Of Heroes and Monuments

We arrived in Washington DC later than planned (imagine that) and spent some time trying to figure out where to park and the best path to begin our historical journey. We began by visiting the National Archives where the “Documents of Freedom” are kept, made more popular by the movie “National Treasure” (which they were selling for $30). We then visited the Lincoln Memorial, the Reflection Pool, the World War II Memorial, the Washington Monument, the Jefferson Memorial, and the White House. It was extremely humbling to see the icons of our nation’s history…what these documents and monuments represent and the sacrifices of America’s forefathers. To think that each man, from Jefferson to John Adams and John Hancock to Lincoln to those brave men and women who served in the world wars, took a stand for what they believed was right and fought to establish and maintain our liberty, for generations to come, so that I could live in peace and freedom, is a very overwhelming and awe inspiring feeling. These monuments were erected and established so that we Americans, and the world, would never forget that they sacrificed everything, often their very lives, for each of us, who they have never known. It makes me choke up to think that these men and women loved their country, and me, so much that they gave up so much.

Do we feel the same way when we see and participate in memorials to the Savior of our souls? Many a cross has been erected in the memory of Jesus Christ. We see them every day, on top of church buildings, along the side of highways, even hanging around our necks. We partake of the Lord’s Supper every week, mostly out of habit and duty rather than reverence and humility. We have a copies of the Bible, our spiritual forefathers' historical records, lying all over our houses, but rarely pick it up to read the words that tell us how we gained our freedom from sin and the oppression of Satan. Yet we often fail to stop to reflect on what these monuments represent. The sacrifice of our own Creator to buy us back out of the bondage and slavery of sin. The spiritual war in which Jesus fought and died so that we could enjoy the freedom of being born into God’s family. We wear crosses as ornaments and jewelry and as symbols of love and peace, and forget that crosses were instruments of death.

Let us remember, DAILY, with reverence and awe, that Jesus gave up everything to secure our freedom and our liberty. Let’s pick up our “declaration of dependence” and read of sacrifice, love, honor, obedience, and grace. And most of all, let us approach the throne of God with humility and gratefulness for our hero, our Brother, the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

When Men were Men

Day 2 of our trip to the northeast started out in Louisville, Kentucky. We drove about an hour from our motel near Jasper, Indiana, to attend the Midwest Church of Christ. Some of the friendliest folks you would ever care to meet and a congregation filled with the Spirit and certainly not afraid to let the preacher know that they agreed with what he preached. From there, we went downtown to the Louisville Slugger factory, where they make bats for the major leaguers. At the factory/museum, they had a display showing some of the bats used by former big leaguers and current hall-of-famers. What struck me is that the bats of legends like Honus Wagner, Ty Cobb, Ted Williams, and Babe Ruth were considerably heavier than the ones used by players today. Ted Williams, the greatest hitter in the history of baseball, swung a 42 ounce bat. The last bat ordered by Babe Ruth weighed 52 ounces! It took “real men” to swing that kind of lumber.

David of the Old Testament hung out with a different kind of “real men”. 2 Samuel 23 finds David and his army encamped in a stronghold in a cave in the Valley of Rephaim. Verses 8-17, tells us a story of David's mighty men: Josheb-Basshebeth, a Tahkemonite, who slew 800 Philistines, Eleazar son of Dodai and Shammah son of Agee, who both took on the Philistine Army single handedly. But their physical strength and prowess are not what made them mighty men. David longed for a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem. “So the three mighty men broke through the Philistine lines, drew water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem and carried it back to David.” (Verse 16).

Wow! What an act of sevanthood! Because of their love for David, and their dedication to the Lord, they did the unthinkable. They left the safety and security of their stronghold and fought their way through the garrisons of the Philistine army, all to bring their leader a cool drink of water. Not because David commanded it (or even dropped some really big hints), but simply because he longed for it.

Maybe it is not the strength of a person’s arms or back, or their skill with weapons or tools, or their stamina, or knowledge, or wisdom, or desire, that make them mighty in God’s eyes. It is the size of their heart, and the strength of their love, and the depth of their devotion, and their willingness to sacrifice themselves for needs of others that God holds in high esteem.

Lord, help me to become the mighty man that you long for me to be.

No Room at the Inn

We took off Saturday for a family vacation to the northeast - Washington DC, New York, and other places of interest. Heather had “planned” for us to leave around 4:00 a.m., but we got off a bit later than expected. We hit the 4:00 part about right, but it was p.m. instead. Usually when we take trips we tend to stress about leaving and making good time, but this trip we decided to relax and not be in any particular hurry. Still there is a certain amount of stress trying to be sure the kids have packed the right stuff (well, stress for Heather anyway since I usually don’t have a clue and it falls to her)…as well as being sure I have the right stuff too. After all, if it were up to me, I would just throw whatever in the suitcase and probably end up embarrassing the family, and coming up short a few sets of clean clothes. Since this is the longest, and the first driving, family vacation we have ever taken, images of the Griswalds have haunted my dreams…both night and day.

There is also a matter of packing food for the trip, being sure the mail is stopped, the water is shut off, the cats are cared for, the insurance is paid, withdrawing some cash to carry, and the ever popular loading of the car (Hey! At least that is the one thing I know how to do!) There is also a matter of being sure there is someone to teach my Sunday morning class, be in charge of worship service, and plan the Sunday Night Praise service. Just thinking about these things is exhausting enough.

After a quick stop in Lawrence to dine with our good friends, we headed out for St. Louis to see the Arch (and of course the home of the 2004 NL Champion Cardinals), and then on toward Louisville. About 1:00 a.m., we began looking for a hotel room in Evansville, Indiana, apparently home to the famous annual “Freedom Festival”, because there was literally no room at the inn - any inn! After a stop at about 10 hotels, we discovered that all the hotels were booked to the brim. We had to drive another hour to find an available room.

Now I can imagine how Mary and Joseph must have felt. The strain and stress of getting ready to go to Bethlehem must have been tremendous. Granted they didn’t yet have children to pack, but Mary being pregnant must have been a whole other challenge. They would have had to pack extra clothes for Mary, just in case; clothes, and possibly some toys, for the baby, just in case (what toys do you pack for God to play with?); enough food for the journey, and maybe a few extra pickles. (Maybe Joseph would have wanted to call ahead to see where the local hospital was, and what doctors were on call.) What a bother…especially for a trip that was mandatory, not a vacation! And then to get there only to find that there were no available rooms. Adding to the stress and pain of labor, they must have gone all over the city looking for anyone who would leave the light on for them. Finding no Comfort Inn, Motel 6, Best Western, or Red Roof Inn, they settled for the only accommodations offered, a smelly stable with noisy animals and the most unsanitary conditions.

Yet, amidst such tension, chaos, and uncertainty, the Prince of Peace came into the world to restore order and salvation and light to a darkened world.

I guess family trips CAN turn out OK after all!

We’ll Leave the Light On For You

We all recognize this slogan from the Motel 6 commercials. Tom Bodett, and his down-home, charming accent, beckons us to stop in to a local Motel 6 for a comfortable room at discount prices. His invitations are effectively appealing…so much so that it almost makes you want to check in just to try it out, even without taking a vacation. The slogan itself lets you know that the folks are friendly and that you are wanted, no matter who you are. As we ready ourselves for a family vacation, we are trying to budget our funds to maximize our activities. This includes seeking out budget hotel rooms. My first thoughts go directly to Motel 6, where the “light” is always on.

As I began to wonder about lighted hotels along our vacation route, I also began to wonder, “Is my light always on?” Jesus tells us that we are the light of the world. Matthew 5:14. A light burning for all to see and piercing the darkness that surrounds us. Yet, we are not the Light, but we are simply the container for the Light, and are charged not to hide the Light. 2 Corinthians 4:4. We are to reflect the Light so that those around can see the true Light – Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 3:18: John 8:12. This is not always the easiest thing to do. We come up with so many reasons to hide the Light: “I don’t want to scare my friends away”; “I don’t want to offend anyone”; “Their heart is so hard they won’t see the Light anyway”; “I don’t want to others to think I have a ‘better than thou’ attitude”; “I might be rejected”; “What if they ask questions I can’t answer?”

Sound familiar? Boy they sure do to me! I have used more than one of these on more than one occasion. Yet, Jesus still charges us to shine our Light before men.

Maybe we need to adopt the Motel 6 slogan. After all, Jesus gave us His light – how can we not share that Light with others? As we travel along the highways and backroads of life, let’s be sure we leave the Light on.

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. 1 John 1:7

I DO!

Two of the most simple, yet most powerful and important words in the English language. Saturday afternoon, we witnessed a beautiful wedding between two very beautiful (and very tall) young people. The wedding went off without a hitch…except for the getting hitched part. It took place in the high school library, a beautifully ornate room with a fireplace. The guys looked great in their tuxes, the gals looked gorgeous in their gowns. The singers were professional and moving – Josh has one of the greatest tenor voices. The only drawback was that the sound system was a bit difficult to hear. I couldn’t understand all of the vows, which were taken from 1 Corinthians 13 (I especially liked the part about promising not to be “irritable”); however, there was no doubt when the couple said “I Do!”

No other words convey such meaning or represent so much. They speak of commitment, devotion, longevity, humility, servanthood, and selflessness. Two words which represent submission of our will and our wants to another. Two words which are embodied by the very nature of Jesus Christ. We, the Church, are the Bride of Christ. Ephesians 5:25-32. Jesus gave up everything for us. Philippians 2 tells us that Jesus left Heaven and all its glory and perks to become a servant to save the world from the dark emptiness that is separation from our Creator. Jesus put us first. He considered us as more important than Himself. He put our need for love, acceptance and salvation above His needs. He allowed God to turn His back on His only Son, so that we could become His family. Romans 8:15-17. He took the punishment for us, ultimately becoming sin on the cross so that we could be rid of our sin and be made white as snow. 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Corinthians 6:11.

Jesus took the very nature of a servant – and it cost Him His life. Mark 10:45.

So, if I could leave any advice for the newlyweds – be committed to each other with a love for only each other. Be a servant to one another, ALWAYS putting the needs of your spouse - your love - above yourself. Be devoted to sharing a life in Christ together. Love one another with a sacrificial love, like Christ loved His bride.

This is the secret to a long, healthy, loving marriage that will last a lifetime. God Bless your marriage and you!

Trash Day

Mondays are trash days at our house. I am somewhat ambivalent about trash day. In the first place, it is something of a bother to take out the trash. I have troubles waking up and getting up in the mornings and so I am often running late. After I go through my usual, regular, predictable routine, I then have to go through every room in our house and collect the dirty, stinky garbage – and there is often no telling what I might find in some of the trash cans. Sometimes I feel like I need to rewash after emptying the trash cans. This also puts me further behind of schedule and I leave for work a bit later than usual. (I know, I know…”get up earlier”. But sleep is such a wonderful thing!) This morning, I was running later than usual, so I had to ask my son to help take out what I missed. And no matter how often I take out the trash, it always seems to accumulate more. But each Monday, without fail, the trash man comes to my house to haul away the dirty, filthy, rotting garbage. And it feels so good to rid our house, and our lives of such filth and clutter.

Kind of like the sin in our lives. It is sometimes such a bother to empty our “sin baskets”. It can be downright inconvenient, disrupt our “routine”, and sometimes we need help to get rid of it. Sometimes, there are sins we really don’t want to get rid of or let go of, and so our lives become more and more cluttered and the sin begins to rot our conscience and our souls. God gives us the help we need and places people in our lives who are willing and able to roll up their sleeves and help us gather the trash in our lives and carry it out to the curb. And it doesn’t matter who we are, or where we come from, or who we know, we all have sin that continues to accumulate. (Romans 3:23). But, I am grateful that God sent his one and only Son to take my sin upon his shoulders, and that, even now, God, without fail, is faithful to continually haul away the filth and garbage that darkens my soul. (1 John 1:7).

Thank you God for your patience. Thank you for second chances.

What a great and loving Father!

Do People Really Think That?

As we were waiting for court to begin, another attorney I work with and I were having a conversation between hearings. He is a very religious man, very active in his church and plays the organ/piano for every service. We often share ideas about God, prayer, and worship, and have discussions about the political impact of true Christianity in our world. We don’t always agree, but I find our discussions enlightening and challenging, as I have to re-confirm my faith and my Biblical basis on certain issues. Today he was reading a book on restoration and the conversation turned to legalism and doctrine.

I made the comment that I have encountered some Church of Christ members who, in essence, believe that certain brotherhood writers and preachers are heretics because they do not necessarily believe that members of the “Church of Christ” congregations are the only ones going to heaven. His jaw dropped and he asked, “Does the Church of Christ really believe that?” I quickly explained that only some of the members (collectively, not necessarily in Topeka) may believe that, but that ALL denominations have some members who believe that is true about their particular church. They are convinced that their interpretation of the Bible is the only one possible and that if someone does not believe exactly like they do, they couldn’t possibly enter the pearly gates. Again I emphasize that ALL churches have some who think that way – including the Churches of Christ!

I went on to explain that this is not what Jesus taught. Jesus told his followers that “[W]hoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother." Matthew 12:50. Jesus did not differentiate between those who may call themselves “Baptists” or “Methodists” or “Catholics” or “Evangelicals” or “Protestants”. He was simply talking about Christians! Jesus was very clear that “whoever” believes in him has eternal life. John 3:16-21. The Gospel of John specifically uses the word “whoever” 20 times throughout the book. Don’t get me wrong, the Scriptures also require baptism (Acts 2:38; Romans 6:3-4), but God’s grace and salvation is open to anyone who chooses to take up his cross daily, and follow Christ (Luke 9:23) and thereafter walk in His footsteps (1 John 1:7).

I, for one, am grateful that God has shed His grace on me. I thank God daily that He made salvation plain, simple, and free – and open to everyone and completely devoid of legalism.

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6.

Live from Kansas City

I never have gotten it...why people go to concerts. Not their kids’ band or orchestra or choir concerts, but concerts of popular or famous musicians. They usually pay through the nose for tickets and often have to travel quite a distance to see their favorite band/artist. I never understood why someone would want to pay $50 or $150 or even $300 to listen to the same music they could buy on a CD for about $15…and they can listen to a CD anytime they want – forever! People keep telling me that it is not just the music: it’s the atmosphere. Granted, I have only been to a couple of live concerts (mainly because Heather wanted to go), but my idea of a concert is a dark hall where you can’t hear the words over the music, which is turned up so loud you can’t even hear yourself think. I believe that live concerts are the brainchild of the hearing aid companies, because when you leave, you can’t hear anything for several hours and you probably have permanent damage. Yeah, you might get to see some pretty lights or lasers and maybe even some smoke fill the stage, but isn’t it the music that counts?

Well, I have found that that is just not the case with Christian concerts. Today, we went to “Christian Family Day at the K”. This was the first of what I hope is an annual event at the Kansas City Royals game where you get to go and experience America’s pastime (have I mentioned before that baseball is the greatest game on earth?) and then stay after for a concert featuring a contemporary Christian singer. First of all, I noted a couple of “different” things: 1) Singing our national anthem with Josh, Heather, and Lavon all harmonizing will send shivers up your spine! and 2) the beer vendor being a bit frustrated because he wasn’t selling near as much as normal was a little humorous and satisfying. After a great game, the crowd of 19,000 thinned out to about 4,000 and we got to hear how important Jesus Christ is in the lives of several of the players and we got to see/hear Chris Tomlin perform.

To say that I now agree that it is not the music, but the atmosphere, is not exactly accurate. Chris Tomlin and his guys did a fantastic job singing familiar songs that uplift and encourage me every day when I hear them on the radio; but I can buy a CD to hear the music. It was the sight and experience of 4,000 men, women and children lifting their voices, hearts, and souls (and sometimes even their hands) to The One True God of the universe in praise and worship that truly humbled my heart and soul. Sitting in an open-air stadium, seeing the splendor of nature and observing the beautiful fountains in center field and looking on the faces of God's children in the crowd, truly made me aware of the presence of God.

I can’t wait to hear the heavenly hosts singing "Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come." Rev 4:8. I bet they sing in harmony.

What a way to worship!!

Planting the Seed

Then he told them many things in parables, saying: "A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop-a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. Matthew 13:3-8

Joan of Arcadia was one of my favorite TV shows. You have to get past some of the obvious faults of the show – like a multi-“religion” God, and the somewhat sarcastic dialogue – but some of the conversations between Joan and God are extremely insightful and thought provoking. The best thing about the show is that when God asks Joan to do something, we see the results, often far reaching, by the end of the show. Things don’t always (almost never) work out that fast for us, but seeing it on TV opens our minds to the possible outcomes and influences we may have when we do what God asks.

The first season (I encourage you to go out and buy it now on DVD) episode called “Double Dutch” opens with God asking Joan to learn how to jump rope. In her obedience to God, she joins some underprivileged girls jumping rope in the alley. She eventually befriends one of the girls, Casper, who lives in a homeless shelter and has no family nearby. Throughout the show Joan tries desperately to help Casper, which only backfires in the end, and Casper runs out to avoid being caught. When Joan goes back to the alley to find Casper, she learns that Casper has left town to find her father. Joan then runs into God and the following conversation takes place:

Joan - I wanted to help her, I wanted to get her a place, get her dad a job.
God - You can't fix everything, Joan.
Joan - She's my friend. I want to know what's gonna happen to her.
God - I know you do. But sometimes it's enough to plant the seed, walk away, and let the flower grow on its own.

Makes you wonder how we plant the seed every day. It is hard to think that some will reject the seed outright. At work, I like to play Christian music in my office. It keeps me focused on what is important. And I try to be the nicest, most understanding, most encouraging and most helpful person in the office. There is no way anyone could dislike me. However, a couple of weeks ago, I had a “formal complaint” filed with my supervisor that my music was too loud and I sometimes used the speakerphone, and this disturbed a certain employee. My supervisor did not take it seriously, but asked that I be more aware. A few days later I walked in on a conversation between a couple of assistants. Silence fell over the room and one woman walked out. The other, a good friend of mine, let me know that the other woman doesn’t like me. She said the other woman doesn’t like my Christian music. Now it all made sense.

I am not angry with the co-worker who filed the complaint. Instead, I am saddened that this woman would be so afraid of God’s love and God’s message that she would try to eliminate it entirely from her world. I will pray for that young woman, that God would soften her heart and that she would find her way to the cross and God’s grace. I realize that I cannot reach everyone – whether by word or example - and that some just have hard or rocky soil where their hearts should be. John warns us that the world will hate us. (1 John 3:13) I also realize that it is not my job to “reach” or to “save” people. Peter tells us that we should always be prepared to give an answer for our hope, with gentleness and respect and a clear conscience. (1 Peter 3:15-16) God has called me to continually plant the seed, which may take root and be watered by others so that God may have the increase. (1 Corinthians 3:6).

In the end, I must follow the example of Christ, who made it a habit not to give up on people.

“Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” (Hebrews 12:3)