motives? Listen, my dear brothers and sisters! Did not God choose the poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that he promised to those who love him?  (James 2, NET Bible)

The rating stars are even more pernicious in the living out of our faith. I suspect I am like most Christians who understood that I did not have enough talent to overcome my sin before a Holy God. I needed grace for that. But once I was on the team I began to see the need for, well, me. I had some gifts that God could use. I was at least a three star and with God’s help I might be a four. Yet for some reason I kept feeling frustrated and tired. No matter how much I tried it seemed like my obvious gifts (to me) made little or no difference. And then I shifted my rating system. Sure I had some gifts to use for God but they were gifts of His grace. He was not impressed that I was really proud of what He had graciously given me. I suspect He was particularly unimpressed that I wanted others to see that I was doin’ stuff for Jesus. I finally began to understand that my service was not to impress, please, gain favor or store up frequent server points for a heavenly upgrade. My service was out of gratitude for his grace that forgave my sins past, current and future. Thank you Jesus that you use the unrated prospect as much (and often more because they can actually spell humility) as the prospects that we sinfully think are five stars and more important than the others. In fact, the five star prospects struggle with dependence on Christ because of their self-sufficiency. Humility and talent are an odd but powerful combo platter.

When Jesus said that we should come to Him as little children He did not mean that we should be get small and not share our toys. He was talking about how a child completely depends on their parents to provide, nurture and protect them. Jesus wants that humble dependence from me. When I acknowledge that my talent  is truly on loan from God as a gift of grace then I find joy in service. When I humbly submit my meager ability for God’s to use for His glory I find freedom. And when I trust Him for the results I find peace.

Today I praise God that I don’t have to be a five star or even a one star to earn God’s love. It is done. It is a gift of grace. Unmerited. And offered freely even to badly injured and unrated Jesus followers like me. I am so grateful that I verbally committed thirty-nine years ago and then made it official on baptism day a few months later. I hope the young men find success that signed today. But more importantly I hope they find the unconditional love of Christ that is not based on performance or arbitrary stars.

On February 2^nd they woke up Punxsutawney Phil long enough for the prognosticating rodent to let us know six more weeks of winter must be endured.

 Phil looks about as happy as I do when when I am disturbed in the morning. Sixteen years ago a funny and underappreciated  movie came on the scene. Groundhog Day told the story of a self-absorbed news reporter (redundancy alert?) that finds himself stuck in an endless repeat of the same day. Bill Murray is perfect in the role of reporter Phil Connors. Since I live in the odd world of broadcast television I can relate to the cynical personality of Murray’s character. Reporter Phil is less than thrilled that he has been assigned to cover Punxsutawney Phil’s annual peek outside to predict winter’s duration. He feels he is “above” such an inane assignment. Connor’s looks into the camera and cynically reports:

“This is one time where television really fails to capture the true excitement of a large squirrel predicting the weather.”

I have directed some events that offer that kind of challenge. But what got me thinking about that movie again was the plotline where Phil Connors realizes he is doomed to live the same day over and over and over. The plot is summed up in this article in Wikipedia. For Connors, Groundhog Day begins each morning at 6:00 A.M., with his waking up to the same song, Sonny & Cher’s “I Got You Babe”, on his alarm clock radio, but with his (and only his) memories of the “previous” day intact, trapped in a seemingly endless “time loop” to repeat the same day in the same small town.

Connor has this exchange in the film.

Phil: What would you do if you were stuck in one place and every day was exactly the same, and nothing that you did mattered?
Ralph: That about sums it up for me.

And that brought to mind another famous Bill Murray quote…this time from Stripes.

And then depression set in.

So what is the point of these ramblings? Is it to impress you with my cerebral movie tastes? The point is that too many followers of Jesus are stuck in a Groundhog Day life of their own. They wake up every day and feel trapped in a repeating pattern of frustrating behavior. And then, depression sets in. Why is that?

Einstein was once quoted as saying that “insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.” I am not quite willing to concede that I was insane. But the truth is that for years I did approach my spiritual life the same way everyday while somehow expecting different results.

I would make a mistake (that is politically correct for sin) and I would convince myself that I would never do that again. I was grateful that the consequences were not worse. I was determined to stay far, far away from that sin. And then before I know it I had forgotten the lesson and I would awaken each morning to my own version of Groundhog Day. The Apostle Paul wrote about this very thing (not the giant rodent part…the repeating behavior part) in his letter to the Romans.

I decide to do good, but I don’t really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. My decisions, such as they are, don’t result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time.   (Romans 7, The Message)

Wow…can I relate to that. A bit later Paul writes…I’ve tried everything and nothing helps. I’m at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn’t that the real question?

That is the real question. And there is a real answer offered by Paul.

The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind, but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally different.

So what can you do to get out of this sin spiral?

Nothing.

Wait! Don’t let depression set in. This is good news! You and I can’t do it. I am incapable in my own efficacy (5 Reader’s Digest points) to escape my spiritual Groundhog Day. Only Jesus can enable me to escape this endless loop of frustration. Further advice from Paul follows in Chapter 8 of his amazing letter to the Romans.

But if God himself has taken up residence in your life, you can hardly be thinking more of yourself than of him.

Allow the truth of that verse to soak in. 

Want to get out of your Groundhog Day existence? Most readers of these humble ramblings realize they couldn’t deal with their sin separation from God on their own. We needed Jesus. So why do we think we can deal with our ongoing sin issues on our own? When the Father looks at me on my very worst day this is what He sees. 

Jesus.

That is step one. I don’t have to clean up the sin to please God. He loves me already because of Jesus. Step Two. I am learning daily to recognize that the Spirit of God has taken up residence in my life. I am learning that I am the one who limits His power by restricting access and not trusting Him with my thoughts and actions. I am learning that I don’t need to wake up to the frustrating effects of repeated self-effort. I can wake up trusting God, trusting that Jesus has my sin covered and trusting that the Spirit of God will allow me to resolve that sin. Trusting God and what His Word says to be true allows me to escape the Groundhog Day syndrome. Instead I have a new day full of possibilities to thank God for His amazing grace.

The moral of the movie Groundhog Day was that Phil Connor needed to learn that he was self-absorbed and dependent on his selfish efforts to get ahead. The moral of the spiritual groundhog day is to learn that we cannot depend on our self efforts to live a joyful and free Christian life. I come to Jesus by grace and total dependence. I live for Jesus by grace and total dependence. While the other groundhog is busy predicting weather I would suggest you try this for the next six weeks. When the alarm jars you awake remember this truth. Instead of the Sonny and Cher song you can sing “I Got You Lord”. The two of you can end this “Groundhog Day” of frustration. To paraphrase our hero Phil from above….

This is one time where a blog really fails to capture the true excitement of a large doofus trying to explain his joy and freedom of learning how to live in grace. So try it for yourself. If you begin to lean on grace perhaps you can also paraphrase the line from Stripes with this one.

And then joy and freedom set in. That is my prayer for you today. I can’t help you with the weather.