Bless You

It started like a normal day, then something bloomed, shot out all its pollen, and took me out. I’ve never had a ton of allergies; I took the test when I was in eighth grade and the doctor said I didn’t have anything to worry about. Unfortunately, that test was 20 years ago in a different state. Unfortunately, a piece of paper saying, “you’re fine,” is not enough to convince my sinuses to loosen up or my throat to not feel like it’s full of pipe cleaners.

For some people, seasonal allergies are an expected experience. For a few weeks every spring they know they’re going to have a bad time. They know that there is some invisible thing in the air that their body will view as an attack. However, when you know that stuff is out there you do your best to prepare for it: medications, closed windows, air filters, masks, etc. All this prep won’t stop the attacks from coming, but it does make it easier to weather the storm.

In a similar vein we know that there are spiritual and emotional things in this world that try to drag us down: negativity, mental illness, judgmental people, social media. Knowing the world we live in, we follow the preparation encouraged by Ephesians 6.

Ephesians 6:10-13

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.

God has given you a path for preparation when you must face the evils of this world. We can fill our cup with the goodness of God such that we are prepared to face those things that would seek to drag us down.

God Bless America

This week there was a lot of arguing about certain decisions concerning certain politicians (just like the last week and probably next week). One group thought it was justice. One group thought it was an afront to democracy. Wherever you fall on the political spectrum there is someone, with an opposing view, who absolutely hates your position and thinks you have mush for brains. It is a problem that we have only seen grow more severe over time.

I heard someone put it this way. “Politics now seems like a screaming match of us-versus-them…about everything. And there's no room for questions, for complexity, for nuance and especially none for dissent. All that is expected is quiet submission and dutiful regurgitation of whatever chant or mantra your political side is spewing.” We are living in, and creating, a world where it doesn’t feel safe to ask questions.

When you can’t (or refuse to) ask questions, you can’t learn anything new. There are many, many people that need to repent of their own political idolatry. One of my favorite definitions of idolatry is when we view anything as the ultimate solution to our problems other than God. And the way some people talk about their favorite politicians makes that line a little blurry. What can we do about a problem that only seems to get worse?

We remember what we’ve been told from scripture. Proverbs 15:1-2

“A gentle answer turns away wrath,

but a harsh word stirs up anger.

The tongue of the wise adorns knowledge,

but the mouth of the fool gushes folly.”

When someone gets heated about a political topic, your natural desire is to match their intensity, but you can stay calm. You can hold on to your testimony as someone who believes that there are bigger and more important things in this universe than the next election. We are called to be people who seek out and celebrate truth. Not divisive people who idolize humans who don’t have ultimate authority.

Should you be active in politics? Yes, insofar as you are bringing the truth and love that God has called us to bring into the world. If we can’t reach people out of love then we’ve already lost.

Blessed are the Peacemakers

This past weekend America celebrated Memorial Day. Traditionally, this is the day we honor those who lost their lives while defending their country and those they left behind. It is also the unofficial kick-off to summer, so we hear a lot of mixed messaging: solemnly remember those who were taken too soon but remember to get a great deal on a new fridge. And this is the contrast of the world we live in and the world we want to show Jesus.

For most of my lifetime the news has been inundated with conflicts around the world. I remember being 7 or 8 and frustrated because my cartoons were interrupted to talk about war. And it feels like that coverage never stopped. When you check the news today, you must decide which conflict to follow, and which one has been pushed out of the news cycle because a new one just started. It is so overwhelming.

As Christians, death is our enemy in all its forms. Death removes the opportunity for reconciliation and forgiveness. Christ came that we no longer had to fear death and judgment through his saving work on the cross. As we remember those that have been lost, we need to take on the hard work of pushing our world to a place where needless death doesn’t fill the airwaves.

We need to strive to live in ways that come from above us. Our earthly wariness will always find an enemy. Humans are masters of finding an “us” to put against a “them,” but we can do better. James in 3:17-18 reminds us of this, “17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. 18 And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.”

We can be the people who are willing to make peace in a world that is waging war. If you have lost someone I am so sorry for the brokenness of our world and I pray you use that loss as inspiration to bring more peace into the world.

What Do You See?

Psalm 103:6-10

6 The Lord works righteousness
and justice for all who are oppressed.
7 He made known his ways to Moses,
his acts to the people of Israel.
8 The Lord is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
9 He will not always chide,
nor will he keep his anger forever.
10 He does not deal with us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our iniquities.

A perceptive reader will recognize that this is the same passage that started us last week. And that is completely on purpose. As we read last time, this passage beautifully describes all the glorious ways that God showers love on us—even when we don’t deserve it.

However, as you read it again, I want you to read it in light of this passage from 1 John 3:2-3, “2 Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. 3 And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.”

We shall be like him. Throughout the scripture we are called to strive for Godliness. We are invited to live in a Christlike manner. This is an incredibly difficult calling. And though we may never get it perfect we will do well just by reaching for it.

It is so easy to hold someone else’s sins against them. We’ve all known someone who has held on to a grudge for so long that they may not even remember what started it in the first place. Just as God is holy, we should all live as people who are also holy. You can be merciful and gracious. You can be kind and forgiving.

God has given us so much that we can easily share that over-abundance with the people around us.

God Sees You

Psalm 103:6-10

6 The Lord works righteousness
and justice for all who are oppressed.
7 He made known his ways to Moses,
his acts to the people of Israel.
8 The Lord is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
9 He will not always chide,
nor will he keep his anger forever.
10 He does not deal with us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our iniquities.

When we read Psalms like this, we can take comfort in all the goodness that God has poured out upon us. When we feel lost or oppressed by outside forces we can curl into God as the one who will always be there for us. We are reminded of the mercy we have received. Mercy is forgiveness and understanding that we did not earn and usually don’t deserve. When we act without thinking we can trust that the grace of God will see through it to find our hearts and draw us back into right relationship.

We know what we deserve. We know when we have done something wrong—even if it felt right at the time. However, no matter how far we stray, God’s unwavering, unfaltering, inescapable love comes to rescue us from ourselves because he is slow to anger. God is slow to anger even when we know our punishment would be justifiable.

We often live in a cycle. We sin and then we repent. We sin and then we repent. We sin and then we repent. But no matter how deep, our sin we have a God who loves us and will not hold that anger against us. God sees you as the person you could become and not as an amalgamation of all the bad things you’ve done.

We do not live in fear of divine retribution because Christ’s sacrifice on the cross stood in our place. He took the sins of the world so that we could be free.

Live like someone who has been set free.

Pop Goes Perfection

Pop Goes Perfection

If you grew up watching Saturday morning cartoons you might remember the commercial for a game called Perfection. In this game you had to “put the pieces into the slot, make the right selection, but be quick you’re racing the clock. POP! Goes perfection!” Basically, there was a loud timer clicking away as you tried to match the plastic pieces to their appropriately shaped cavity. If you didn’t finish your task on time a spring popped the game board up and your work was ruined as the pieces went flying out.

While this game was supposed to be fun, I think it acted as a primer for the way many of us live our lives today. We often feel this sense of impending dread as we try to live the perfect life right now. A songwriter I heard a while back put it this way, “I want the glory, I just don't want the work, I want the scars and the story, I don't want it to hurt.” It is a very human desire to want to live at the finish line as opposed to struggling through the race.

Our focus feels so limited. We feel doubt and demoralized because we only think about how much further we have to go to reach our goals. Often, it’s not even a personal goal; it’s because we feel like we need to play catch-up with someone else. When this happens, we must remember that God is not comparing you to anyone else. God does not place you on a ranking list of who is loved more and who is loved less. God loves and has done all the work necessary for you to be loved.

Even when we think that we are worthless Paul reminds of this in Ephesians 2:5, 8-10, “5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, [God] made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

You don’t need to worry when the world pops around you. God is already doing the work of making things perfect.

What’s the Hold Up

The other day I walked into a Starbucks and there was one person ahead of me in line. I knew exactly what I wanted and I knew the Starbucks jargon I had to use to get it, but the person in front of me did not. This person was asking questions that would be common knowledge to most coffeeshop patrons: what sizes you have, how much is that one, which is your favorite. They weren’t being rude they were just holding up the line. And as the kind and patient barista took their order the line grew.

There are a lot of things we encounter every day that we do through rote memory. Think about those times you arrived at work with almost no memory of the commute. Or worse, you’re going somewhere else and out of habit you take the turn you always take. As mundane as some of those things become to you, they could just as easily be brand new to someone else. When we encounter these people, we can get frustrated; or we can take the opportunity to teach them something.

Proverbs 15:18 says, “A hot-tempered person stirs up strife, but one who is slow to anger quiets contention.”

It is easy to be a hot head these days. Seemingly, a good portion of the internet thrives off controversial statements and poking the proverbial bear. But by embracing grace we can choose to fight against the tide and show people grace. Learning to let God take care of the big things and living in peace with our neighbors is what we’ve been called to do.

In Romans 12:14-16 Paul reminds us, “14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly…”

Even if they’re slow and annoying you can show them grace.

Change

It wasn’t so long ago that you were mired in that old stagnant life of sin. You let the world, which doesn’t know the first thing about living, tell you how to live. You filled your lungs with polluted unbelief, and then exhaled disobedience. We all did it, all of us doing what we felt like doing, when we felt like doing it, all of us in the same boat. It’s a wonder God didn’t lose his temper and do away with the whole lot of us. Instead, immense in mercy and with an incredible love, he embraced us. He took our sin-dead lives and made us alive in Christ. He did all this on his own, with no help from us! Then he picked us up and set us down in highest heaven in company with Jesus, our Messiah. (MSG)

This first paragraph is a paraphrase of Ephesians 2:1-6, and while it misses some of the specifics and nuance of a more direct translation, I love how it gets to the heart of the message we are supposed to hear.

In life it feels like people fluctuate between the extreme of too much self-confidence and too little self-confidence. We rarely seem to take a balanced accurate view of ourselves or our place in the world. But Ephesians 2 is pushing a lot of the possible worry out of the way. Before Christ’s saving work on the cross, we were stuck living stagnant lives and stuck in the drudgery of sin. It is only through Christ that we are brought back to life.

And we don’t bring anything to this equation. God didn’t look at you and say, “this one is worthy of salvation.” God saw only a sinner who was loved and who needed a savior. When we come with empty hands, we come with all we need.

Since we have been saved in Christ, God raises us up, and we will see the immeasurable riches of his grace and kindness towards us. For by grace we have been saved, not because of anything we have done. It is the gift of God.

Hold Fast

Titus 2:1;11-14 “But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine.” “11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.”

If more people could focus on this very first verse, I think the church would be in a much different place. Sound doctrine is the truth we find in reading and properly interpreting scripture. Far too many of the hills people are willing to die on are made up of things that are not in the Bible.

In our modern world if you have enough followers/subscribers/friends you are automatically given a voice of authority. I can’t even count how many videos I’ve seen that can be shut down because the presenter doesn’t understand the science of what they’re talking about at all. And so much of it just comes down to fearmongering. If I tell you a “secret” you’ll keep coming back for more.

This is why people are so easily led astray in their theology. They haven’t taken the time to learn it themselves so when someone comes along with “secret” information they keep going back for more. And rather than point to scripture, interpreted properly within its context, they lean on their own personal revelation (God told me and no one else).

We should be listening to the voice of the spirit in our own lives. When we feel a call on our life, that we think is from God, we should listen, and act. However, all these things should be (as it says in 1 Thessalonians 5) tested against the scripture. And we should only hold on to what is good.

But we can only do this, if we take the time to learn what is good.

Dingalingaling Time

Spring is definitely one of my favorite seasons; at the very least it’s in my top four. It probably gets a boost by being so close to winter. In winter the trees are bare, the sky can be grey, and things just feel a little bleak. Sure, that view can change if you’re in a cozy, quaint mountain cabin, but we don’t all have vacation homes. Spring is something we can all enjoy wherever we find ourselves, but some years winter just feels like it drags on forever. Some years, you walk out on a sunny late March morning and curse the sky because it’s beautiful, but it’s only 30 degrees!

It is in these times we remember the importance of learning patience (literally the worst lesson). We only learn to have more patience by having it tested. And it’s never a fun test like “Which Disney princess are you?” (I’m a Rapunzel). It’s the kind of test where someone seems to dance a jig on your very last nerve. It’s like those days when you get cutoff on the road and start thinking, “This might be the time, prison can’t be that bad.”

But, then you take a deep breath and realize that this too will pass. James 5:7-8 calls us to, “7 Be patient, therefore, brothers and sisters, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. 8 You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.”

Most of us don’t actively know the hard work of being a farmer, but I hope we can appreciate it. If you plant a seed today and dig it up tomorrow, you’re just going to find a dirty seed. If we want those seeds, those attributes describing us, to grow, we need to take the time to tend to them.

We love spring because it feels like a reward for our patience in winter.

Post Tenebras Lux

On that morning the stone was rolled away, the tomb was empty, and one disciple thought it was important that all of history knew that he ran faster than Peter. As they inspected the tomb, I’m sure their minds must have been reeling. They watched Jesus get arrested, tortured, and crucified for seemingly no reason. They’ve been fearing for their own safety, not knowing what would happen because of their association with him. And they’ve been grieving, not just for the loss of their friend, but also for the loss of the future they had envisioned for themselves.

As they stand there—some weeping, some scrutinizing the tomb—all confused and scared, people appear and start asking them questions. John 20:12-15 says, “12 And she [Mary] saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. 13 They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” 14 Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.”

If you’ve heard this story, you know what’s about to happen, but we must always remember that the disciples don’t. Their lives are about to get flipped even more than they could conceive. Verse 16, “Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” In that instance they recognized that he was no ordinary gardener!

All that weird stuff that Jesus said about dying and returning was actually true. He was fulfilling his promises then just like he does today. We live life like the disciples. We don’t know the end of our own stories. We don’t know when our weeping might be changed to joy. However, we do know that we have a loving savior that came back for us.

Tetelestai

After days of torture and torment, Jesus carries his cross up the hill to the place where he would die. He had been beaten so badly that the guards made someone in the crowd help him get all the way to the top. As his cross was raised the guards split up his clothes and mockingly put a sign above his head that said, “this is Jesus, the King of the Jews.”

In church, we usually only focus on the crucifixion of Jesus, but it is something that the Romans did a lot. Next to Jesus two robbers were also crucified one on his left and one on his right.

Luke 23:39-43, 39 One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” 40 But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

Whether you feel like you have never known life without Christ or make a deathbed confession, heaven celebrates anyone who recognizes the saving power of Jesus. He came to live out God’s plan to save humanity. He came to fulfill the prophesies of old, “he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5)

The sky grows dark, Jesus exclaims, “It is finished.” And he dies on the cross out of the love he had for you. A week that started with people singing his praises ends with him being placed in a borrowed tomb. It’s one he would exit, but that’s a story for next week.

A or B

Jesus was arrested and on trial during the feast of Passover. Lucky for him it was tradition for the governor to release a prisoner to the people during the celebration. In that time, it was pretty easy to get arrested because the Romans wanted everything to stay under control. Any disturbing of the peace just might get you a night in chains.

Pontius Pilate was the governor, and he tried to help Jesus go free because he knew the chief priest was acting out of jealousy rather than justice. So, Pilate elected to let the people choose between Jesus and Barabbas. Jesus, who we know did nothing wrong; and Barabbas who was a notorious criminal. Pilate hoped that the people would make the right choice. Unfortunately, a person is smart, but people are usually stupid. The leaders who were jealous of Jesus persuaded the crowd to make the wrong choice.

Matthew 27:21-24, ‘The governor again said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said, “Let him be crucified!” And he said, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!”’

Pilate sees the injustice happening right before him, but rather than start a riot, he washes his hands of all of it and walks away. Even knowing Jesus is innocent, we know what is going to happen. And we don’t like to admit it, but we also know that if we were in that crowd that day, we would have cheered along with everyone else. Our sin yells crucify louder than the mob that day.

Seeing an innocent Jesus go through all the torture and pain, we are reminded that he came here knowing that this was his ultimate purpose. He came here to go through this for us.

Jesus came so that whoever believes in him would not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send Jesus to condemn or punish the world (which he had the power to do), but Jesus came so that everyone might be saved.

We hate to see the injustice, but we have the benefit of seeing the purpose.

Gentleness and Respect

After Jesus was arrested and put before the high council, Peter was confronted.

Matthew 26:69-75 69 Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. And a servant girl came up to him and said, “You also were with Jesus the Galilean.” 70 But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you mean.” 71 And when he went out to the entrance, another servant girl saw him, and she said to the bystanders, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.” 72 And again he denied it with an oath: “I do not know the man.” 73 After a little while the bystanders came up and said to Peter, “Certainly you too are one of them, for your accent betrays you.” 74 Then he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know the man.” And immediately the rooster crowed. 75 And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.

The overly pious look at this story and get mad at Peter thinking, “Well I would NEVER do that!” However, we can offer a little grace to someone who made the wrong choice while fearing for his life. The first two people questioning Peter were probably just young girls, but in his fear, they were monsters out to get him. Peter starts with simple insincere confusion. Then he gets a little heavier, swearing he doesn’t know anything. And concludes by cursing (at) himself and everyone around him. This shows his utter loss of control.

And as he heard the rooster, he is brought back to himself. The guilt and shame he must have felt in that moment remembering that just a few verses (hours) ago he said he would never deny Jesus.

We always have a choice. In our words and in our actions of showing Christ or denying our association. Sometimes we will make the wrong choice, and in those times we must always remember, there is a pathway home.

I have a feeling Peter acutely remembered this experience as he wrote these words. 1 Peter 3:15 in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.

Spring Forward

Whether we like it or not on Sunday we are going to lose an hour of sleep because it’s time to change the clocks again. Unless you live in Arizona, Hawaii, or parts of the world that have rejected it, twice a year we get go through a national week of grogginess. I am not a fan. While you are well within your right to reject the time change personally, it would mostly just mean that half the year, you’re showing up an hour early or an hour late to things (depending on which side you choose).

I don’t think the daylight really needs saving—sadly, no one ever asked me. It’s one of those changes that happens to us and around us that we have no control over. When this type of change happens, we can feel a whole range of emotions. We’re angry, we’re disappointed, we’re frustrated. Things were good, but now they’re going to be different. This kind of change was something the disciples experienced as Jesus entered the final stage of his journey to the cross.

In Matthew 26, after sharing a meal, teaching, and praying with his disciples the people come to arrest Jesus. Thinking that this change was unacceptable, one of the people with Jesus pulled out his sword and attacked to stop them.

“52 Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword… 54 But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?...Day after day I sat in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. 56 But all this has taken place that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples left him and fled.

For so many people, the answer to unwanted change is attacking. If something is changing for the worse and it is in your power to fix it, go for it. However, there are some changes that are out of our hands. It is in these times that we need to trust that God is in control and that this change could lead to something greater.

Reaching Goals

How do you react when you achieve something? Do you take time to slow down and appreciate the triumph? Or see it only as a stepping-stone to a bigger goal? If done in a healthy way we can have a never-ending cascade of goals that we work towards in our life. As you pass each milestone, I hope you can see the things you learned along the way that made that achievement possible. And as we recognize them, we can see how they lead us to do bigger and better things.

However, there is another option. For some people, reaching a goal means they’ve made it. It is time to quit! I have achieved the thing I was working towards and now I don’t need to do anything else. But when we decide we’ve made it we quit learning we quit growing. “I already know everything there is to know about that! Why should I bother?”

And this is why it so important to put our focus on things that matter. Goals of self-improvement and Godliness have no clear end point. We can continually grow and help people we meet along the way. Growing in Godliness is called righteousness in the Bible, and it is an area that needs constant attention in our lives.

As we gain more knowledge and experience, we usually learn just how much more there is to learn. Even someone like Paul, who many would point to as someone who had it all figured out, continually pointed to the constant journey we face as we grow in faith.

In Philippians 3:12-14 Paul says, “12 Not that I have already obtained [righteousness] or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

Set your eyes on Jesus and strive to live out his call on your life.

Put Me Down!

Isaiah 41:9-10 9 you whom I took from the ends of the earth,

and called from its farthest corners,

saying to you, “You are my servant,

I have chosen you and not cast you off”;

10 fear not, for I am with you;

be not dismayed, for I am your God;

I will strengthen you, I will help you,

I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Have you ever picked up a child and they immediately start fighting to be put back down? I think that’s the way we act towards God. God tells us over and over that he will hold us up, that he will be there to help us. And like an ungrateful child you push the help away and cry out, “I want to do it by myself!”

Short of recognizing Christ as the savior of your life there is not a lot of stuff that we are called to do individually. God wants to walk with us through life. He doesn’t send you out into the world and then ask how your week is going when you run into each other later. God’s not looking to catch up. God has called you to live a life of impact and importance as you take steps that seem scary.

But you can take those scary steps because you know that you are supported. You know that you are not alone. God is with you. It’s okay to feel weak. It’s okay to need encouragement. We can lean into God and remember Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 12, “[God’s] grace is sufficient for you, [God’s] power is made perfect in your weakness.”

No matter what your overbearing parent/cruel boss/mean teacher told you, you were never meant to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders alone. God is there to help take on every task that comes your way.

We just need to overcome the childish instinct to yell, “put me down!”

Valentine’s Day

As I’m sure you know today is Valentine’s Day (if you’re just finding out there’s still time to run to the store, but hurry). Today we celebrate St. Valentine, the patron saint of beekeepers and other stuff; I’m not exactly up to date on my saints. In our modern context, it is a day we use to celebrate the joy of love. We all want to be loved and have love and give love. And not just that romantic kind either.

We find a deep rest and comfort when we return to a place where we are loved unconditionally. Those are places where we can lay down the armor we wear to make it through the day. It is so important to find a place where your wounds can be exposed with the knowledge that those that reach for them only seek to bring comfort.

Knowing how vital it is to find these places for yourself, it is equally vital that you provide these places for the people around you.

First Peter 4:8-11 tells us, “8 Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: 11 whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”

Within each person is the capacity to love and forgive. It is in finding the space in your heart to let other people in that we find true healing and community. Through love we are able to serve one another, and in serving we can help them find the joy in Christ that we have found.

Get out there and love someone.

How Dare You?

Over the Christmas holiday I flew out to visit my family. If you’ve flown in the last 25 years (possibly ever) then you have experienced the mob of people that start congregating as soon as they open the doors to start the boarding process. As they open the doors everyone starts shuffling and merging into a coherent line. Classic zipper merge scenario.

Apparently, in my merging one man had a problem with how I did it. And after he shoulders his way in front of me, he turns around, and says, “you just cut into the line!” Being generally nonconfrontational and in an airport I respond, “’kay.” This was not the profuse apology he wanted so he continued scolding me about proper line etiquette. I let him go and when he stops, I say, “the plane isn’t leaving without all these people on it, we all have assigned seats.” That answer didn’t satisfy him, but we reached the agent and had to get on the plane. In a funny twist I end up having the seat directly in front of his, there I go cutting in front of him again.

The whole interaction made for a slightly uncomfortable start to my trip. Whether I was wrong in this situation or not doesn’t matter. We don’t like being confronted with our sins and shortcomings. It can hurt to be reminded of the things we’ve done wrong. We are disappointed when we realize our present pain is the result of our own past actions.

This is why it is so important to not go on the offensive when we are the ones who must confront someone else’s sin. Galatians 6:1-2 says, “Brothers and sisters, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore them in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. 2 Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”

Our goal should be to bring people back into right standing with God and the community. When we yell and berate like airport guy it just becomes about getting our anger out instead of bearing one another’s burdens.

Confrontation can be important, but it must come from a place of love.

Just to Make It Today

If you’ve been a Christian for any length of time you are probably familiar with the concept of prayer. It’s one of those things that sounds super simple (it is) but at times feels super complex.

The complexity comes from people we’ve seen who are first good at public speaking. Then, they pray in front of the group and it’s deep and moving and stirs us up to want more of God.

We mistakenly think those prayers are the only ones God wants to hear. If I can’t pray like, then it might not be worth doing at all. However, God is not concerned with the eloquence we bring. God does not care if you “do words good.” God just loves you and wants to hear about your day. God wants to hear about what’s on your heart.

In Philippians 4:6b-7 we’re told, “6 …in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

In EVERYTHING let your requests be made known by God. This is great and reassuring, though it always brings up the question of how. “I’m so busy how am I going add something else to my already packed calendar?” This is where our friend Brother Lawrence comes in to change our view on busyness.

Brother Lawrence worked at a monastery for a decade as a cook and a cobbler, wondering why he still felt a sense of spiritual darkness. Until it all changed when he decided to make a resolute effort to see God in all he did.

There are certain tasks in his day and in ours that take a little elbow grease but no mental effort. In doing those tasks, what if you switched your mind to the things of God. Brother Lawrence called this practicing the presence. You can pray literally any time you want to.

Instead of filling your ears with background noise, take a moment to thank God for the good things you have, ask for help on the things that worry you, or anything in between. God just wants to know your heart.