43When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" 44The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.
Jesus said to them, "Take off the grave clothes and let him go."
Yesterday, a very dear friend reminded me of this story in Luke 11. He told me how many of us go through a death of some sort while we are still alive; we lose something, a child, a spouse, something truly important and the loss is like a death. As Jesus pulls us back into life from that death, as we begin to walk a little straighter, as our minds begin to untangle what happened and begins to focus on today, Jesus tells us to take the grave clothes off because we have come back from the dead.
I'm not doing an adequate job explaining it the way my friend did but it was a poignant moment in my day when we talked because it hit me again, in just the right way, that Jesus is waiting for me and is preparing my way so that I can remove the grave clothes and enter into a new life, a different life for sure but life. I don't forget the death or what was lost but I learn to life in a new way and I know Jesus is there.
As I reread the story, I remembered it included the shortest verse in the Bible, "Jesus wept." Right then, when I read those words, I knew they were for me. I know Jesus has cried for me. I know Jesus has hurt for me and has shed tears for me, and I know he's waiting on the other side of this walk, ready for me to take the grave clothes off and to begin to live again.
For me, it was a beautiful story delivered at just the right time. Even more, it was a beautiful story reminding me of who is right in front of me, waiting, arms open, ready to lead me into new paths and new life. I haven't stepped out far enough to meet Him yet but I know He is there. Praise God.
Grace and peace to you.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Monday, July 26, 2010
Rollercoasters
I've never been a big fan of rollercoasters but have ridden several and might ride more in the future if I can get my legs in the cart. Several years ago, I was riding the Shockwave at Six Flags. There isn't much legroom so my knees were jammed against the front wall with my feet dangling above the floor. As we went through the first upside-down loop, I got a cramp in my hamstring and because of the force couldn't do anything but scream. The girl sitting next to me starting saying, "don't be scared, it will be over soon." Fortunately, she was a stranger so I didn't have to hear stories of me screaming on the roller coaster but that is the one incident that makes me hesitant to willingly get on a roller coaster. Yet, that is where I find myself right now, on an emotional rollercoaster. Emotions come and go and I can't predict which one is next. I described it to a friend as riding a rollercoaster in the dark because I don't know if I'm about to go up or go down.
I can tell you that I'm no fan of this emotional ride. Maybe there is benefit in some of it but I'm tired and just want to "be" for awhile. As I'm learning, what I want isn't all that important to the rest of the physical or spiritual worlds. I rationalize my down times by reminding myself that I have close friends who have been in much worse situations than my own yet my situation is the worst one I have experienced. Thankfully, I can gain insight from them and from their experiences where our paths are parallel. The other fear is that I don't know how long this ride will last. At least on a real rollercoaster, you can see the end. Not so with the emotional ride.
Today, I will just do my best to put one foot in front of the other and trust in the Lord to make things right. He certainly is acting on my timetable so I will also ask him for an extra dose of patience while I learn to wait on him, to be still knowing that He will fight for me against the spiritual forces that want to tear me down. My fight is not against flesh and blood but the powers of darkness. In that realm, I nothing more than a 90 pound weakling but I have faith that God is mighty, that He can part the Red Seas and calm the storms of my life if I will simply wait on Him.
Grace and peace to you.
I can tell you that I'm no fan of this emotional ride. Maybe there is benefit in some of it but I'm tired and just want to "be" for awhile. As I'm learning, what I want isn't all that important to the rest of the physical or spiritual worlds. I rationalize my down times by reminding myself that I have close friends who have been in much worse situations than my own yet my situation is the worst one I have experienced. Thankfully, I can gain insight from them and from their experiences where our paths are parallel. The other fear is that I don't know how long this ride will last. At least on a real rollercoaster, you can see the end. Not so with the emotional ride.
Today, I will just do my best to put one foot in front of the other and trust in the Lord to make things right. He certainly is acting on my timetable so I will also ask him for an extra dose of patience while I learn to wait on him, to be still knowing that He will fight for me against the spiritual forces that want to tear me down. My fight is not against flesh and blood but the powers of darkness. In that realm, I nothing more than a 90 pound weakling but I have faith that God is mighty, that He can part the Red Seas and calm the storms of my life if I will simply wait on Him.
Grace and peace to you.
Friday, July 23, 2010
Petitions and Weekends
Several people have started a new petition for Decatur to be able to sell more alcohol. I'm not even sure what it's for but I think it's to allow liquor stores into the city. What a wonderful addition. I remember when the first election came up, it was all about being able to bring a big-name grocery store to town and extra tax dollars to fix our roads. How did that work out? We still have Wal-Mart and IGA and some very bumpy roads. My former yard did see an increase in the number of empty beer cans/bottles but that may have more to do with a changing demographic than alcohol sales themselves. Anyway, I just wish the people pushing these things would be honest and say it is simply for convenience, nothing more, nothing less. Do not misunderstand me, I'm not condemning the use of alcohol in a safe and responsible way, only the reasoning that is often employed to justify the decision.
The weekend is almost here and it is one I dread because of tasks that are before me. It will be a hard weekend and if you are in a praying mood, please pray for me to keep my head up and moving forward seeing what God has in front of me and for thanksgiving for the people who are helping me.
I stood in line for 2 hours last night with a friend waiting for his new iPhone. People will stand in line a long time for these things but don't want to spend more than an hour in church where they can find something much more valuable and useful for all eternity instead of something good until the next version comes out. What's wrong with us humans? The good part was that I was with a friend I love and respect and I didn't mind waiting it out and having a good time and good discussion over dinner.
God is love. I hope people will see God living in me this weekend and in the days to come.
Grace and peace to you.
The weekend is almost here and it is one I dread because of tasks that are before me. It will be a hard weekend and if you are in a praying mood, please pray for me to keep my head up and moving forward seeing what God has in front of me and for thanksgiving for the people who are helping me.
I stood in line for 2 hours last night with a friend waiting for his new iPhone. People will stand in line a long time for these things but don't want to spend more than an hour in church where they can find something much more valuable and useful for all eternity instead of something good until the next version comes out. What's wrong with us humans? The good part was that I was with a friend I love and respect and I didn't mind waiting it out and having a good time and good discussion over dinner.
God is love. I hope people will see God living in me this weekend and in the days to come.
Grace and peace to you.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
More Reading...Yeah!
It's been awhile since I could sit down and read a book. Too much going through my muddled mind but I finally finished one while on vacation and have started The Christian Atheist by Craig Groeschel. I got through Chapter 2 last night dealing with our shame. I didn't understand what shame did to us, how it worked in the deepest parts of who we are, until I started opening up and talking about it with some professional listeners. Shame is a tool of evil that is used to put us in our place, to remind us we are not worthy of God's love and that He can't really want a child like us, one who does bad things. Yet, the Bible is filled with stories of people who did shameful things and were reconciled with God. Peter may be one of my favorites. Jesus tells Peter that he will deny Jesus three times and Peter responds with (I'm paraphrasing a bit) "nope, not me, never." And then, guess what? Peter denies Jesus three times and then feels the grief of his actions. So what does Jesus do? He tells Peter to go and feed the flock, to proclaim the good news. Now, I would be inclined to go proclaim the good news quietly, still ashamed of my actions but Peter uses Pentecost for his pulpit. Do I think Peter still wishes he hadn't denied Jesus? You bet. Did Peter let his shame continue to hold him back? No.
I hope more and more Christians will learn to deal with their shame and guilt, to get it out and feel the forgiveness that God showers on us so that they may move forward with God and not be stuck in the past.
Grace and peace to you.
I hope more and more Christians will learn to deal with their shame and guilt, to get it out and feel the forgiveness that God showers on us so that they may move forward with God and not be stuck in the past.
Grace and peace to you.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
The Christian Atheist
I started a new book last night titled The Christian Atheist by Craig Groeschel. I'm into it after 1 chapter because it's something I think I have experienced and called my "Intellectual Christian" phase. Basically, Groeschel brings up the question of why we call ourselves Christian but often don't live like we are trying to follow Christ. Does going to church on Sunday but doing little, if anything, to teach and reach the lost during the week signify real discipleship? Does talking to God but never listening to God signify discipleship? Does reading His word (Bible) on Sunday and setting the book on the coffee table the rest of the week signify real discipleship? I'm looking forward to getting deeper into the book. I don't think it's going to impact me as much as The Shack or Crazy Love but I might more closely identify with it.
I love the Psalms. Groeschel mentions Psalm 63 in part of the 1st chapter.
1 O God, you are my God,
earnestly I seek you;
my soul thirsts for you,
my body longs for you,
in a dry and weary land
where there is no water.
2 I have seen you in the sanctuary
and beheld your power and your glory.
3 Because your love is better than life,
my lips will glorify you.
4 I will praise you as long as I live,
and in your name I will lift up my hands.
Some of these words are hard for me right now because I still feel somewhat disconnected from God yet the words resonate because I want to know God better - partially in hope that I will better understand what He has planned for me and might reveal why I have been through the season I have and, to a greater degree, to be closer to my Creator, my Savior, my LORD simply because He is who He is and loves me unconditionally for who I am.
Verse 3 stands out to me as I think about 2 dear friends. His love is better than life. Being in His presence is better than life. I continue to look forward to the day I can experience His love face to face and do not have to face the pain, the pitfalls and the evil of this world.
Grace and peace to you.
I love the Psalms. Groeschel mentions Psalm 63 in part of the 1st chapter.
1 O God, you are my God,
earnestly I seek you;
my soul thirsts for you,
my body longs for you,
in a dry and weary land
where there is no water.
2 I have seen you in the sanctuary
and beheld your power and your glory.
3 Because your love is better than life,
my lips will glorify you.
4 I will praise you as long as I live,
and in your name I will lift up my hands.
Some of these words are hard for me right now because I still feel somewhat disconnected from God yet the words resonate because I want to know God better - partially in hope that I will better understand what He has planned for me and might reveal why I have been through the season I have and, to a greater degree, to be closer to my Creator, my Savior, my LORD simply because He is who He is and loves me unconditionally for who I am.
Verse 3 stands out to me as I think about 2 dear friends. His love is better than life. Being in His presence is better than life. I continue to look forward to the day I can experience His love face to face and do not have to face the pain, the pitfalls and the evil of this world.
Grace and peace to you.
Monday, July 19, 2010
What's Up?
I've been away for a bit. I spent a week in Colorado with my kids and while the trip was hampered by some severely painful back issues, I cherished the time with them in the beautiful landscape that God created. I still think that God put South Fork, Colorado on earth so I would have a small glimpse of how wonderful Heaven will be.
While there, I finished a book co-authored by a good friend, David Terry, entitled The Original Sanctuary. I was struck by the idea that South Fork has been my original sanctuary, the place I felt I could go that was safe, where I could feel God's presence. My dream would be to spend a summer or own a house there. It might never happen but it is the place I always feel closest to God.
I continue to struggle with what God is doing in my life. A dear friend has reminded me of the saying "what doesn't kill us makes us stronger." I don't feel stronger but maybe, like working out, it takes time and perseverance to become stronger. I keep asking God where he is and what, if anything, he is doing in my life. I read David's words in the Psalms and can understand his questions so clearly. All the while I experience support and love from so many people and I know it comes from their heart and desire to by the hands and feet of God for me. Sometimes I can't help but think I need to spend more time exploring my belief that I would have made a great Israelite, someone who keeps seeing God do things and then turning around and wanting more from God done the way I want things done. He gives me manna while I try to demand prime rib.
Today, I am so very grateful for God's patience with me and His overwhelming forgiveness.
Grace and peace to you.
While there, I finished a book co-authored by a good friend, David Terry, entitled The Original Sanctuary. I was struck by the idea that South Fork has been my original sanctuary, the place I felt I could go that was safe, where I could feel God's presence. My dream would be to spend a summer or own a house there. It might never happen but it is the place I always feel closest to God.
I continue to struggle with what God is doing in my life. A dear friend has reminded me of the saying "what doesn't kill us makes us stronger." I don't feel stronger but maybe, like working out, it takes time and perseverance to become stronger. I keep asking God where he is and what, if anything, he is doing in my life. I read David's words in the Psalms and can understand his questions so clearly. All the while I experience support and love from so many people and I know it comes from their heart and desire to by the hands and feet of God for me. Sometimes I can't help but think I need to spend more time exploring my belief that I would have made a great Israelite, someone who keeps seeing God do things and then turning around and wanting more from God done the way I want things done. He gives me manna while I try to demand prime rib.
Today, I am so very grateful for God's patience with me and His overwhelming forgiveness.
Grace and peace to you.
Thursday, July 08, 2010
Great Days, Crazy Days
LeBron is going to South Beach. Aren't we all better off knowing that big piece of information? I don't know what to think about the big ESPN special for his announcement.
It might rain. I should be a meteorologist. And how can the Rangers lose to Baltimore?
Every good bit of news is followed by something negative lately. I don't get it. I wonder if it is a test and, if it is, wonder if it's a test from God or from the evil one.
My daughter has made the decision to be baptized. I am so proud of her and full of joy for her decision to put on Christ. I love the imagery of baptism I find in Romans 6:1-8 - 1What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
5If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. 6For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with,[a] that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.
8Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.
I grew up in an environment that taught baptism is essential to salvation. I read Romans 6 and come away believing that baptism is essential to be united with Christ, not something that gives us a reward but something that gives us a daily direction and challenge - to be like Christ because we have now been united with him through baptism.
I'm sure I don't do a good job describing how incredibly important I find the process of baptism to be in starting us on a journey with Jesus but I'm eternally thankful that I can be intimately united with him through baptism.
I'm off for another blogging holiday as I try to catch loads of trout over the next week. Yea!
Grace and peace to you.
It might rain. I should be a meteorologist. And how can the Rangers lose to Baltimore?
Every good bit of news is followed by something negative lately. I don't get it. I wonder if it is a test and, if it is, wonder if it's a test from God or from the evil one.
My daughter has made the decision to be baptized. I am so proud of her and full of joy for her decision to put on Christ. I love the imagery of baptism I find in Romans 6:1-8 - 1What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
5If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. 6For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with,[a] that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.
8Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.
I grew up in an environment that taught baptism is essential to salvation. I read Romans 6 and come away believing that baptism is essential to be united with Christ, not something that gives us a reward but something that gives us a daily direction and challenge - to be like Christ because we have now been united with him through baptism.
I'm sure I don't do a good job describing how incredibly important I find the process of baptism to be in starting us on a journey with Jesus but I'm eternally thankful that I can be intimately united with him through baptism.
I'm off for another blogging holiday as I try to catch loads of trout over the next week. Yea!
Grace and peace to you.
Monday, July 05, 2010
BOOM!
Last night was another fun night of making things go boom. I love the artillery shells.
I have noticed so many signs proclaiming "freedom is not free" leading up to the 4th and have contemplated on how true that statement rings. I know it is primarily intended to remind us of our fighting forces that protect this country but it relates the same to the fighting forces that are working to protect our hearts. Freedom comes from the cross and it was not free. Freedom comes from denying ourselves but it doesn't come easy. Freedom comes from confession but it is not without pain. Freedom is not free.
I look forward to the day when we can recall our troops from harms way while wondering if that day will ever come again. While I want to envision peace and prosperity for our nation and for the world, I can't help but look around and wonder if we have entered a time when fighting and the desire of nations won't only continue but will escalate.
I'm so thankful my life doesn't simply consist of what happens in this world. As much as I enjoy people and things that are here, I know that the true reward, the ultimate glory comes in a world after this one.
Baseball and more baseball this week while dodging the rain.
The Lord is my shepherd...
Grace and peace to you.
I have noticed so many signs proclaiming "freedom is not free" leading up to the 4th and have contemplated on how true that statement rings. I know it is primarily intended to remind us of our fighting forces that protect this country but it relates the same to the fighting forces that are working to protect our hearts. Freedom comes from the cross and it was not free. Freedom comes from denying ourselves but it doesn't come easy. Freedom comes from confession but it is not without pain. Freedom is not free.
I look forward to the day when we can recall our troops from harms way while wondering if that day will ever come again. While I want to envision peace and prosperity for our nation and for the world, I can't help but look around and wonder if we have entered a time when fighting and the desire of nations won't only continue but will escalate.
I'm so thankful my life doesn't simply consist of what happens in this world. As much as I enjoy people and things that are here, I know that the true reward, the ultimate glory comes in a world after this one.
Baseball and more baseball this week while dodging the rain.
The Lord is my shepherd...
Grace and peace to you.
Thursday, July 01, 2010
Living Scared
It's easy for me to live in fear, to live scared. Fear of the unknown and scared of what my imagination conjures up. When I'm living in fear, my mind is constantly engaged trying to figure the way out. There is no stillness, no peace.
Isaiah gives us this in chapter 43, verses 1-2:
But now, this is what the LORD says—
he who created you, O Jacob,
he who formed you, O Israel:
"Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are mine*.
When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.
*(emphasis mine)
If I can only remember that God is with me; with me through the waters and through the fire. God is with me.
Grace and peace to you.
Isaiah gives us this in chapter 43, verses 1-2:
But now, this is what the LORD says—
he who created you, O Jacob,
he who formed you, O Israel:
"Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are mine*.
When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.
*(emphasis mine)
If I can only remember that God is with me; with me through the waters and through the fire. God is with me.
Grace and peace to you.
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