The Greatest Gift...

You are not here by accident.

God loves you, and He wants you to get to know Him better.  Why?  Because He knows that only by following Him will we be able to live an abundant, significant, and wonderful life full of hope, peace, joy, and love.  What is more, He wants desperately for you to know Him so that you can literally gain eternal life.

    But, there’s a problem.  The Bible calls it “sin.”  It’s anything that we do that goes against God - the “white” lie, the unkind word,  the greedy spirit.  Sin doesn’t have to seem huge to still have huge consequences.  In fact, the Bible says that any sin at all deserves the punishment of death (Romans  6:23).  

    Yet, there’s good news.  “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).  You see, the greatest news on the planet is this:

Jesus Christ died in our place so that we might have life - abundant and eternal. 

There’s nothing we can possibly do to earn this incredible gift.  But - we must receive it.  We must believe that Jesus is who He said He was - God’s Son.  We must recognize the seriousness of our sin, and ask God to forgive us.  And, we must begin exploring what it means to live the abundant, hope/peace/joy/love-filled life that He gives. 

     Being a follower of Jesus Christ is not about avoiding a list of “Thou Shalt Not’s.”  It’s about knowing that Jesus’ sacrifice purchased a way for us to know God personally - to know the Creator of the Universe so well that we get to call Him “Father.”   

     Think about it this way:  who is the most amazing person you know?  Don’t you just love being around them simply because they are smart/funny/talented/etc.?  Well - imagine that on an infinite scale.  God, who is the definition of smart/funny/talented/etc., wants you to be close to Him.

      You are not here by accident.  God has a plan and purpose for you - and the first step is to get to know Him.  Want to know more? Stop by Lakeview this Sunday.  We’d love to help.   

Peas and Lollipops

      In our cabinet, down next to a leftover bag of Easter candy, lies candy nirvana.  It’s the sweet-tooth mother-load, the tooth decay treasure of treasures.  It’s a small bag of lollipops, complete with all the most delicious flavors like red, blue, and… purple!  No culinary masterpiece can compare to the sticky, colorful sweetness of those lollipops – if you’re three.

     Our daughter Micah will ignore cookies, scoff at brownies, and turn her nose up at cake, all if there’s a remote chance that a lollipop might be obtained.  Obviously, her mother and I have taken advantage of this as a means of encouraging the intake of more nutritional foods.  (No, it’s not bribery, it’s, uh… selective rewarding.)  Usually, the promise of a lollipop is enough for Micah to stomach less appealing foods.  Yet occasionally she encounters the only four-letter-word in her vocabulary: peas.  Actually, it doesn’t have to be peas.  Sometimes it’s macaroni and cheese (which she usually loves).  But there are times when even the reward of a lollipop fails to motivate her to do what’s beneficial to her.

    As we mature, our lollipop/peas struggle morphs into more complex issues.  For me, one prime example is exercise.  I know that running is good for my overall health, but I still secretly hope to discover a little known verse of scripture that reads, “cursed are the legs that run, for they shall never know peace.”  Or perhaps one that says, “I tell you the truth, anyone who runs in his mind has already run in his heart.”  Yet despite my disdain, I force myself to regularly get up before God intended, put on my running shoes, and go trudging through the early morning mist with my horse-sized dog in tow.   Ultimately, I have learned that the best rewards (i.e. being in relatively good shape) often require enduring that which is difficult and unpleasant. 

     Regardless of our age, this issue of delayed gratification is one of the toughest lessons we have to learn.  I recently read an article that mentioned a behavioral study conducted by Dr. Walter Mischel of Columbia University.  In the study, which has been ongoing since 1968, four-year-olds were left in a room alone with a bell and two marshmallows.  The kids were given a choice: if they rang the bell, the professor would come in and give them one marshmallow.  However, if they were able to wait until the professor came back on his own (after 20 minutes), then the kids got both marshmallows.  Most interestingly, Dr. Mischel has followed the preschoolers into adulthood.  On average, those that were able to wait made better grades, went to better colleges, and became more adept at coping with frustration and stress.  Those that gave in and rang the bell early were more likely to be bullies and to develop addictive behaviors as adults (often with drugs).  As remarkable as these findings are, what took Dr. Mischel 30 years to discover, God’s word has been proclaiming for ages:

No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful.  Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

Hebrews 12:11

     Most often, we think of discipline, even God’s discipline, as a response to wrongdoing and as a means for correcting bad behavior.  Yet the primary meaning has to do with training, not correction.  Training implies self-discipline.  Whether we’re learning to eat our peas, striving to get into better shape, or looking to increase our ability at a new skill, the practice and training may be tough and unpleasant, but the reward is worth the effort.

     I believe that most of us understand this concept as it relates to worldly things.  Yet far too many of us fail to apply this discipline to our spiritual lives.  We are content with mediocre, weekend-only “faith” that focuses more on religious culture than on life-changing obedience.  We’ve added a little bit of God to our lives, and that suits us just fine.

     Unfortunately, that “faith” is no faith at all.  It’s a pathetic and immature attempt to follow God without actual obedience.  Ultimately, we will all answer for what we do with our lives – how we lived, how we treated others, how we spent our money.  Incredible rewards will be given to those who have disciplined themselves as they followed Christ as Lord.  Daily Bible study, consistent prayer, selfless living, and joyful giving all may be difficult and even painful, yet the promised rewards far outweigh the momentary discomfort.   

     Everyone who claims to follow Christ must take seriously spiritual training and discipline.  It is time for each of us to eat our peas, run our race, and live a disciplined life that ultimately grants the greatest rewards possible.       

He's Alive!

“I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold, I am alive for ever and ever!”

Revelation 1:18

  

    Think about these questions for a moment:  If Jesus’ bones were found, how would that discovery change your life?  Assuming that it could be reasonably proven that Jesus is dead, what kind of impact would it have on you?   Would it affect your daily life?  Would it affect your relationships? 

    This hypothetical (and impossible…) event would be absolutely devastating to anyone who claims to follow Christ.  This is because Jesus’ resurrection is the main proof of His deity.  Find His bones, or prove in some other way that He is still dead, and He becomes just another finite, mortal man who died for his own sins.  Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:14, “And if Christ has not been raised [from the dead], our preaching is useless and so is your faith.”  In other words, if Jesus did not rise, then He is not God.  And if He is not God, then He cannot be our Savior.  The entire Christian faith either stands or falls with the Resurrection.

    Thankfully, we do not have to worry about someone finding Christ’s bones.  Not only did Jesus rise from the dead, He arose with a new, glorified body (unlike Lazarus, who died again…).  What is more, we have abundant proof that His resurrection actually occurred.  First, also in 1 Corinthians 15, Paul writes that Jesus appeared to more than 500 believers after His death.  Second, all of the disciples suffered tremendously, and all but one died tragically because of their faith in Christ’s resurrection.  No lie is worth that kind of agony. 

     The final proof that Jesus rose from the dead is the relationship that His followers have with Him right now.  Jesus is our living High Priest, and our direct fellowship with God proves the truth of His resurrection. 

     Jesus’ resurrection is the greatest single event in all of history.  In it lies all our hope and joy.  May we always be quick to proclaim that Jesus is indeed alive!  He is alive for ever and ever!

                          Not I, but Christ…

Hymns vs. Choruses

    [Although our church uses a wide variety of musical styles, there may be some for whom more explanation of terms may be needed.  The following story (of unknown origin) should provide some humorous assistance.]

An old farmer went to the city one weekend and attended the big city church. He came home and his wife asked him how it was. “Well,” said the farmer, “it was good. They did something different, however. They sang praise choruses instead of hymns.” 

“Praise choruses?” asked his wife. “What are those?” 

“Oh, they're OK. They are sort of like hymns, only different,” said the farmer. 

“Well, what's the difference?” asked his wife.
The farmer said, “Well, it's like this - If I were to say to you, “Martha, the cows are in the corn,” well, that would be a hymn. If, on the other hand, I were to say to you, 

Martha, Martha, Martha; Oh Martha, MARTHA, MARTHA, 

The cows, the big cows, the brown cows, 

The black cows, the white cows, 

The black and white cows, the COWS, COWS, COWS 

Are in the corn, are in the corn, are in the corn, 

Are in the corn, the CORN, CORN, CORN!

Then, if I were to repeat the whole thing two or three times...  well, that would be a praise chorus.”

The next weekend, the farmer's nephew, a young, new Christian from the city came to visit and attended the local church of the small town. He went home and his mother asked him how it was. 

“Well,” said the young man, “it was good. They did something different however. They sang hymns instead of regular songs.” 

“Hymns?” asked his mother. “What are those?” 

“Oh, they're OK. They are sort of like regular songs, only different,” said the young man. 

“Well, what's the difference?” asked his mother.
The young man said, “Well, it's like this - If I were to say to you, “'Martha, the cows are in the corn,” well, that would be a regular song. If on the other hand, I were to say to you,

Oh Martha, dear Martha, hear thou my cry, 

Inclinest thine ear to the words of my mouth,

Turn thou thy whole wondrous ear by and by, 

To the righteous, inimitable, glorious truth.

For the way of the animals who can explain, 

There in their heads is no shadow of sense

Hearkenest they in God's sun or His rain, 

Unless from the mild, tempting corn they are fenced. 

Yea those cows in glad bovine, rebellious delight, 

Broke free their shackles, their warm pens eschewed

Then goaded by minions of darkness and night, 

They all my mild Chilliwack sweet corn have chewed.

So look to the bright shining day by and by, 

Where all foul corruptions of earth are reborn

Where no vicious animals make my soul cry, 

And I no longer see those foul cows in the corn.

“Then if I were to do only stanzas one, three and four and do a key change before the last, well that would be a hymn.”

Pure Gold

“The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him…

And I will give thanks to Him in song.”

Psalm 28:7

    

    A few years ago, I came across a quote by a Chinese pastor who had been imprisoned for his faith (and who was later martyred):

Pure gold fears no fire.

Referring to the smelting process used to refine gold, it reminds us that only impurities and unwanted elements are removed during the melting process.  The gold itself is not harmed or destroyed.

    Likewise, as followers of Christ, we have no reason to fear the trials and hardships we encounter in life.  If our focus is correctly placed on Him, then these “fires” only refine our faith, and we emerge from the furnace more pure than when we entered.

    Yet this simple concept is unbelievably difficult to accept sometimes.  Even small “fires” often bring with them a flood of questions that haunt us, the most prominent being “Why is this happening?”  Whether it’s just a frustrating day filled with annoying little setbacks, or a massive, life-altering event, we tend to become preoccupied with “why.”

     Unfortunately, we are not always given the answers that we seek.  What we are given, however, is far greater.  “They cried to You and were saved; in you they trusted and were not disappointed.” (Ps. 22:5)  Comfort, peace, hope, and even joy can be found in the midst of even the most intense furnace if we trust in God and praise Him.  And few things in this world proclaim the hope of Christ more loudly or clearly than the praise of a suffering believer.

     Although we are not all facing a massive furnace, even in the small tests, we can truly refine our faith if we are willing to praise God in the midst of hardship.  And that kind of faith tends to work like a spark - that ignites the faith of others and soon encourages many to become like pure gold.

   

                      Not I, but Christ…

Tim

The Language of Worship

      It didn't start on time, the temperature was brutal, and we couldn't understand a single word that was being said or sung.  Yet there was a nearly pallitable connection between us and our Indonesian brothers and sisters.  You see, the method was strange and unfamiliar, but the focus was one and the same.  We had gathered in the middle of an Islam-dominated city to worship the only true God, and no language or cultural barrier could divide us in our purpose. 
      In the midst of such foreign surroundings, we couldn't help but sense that we were among family.  We may have been butchering their language, but they recognized that our hearts were singing the same songs.  Eventually, they came to a song that we knew: "Lord, I Give You My Heart."  As English and Indonesian was lifted up side by side, I was amazed by the vastness of our God.  Our Lord is not an American God.  He is not even a Western God.  He is not confined to the West, East, North or South.  No one culture or people group has a monopoly on Him, for He is the Creator of us all. 
      There was, howevwer, one important differenct between us and the beautiful worshipers around us.  As American's, we face no threat of persecution.  At worst, we might endure ridicule or scorn.  Our brothers and sisters around the world, however, are not able to benefit from America's freedom.  Even here, in a city where persecution is relatively rare, we've heard reports of homes being destroyed, jobs lost, and family members kidnapped.  Not far from here, Christians are regularly martyred for their faith.  As I looked accross the congregation, I couldn't help but think of the risk they were taking to meet - to worship openly.  While not illegal, following "Isa" (Jesus) is not something encouraged or condoned by the community.  Needless to say, those that attended the worship service were serious about their faith.  There is no "casual Christianity" where persecution exits.
     I pray that we, the church in America, might take our faith just as seriously.  May our freedom not lead to apathy, but to greater boldness.  We have nothing to fear, so let us relentlessly make the name of Jesus known to all those around us.  He is, after all, the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords - the one true God and the only source of salvation and hope.  May the joy that we claim to know spur us to share.  May the Word we claim to follow challenge us to witness.  And may the God we claim to love empower us to be His witnesses - at home, in our country, and around the world.  

Greetings from Indonesia

     To most of the people around, the menacing and noisy device (which bore an unnerving resemblance to a .50 calliber machine gun) did nothing except spread a welcome mist of mosquito-killing smoke.  Yet as household after household gathered in the streets, it became clear to me that our smelly task today was doing much more than just bringing the whole village together in bug genocide.   

Fogging mosquitoes actually was a means of accomplishing two major goals: 1. It helped us connect with an often-hesitant people group.  2.  It provided opportunites to share about a hope that is far greater than the thought of bug-free living. 
     As I terrorized those of six-legged-persuasion, I couldn't help thinking that this was not one of the more glamorous tasks of a Christ-follower.  Yet God brought to mind a verse that often encourages me in the midst of mundane tasks: "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."  (Col. 3:17) 
    You may not be fogging mosquitoes halfway accross the globe, but I am certain that we all need a reminder that no matter what we're doing, we need to be doing it for God's glory.  After all, when He is exalted, every task accomplishes far more than what we might think. 

Highest Priority

Standing in the delivery room, watching my beautiful bride go through the second-most grueling and excruciating experience of her life (this being her second child), I found myself intensely focused.  It was one of those “BIG” moments in life – the kind in which you try to press “record” on your long-term memory as to not forget any detail.  Yet, my mind was exploding with prayer: prayer that Amy would have the strength to get through this, prayer that the baby would be healthy, prayer that this child might always glorify God… 

     As I held newborn Rinnah (which is Hebrew for “joyful song” or “praise”) later that night, it dawned on me just how much the non-essential things in life had faded away.  Suddenly I couldn’t care less about anything on TV.  Once-pressing matters about nursery furniture arrangements totally disappeared.  All thoughts about entertainment, politics, sports, and even work were completely consumed by the one, all-important reality in front of me:

My God is an Awesome Creator.

    In the quiet (Rinnah was sleeping…), I found that I couldn’t help but worship my incredible God.  He had reminded me of both His power and His love; His miracles and His blessing.  Rinnah was proof of both.  In awe of Him, I knew that nothing else in my entire life, including the sweet little bundle in my arms, was worthy of more of my affection and attention than Him.  Simply put, Rinnah’s birth reminded me of my highest priority: to love God.

    Generations of Jews and Christians have understood that loving God is indeed our highest priority.  In fact, even today children of devout Jewish parents learn the passage above before all others.  Referred to as the Shema (the first Hebrew word in the passage), it is the most commonly recited scripture passage in Jewish culture.  Jesus undoubtedly knew it well since He quoted it in Matthew 22:37.  Yet Jesus did more than just quote this vital passage, He added to it: “And the second [most important commandment] is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

     In our culture, many things clamor for the high ground of our priorities.  We are bombarded daily by media that tells us to place money, stuff, and worldly success on top.  Even within our church culture we often give in to the temptation to place something other than God at the pinnacle of our priority list.  Good things, such as a desire to be a good husband, father, student, or employee are all admirable, but they pale in comparison to our call to love God first.  In fact, unless God is the top priority, it is impossible to truly be a good husband, father, student, or employee.

     This idea may sound unusual to those unfamiliar with scripture, but our love for God (and our obedience to His Word) enables us to love others the way that we should.  For instance, Ephesians 5:25 tells husbands to “love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.”  Without knowledge of Christ and His sacrifice, my love for my wife would be incomplete at best.  Instead, it is only through my following of Christ that I become the husband that Amy desires and deserves.

     Even more unfamiliar, though, is Jesus’ lesson in Luke 14, where He states one of the most potentially troubling verses in all of scripture: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters – yes, even his own life – he cannot be my disciple.”   Our love for God should be so great and so complete that our love for everything else, including our families, should seem like hate in comparison. 

      This may sound radical, but unless God by far the most important part of our lives, nothing else will be quite right.  A good (if a little geeky) analogy is a brand new computer, complete with massive memory and a slick graphics card, that has to operate with an old, outdated processor (that’s the brain…).  None of the components of the computer will operate at their highest potential unless the best possible processor is installed.  Likewise, no matter how hard I try, Rinnah will not have the best possible father unless my first priority is Someone bigger than her – and me!

     This matter of making God your highest priority is not a one-time thing.  Instead, it is a constant, continuous struggle.  The good news is that He regularly reminds us and encourages us to do so (and often without any labor pains!).  I pray that we all might learn daily what it is to love our Creator above all else.

Desperate for Him

    Nearly three years ago, I wrote that 9 lbs of swaddled, screaming joy taught me more about God’s tremendous love than 238 lbs of seminary textbooks. Today, in the wake of our newest daughter's arrival, I’m amazed again at how such a small gift can teach us so much about our ultimate Giver.  Like Rinnah (which means “joyful song” in Hebrew), we are utterly helpless and in total need of our God’s provision and grace.  Our best efforts produce nothing but frustration and tears, and we can only find true peace when we’re resting in His arms.

    Unfortunately, all of us are quite self-sufficient according to the world’s standards.  None of us require another’s hand to feed us, yet we must always remember that there are two ways in which we will always remain dependent upon our Creator. 

     First and foremost, we are dependent upon God for salvation.  Our chances of reaching Heaven on our own are about as slim as 4-day-old Rinnah’s chances are of building a functioning spaceship.  No matter how “successful” we become in this world, we must always remember that our salvation is bought and secured by Jesus Christ alone.  Therefore, we should always be willing and able to make our hope visible to those around us.

   Second, we need to recall that we are dependent upon God for abundant life here on earth.  Left to ourselves, apart from His Spirit and His will, we will only make a mess of ourselves.  Therefore, we should always be willing and able to take up our cross daily and follow Him – the One who is both our Savior and Lord.  He is the only one who can give us both hope and purpose.

    Above all others, including even our beloved families, we need to cling desperately to our King – the true source of our abundant and eternal life.  

No Rambo!

    Although I was not allowed to watch the movies as a kid, Rambo was one of my childhood heroes.  Who else could annihilate a whole battalion of enemy soldiers with just a bow and arrow and a really cool knife?  (Ok, I may have watched a little while at a friend’s house…)   He was not only invincible, he was able to accomplish his goals all on his own.  He was, in every sense, an army of one.

    Much to my childhood-self’s chagrin, however, Rambo does not exist.  No modern warrior would dare to go out alone.  Our military is not in the practice of going against all odds.  Battlefield safety is truly found in numbers (and having a few F-22’s providing air support doesn’t hurt!)   

    Unfortunately, Christ followers all too often forget (or neglect) this most basic of military concepts.  Sometimes this occurs when we forget that we are indeed in a battle.  Other times it is due to a Rambo-like complex that convinces us that we can go out alone, protected only by a red bandana wrapped around our ‘80’s big hair. 

    Whether we realize it or not, a spiritual battle is constantly raging around us.  Paul reminds us that “our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers… the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”  We may not always see it, but attacks from the enemy are regularly trying to make us ineffective warriors. 

     We need, therefore, we need to always be prepared and protected – both by the armor of God (including the sword!), and by our fellow soldiers.   Corporate worship, fellowship, encouragement, and accountability are incredibly important in this war.  On our own, playing Rambo, we will quickly discover that his story was pure fiction.  But united in Christ, resting in God’s perfect strength, none of the enemy’s attacks will ever overcome us.

This Changes Everything!

    That Friday night, they probably didn’t sleep well (if at all).  Dawn brought little relief, and for the first time in ages, they did not turn their attention to worship on the Sabbath.  Instead, despair and mourning ruled their Saturday as the disciples tried in vain to make sense of the last 24 hours.  How had this happened?!  Why didn’t He stop it?!  Were the last three years wasted?  Why did we all run away?

   The Pharisee’s jeers certainly still rang in their ears as Jesus’ closest friends looked for any trace of hope.  Undoubtedly, more than a few vented anger at the betrayer.  The question of the day was probably “now what?”  Do we go back to our lives before we met Him?  Did we just waste the past three years?

    All of this is nothing but my speculation, but I can imagine the disciple’s confusion, if not their grief.  Their leader was dead.  Their cause was lost.  Their Messiah was now buried in a borrowed tomb.  Did any of them remember His words about rising again?  Not likely.  After all, when Jesus mentioned His resurrection on the way to Gethsemane, all Peter could focus on was not falling away (Mt. 26:21-33). 

    Jesus’ disciples believed that He was the Christ – the Messiah and Savior, but they were certainly not expecting what happened that Sunday.  Even when the women came back with word of an empty tomb, the disciples were skeptical.  Their loss was so real and permanent, how could resurrection be possible?

    Jesus’ resurrection, however, changed everything.  Hope was not only renewed, it was made complete and secure.  Joy exploded even in the midst of persecution.  Purpose and meaning came flooding into the lives of the disciples, and never again did they wonder about their calling.  Confusion melted away as God’s redemptive plan became clear.

    This week, may we do everything possible to magnify the Risen Messiah, so that all who worship with us might be changed by that empty tomb!      

Lost in Christ

     In the ancient world, he was a rock star - able to captivate and influence large crowds, yet totally weird in his behavior and life. Only someone as eccentric and strange as him could pull of his camel-hair wardrobe and six-legged diet. His booming charge of "Repent!" divided the population. Was he really a prophet? Or a demon? The answer can be found in what is perhaps the greatest compliment ever given - "I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist..." Those are red-letter words, spoken by Jesus himself.

    John the Baptist is one of the most fascinating people in scripture.  A prophet similar to the Old Testament greats like Elijah, yet one who lived to see Jesus.  He became so popular in Israel that even the king (Herod) feared the potential riots that might happen should John be executed.  Perhaps what is most amazing about John, however, is that his whole life and ministry was spent trying to magnify someone else, someone far greater - the throngs of whose sandals John was not worthy to untie.  

     John's greatness - his popularity, his fame, his success, and his trials and adversity - all came because he constantly pointed others to the Messiah.  In that way, he was unlike any modern rock star - never seeking recognition or glory for himself.  In John 3:30, he sums up his whole life: "He [Jesus] must increase, but I must decrease."  

Did you catch that?  Read it again - 

He must increase, but I must decrease.

     Even in a culture saturated with people who claim to be "Christian," this idea is radical.  Claiming that Jesus is our Lord means far more than attending church or saying an occasional blessing over a meal.  It means surrendering every part of life to Someone far greater - the throngs of whose sandals we're not worthy to untie.  Ultimately, this constant surrender leads to transformation, as our very identity is lost in His.

     Losing one's identity is usually a frightening thing, especially in our hyper-individualistic society.  Yet losing one's identity in Christ is hardly cause for alarm.  In fact, it's probably better said that we gain true identity in Christ rather than lose our old identity.  Think of it this way: when we know Christ as our Lord, we lose our old self in the same way that an adopted young prince might lose his status as a forgotten orphan.  The old identity was but a bleak existence void of hope.  The new identity provides endless hope, joy, and possibilities for a meaningful life.  No orphan sheds a tear at the loss of his orphan-ness. 

     He must increase, but I must decrease - a simple phrase that defined one of the greatest men in history; a simple idea that will help transform sinful orphans into adopted children of God.  If you claim that Jesus is Lord of your life, I pray that you will not soon forget those words.  May they remind you daily to surrender to His far-better will, and may you rejoice when others see more of Christ in you than anyone else.  That is the goal - that is our highest earthly aim.

      Author Beth Moore and songwriter Travis Cottrell wrote a song a few years ago that beautifully capture this whole idea.  May it encourage you as it has me to become lost in the fullness of Christ.

There is a name above all names,

let mine be lost in His.

Hide me in His crimson heart,

Oh, way of secret bliss!

One life alone is worth the find,

nail mine into the tree

Till Jesus ever shining here

is all beheld in me.

Bring Him forth each day I live

and leave me in the tomb.

I seek no other glory here,

make not the smallest room.

Blessed anonymity!

Count my life but loss,

Jesus, the One and Only,

tread over me, dear cross.

      

Love Another

      The tears were what captured my attention.  I was looking through (and praying over) a sea of powerful images from Haiti, all taken shortly after the earthquake, when one little girl's close-up seemed to capture the terror.  She couldn't have been more than 18 months old, and the caption read that she had just awoken in the midst of hundreds of frighten people that were sleeping in the street the day after the quake, afraid of all buildings.  As the little girl looked up toward an unseen care-giver, her expression was one that I pray my own daughter never knows - an expression of total despair.  It looked as if she had been crying nonstop and had yet to be comforted.  Exhausted, her innocent hope had all but died.

       Unable to look through any more of the Haiti pictures, my eyes shifted slightly to a picture of my wife and then-18-month-old daughter that resides next to my computer.  "I would do anything to protect them," I thought while choking back my own tears.  I realized that if needed, I would gladly lay down my own life to prevent my family from knowing that same despair and terror.

       Later, I was reminded of the words of Paul in Romans 5: "Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die.  But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."  What hit me most as I read those words was the vastness of His love and grace.  I can imagine giving up my life for those I love - and perhaps even for an innocent stranger like that young girl in the picture.  But God convicted me of something - something so powerful I had to go back through those Haiti pictures.  

       There - a few pictures before the close-up of the girl was a picture of men fighting in the streets.  They were not fighting for food or water, but over commercial goods stolen and looted from a demolished building.  While newly-orphaned children weep nearby, they are trying to make a profit.  One man in particular caught my attention as he raised a makeshift weapon in anger - ready to kill to secure his advancement.  

That man - full of hatred and selfishness, consumed with rage and blind to compassion - that man is loved by my Savior as much as anyone else.

      As I sat wondering about the moments after that snapshot was taken, God gently reminded me that there have been times when I have been that man - perhaps not physically hurting someone, but angry and blind just the same.  Yet even while I was a sinner, Jesus laid down His life for me.  How wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ!

     I heard a quote recently that has stayed with me:  "If you don't have someone or something in your life worth dying for, then you probably aren't living."  The love that Christ has modeled for us is total and unconditional.  If I am to follow Him, than I need to strive to love others with that same agape love - not just toward my family or those whom I deem worthy, but toward everyone.  Just imagine how different Haiti - how different America - would be if we lived out that kind of selfless and total love.

Avoiding the Echoes...

Standing in front of 96,828 fans, your ears tend to deceive you. Yet standing there on the field of Sanford Stadium at the University of Georgia, it was hard to ignore what you heard. With trombone in hand I fought alongside the rest of the Redcoat band our biggest temptation: to play with the echo.

(Ok... second biggest temptation. The first was to trip the Georgia Tech players as they ran past us into the locker room...)

With 400 plus members, our band produced a massive sound - a sound that bounced around the stadium for what seemed like minutes. If we weren't careful, it was very easy to begin playing along with the echo that came bouncing off the red-clad fans. The result was musical chaos. The key to staying together was for each member to keep their eyes on the director, the drum major standing on a platform on the sideline.

We've probably all experienced some sort of echo or another. Whether we're standing at the edge of a canyon or in the midst of downtown skyscrapers, echoes are a faint reflection of the original sound. While echoes can be fun sometimes, there are plenty that should be avoided. One of the most critical occurs in our worship services. Songwriter and worship leader Paul Baloche developed this idea recently: the songs we sing to God (and perhaps even the way we sing them) can be categorized into two groups. They are either a true expression of praise (an original source), or an impartial repetition of something previously heard (an echo).

Baloche focuses this idea on the songs themselves (how some songs seem to truly be a fresh voice of praise while others seem to only repeat previously heard ideas), I believe that this concept applies to each person that attends a worship service. Think about this: two people, standing side by side, can sing the same song at the same time to the same God, yet one is an authentic voice of worship and adoration and the other an unemotional and uninvolved echo. The difference lies not with their voices or with the lyrics, but with the focus of the heart. The first person has their eyes on the Director - on His holiness, on His grace, on His love. The second is lost in thoughts of lunch, or someone's wardrobe, or perhaps they're too weighed down by all the baggage they dragged in to realize that freedom is only a prayer away.

An interesting thing occurs in worship services each week that most people fail to recognize: No one leaves unchanged. Those that join together in truly praising their Savior are drawn closer to Him and encouraged to live a life that honors Him. Those that only sing an echo of praise usually leave more hardened and cold; their lives descending more and more into chaos. To be sure, nothing is impossible with God, and His Spirit can melt even the hardest heart at any time (just ask Paul!). But any encounter with God that does not lead to repentance and submission (at least in part) leads instead to hardening and bitterness.

I would like to encourage us all to keep our eyes fixed on the Director, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He alone is worthy of praise, and He is truly worth worshiping. May the words we sing each week be more than an echo - may they be an authentic voice that exalts our King.

Lessons from the Magna-Doodle

“Oooo… what a pretty snake,” I said as I looked down at my daughter’s drawing. She frowned and exclaimed, “No, Daddy, [it’s a] dog!”

We were sitting more or less patiently in the portrait studio’s lobby, waiting to have Christmas pictures made, and Micah had just discovered a new toy in their toychest: a Magna-Doodle. This fascinating evolution of the Etch-a-Sketch uses a magnet-tipped pen to draw on the screen. Then, with one swipe of a lever at the bottom, the picture is erased, thus allowing even two-year-olds to draw continuously until their heart’s content (usually about 12 seconds…).

As Micah sat drawing various curved lines (“elephant, Daddy!”), I was pondering upon some of the profound ideas that this little toy presented: How does this thing work?! Would it be worth it to open it up to see? Or just messy? Is it on sale at Wal-mart? Will this fit in Micah’s stocking?

Seriously, one thought did present itself as I watched Micah erase giraffe after giraffe. The erased picture is truly gone once the lever is swiped. There is no recall, no “restore” button. Only in our memories does it still exist. I was reminded of an amazing passage in Psalms:

God is sheer mercy and grace; Not easily angered, He’s rich in love. He doesn’t endlessly nag and scold, Nor hold grudges forever. He doesn’t treat us as our sins deserve, Nor pay as back in full for our wrongs. As high as heaven is over the earth, So strong is His love to those who fear him. As far as sunrise is from sunset, He has separated us from our sins.

Psalm 103:8-12 (The Message)

Another translation says that God has removed our sins from us as far as east is to west. What an incredible thought! There is no limit to the distance between east and west. So in other words, God completely erases our sin. There is no recall, no “restore” button. In fact, God forgets our sin (Heb. 8:12). It unfortunately remains only in our own memories.

As we look to the start of a new year, I cannot think of a more comforting thought – that God can totally erase our mistakes and allow us to start off the new year fresh. No matter what we’ve done, or how badly we’ve drawn our lives, He is gracious and will forgive us if we repent and turn to Him.

The lesson of the Magna-Doodle doesn’t end there, however. Micah eventually grew tired of trying to imagine that her misshapen lines were actually pictures of Mickey Mouse. No matter how hard she tried, she simply hasn’t developed the skill to draw recognizable pictures, yet. So she handed the toy to her father and said, “Here, Daddy, draw Mickey.”

It wasn’t until a few days later that the profundity of this scene hit me. Micah knew that her pictures were not right. No matter how hard she tried or how many times she started over, she simply couldn’t draw it the way that she wanted. So, she gave the job over to her slightly-more-artistic father.

The lesson? Wiping the slate clean and gaining a fresh start is absolutely worthless if the flawed “artist” retakes control of the pen. Forgiveness is always available, but what God desires just as much as our repentance is our submission and obedience.

The problem that most of us face is that we hate giving up control. Even while we are drawing a mess in our lives, we resist letting the Master take over. But oh, what a picture the Creator can make when we allow Him to draw for us! Suddenly our lives begin to transform into what they were meant to be all along. Joy and hope spring up in unexpected places, and love begins to be our theme.

Something else begins to occur when we allow God to paint our life’s story. As I finished drawing the famed mouse for Micah, she excitedly began to capture all attention by squealing, “Look!Mickey!!!” (Trust me, Mickey wasn’t that great, but he was recognizable…) Mommy, Granna, Papa John, and even the photographer were made very aware that a mouse had been drawn.Likewise, when we submit to God and He begins to paint a masterpiece in our lives, others can’t help but take notice (and we can’t help but make Him known).

This coming year presents each of us with an opportunity. Will we continue to make a mess out of things, or will we repent and submit – allowing our Daddy to paint in us a beautiful picture of Christ that is certainly worth sharing?