Written several days ago

Tonight my cell phone buzzed with a call from one of my closest friends who is a business manager. He needed to share something with me about an ongoing situation. Recently, he called and shared about learning that a key individual, someone he trusted very much, had betrayed that relationship. Today he learned more details about her behavior– things that hadn’t been revealed before – and he needed to tell me.

I’ve also had conversations with the individual involved and she is humiliated, embarrassed, hurting. She, too, has asked me to listen. I’ve been praying and hoping that somehow, God would make sense of this mess and everybody would be drawn closer to Him; to live out what Paul describes in Philippians 2:3, “ . . . in humility consider others better than yourselves.”

What I heard tonight caused my emotions to boil over in frustration because I wanted to force the Word of God into a situation instead of modeling it. I’m ashamed to admit what happened next.

When the phone call ended I vented my frustration out loud to my living room walls using angry words and exaggeration and a harsh tone of voice. And I got caught.

I failed to disconnect the call.

My dear brother heard every word. He called back to tell me how hurt he was and then hung up.

Filled with shame and regret, but still frustrated, I called him back and begged his forgiveness. I made excuses and capitalized on our friendship. He graciously forgave me even though I really don’t deserve it. (According to Phil 2:3, who is the better man?)

Some of our obvious reactions might be:

· Don’t say anything out loud that you wouldn’t say to the person’s face.

· Make sure the cell phone is off.

· What happens in Vegas never stays in Vegas but follows you home.

· Take advantage of friends who have made themselves available to listen when you need to vent. (I received just such an offer from a fellow pastor about three hours before this event.)

. . . and I’m sure we could think of others.

But that’s not what God was saying to me when I went to bed and it’s certainly not what drove me to my keyboard well after midnight to write this. (It’s 12:42 am right now.)

The lesson God drove home like a dagger in my gut is found in verses I’ve quoted to scores of people and used in my own life for 30 years:

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 1 Peter 5:6-10 (NIV)

Yes, there is a lot going on in my life right now:

· Lois is not getting better and probably won’t this side of Heaven.

· Pastors and churches are dealing with more disastrous conflict than at any other time since I started my job almost 43 months ago.

· We’re aware of many special people who have just found out they are facing life-threatening illness and disease.

· I’ve just completed the six most intense weeks I can ever remember.

· The projects on my “to-do list” are daunting.

Instead of taking out all the frustration and exhaustion on someone else, I need to be humble, self-controlled and alert. In my pride and self-sufficiency I think I can handle everything. I can’t. Deep down I know that I’ll just mess up and must turn to God and allow Him to work through the support group around me. I have to remember the evil one is always ready to pounce on my weakness therefore I must resist and stand firm in the power of the Holy Spirit.

God will lift me up in His time. God will pour out grace. (It’s not up to me!)

So, once again, I have to admit I blew it and renew my commitment with God to let Him be God.

Where are you? Have you been trying to regain control? Is God speaking to you about surrender, commitment, humility? Are you ready to let God be God in your life?

I’ve taken a risk sharing this and would really appreciate your responses. I won’t post any comments you mark confidential.

One of the receptionists walked up to us in the waiting area and said, “The Doctor you’re scheduled to see is running behind by at least 90 minutes (it actually ended up being four hours). If you want to go for lunch just come to the desk and get a pager.”

We checked the time. The Melrose Dining Room, where we like to eat in the hospital, wouldn’t open for another fifteen minutes. At 11 am I went to the desk and asked for a pager. Based on previous experience, when she handed it to me, I asked her to test it by sending me a page. They tried. Nothing happened.

The receptionist took another pager from the basket and tried that one. Nothing.

She asked one of her co-workers for help. Together they tried a third pager and, again, it didn’t work. One of them opened that pager and discovered it didn’t have any batteries! The first pager was then opened and it didn’t have any batteries either! We all laughed about the possibility of a “battery thief.”

After some healthy laughter we got a working pager and went to an early lunch.

Lois was really tired and there wasn’t much conversation at lunch so I had a lot of time to think about what just happened. As Christians we can make some obvious, well-worn connections: Without Christ we have no power; OR Stay charged up in the Word, but that was not the direction my mind took.

When this took place we had already been in the waiting area for over two hours since we have to arrive 45 minutes before we see the Dr so lab work can be completed. It was plain that Lois’s Dr wasn’t the only one running late. We had witnessed (heard) several people who let their frustration turn to anger and then took it out on the receptionists. Their tone of voice, volume, and body language was unmistakable.

I’m quite certain that when I approached the receptionist to get the pager she was bracing herself for yet another angry patient who was upset about waiting. When I was the first one to laugh about the battery situation, it quickly became contagious. The whole atmosphere of the reception area changed.

I thanked her for the pager and she smiled and said, “No, thank you for being so understanding.”

Now, I have to admit, I had a choice. I could have chosen to be just as upset as anyone else. It would’ve been easy to justify with, “if enough of us let our frustration be known, maybe someone will do something!” Every member of my family and many of my friends can attest to the reality that I am capable of letting my voice be heard and opinion known. Many a customer service rep has been on the receiving end of my frustration. (Something I’m not that proud of.)

As followers of Jesus, do we have a responsibility to be quiet and patient? To introduce laughter in tense moments? To show restraint and kindness? Even when we don’t feel like it? Or especially when we don’t feel like it?

I’m not suggesting that we use this as an excuse for letting people walk all over us or take advantage or overcharge or fail to honor warranties. However, I am suggesting that we ask God for truckloads of grace and discernment so that we know the proper time and place and even select the correct individual to voice our complaints to. Isn’t that part of being “salt and light” in this world?

I want my behavior in every situation to be of such a high caliber that those around me want to know more. Not in a way that’s patronizing or seems fake, but with genuine humility. Your character; my character reflects the one whom we claim to serve.

There are three words I hope define my relationship with Christ as lived out in my family, with friends, in interacting with those I serve, in all my life. Those words are: Obedient. Faithful. Humble.

Carl* had lots of questions. All week at camp he was asking questions of anyone who would listen. He talked to his counselor, me, our speaker; and they were sincere questions.

” What about pain? Dinosaurs? Wars? Aliens? Divorce? If God loves us, why does he let evil exist? How did we get evil and satan in the first place?”

A lot of the questions don’t have concise answers and many don’t have any answers at all! But the search; the quest makes reaching conclusions even more personal and rewarding. Carl wasn’t the only one with tough questions. They came from campers and staff alike.

We live in a broken world and the influence of secularism makes crossing the line of faith significant and life-altering. But isn’t that the way it should be?

Over and over again I found myself thinking and saying out loud: “Let God be God.”

Our finite minds can’t wrap around the thoughts and plans of an infinite God. Our warped understanding of love cannot grasp God’s perfect, unconditional love. Our sin-scarred emotions make taking faith-steps painful and difficult.

But when we let God be God He opens our eyes to see Him in new and wonderful ways; He softens our hard hearts to accept His forgiveness; He opens our ears to hear his words of grace; and He gives us the courage to unclench our fists and give Him control of our lives.

God worked the miracle of transformation in campers and staff and none of us who “let God be God” will be the same.

One of the personal transformations that I witnessed was in my wife, Lois. Everyday her strength seemed to increase and, although she rested often, she was able to attend the worship times and “hang out” at the office. Then, on Thursday evening, she spiked a fever. Friday morning I wondered what the day would be like. One of our staff noticed that Lois did not attend the staff prayer time in the morning and took a couple of other staff and campers and they went to our room and prayed for Lois.

Within an hour the fever broke and Lois felt much better! God is so good! Lois was even able to pack our personal luggage and load the car later that afternoon!

We are now recovering and working on follow-up and re-packing all the supplies for next year. Thanks for praying for and with us. We join with you in a new commitment to let God be God!

Heavenly Father, We ask You to fill us with Your Holy Spirit as we submit our bodies as living sacrifices. We commit ourselves to lives of obedience as we daily renew our minds in the living Word of God. Amen.

*Carl is not his real name!

The faithfulness of God should never take us by surprise. His power and grace and mercy at work in our lives should not be unexpected and our response should always be grateful trust and humble obedience. Somehow, what we know should be isn’t always what is! Instead, it’s all too easy to be distracted; caught up in the busy activities of life, forgetting that God holds everything together, gives us the next breath and is the giver of every good and perfect gift.

Paul, in his concern for the believers at Colosse, addresses this ageless problem of getting distracted when he writes, “So if you’re serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides. Don’t shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ—that’s where the action is. See things from his perspective.” (Colossians 3:1-2 The Message)

The penetrating question is, am I serious about living a life marked by the resurrection of Christ? Existing is not an option. Maintaining is unacceptable. The very core of living in the resurrection means we cannot stay the same but must move forward.

Chasing that which Christ modeled as important is now the priority. That means our attention is drawn to single parents and their children – the 21^st century equivalent of widows and orphans. It means we learn how to love the people who look different than we do; who get food stamps and are on government programs for housing and medical care. Being like Jesus means we take up the causes of those who have experienced injustice; those who have lost hope that there is anything good in this world.

Even while we are working with “the least of these” we can’t afford to get dragged down in the muck with them and we certainly can’t allow ourselves to have a pity party about our own circumstances no matter how desperate they might be. As the writer of Hebrews teaches us, we have to “keep our eyes fixed on Jesus.”

We need to keep our attention focused on the action and Paul reminds us that the action – the really important stuff of life – is going on around Christ. And we, the church, are the body of Christ! This requires the best of our time, talents, and treasures! If we are serious about pursing a Christ-like life, about being where the action is and living life to the full, then we shouldn’t be surprised when it requires everything.

It’s so easy to forget that God through Christ is the object of living. So easy to be distracted by our hectic lives, packed schedules, email, facebook and twitter that we fail to live the resurrection life.  It’s also possible to schedule so many programs and events at church that we begin to isolate ourselves from the very people Christ commissioned us to reach.

Somehow, what we know should be isn’t always what is!

The adventure of the life of a Christ-follower, this faith journey, requires our constant attention, vigilance, and discipline, and although this isn’t easy, it’s our continuing responsibility to “look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ.”

Frank (not his real name but he read this and gave permission to tell the story) called to talk about the downward spiral in his life. Everything was coming unglued: his widowed father was just diagnosed with dementia and had to be put in a care center; the first Elder’s wife had called with a list of 5 people who were complaining that the pastor never came to call; she also reminded him that attendance has been down the past three weeks and he needed to “do something;” the trustees were pushing him to help with the remodeling project at church on Saturday (his only full day to work on his Sunday message because he’s bi-vocational); and the parents of a teen called to complain about another teen attending youth group whom they considered a “bad influence.” On top of all that, his migraines have returned and the medication he depended on for years isn’t working.

He said, “I didn’t sign up for this. Maybe this isn’t God’s will for my life. I’m not sure I have what it takes.”

We talked and shared some Scripture and prayed together.

Frank’s last question was, “Why is serving God so painful?”

Allow me to make four observations:

First of all, this is why I do what I do. I’ve experienced the draining emotions Frank described. Been there. Done that. And I remember wondering, “Who can I talk to?” Whatever it takes, share these burdens with someone who can keep confidences; who understands; who isn’t intent on fixing everything or having all the answers. Call, email, text, set an appointment to meet with me . . . Yes, I have someone I talk to in order to help me process and determine which burdens are real and which ones are false – from the enemy.

Second, we get way too hung up on “finding God’s will.” “God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life,” is certainly true, but its interpretation is critical. Many of us suffer delusional ideas when it comes to God’s plan for our lives because our minds seem bent on happiness and security issues. Most of us immediately think of God’s direction for our individual lives in terms of education, career, marriage and family. We want to interpret God’s promise as a supernatural guarantee that offers personal peace, physical security, economic success and inner significance. And when that kind of spiritualized success does not materialize we are disappointed with God. It is often unclear whether or not there is a distinction between a worldly strategy for self-fulfillment and Jesus’ strategy for self-fulfillment. The “wonderful plan” seems to have little to do with taking up a cross and following Jesus and more to do with a false gospel of health and wealth. We forget that Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it” (Mt 16:24-25).

Third, don’t trust your feelings. To base the will of God on human speculation, opinions and feelings, is to fall victim to the spirit of the times and the mood of the moment. But to establish God’s will on the solid ground of God’s revelation is to live on a firm foundation that weathers the storms of life and the volatility of feelings. The word of the Lord defines the long obedience in the same direction, apart from which we are constantly wandering down dead ends and dark alleys. When these discouraging times come, “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Cor 10:4-5).

Fourth, in this life of following Christ we have to have durability; especially those of us in ministry. Chuck Swindoll wrote a great article on standing firm and staying faithful. Click here to read.

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” (Hebrews 12:2-3)

(Thanks to Doug Webster for his input.)

There are so many things going on in our world, in our churches and in our individual lives. In the past couple of weeks I’ve had opportunity to talk with a lot of pastors and church leaders; some were face-to-face and many visits were by phone. As leaders we face many challenges: decreasing interest in all things spiritual; dwindling resources and rising expenses; marriages under stress; teens struggling with peer pressure and life decisions plus the temptation for sex, drugs, and alcohol; and then there’s the unstated expectation to keep everybody “happy.”

Just writing this down sets my mind in high gear. I would be thrilled if I could sit down with you one-on-one and let stream-of-consciousness rule the conversation for about two hours! This is an idea of the subjects we might cover:

· We are called to live “above reproach” – the expectation is not perfection but a life full of humility, prayer, obedience, and grace. The way we live is more important than what we say in a sermon. Words end up being empty if the voice speaking them has little or no credibility. Remember Paul’s admonition to Timothy: "Pursue a righteous life—a life of wonder, faith, love, steadiness, courtesy. Run hard and fast in the faith. Seize the eternal life, the life you were called to, the life you so fervently embraced in the presence of so many witnesses." (1 Timothy 6:11-12 Message)

· The current economic downturn and general malaise in American society is a great opportunity to speak truth about the real source of hope! James teaches us that “every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” (James 1:17 NIV) Entitlement programs increase our misplaced dependence on government rather than on “the Father of the heavenly lights.”

· There will always be more ministry opportunities than resources. No matter whom I’m talking with, from the largest to the smallest of the churches, pastors and leaders live with the daily tension of funding. The playing field is level – every ministry struggles with managing limited resources. That includes large churches with large budgets – so don’t daydream of a larger church in hopes that will solve the financial pressures! Creativity always trumps budget.

· My friend, Doug Webster, recently shared this truth with me: “Preaching is proclaiming the whole counsel of God the way Jesus would. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus began his public preaching ministry with the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) and ended it with the Sermon on the End of the World (Matthew 24-25). These two sermons frame his teaching ministry and offer insights into Jesus the Preacher. They model for the church how preachers should preach. If we want to learn how to preach, we need to pay attention to Jesus. Most of us are more familiar with the Sermon on the Mount than we are with the Sermon on the End of the World, but even then few of us understand Jesus’ twelve minute Sermon on the Mount as a whole. Preachers tend to break it up and preach it piecemeal. We have been taught to dissect Matthew 5-7 into small sections for microscopic exegetical examination or for homiletical sound bites. Instead of grasping the totality of the sermon, we think of the sermon as a collection of random sayings and reflections from Jesus. Then, we turn to textual technicians to decipher and decode the text. Preaching, however, is neither solving an intellectual puzzle nor appealing to an audience’s emotional felt needs. Preaching is proclaiming the whole counsel of God the way Jesus would. “

· I really enjoy my job! Yes, I have a lot of windshield time. No, I don’t like being away from home as much as I am, but this is what God has given me to do. I like being with pastors and church leaders listening to the joys and pains of ministry. I’m learning to resist the urge to “solve all the problems” and be an encourager. God has already given you everything you need for today!

· Life is an adventure and our 34^th year of marriage has been marked by Lois’ having cancer. We don’t see this as a trial or even a battle. Cancer comes because we live in a broken, fallen world where sickness and tragedy occur. Maybe cancer is a gift – we are certainly learning more about dependence on God, appreciation for family, patience in the unknown, and faith in the Great Physician rather than the medical community. In addition, God continues to give us opportunities to share His grace and hope and presence with others. In the middle of all this we Choose Joy!

If some of these stream-of-consciousness-ideas have sparked a desire for conversation, please don’t hesitate to call, text, or email me. We are in this together: partners in the Gospel.

“So be content with who you are, and don’t put on airs. God’s strong hand is on you; he’ll promote you at the right time. Live carefree before God; he is most careful with you. Keep a cool head. Stay alert. The Devil is poised to pounce, and would like nothing better than to catch you napping. Keep your guard up. You’re not the only ones plunged into these hard times. It’s the same with Christians all over the world. So keep a firm grip on the faith. The suffering won’t last forever. It won’t be long before this generous God who has great plans for us in Christ—eternal and glorious plans they are!—will have you put together and on your feet for good. He gets the last word; yes, he does.” (1 Peter 5:6-11 Message)

From the very beginning, Jesus was heading toward the Cross. When Jesus was just eight days old, Simeon warned and prepared Mary for the conflict that would eventually lead to the Cross, “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too” (Luke 2:34-35).

The certainty of the Cross is stressed in all four gospel accounts. Luke tells us that “as the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem” (9:51). What had been on the heart of Jesus from the beginning was now becoming obvious to everyone. The explanation that Jesus gave to the disciples privately, “that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, that he must be killed and on the third day be raised from life,” was becoming obvious publicly. Jesus was a wanted man. The last time Jesus was in Jerusalem, during the celebration of Hanukkah, the Jews picked up stones to stone him “for blasphemy,” because they charged, “you, a mere man, claim to be God” (John 10:33).

Is it any wonder then that Thomas looked at the return visit to the region as their last? There is a fatalism in Thomas’ commitment, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” There is no heroism here, only resignation, as if to say, “We’ve come this far, we might as well go all the way.” He is pessimistic, but loyal and committed to seeing this cause right through to its bitter end. Thomas’ commitment is born out of habit and tradition rather than faith and trust. He did not comprehend the inevitability of the Cross. It was beyond him to apply the teaching of Isaiah 53 or Psalm 22 to Jesus, nor did he fathom the meaning of John’s declaration, “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” Thomas pledged loyalty, but his heart was not in it. Instead of rebuking Jesus the way Peter did, Thomas advocated martyrdom.

Today’s followers of Jesus are not immune to the pessimistic attitude of Thomas. We too, can be guilty of commitment born of habit rather than faith, and routine rather than understanding. Thomas pledged his duty, but not his devotion. His loyalty was not obedience but a matter of resignation based on skepticism. There is a measure of Thomas’ frustration in every pastoral burn-out and disgruntled Christian worker. We see his attitude in the zealot who has turned ministry into a crusade. We feel his pessimism among Christians who have forgotten Resurrection Hope and are only living for today. Christ has not called us to bear a cross fatalistically but faithfully.

May God give you the grace and wisdom to see beyond your immediate circumstances and to rejoice in your Kingdom work. May you have an attitude in your service that produces joy not from what you do but from the victory of the Cross. May you be reminded that you are not following a martyr to the bitter end but a Savior who has promised you eternal life.