A Good Chase

Last Sunday as Kristi and I were on our way to church we had just passed our former church home-Harvest Chapel. As we made our way past, we saw someone named Clint. For those who don’t know who Clint is; even if you don’t attend Harvest Chapel you’ve likely seen him walking a gravel shoulder along highways and back roads carrying a large garbage bag. He picks up cans presumably to help make ends meet. Only on rare occasion have we seen him in shoes. Every time we see Clint alongside the road, quickly walking the gravel shoulder with the look of a "man on a mission" we are blessed at the sight. Some people just by the pure essence of being themselves have that affect on us. Clint’s background and life in general, I will just leave out of this for the sake of privacy but for those who know who Clint is, this probably will have a bit more “bite” to it.

So what was so special last Sunday as we passed Clint? Clint was about ¼ mile from church, it was 9:38 a.m. and he had plenty of time to make the 10:15 a.m. service. He was on County Line Rd., cars backed up a few deep behind him…barefoot…running. Kristi and I at that moment seemed to lose whatever thoughts were going through our head and were turned to what God is doing with this man’s life. Once again God has used someone; He has used someone nameless to so many people and yet He used Clint that particular morning in part to “reel-in” my and Kristi’s attention to where it belonged...we were running a bit late. If you can envision Clint at this moment please do. Please get this image in your mind…barefoot and running to church, afraid he’s going to miss something; perhaps afraid He might miss something important from God if he gets there too late. In essence he’s chasing after God and he doesn’t want to miss a thing. He had plenty of time to get there on time and yet he wasn’t going to risk it-so he ran. We’re grateful for churches like Harvest Chapel that are reaching people in a way that has them running after God.

How many times do we who have all the time in the world to get ready for a late morning church service, allow ourselves to be so absolutely lazy and nonchalant, that we would risk missing something? Perhaps it’s just no big deal just to miss a bit of the worship part of the service-right? If you have to miss any part-that would be the part to miss because the “takeaway” part is in the message segment-right? Think about that (and I know a lot of people think that way) as if God will understand that whatever we need to fiddle with on Sunday morning, is somehow going to honor Him that we were able to squeeze Him into our busy Sunday schedule. If we can’t do better about bringing ourselves to Him on Sunday He probably isn’t going to expect much from the other six days.

People like Clint remind me just how insignificant I can be no matter how significant I often like to believe I am.

Unless something has changed which I doubt, Clint can probably be found sitting up front at church, in the first row and that’s another thing; how most people would rather blend in? Not Clint. When it comes to God-he wants that front-row seat. Its interesting how front row seats are usually available even when the house is packed.

Reflections from Catalyst 2010 Atlanta

I'm glad Kristi and I had the time and resources to attend the Catalyst conference in Atlanta the last few days. It's difficult to summarize the "takeaways" or even the "giveaways" for that matter; day and night was just simply filled with spiritual and educational download and upload.

I had the opportunity to personally thank a couple of leaders that are among those that are influencing me and resourcing me. I had a moment with John Ortberg from Rockford, IL., author of the book "The ME I Want To Be"; just a humble guy that spent three days giving himself away to anyone who wanted to sit with him and talk in the Monvee tent. I'm glad I got to thank him for helping God shape me. I then had a chance opportunity when I recognized Craig Groeschel at one of the elevators at the arena and I wanted to thank Craig for www.lifechurch.tv and "giving it away"; and that I appreciate that he makes life group resources available free to anyone that cares to download it. Heck-he even gives away sermon material to any Pastors that want to download that stuff too! It's easy to see how some of these guys have attained "rock star status" yet I can tell you they are very humble and understand that they are not the source and therefore lay no claim to that which makes their fame. The downside perhaps of my encounter with Groeschel (for him anyway) is this: I was with my friend Bob Lockwood who is the creative arts point leader at Jacobs Well and he had a camera on him and was not shy about asking Craig if he would mind having his picture taken with "yours truly". Craig was more than happy to. That kind of had the effect of ringing the dinner bell though and it wasn't but a few seconds later that Craig was very much like a single worm tossed into a school of hungry fish! Sorry about that!

So...what is my biggest takeaway from Catalyst2010? "To give it away." To be humble enough to get under those who are smarter than me and can teach me. The more I do that, the more prepared I will be as a mentor for someone that seeks someone to get under... to give it away (be over) and continually "stay under."

The Devil Made Me Do It !

One of the fringe benefits of being a Christian is that we get to blame everything bad about ourselves on the Devil. Even better, we have an army of fellow believers, some of which are quick to come to our aid at times and even validate the Enemy by acknowledging that fact while “nurturing” us through our sin. But should we blame the Enemy? Should the Enemy get the credit he desires?

Even though our sovereign God has allowed us the freedom to choose by will of our own to do right by one another and make wise choices (James 1:5), on the flip side we are allowed the same freedom to choose to wrong someone or make wrong choices. It stands to reason then why repentance is rarely a one-time-shot deal. It’s just too dang easy to blame the Enemy for our bad behavior. I think habitually blaming the Enemy is why so many Christians languish in the belly fat of their own indignation rather than flourish by the visceral strength of the Holy Spirit. Let’s face it-it’s easy to lose credibility if we become content to blame all that is bad and all that goes wrong on the Enemy while not taking responsibility for our own actions. We choose to give credit for all that is good to God because it is to His Glory we do so and it pleases Him. On the other hand, it seems we should refuse to give credit to the Enemy for the bad things we do because it validates him and he flourishes in our filth…he wallows and rolls in it like a dog that comes upon new-found stink! I choose to not give the Enemy credit for anything or he becomes my “crutch” and I, his pleasure. Interesting how non-believers think we Christians need God for our “crutch” but ironically it is Satan often serves that purpose. The crutch of God keeps us upright and healed but the crutch of Satan keeps us crippled. Think about that.

With all that said, I believe especially as believers, we could do better about accepting personal responsibility for our actions, quit blaming others including the Enemy because you know-some people just choose to be nasty, rude, disrespectful, self-centered, perverted and worse with no outside help.

Embracing the idea that all blame can be given to the Enemy tends to rob a person of initiative to seek lasting change from God and let’s face it, WE are our own worst enemy…not the Enemy.

NAMELESS AND SIGNIFICANT

As you are walking along,” He told them, “you will see a man coming towards you carrying a pot of water. Follow him.” Mark 14:13

The man carrying the pot of water was just an ordinary man yet he was selected by Jesus to serve His purpose one day. The man carrying the pot of water is whom Jesus instructed His disciples to follow-that he would lead them to the place they would dine that evening. The place was to be the venue-the place of the last supper. The man is one of many in the bible that are nameless and yet Jesus used them to serve His purpose. The man carrying the pot of water didn't even know he was leading disciples that day but God did. The man was just doing what he does-his routine. Today, however insignificant you think you may be or that perhaps you think your job is so low on the ladder and mundane that you don't matter, that is not how God sees you. Today you may be called to do something for God and He may or may not make you aware of that but rest assured, you do matter to God, even if all you do today is carry a pot of water.

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1.03.01

A FALLEN WILDFLOWER

My dad wasn’t a religious man but he did have his religion. Hunting and fishing were equally important to him and preference was totally dependent on what time of year it was. Dad passed away in 1997 and I think for me, as with many I suppose, I have grown even closer to him in the time since. I’m ever so grateful that I had a dad that fostered in me a love for the outdoors. My pathway to that love was hunting and fishing and that eventually gave way to what is now my spiritual pathway…nature.

I’ve postponed supper to pen my thoughts this late afternoon. Roast beef with potatoes and carrots have been simmering in a Dutch oven in the fire pit for a couple of hours now and sits with heat waves emanating from it while I jot my thoughts down. It smells great…the onion and garlic dancing with the beef-you get the point.

Today is Sunday September 12, 2010 and the day began much like any other when Kristi and I are camping. When we miss church, we still have devotional time and today was no exception. What started out a 2-hour hike became a 4-hour one with diversions and back-tracking. I don’t often like to take the “well-beaten-path” when I hike. You see the “hunter” in me knows that the best way to see wildlife is to walk their pathway-not one created by man. So that’s what I did. The path (a deer-run) was so narrow that in a couple of days I should see serious poison ivy on my legs. Along my hike I came upon several deer just as expected and they were beautiful. The trail became too narrow and thick for me to go any further so I doubled-back. It’s amazing sometimes how things have a different perspective when you look at it from a different vantage point.

Ambling my way back from where I came from presented me with what I believe was the sole purpose for my walk this morning. Up ahead the trail was thickly lined with wildflowers that were approximately 5-feet high. One long-stem daisy-looking flower however had fallen and was lying across the trail; I found that odd I didn’t see it when I came through the other direction. I stopped and looked at it and the picture you see above is that flower. What I noticed is that the flowers were facing upward toward the sun; fallen and attention turned upward. How profound that even a fallen wildflower knows to surrender and seek healing from its life-giver. God always sends me home with something from my pathway and today was no exception.

I’m a firm believer that if a man desires to be in a true synchronous relationship with God; if he sets out expecting real communication with Him-he can. With heart, mind and body in the right place where you cannot be distracted you will hear His voice and I really believe He can give wisdom by way of a rock if you are open enough to hear.

In the years since dad’s death, a lot has changed about me. For one I don’t hunt much anymore but I do still fish from time to time. I wish dad could see me now. I wish he was here to see where a love for fishing and the outdoors has led me.

Isaiah 43:19-20~
19 For I am about to do something new.
See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?
I will make a pathway through the wilderness.
I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.
20 The wild animals in the fields will thank me,
the jackals and owls, too,
for giving them water in the desert.
Yes, I will make rivers in the dry wasteland
so my chosen people can be refreshed.

Yes...you!

This past week was unforgettable. What started out as a trip to the emergency room for Kristi followed by a 7-day stay at Rush-Copley for surgery had a rewarding twist. We got to see several ordinary people doing extraordinary things. Some were nurses "just doing their job", some were CNA's "just doing their job", some were janitors "just doing their job." All were singing their own song...the song God put in their heart.

While it may not have been God's will that Kristi got sick, on the flip side, it certainly was His plan to roll with it and boy did He. Nursing staff expressing faith, a CNA hungry to know more and opening an opportunity for us to tell some of His story, our story and to listen to theirs. We heard the heart of an angel in a man that collects the soiled laundry as he pushed his cart up and down the halls singing Spanish love songs. Interestingly Kristi told Pastor Rob that the whole week of experiencing God in new and different ways made it all worth it-even the pain and surgery. A particular highlight was Kristi having a divine intervention during a painful procedure and she shared that story as well.

How interesting and profound that in the last few weeks Pastor Rob's message has been centered on becoming the best version of our self-each of us God's masterpiece. We tend to believe in ourselves at a much lesser degree than God does. He values each of us more than we tend to our self so perhaps maybe if we changed our track from any old song to singing that which is His in us, we might step out with a little more courage and without the anxiety that comes from feeling embarrassed, and just let the spirit flow; and leave it to God to send that song to the right person at the right time in the right place. Be the "you" God created you to be...His masterpiece. Whatever your occupation is, whatever your song is do it and sing it as if doing it for His glory. Submit, surrender and sync. Do that and lives are going to change, and you get a front row seat.