Great Faithfulness

My wife Denise and I spent this past weekend in Chicago attending a wedding of one of Denise's co-workers and then visiting with our oldest daughter who lives in Chicago. The wedding on Saturday was large-over 700 people, and it included congregational singing. The bride and groom were a bit older than normal (in their 30's!) for a wedding couple, and they had intentionally selected the hymn Great is Thy Faithfulness to reflect their appreciation for God's provision of a soul mate for each of them after many years of waiting.

On Sunday evening, I had the opportunity to attend worship with my daughter Becky and her fiancé Greg at their church in Chicago. The church is over 20 years old, but this past Sunday was the first time they had ever worshipped in a building of their own. They had spent the prior 20 years using rented or borrowed space in schools, libraries, and theaters. In less than 24 hours, I found myself once again singing Great is Thy Faithfulness, this time with a group of over five hundred believers thankful for God's provision of a facility.

In your seasons of waiting, does your soul sing of God's great faithfulness? As you pray this week, thank God that He is faithful to complete the good work that He began in you (Philippians 1:6). His answer may not be to change your circumstances (e.g., a soul mate, a new building, etc.). It may be to change you. He is faithful, greatly.

Today's prayer for the journey: Father, help me to yield to your faithful shaping of my life. Thanks for working in me to complete what you began. Amen.

Easily Entangled

What temptations have you face this week? How did you respond?

Sometimes, I rationalize my sin by playing the comparison game. Do you ever do that? Do you ever attempt to draw a measure of comfort or assurance by thinking there is always someone else who is a bigger sinner or is engaged in a sin more heinous?

Jesus was holy. He had pure thoughts, words, and actions. Why don't I? He overcame temptation. Why don't I?

Paul tells us to throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entanlges. (Hebrews 12:1). Sadly, the easily entangled part comes more readily than the throwing off part.

What would it mean today to throw off everything that hinders? It at least includes choosing not to go into areas where we know we will face temptation. Throw it out. Reminds me of Jesus talking about cutting off a hand or poking out an eye it it causes us to sin. What do I do that allows me to be more easily lead into temptation? I need to throw those things out.

If I am going to become more Christ-like in purity of thoughts, words, and actions, then it will take more than determination and good intentions. Having good intentions didn't work for Paul (Romans 7:19), it doesn't work for me. It will take help. It will take a power that I don't possess on my own.

I find that I make progress toward Christ-like purity when I approach it from the inside out. I have to begin by praying for a pure heart. When I do that, I open the door to the Spirit to begin helping me. He gets the credit for any progress I make. Paul told the church in Ephesus that the power of the Spirit at work in those who believe is the same power that reanimated the lifeless body of Christ in the tomb (Ephesians 1:19-20). That's power. That power overcame death. That power overcomes temptation.

Today's prayer for the journey: Father, create in me a pure heart. Amen.

One Size Fits One

I ran across a sentence in an article about the current presidential campaign that jumped out at me. In Newsweek--June 23, 2008 edition, The Last Word article --author Anna Quinlden wrote of one of the candidates, "You've insisted you're running not to govern a demographic but to inspire a nation of individuals."

I immediately related this sentiment to attempts we often make at church growth. I am quickly drawn to tracking down and analyzing demographic and psychographic data about people in our 'target.' The logic is that the more we shape our ministries in a fashion that matches our target, the more likely they are to be drawn to them.

I need to remember that the apostle Paul did not limit his approach to a single target demographic. He didn't become one thing to one person, he became all things to all people. Forget about a narrow target. Forget about church growth. Focus on spiritual growth in individuals, and church growth will follow.

Today's prayer for the journey: Father, guide me to equip and disciple those you place in my place. Prompt me to broaden my path. Amen.

The Discipline of Training

I've often felt that the reason my journey toward Christ-likeness is marked with so many wrong turns and mis-steps is because I am not trying hard enough. So many sermons I've heard—and even some that I've preached—seemed to convey the message: You could be a better Christian if you would only "try harder."

I've discovered that the problem with the "try harder" approach is that it places my hope for transformation in my own strength. I end up working to create a better version of myself, rather than allowing God to fashion in me the new creation that he desires. I'm not called to be the best Brent I can be, I am called to be Christ-like.

Well, if it's not "try harder," then what is it?

It's training. More precisely, it's the discipline of training. The Apostle Paul tells young pastor Timothy to train yourself to be godly. (1 Timothy 4:7) and he encourages Timothy as he trains to be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress (1 Timothy 4:15).

After high school, I earned an associates degree in Electronic Data Processing. Without this training, I would never have been able to program computers, no matter how hard I would have tried. I simply would not have known what to do without having first been trained. I don't want a pilot who is simply trying hard (even if he's had a good night's sleep at a Holiday Inn Express), I want one who's been trained. Imagine expecting your child to be able to tie a shoe without training, and you quickly see the futility of the try harder approach.

Replace "try harder" with the discipline of training. Be shaped by the master potter.

Today's prayer for the journey: Father, lead me to give myself wholly to training in godliness. Amen.

What do you want?

The first recorded words of Jesus in John's gospel are, "What do you want?"

Jesus asks this question of two disciples who begin following him after John points out that Jesus is the Lamb of God. There are so many possible answers to that question. Some may follow out of curiosity, some may seek prestige, some may be motivated by guilt, some may be hedging their bets, some may be bored, hurt, tired, desperate, tormented, etc. The list of options seems endless.

Imagine Jesus posing that question to you right now. What do you want? It's a question that gets to the heart.

When I am honest, my answer to that question is hard to pinpoint with much precision. It sounds sort of trite, but I'd like to think it's because I want to know God. Whether it's along the lines of Solomon's conclusion that God has placed eternity on our hearts (Ecclesiastes 3:11) or reminiscent of the people on Mars Hill in Athens who had a sense that there was a God out there who was unknown but could be known (Acts 17:16-32), it's hard to escape the sense that there must be more to life than birth, 70 years or so of life if I match the actuarial tables, death, and then compost.

I want to know God who existed before time. I want to know God who created all there is. I want to know God who fashioned me and placed me in creation for a reason. I want to know God who knows me better than I know myself. I want someday to stand in the glorious presence of God (Jude 1:24-25). I want to be less selfishly self-absorbed so that I want only God.

What do you want?

Come to know the Father by coming to know the Son (John 14:6). He is the image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15).

Today's prayer for the journey: Search me, O God, and know my heart. Lead me to want only you. Amen.

Unschooled, Ordinary Men

I can empathize with the Jewish leaders early in the book of Acts. I mean, who hasn't thought they had something all under control, only to learn that things were not at all as they appeared?

The Jewish leaders thought they had taken care of this Jesus thing once and for all with his crucifixion. Yet just a few short weeks following his death, there are literally thousands of people daily coming to the temple to rally around the band of men teaching that Jesus had beaten the tomb. The priests and temple guards have Peter and John taken into custody. The rulers, elders, and teachers convene in Jerusalem along with the high priest and other important leaders. They bring Peter and John before them and begin to ask them questions. Peter's bold response in Acts 4:8-12 leaves the leaders astonished.

Imagine the buzz as these leaders turn to one another in amazement: When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. (Acts 4:13)

Unschooled men. Ordinary men. Could there be a more noble description of the men that Jesus selected and equipped to become his church? Jesus hadn't selected religious experts for his band of disciples. He'd selected ordinary men with ordinary jobs. These unschooled, ordinary men had been with Jesus, and they would forever be different. Their schooling occurred in the laboratory of three years of life shared with Jesus, learning at his feet and watching as he touched those around him with unconditional love.

The leaders at that time had good reason to be astonished. They had reason to take note of these men who had been with Jesus.

What do I want others to find noteworthy in me? Am I more interested in being perceived as a religious expert, or am I content to be seen as an ordinary guy who's being transformed because he's been with Jesus?

Todays prayer for the journey: Father, train me in humility. If there is anything noteworthy to be found in me, may it stem from the time I spend with Jesus. Amen.

A love that could not be ignored

This past Sunday, I had the opportunity to hear a missionary speak in our church. This man has been serving faithfully for over 40 years in a ministry to inner city students in Chicago. He was accompanied Sunday by two former students. As one of these students was describing the day long ago when she first met "Mac," she said, "He came at us with a love we just could not ignore."

Wow, what a powerful testimony to one man's love. A love that could not be ignored. A love that overcame cultural differences. A love that was willing to set aside personal comfort in order to be Jesus to others.

The next time I find myself feeling ignored, I hope I remember to ask, "Am I failing to come at people with a love that just cannot be ignored?"

Today's Prayer for the Journey: Father, stir in me a love that cannot be ignored. Amen.