Category: Faith

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Name on the Throne

The death of King Uzziah brought a level of uneasiness if not unrest to the Southern Kingdom. Under Uzziah’s leadership Judah experienced everything a politician could hope for: economic prosperity, significant building projects and peace. With the military success and joint ventures with Israel, Judah saw the Northern and Southern Kingdoms almost as large (and prosperous?) as the united Kingdom of Israel under Solomon’s reign. For most of his 52 years Uzziah walked with God. The last dozen years his heart was not loyal and he suffered from leprosy as punishment. Yet the people loved their king and his death created a void and brought fear of an uncertain future.

His death is the marker for Isaiah’s vision (Is. 6). When this king died, Isaiah saw the true King of Israel on his throne with only the hem of God’s garment contained in the temple. Smoke filled room and strange looking seraphs sang “Holy, holy, holy” to the God of the universe. While uncertainly and unrest was unfolding in Judah, consistent control over all creation was present on the throne in heaven. God’s reassuring message was, “It’s ok. I’ve got this” because his Name is on the Throne.

Exile is a constant reminder of failure. The people of Israel failed to keep God’s covenant. The walls around Jerusalem failed to keep the Babylon army from penetrating the city. The people of Judah believed that God failed to protect them. Enter Ezekiel. When we pick up the story he’s thirty years of age, the same age a priest begins ministering in the temple. But he’s not in the temple; he’s in exile. Abandoned. Forgotten. Living out his life as a failure in captivity. If his dream was to minister in the temple, his dream morphed into a nightmare as he was part of the caravan to Babylon. The future was going to get worse before it was ever going to get better.

The marker for Ezekiel’s first vision was at the thirtieth year and fourth month, about the time he should have entered the ministry. God comes to Israel in a powerful windstorm, but the vision is complicated. God’s being carried by a wheel within a wheel to Babylon where he will take up residence with the exiled. The strange looking seraphs are with him and the description of what Ezekiel saw and paints is indescribable. God’s presence and reassuring message is clear, “I’m with you. It’s ok. I’ve got this” because his Name is on the Throne.  

The Lord’s Day on the Island of Patmos is the marker for John’s vision. The churches of Asia Minor were under two threats from the outside. The Jews were harassing the Christians at the local level, with Domitian calling for an all-out assault against the Church. While emperor worship was common in the first century, Domitian wanted people to worship him while he was still alive. The confession of the Church, “Jesus is Lord,” was unpatriotic and a threat to the State. So Domitian demanded loyalty, and those who refused to confess their loyalty faced the strong arm of the Empire. With only one apostle alive, the church at the end of the century was transitioning into dark and uncertain times.

John is invited into heaven where God showed him what will take place (Rev. 4). He witnesses the glory of God. The strange looking seraphs are once again present singing “Holy, Holy, Holy.” Lights were blazing with thunderous reverberations. A great sea, so calm and clear it looked like crystal glass, was before the throne. John sees God sitting on his throne with twenty-four elders sitting on their thrones; the elders fall to their knees and lay their crowns before God. A rainbow encompasses God’s throne. God’s presence on his throne is hardly passive but an active rule reassuring John and the Church, “It’s ok. I’ve got this” because his Name is on the Throne.

The Church continues to face turbulent and uncertain times. Entrenched in our own culture, surveys continue to show little to no moral difference between those actively engaged in congregations and those who are not. The active shootings we’ve witnessed in schools for twenty years has begun bleeding over into churches; people live in fear. Speaking of fear, the demographics shift and rise in minority groups coupled with embedded racism has caused much angst. Political party loyalty has almost become a test of Christian fellowship, while a National Christian faith is undermining the Gospel of Christ. In the meantime, church attendance and loyalty in America is shrinking as well as a vision to bring the Gospel to the world.

Yet in turbulent and uncertain times, we can be assured that God still sits on his throne in power and authority. He is actively overseeing his creation and his Church. His reassuring message to his church today remains, “It’s ok. I’ve got this” because his Name is still on the Throne.

Soli Deo Gloria!
(i.e. only God is glorified!)

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Bringing In the Sheaves! Or What Do You Do When You Can’t Get Rid of a Bomb?

In the 1966 “campy” Batman movie starring Adam West, Batman finds a bomb. His attempt to defuse the bomb was really about trying to get it over the docks and into the body of water before it explodes. Yet at every attempt to defuse the bomb, innocent people were in his way.

He looked out a window only to find a marching band playing, “Bringing in the Sheaves.” He ran down the stairs only to find a restaurant filled with customers eating dinner.  He headed out the door to the corner of the pier only to find some nuns walking by. Turning down the boardwalk he encountered a mother pushing her baby in a stroller. Rotating around, he headed to the dock only to bump into the band again, still playing “Bringing in the Sheaves.” Running back to the pier he spied a perfect spot beyond a ladder attached to the pier, until a man appeared on the ladder. Changing directions he headed to the corner of the pier only to discover a couple enjoying a romantic afternoon in a rowboat. And just as he found the perfect spot to unload the bomb, he sees a family of ducks swimming in the water.

In a moment of exasperation Batman looked directly into the camera to speak to the audience, thus breaking the “fourth wall,” and cried out, “Some days you just can’t get rid of a bomb!”

We live in a world where bad things happen and it’s like everyone or everything stands against us. You stub your toe first thing in the morning. Someone pulls out in front of you on the way to work, or worse you’ve totaled your car. You’re overdrawn and still have bills to pay. A friend backstabbed you and all trust is lost. You turned left when you should have turned right and now your GPS is yelling at you as it recalculates. And all the time you’re thinking, “Some days you just can’t get rid of a bomb!”

The Biblical story is filled with events where the world (people or systems) turned on the faithful. Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery, and he’s eventually falsely accused of a crime and thrown in prison. David loses his kingdom to his son and is on the run with Absalom in hot pursuit. The kinfolk of Jeremiah turn on him and his preaching by dumping him in a well. Gomer cheats on Hosea. Jesus heals a man and stirs up conflict because the healing was on the Sabbath. Paul is falsely accused in Philippi and his affliction list in 2 Corinthians 11 is a sober reminder of living a life for Christ. The Hebrews writer may have said it best,

There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated—the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground (Heb. 11:35a-38, emphasis mine).

Because we’ve all have days where we’ve been left holding a bomb, we have a choice. We can let it explode making a bigger mess. Or we can keep looking for a place to dump the bomb. Do we really have another alternative?

Soli Deo Gloria!
(i.e. only God is glorified!)

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Jurassic Faith

The speaker was addressing a movement in the church that promoted the young faith of believers. While the movement was attracting large crowds and the number of baptisms were unprecedented, fallout from the pressure and intensity to live by enforced rules drove these same people away. Sure, the movement made an incredible first impression and sold Jesus like no other church could or did. They targeted college students. They gave up everything, they walked with faith and many sacrificed their futures. All to follow Jesus, or at least the Jesus this movement was advocating.

Within a handful of years the same statistics showed that the young college age people left the movement broken, scared and less than even a mustard seed of faith. The rules and restrictions were so rigid and the burden so heavy, these members buckled under the pressure. Then the speaker lamented, “We should have members whose faith grew over fifty years, instead we have nothing.”

There’s something to be said about faith for a lifetime. The Bible certainly underscores a faith among the aged, a faith that walked with God over the decades. In the great chapter of faith (Hebrews 11) the author specifically points to three individuals whom he considered men of faith at the end of their lives. Note the focus of these three individuals is at the end of their journey, not the beginning or middle part of their lives.

The first is Isaac (v. 20). While the historical narrative tells us very little of Abraham’s son, he does highlight the moment Isaac blessed his twin sons, Jacob and Esau. And while the incident involved the deception of Jacob to get the blessing, Isaac still looked to the future where God’s promises would be made good through his son. He still believed and held on to the promise God made to his father and to himself. He was also convinced that promise would get work out through his son (or sons).

Following the promised line, Jacob’s life is skipped over and we’re given a snapshot of him on his death bed (v. 21). Not only is he worshiping God, he’s blessing Joseph’s two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh. He’s claiming them as his own so that they will be part of the promise of God.

Finally, the author turns to Joseph at a point when the patriarch knew his end was near (v. 22). He points Israel to the day of the Exodus, as many as four hundred years into the future. He not only told them that God will lead them out of Egypt, but that he also had instructions about what to do with his bones. He believed their destiny was the Promised Land and he wasn’t about to be left behind.

Each of these men became men of faith because God never gave up on them. Through their failures and shortcomings, God was faithful. In his faithfulness their faith grew and deepened. In time they were men whose agedness matched their faithfulness.

In order for faith to grow and deepen, the church needs to cultivate a place where an environment for a growing faith is present. Those who are mature need to allow faith of others to be immature. Those mature in faith need to allow failure to be a part of the immature faith. Stop rebuking. Stop humiliating. Stop condemning. Instead, begin walking hand in hand. Always encourage. Guide with wisdom. Be present when they fall because people will fall. Only then will the tender faith of the young turn to the powerful faith of the aged.

Soli Deo Gloria!
(i.e. only God is glorified!)

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Confessions from Living in A Maze In Grace

(I wrote this in August of 2014 following the suicide of Robin Williams. After the tragic suicides of Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain this week, I felt like we needed this article again. JAP)

The tunnel was dark, black, and bleak. Not right. If there was a tunnel, there might be an exit, and light ahead, and if there is light, hope exists for an escape. No, it feels like no hope exists. It’s not a tunnel but a prison, with a lifetime sentence and no chance for parole. The darkness, blackness, and bleakness felt heavy, like a thick fog, disabling your vision. Or the darkness, blackness, and bleakness is pounding like a rainstorm, so strong you cannot see the road before you. It felt heavy, like a hundred pound weight strapped around your neck, and every step takes all your effort. Inches for everyone else is miles for you. The message you hear between your ears is loud and clear, like an announcer at a stadium for all to hear,

“You are a failure!

                You are worthless!

                                You are unloved!

                                                The world is better off without you!”

Do you remember the video from the 9-11 attacks? The planes struck the World Trade Center, the fire consumed the buildings and they were about to fall. People, hundreds of people, were trapped in the building. If they stayed where they were, they would have either been consumed by the smoke and fire, or become the rubble from the fallen building. Some 200 people saw no other option, and in order to escape the inferno, they jumped to their deaths. 

Depression is the silent killer. It feels like you’re living in a dark hole, and no hope of escape reveals itself. No one loves you, and if they knew you they would hate you, so the depressed person believes. Suicide is rationalized as the only means possibly of escaping the hole. Reports tell us that about 10% of the American population suffers from depression (10% is probably a low estimate). Do the math, make the count; at least one in every 10 people you know probably suffers from depression, and its cause is varied in form: chemical imbalance, medications, chronic illness, sedentary lifestyles, abuse, ADHD, life setbacks, alcohol etc. 

The outward signs of our lives may have nothing to do with the inside of our hearts. The perceived success in business or in beauty only cover up the failure and ugliness realized within our own lives. I once sat with a successful, beautiful middle aged woman and talked. From the outside looking in, she had everything: A respected business, a godly husband, wonderful children, a spiritual depth to be admired, and she looked ten years younger than her age. However, out of the depths something was swelling. “I fight it every day,” she confessed. “What’s that?” I wondered. “Depression. Sometimes getting out of bed takes all my energy.”  She continued to explain, “I would never commit suicide,” a long pause emerged as she tried to find the right words, “but every night I pray that God will give me a heart attack while I sleep so that I will not have to wake up in the morning.” 

I wanted to dismiss her feelings and tell her to “snap out of it,” but you cannot simply snap out of depression. I wanted to minimize her pain by telling her to listen to more upbeat, praise songs, but her heart needed to read more of the Lament Psalms. I wanted to ignore her journey and tell her that the road will get better, but what she needed to know was that God would continue to give her the strength to face each day.  

Depression is a heavy burden, and those who suffer from it often hide the symptoms, and they’re often experts at hiding the symptoms. They can make you laugh and be the life of the party. They have good days, and they have bad days – and when they have bad days, it seems that they’re strung together like stringed popcorn wrapped endlessly around the Christmas tree. They feel very weak, but demonstrate a strong faith by bravely facing each enclosing storm. Sometimes those suffering from depression just need to know you care, that you love them, and that “God’s grace is sufficient, for his power is made perfect in weakness.”

My name is Jon Partlow. I am your minister. I have battled depression since 1999, and my life has been A Maze in Grace.                                                               

Solo Deo Gloria!
(i.e. only God is glorified!)

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Spiritual Disciplines Everyone Can Do

Spirituality in a person’s life can be difficult to balance and to manage. We believe the giants of faith can walk on water, move mountains, or are beyond temptation. But everyone fights in the battle. Everyone struggles with sin. Everyone lives with the scars. While everyone drinks from the spiritual wells, some wells are deeper than others. So the question might be, how can we deepen the wells we drink from to enrich our spiritual life? Here are some common suggestions anyone can do to improve their spiritual walk with God.

● Worship . . . The Church gathers every week to worship God and to break bread. While together we sing, pray, give, commune at the Table, and are encouraged and challenged by exhortations from God’s Word. Because it’s an assembly, accountability and fellowship is built into this one hour. Unfortunately, church and the church gatherings have been devalued and even attacked; it’s often viewed as irrelevant. However, for spiritual purposes, never underestimate the discipline and value of spending Sunday with God and with each other.

● Prayer . . . From the simple prayer before a meal to the quiet time you spend with God, prayer allows us a direct line to God. We can share, not only our struggles and pains, but our dreams and visions too. It’s really about a relationship with God, and he wants us to come to him with no pretense (Mt. 6:7). We can talk to God and open up about our lives. We can approach him in full confidence knowing that he will not reject us because he wants to have a relationship with us.

● Fasting . . . Of all the spiritual disciplines, fasting has probably taken the biggest hit. Who wants to go without eating? The value of fasting is the discipline of saying “no” to your body for something it wants but doesn’t need. Most of us have conditioned our bodies to get hungry at a certain time when the truth is what we experience is “false hunger pains.” Paul talks about making his body a slave (1 Cor. 9:27) so that he can avoid his body enslaving him on its desires. While many people cannot fast an entire day or a few days, one can skip meals, limit snacks, or even limit fluid to juices.

● Confession . . . They say “confession is good for the soul.” They may be right. Getting things “off our chest” helps lighten the load, and makes our burdens easier to bear. James links confession with prayer (5:16) telling us that the two disciplines work in tandem with each other. We confess to each other and pray for one another.

● Serving . . . While volunteering has taken a hit lately, finding ways to give back to the community, the church and/or to God takes attention off of self and places it onto others. It’s a way to empty ourselves so that we can keep our own selfishness at bay. More so, secretly doing service keeps our motives in check.

● Reading . . . We live in a time where more volumes have been written than we’ve previously known, but fewer people are reading. An amazing paradox stands that the most common way God has revealed himself has been through his written word, and yet we don’t like to read. Beyond prayer, the simplest way to encounter God every day is to open up our Bibles and begin reading. While we’re in the mood to read, why not look at the ocean of books, periodicals and blogs put out there on a regular basis. While a lot of stuff published isn’t worth the time or effort, much of it is. Find or ask someone you respect where the good stuff to read is.

● Generosity . . . As we continue to look outside of ourselves, being generous reminds us that we do not own the material things but that we’re stewards of the resources God has given us. In order for money to lose its control over our lives (1 Tim. 6:10), money must be viewed as a means for ministry not as a stockpile for wealth. By letting go we’re building trust in God that he’ll take care of our needs and use us to bless others.

By no means are these the only spiritual disciplines for our lives. Echoing the Hebrews writer (Heb. 11:32), I don’t have time to talk about joy, quiet time, role of music, simplicity, and more. However, these are good starting blocks to develop your spiritual walk with God. They only demand what you’re willing to give, but what they give back will deepen the spiritual wells you drink from.

Soli Deo Gloria!
(only God is glorified!)

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Be Still

Be still . . . for in the midst of the storm God is our refuge (Ps. 46:1). So the Psalmist speaks of sink holes and earthquakes, foamy and turbulent waters, and trouble with danger. But he also speaks of God’s actions, how God makes war and destroys the bow, shatters the spear, and burns the shields of his enemies.

Be still . . . in a world filled with white noise. From screaming kids to the TV blaring to the cars honking to the neighbors shouting, we long for quiet. I believe my father’s joy of working in his garage, whether it was on the car or wood working projects, was probably and partly motivated as a means to seek out quiet solitude from a household of five children.

Be still . . . so that when the disciples were crossing the Sea of Galilee, gale force winds unexpectedly emerged. Sudden storms were common on the sea because the mountains surrounding the lake acted as a funnel for the wind. Even experienced sailors, with no life jackets, feared such storms. So while the disciples were facing the raging storms, Jesus was sleeping on the job. In their fear and panic, they woke their master who faced the storm, saying, “Peace! Be still!” (Mk. 4:35-41).

Be still . . . and in the early morning hours a young mother nurses her baby. While they rock together, comforting the little one in her arms, she whispers her love in the night while praying over her child.

Be still . . . for as Elijah was told to stand in the opening of the cave, God was going to pass him by. When the wind tore through the mountains, God was not in the wind. And when the earth shook beneath his feet as rocks and boulders produced landslides, God was not in the earthquake. And when the fire raged through the valley destroying everything in its path, God was not in the fire. But when a soft gentle whisper was heard, Elijah pulled his cloak over his face (1 King. 19:11-13a).

Be still . . . for when chaos runs wild, a calm presence is needed to ascertain what is happening. The easy response is always a knee-jerk reaction to match the intensity of the event. A vase breaks and it’s matched by a scream from the other room, “What is it?” Or a child falls and the adult gasps, running and screaming to pick up the child, making one wonder if the child needs comforting or the adult?

Be still . . . as Jesus arose early in the morning, while it was still dark, he found a place where he was by himself so he could pray. No interruptions. No responsibilities. No distractions. Just time with him and God.

Be still . . . the messages that bombard us daily are trying to shape our thinking and world view. They incite fear and sometimes lay the groundwork for others to create conspiracy theories. We’re stressed, worried, and believe the worst case scenario will unfold before us. We struggle to find a solace anywhere.

Be still . . . and know that I am God (Ps. 46:10).

Soli Deo Gloria!
(i.e. only God is glorified!)

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GOD: When All the World Is a Stage

I once had a friend who was a nationally elite wrestler and with Olympic caliber talent. His junior year, he was ranked number one in the nation and was picked to win the national title for his weight division. He lost. Over the summer he found Jesus, was baptized, and began going public with his faith. He talked about renewed strength and sharing his faith with anyone who might listen, including the news media. When he entered his final season as a senior, he was again ranked number one in the nation, and with his renewed faith, he believed his future was secure. Once again, he lost, dragging him into a crisis of faith. He had a stage to bring glory to God, and the stage was taken from him. Why wouldn’t God endorse his win in order to receive the glory for it?

A couple of weeks ago the Philadelphia Eagles won their first Superbowl. Heading into the big game, reports surfaced that Nick Foles was a man of faith, that the Eagles conducted regular Bible studies, and videos surfaced of members of the team participating in baptisms. They had a stage to bring glory to God, and the stage was elevated during and following their championship win.

Tim Tebow was the evangelical/Christian hero. Born to missionary parents, he was given a gift for football and a powerfully vocal faith in Jesus. Written on his Eye Black was his favorite verse for the day, and often it was John 3:16. Every touchdown he made was immediately followed by a prayer on his knee. What is amazing is that the quality of Tim Tebow’s character should have made him the perfect candidate for God to place him on the largest stage. Yet many wonder why God allowed that stage to allude him?

Wednesday an American Icon passed away. He was given the largest stage when he preached to thousands upon thousands (if not to millions) of people. He sat with every sitting president since Truman. He was never caught up in a moral or ethical scandal, though he did compromise himself with President Nixon (he did beg the Jewish community forgiveness). He was born for the big stage and he lived his life to glory God on that stage.

We’ve convinced ourselves that the successful athlete, business man, politician, or performer, author – who is also a Christian – is the one God uses to make the biggest impact for the kingdom. We believe that the best advertisement for God is to market the Christian who is defined by success based on our terms: status, wealth, appearance, charisma, etc.

Somehow, God sees things a little differently. On the worlds’ biggest staged he placed a cross.

In the process of calling Saul (Acts 9), God had a conversation with Ananias. God wanted Ananias to meet with Saul to restore his sight. Ananias was a little fearful since Saul had been persecuting the church. But God reassured Ananias, and among the information given to Ananias comes this little line, “I will show him (i.e. Saul/Paul) how much he must suffer for my name.” God was going to put Saul on the biggest stage and show the world how much he had to suffer for Jesus.

Second Corinthians is essentially Paul’s argument that the greatest stage God can give someone is the stage where their weakness is exposed and they suffer the most. So Paul records his “Affliction Lists” (4:8-10; 6:3-10; 11:23-29), saying that God does his greatest work through our suffering. The strength that Paul experiences is not the ability to avoid walking outside the realm of suffering, but the strength to endure the very heart of suffering because God empowers him (4:7). For it is through our weaknesses, not our strengths, that Christ’s power is made perfect in us (12:8-10).

So maybe we’ve got the stage thing all wrong. Maybe those on the big stage can’t always be trusted with the spotlight; how many people, we’ve propped up, have “fallen” off the big stage? Maybe the suffering stage keeps us closer to the cross. Maybe the suffering stage gives God greater glory, for the power to endure hardships clearly comes from God not from within. Maybe the church should start questioning who we’ve decided to prop up onto the stage, and why we’ve chosen them. Instead, maybe we should look for the ones who’ve modeled faithful endurance in the face of suffering, because they are more likely the ones God wants on stage.

Soli Deo Gloria!
(i.e. only God is Glorified!)

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Sometimes It Just Takes a Miracle

1980 was a milestone in the Cold War era. With the Summer and Winter Olympics played in the same year, the Winter Games were hosted by the United States and the Summer Games were held in Moscow, capital city of the USSR. If the standoff between the two greatest world powers wasn’t enough, in December of 1979 the USSR had invaded Afghanistan. The aggressive military move sent shockwaves throughout the world. When Russian refused to back down and pull out of Afghanistan, politics merged with athletics; the US boycotted the Moscow Olympic Games.

Such a move seemed to up the stakes for the Winter Games. Without a presence in Moscow, the US had to make their presence known at Lake Placid, NY. Enter the US Hockey Team.

The remarkable story of this team, and what became known as The Miracle on Ice, is well-told in the 2004 movie, Miracle. Where many nations, particularly the USSR, had national teams who played together under one coach for years, the US assembled a team of college’s best players months prior to the Olympics. But 1979 saw a shift in how to assemble and prepare the US Hockey team Olympic competition.

Herb Brooks was hired to coach the team. When choosing players for his team, he looked for qualities other than talent; he administered psychological exams. Some of the best player in college hockey were on the sidelines. Nine of the players played for him at Minnesota, while six came from rival Boston College. He employed an authoritarian approach to unify the team, believing that the team could unite if they all agreed to hate the coach.

In the movie, Miracle, Herb Brooks, played by Kurt Russel, addressed the teams division and effort after tying a game they should have won. He assembled the players and made them skate the lines (we might call them “wind sprints” or “suicides”). At each break he passionately preached effort, the passion lacking in their play until he yells, “Again,” and they skate again. On and on he goes through the drill until the players, exhausted, barely able to stand much less skate, but who’s stubborn will is broken. The assistant coach and team doctor questioned Brooks’ wisdom. Finally, one players, dejectedly looks up and says, “Mike Eruzione from Massachusetts.” Throughout the movie, Brooks had asked a simple question, but it was a question as he asked time and time again, the team failed to answer correctly, “Who do you play for?” Eruzione continued, “I play for the United States of America!” With his point made, Brooks walks off the ice and simply tells his players, “That is all, gentlemen.”

The miracle was Team USA defeating the USSR, then going on to winning gold. However, the miracle wasn’t just the David conquering Goliath moment, but conquering the battle within. The real miracle might have been the coming together as a team who was willing to suspend personal loyalties for the greater cause.

The greater loyalty, only the Bible might call it “the only loyalty,” comes in our relationship with God. Everything else must take a back seat: money, job, family, recreational activities, religious heritage, politics, etc. The reason is two-fold. First, God is a jealous god who does not like to share loyalties with anything or anyone. He does not want to be cheated on, which is why we must choose between him and everything else (Josh. 24:15; 1 King. 18:21; Mt. 6:24, 33). Secondly, anything other than unity in Jesus is just another reason to divide. In order to ensure the unity God established (Eph. 4:12-13) peripheral issues in the Kingdom of God, like “pet” doctrinal preferences or political positions, must stay on the peripheral. Personal agendas must give way to maintain church unity (Phil. 2:4).

Sometimes, when God is actually placed first in our lives and unity becomes more important than personal agenda, it just takes a miracle.

Soli Deo Gloria!
(i.e. only God is glorified!)

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Blue Skies & Rainstorms

On my shelf in my office is clock ship.  At the time of writing this article, the clock doesn’t work, and to my knowledge has never has worked in my possession.  But it sits where I can see it, in my bookshelf, right above my computer screen.  And it sits as a reminder of days gone by from my childhood. 

My bedroom was on the third floor of our home, and because of the stairs, coupled with respected privacy, mom rarely ventured up there.  So whenever I was sick, she made a bed for me on the living room couch.  Two things usually happened to make me as comfortable as possible.  First, dad turned the chimes off on the living room clock and stopped the two cuckoo clocks in the dining room.  Secondly, mom positioned this same ship clock near the couch and turned on the red bulbs as a night lights (never mind that outside our huge front windows was a street light on all night). 

There I lay throughout the night, sailing on dreams with a ship clock as my guide and comforter, ensuring me that when morning comes we’ll safely make it to port. 

By 1989 mom had decided to clean house and “willed” her clock collections to her children.  Steve got the clock that sat on the organ.  Tim was given the clock that chimed each hour.  David and Deanna each received cuckoo clocks.  Mom offered me the ship clock that had “run aground” so many years earlier. 

I remember having the clock in the little living room of the first house Cile and I occupied in Cookeville, Tennessee.  However, soon after, we moved to Memphis to begin my graduate training for ministry, and we stored much of our belongings in her mother’s attic, including the clock.  Three and a half years later, we moved to Greeneville, Tennessee; I left the clock at my mother-in-law’s attic and it remained there until my brother-in-law found it.  He liked it, brought it home and gave it a temporary fix.  He held on to it for about 10 years until he and his wife graciously offered it back to me last summer. 

When it was time to move to Sunshine Church, I packed it away and it took me a couple of weeks to locate the ship clock.  It has now come to safe harbor on a shelf in my office where I can see it just over my computer screen as a reminder, not of my childhood, but of my twenty years of preaching ministry. 

Ships are made for the high waters, and are intended to weather storms.  The G.T. Shed quote has merit, “The ship is safe in the harbor, but that’s not ships are built for.”  Ships were made for the ocean, but the ocean is filled with danger.  On one extreme, hurricanes and tidal waves can rip a ship apart.  On the other extreme, without wind propelling the ship, it leaves it adrift for days on end, forcing sailors to ration their supplies.  Underneath the ship, who knows what mutiny may emerge or what is living in the deep depths of the ocean.  So the ships that reach historic claims are usually the ones who thrive with Blue Skies and survive during the Rainstorms. 

The clock reminds me, like in 1 Samuel 7, that for the past twenty-plus years of my preaching ministry, God has brought me safely to this harbor, and is ready to send me out again.  During those twenty years of preaching, I’ve felt the thrill of high winds driving my sails while propelling me through the waters, like in a wedding when you feel good about the couple, or a sermon you know connected with the congregation, or receiving a note that attributes your ministry to guiding them on their spiritual journey.  But I’ve been through plenty of times when the winds have failed me and I feel adrift, and the best I can do is to lay anchor and wait while busy work replaces meaningful study, meditation, and prayer.  Then there are the storms.  Some are self-inflicted, like saying or doing something I shouldn’t have, and there’ve been plenty of those.  Other storms emerged because of personality clashes.  Still others emerged because the message of the gospel challenges power structures in place. 

So as I sit here and write this article, peering over my screen to the clock ship, I take comfort in knowing, whether in Blue Skies or Rainstorms, God will get me through any storm that comes my way, and deliver me safely to my final destination.  And by the way, he’ll do the same for you.                                         

Soli Deo Gloria!
(i.e. only God is glorified!)

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Confessions of an Over-Packer

When my boys were packing for Boy Scout camp, they had a list of everything they were supposed to include for the week.  The list made the packing easier as you could check off each item as you packed: uniform, toiletries, shirts, swimwear, compass, flashlight, etc.  No matter how well we followed the list, I always felt like they were leaving something behind when they walked out the door. 

When they attended the National Jamboree, the packing became a crucial element to the camping experience.  Everything they needed for two weeks had to be packed in the duffle bags provided by BSA.  With strict packing guidelines, we did everything humanly possible to accommodate BSA.  We stuffed and crammed two duffle bags full of everything a boy might need for two weeks, and it felt like the kitchen sink was included. 

At the time of writing this article, Cile and I are going through boxes and boxes of things we’ve accumulated over the last 28 years.  As much as we’ve tried to purge – either by giving stuff away or throwing it out – we, like so many others, failed. 

Simplifying our lives to traveling light is the best path to take, and the trend is heading that direction.  The digital era is helping lead the way as books, movies, music, and pictures take up far less space in a home than the physical volumes.  Houses are being built less than 1000 square feet. 

Two stories emerge where “traveling light” is key.  The first comes from the first Passover in Exodus 12:11.  The Israelites were to eat Passover with one hand on their staff, ready to exit the land.  When the moment came, they took what they could carry and hastily departed from Egypt (Ex. 12:33).  The second “traveling light” incident came when Jesus sent his disciples on a short-term mission trip (Mk. 6:7-13).  They were to take nothing with them, except a staff.  No money and no extra tunic.  They were to trust God with their needs, and rely on the generosity of others. 

While I have been on numerous campouts with my sons for Boy Scouts, I’ve never gone backpacking (my sons have).  Packing everything you need for a week on your back is freedom; letting go of all the things I think I need is the ball and chain weighing me down. 

We carry far more through this life than we need, and I’m not talking about suitcases and boxes but baggage.  I can think of two types of baggage we lug around on our journey.  The first is sin (Heb. 12:1).  A life of freedom is a life free of sin and sinful ways.  While many claim that sinful desires should be expressed and pursued, so much guilt and shame often come with expressing those desires, which translates into extra baggage.  For instance, someone makes us mad and we decide to unload on him/her.  We feel good for “getting it off our chest,” but then we realize how much damage we’ve caused, or how embarrassed we are by our actions.  Suddenly, the momentary feelings of freedom are replaced by long-term feelings of guilt.   We carry that baggage of guilt with us for a very long time. 

The second type of baggage is an unforgiving heart.  While Jesus commands us to forgive (Mt. 6:14-15), having a forgiving heart is a different matter.  One might say our ego stands in the way of forgiving; we want that person to suffer.  However, the only one suffering is the one refusing to forgive.  Having an unforgiving heart tends to lead to bitterness and anger, both become excess baggage on our journey. 

While I’m trying to unpack my boxes, I’m confessing that I’ve over packed for the move.  But more so, I need to confess that I’ve over packed for my spiritual journey.  I need to let go of some nagging sins, to forgive myself, and to forgive some people around me.  The result is a lighter load and easier journey.  And isn’t that what we want?                                                                                                   

Soli Deo Gloria!
(i.e. only God is glorified!)