Reactions

When a rich man gets something valuable ripped out of hands, beyond his will for racist remarks made in the privacy of his own home, its gonna send reaction ripples over a grand gossip-hungry stage.  Most feel a sense of perverse pleasure that he went down in flames in such an act of sinister betrayal by some so-called associates or friends.  This man had been hated by many for a long time for a reputation of being a complete jerk, bigot and all-round lousy person.  With all that aside, I was still shocked to see how quickly judgment was passed in the court of public opinion, and ultimately in the loss of ownership of his NBA franchise.  He probably had this coming for a long time, and certainly the punishment fit the crime.  My concern is what happens to us when we cry justice for the other guy, and mercy for ourselves.  America revels in harsh punishment for public figures who often carry the same character flaws we do, and maybe gets too much pleasure in watching the house burn.  Racist bigotry is dark and insidious, a mindset that is instilled in some mindsets at a very early age.  They are indoctrinated into the lies of priviledge and prestige over another race, and can't help but fall deeply in love with the benefits and the feelings of superiority that  this mindset affords.  What they don't realize, is that in most circles of America, their thoughts are looked at as repugnant ignorance, deeply distasteful and should never be shared.   America's justice structures today are not into harsh, swift judgment, especially for the upper class rich, and holding someone accountable for even their private comments is shocking none the less.  Publishing private conversations and moments of indiscretion in LA is nothing new,  and usually ends with that person becoming some type of 'cult hero' and buzz of the week.  Sadly, the gossip magazines know this, and it allows the public to 'rate' the transgression and carry on making of it what they will.  There is a story in the Bible, however, that casts a very different reaction in the public when someone is given swift and harsh judgment for their sin.  In Acts 5,  a man named Ananais and his wife Sapphira recieve the death penalty instantly for attempting to lie to the Holy Spirit, and a group of believers about a property transaction.  Verse 11 drives the point home when you read about the reaction of those who witnessed the punishment:  "Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events."    I am not drumming up sympathy for this LA team owner,  but more a heart check when we witness the fall of the proud, the bigots, the morally bankrupt figures of our day and age.  We should always cry out to God for justice to be done swiftly, but for the greater purpose of sending fear into the hearts of all sinners as a reminder that we must all give account one day for every word idly spoken.  

The Past

Someone recently said to me that their past is still a part of them.  When I heard that, the scriptures came flooding in that refute this seemingly innocent truth that our past holds sway over us in personality, character and more.  It caused quite a bit of heartache in me personally, because I look at sin as a 'sticky substance,'  something to be repented of, but also to be free of as well.  Christ forgives us, but he also sets us free through death.  How many times in scripture does the writer use the word 'death' to describe our relationship to the past?  Why does our past self need to suffer a death for us to 'live' in the future God has for us?  Why must we reckon ourselves 'dead' to the former self, and cease to long for that person to rise again?  Just taking quick 'peeks' of remembrance to my former self makes me cringe sometimes, and horrified at the level of corruption, selfishness, and cunning at which I operated in this world at such a young age.  Sin is like an advanced form of cancer, not waiting around to infect and destroy every vital organ.  If that 'self' wasn't killed at the cross of Christ, the world would not be a better place with the advanced form of me years down the road.  I celebrate daily the fact that I 'died', and God's righteous seed in me took root and began to grow when I surrendered to His Son.  Every part of my past is not dark, but every part of my past was laced with sin, and sin affected every part of my existence.   So the word 'death' to my former self no longer sounds so harsh, and newness of life and true hope spring out of that.   This verse, along a vast number of others, sums up the thoughts in Romans 6:6- "For we know that our old self was crucified with him, so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin."

A day further on...

Recently I have been meditating more on the thought of what I want to leave with my wife and kids as an indelible mark should something happen to me, and they carry on with life.  I think every father wants to their words to be remembered, but ultimately we need to marry our thoughts and instructions with our actions and example in daily life.  I love teaching on what is learned about the endless grace of God to my family because I am passionate to see them walk in a greater revelation of grace. To not only live forgiven and free of crippling condemnation, but empowered by that same grace to say 'No' to sin and selfishness.  More and more it seems to me its the most important life lesson and application to fully grasp what it means to 'work out your salvation with fear and trembling.'  A weak understanding of God's grace, which either makes it cheap (not applying it to say no to sin), or destructive judgmental attitudes towards yourself or others that arise from a lack of applying undeserved favor.  I don't report myself as an expert in the understanding or example living of a grace recipient, I just know there is more to come and is at the center of redemption for us all.  God gives us all light to walk in, and who wouldn't want those we love to have that same light to walk out their own adventure and story.  I do want my kids to remember my words, what I taught, but also remember the times of transformation and a man who could be imitated for his faith.  A faith that is imitable is a useful faith, as others come along for the fruitful journey. 

Are you Free?

I'm convinced that one of the deeper joys of heaven will be freedom that is expressed and unbridled forever.  Although freedom is not fully perfect without restrictions, it will be awesome to push through the boundaries of our limited and insecure mindsets that plague us in this sinful world.  One thought that keeps pressing me lately is:  'Have I placed unnecessary restrictions on life because of fear and mistrust of others?'  The answer to that is obvious, and I keep asking myself in key areas:  'Is this the best it could be?'  'What am I doing to make this average instead of awesome and inspiring?'  Inspiration comes when you peek into the ideal state of things, then pull every resource and effort to realize that dream.  Freedom is an inspiring state of things, where you don't restrict yourself or others with negative thoughts and behaviors.  Freedom is a spacious place, full of creativity and warmth, where there is plenty of energy to serve and inspire others around you daily.  Free people are trusting people, who are slow to make assumptions, and spend little mental energy filling in the blanks of what they think they know about someone.  A free individual assumes they know less than half of what there is to know about someone, and gets to enjoy the mystery and discovery of relationships around them.  Restrictions come from us when we're convinced we know all there is to know about humanity, and we place rigid walls around others and their potential because we do not TRUST them!  Now its true that if you are a human, you have probably earned some of that mistrust and misunderstanding from others.   If you have burned bridges of trust within relationships, as I have, then you can respond with faith instead of excuses and cover ups, and say, ' I believe God will change this below average behavior in me, and my apology will soon be validated because of His great power working within me!'  In Christ,  you can live free of that oppressive bondage forming around you by truly understanding your place in Him.  Our potential is limitless in this life and the life to come because of the God life resonating and rejuvenating our spirits daily and forever.  Scripture says, "though outwardly we are wasting away, inwardly we are being renewed day by day."  The bible is  an impossibly frustrating book to read if approached outside of faith.  If you don't believe the words are true in it,  or possible for you in this life to make you free, then its a grind.  Jesus said, 'you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free...'  If you don't believe you are headed into freedom through his word, then the only other alternative is a smaller, and smaller, more uncomfortable restrictive space.  Within the boundaries of God, there is plenty of space to enjoy the euphoria of life with others around you, and enjoy Him forever. 

The Dichotomy in Me

Recent events have helped me tremendously understand the dual nature of who are in essence.  When God is allowed to shed the light on my heart, and take me back to earlier times in my life, and then fast forward to the present, I see things more clearly.  You really begin to understand the effects of sin's stain, and its unbeatable control on our destiny if He doesn't free us.  Everything is affected, especially intimacy with Him and with others.  I see so clearly the old nature still stealing time, and fighting this new nature that God birthed in me at salvation.  What a war that wages, with one inner man struggling to gain strength, against an old man that is ravaged by sin's effects.  Of course its the new man that we want to consistently be, but till this point, cannot boast such a claim.  My only hope for any type of meaningful, enduring wholeness is tied to this wonderful new man that God created in me at the moment I surrendered to Him, and all a work of His grace.  The old man is insecure, selfish, preoccupied with much of the wrong priorities, unfocused, undisciplined, lazy, and full of defeat.  The new man on the other side of this dichotomy,  is full of faith, loves God and others, self-sacrifices and gets on with life as an over-comer.   Romans takes this challenge that I face and makes it clear that salvation starts a necessary war in me, that unless I take on, I cannot ever say I rule and reign in life.  Sin is just to clever, subversive and sinister to defeat on your own wits and good intentions.  Sin wins 100% of the time outside of the saving grace that God freely provides the humble ones.  When I feed my old self, usually through the door of self-pity and self-loathing, moments and often longer periods of time get stolen from the abundant life that Jesus said starts at rebirth.  Thousands of books have been written on how to have your "better life", people wanting to determine the path to a life fully lived, absent of regret and destructive behavior.   Abundant life is now, a gift, not an existence earned by putting much 'good karma' out there.  How exhausting it must be to even try to earn a good life, when you have a sinful, selfish nature fighting you every moment, sabotaging even your best efforts and intentions.  What is given freely to us as an act of God's grace, is way more powerful to live a good life for God, others, and yourself- and is always in abundant supply.   Supply is everything if you want to sustain anything, that is why our penchant to return to self-effort is so deceiving.  We think we can change a nasty habit, but have no idea how much supply we will need to sustain our changes for a lifetime.   I can't tell you how bad I hate the old self in me, how much havoc it has wreaked in my life, my marriage, my parenting, etc...  I can be honest and say that as much as I hate it, there seems to be this default button in me that reverts to its weakness more times than I would like to admit.  Just hating it isn't enough,  keeping in step with the Spirit of God who fosters and strengthens my new inner man is the key.  He is the one who keeps me sane in this war against my flesh, and I feel so strong when He is near.  The Spirit of God is the one who can handle me, bring me under control, and set straight all that gets crooked in my life.  It's becoming a daily prayer of mine to ask the Spirit of God to bring me under control, and allow me to keep in step with Him.  What a better way forward!

Intelligent Design

If you're like me, you really like clever design and something that functions perfect towards its original intent.  In fact, you might even become interested in reading up on its creator/inventor, the clever one who engineered the 'something' you think is so cool.  Clear creativity is fascinating, as often the inspiration is a mystery, but the outcome is so impacting in its outworking to make life easier, enjoyable, efficient, etc.  Usually a few men or women emerge from their generation to lead the way in creative expression, and the ripple effects of their work changes the way society operates.  Our generation had Steve Jobs, who certainly has his share of 'successful gadgets and products' that would certainly draw admiration for intelligent design.  Why then, if the earth and the heavens, which vibrate with intelligent design and balance, cause intellectuals to come up with terribly unintelligent ways to discredit the Intelligent One who deserves admiration for His work?  It was a 'Big Bang'?  It was space aliens?  It was evolutionary probability?  What did God do to earn such disregard for His handiwork?  If I see a ton of evidence (and there is a ton) that Intelligent Design is in place, then it makes perfect logical sense to hypothesis that an Intelligent One exists.  He is higher in the order of things, above His creation, and able to reveal Himself as He chooses, on His terms.  Why is that so hard to give up?  Is human pride so rock solid, that logic is tossed out and we can never reach the right conclusion, or maybe even reach out to know Him better?  Amazingly enough, as hard as we have worked to marginalize God, He still reaches out to reconcile with us and re-establish a very broken cord of relationship.  I guess even the most ardent thinker will have to continue to bash his wits against that simple truth: God is, and when you are ready to climb up the mountain of evidence that makes it obvious, He will meet with you. 

Los Angeles

Looking out from Jayne's Echo Park apartment, you can see the city of Los Angeles' skyline, and it just calls out to me for an adventure each time.  I stay here on business trips periodically and this time, I decided to jog the 4 miles down to the Staples Center where the LA Lakers play and other teams represent the city, and was not disappointed with what I got see on my way.  I have a little bit of Bilbo Baggins in me that hankers for a new adventure, with new sites and smells and people living a completely different existence than mine.  LA, block by block changes in an instant, from the business district down Figueroa St, to the homeless sleeping under overpasses, to the decaying neighborhoods two short blocks away.  As I ran, I asked God what he thinks about LA, and was His outlook and mood as gloomy as mine, as my thoughts helplessly run to the multi-layers of sin expressed in greed, pride, immorality, violence, etc.  I asked Him if He still delights in this city, invests any hope for restoration and redemption, or will wicked men just rule it like kings till the end.  I felt His delight for the people in all the different layers, His mood much brighter than my skepticism, and compassion far hotter than my cold assessing calculations.  God hopes all things, believes all things, and enjoys Himself, as He fully invests in redemption at every stage of sin's dark advance.  What shocks me and brings a skeptics doubt, sets Him back not at all.  I enjoyed my 8 mile adventure through downtown LA (There and Back Again, by Eric Baggins), but more enjoyed being with Him who is any crowded city's true light and joy.  Oh, if those who don't know Him like that could just taste and see, that the Lord is good, full of goodness and slow to anger, LA would be washed clean. I love this city!

It's Getting Away from Us

Recently I have become very aware of how many different 'pursuits' to self-discovery people in this generation give themselves wholly too.  There are too many to list here, and I know we could come up with a few more.  Whilst I think having interests and hobbies and pursuits is a God thing, what that 'pursuit' does to shape your destiny can often be a path to disappointment.  There is probably some real value in realistic expectations towards most of what we place high priority on, and view it as 'striving after the wind'.  Should we look at this life and say that there is nothing worth putting effort into, or setting some goals and expectations?  Certainly not, that would be depressing.  However, for a follower of Christ, a heart set on eternity, where 'pursuits' have eternal significance, maybe it is good to do an inventory of what we have wrapped our hearts around.  Maybe look at what we spend our money on, invest in and try to maintain?  How much do Americans spend on looking forever young?  How much time should we spend on things that are destined for decay, and have no eternal value?   Unbelievers I observe have an insatiable desire to maintain self-satisfaction or 'Live the Dream!'  The destructive path they leave is unmistakeable and heart-breaking to see how many people had to suffer neglect or abuse to keep those dream wheels turning.  I have to say with some sadness that I see some believers caught up in the same rat race.  I find myself tempted daily to kick off restraint and start looking out for me and getting mine!  I hope I never stop getting disgusted with that thought, like the blended McDonald's Happy Meal Riley's friends made him drink last night!  The key to freedom in life is a detachment from selfishness that only God can accomplish.  When we reach the end of ourselves and embrace Jesus with a whole-hearted pursuit, it's like breathing fresh air for the first time.  It still hurts to see friends, co-workers caught in the vice of a self-driven pursuit, especially when you have already been down that road.  You can only pray they come to their senses, and exchange temporary futility for a eternal satisfaction in Christ.

Blank Pages and Uncomfortable Lenses

I find a lot of richness in the storybook metaphor when describing turns in life's journey.  Clear descriptive pictures come easily to mind when I need to define a new 'chapter' or turning of the 'page.'  One picture that is helpful, but can cause some anxiety is the blank page, however.  When someone who brought so much color to your story passes away, sometimes the thought of "what now?" can creep in.  It's amazing how different a distinct new chapter feels, and how desperately you need a fresh set of lenses to view life on a fresh page.  You really can't hold onto paradigms or ways of thinking that are clearly no longer relevant to the road ahead.  It's helpful to delicately strike a balance between holding onto your roots and heritage, and letting go of superfluous baggage that weighs you down in search of fresh vision/creativity.  God never intended for us to read through our story with the same set of lenses that shaped our world view (paradigm) in the past.  He gives us, albeit uncomfortable at times, new spectacles that pick up new colors and texture, and bring along plots and subplots that make life adventurous and edgy.  I have come to a place of dependence on God to make life interesting and engaging again, and realizing that previous chapters had me gripping the pen to tight, as I attempted to scribe a novel to my liking.  How exciting and terrifying to know that only He can breathe new life into this next story line.  Such anticipation builds to see who will get written into the script as we cross paths in ways only He can orchestrate.

Fathers

As I sit in Starbucks sipping go-go juice I am reminded of what a spiritual father in our church said last night to us at a prayer gathering.  "Fatherlessness is rampant in our world, and the church provides an answer..." (paraphrased)  This week our family said goodbye to a father in our house in Dave Wood.  He provided an often fragile clan the comfort and direction we needed time and time again.  There should be a sense of anxiety toward an uncertain future, a fear that creeps in that Dave's role is just to big to fill.  But in the exact opposite spirit, there is a fresh sense of hope, a security that a good foundation has been laid.
  Dave was a fully devoted follower of Christ, so there are so many patterns and practices that can be mirrored going forward for us making important decisions.  There will be times when God asks us like Isaac to not mimic the actions of the fathers who have gone before, but to find fresh faith for our own journey.  There are so many things I want to honor and remember that Dave taught me in leadership, but I know he would as a good father say, "You must now find your way in God."  I realize now that so much of what Dave modeled to us was for such a time as this, when he is no longer with us.  Something of the call from Chris Wienand to provide fathering in the sea of fatherlessness rings clearer now.  How many people would have fresh faith and courage for their uncertain future if they had a father like Dave to spend time with?    I look forward to the years ahead, when a legacy can be passed on, and new paths can be opened to us as a family.

Thoughts on Romans 6

What are we to think of Christians who keep on sinning? What are we to think of our own perpetuating struggles and sinful habits? After reading Romans 6, I think importance of sound teaching rises to the forefront in the quest for understanding. Verse 17-18 says, "But thanks be to God , that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness." Without any pride for what we have attained to, it is really helpful to instead be thankful for the 'standard of teaching' we have received from those who faithfully taught the whole counsel of God to us. You and I can easily see why those who accurately teach the word of God are worthy of 'double honor.' It is just as easy to see why those who do not accurately teach the Word of God incur a 'stricter judgment.' The battlefield of the mind, where righteous thinking wars with wicked thoughts, has a critical result which depends on the individuals exposure to helpful teaching or rotten misdirection. Human opinion, though not always unhelpful, mingles with Divine inspiration to water down the most essential need we have: A renewing of our minds. If we study Romans 6 closely, we see that a massive shift happened in our spirits when we are 'baptized into Christ and thus baptized into His death." We were once dead to God spiritually, and sin reigned over us. But when we believed in Christ, that shift in the spirit transformed our dead/slave state to one of pure life towards God. Our flesh is the only remnant that remains of our former self, and it to is slowly waiting for redemption. The mind must be taught anew, to come into line with this radical shift in the spiritual realm. Faith must grow with every solid stepping stone of good teaching laid by experts in the Word of God. The more we hear and apply the truth, the more convinced we are who God says we are. In essence, we hear it, apply it, and become it as we should. Many people say, "Well I still have evil desires that pull me into sin." I say your right since your flesh isn't dead yet, and welcome to the war between the spirit and flesh that scripture clearly outlines. But Romans 6 is clearly highlighting that the battlefield is the mind. Verse 11 says, "So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus." Where does 'considering' take place? Right thinking is the key to right behavior, and it is clearly a discipline that God requires every believer to submit to. Right thinking comes from a right understanding of the truth, namely the Word of God. Make no mistake, sin wants a second chance to reign over you, to 'have you' as it were. It gets no such chance in those who are committed to sound teaching, from wise leaders who under the inspiration of the Spirit accurately divide the Word of truth. Now go give those who have made rich deposits of God's Word in you a big hug and thanks!

Don't Leave

John 6:66-67 says, "From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. 'You do not want to leave too, do you?' Jesus asked the Twelve." In this turning point moment Jesus is appealing to the twelve who have stuck with Him thus far, to search their doubting hearts and find what they truly believe about him. Each of us Christians who come to the same moments of decision have to ask ourselves: Do I leave and find a better alternative or do I stay the course and trust solely in Jesus. The gospel demands total commitment and resolve, regardless if our understanding of its path is totally clear. Jesus promises those who are 'faithful till the end,' a crown of life for the testing they must surely endure. People who choose to leave may be the 'cowards' Jesus refers to in Revelation, where the fear of risk and loss just became too much to overcome for some. I am personally learning the grittiness of the gospel as well as its matchless perfection and beauty, and I have seen close friends decide not to 'stay.' The gospel is foolishness to so many, certainly not the 'sexy' trend of the day, the shiny attractive philosophy that so many in this world covet. But for those of us who stay, it is the power of God for our salvation, and the end of the struggle seems nearer than ever. Its not always that easy to stay encouraged and keep your eye on the prize, especially when so many around are finding more simple and highly pragmatic solutions. Jesus values gritty faith, as He certainly modeled its worth throughout His life and ministry. He calls us to the same tenacity and fire in the face of such opposition and alternatives. I am forever grateful that God called me and wrapped my life's purpose around His gospel, yet I am sobered by the narrow and sometimes lonely path it calls me to. So lets fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, and never seriously consider leaving. Once in our eternal home, the cost of discipleship will pale in comparison to the surpassing glory and reward that is ours as we stay faithful till the end.

Loyal to Him alone

I gave away a really nice Tim Brown Oakland Raiders jersey to a local San Clemente tree trimmer today. I bought it long ago when I was a 'die-hard' Raider fan, the kind that would lose his temper and sulk all weekend if they lost. What is a 40 year old man doing wearing replica jerseys of his favorite team anyway? I knew this young dude would really dig it and I was right. Afterward I felt a bit nostalgic and regret for giving it away like that. I couldn't believe a simple item like that could have any real impact one way or another on me. I thought ..."I don't want to be die-hard for anything but my faith in Christ, no matter the nostalga or memories. Everybody is different, and I know many guys would disagree here, but I felt better that it cost me something to be generous...albeit a little emotional twinge. Loyalty is a great quality to possess, so it is logical to exude it towards something truly worthy of it. Jesus to me is the only one truly worthy of 'at all cost' loyalty and devotion, even if there are plenty of compelling experiences that crave our focus and devotion. What will be the ever increasing tests of commitment and loyalty as life rolls on? May God who tests the heart find us empty of earthly devotion and only craving more of Him.

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Preoccupied

You seem preoccupied...what is it? Yes I am. Its the gospel of Jesus that has captured my attention, and its complete preeminence in my thinking makes so much sense now. The more focus I give to it, the more brilliant its worth is to me. I can't escape its captivating pull and compelling implications. What in this world should capture our attention more? God the Father has a legitimate and fully logical problem with sin, He focuses His wrath on it and justly deals with it. The amazing thought is how He dealt with our sin in His only Son Jesus. He fully focused His wrath on Jesus who had willing become our substitute. Therefore God demonstrates His justice (proving that sin does not go unpunished) and we are freely given our current righteous status before Him. In the gospel we see an overwhelming gracious God who took it upon himself to bridge the unforgeable gap between our condition and His perfection. Life begins truly for the believer at the Cross. We live like He lives. I'm hooked....

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Spiritual Fitness

As I meditated on the verse in II Cor.3 that states that we have been made fit as ministers of a new covenant...of the Spirit, I drew a few conclusions on what I thought it meant and its implications. When you are made fit for a task the implication is directed toward skill and endurance. No employer likes an employee who can't endure and finish the job assigned to them. The other implication is that the task of ministering this new covenant is extremely sacred and vital, and requires a skill set "fit" for the duration of the task at hand. The emphasis of this verse rests on He who made us capable, and how this new covenant task is administered...'by the Spirit'. God the Father making us competent to minister the gospel of God the Son in the power of God the Holy Spirit. The results show for themselves in the last part of verse 6....THERE IS LIFE! No life? Then no Father God making ministers fit to administer the good news of God the Son in the power of God the Holy Spirit. It is as simple and profound as that. So look for God Life and you'll be sure to find a place where the gospel is being preached and applied accurately. You can't buy this ministry like Simon did in Acts, you can't push its conterfeit...you either have it (God Life in the power of the Spirit) or you don't. Fitness in this wonderful life giving ministry comes from God alone, and oh what a path it cuts through the landscape of human history when humble men lay hold of it. Shall we raise our hand and say, "Father count me in, I want this spiritual fitness in my ministry evident by the life it brings." Its our turn don't you think?

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Love this Place

The Scripture says that God appointed the exact times and locations where we would live, and that gives me a tremendous sense of security and comfort. I feel that our lot really has fallen on pleasant places, and Los Angeles is a great place to live. There is so much to take in here, and I find myself enjoying the geography, (Mountains, Oceansides, Desert) as well as the local culture. Southern California is just really cool, and it seems like God knew my family and I would enjoy the privilege of being apart of it all. Yet with the privilege comes the pain, and by pain I mean the grieving that comes with the knowledge that so many people here are lost. I am realizing that loving a city has two sides of embracing in it. One embraces the beauty and joy of all that is great about our home. The other embraces the hard yards of working and living amongst so much wickedness and ungodliness. The daunting task of being light in a dark place can squeeze you with fear if you let it. God's constant comfort from the Holy Spirit, and the strength we have in numbers together with other believers has been for me a shelter like no other. I often ask for better eyes to see the harvest here in LA like God wants me to see, and the boldness to be a soul-winner in a sea of doubters. God gave me a picture recently of LA being laden down with sins, nearing the bursting point of unsustainable corruption and brokenness. Will God give us the compassion and skill to minister when sins corruption finally catches up? I think so, probably because He loved this generation long before the wheels came off. So through high times in this city, to the lowest troughs that would depress even the most ardent optimist, oh God would you keep training me to Love this Place we call home.

Ramblings and Musings

I really enjoy going to my local "Purrrrfect Auto Service" to get my oil changed just because they have cushy leather chairs, coffee, and every issue of National Geographic dating back to 1967! I broke out the issue of November 1970 which is the time I was born, and got a real laugh out of the different headline stories presented there. One was "Behold the Computer." So I read through what was hot in computers in 1970 along with the groovy pictures that go with it. International Business Machines or IBM was of course #1, with their CEO standing in front of the computer that takes up a large room. Another of a programmer with a memory board that took up half his desk, and oh he looked so proud. Much of the NG issue was taken up with all the different areas of commerce and business was being changed by this new-fangled technology. Not much of that truth is different today and I really think that anything is possible into the future. I mused on how far I've come and all I seen with my short little 39 years on the big blueberry we call our home planet Earth. With the rapid pace of how life is now for us, its fun to find those little spots of retrospection and think of everyone we know and how they are faring in their journey through life. I love how many old friends I have reconnected with through Facebook, faces from the past and well as the present. I don't where your find moments to muse, but they can be so helpful to put life into perspective. I guess we could use all this new-fangled technology to help us stay connected better, and peek our head into each other's lives more just to see how everyone's doing. When I do that, I must admit I get many smiles and also tears, depending on where people have found themselves in life. God has given me a genuine concern for people, but it is a muscle that can easily go into atrophy if I get distracted by me, myself and I. People will always be the most fascinating preoccupation even though we wear thin so quickly with the surrounding crowd around us. I see how Jesus needed time with the Father to replenish His spirit in the midst of such need. He lived in the Father's Presence and Company and moved among the people. Such a great example....

Take a Look around...

New Year's in San Francisco... I have a new favorite vacation city with all that it has to offer. The family and I packed a ton of fun sightseeing into one day. Angie and the kids wanted to ride the trolley, so I took a little side trip up to Coit Tower (I was on car duty/Frisco parking is a real challenge). I got a 180 degree panorama of the city at night and it was breathtaking. The entire day was really satisfying, and the sourdough clam chowder bowl was to die for. The city has such a European feel to it, and enchanting in a way. I kept thinking how surprised I was that we were having such fun, since I was quite ignorant to a city that is the butt of so many people's jokes. It made me think of the gospel, of which my whole faith is centered around, and the stigma attached to it 'out there'. The good news these days sure comes under the gun of bad humor, and lots of ignorant speculation as well. What a privilege though when you're the one who gets to walk along side someone who sees the beauty of God for the first time. The gospel, unlike the intrigue of San Francisco, is an eternal journey of discovery that awaits those willing to give it a look. There must be more....

All that Jazz

As I sat inside Steamers, a local jazz club, and listened to these amazing artists play for our relaxation and enjoyment, I couldn't help but be struck by how unassuming they were. They would not stick out in a crowd, or strike you at first impression as highly gifted people. Most were homely in appearance and poorly dressed. But what came off that small stage was purely musical genius. I wonder if sometimes the unassuming ones of this world hold such hidden beauty that we become poorer for missing them. What I am thinking is that which is of value, worthwhile and gifted is not always wrapped in the package we are most comfortable with. Ben Stein, a Jewish actor set out a few years ago to take on this issue in the scientific community through a documentary. The issue was that non-religious scientists and college administrators become so over-zealous in their quest for separation of church and state, that they were eliminating opportunities and jobs of those who believed in intelligent design. They were uncomfortable with those who did not "package" scientific data the exact way they did, so they removed them from the scene. No debate, no science credibility to anything other than evolutionary explanations. The beauty of Intelligent Design discussion was lost from the platform, and the masses became poorer for it. What is so threatening about a little healthy banter and debate? Letting people reach their own conclusions on what is truth is at the very center of free will. Our role is to be firm and narrow on the non-negotiables, and gracious and wide on the things that pertain to personal perspective and opinion. I am all things to all men in order that I may win some. A ministry that has breadth along with theological depth has figured out this delicate balance. What are some non-negotiables: God is God, He created everything, He saves. What are some non-essentials: Style, taste, preferences, opinions. If true beauty and value is lost because of our constant commitment to what is comfortable to us, then we ought to spend more time with people who live outside of our compact, insulated little world. Jazz anyone?

Let it end....

I went to the U2 concert at the Rose Bowl with my wife Angie a few months ago, and sat there pondering. I am 39 years old, and 25 years after becoming a U2 fan, something of a dream come true was occurring right there in that packed out stadium. I had never seen them live, but quietly wished I would get there someday. However, the thrill was overtaken with a sense of deep satisfaction of knowing that I didn't need to do this again. I savored each moment with my best friend there, and knew in my heart it wouldn't get better than this moment. There was a sense of closure, as if I was now vindicated or freed to accomplish something else now. Certainly something far more thrilling and important than supporting a group (although the best in my opinion) of 50 year old men screaming their souls into a gigantic speaker system. What a rush, but I'm over it..... I mused on the thought of diminishing returns, and that all great things come to an end. So I raise the thought... Are we able to celebrate and savor the ends like we do the beginnings? Can a deep sense of satisfaction overcome us in times when we know that the thrill is going, going, gone? I am really not a nostalgic person, but I do see the past having rich meaning and purpose for occasional reflection. At a funeral for a friend recently I mused again on this thought. Am I sad, yet satisfied at such a perfect ending of a great life lived? Do I look for the next ending around the bend with dread or a sense of curious anticipation? Let it end...and begin again....