A Busy Week

Wow – what a busy week it’s been.  It was my first Holy Week as a pastor and I can now officially say that the rumors are true: it’s a crazy week in the life of a pastor!!!

But, you know what?  It was such a blessing.  I had so much fun!

On Tuesday I had the opportunity to go to Starbucks with the president of our Classis.  In all honesty, he was the complete opposite of the leaders I saw while growing up in the Reformed Church.  He was down-to-earth; He didn’t use big words when he talked; and he seemed genuinely concerned about my heart and how things were going in (first) my own life and (then) our ministry at Fairfield.

On Wednesday I spent the day thinking about and brainstorming for Sunday’s sermon.  As you’ll remember, it was the story of Peter’s encounter with the Resurrected Jesus (told from Peter’s point of view).  I found it very inspiring to re-read Peter’s story through the eyes of Peter …

What was he thinking?

What was he feeling?

Why might he have done the things he did?

… It provided me with a fresh understanding of Jesus and how He reached out to Peter after his denials.  In turn, it showed me how Jesus longs to reach out to each of us … today.

Then on Thursday we had our Maundy Thursday service.  I was so excited to see people’s reaction and provide our congregation with an opportunity to come, put all of life aside, and just sit quietly in the presence of Jesus.  From what I hear, it was a lot different from what people are used to.  We met in Fellowship Hall, dimmed the lights, and spent the hour reflecting on the events of that dreadful Thursday night.

For myself, it was a powerful evening.  I’ve been struggling for a while with a wall in my life and I was so thankful that God gave me the opportunity to bring that wall to the cross and leave it there.

Friday was our regular morning Bible study.  Afterwards I went with Wilma to visit Eleanore Myers.  We brought her an Easter basket and then made arrangements to bring her to church on Sunday.  I love Eleanore so much.  My grandma was in the same assisted living facility (Sunrise Assisted Living) as she is.  Since going there reminds me of my grandma, I think I connect with Eleanore because of that.

On Friday night I went with Dana to a Good Friday service at her church.  Honestly, it was nice to be ministered to.  Just to sit in a congregation, listen to a sermon, and take part in the service without having to do any leading – it was great and refreshing.  I really needed it.

Saturday was a day of preparation – getting things set for Sunday, reviewing the sermon, and getting my haircut!

All of that to say – I feel like I found God in everything I did last week.  In all of the preparation and in all of the busyness, God reached out to me and blessed me with a great knowledge of His presence.

As great as that sounds, I’ll be the first to admit: that’s not a feeling that I have all the time. I don’t always feel God’s presence and I don’t always feel like He’s an active part of the everyday events of life.  But, I think it helps that (in the last few months) I’ve been intentionally looking for Him in the events of my day.

Intentionally looking for Him: do you do that?

Sometimes we say that we don’t “feel God” in our days.  Or we say that we don’t “sense His presence” or “hear His voice.” I notice that I feel that way a lot when I’m not really looking for Him.

It’s almost as if we act like it’s God job to reveal Himself to us.

Well what if the opposite is true?  What if it’s our job to be looking for Him?  What if it’s our job to be aware of His love?  Aware of the many ways He’s trying to reach out to us?  Aware of the ways He’s trying to say, “I’m here – you’re not alone.” Constantly remembering His promises?

Try that this week.  No matter what you do.  No matter what the day brings your way – look for Him.  Ask Him where He is, what He’s up to, and how He’s reaching out to you.

He’s there.  He promises to be.

- Glenn

Desire

Christianity emphasizes that most desire is a bad thing.

Most desire (it says) is bad because it leads us to do things that are shameful.  Things like adultery, theft, abuse, murder, etc.

It’s a valid point, to say the least.

But as a result of this point, people push their desires away due to a fear that they might act upon them and do something unthinkable.  Something horrible and unforgivable.  Unimaginable.

I don’t think that is a very truthful analysis of desire or God’s purpose in giving us desire.  As a matter of fact, when I read my Bible I see Jesus helping people get in touch with their desire and (when they do) connect with Him on a deep level.

John Eldredge (author of “Desire”) provides an interesting way to look at an encounter that Jesus had with a crippled man.

The man was laying by the Pool of Bethesda. The Bible says that this guy had been there every single day for about 38 years.

Rumor was that every now and again an angel would come down from heaven to stir the pool.  When it did, the first one in the pool would be healed.

For 38 years this guy sat by the pool hoping.  He waited to be healed.  But every time he would try to get in, someone else would cut him off and beat him in the water

One day, Jesus stopped and asked the man what seems like an absurd question.

“Sir, do you want to get well?”

Duh.  I mean …

(a) He’s crippled.

(b) He’s sitting by the pool.

(c) What cripple doesn’t want to be healed?

The answer is so obvious.  Even so, the man responded with, “Sir, I have no one to help me get in the pool.”

In other words – it’s hopeless.

More on that in a second, but (for now) look at Jesus’ question – “Do you want to get well?”

Do you want to?

Want?

Why did Jesus ask a question with such an obvious answer?  Of course the guy wanted to get well.  But (as was usual with Jesus) He was after something a little deeper than what seemed so surface-ly obvious.

Jesus knew the answer to the question.  Jesus knew that the man wanted to get well.  But, did the man?  Did the man know (or remember) that he wanted to get well?

Before you bust out a theology book, think back on your own life experiences and try to put yourself in the shoes of this guy.

For years (38, to be exact) he had been broken.  His life was a picture of brokenness.  For 38 years he desired only one thing.

Not money.

Not jewels.

Not sex.

Not a big home.

Not school.

He just wanted to walk.  All he wanted to do was get up and walk.  But, for him, it was an unreachable desire.  Hopeless.  It would never happen.  Never.

When kids ran by and played, he laid on the ground and sighed.

When his family went to the temple to stand and pray, he laid on the ground.

Every time he wanted to eat, drink, or go to the bathroom – someone had to help him.

For 38 years he went to the pool in hopes that one day he would hit the jackpot of his greatest desire.  But, it never happened.

Seriously, wouldn’t you begin to lose hope?

I’d lose hope after a month.  Maybe I could last a year.  But, 38?

Jesus asked him if he wanted to be well because after 38 years this man (like all of us would) lost connection with the deepest desire of his heart.  He was no longer passionate about it.  His only reply (rather) was, “No one can help me get into the pool, so it’s pretty much impossible.”

I wonder if his desire looked the same some 38 years prior when he made his first trip to the pool?

You see, by asking him a question with such an obvious answer, Jesus took him back to the long lost desire of his heart.  By asking the man what he wanted, Jesus took him back to his desire.

… And (interestingly) it was there that he found the power of Christ.

Abandoning the desires of our hearts is a dangerous thing.  We could end up like the crippled man – out of touch with our heart and missing out on the power of Christ.

At the same time, following the desires of our hearts can be a dangerous thing.  We could end up doing something really stupid.  Something that we’ll regret.

So, what are we to do with our desires?

I don’t have it all figured out yet.  But, this is what I have found in my life: If we cover up the desires of our hearts and pretend that they’re not there … well … then those desires will come out in other places.  A lot of times people do regrettable things not because their desires (in and of themselves) are evil, but because they cover up their real desire and it comes out somewhere else as a counterfeit.

Take pornography as an example.

I think this is why it’s a problem in our world (well, one of the reasons).  People have a desire for intimacy.  They have a desire to be in control.  But they don’t pursue those desires in any healthy ways.  So, they turn to pornography.

They can imagine intimacy without having to give any.

And they can be in complete control of the person on the page/video/etc.

The desire for intimacy and control really isn’t a bad thing.  It’s just that those desires are neglected (for whatever reason) and then peek their heads in a really shameful way.

I think we need to be aware of what the deep desires of our hearts are.  We need to be in touch with those places in our hearts that long for things.  That are passionate.  And then we need to take those things to Christ so that He can validate them (like He did for the crippled man) and lead us to release them in healthy ways.

More later.

Peace.

- Glenn

Communion

I went to visit my parents for a few days this week and it was a lot of fun.

In church today I mentioned something that I want to share here.

Originally, the sermon was going to be about possessions.  But (for some reason) the sermon just wasn’t coming together.  The points were good.  The structure was good.  But the glue to pull it all together just wasn’t happening.

It was like trying to jam a square peg into a round hole!

But, out of the content I had for that sermon came this whole topic about worry vs. peace.  I don’t think it’s a coincidence that such a down to earth topic fell on the day of communion.

You see, I love visiting my parents because I enjoy sitting with them over coffee, lunch, dinner … around the table.  I like to share with them what’s going on in life. We talk about struggles, conflicts, the good things, the bad things, etc, etc.  We do it on the phone a lot, but there’s something different about the table and being in their presence.

Anyways, then they share with me their wisdom, their love, their experiences … they speak truth and blessing into my life.

Communion is like that.

Yea, we have theologies about it.  We have big books that detail what communion ought to look like and what the purpose of it is.  We even have a part of the Book of Church Order dedicated to the sacrament.

But, strip that all away and you know what you’re left with?  An opportunity to come to God, mingle with Him, and commune with the Father around His table.

Communion with our God.

It’s an opportunity for us to bring all of our stuff before Him.  An opportunity to share with God our worries, concerns, sins.  An opportunity for us to thank Him, to praise Him, to worship Him.

And it’s an opportunity for God to speak words of blessing into our lives – to show us His love, to show us His grace, and to open His arms to us.

We do that during our times of prayer, but there is something different – a deeper connection – when the communion table is involved.

That’s what struck me today during our service.

I’m interested to know – what does communion strike in you?  When you think of communion, what comes to mind?

Click on the comment tab and throw down your thoughts!

Peace!

- Glenn

Baseball Cards

I moved in September and am still unpacking.  My downstairs is all settled, but there are a few things to be done upstairs.

Anyways, the other day I was going through a couple of boxes when I came across a very important piece of my childhood …

Baseball Cards.

Wow – lots of memories!  I remember spending hours upon hours sitting in my living room with my cards spread out all over the floor.  I would go to local flea markets to buy boxes of cards.  When I got home, I would spend the next few days organizing them, pricing them, and admiring them.

So, the other night … there I sat – just like old times.  I was on the floor of my living room, looking through my cards.  I was curious to see what cards I had accumulated some 10 years ago because I wondered if any of the players on those cards were stars today.

I found …

Derek Jeter’s rookie card.

Jim Palmer’s rookie card.

Don Zimmer.

Alex Rodriguez’s rookie card.

Bernie Williams.

Ken Griffey Jr.

A 1965 Joe Torre card.

… the list went on.

Feeling like a teenager again, I began putting together the cards that were worth some money and needed to be put in cases.  Later in the week I paid a visit to the baseball card store I used to go to when I was a kid and bought a few plastic cases (and a price guide, too).

“Just Rookies” in Wyckoff, NJ – a small glimpse of heaven!

I felt like my heart came alive.

Woah.  Pause.

My heart came alive and I felt like I had a renewed burst of energy.  Do you know that feeling?  That feeling of jumping into something that you love and having your heart leap at the opportunity?

Well, here’s a twist on that feeling: I think it’s a feeling that God wants us to have.  I really do.  Why do I think this?  Because God is Abba Daddy and all daddies (well, a lot of them) love the look on the face of their kid when they hand them something that they love.

As I looked through my cards last week, I felt that sense of peace that they brought me amidst the turmoil of my teenage years.  To my surprise, it’s a feeling that I get quite often today.

“I know that feeling”, I thought to myself.  “That’s God.”

With that, I entered into a short time of prayer – “God, what are you doing?  This feeling of peace I have right now.  Well, I know it’s from you.  You give it to me all the time.  Yet, I recognize it as the same peace that I felt when I was a kid – sitting on the floor of the living room, looking through my cards.  The peace that these cards brought me when I was younger.  Was that you all along?”

“Yes”, He said.

As a teenager, I thought the cards brought peace when (in reality) it was God drawing me to Himself.  Pursuing me.  Wooing me.  Comforting me.  Taking me away from the turmoil of my step-father.

Now, I don’t have any Scriptural back-up to give you.  I don’t recall Peter or Paul looking through and pricing their Prophet Cards.  They didn’t have Moses rookie cards or Elijah MVP cards.

But, all I can say is that this experience that I had lines up with what the Bible tells me of God’s heart for humanity … God’s heart for me.  It says that His heart for me is good and it says that God is love.  It says that He (and only He) provides the peace that transcends all understanding.

So, there I was – on my living room floor – feeling loved and feeling at peace.

Of late, God has been challenging me to look for Him less in books and more in my life.  I am quite surprised at what I am finding.

What a Relief

It’s 8:30am and I’m about to head over to the office for a rather long day.  I got a phone call at 9am on Monday morning informing me that someone in our church passed away.

That makes 6 since I’ve been at Fairfield.

Anyways, as I have learned over the last couple of months, that unleashed a sea of phone calls, planning, etc.

So, today is a day of making phone calls, planning the funeral service, writing the message, working on Sunday’s worship service, Sunday’s sermon, tying up some loose ends for Sunday school, and Bible study.  Oh, and there is a paper due on Friday for my RCA Missions class.

I won’t get to it all today, but that is what the “to-do list” looks like right now.

Even so, I’m comforted in knowing that somewhere in the midst of all that, God is here.  Actually, everywhere in the midst of that, God is here.

I’m learning that He’s not just present in a few things or the “important things”, but He’s present in everything that will come my way today.  Whether I’m writing a sermon or eating my lunch, God is here.  And from what I understand, He’s holding it all in the palm of His hand.

What a relief.

Have a good day.

- Glenn

Your Kingdom Come

So lately, I have been praying for God’s Kingdom to come to earth.  I hear it’s something that Bill Johnson** is huge on and it’s something that I picked up at the Wild at Heart Boot Camp out in Colorado**.

Anyways, I came across some pictures and (although a bit humorous) really found something useful in them.  I think it has something powerful to say concerning this whole concept of praying for God’s Kingdom to come.

Check it out.  It’s from the “Brick Testament” which is a website that visualizes many stories from the Bible using one of my favorite past-times (lego!).  The picture describes the verse and the actual verse follows …

—

“YOUR KINGDOM COME YOUR WILL BE DONE ON EARTH …”

“… AS IT IS IN HEAVEN.”

—

At first I was like …

“Wow.  Angels with swords who are chasing 2 gay men through the streets of heaven.  Interesting.”

But, the pictures are put together with a bit of a sarcastic twist – if we (as Christians) so long for God’s will to be done on earth, then why do we often act so stupid?  Does what we do on earth really reflect what is going on in heaven?  The sad reality is that the way we heaven-longing Christians act on earth often times doesn’t reflect heaven at all.

Not one bit.

I heard a story about a group of Christians who stood outside of a gay couple’s home with a sign that said …

“GOD HATES GAYS”

God hates people?  That sounds a bit extreme, no?

I heard another story about a group of Christians who went to picket outside of an abortion clinic.  When the head doctor of the clinic came out, one of the Christians took out a gun and shot him.

… ??

“Your Kingdom come, Your Will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.”

Are these the kinds of things that are going on in God’s Kingdom?  If so, I don’t want to be there and I doubt that many of you would want to be there, either.

You see, God’s Kingdom is a place that is absent of hellish things like hate and murder.  Yet, so many Christians are quick to hate in the Name of Jesus.  When we do that, the earth that we live in doesn’t reflect God’s Kingdom.  Instead, it reflects the Kingdom of Darkness. 

Ironically, we are aiming to reflect the Kingdom of Light, but end up reflecting the Kingdom of Darkness: a kingdom that is far from what God wants it to be; a kingdom that is filled with things like hate, murder, and the like.

Praying for God’s Kingdom to come and claiming His Kingdom over the things of this life can help change that.  When I ask for God’s Kingdom to come into a certain situation, I begin to imagine what that situation would look like if God’s Kingdom were to get a hold of it or invade it.  What changes would come?  What freedom would come? What transformations would be there?

Then I pray for whatever comes to mind – I pray that God would make those things more of a reality than whatever it is that is going on around me.

If Christians begin praying that way in a unified manner – wow.  I believe that we can eliminate much of the hells that we see around us as God begins to speak to us about His Kingdom and what earth would like should His Kingdom get a hold of it.

Later.

- Glenn

** Bill Johnson is the senior pastor of Bethel Church in Redding, California and the author of some books, including “When Heaven Invades Earth.”

** Wild at Heart Boot Camp is a retreat for men put on by Ransomed Heart Ministries, which is a ministry founded by John Eldredge (who has authored several books – Wild at Heart, Waking the Dead, etc.)

Coffee with Wesley (and the Joker)

Every morning (well, almost every morning) I have coffee and read a few pages out of John Wesley’s journal.  Today I was struck by his entry on May 28, 1736 …

“I asked (a dying man) what he thought of paradise.  He said, “To be sure, it is a fine place.  But I don’t mind that; I don’t care what place I am in.  Let God put me where He will, or do with me what He will, so I may but set forth His honor and glory.”

Wow.  The man’s name was “Mr. Lassel” and his words made me wonder what words about God/heaven I will mutter on my death bed?  It’s sort of a dreary topic, but I think it’s worth spending a moment to ponder.

In the “Dark Knight” (that’s the new Batman movie) there is a scene where the Joker is talking to a police officer about all of the other police offers he (the Joker) killed.

“In their last moments people show you who they really are.”

Granted, he was talking about a person who is at knife-point and is about to be murdered.  But, even so, I think the point stands strong – in our last moments, we have the opportunity to leave a lasting mark and show people who we really are.

The man described in Wesley’s journal wasn’t concerned about going to heaven or what heaven was going to look like or consist of.  He really didn’t care.

Rather, he wanted God to put him in a place that would bring him the most honor and the most glory.  On my death bed, I would envision myself being somewhat hesitant about going anywhere else but heaven (after all, there aren’t very many other options!).

But, on his death bed Mr. Lassel was not thinking about himself nor his own personal eternal comfort.  He simply wanted Jesus to do with him whatever would bring the most glory to God.

I will be honest, that’s not the way I generally live my life.

*sigh*

Often times, I am concerned about my own comfort more so than whether honor and glory is being given to God.  I am more concerned about my present place in life than I am about God being glorified.  I am more concerned about what tomorrow will hold (for me and my loved ones) than I am about God being honored and lifted up.

*sigh*

But, why should I worry about comfort?  Why should I worry about my own comfort or the comfort of my loved ones?  The Bible teaches that God has it under control …

“He who dwells in the shadow of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty … ‘Because he loves me,’ says the Lord, ‘I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my Name.  He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.  With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”

That’s a piece out of Psalm 91 and it makes me question why in the world I concern myself with having comfort in this life.  No matter what comfort or discomfort comes my way, God promises to protect those who acknowledge His Name and He promises to answer those who call to Him.  And the mind-boggling part: even though I am often so unlike Mr. Lassel and I don’t think about the importance of bringing honor to God …

… God concerns himself with bringing honor to me.

“I will deliver him and honor him.”

I don’t know what to make of it all right this second (it is a little early and it’s only my first cup of coffee!), but I will leave us with this thought …

If today God is (at least partly) concerning Himself with delivering us and bringing honor to us, what ought we be concerning ourselves with?

Blessings!

- Glenn