Claire’s Story

Claire was about five feet, four inches tall and skinny as a rail. On a windy day, you’d be afraid that a strong gust could blow her away. When people found out that she was only 31 they had to stifle their surprise because Claire could easily pass for being much, much older. She had experienced far more life than any 31-year-old should be able to claim: abused through elementary school, a runaway by 13, an addict by 16, and until she was 27 she never owned more than the clothes on her back and the contents of a dirty rucksack.

To hear her describe it, her path to recovery started by very dumb luck. She had been caught stealing and the grocery store manager decided to work out some frustration by berating her. The tirade didn’t surprise her because in her words, “I already knew I was garbage so what could be said to make me feel worse?”

When the police were called, Officer Sharp showed up and convinced the manager to not press charges because he would take care of it. Instead of taking Claire to jail he took her to a church, “If it had been another day or another cop I don’t know where I’d be. I’d been taken in by the law before, but this time I was taken in by love.”

“And to be honest I didn’t want it. Everyone I knew was out to get something from me, and to me, these people had everything. In my mind, all these people been born with the [silver] spoon in their mouths and I been born with a knife to my throat. And I just stuck around because it was warm inside and I was hungry.” The church Officer Sharp took her to had connections to a residential women’s shelter that had recovery programs, skills classes, and systems to help people get off the street.

After a few false starts, Claire got an apartment, a job, and for the first time in a decade, she wasn’t hungry all the time. At 31, she was also excited to be nearing the fourth anniversary of her sobriety, a day more significant to her than any birthday could ever be. The way she described it, “the day I was born was the day things started going wrong, but the day God got me clean was the first time things went right.”

We are surrounded by people like Claire, and most of us have grown accustomed to ignoring them.

“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in…’

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you…’

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’”  -Matthew 25:35-

This holiday season we have the opportunity to help “the least of these.” We don’t do it out of obligation or to prove to people how generous we are. We give out of the abundance of love that we have received. I hope you will consider giving to our Christmas food drive.

Should I Complain or Say Thank You?

“The Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise Him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him.” Exodus 15:2

I’ve been studying the story of Exodus and have been struck by how quickly the Israelites forget what God has brought them through and how he has provided for them. Immediately after being released from hundreds of years in slavery, and after God parted the Red Sea for them, Exodus recounts tale after tale of how the Israelites grumbled and complained and did not trust God to provide for their most basic needs. The first instance after crossing the Red Sea was when they arrived at the waters or Marrah but the water was too bitter to drink. God made the water drinkable. The next complaint was that they were hungry and they argued that they would be better off under the slavery of the Egyptians where at least they had food. This time God provided Quail and bread (mannah) from Heaven. They moved on from there and argued AGAIN to Moses that there was no water. This time, exhausted, Moses cried out to God “What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me” (Exodus 17:4). 

Yet again, despite their almost revolt against Moses, God in his mercy and faithfulness showed his provision for the people of Israel and provided water from the rock despite their continued lack of trust in God’s ability to provide. 

It’s easy to look at these stories and compare the Israelites to little children, who despite their parents’ best efforts to provide for them, are left unsatisfied or distrusting of their parents’ ultimate love and provision. Grumbling and complaining are pretty common in our household, especially around dinner time! The real comparison however, should be our own lack of trust in God, and how quickly we as adults can forget the bondage he has released us from, and the Red Seas he has brought us through. 

God tells the Israelites to make a record of all he has done for them, and to record these stories to be passed down from generation to generation. Throughout the Old Testament, God is revealing who He is to the Israelites, a trust-worthy, powerful, patient, and Holy God, worthy of our devotion and praise. What are the stories that we have personally experienced that ultimately reveal who God is to us? What are the Red Seas that He has walked us through or our families through? What about as a church? How easy it is to forget the ways that God has provided for us, and instead grumble and complain about our current situation. Remind yourself this week how God has provided for you, your family, and our community here at Restore. Tell your children these stories of God’s faithfulness. Pray for a heart that doesn’t grumble and complain, but trusts that God knows what we need, and will provide it in His time. 

What Are You Thankful For?

As I have been cleaning and organizing our basement sometimes I am struck by the sheer number of toys we have acquired over the years. Every Christmas and birthday, there is a coveted toy that our child wants. By the following year, the toy goes unused and our children have moved onto something else they want. This same scenario plays out in adulthood. That house that was once a “dream home”, or the car that was so shiny driving off the lot, is replaced by the desire for something newer, different or bigger. Will we ever be thankful for what we have right now without always longing for something more? As Thanksgiving approaches, what does it look like to be truly grateful?

Two things that may help us learn gratefulness, despite our outward pain and struggles or dissatisfaction. One, count every little thing, no matter how small or trivial. One particularly difficult year, before kids we were up to our necks in college debt (literally ate Ramen noodles every night), we began a list of things we were thankful for and taped it to our fridge. Even the most trivial things went onto the list. Cultivate an attitude of thanks in your heart by counting every gift, no matter how small, and you will soon find your list is longer than you thought. 

Second, lift your eyes upward. I love the words of this hymn, “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in his wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of his glory and grace.”

When everything in front of us, or around us, seems to leave us longing for more - remember that nothing on this earth was ever meant to fully satisfy the longings of our heart. The Glory of God and the gift of salvation are cause for rejoicing and thankfulness. No matter our circumstances, those things remain unchanged, constant, and eternal. 

“We look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are temporary, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:8 

What does it mean to be thankful for the Christian? It means going beyond the objects and things around us, and into the things of the heart. Thankfulness for relationships, and family, and health, and the gift of freedom to worship, and attend a church on Sunday, and for the ultimate gift of salvation and Christ’s work on the cross. As we approach a season of Thanksgiving, instead of focusing on the things of earth, think about the big picture gifts that God has given you, and the grace that is freely offered. Not that good gifts on earth aren’t wroth being grateful for, but they pale in comparison to the light of His glory and grace.

HE SAID, “WE’RE $50,000 IN THE HOLE!”

I remember the first time George Johnson gave the staff a budget update at Old Cutler Presbyterian Church in Miami. It was mid-September and I had been at the church for less than two months. It seemed like the perfect church: high attendance on Sundays, effective ministries, big budgets, and a large staff. Maybe 15 or 20 of us were now sitting around listening to George’s update of what the church finances would be like for the rest of the year.

“We’re about $50,000 dollars behind on income,” George said. “but we should make that up by the end of the year.”

I was glad George was confident because I was freaking out.

$50,000 dollars in the hole?!?

That was more than my salary as the Middle School director, more money than a full-year of college (at the time!), and seemed completely insurmountable. I was certain we’d have to turn off the lights and the air conditioning (a big deal in Miami), cut our budgets, and as the low man on the totem pole, I was definitely going to be fired. My only consolation was that, if we had to, Miami wasn’t the worst place to live on the streets

You know what actually happened? 

We made up the $50,000 by the end of the year. Not in September, or even October. We made it up in November and December, and ended up going into the New Year with a reasonable cushion.

Church giving is like that. It’s seasonal. I have been in leadership at four different churches, ranging from 150 regular attendees to 2500 regular attendees. The budget numbers may have been different, but every church has depended on the same seasonal cycle: a strong November and December that would put the church decidedly into the “black” going into the new calendar year.

I am so thankful that this is the first time in Restore’s history where we do not plan on closing the year with a large deficit. That is a testament to God’s goodness and the continued faithfulness of those who financially support the church. 

BUT–and you knew this is where I was headed–it’s only going to happen if we have a strong season of giving during November and December.

If you have been faithfully giving, please continue to do so! If you have the ability to give above and beyond what you normally give as we close out the calendar year, it will help us close out the calendar year strong and allow us to recoup our “cushion” that allows us to make it through the lean seasons without having to continually mention finances, just so we can pay the bills.

Thanks again for your faithfulness as we do life together in community at Restore.

In Christ,

Jeremy

Why not give a one-time gift now? Online contributions can be made at donate.restoreworship.org.

What Do They Know?

Do the people around you know you go to church? I’m not asking if they know your full journey of faith or if you have walked with them down the Roman’s Road. At some point in our recent history it has become awkward for us to tell other people why we are busy on Sunday mornings. And if we won’t tell people we go to church what hope is there that we would tell them more about our faith.

Our hesitance to share often comes from a fear of being judged. We can all readily admit that Christianity hasn’t had the best public image in recent years as people have wrapped their own agendas in a thin Christian veneer. Hopefully, seeing this could inspire us to speak up more loudly to say that person does not speak for us.

Being a Christian is hard. It’s especially hard in a world that seems so openly opposed to what we know is right. Jesus knew it would be hard and even tells us in John 15, “If you lived on the world’s terms, the world would love you as one of its own. But since I picked you to live on God’s terms and no longer on the world’s terms, the world is going to hate you.” (MSG)

We have been called to be different in a world that loves conformity. Think about all the arguments you see on social media. Rarely is it an open an honest discourse about the issue, more often it’s people saying, “everyone that doesn’t agree with me is clearly a moron.” We trap ourselves in a “picking sides” mentality and everything becomes a competition. People start thinking that changing their minds is equivalent to losing a battle.

As a Christian, you are called to love people so much that they become curious about what you have, and through this you are able to share with them the source of your love. You were not called to hide your faith away and only pull it out on a rainy day. You were not called to wait for the perfect moment on a perfect day with the perfect person to share your faith. You were called to be an ambassador for Christ in this world.

It’s a scary proposition stepping out and boldly declaring what you believe. But maybe you can take a baby-step. Let someone around you know you go to church. Let someone know that you believe in something bigger. Let someone know that even on your worst day there is a hope on to which you hold.

I pray that you can be bold and know that you are never alone in your faith.

Pray to Win

What causes quarrels and fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. -James 4:1-3 

James 4:3 is one of the most abused passages in scripture, “You do not have because you do not ask God.” How often in your life have you really really wanted something? You want it so bad that you decided that you were going to pray until you got it. God, I really want that new job, God I really want a new car, God I really want those cool shoes that everybody has. You pray and pray and pray and then finally a day comes, and you still don’t get it. In this situation, we tend to react poorly. ARGH! This prayer stuff doesn’t work I’m never praying again. God says pray for stuff then you get it.

But James tells us in verse 3 that God is not a vending machine, maybe not in so many words (I don’t think they had vending machines in the James’ time). Prayer is one of hardest concepts for us to understand especially when it comes to asking for things. When we make prayers of petition we always want the answer to be yes right away but God is not our employee.

It is unfortunate when we view prayer as successful only when we get exactly what we want. God knows better than we do. Sometimes getting what we want isn’t as important as getting what we need. Prayer is about trusting God, and if you ever read something that gives you steps on how to get your prayers answered “Yes” throw it out and walk away. God’s not really into bargaining and sees us all as equals in his love.

Fall Focus: MISSION - Part 5

In our focus on “Mission” it would be easy to start to think of “Mission” as a list of separate instructions that will occur in chronological order in the life of a follower of Jesus. We might look at “Mission” as a to-do list. 

Are we making disciples? Check.

Are they from diverse backgrounds? Check.

Are they immersed in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? Check.

Then we come to the last one: Are they being taught to obey Jesus?

On the one hand, there is a certain progression to the instruction to “make disciples.” We call diverse people groups to follow Jesus. We immerse them in the good news so that conversion into the new life of Jesus becomes a possibility. Thus, they are empowered to obey. We know that, apart from the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives, we would not have the capacity to obey the things that Christ commands.

On the other hand, the progression is not that simple, and this last piece of the commission proves it. Even though we ultimately need the Holy Spirit to help us perfectly obey Christ’s commands followers of Jesus at all stages of their spiritual journey are still taught to observe Jesus’s commands.

Maybe an analogy is helpful. Every one of the “rules” of our household applies to every child in our household, but they are not all equally followed by every member of the house, nor do we expect them to be. Judah, who is only a year old, is being taught to observe the rules of the house, but we don’t expect that he’ll be able to obey them the same way as our 10-year olds. He’s actually quite terrible at the command to not eat food in the family room, or at not screaming to get his way, or at cleaning up after himself. In fact, Judah does the opposite and leaves a trail of destruction wherever he goes.

Each of our children has a different capacity to obey the commands of the household. That doesn’t mean we’re off the hook to teach them to observe all of the commands. From the moment they are brought into our house, they are learning. Slowly learning at times, but learning nevertheless.

It works the same with followers of Jesus. Our mission is to invite them to follow and, along the way, teach them to observe the commands of Jesus. Part of that teaching will be instruction, but much of it will be observation. New followers watch experienced followers to see how they are living out Christ’s commands.

We’ve seen this every Sunday during our series on First John. John is clear: the more closely we follow Jesus, the more likely we will be to follow his commands.

That’s the last part of “Mission” at Restore. It’s living out the commands of Christ in full view of our friends, neighbors, co-workers, and acquaintances as we call them to follow Jesus and ultimately, to do the same. Not because we’ve arrived, or because we’re perfect–but because we know someone who is.

That’s the message of the good news that we are called to share. That’s “Mission”.

Fall Focus: MISSION - Part 4

The last statement of Jesus in Matthew is called the “Great Commission” because it calls us to action. We’ve considered that this action is based on Jesus: it’s about His power, His authority, and His presence. It enables us to take the actions He calls us to. We’ve considered two parts to the instruction that Jesus gives, to “make disciples” that are “of all nations”. Today, we’ll consider a third piece of his instruction:

“…baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and of the Holy Spirit…”

My family recently visited some relatives in Connecticut. We took a short hike down a path that my wife remembered walking on as a child. The path had recently been trimmed, revealing a wall of trees and brush on either side. It felt like walking down a tree-lined hallway with an open ceiling as the sky gave way to dusk.

We were nearing the end of one section when we were startled by a sudden motion about twenty feet ahead of us. A large deer emerged and darted across the path, disappearing into the thick brush. We were barely able to comprehend what had happened when a fawn followed seconds later. We walked to where the deer had crossed, and saw a very narrow trail on either side that was just big enough for the deer to pass through. For a moment, we were tempted to explore the deer paths: either the one they had come from, which led to water, or the one they went down, which led to a meadow. We decided it would be better to stay on the main path.

It would be easy to go down a side path with this section of scripture, and I almost did in my preparation! Words like “baptizing” carry a lot of significance in our churches. Rather than go down the side road, let’s focus on the main path. The main path that Jesus is talking about is conversion. There is a moment in the life of a believer where he or she becomes a “new creation”. The old is gone; the new has come. For a person to ultimately enter God’s kingdom is to associate fully with God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

The word Jesus uses that is translated “baptizing” can mean a variety of things:  to immerse, to dip, or to wash. It’s not as conclusive as we wish it was. What is clear, however, is that Jesus is saying that what we must do is consistently immerse/dip/wash his followers with the message of the good news, because that is the only environment in which conversion can occur.

That’s why the clear presentation of salvation as found in Christ is always the cornerstone of our Sunday morning gatherings. It’s why we choose our worship songs based on how they communicate that good news clearly. As we invite people to follow Christ, we want them to experience the new life that Jesus came to offer.

That’s our mission.

Fall Focus: MISSION - Part 3

The biography of Jesus’s life that was written by Matthew ends with what is known as the “great commission”. It’s one of the final instructions that Jesus gives to his disciples. So far, we’ve considered that the whole thing was really about Jesus, and we’ve considered one part of the instruction that Jesus gives: make disciples. Today we’ll consider a second.

“…of all nations”.

Did you know that Matthew was a Jewish person who was also a tax-collector for the Roman government? 

As a person familiar with the Hebrew scriptures, Matthew would have been familiar with the prophecies of a coming Messiah. He knew that there would come a day when God’s people would have their kingdom restored.

It’s possible that this outlook is precisely what led him to become a tax-collector. Perhaps he saw the Roman Government as the means through which God would provide his people with a restored Kingdom. They lived in relative peace, although it was paid for through heavy taxation, and Matthew was willing to play his part.

Given Matthew’s background, it’s no surprise that his biography of Jesus focuses on the fact that the kingdom of God had actually come in the person of Jesus Christ. It did not come through Jewish independence; it also did not come through affiliation with Rome. It was an entirely new type of Kingdom that came through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, who was the promised Messiah.

I think that’s why Matthew closes with this instruction of Jesus, and emphasizes that we are to make disciples of all nations. The kingdom of God is no longer just about one group. It’s not just about the people that look like you, or the people you get along with. The message of the Jesus is for all people, from all tribes, backgrounds, and cultures.

When we talk about “Mission,” at Restore, we can’t separate it from Jesus’s instruction to spread the message to “all nations”. We want to be intentional about having a church that reflects the “all nations” kingdom that Jesus was talking about. Matthew may have believed that the Jewish Kingdom would have been a mono-ethnic kingdom; the great awakening for him was realizing that Jesus came to bring his kingdom to everyone.

In First John, we’ve seen that it’s the fellowship of the church–people from all backgrounds–that most clearly reflects the power of the good news in our lives. We want to be a church that reflects that power!

This fall we’re making intentional efforts to bridge the divide between various ethnicities, cultures, and backgrounds. We’re going to do our best to be strategic about how we can be diverse, rather than just desire to be diverse. Please pray that God would bless our efforts!

It’s been said that if we don’t want diversity in the church, we aren’t going to like heaven very much. Either we can be shocked when we get there, or we can start practicing now!

Fall Focus: MISSION - Part 2

This fall, we’re focusing on our value of Mission. In last week’s devotion, we saw how Jesus bookended the last assignment He gave His disciples and: it was all about Him. His authority, His presence, His commitment. (read it below). Whatever else Jesus tells us to do, it’s based on what he has already done.

Now, Jesus is going to give us instructions, and we can follow those instructions because of what he has already done. Jesus makes it possible.

There are actually four things we’re going to highlight over the next few weeks about the instruction that Jesus gives.

Make disciples.

Often, we think that “making disciples” means being a salesman for Jesus (i.e. Jesus is the product and our goal is to get people to invest). As a result, our efforts can be too heavy-handed or become non-existent.

I recently received an email from a guy who wanted to sell me software that I had been considering. I hadn’t purchased it because it’s prohibitively expensive. I know that most of time you get what you pay for, and this software was no exception. Regardless, I couldn’t be convinced to purchase it because of the cost.

Then he told me about the 30-day money back guarantee. He asked me to try it out, told me to use it for a while, and see if it helped me out. There wasn’t a commitment. I could check it out at my own pace. He didn’t want me to pass on the deal he was offering simply because of the up-front costs. So, do you know what I did?

I tried it out.

“Making disciples” doesn’t necessarily mean converting them. It doesn’t necessarily mean they will believe. It certainly doesn’t mean they will immediately obey. (All of those things come later, even in the great commission!) Making disciples is literally just calling someone to follow Jesus. 

Let me say it again: our job is simply to go and call people to follow Jesus. To hear what he has to say. To see what his other followers are like. To check out the crowd that surrounds him. Jesus said, “follow me”. We say, “follow Him”. That’s what it means to make disciples.

Some of those disciples will follow at a distance, some will follow closely; some will eventually leave, some will settle for Jesus as a good moral teacher, but some will enter into a saving relationship with Jesus. Each person begins that relationship with Jesus when they are asked to follow Him.

What that means for Restore is that MISSION ought to lead to an increase in attendance at our various gatherings. We are specifically focusing on growth this Fall at Restore, because we want to see more people following Jesus. We’re going to be getting the word out on social media, encouraging you to bring a friend to church, serving our community where we can, and working together to call people to make disciples and accomplish our value of mission.

It’s not just our idea; Jesus told us to do it!

Fall Focus: MISSION - Part 1

“And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matt 28)

At Restore, we like to keep things simple, so we focus on four things: the Word of God, the Worship of God, the Community of God, and the Mission of God.”

If you’ve attended Restore, that statement should be familiar to you. If you’ve been there more than a week or two, you could probably repeat it! Those four things–Word, Worship, Community, and Mission–are the four values that we have built our church on. In fact, our Elders were encouraged recently when I emailed them a document from February 2010 that contained the following line: 

We have four values that we uphold and believe are foundational to the church: The Word of God which is our ultimate authority and teaches us about Jesus, The Worship of God which is our only right response to Jesus, The Community of God where we are transformed into Christ-likeness and The Mission of God which is living like Jesus in the midst of a fallen world. 

Our values don’t change. Still, we are constantly evaluating how we accomplish them. It’s relatively easy to see how we accomplish Word, Worship, and Community, but it’s not always as easy to discern how we–as individuals, and corporately–accomplish Mission. That’s why we are making our value of “Mission” our primary focus this fall.

Or at least, that’s part of the reason why. The main reason is that Jesus tells us to in the great commission. Which, if we’re honest, scares most of us to death: Do you mean that I have to talk to people about my faith?!? Our fear is fueled by the fact that most teaching on Jesus’s commission to his disciples focuses on what we are supposed to do, rather than on what he has already done, is doing, and will do.

Jesus’ focus is actually exactly the opposite. Check out the structure of the commission:

All authority on heaven and earth has been given to me, THEREFORE…

[insert instructions on what we are supposed to do]

…And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.

Jesus’ focus is on what he has received (authority), what he will do (be with us), and his commitment to stay there until the end (to the end of the age). In the middle, he calls us to mission. Jesus starts and ends with the same thing: our motivation for mission is what he has done, is doing, and will do.

The beginning and end of the mission is Jesus. Unless we get Jesus right, nothing else matters!

Parenting Through the Hard Stuff - Part 3

When I was a freshman in college, a girl on our floor lost her father. We gave the young woman her space and were very careful to keep our discussions about her loss to whispers. However, an exchange student on our floor bucked this system entirely. Instead of the awkwardness and avoidance, she marched right into the young woman’s room and sat with her – sometimes in conversation, sometimes in quiet. It was so bizarre that we finally asked her why she invaded her space and she responded – “why would you leave her alone? In our country when someone dies we surround the person in mourning to support them.” 

It’s a curious thing how even in our Christian culture, we often spend more time dwelling on the circumstance than acting on a solution. We want to know why or how a tragedy occurs and can get so caught up in this long unending line of questioning that we lose the energy to respond. We can become SO heavy in our brokenness that we forget that we are the very ambassadors that God has equipped to transform the world!

Yes, our world is broken and unspeakable tragedies occur. Yes, it is riddled with sin and racism and all kinds of evil that continue to shock us. But after we mourn, we must rise and respond.

I was probably 8 years old when I attended my first protest with my mother. I recruited friends with pamphlets at recess to stand on the road and carry signs. For years I grew up watching her make signs, hand out pamphlets, and champion for change.

Our response as Christians doesn’t have to involve marches and protests. The act of love in response to sin and tragedy will differ amongst Christians based on how God has gifted each of us. For one mother who was struggling with the loss of her child’s preschool friend, it meant writing a letter with her son. In response to Charlottesville, you begin to speak against racism in your home amongst your children and embrace all the colors that God made us. This week, instead of reposting that you are praying for Texas, make sure you ACTUALLY pray for Texas with your family, and consider donating your time or resources as well.

Model this love for your children, as Christ modeled love for us. His response, to the sin and brokenness in our world, was to give up everything, even his own life, so that we may live. John 15:13 says, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” What would the Gospel be without Christ dying on the cross? We probably won’t be called to lay down our life for another, but couldn’t we learn to sit with them in their tragedy?

Give your children a Gospel framework of faith, and sin, and grace, and then show them how to respond in love.

Parenting Through the Hard Stuff - Part 2

One of the hardest things about responding to tragedy, whether as a parent or in your own life, is recognizing that life will never be void of it. No matter how hard I try to shelter my children from sadness, evil, or the broken state of things, it is a reality that none of us can avoid. Jesus knew the reality of this suffering well and talked about it often. Contrary to what you may see or hear from many preachers, Jesus does not falsely promise that we will not have suffering or pain in this world. In fact, he guarantees that we will. “In this world you will have tribulation, but take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33 NIV)

As Christians, we have a framework for confronting the harder conversations in life that include the recognition of sin and brokenness in our world. Some tragedies are a result of sin. I am often at a loss for words for why racism continues to exist in our world other than sin. While there is a vast history of racism in our country that needs to be confronted and dismantled, ultimately it is the pride, sinfulness, and sometimes pure evil that exists. Other times, even when sin isn't the direct cause, death and sadness abound simply because we live in a fallen world. This cannot be brushed over, or avoided. It’s this very depravity and tragic state that gives us the NEED for a savior. Without sin in the world, without this broken state of things, Christ would not have needed to die on the cross. As such, recognizing the hurt and sadness is an essential part of a Gospel worldview. In fact, an entire book was written on lamenting as is much of Psalms. The hard moments are painful. They will tear your heart apart, and many nights they will keep you wide awake in sorrow. Without brokenness though, the cross is not needed.

Be bold in confronting the sin that exists. Mourn loudly the injustices and tragedies of the world. Ultimately, for the Christian, this leads to our hope that Jesus has come, and has died and risen for our sins, so that even though we will experience the unimaginable in life, we can find Joy in the hope of salvation and for the promise of eternity.

Parenting through the hard stuff - Part 1

There’s this really happy go-lucky part of my personality that really wants things to be sunsets and flowers every day. It’s what makes me more optimistic than pessimistic, what helps me see the glass as half full, and compels me to chases after joy every chance I get. It is also what makes it so hard for me to sit down and talk about difficult topics with my children. I want to brush over the bad and rush to the good, focus on “rejoice with those who rejoice” but leave out the “weep with those who weep” (Romans 12:15). Sometimes however, there are hard conversations that must be had, and tears that need to be cried. They can’t be avoided, ignored, or covered with a Band-Aid.

The past few weeks have brought on some of these heavy conversations. Conversations that, If I’m being honest, I wish I didn’t have to have with my children. The first was spurred on after a 4 year-old boy tragically died a few weekends ago in our town. The second came on the heels of the protests in Charlottesville this past weekend. Both were tragedies in their own right; one of an innocent life lost that affected many in our community, the other an indication of the hatred and racism that still exist in our nation. 

While there are many great resources out there about how to talk about tragedy, we should find that our response as Christians is different than what the secular world offers. We are called to be Holy, which means set apart, and part of that is looking at tragedy through a Gospel lens. It is a view that is not apologetic about the sin and hurt in the world, but offers a hope and reconciliation that is only possible through Christ. This truth should inform how we process events as adults and in speaking with our children. 

This week, consider what it means to look at tragedy through a Gospel focus. In the following weeks, we will consider how that Gospel lens will shape the conversations we have with our children and one another in the wake of tragedy. 

Does your response to death and tragedy mirror that of the world? Or is your response marked by the Savior and his work on the cross? 

Justice in Tragedy

That’s not fair! We have heard these words and we have all said these words. We as human beings put a high value on fairness. When we see injustice, it makes us very angry. One of the most difficult things to understand is why?

Jesus tells his disciples, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world, you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) Jesus knew that life is not fair. We will experience difficult times and we may never get the answers this side of eternity.

How should we as believers respond in these situations? I was reading an article shared on Facebook regarding the atrocities people face. What came up in the comments, as does inevitably, was the response that “everything happens for a reason” and that “it is all part of God’s plan.” It was met with some strong disapproval and I found myself cringing.

While I can understand the heart behind these sayings, and yes, in the grand scheme of things God is sovereign and in control, this is not always the most helpful response to tragedy. One writer explains that, “Sometimes bad things happen [because] we are human beings having a human experience. Pain, heartache, grief, loss, disease and death are inevitable parts of the human experience.” The apostle Paul reminds us that while we are new creations and we have been made alive in Christ, that we are still confined to dying bodies. (Romans 7:24) We are still citizens of a broken world.

Telling someone who has experienced tragedy that everything happens for a reason is not necessarily the best comfort. Too often it is said as a catch-all statement when we don’t know what else to say. Especially when we do not know that reason. God does know the reason, and we may know it in time or maybe never. Instead of trying to fix our friend’s tragedy we focus on being there with them. We cannot fix everyone’s hurt, only the Holy Spirit can do that, but we can acknowledge their pain and be there WITH them in their time of need.

Trusting

I started journaling. Again. I’ve started several times. They start out as a daily part of my devotions. What inevitably happens is I miss a day and decide, “I’d switch to weekly entries.” Then I’d miss a week and decide to make the entries monthly. You can see where this is going. When I look through my journals I notice gaps of sometimes a whole year from one page to the next. Even though they’re not consistent, I do still appreciate that I can look back at snapshots of things I have prayed about or read in my devotions. 

One such snapshot was from April of this year. I was reading that day’s passage from Chambers’ My Utmost for His Highest. On a good day, I can grasp half of what Oswald says. April 20th the passage was titled, “Can a Saint Slander God?” Chambers explains that the parable of the talents (Matthew 25) warns us that it is possible for us to misjudge our spiritual capacity. Meaning that, sometimes we let our circumstances affect our ability to trust God. When the servants were given talents from their master, the first two invested and received double the original portion. The third servant buried his talent out of fear. When the master returned, and asked why this servant buried his talent his response was that he knew the master to be a ‘hard man’ reaping where he did not sow. This servant had justified his actions (or inaction) and believed that what his master asked of him was out of proportion to what was given to him. This servant was implying that his master set him up for failure. He was scared so he buried his talent. 

Do you believe the promises of God or do you slander Him by your actions? It is easy to become overwhelmed. Things happen that we cannot anticipate all the time. The Holy Spirit equips us. When we lose ourselves to worry, we are implying that God is going to leave us hanging. 2 Corinthians 1:20-24 encourages us that “the promises of God find their Yes in him” and that “it is God who establishes us and He has put his seal on us and given us His Spirit as a guarantee.” 

When it comes to trusting the Holy Spirit don’t stop because you’re scared. Don’t let the limitations of your natural ability interfere with what God can do through you. Our capacity in spiritual matters is measured by the promises of God. Is God able to fulfill His promises? Yes, if we allow Him to work through us.

Mer-seas

I was sitting on a beach chair on one of those warm but windy and mildly chilly days with my feet in the sand. I started just watching my kids running into and away from the ocean waves. And an old hymn started running through my mind. The words are, “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases. His mercies never come to an end. They are new every morning, new every morning, great is thy faithfulness Oh Lord, great is thy faithfulness.”

The ocean never stops. There will never be a day where you walk onto the beach and the water is completely still and no waves lap up on the shore. Sometimes the water is close; it’s high tide and the water is deep. Other times, the water is far away; it’s low tide and the water is shallow. Either way it never stops. I was reminded of that line referring to God’s mercies being new every morning. Just like the ocean waves, God’s love never ceases.

We all have days where we feel like we can wade in the water thinking, “I am in control and can walk for miles.” Other times we feel tossed about and trying to keep our head up is all we can do. Either way we are still safe in the creator’s hands. We may feel like giving up. We feel as though our thoughts are deceiving and we’re buying the enemies lies. Sometimes we feel unlovable. This is when we need to remember that unlike our human capabilities, God’s love is steadfast. God’s faithfulness is never failing, never tired, and will never cease.

Next time you are sitting on the beach looking out on the water, remember that the sea is not unending. It looks like it is, and sometimes can feel like it is, but if you go long enough in one direction you will reach another shore. God’s love, however is unending and steadfast and his mercies are new every morning. Lamentations 3:22-23, The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

Thinking Inside the Box

Do you remember when you were very young and you found an empty cardboard box? There was nothing more exciting than jumping in and flying through space in your rocket, or floating down a raging river in your boat, or, if it was big enough, turning it into your own private house where you could do anything you wanted because you made the rules. A simple cardboard box fueled by your childlike sense of wonder could be anything, do everything, and go anywhere. It was four-sided cardboard freedom.

Then, on no particular day, you got a little older and only saw a box. The question stopped being what can this become and started being how much can we put in here? Did you label it with what’s inside? Why isn’t this thrown out yet? It’s never an active decision. No one comes out and says, “it’s the year 20XX and boxes are no longer fun and only to be used practically.” Numerous studies have shown the creativity inherent in children; they can see endless opportunities.

Adults however stop seeing opportunities and start seeing impossibilities. I can’t do that, I have bills. I can’t do that, I have kids. I can’t do that, I have a job. I can’t do that, I am too old/young. The greatest limiting factor we have is ourselves. If you could see yourself the way God sees you, then you would feel invincible. If God could show you a picture of what it will look like when you get there, you'd have no concerns about trying. But He won't, so you'll just have to trust. There’s a phrase that has been said so often that we wave it away as a cliché, but that doesn’t make it any less true: God loves you just the way you are but he loves you too much to let you stay that way.

Psalm 139:13-16 says,

For you[God] formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb.

I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.

My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth.

Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. (ESV)

The way you saw that cardboard box as a child is the way God sees you now. You are filled with endless possibilities. You can have bills, kids, a job, or be old/young and still do great things for God. If we can put our excuses away and echo the words of Isaiah 6:8, “Here am I. Send me,” then God could do amazing things.

God’s not done with you yet.

What Are You Planting

A parable is an earthly story that contains a spiritual truth. In Matthew 13, Jesus tells the parable of the sower (someone that plants seeds), “A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain…” (Matt 13:3-9 ESV)

This is a popular parable we use in the Church to discuss the different ways people encounter the Gospel. As Jesus explains it later in the passage some people don’t give it a chance to take root, some people get excited but lose interest once things get hard, some like what they hear but get distracted, and finally some people hear it and grow (Matt 13:19-23). One fascinating aspect of this parable is that we rarely talk about the actual sower. The sower, the person we are supposed model ourselves after, represents someone sharing the Gospel and he/she doesn’t seem to care who hears it. He/she is just sowing everywhere he/she can. When you plant grains, you don’t need tidy rows or perfect lines—it’s a grass so you throw it everywhere it might be able to grow to get the biggest yield.

Too often we get afraid, nervous, or uncomfortable sharing the Gospel. We feel the need to cultivate perfect soil, find the perfect moment, and be able to say the perfect thing before we can share the Gospel. We can talk for hours about how our favorite movie is the best movie ever made, but once it gets to things that matter eternally we clam up and shut down. I had a pastor once tell me, “You cannot talk anybody into heaven, using your power of persuasion won’t save anybody’s soul—God does that part. Our purpose as Christians is just to share the good news that has [hopefully] changed our lives.”

I hope you are able to share some the good news in a kind and loving way with those around you. You are a sower, how the Gospel lands is not your responsibility just that it is shared.

Amazing Grace

The high school I worked at in Colorado was about 20 students and was self-contained within a middle school. Near the end of the year they held a building wide talent show. During the show, you had your normal run of middle school student talents: singing, dancing, skits that are only fun to that kid’s friends, etc. But one act really stood out to me. A teacher and two students played guitars and did a TERRIBLE rendition of Amazing Grace. The singers were off key, the guitars were slightly out of tune, and one of the kids forgot the words about halfway through. I loved it.

The reason I loved it is because these kids sang their guts out. I never interacted with these students so I have no idea what they believed. The fact that they were students at this school told me that they probably know what it’s like to consider yourself a wretch. Though this was a secular public school they chose to sing about one of the cornerstones of our faith Grace.

At this school, it became a daily exercise of showing grace. Our school was the last step between the regular public schools and residential treatment. Every day was a series of choosing your battles. A kid curses let it go ask her about her math. A kid punches you in the arm to say good morning redirect him to the more appropriate handshake. Obviously, this was on a case-by-case basis, and consequences were faced, but our focus was to meet these kids where they were, no matter how far behind that was and help them graduate high school.

I had an old admin describe some people as EGRs (Extra Grace Required). These are the students that frustrate you by not doing things efficiently. This is the kid that really wants to help get dinner made but mostly gets in the way. This is the barista that is having a terrible day and screws up your coffee. When we encounter these people we make a choice: am I going to make this interaction about me and my frustration or am I going to show grace by helping them?

If you have come to faith in Jesus all your sin, all your annoying habits, all your attempts to work out your own salvation have been forgiven. God’s grace has covered them all. Romans 5:8 says, “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” We have been forgiven so much, should we not share that forgiveness with others also? Who can you be more gracious towards? Who can you thank for showing grace to you?