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As I contemplate a major milestone birthday an appropriate song cycled up from Kenny Chesney. In the lyrics an interviewer asks a one hundred old man his secret to life. His response?

Don’t blink!

The lyrics describe how quickly this earthly journey goes by.

Just like that you’re six years old and you take a nap and you
Wake up and you’re twenty-five and your high school sweetheart becomes your wife
Don’t blink.

He goes on to describe how quickly the years fly by. It seems like yesterday I was playing sandlot baseball. Moments ago I was in high school being Attention Deficit before ADD was cool. Wasn’t it yesterday I met the stunning Joni Banks. Couldn’t have been that long ago that I donned the hideous baby blue tux to wed my beloved. How did those adorable little boys get that old?

Don’t blink.

I have had, if I may borrow the franchise of Frank Capra, a wonderful life. Not devoid of tragedy and trouble to be sure but through it all we have felt blessed. I believe that is because we found our reason for being here. Pastor and author Rick Warren summed it up nicely in a recent interview.

People ask me, What is the purpose of life? And I respond, In a nutshell, life is preparation for eternity. We were made to last forever, and God wants us to be with Him in Heaven. One day my heart is going to stop, and that will be the end of my body – but not the end of me. I may live 60 to 100 years on earth, but I am going to spend trillion of years in eternity. This is the warm-up act, the dress rehearsal. God wants us to practice on earth what we will do forever in eternity. We were made by God and for God, and until you figure that out, life isn’t going to make sense.

Life is a series of problems: Either you are in one now, you’re just coming out of one or you’re getting ready to go into another one. The reason for this is that God is more interested in your character than your comfort. God is more interested in making your life holy than He is in making your life happy. We can be reasonably happy here on earth, but that’s not the goal of life: The goal is to grow in character, In Christ-likeness.

If this is the warm-up act for my eternity gig then all of this is merely preparation. My understanding of the God who made me and that purpose for me allows me to believe there is Sovereign design. I don’t always see it. My real purpose in this journey is learning to live out of my new identity and maturing in Christ-likeness. Paul wrote this in the book of Colossians.

Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits at God’s right hand in the place of honor and power. Let heaven fill your thoughts. Do not think only about things down here on earth. For you died when Christ died, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your real life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory. (Col 3, NLT)

The song continues…

“Best start putting first things first.”
Cause when your hourglass runs out of sand
You can’t flip it over and start again
Take every breath God gives you for what it’s worth

A hundred years goes quicker than you think.

We have a predetermined number of grains in the hourglass so I choose today to live this moment in grace and freedom. Every breath is a gift even on the tough days. Enjoy today. Yesterday is gone and tomorrow is not promised.

In no time at all on the eternity clock I will be reunited with my daughter in heaven and other loved ones. I will be with my Lord and Savior. I will be home. For my fellow sojourners I pray that you will trust that truth. You may face storms and deep valleys along the way. My secret to life is trusting that Jesus provided for your righteousness with His finished work on the Cross and He is patiently maturing you for your eternal destiny. And one more thing.

Don’t blink.

There is much written about Good Friday. The sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the Cross is incomprehensible to my puny human intellect. There is much written about Easter Sunday. Christians around the world rejoice and proclaim that “He is risen!”. But there is not nearly as much written about one of the saddest and most confusing days in history. The Saturday between the Friday horror of Jesus on the Cross and the Sunday mystery of the resurrection. Some churches do observe Holy Saturday but it was never a tradition in my faith upbringing.

I have been thinking about what that day must have been like for those who dropped everything to follow Jesus. How crushing those events had to be. I imagine the fear they felt that they would also be killed. And for what? On Saturday they feared they had given their careers and their very souls for a false hope.

I think in particular of Peter. I identify so much with him. Like him I throw down bold statements of loyalty to the Lord and then betray them. Like him I draw attention to my own accomplishments instead of recognizing where my accomplishments come from. Like Peter I am a generally sincere but desperately needy follower of Jesus.

You know the story about Peter before the arrest and mock trial of Jesus. Jesus tells Peter that he will deny him three times before the rooster crows at dawn. For many years I breezed by the setup to that prediction.

“Simon (Peter), Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat. But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers.” (Luke 22, NLT)

Jesus had already prayerfully pleaded for Peter to be used in a powerful and redemptive way before the failure, shame and repentance that Jesus knew was about to happen. Our sin does not take Jesus by surprise. Why does His grace and forgiveness surprise us?

Like me, Peter did not hear the tender words of encouragement from the Lord. Nope. He blustered.

“Lord, I am ready to go to prison with you, and even to die with you.”

After the arrest of Jesus a suddenly less bold Peter followed the crowd. He denied to a servant girl that he knew Jesus. He denied his alliance to another bystander. The crushing sorrow and shame of what happened next is hard to fathom.

About an hour later someone else insisted, “This must be one of them, because he is a Galilean, too.”

But Peter said, “Man, I don’t know what you are talking about.” And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed.

At that moment the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Suddenly, the Lord’s words flashed through Peter’s mind: “Before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me.” And Peter left the courtyard, weeping bitterly.

I imagined what the expression might have been on the face of Jesus when He turned and looked. I suspect it was a look of sadness, compassion and longing to comfort His friend. But what Peter probably saw was only disappointment and failure. Peter’s tears likely flowed until they could no longer flow. I suspect it was hard to even breathe. His heart literally ached within his chest. His mind could not imagine any future hope. I wonder if he thought about running away or even ending it all. I wonder if he could think at all.

That Saturday was one of the worst days in history and Peter may have felt the pain of that awful day more intensely than anyone. He did not know what would happen the next day. Peter did not yet understand what Jesus had been telling him.

When Luke recounts that Jesus appeared to the Disciples the only one mentioned by name is Peter. What gives me hope this Easter season is the tender story of Jesus affirming and reinstating Peter to be a leader who would “feed His sheep”. That is the grace that changes a heart.

I can betray Jesus. Ignore Him. Live selfishly. At some point I once again recognize my desperate need for Jesus to rescue me. For the one millionth time I turn to Him. And what happens? He lifts my shame bowed head and looks deeply into my eyes. He tells me how much He loves me. That is grace. That is real. That is love. Maybe I won’t have a day quite as bad as Peter on that horrible dark Saturday but his story of redemption encourages me this Easter season.

Saturday was terrible. But Sunday was coming with the wonderful news that He is risen! He is risen for me! Jesus is pleading for me that my faith will not fail. What a joyous hope for all of us this Easter.

Join me on a journey to become more connected to God and one another.

This week marks my thirty-sixth Opening Day as a television director for Texas Rangers broadcasts. Someone asked me at church if I ever get tired of Opening Day. The answer is a resounding no! When I do it will be time to move to a rocking chair at the old director’s home. I feel like I am just behind Lou Gehrig as the “luckiest man on the face of the earth” to have been able to do this year after year.

In my mind there is no more special day in sports than Opening Day in baseball. It is an annual rite of Spring to post this article on the magic of Opening Day. The smell of freshly cut emerald green grass delights the senses. The base lines 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 bounce around like little boys. They seem a little extra grateful that they are paid to play a kid’s game.

The hot dogs taste like gourmet food. Humphrey Bogard wisely said that “a hot dog at the ballpark is better than a steak at the Ritz”. Souvenirs a young fan begs for become treasures to be kept until adulthood. And then it becomes a challenge to explain to your wife why a twenty-five-year old bobble head needs to be in the china cabinet.

Children skip school and parents do not care because memories are being made for both of them. There is no shot I love more as a television director than the one of a Dad or Mom pointing to the field and explaining this wonderful game to their child.

The atmosphere is truly magic. It is Opening Day and every team has hope. Every team is undefeated. Who will be this year’s team that surprises and surpasses all expectations? Each fan has dreams and they are hopefully, or perhaps hopelessly, optimistic. 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 once longed for such a defining moment in my spiritual journey. It took me a long time to understand that God’s Word tells us that every day is like Opening Day (Dave’s paraphrase). I do have a clean slate because of Christ. There is 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 know that I am renewed, redeemed and ready to face the day whatever pitches are thrown my way. I don’t have to wait a year to have a chance for renewal. Paul writes that every day holds the spiritual magic of renewal and victory in Christ.

This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. (I Corinthians 5:17-18, NLT)

I am grateful that in my spiritual journey God that has given me a chance for “Opening Day” renewal every day of my life. I have had some really bad seasons during my career as a follower of Jesus. But I am learning that every day is a gift. I hope I have a few more Opening Days as a director. Then I long for many more as a fan with my precious grandchildren. Dan Patrick once quipped about an injured player. “He is listed as day to day. But then again, aren’t we all?”

The fragile nature of our lives makes the bigger questions so much more important even as I enjoy the hope of Opening Day. Every day of my journey with Jesus can be like this special day in baseball. I can be transformed and new. Past losses (sins) can be redeemed and forgiven. There can be an exhilarating freshness in the journey. I can realize that I am a child of God and I can be grateful that I get to call Him Father. I can believe that my hope for the future is real. I can understand that I can be a better teammate to others that I encounter and not expect my team to be perfect. The magic of a fresh start happens once a year in baseball. It can happen every day for a follower of Jesus when we focus on His amazing Grace.

Author Dave Burchett’s latest book is Waking Up Slowly:Reconnecting with God and One Another.

Watching the wonderful story of Bart Millard in “I Can Only Imagine” caused me to remember a miracle I experienced with my own Mother.

I loved my Mom but our relationship was challenging. She was raised in a family where love was not openly expressed. She could be very negative and her comments had wounded me over the years. I felt like I was never enough. I knew that she loved me fiercely but I will admit that I grieved for a more gracious expression of her love. My Mom could be really difficult.

As her health declined I prayed that her relationship with God would be clear to her and to her family. In the last summer of her life I journeyed to Ohio to visit. A group of Christian friends in Texas told me they would pray that I could discuss salvation with my Mom. I thanked them for their concern but in my heart I felt they were naive. They didn’t know my Mom.

Fast forward a few days as I am sitting with my Mom. The conversation is mundane. Out of nowhere she dropped this bombshell.

“How can you be sure that you are going to heaven?”

You could have knocked me over with a feather and I immediately thought of those Saints in Texas praying for exactly this moment. And I felt a bit of shame because I was the naive one who doubted the power of prayer. I shared the gospel with my Mom. She assured me that she had trusted Christ as her Savior. The next question was nearly as surprising.

“What if you trusted Christ but haven’t lived it?”

Wow. What do you say to that? I chose to tell her the truth. That she was a child of God but she had forfeited a lot of joy by not walking more faithfully with Him. She had likely missed chances to serve and probably many blessings the Lord had desired her to experience. Still, there was a nagging question in my mind that I lacked the courage to address. I knew there were people who had hurt my Mom deeply and she showed no signs of forgiveness. I was fairly certain she would take that bitter anger to her grave.

But Mom took those comments about living for Jesus to heart. She chose to try to live for Him with the rest of her days. She told my niece that she had prayed more in the last year than she had in her whole life. She regularly asked me to pray for her and told me she was praying for me and especially for Joni as my bride was battling breast cancer (Joni is now a 12 year survivor).

My Mom began to regularly tell me she loved me. That was something you didn’t say in her family. A few weeks later she told me she was sorry if she had hurt me with her words or actions. That was the first time I had heard those words from my Mom in my entire life. It was a powerful moment of grace and reconciliation between us. When I saw her for the last time she kissed me and said, “you don’t know how much you mean to me.” But she was wrong. I finally did.

But the real miracle happened in her last days. My Niece asked Mom about a woman she had felt so much bitterness and hatred toward. When I was told about her response the words sent chills through me.

“Oh honey. That was in the past. I have forgiven her.”

What irony that I write so much about forgiveness and my Mom gave me a miracle of forgiveness as her final gift. Forgiveness can happen. It is never too late. For those who think they cannot forgive I will tell you that with God it is possible. I witnessed a miracle in the last year of my Mother’s life. She was able to lay her burdens at the foot of the Cross and pass unencumbered into the presence of the Lord.

I pray I will never lose hope in the relentless and redemptive love of our incredible God. John states it beautifully in this passage.

Sometimes I just want to step away from people. I get tired. Living in honest community can be frustrating and discouraging. And then the song “Lean On Me” cycles up on the music list. That is not funny Lord. The lyrics sung by Bill Withers talks about being there for others. Life happens, John Lennon famously said, when you are making other plans. Life has been happening to us and many close to us in recent months.

Sometimes in our lives
We all have pain
We all have sorrow

Lean on me, when you’re not strong
And I’ll be your friend

I have been thinking a lot about community. I have, to be honest, had moments when I wondered if living in community with messy people is worth it. I have come to understand why legalism is so much easier than grace. Legalism allows me to assess the situation and then apply a verse, assign a task and move away in self-righteous expectation. If that person rejects that Biblical admonition or task then legalism allows me to withdraw because they are disobedient. Grace does not give me that option. Grace demands that I move toward the struggle of my brother or sister and not away in judgment. No wonder grace is a tough sell.

That is the glorious dichotomy of grace. Grace wears me out and lifts me up. Grace frustrates and exhilarates.  My old nature screams that people who make bad decisions over and over get what they “deserve”. They don’t “deserve” to be pursued and loved and restored. They made their bed now let them lay in it. But there is a small quiet voice in my heart that tells me that they have value. That they are loved by their Creator. And that voice asks who am I to decide who “deserves” anything?

A quote by Pastor Paul Donnan says it far better than I ever could.

Grace doesn’t treat us better than we deserve. It treats us without the slightest reference to what we deserve. Grace ceases to be grace if God withdraws it upon any human failure. If Grace is in any way tied to something you do, then it is no longer a gift but a wage, and that’s not grace.

And, to be selfish, the lyrics of Bill Withers tells me why it is in my own best interest to give grace willingly.

I’ll help you carry on
For it won’t be long
Till I’m gonna need
Somebody to lean on

Yep. It is just a matter of time until I will be begging for grace for some stupid action or word. Paul knew that was true and reminded the Galatian Church.

Live creatively, friends. If someone falls into sin, forgivingly restore him, saving your critical comments for yourself. You might be needing forgiveness before the day’s out. Stoop down and reach out to those who are oppressed. Share their burdens, and so complete Christ’s law. If you think you are too good for that, you are badly deceived. (Galatians 6, The Message)

Why are we so willing to receive grace and not extend it? Maybe the next lyric has a clue.

Please swallow your pride
If I have things
You need to borrow
For no one can fill

Pride. Pride causes us to cover our needs because that would show weakness. Pride tells us to wear a mask of false joy so that others won’t know our shame and sin. Our Father in Heaven designed this journey to be lived in community. God knows that we need Him and we need one another.

We all need somebody to lean on
I just might have a problem
That you’ll understand

We all need somebody to lean on

Yes it is hard to walk with the wounded. Yes it is frustrating to watch messy people make the same mistakes over and over. Yes it is tiring to give grace to the needy. But my heart’s desire remains the same. These words in Hebrews wrap it up nicely.

And don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God. (Hebrews 13:16)

Do the right thing. Help those in need. Pleasing God.

Seems worth it to me.

Want to be more connected to God and one another. Click here.

Full disclosure. Bart Millard is a friend. So this review could have been an awkward (not Happy) dance if the movie based on MercyMe’s iconic song had fallen flat. But it does not. I Can Only Imagine delivers a powerful and compelling story of redemption, forgiveness and the power of God’s grace.

This is a Christian movie you can recommend to friends who have been wounded by life. It is unabashedly Christian but it works because it is not preaching. It is Bart Millard’s story. The elements of faith are not contrived or cringe-worthy because they are simply his story. There is no more powerful canvas to illustrate faith than watching normal people do extraordinary things through the power of faith.

Dennis Quaid does a masterful job portraying Bart’s abusive dad Arthur. Quaid captures the fearful rage but also the tortured pain in Arthur’s own soul that needs a healing touch. J.Michael Finley plays Bart Millard perfectly although not quite as awkward as the real Bart. Sorry, I couldn’t play this entirely straight. This is a well done movie across the board in storytelling, acting and photography.

Understanding Bart’s difficult background made me understand even more why Bart was undone when he finally comprehended the miraculous depth of God’s Grace. Learning about a Father’s love that never changes inspired Bart Millard to write lyrics like this in the song Greater.

This article is one of the hardest ones I have ever composed and it is not because I don’t believe deeply in the importance of this discussion.  It is because I know a lot of readers will react defensively and negatively. Regular readers know that I am not a political guy. I generally don’t write or talk about politics. My hope is in Christ and not in Washington and I mainly talk about Jesus, Grace, and community. Nonetheless, I must address politics when I see it is dividing the body of Christ. The New York Times wrote an eye opening and heartbreaking article “A Quiet Exodus: Why Black Worshipers are Leaving White Evangelical Churches”.  According to the article the tipping point was the 2016 election and the lack of support from white leaders and pastors addressing the concerns of people of color.

Many, if not most, white Evangelicals have a gigantic blind spot when it comes to race in America. What is history for me is still personal for my black brothers and sisters. I will speak for myself when I say that I am not as color blind as I once believed. The truth is I was simply blind. Blind to the pain and fear of our black brothers and sisters in Christ. I asked two dear black friends to share what is the most pressing thing on their heart. I put no parameters on what they wrote. These men love Jesus, the Church, and white people. They love me and I love them. What they chose to write about is the political climate in the country and in the church. I can no longer ignore what is hurting people I love.  Please, please, please pray for grace to hear their hearts as you read their words. I am guilty of trying to spin how my black brothers and sisters see our culture but I don’t have the right to redefine their story. I cannot look through the lens of being a person of color in this country. I cannot walk in their shoes. I need to listen and respond in grace and love. Montagne McDonald is the pastor of the historic King Solomon Missionary Baptist Church in Nashville. Here is what he wrote.

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:28, KJV)

These days, racial tension is high. In America it appears we are as divided as ever. Police brutality, Confederate monuments, the National Anthem, and our current president and his administration have become very polarizing issues. Differing opinions is nothing new, nor anything we should be overly concerned with. However, there are people with extreme views who add the proverbial fuel to the fire.

Many of these extremists have ethnic or racial nationalism in common. This has become concerning, especially to people of color. Racial nationalism is the ideology that says one’s national identity is based on race. Those who adhere to this way of thinking believes it is wrong for races to mix and have a racially based desire to keep other races out of their country. There is nothing wrong with being proud of your heritage, or racial pride. The problem comes when that pride become a source of hate for others who do not share the same ethnicity. I never understood how self-love could turn into racial hate.

In Galatians chapter 3, Paul was explaining to the church that the promise of God is better than the law, because the law is unable to truly change the heart, yet faith does. In verse 28, when Paul says in Christ, there is neither Jew nor Greek, Paul is telling us in Christ we are all equal. We are all valued. That is why there are so many people of color and women who resist this current administration. We do not feel valued. When this president hires Jeff Sessions, who has a history of work against racial equality, we do not feel valued. When President Trump himself has a racist real estate rental history, yet became the 45th president anyway, we do not feel valued. When Trump’s very words have become rallying cries for the Alt-right who carry racial nationalism like a badge, we do not feel valued. These are just a few examples of why we resist Trump.

Nationalism of any kind can be used to divide, rather than unify. For America to heal from it’s past we must cast aside these racist ideologies. No matter what color you are or where you came from, you are valued by God. If God values you, then so do I. I have no time for this ideology of extreme racial nationalism because it only leads to separation and we are in desperate need of unity. To overcome this ideology, we must speak in solidarity against it. We must make our voices heard. We must, like Paul, speak against any way of thinking that holds one race above another. We must openly declare that America is not a white nation, a black nation, or any other ethnicity. We are a nation of diverse people who make up the greatest nation on earth. We are more than the color of our skin.

As Christians we are compelled to believe that but the truth is we cannot be truly color blind. That would deny the culture of my brothers and sisters. But we can, as finance executive Mellody Hobson noted in a popular TED talk, be color indifferent and hopefully color brave. My dear friend Duke Barnett added to Montagne’s words. I would trust Duke with everything and anything in my life. He is one of my most trusted friends. Please hear his words.

I’m angry and deeply saddened by the fact that our country which professes “One Nation Under God”, “We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal”, would have elected a president who promotes racial nationalism, or specifically white nationalism. As you know, I don’t have a problem talking race…for I’ve been married to my wife who is white for 30 years. We’ve raise 3 wonderful kids and have 3 precious grandkids. But the challenge still exists for equality for them. In my opinion, I think the problem with the white nationalists is the world has left them behind and Trump was supposed to be their savior. I don’t espouse to evolution as my way of being, I believe in creation. However, I do believe society has “evolved” since creation. White nationalists however, have not and they will not defeat the work of God. Montagne McDonald hit it on the head…we must openly declare that we are a nation of diverse people, created by God to be his representatives in this world (John 14:14). Our most important job is love (Matt 22:37-39). Therefore, carrying a racist agenda doesn’t align with those commandments. I’m appalled at those who call themselves Evangelical but follow these non-Christian principles like racism! Again, “there is neither Jew or Greek”! The word of is very clear in saying, “by this they will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another”. I’m praying for change of hearts but prayer is not enough! The word tells us to GO and make disciples, not just pray that change happens! I’m willing to work with anyone. But, our communities of color are angry, disappointed, saddened by the narrative that’s being displayed by Trump. We need change!

You may not see the political climate as my brothers see it. For years I pushed back about white privilege because I am just a Hillbilly from Southern Ohio who overcame a family culture that had never valued higher education. But the fact is this Hillbilly can walk through Walmart without the staff watching me suspiciously. This Hillbilly can drive through a wealthy neighborhood without drawing scrutiny from the police. There is still a systemic racial component in our culture. Every black friend I have tells me that is true. So what can I do as a white follower of Jesus? Embrace my black brothers and sisters. Hear their hearts. Stand with them and let them know that our bond in Christ is stronger than any other bond. Racial reconciliation will never happen until the church gets it right. Don’t react from a political point of view.  React as a follower of Jesus who bore the Cross for all colors. The only color that truly matters is red and that is the redeeming blood of Christ. I stand with my black brothers and sisters today. I can’t fully understand their story because I cannot walk in their shoes. But I stand with my brothers and sisters in their desire to follow Jesus and make a difference in our divided culture. In Acts we are challenged as leaders to be shepherds of all people

“Watch out for yourselves and for all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God that he obtained with the blood of his own Son.” (Acts 20:28, NET)

I want to be used by God to be a part of that solution. Would you join me?