Some attributes in our age of technology are great. You can buy all kinds of things online while relaxing on your sofa. Book trips through an app. Secure a checklist of items that once required multiple errand runs and they will be delivered to your door within hours. But there is another aspect to this modern system that is incredibly frustrating. What do you do when you need to talk to a human being? This past week I spent hours on hold when I needed to talk to a person. I was informed every couple of minutes that my call was important and they would answer my call as soon as a representative was available. That was followed by annoying hold music that repeated over and over and over. I finally gave up. I appreciate that so much can be handled through technology but sometimes you need the assistance of an actual person. You need to hear a voice. God
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One of the songs that I default to when I am walking through dark valleys is from singer/composer Rich Mullins. The song is from his album called Songs and it is simply titled “Hold Me Jesus”. Well, sometimes my lifeJust don’t make sense at allWhen the mountains look so bigAnd my faith just seems so small Right now I am in a pretty good place in my life and journey with Jesus. But then I started thinking about the many friends and loved ones who could relate completely to those lyrics in their current situation. And I can certainly recall seasons of my life when those words accurately reflected the condition of my soul. I remember how I used to respond. I would deduce it was my fault and I would decide that I had to do something to bolster my faith. I had to read more verses or do a study or pray more or believe more. But the answer was far more simple and the chorus by
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The Epistles written by Paul are as impactful for today’s church as they were for his multiple church plants. Paul was dealt some pretty bad hands during his missionary journeys. I suspect it would have been easy for him to question God about his challenging journey. After all, it was God who very aggressively recruited Paul onto the team while he was traveling to Damascus. But Paul knew that difficulties are a vital part of the spiritual growth program. Here is what he wrote from prison. I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in
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I made a conscious decision a few years ago to focus on communicating the message of grace and identity in Christ. With that I decided to avoid the polarizing path of politics. Some have told me that is cowardly but I can honestly say there is no message more important to me than the liberating freedom of grace. I want to share the joy of living out of what Jesus has already accomplished and what God says is true about me. That I am a saint. A new creation. A beloved child of God. I relate to the mission statement of Paul when he wrote these words. But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God. (Acts 20:24, NLT) I feel called to be a messenger of hope and grace. Plus I feel like
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I love the message Paul wrote to the Ephesian church. Paul had spent over two years teaching and discipling the new believers in Ephesus. Not long after leaving he received reports that those new hearts had reverted to old habits. Things were a bit of a mess and the word came back that the old behaviors of rage, immorality, lying, stealing and gossip were resurfacing. Paul wrote a letter to address this sad turn of events. The amazing thing to me is that the first three chapters never address those sins. Paul even greets them as saints for crying out loud! “From Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to the saints [in Ephesus], the faithful in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 1:1 NET) If I was writing that letter it would have had an entirely different tone. Something more along these lines. “What are you thinking? I am so disappointed in you. What is wrong with you?
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It was thirteen years ago when Joni and I said goodbye to Hall of Fame canine companion Hannah. She was a unexpected rescued Labrador that God brought into our lives to help us through a challenging season. She inspired the initial book draft of Stay: Lessons My Dogs Taught Me about Life, Loss, and Grace that included stories from another rescued Labrador named Maggie. Here is a chapter from the book remembering sweet Hannah. Hannah loves the morning walk. When she sees me grab my walking shoes, she begins to vibrate with excitement. If the Department of Energy wants to find an untapped green energy source, it should harness Labrador tails. I think Hannah could power a small apartment building when she gets excited and that tail starts oscillating. I love the morning walk as well. It is a time to meditate, pray, listen to good music, and enjoy God’s company. The walk is pretty much the same each day
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When it comes to social media some people seem to be in attack mode all the time. My heartaches because friends and colleagues of mine say truly ugly things and assign terrible motives to people they don’t even know. I quit going negative on social media many years ago. I affirm where I can and stay silent when I cannot. I just don’t understand what satisfaction people get from savaging someone from the safe bunker of the Internet. One word I choose to limit is hate. Hate is a powerful and deeply affecting word. But we toss it around so casually that it makes me wince. I am saddened, sickened, disturbed, and frightened at how the word hate is being hurled in our national discourse. Red-faced people of different viewpoints spew vitriol at those they disagree with. It can be an honest and complicated issue that people are reacting to, but they reduce the debate to hating their opponents instead
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