This morning I was prayer walking around our church building, and I couldn't help but notice the landscaping. Someone has planted some really lovely annuals along the front path into the building, and they look really nice. There are some huge hostas (perhaps it's time to thin them and share them with people?), and this Spring there was a great group who came in and weeded (they hauled away truckloads - literally truckloads - of weeds).
But as I walked around this morning, I noticed more weeds... some of them were pretty large and others were hiding (like the poison ivy under the hostas). It made me think...
Jesus tells a parable about the weeds and the crops, and the result was that the weeds were left in with the wheat.
There aren't just weeds in the landscaping; there are weeds in the church, too. Sometimes Christians get a bad reputation because some people have been in church all their lives, yet they are weeds. One weed I pulled out of the flower bed was really tall and actually had flowered; it reminded me that some people are really busy doing churchy stuff, but their hearts haven't been transformed by Jesus Christ.
The parable ends with the weeds being thrown into the fire, which is pretty scary and final, but the next parable is about transformation: a mustard plant transformed into a tree...
Which brings up one of the wildest parts of being in the church: even weeds can be transformed.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Friday, July 23, 2010
Lonely
I've written several times about loneliness, and I've come to a conclusion. We seek out relationships because we're built for them. God made humanity in God's image - which is always a Triune image, not simply a singular image. We were meant for relationship.
Our human relationships fall short of the relationships we were meant for - when Adam and Eve were "naked and unashamed," it was because there was no sin to come between them. But with sin coming between us, all our relationships are screwed up to one extent. Especially our relationship with God.
This is where I believe loneliness comes in. It's a reminder that we were made for more than this. It's a natural longing for heaven and for the relationship we will have one day.
Our human relationships fall short of the relationships we were meant for - when Adam and Eve were "naked and unashamed," it was because there was no sin to come between them. But with sin coming between us, all our relationships are screwed up to one extent. Especially our relationship with God.
This is where I believe loneliness comes in. It's a reminder that we were made for more than this. It's a natural longing for heaven and for the relationship we will have one day.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
I Love it When...
I have read a lot about perceptions people have of Christians - especially in the realm of evangelism (sharing our faith) - and some of the unpleasant things that people think of us.
But yesterday something happened to remind me how awesome some Christian people are.
But first a little background. In case you don't know, we are right now parents of four little boys, age 6, (almost) 4, 3 1/2, and 1 1/2. Two are foster sons who have only been in our home for a couple of weeks now.
Also, Tara (my wife) plays with the Lancaster Festival Orchestra this time of year, and last night was the opening rehearsal and welcome picnic (which was being held indoors because the weather looked threatening). I met Tara there with the boys (who were hungry and irritable) and we went in and washed up and put our stuff at a table so we could get in line for the food. When we finally got through the line (each of us "helping" prepare 2 little boys' plates as well as our own), we went to "our" table, only to find a couple sitting there. "No problem - but they're going to have to deal with little boys," I thought. Only they rudely shooed us away, telling us *they* had reserved that table. They were two of the rudest, compassionless jerks I've encountered.
So we're looking for somewhere to sit, seeing that all of the tables are at least partially occupied (without space for 6), we saw her across the room. There was a woman with coppery short hair, motioning to us that there was room at her table. She and her husband had plenty of room for us.
As we sat down and talked to them, we found out that he is the "new" pastor of the Lancaster First UMC (he's been there a year). Fellow Christians.
We weren't surprised. Especially by the hospitality they showed to the family who needed somewhere to sit. I love it when Christians live out (our) convictions!
But yesterday something happened to remind me how awesome some Christian people are.
But first a little background. In case you don't know, we are right now parents of four little boys, age 6, (almost) 4, 3 1/2, and 1 1/2. Two are foster sons who have only been in our home for a couple of weeks now.
Also, Tara (my wife) plays with the Lancaster Festival Orchestra this time of year, and last night was the opening rehearsal and welcome picnic (which was being held indoors because the weather looked threatening). I met Tara there with the boys (who were hungry and irritable) and we went in and washed up and put our stuff at a table so we could get in line for the food. When we finally got through the line (each of us "helping" prepare 2 little boys' plates as well as our own), we went to "our" table, only to find a couple sitting there. "No problem - but they're going to have to deal with little boys," I thought. Only they rudely shooed us away, telling us *they* had reserved that table. They were two of the rudest, compassionless jerks I've encountered.
So we're looking for somewhere to sit, seeing that all of the tables are at least partially occupied (without space for 6), we saw her across the room. There was a woman with coppery short hair, motioning to us that there was room at her table. She and her husband had plenty of room for us.
As we sat down and talked to them, we found out that he is the "new" pastor of the Lancaster First UMC (he's been there a year). Fellow Christians.
We weren't surprised. Especially by the hospitality they showed to the family who needed somewhere to sit. I love it when Christians live out (our) convictions!
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Runnnig Mechanics
I've never thought much about the way I run - not since my cross country coach complimented me for how straight I ran. But as I've been running and reading more about running, I've begun thinking about running mechanics.
I'm thinking about it because I want to be a more efficient runner. I don't want to waste energy or to risk injury because of the mechanics of running.
Yesterday I realized I'm a pretty solid heel-striker. I probably could have guessed that because of the heel wear on my shoes (the back outside of the heels is always the first place to show wear). But yesterday, I was taking the baby for a walk, and I didn't bother to put on shoes; we just went. So I'm pushing the stroller, barefooting it, and I realize I heel strike. I've been reading some of the arguments about heel vs. midfoot striking, and I don't think there's a "right" answer. Just observations.
But it's made me think about the mechanics of my running and it's made me wonder: how does one even go about changing one's mechanics?
I'm thinking about it because I want to be a more efficient runner. I don't want to waste energy or to risk injury because of the mechanics of running.
Yesterday I realized I'm a pretty solid heel-striker. I probably could have guessed that because of the heel wear on my shoes (the back outside of the heels is always the first place to show wear). But yesterday, I was taking the baby for a walk, and I didn't bother to put on shoes; we just went. So I'm pushing the stroller, barefooting it, and I realize I heel strike. I've been reading some of the arguments about heel vs. midfoot striking, and I don't think there's a "right" answer. Just observations.
But it's made me think about the mechanics of my running and it's made me wonder: how does one even go about changing one's mechanics?
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
When the Holy Spirit Shows Up
I love it when the Holy Spirit shows up in worship. Just this week, He showed up in a really special and unique way, and He "invited" me to ditch the sermon I'd planned and go in a different direction. It was exciting and made me think a lot.
One enticing thought was "wouldn't it be great to do this all the time?" Meaning - if the Holy Spirit wants to speak spontaneously through me, couldn't I spend my time during the week differently? Think of all the time I usually spend studying and writing a sermon that could be freed up to do other things!
But I don't believe for a minute that the Holy Spirit plans to work like that all the time. In fact, the Holy Spirit most often "shows up" through the study time and reflection time and prayer time that I regularly put into the week's sermon.
There are times when people have mentioned to me, "You must have been in our house this week, because you spoke exactly to the situation that's been going on." - whenever that happens, it's because the Holy Spirit has directed me to write that part of the sermon directly to you. (as an aside, every time I've written a point in a sermon directly to one person, that person just never seems to show up that Sunday - or that person shows up and has no idea that I'm talking to them. And that's a good thing, because when I do that, it's by *my own* authority, and really, I don't have any authority on my own; it's God's authority, and I'd prefer to let Him speak)
There are some people who believe that He only shows up spontaneously, but how limiting is that to GOD? Seriously, do you believe God can speak through me on Sunday morning if I throw out my manuscript, but you don't believe He will speak through me if I'm spending my time in prayer, Bible study, and reflection? That's awfully limiting of the God of the Universe!
And our God is not a God of chaos, but a God of order. That's why I take as long as I do preparing a sermon.
One enticing thought was "wouldn't it be great to do this all the time?" Meaning - if the Holy Spirit wants to speak spontaneously through me, couldn't I spend my time during the week differently? Think of all the time I usually spend studying and writing a sermon that could be freed up to do other things!
But I don't believe for a minute that the Holy Spirit plans to work like that all the time. In fact, the Holy Spirit most often "shows up" through the study time and reflection time and prayer time that I regularly put into the week's sermon.
There are times when people have mentioned to me, "You must have been in our house this week, because you spoke exactly to the situation that's been going on." - whenever that happens, it's because the Holy Spirit has directed me to write that part of the sermon directly to you. (as an aside, every time I've written a point in a sermon directly to one person, that person just never seems to show up that Sunday - or that person shows up and has no idea that I'm talking to them. And that's a good thing, because when I do that, it's by *my own* authority, and really, I don't have any authority on my own; it's God's authority, and I'd prefer to let Him speak)
There are some people who believe that He only shows up spontaneously, but how limiting is that to GOD? Seriously, do you believe God can speak through me on Sunday morning if I throw out my manuscript, but you don't believe He will speak through me if I'm spending my time in prayer, Bible study, and reflection? That's awfully limiting of the God of the Universe!
And our God is not a God of chaos, but a God of order. That's why I take as long as I do preparing a sermon.
Monday, July 12, 2010
And Now For Something Completely Different
I am a manuscript preacher. For a while I flirted with preaching without a manuscript, but that was simply being a memorized manuscript preacher; I wrote my manuscript, compressed it to notes, and put it to memory. As I have been using PowerPoint to go along with my message, I have stuck to the manuscript (mostly to avoid the "go to the next slide" distraction - I have key phrases highlighted so the tech guys know when to do so without me having to tell them to).
So this Sunday I had already preached my prepared sermon once and was ready to preach it again, but something in my spirit told me that it wasn't the right time to preach it for the second service. So I prayed, "God, if you want me to preach something else, you're going to have to give it to me."
People were praying at the altar and the praise band was leading us in singing, "Praise the Lord, O my soul, praise the Lord" and I opened the pew Bible, figuring I'd start looking for whatever it was that God caught my eye with.
I opened to Psalm 146: Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord, O my soul. I will praise the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live."
If that wasn't a "sign" I don't know what is. So instead of preaching about evangelism and telling the stories that worked well in the first service, I preached straight through Psalm 146.
Though I have decided while writing a sermon that I've written the wrong one (including doing so on Saturday), I have never ditched my sermon on the spot.
And I did something I never recommend; I simply opened my Bible and went with the exact passage I opened to. Usually I get something like "Then he gave an order: 'Cut the living child in two and give half to one and half to the other.'" (1 Kings 3:25) But in this instance, I really felt God leading me to this particular verse for this particular time.
So this Sunday I had already preached my prepared sermon once and was ready to preach it again, but something in my spirit told me that it wasn't the right time to preach it for the second service. So I prayed, "God, if you want me to preach something else, you're going to have to give it to me."
People were praying at the altar and the praise band was leading us in singing, "Praise the Lord, O my soul, praise the Lord" and I opened the pew Bible, figuring I'd start looking for whatever it was that God caught my eye with.
I opened to Psalm 146: Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord, O my soul. I will praise the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live."
If that wasn't a "sign" I don't know what is. So instead of preaching about evangelism and telling the stories that worked well in the first service, I preached straight through Psalm 146.
Though I have decided while writing a sermon that I've written the wrong one (including doing so on Saturday), I have never ditched my sermon on the spot.
And I did something I never recommend; I simply opened my Bible and went with the exact passage I opened to. Usually I get something like "Then he gave an order: 'Cut the living child in two and give half to one and half to the other.'" (1 Kings 3:25) But in this instance, I really felt God leading me to this particular verse for this particular time.
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