A Child at Heart

 Mark 10: 13-16          

There is a commonly told story in the Bible about the disciples and Jesus, where parents are bringing their children to see Him, seeking an audience with Jesus and His blessing. While those closest to Him attempted to shoo them away, telling them to step back and leave Jesus alone. What happens next seems to be a popular lesson, both inside and outside of the church, Jesus steps up and says, “Stop! Let them come to me, don’t dare get in their way”. There is a little more to what He says in the passage, but during a recent Bible study, I found an interesting sidebar to this story, some things that make it even more personal to me, and perhaps to you also.

If you read prior verses to this incident, you’ll find that Jesus and the disciples had been ministering nonstop for weeks, perhaps months. Every manor of the question had been discussed and argued. The dialogue was often deep, and most times the disciples must have felt like they were grasping desperately to understand what Jesus was trying to teach them. From hiking through the mountains with nothing short of miraculous happenings going on all around them, to healing one person after the next; they dealt with every sort of illness and demonic encounter. The debate and instruction carried on and on, day into night.

In Mark 10 verse 10, they arrive at what is noted as “the house”. After further examination, I found that many scholars seem to think that this reference to a ‘house’ might have actually been a home owned by the group, a close follower, or at least was a home base of sorts. I had never thought about Jesus the adult and missionary traveler, having a home. A place where you might go to find Him on a Tuesday evening, sitting with His friends, having ‘Tora’ study. I would love to see that church flyer, “hey everyone, Bible study this Thursday night at Jesus’ house, 7 pm - dinner will, of course, be served”. We might laugh at that, but it sounds as if they were arriving home after a very long stretch of out of town ministering. Frankly, and not surprisingly so, the last thing on the minds of the disciples and His traveling companions was to have company over for the evening. But according to Mark 10, chapter 13 this is precisely what was happening. I don’t think that they were just random kids hanging out, like your friendly junior high and high school youth leader’s house, it says that the people were bringing their children over for Jesus to bless. Imagine this, if you believed that Jesus was a very high-ranking rabbi, maybe even heavenly connected somehow, and he lived in your village or a neighboring community, wouldn’t you try to slip by for a visit? And knowing the importance of having your children blessed by “the church” during this era, how could you blame any of these people for “dropping in”.

After all the long days of walking and discussions, nights sleeping here and there, you might understand now why the disciples were tired, and not in the entertaining mood. As ministers of His modern message, there is a clear lesson to us in this small story. Not just that Jesus valued children, if that is all you’ve heard about this story, then you are only halfway to the real illustration. Jesus angrily admonished His close friends and reminded them again, this is why we’re all here! Let these parents and kids in. The common lesson we hear from this is that Jesus so loved the children that he wanted to see them and that they were amongst the idealistic versions of what we needed to aspire to as Christians. The child-like faith and acceptance they had for Him was a teaching moment that Jesus could not resist sharing with the disciples, and us. The fact that we might need to ease up on all the technicalities of life; that simple faith was the answer to life everlasting, and perhaps the main focus of this whole story.

I think there is also another very valuable illustration here that we often miss. After telling the disciples to let the children and parents in, He took the time to meet each one separately. Talking to them, lifting them to His lap so they would know he was interested in them personally. Hearing the concerns of the parents. One at a time, each of them came to see and talk to Him, and He prayed over them and gave them encouragement, one by one, working His way through the crowd. There was no rebuke of the guests. No ‘come back tomorrow when I am not tired from my mission’. Not even a hint of bragging about how important and great His trip had been. Just Him spending time with them, listening and praying over their needs.

I hope that you can see the subtle message here to all of us in ministry. And dare I say, we all have a mission field to minister in, so don’t miss this point; God calls us to be His eyes, His hands, His feet. No matter our status, energy level or emotion, we need to be willing and open to being used by God. Certainly, we can all only do so much, but sometimes we think, “I’ve done enough” or “let someone else take care of that”. Occasionally, I find myself thinking that I can’t take on anything new or out of my comfort zone, or that I am not equipped to do what I hear God calling me to do. But how do you justify those excuses when it is God who has called us to “let the children come”. Moses, Jonah, David, none of their reasoning let them off the hook with God either.

And that brings me to the center of my thinking surrounding this passage and story. Perhaps on the alternate side of this lesson, Jesus has an illustration that says, “Come to me, climb up on my lap. Tell me what you’ve done, and where your heart is”. “Let’s talk about you, me and us for a bit”. Jesus tells the disciples, in verse 15, anyone that does not come to the kingdom with the faith and acceptance of a little child, those people will not enter heaven. That’s a pretty direct statement to make, throwing out a profound question right into the hearts of His disciples, and us. Jesus is saying, if you can’t freely and openly trust me as these children do, you won’t get to heaven. Lay off those ideas you have about what good things you’ve done, or how many Bible books you’ve read. Never mind your doctorate degrees in theology or your successes at work, can you trust Me He asks as if you were one of these small children?

I believe they struggled with this question there in that house, just as you and I do. It’s a simple plan God has for our relationship with Him, but we’ve complicated it with emotions and sin. We are too proud to think He loves us just because. Too afraid that He can’t forgive our personal legacy of squandered chances. However, nothing could be further from His truth. He was trying to tell us all that very thing through this story, from His home with the children. To us, He is saying, come on by. Stop in and visit with me, tell me your concerns and cry on my shoulder about your pain. His interest is individual and specific to each and every one of us, just like those children and parents on that day. We each should know that He is attentive to our call, one by one, listening and spending the time to know us, bless us and hear our hearts cry.

In my mind, I see the lesson of this story as much bigger than Jesus loves kids and wants them to be included. I sense that Jesus is showing us a glimpse of ourselves and saying, “you are all my children, in you I will invest my time, my grace, and my love. If you will only come to me and seek me out as a child would seek its parent”. The kind of circumstance where there is no judgment or fear, but acceptance and pure love, without rules and man-made hoops to jump through. It was and is, an important lesson to drive home with His disciples and each one of us, that unless we simply accept His love and grace, as young children do, then our own pride, selfishness, and greed may very well keep us from knowing the real potential of His selfless gift to us. Forgiveness. Sometimes we may need to just stop, put down our false armor of adulthood, and climb up into His lap of understanding and grace, and remember that He is our father, our Abba. He always makes time to listen and know our doubts and fears; He is ready to bless us with His goodness and mercy. The road to real peace and blessings may look different for each of us, but isn’t that just another sign that He listens intently and covets our individual relationship with Him? Imagine that for a few minutes, the God of creation longs to have a specific and personal relationship with you, and with me. He says, “Come and sit with me, let's talk and get to know each other. Bring me your concerns and let’s work them through together”. He told us what it takes to have that kind of bond with Him. He said that we must seek Him with the faith and heart of a child. Nothing fancy, no long and flowery introductions or fanfare suited for a king, but rather an offering. An offering simple in thought and concept. The trust and expectation of a hopeful heir to the King, and the faith and commitment of a child at heart.

Gloriously Gifted

I could use countless illustrations to compare ordinary people to each other. Colors of hair, skin, or even clothes are all differences that set us apart. However, our similarities far outweigh those differences, bodies of one over-all race, human. For now, I want to compare the makeup of the church body to our human bodies. If you aren't even sure about all of this talk of Jesus, and "being saved", lend me your ear for just a few more moments, what I am about to say isn't just for the churchy people. It's about our importance and self-worth in a world that takes no prisoners when it comes to low self esteem or braggadocios, better-than-thou behavior. Both extremes are dangerous, depressing, and far from your real purpose in life.
Equality and tolerance, we hear these words a lot these days, and more often than not, in a description of how someone is not acting, rather than how they are. Why is it that we, as a race of somewhat intellectually developed beings, can't treat each other with consistent mercy and grace, while respecting our differences? Prepare yourself for a sophisticated and highly controversial proverb, because no one is perfect! I know, disappointing isn't it? The worlds problems cannot really be that simple can they?
When you mix together millions of imperfect people from varying backgrounds, stir in a few different religions, and then separate them in geographic areas that create very opposing societies, you end up with power struggles, greed, enslavement, poverty, class warfare, property disputes. This list is as long as it's peoples heritage. The people of earth are, at their core, very flawed. We want what others have, take what is not ours, devalue our own worth, and shame others for things in their lives more public than our own.
Whether you are a mature Christian and life-long church-going Pharisee supreme, or just a struggling failed human of the doubting and fearful nature like most of us, let me illustrate how we overcome these ingrained tendencies, and why we need each other so much. If you take a look at your own body, a quick inventory will confirm that most of us are born with legs, arms, eyes, ears, a heart, lungs, liver and so on. If you are a great musician, then maybe your hands are very gifted at the keys of a piano, or the bow of a beautiful violin. Perhaps you're a fabulous track star or a football standout, and your legs are your winning quality. As a producer and sound engineer, my ears, and the knowledge of what I am hearing and how to manipulate sounds, makes my ears valuable to a great sound production.
Now lets take those thoughts and put them into this perspective, are any of those parts more important than the others? I'm sure that in dangerous situations, we would protect our gifted parts, appendages and organs; if you lost an arm, you could still live, but if you lost your liver you would need a replacement to be sure. The loss of a leg or a foot is devastating, but we can learn to live without it. If you lose your stomach or your lungs, your not going to survive without major intervention and replacements. What I am trying to point out here is this, all of these things are part of your body. Some look very important from the outside. Hands that make beautiful music, eyes that see the perfect colors of a landscape. But without the whole body, without your liver, heart, lungs and all of the other vital organs that work to keep you alive in quiet unison with the rest of your body, you not only could not function, you would be dead.
This is exactly how it is in the world of people. Some of us are called to be feet. In other words we go out into the world to do our work, which is sometimes our mission. Some of us are a mouth, we speak or teach about our passion. There are hands and arms to make music and learn skills, to do the things that need a personal and integrated touch. But then there are the people that are the heart; they supply the fire and passion to go and to build. The lungs, people that help us breath in the beauty all around us, that keep us human by taking the time to extract the oxygen of life into our system. All of us have a combined and purposeful life that is integrated with the lives of those around us. Knowing this, it is really ridiculous to think about how some people act, thinking of themselves as superior to those around them in some way, whether it's race, gender, or brains. Can a foot see the beauty of a sunset? Wouldn't the eyes do that job better? And a hand cannot convert your food into energy as your stomach and systems do.
Unfortunately, most of the world doesn't think that they need anyone beside themselves. The selfish nature of imperfect people is a hard habit to break. But even more disappointing is that our churches have invited in a model of judgement, one that says this kind of person is more valuable as a member than that kind of person. Or they elevate the gift of one person as more "mature in God" than another. I don't intend to argue which gifts are more valuable than others with you, besides, the non-Christians might still be reading along. All of us should look again at 1st Corinthians 12, and then ask ourselves if we still need to argue about this question at all. In this chapter, we find the author explaining where  gifts come from and who is behind the decision to give what to whom. Verse 4 explains that His varying gifts are handed out all over, but they all originate from God's spirit. God's ministries and displays of power are in obvious action around us every day, but God Himself is behind every single one. Each of us is given a tool or something to do, that shows others who God is. All of us, in amazing variety, is handed something by the spirit of God, to some it's wise counsel or clarity to understand life's issues. To others he hands the ability to heal the sick, or perform miracles, or perhaps just be a good listener, and a trusting ear. Still there are those who are gifted to proclaim God's messages, call out spirits, speak in tongues, and those that interpret those things as well. All of these are from God, but are gifted to us individually, by His will, so that we can use them to gloriously bring praise and acknowledgement to Him. If that is a little too religious sounding for you. it means that God grants us these individual gifts not to make us look good, but to serve others. Serve. The idea isn't to categorize them and decide which ones are better than others. No. It's pretty simple if you will check your ego at the door.
The gift God grants to you isn't about you. It's about making you something more than you were before you asked Him to help you grow, and change into a person more like Him. As ragamuffins, we have nothing that He could want when it comes to talents or things. What He wants is your willingness. Willingness to show others grace and love. Willingness to share your gift of leadership or healing. He wants to set you apart from who you were without Him.
Certainly I write to you not as a scholar or a PhD, not even a preaching pastor with a sizable church to prove my important status. But I write to us both, because God has called me to do it, and the gift that He has handed out to me asks me to bring others the healing and merciful good news that He knows our imperfections. He knows that you aren't always right, and that you have made some really dumb decisions in your life. You know what, so has everyone else. The hand and the foot have been wrong, just like the lungs, eyes and mouth. Our existence here starts out as one of failure and defeat, but as beggars often do, we have found a safe place to eat and to sleep. A place that gives us rest, and helps us to find footing again.
God knows and expects us to all be different. What a shame when we put others down for not meeting our expectations. He calls us to love every ragamuffin in His creation. Their choices and lifestyles may be different, and honestly, might even be offensive to us in some ways, but real judgement is the Lord's. I don't remember ever reading about God handing out the gift of judgement. But love, grace, forgiveness, respect, and mercy, those actions could change the world around us in profound ways. Every day, in our walk through this life, God asks from us, whom He calls His children, to display that which He has richly blessed us with. Each of us, are His gloriously gifted.

1st Corinthians 12  (Msg)

Who Will Go

     Recently, a mentor of mine reminded me that it is not always the perfect and skillfully educated people that do the leading and discovering. More often than not, it’s the willing and even more importantly, the available, that fill those shoes. Those who talk without polish in their words, or lead without knowing the odds. Stepping out into a leadership role can be scary, and if it doesn’t scare you, you probably aren’t a good one. There were many reluctant leaders in the Bible. Moses and Jonah found out that even if you fight against God’s will, He sometimes has already laid the groundwork to use you, and no matter how hard you fight, God will find a way to put you where He wants you.
      Let’s just look at Jonah for a minute, Jonah was not ungodly. He knew God, and I think he probably thought of himself as a good person. Certainly God thought that he had something usable to reach the people of Nineveh. But for several reasons, Jonah was scared. He ran the complete and opposite direction from where God wanted him to be. Boarding a ship to sail away into the sunset, God put into motion a set of circumstances that would eventually find Jonah thrown overboard by the captain and crew. A bit extreme if you stop to think about it; yet no sooner than they had disposed of Jonah, the sea became more calm, and they were saved. They obviously made the right choice.
     Jonah on the other hand, had started out with some very bad decisions. I have a question for you though, after telling the crew of the boat the truth and coming clean about what he had done, did his life get better? I would say spending days alive, inside of a fish qualify as things only got worse for him. After some time, Jonah arrive where God had intended, and with an even more fascinating story with which to reach and hold the attention of the people of Nineveh. I’m sure he looked the part as well, haggled, worn, and in general a real mess.
      It seems that this story could be told about each one of us doesn't it? Of course you may never be thrown overboard from a ship, or swallowed by a fish, but don’t you feel like you have been on some days. I sure do. It doesn’t even necessarily come from directly going against God’s call, sometimes it’s just our stubborn resistance to follow His direction in our lives. We want something so bad, that we do it even knowing God wouldn’t approve. I’ve made decisions that way, and I am sure that you have too. Some are of lesser consequence, and then there some that really get us thrown overboard.
     The mindset that I usually find myself in when I feel God’s leading is this; I’m not qualified to do what I feel God is calling me toward. Either because I resisted so long to do it, or because I feel like I lack the education, experience or the skill to do it. I talk myself out of even considering it. I board my ship, and sail as fast as I can in the other direction. Not that I am, or ever have been, called to preach and save an entire region as Jonah was, but you have to understand that God isn’t always looking for that. He calls each of us to serve and believe it or not, most times the people and places He is calling us to are right where we are. Family, neighbors, friends, co-workers. Not everyone is an overseas missionary, in fact those are the rarest of people He calls.
     I am sure that you are thinking of someone or something that God has nudged you about in the past, or may be currently filling your heart with thoughts of, “this is for you”. Mine have changed over the years. Yours may too. I didn’t feel all that qualified for most of them either, but each time that I have been spit out by the fish that rescued me from running away from God’s plan, wonderful things have happened. I’ve met new people, some are affected by the stories or music that I have to share. It never ceases to amaze me how God uses my regular life of trial and error, and non-super powers effort, to create an outcome of beauty that glorifies Him. That’s His grace in my life; not only has He forgiven me, but He allows me to help others through sharing my journey and life lessons with others that are going through similar times. This is the true intention for fellowship.
     I’m not going to tell you that it isn’t a little scary at times. Okay, sometimes a lot scary. I think, “what if I am a complete failure”. If you feel that way too, remember this, you are following a path that God has led you to. If you have been obedient and prayed about it, asked mentors what they think, prayed some more, and you all agree that you should go forward with it, then you’re doing the right thing. Just remember, sometimes success can be in disguise. God’s plans can be far down the road, and though you and I may see what we did as a flop, it may be a foundation for what someone else comes to finish. Don’t judge your results by yourself; let God do that. Then listen to family and have good accountable mentors that can help you gauge if you are really being effective.. Don’t be afraid to say, I have finished this calling, or God has given me a new plan of action, and it’s time to move on. If I had not done that, you would never have read this message.
     The answer to who will go is simple, those that are willing to try. It’s not a pastor's job to reach everyone with God’s message. They can’t go to your work or school, and they certainly don't have your life stories of forgiveness and mercy to share and use to relate to others; You and I are called to go. We must, especially if you know God is calling you to a specific place or group of people. The alternative of sailing away in defiance in your own direction, well, we all know how that ended up for Jonah. Unless you are feeling short of trials and failures in your own life to share, I suggest we try His way the first time for once. Maybe you’ve done it your way for a while now, and you are not sure how to change. That is the single biggest obstacle for me to be sure, change. We can all do it differently as we take a step out in faith to follow our path. Believe in what God is calling you to do, seek His guidance. It isn’t easy, but it’s never too late to change. Finding your way to tell others about how your journey led to a "boat ride" of running away, or being swallowed by a big fish called failure; being used by God to help someone else in need, through our scars, that my friend is what grace is all about.

Jonah 1, 2, & 3
(also inspired by the passion and ministry of Pastor Terry Schneider

Hidden Blessings

Searching for Gods purpose and direction in times when you can't see anything good in your life.

  For years, I wondered if I was the only person to ever question what God's plan looked like for my life. As a boy I imagined being a lot of heroic people when I grew up. From driving those huge trucks like my father, to being a famous singer. Whether defeating evil with a light saber, or being a knight of the round table, I just knew that I was "called" to do something great with my life. And the older that I got, the more I felt like I had fallen short of my real purpose in life.
  It doesn't take a lifetime to experience disappointment or the pain of failure. We can do that as young children, as well as adults. The quest for purpose is hardwired into our hearts. The last time that you went through a hurtful situation, or difficult time in your life, did you wonder what good God could create from it? Have you thought to yourself that the impossibly tough road that a loved one is traveling must be for a reason? We have all wondered those thoughts to ourselves, even out loud, I know that I have pondered them over and over. Whether you look at it as failure, or just a lack of direction, your life's purpose is important to you, it's important to all of us. It makes us feel complete, worthy somehow to the world, that we have something of value to offer of ourselves.
  If you have struggled with your self worth, or wondered what a difference you could possibly make, this message is for you. It's certainly for me, as my life has made some drastic swerves on life's road over the past decade. I continually wonder how God can make something good out of what I am going through; little by little He reveals to me, that He is using each and every event and experience of my life to bless and help others, including people that I've never met.  There is a great life story in the Bible that reaches out to us on just this topic. It is a story of a young man, left for dead, sold to slavery, put into prison, then put in charge of everything to save the country where he was imprisoned, and finally reconciling with his abusers and saving his own family and homeland through his perseverance.
  The story of Joseph is one that has fascinated me for a good deal of my life. As a boy, he was hated by his brothers. Have you experienced a family explosion so violent that one or more of your siblings or parents was hurt physically or financially? I see this often when families are trying to overcome the death of their parent. They fight, squabble, accuse, it is awful to witness. Many families never repair the damage done during this time. The words can't be taken back, and feelings seem to go being hurt, until it's too late to forgive. Families torn apart through abuse, both chemically and physically, leave children and spouses scarred with the emotional distrust of others motives and beliefs. It's safe to say, Joseph started out in his early teen life with a disastrous view of what family was, something that happens all to often still today. And a subject, I am sure, that leaves many thinking, what good can God use this for?
  In our lives, just as in Joseph's, God looks out for us. He wants us to be respected, He wants us to be successful. But sometimes what He has in mind as a success, requires us to experience life in a way that qualifies or prepares us to be used in a certain situation. Remember that Joseph even spent time in prison for a crime that he didn't commit. While in prison he was still positive and working at being a good leader. He helped run the whole prison by the time he was released. That's optimism.
  When these trials come to us, we can't decide that life has become too much to handle, and simply quit trying; although we all feel that these times are too much for us, and there's no way we can come away victorious, I believe that life is a journey best taken one step at a time. In other words, the harder life gets for us, the more basic our mission should become. Just concentrate on living today, doing what makes today it's best. Trust your trials to a God that has your best interests in mind. There is no way Joseph could have imagined that he would end up being in charge of all of Egypt, or better still have his brothers come to him for escape from starvation. Although he had an exceptional gift from God interpreting dreams, I'm sure even Joseph was astonished at the eventual turn of events.
  What makes some people differ from others on how they get through these trials is how they look at, and react to, what they're going through. I know that I don't have the most positive of outlooks on life sometimes. Thankfully, throughout my life I have had family and friends surrounding me that remind me from time to time, to look for the good in situations, to put aside my pessimism. Truthfully, I'll tell you that unless you and I can find a way to do that, to see the good in life's trials, and to at least continue through them expecting God to use them to His advantage, then you will ensure your own failure, as surely as if you are expecting it. Joseph spent years in jail, continuing to be faithful in serving God and his jailers, believing that good would come from his faithfulness. A break finally came to him when the cup-bearer was released and reinstated to pharaoh just as Joseph had predicted, but the cup-bearer forgot what Joseph had said, to please remember him when he was free.. Though he probably thought that his time in prison was nearing an end, two more years went by before that opportunity came. That's perseverance, trust and faith.
  How long do you wait before you become impatient? For me, this might be a trick question, since I am not known to my friends and family to have an abundance of patience. People often talk about the "big picture", but you don't hear many talk about how to actually see it. I believe that you only start to see the reality of the big picture when you have the patience to wait for it to unfold. Somehow, young Joseph knew this. His waiting went on and on, but eventually the big picture revealed itself to him. I sincerely hope that our knowledge of the plan or purpose for our lives does not take as many years as his did, but in all practicality, it likely will. And longer yet, if we don't seek to follow God's will for our lives. Following our plan for happiness, or our own path to what we think is our happiness, can and usually does lead us away from God's plan. Why? Because at our basic lowest level of who we are, we are self-centered, and sinful. Not necessarily the, 'you would rob a bank or murder someone' kind of evil, just the 'not aligned with God's plan for your life' selfish living. Put simply, certain things in our life can seem harmless, but they are fun, and fulfilling to a part of who we are, a need to relax and have fun. What could that hurt, right? Let's look back at Joseph, what if he had given in to the demands of Potiphar's wife? To sleep with her, (Gen. 39). After all she just wanted to have some fun, and no one would find out. He was a slave in their house after all. You see how easy we humans make something wrong sound like it's okay? What do you think would have happened to God's protection and favor in Joseph's life if he had carried that out? Would it have derailed God's plan for Joseph? Probably not, because God can and does use whomever He wants too, whenever He wants too. But surely Joseph's outcome and blessed life would have been different.
  Don't allow yourself to make excuses about how God plans to use you, or about what you really need, or want. The truth is that we all make mistakes. Contrary to popular belief, to God they all look the same. He still has a plan for our lives, a way to take what we have experienced and make it into something that serves His purposes. You cannot predict the outcome of your life, but you can be aware of opportunity. Times when the big picture unfolds just in front of you, and you are called to paint your corner of the canvas. It's how you choose to react to trials and victories in your life that makes the difference. You can just as easily ruin your life by over-celebrating your own successes. When Joseph was given the chance to get even with his abusers, he did just the opposite of what I might think of. What do you think? Could you help those who cast you out of your family's house, and sold you into slavery? He celebrated his victories just as he did his trials, with a positive and forgiving heart. Always with an eye for God's plan in his life or even someone else's.
  This is not an easy subject for me to write about. Although I can say that I usually control my tendencies at being over exuberant upon success, I cannot say that I do that well projecting a positive and forgiving heart. I often struggle with where God's plan is taking me, or maybe it's just the secretive part of me not knowing. Perhaps together, we can all learn that in order for us to see our purpose in this life's plan, we have to be patient, and keep looking for it. All the while, continuing to live as Jesus instructed us, treating others as we would want to be treated, loving the unlovable, and forgiving those who rage and fight against us. Not to be a doormat, but to reach the lost and hurting. God says that He will take care of our enemies; leave that to Him. When we face adversity, stay the course. Believe that you are there for a reason. Seek and do the best in your duties, as if they were being done for God Himself. Believe me when I say, I am writing this to myself as much as to you, but what if we really tried to live that way. Really. Joseph lived to experience the justice of righteous thinking. Doing the right thing, even when the wrong thing has been done to you. I believe that these are the times when God's plan shows us outcomes that we can not possibly imagine on our own. They are the canvas of life which finally displays those hidden blessings.

Genesis: 37, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45 (MSG, the story of Joseph)

Thunder in the Desert - Alternate Ending

    I was reading recently about a man that had been lost in the desert alone for nine days. His ordeal was surely one that I cannot imagine. The thirst from not having water to drink would make anyone desperate and willing to drink just about anything in order to stay alive. In his story, life-saving rain came at just the right moments every few days; just enough to keep him alive, when he was too weak to manage for himself. But hours and days came and went, when there was no rain, no deliverance. I'm sure that he thought the end was near many times; that his story in this world had come to a desolate and lonely conclusion, there in the dry and isolated desert.

    Life can be a series of events that range from your happiest day to being lost in your own desert. Whether it's a desert of failure, in school or work, or one of financial ruin. Perhaps, the cruelty of human weakness in the form of illness has come to you, or you can't control an addiction that seems to weigh over you like a massive boulder quarried from shame and self-loathing. Our personal deserts of depression or despair, often come into our lives without warning, and can leave us wondering where God is when we obviously need Him the most.

    Imagine yourself in the midst of a quiet, starlit night. Your surroundings are dark, blurred forms and it’s hard to see far from where you are. Your eyes strain to make out definition and shape. It's a dry and lifeless place. What little light there is from the stars is intermittently blocked out by clouds which have no color, only darker shades of grey to black, and in the distance you see the faint flashes of lightning at the horizon. After days in the heat of your dry existence, you long for drops of rain to touch your burned and aching skin, to wet the tip of your tongue if only to cool it for a while. Not only is this the image of a desperate person in a dangerous physical place, but I think it also describes our lives in those times when we find ourselves in our darkest, driest moments. Those times when our spiritual tongues and lips are dried and cracking from the lack of living water.

    (*) When we've gone as far as we can emotionally go, and we are desperate for the relief of compassion, grace, and forgiveness by the understanding of what it is we are going through. This is the training ground that God uses to help us relate to each other, and to give us insight for what others are going through. It’s not to say that you cannot have compassion without experiencing the same tragedies, but our own trials teach us wisdom, either through success or defeat. On occasion, we all learn through failure, what not to do; what it is like to lose a job, have a life-threatening illness, or not be able to pay your bills. Our ability to help others is vastly improved through our own journey’s path. With our experiences and lessons in life, we may be someone else's flashes of lightning, or promise of rain.

When we come out of our desert, we are usually thankful to be rescued, happy and relieved to be back on our feet. When that happens, don’t forget your calling. We are all witnesses of what God has done for us. To be that voice in the wilderness that gives hope when others are lost and thirsty. To tell our story, and relate to a hurting friend or possibly a complete stranger, that there is hope for them right where they are. In John 1: 19-23, the people of Jerusalem asked John who he was, they were perplexed by his teaching and thought he could be a prophet or someone even greater, but John just kept on preaching.. He was a very loud and boisterous personality as we know him. You may not be an outspoken beacon of teaching like John, which is okay. John told them that he was thunder in the desert, that he prepared a way for the coming Messiah. And that is our job as well.

What does it mean to “make a way” when John is responding to the crowd? I believe it means that he was sharing his own experiences and trials with them. That through his life’s up and many downs, he was shining a light on how grace and forgiveness had been poured out on him. I’m sure that with his reported temperament, that he did it in a way that was on fire for the scriptures and prophecies of the Jewish people. With a loud and direct manner about him, he was certainly hard to miss for the theocrats of the day. We each “make a way” using the skills and talents that we are gifted with. Some people write songs, words, and music that inspire emotion and reach out to people in ways that John possibly never could have. There are storytellers, managing leaders, children's workers, greeters at your church, and servers at your favorite restaurant. An almost endless list comes to mind of calling styles that serve as conduits for making the way of the Lord.

While in our desert we learn how to trust God for our next drink of water, our food, and our very lives. Once out of the desert, we can share the hope of being rescued with others that are still in their isolation. But during all of those times, we are called to be God's messengers. We are responsible to share the good news whether we are in times of tragedy, experiencing joy and happiness, or not really sure where we are; God is not a far away ethereal being, only reachable through highly religious and specific rituals of the chosen few. Absolutely not. He is walking the path with you, beside every step. You cannot lose Him or get hidden from His sight. And a simple and soft whisper of His name is all the further you will need to go before He answers. No, He does not reserve His attention and love only for the “worthy”; if that were the case, none of us would ever know of it. It is a gift, as between friends, without strings or entanglements, He gives to every single one of us, the friendly, the mean, the saintly, and the criminal. For all.

The question is, how will you make His way known through your life? He has walked through your desert with you, given you water when you were dry, laughed when you were happy, and cried when you were hurting. Our call to be His messengers isn’t necessarily a call to become a ‘John of the Wilderness’. Your calling may be with your friends and family, to change the destructive course that your parents or grandparents chose. Perhaps you are a teacher or work with children, and maybe you can’t openly share about what God has done in your past, but you can show them through your attitude, the difference you have in your life. Trust me, looking back I can tell you I knew when a teacher or mentor was a Godly person. They were different. Maybe I didn’t realize it at that moment in time, but it made an impact that I always remembered, and admired. You may be a doctor that gives hope and at the same time honors God when something beyond your ability goes right. The truth is that no matter where you are, no matter what you do, God has called you to be his messenger. Pastors are not the only ones called to reach out and minister to people, we all are. Through the way you live your life, and love those around you, the life that you present to others will get their attention. Just as John’s life raised the questions of the leaders in Jerusalem, and compelled them to search him out and ask him what was so different about him and who was he, those around you will notice that you are different than most people that they know. Be diligent. Be ready. Live the best life that you can to acknowledge that you are blessed by God, that He walks with you, and that no matter what isolation or worry comes to you and your world, you will be His voice of thunder in the desert.

Blessings - Randy

John 1:19-23 (msg)

(*) - The following content is an alternate conclusion that differs completely from my previous message entitled, "Thunder in the Desert". 

A Calling Lost

     While going through some old notebooks in my studio, I came across this missive. It was written almost ten years ago, when I was struggling with the loss of my father, and the loss of a ministry lifestyle that was very bold and somewhat notorious in the community. I thought that God had finally planted me where my vision of using my gifts was going to be up to my expectations. Notice all of the "my" in that last sentence? While we did have a dynamic time of local ministry, and were used to accomplish some great and fun things, God had plans for us to grow and be used in other ways; plans that were not stagnant, and certainly not on our radar. In the years since that time, my friends and I have suffered tragedy, sickness, and change beyond our comprehension. The good news is this, through all of the hurt and struggle, God has been shaping us to His form. There have been great and wondrous times where I have grown to do things that I never considered possible. My calling swerved from sound engineer/producer and background singer, to worship leader then from worship leader to writer, speaker and author.

  What I want you to see by sharing my thoughts from years ago is this; you are made by God with a purpose. He has a plan to use you to affect the lives of others, but be aware of this, the needs of the kingdom of God change with the flow of time. The opportunity to serve God is never dull or monotonous, your calling is a journey through life's maze. It's something that needs shaping and experience, that's where life's trials and triumphs come in. Don't loose your direction, look for ways to renew it, change it, shape it into something that gives you meaning and relevance towards sharing God's love and grace. Callings aren't lost, they are abandoned. Don't walk away from yours, I promise that God has a purpose and a plan to use your life, every good and bad thing in it, to change a life of someone in need. The following was a time of just such transition for me...

  I was thinking lately that even people that we consider 'big time' in the ministry can lose their way, or worse decide it's just not for them anymore. It surprised me to read that the lead singer of a 1980's Christian rock super-group is now selling real estate. Once thought of as a premier voice in the industry, he isn't really singing or performing much at all these days. It's not that he had vocal issues, or the band ran out of material, he said that he just grew tired of the grind that touring had become. A close friend of mine, whom I consider to be one of the best public speakers and Christian teachers alive today, shared with me that he isn't really preaching at all anymore. He has other duties in his new church, administrative and financial responsibilities that govern the church, and really leave little time to think about sermons and sharing publicly. There is also our band, Last Second Chance. We have spent countless hours together writing, producing and recording music to share the gospel; we haven't sang together in months, and have no plans to play, write or lead worship together in the near future. What happens to us that makes us forget the importance of our calling? Certainly there was a lot of fire burning within us at one time. Is it burned out? Did we push so hard to get going that now we are too weak to sustain our passion? Or does the passion that we have, over time and spent energy,  just diminished on its own? A sort of natural leveling out of enthusiasm. Whatever the reason, the outcome seems the same, we retire ourselves from God's mission in our lives. Is that in His plan? Is He simply just done with us? This can hardly be the case! In many phases of life things change, priorities change, our needs wants and desires change. Sometimes our abilities change, but should this be a sign of dismissal to us? Positively not.. It should trigger us to think, "How can I change or adapt myself to stay relevant and effective". I hear those words and wonder why I cannot apply what I just wrote to my own life. Maybe it's all just about timing, God's timing not ours. Maybe, it's about ego, ours not His. Perhaps our biggest fault in ministry is thinking to ourselves "look what a great job I'm doing". Thinking that our plan is better than waiting on God's is never a good idea.

  Lets get back to basics for a thought or two, shall we. We all have gifts, you may know for certain what yours are. Some of of you may still be searching. Others of us search for fresh and new gifts and callings as we feel the old ones become less effective or needed. But the fact is, God has always known what your gifts were. He put them there after all and His intent is for us to let Him use them through us. So does it sound like something he would have us do for a short time and then quit or retire? Doesn't it seem a bit unreasonable that God would prepare, protect, and then deliver us into His time and place of meeting people where they have a need, only to have us throw in the towel after we get tired or worn? Could the purpose of God's plan, planting us into a special opportunity to share an experience through words or song, be that we are especially forgiven through grace, to be a credible witness for what He has done in our own life? All of my past and yours made you and I uniquely qualified to use the special talents that he has given to us in order to reach the hurting and make a difference in the lives of others. There is no retirement from giving yourself fully to Christ; there is however a renewal and seeking in Him, a path that keeps us vigorous and effective. Our calling allows us to joyfully and tirelessly share the good news of Jesus. Change is one of the few consistent things about living. It is certain to happen. How we respond to change will set the bar for our usefulness as a tool for God. How are you responding to the 'change' in your life. Are you finding more ways to share Jesus with the gifts that you have? Or are you more like me, you're wondering why God has put you on hold? After a little thought.. Has God really put us on hold? Or did we hang up on him... I think now would be a good time to pray and call Him back..

The Traveler

  Just how fast can an idea or news spread around the world these days? It's amazing to know that someone in Africa, Asia, the United Kingdom, South America and here in my home city, can all be affected by the news and events that are reported on live TV and online reporting. Good news and bad news, they all have a light speed conduit to the people of the world. It's surprising to me to see how many people are connected to each other via the worldwide web. There are televangelists with global capabilities and followings, news channels showing the latest crazy act of violence,sporting events that draw viewers by the millions, and yet the biggest paradigm shift in this world occurred when one man and 12 followers took it upon themselves to spread the message of love and acceptance. You may think that you're just one person in a vast world of information highways and currents events; that your actions won't have a significant impact on people, or change the course of anything with historical importance. You may not be famous or a dignitary, and yet it's easy to forget that the writings or ideas of one person, or the public failure of another, can make headlines worldwide. If it's that easy to impact an audience that's across the continents why is it so hard to spread the good news of the gospel? Do our argumentative and different opinions of what Jesus came here to do keep us from spreading the result of what he really accomplished while he was here?

  Growing up in church, one of the big events that would happen on occasion would be when an evangelist would come to town. They would put on a four or five day church meeting that some people call, camp meetings or revivals. It was kind of an exciting time. You could enjoy hearing a speaker that you really didn't know personally and he or she could get away with saying some things that your regular pastor could not. In today's world of being politically correct, it seems that this entire way of life may be gone forever. No one wants to hurt another's feelings anymore. Regardless of the dangers that our friends and family face due to poor decisions or hazardous lifestyles; no one wants to tell each other that they've been wrong or that they are living in a world of lies and selfishness. A world where the 'new' reality is what you make for yourself. Nothing could go wrong with that idea, right? In the case of the evangelist, it gave them a chance to speak on or about subjects that were sensitive within the regular crowd. They were able to speak to subjects too close to home for the local pastor. Sometimes known as the 'Fire and Brimstone' preachers, they did have a knack for shaking up the regular crowd and making them think about the words that they heard every week.

  I know that occasionally, in my fast moving and over scheduled life, I need to come to a point of reality realism. I need that abrupt stop, look, and listen that going into crisis mode puts us through.  I need to be reminded that, "I'm not all that". That pride and selfishness is a perpetual circle of disappointment. Even with a high self image, some days we also need to be reminded that we are more than we think we are. It's possible that you know the feeling of these emotions when they come over you saying, you're not good enough, or maybe you have feelings that tell you that you're better than everyone else. No matter which direction that you come from when you experience this personally convicting intersection, you need that reality check, you need advice from a person that maybe doesn't know you like a family or friend does. The person who intersects with our life in a way that shows respect, while earning trust. I hope you have a person like this in your life. If not now, then somewhere in you're past. Perhaps at youth camp, there was a special speaker that seemingly created every topic and message like they knew all about you, or a song on the radio that described your emotions or situation almost as if the writer understood right where you were.

  Part of God's message through the cross was to reach out to us in a way that would present the message of grace openly to everyone; not just for the salvation of the Jews, but everyone else as well. Eventually, left without their leader to guide them, the Apostles and the growing number of followers needed a link to God. A part of God that could be with them here on earth, in the solitude of prison and in the pressing of massive crowds, the presence of God was needed and present there. It taught them to seek God in healing and in worship. In the simple sharing of the message, and the desperation of extreme and violent torture, the Traveler was there. The person-hood of God, the very Spirit of His love and nature went with them, experienced  loneliness with them, spoke the thoughts of praise into their minds and hearts. Like time itself, the Traveling Spirit of God, finds a winding path through our lives. It connects with us through guest speakers, a song on the radio, Sunday school teachers, and well timed events in our lives that always seem to be perfectly aligned for the outcome that we couldn't predict. The Traveler knows when you close your eyes to pray, "God, this is my last chance". You may be young and full of wonder about what your life has yet to offer or maturing to that point where you think more about mortality and the next life, either one can be quickly drawn to the reality of needing God. A need of such desperation that your options are limited to one choice. In your searching for truth and peace, the Traveler sent from God knows no boundary. No situation is too serious. No illness beyond comfort.

  The 12 followers that Jesus called His closest friends, the ones that He laughed, loved and lived with, were all put into situations where they needed the guidance, comfort and peace that they had known in their friend Jesus. They found those things in the presence of the Traveler. If we never experienced sadness and need, we might never find the ability to appreciate happiness and favor. The 12 definitely experienced the full range of happiness and excitement, as well as sadness, fear, and despair. Though I am certain that they felt inadequate, worthless, and ashamed, they persevered to become full of grace, and outspoken about the message of a God that came here to earth, just for them. Just for you. Time can be our companion in life, when we use it to walk with conviction, and the knowledge that the Traveler is also here for us, to embolden us, to carry us when we are too weak to go on, to weep when we cry, and laugh when we are happy. My wish for you is that you will seek out this ally, whose mission here in our lives is to give us a sense of Godly presence and a personal experience with His majesty, the crowned and reigning philanthropist of grace.

The Problem with Sinners..

     I think this message points more to the established Christian as a warning, not to become complacent in our tolerance of bad behavior within the church. There are those who need to be held accountable, and although I don't always circle the proverbial wagons around a highly spiritual or theological teaching in these pages, I am basing this message on the love and grace of Jesus. As Ragamuffins, we have no earthly goods that would be seen as worthy in God's kingdom, and before we pass judgement upon another person, we should be deadly sure that the yard stick by which we measure is Jesus, and not our idealistically warped sense of what we have labeled as righteous. 

     Drug addictions, a drinking problem, anger issues, unhealthy sexual desires or habits; these are just a few of the issues for whom society waves the popular treatment banner. In our self-help, quick-fix modern church, these are the types of problems that "real" Christians shouldn't have to be dealing with, right? After all, you have overcome all those "major sins" by accepting Christ. Wrong.. Reality is closer to this; just because God granted grace to you, doesn't mean that He's also granted you immediate deliverance from your sinful habits. Some of those lifestyle choices are so much a part of who we are, that it takes time to let go of them. I will accept that God could, if it was His plan, deliver you instantly from them, and oh how excellent that would be. That isn't usually the normal path of Christianity though. I trust that God fully expects us to be changed people, and to make an effort to be more Christ-like, but chances are, you will not suddenly stop having the urge for a drink, and you will not have an instant attitude correction leaving you free from anger issues or desires that aren't of the purest nature. Most of the time God's plan works its way through our lives in a slow and methodical way, supplying us with answers to questions as we grow more and more mature in our faith. If we are to expect, as longtime believers, that Christians should instantly be delivered from their sinful natures and habits; and that the expectations of perfection should be put upon them as they attend "our" churches, then that cold and merciless thinking in itself, may be part of the problem with keeping new converts in your church.
     One of the quickest ways that I know of to deflate the energy and excitement of a new Christian is to tell them that they aren't quite up to your level, or that their clothes or the way that they dress aren't up to your church's standards. The problem with sinners is, for the most part, when Christans forget that they are sinners too. Before we accept Christ, we know that we are living on our own. Something tells each of us on the inside that we are not Godly people. In fact many times we wallow in self incrimination, telling ourselves that God couldn't love or accept us, that I'm a lost cause, or that the church would fall down if I go there. None of which are true. The idea of the Gospel was to prove that God's love has no boundaries, that common people are in fact, included in the mission of the cross, and that you can come to Him at any time. Christians who have forgotten that they are still capable of sinning are more dangerous to God's kingdom than any drunk, addict or abuser that I've met. Think about the repercussions of gossip, selfishness, pride, ignoring the needs of a spouse or a child; I would suspect, that these types of behaviors cause as much or more harm to those around us, than the so-called major sins. That's because they affect the people closest to us, and ripple outward from our lives. Our family, friends, and coworkers who see these flaws are saying to themselves, if that's what being a "Christian" is like, then no thanks.. What's the difference between just living, and living a hypocritical Christian life?
     The problem with sinners is that when we look at our own sin, we either see a cascade of unforgivable guilt, or we think that we are "about as good as everyone else". Both of these scenarios have huge pitfalls when it comes to accepting grace. It's our job as Christians to live lives that are examples of God's gifts to all of us. The gifts of acceptance, value, worth, honor and love, these many attributes sum up the grace that God has set aside for you. Grace to cover your past addictions. Grace to cover your abusive behavior. Grace to cover the lying, stealing and cheating. But also the grace to live as Christians and still be working on becoming more Christ-like. No matter where you are in the journey of walking toward or with God, His grace is your membership card into the kingdom of heaven.
     New Christians, don't use it for a license to keep on sinning and say, Gods got me covered. God knows your heart, and will not honor your lack of effort. Long time (mature) Christians, don't think that just because you've been around a while that you've moved past that sinful or worldly part of your life.
     Many years ago, a good friend of mine, a young man that was just beginning his walk with God, was discouraged by the judgement of the established Christians from the church that he attended. Mostly, I think the church leaders felt that he didn't dress in clothes that they thought were appropriate for church. Not that he was wearing clothes with holes in them, or that they were dirty or baggy; his clothes were somewhat dressy. He wore nice, pressed shirts that you might say were stylish and business like. What was their issue then? He wore shorts to church. Not the gym or beach style of shorts, but the type that are business looking, longer with pockets, something that you might see a UPS driver or park ranger wear. But that wasn't the only complaint they seem to have with him. The leadership had another major issue with him as well, he didn't wear a tie. At that time, the church still had ushers and he was happy to help with that task when asked. He was a brand new Christian, and seemed to be really putting forth an effort to get involved with the church, while finding mentors and others that he could grow with and be accountable to. His rude awakening was right around the corner.
     Although he was liked by many in the church as a fun and excited new Christian, there were some in leadership, those sinners who had seemingly forgotten that they themselves were still just forgiven by grace, that felt compelled to confront him. Their message to him was clear, if he wanted to be involved in "their" church, he would need to stop wearing shorts, and put on a tie. His current wardrobe just wasn't meeting their standards for the Sunday morning dress code. Apparently they made the point so completely and so forcefully, that it had a permanent and lasting impression on him. He never returned to that church. In today's church going, flip-flops and t-shirt standards, this story probably sounds so completely ridiculous and petty. The point that I'm trying to make here is this; the actions of a few church leaders, based on something that today seems so trivial, may have cost this young man years of resentment towards the church. Even though the ridicule that he was subjected to wasn't biblical or God's doing, I'm sure that in his heart it was the church as a whole that was to blame.
     I lost contact with him after that, and I can't say whether or not God ever repaired that young mans heart from the rejection that he suffered at the hands of "sinners". This I can say though, where was the grace in their actions? How differently would his life have turned out today, if the church had shown him compassion and understanding instead of judgement? We will probably never know in this world. What we can do is treat others as valued children of the same God that grants each of us our pardon. The same God that forgives each of us daily when we lose our temper, or fail to honor our spouses. The very same God that was failed by his twelve most trusted disciples, but never stopped loving them. The problem is not the sinner, the problem is the sin. We should never forget, that the pomp and circumstance that we sometimes make our organized church into, is never worth the cost of losing even one single person. Clothing differences, gossip and hurtful language, addictions, abuses of all kinds; we have to find a way to be Christ's grace to everyone.
     Certainly there is a time for admonishment when it is scripturally necessary and we should hold each other accountable through love and in a merciful manor, just remember that you are talking to a child of the God of this universe. A ragamuffin that's broken, worn and tired from the journey. Whether the lost are just finding their way into our midst, or whether they are our church leadership, members or closest mentors, we're never exempt from showing others the same unmerited mercy, grace and forgiveness that has been given so freely to us. The trouble with sinners is that they're everywhere, ourselves included.

The Strong Survive.. Or Do They

  These thoughts may be a bit self recriminating but as always, the intent is to share my thoughts, and find solace or maybe a hint of a solution in the process of writing them down. Though sometimes I tend to paint with a broad sounding brush, the focus is the topic and how it affects those that indeed fall into the category and subject. My apologies to those of you who have already discovered the secrets of living or do not suffer from the points made hereto.. 

  In wars of times gone by, the brave and the courageous have conquered and fought for the good and the bad. Men and women, who felt a calling of leadership, whose compulsion to be more than ordinary, were the backbone of creating a society of liberty, with rights and privileges. Truly, you cannot have freedom without sacrifice. Over time this burden can become heavier than all the weapons of war itself. Being a strong leader, or the protector of family and virtue, it's a heavy burden to evaluate where duty and love intermix with the stress and dangers of life and doubt. As parents we want to impart on our children the values that we hold dear, the memories that we made with our parents and mentors, renewed and imprinted into their lives. Husbands and wives, doing whatever it takes to protect each other, to spare each other from the stresses, the disappointments, and the pains of life and loss. The 'Strong' hold closely to the value of protecting who and what they hold dear, even if it means sacrificing themselves in ways unknown to those around them. It begs the question; how long can a 'strong' leader continue to sacrifice? What price is paid internally for telling yourself that others are more important than yourself? Over time, piece by piece, you make a deal with yourself saying that it's necessary to protect the ones that you love, or the things the you cherish. Think of it like this; people in life or death situations, the foxholes of life, often pray to God that if He will save them, they will give up some bad habit, or addiction. For strong leaders, heroic leaders, its often a promise to themselves, a deal with the devil within, that if they can just hold on, and be the person everyone expects them to be, the knight in shining armor, that then and only then, will they be given the chance to be called successful, respected, or worthy. Self destructive? By their very nature, some leaders give so much of themselves that it does become self destructive. History shows us over and over where good leaders are destroyed little by little when they give more of themselves, or think more of themselves, than they should.
  I want to focus on just one man of history and biblical fame in my thoughts here. David was born into a family where his worth was subject to jokes and ridicule. His youth was spent in the shadow of his brothers. But God had a plan to use David to lead and protect the people of Israel. Without retelling you the whole story, which you can find in Samuel, Kings and various books of the Old Testament, I am just looking at how leadership eroded Davids inner self. But more importantly how he handled it. And how God handled it! David lived and lead through victories and personal defeats. Some of his actions were despicable, but God loved him and continued to bless and use him. Why? I think it was because David continued to seek the presence and love of God. He found sorrow in his mistakes and grieved the pain that he caused to the innocent. His heart found God's love, one mistake and one victory at a time. This is the message to us from God, and the point of this writing. As leaders; as parents, wives, husbands, and just about anyone that you can think of, God asks us to seek Him in the things that we do. Our leadership skills will be our undoing if we think that we are capable of always being right! Through mistakes, and a humble, heartfelt remorse, we learn to value others and know the frailty of love, respect and friendship. This is how 'The Strong' survive- with success. David instructed his successor, Solomon, to honor the friendships and loyalties of their allies. He also reminded him of the fate of their enemies. Throughout his life, failures and successes, God used and blessed David. And he ended his life on earth regarded as a man of God, and loved by God. 
  Though you and I may never lead a kingdom of David's wealth and power, we do lead. We have children who need mentors and guidance, we have spouses who need love and grace, and we work and live with others who are constantly watching to see what is so 'different' about these Christians. What I hope they see in me, are not all of my failures, but the fact that I keep looking to God and saying, "I'm ready to try again". Do the strong survive? Yes they do; whether they survive and continue as successful, respected men and women depends largely on how they handle their failures in life. It takes very little courage at all to quit when a person fails. It takes a lot of courage to admit your were wrong, and try again, using wisdom and humility to continue to lead or mentor. I hope you haven't given up on yourself, or on how God can use your place in this life to help, mentor, lead and bless others. Somewhere there is a person, or persons, that He has placed in your life-path for just that purpose. How you live and lead through your mistakes is just as important as how you live and lead when you are victorious and successful. The 'Strong' do indeed survive, but they thrive when they realize that alone they are not strong, but with grace and perseverance to seek God and live genuine lives, they can and will survive not only as leaders, but as respected, Godly heirs to a kingdom greater than David's ever was.

Randy
May 17, 2015

Giants

   Most likely we all know the story of David and Goliath. A young boy, not particularly large in stature, defeats the mightiest worrier of a fierce enemy. What David lacked in size, he made up for in faith. Some would say that the story of David against the giant is just that, a story. A parable, told to energize the masses, and motivate the outmatched armies throughout history. Regardless of what you believe, it is a story told of an undeniably courageous young man, whose faith in his God was stronger than his self doubt and fear. When everyone around him was at a loss for what to do, or where to run, he knew exactly who would give him the strength and wisdom to slay Goliath. For David, it was a life changing experience. His trust in God, brought out the real leader in him, and eventually lead to his procession to the throne.
    Every day, each of us battle against our own 'giant'. Illness, addiction, loss of a loved one, loss of a job, the list is endless, and the pain it represents is devastating. It's how we choose to address this giant of ours that sets us apart from the rest of the world. I usually choose to face my battles head on, but some of them you never see coming. Courage and faith can be powerful allies when you are at war with depression, indecision, or fear; when placed in the right hands they help us to rise above our weakness. God says he will never forget about us, that he will never leave us all alone, and always wants the best for us. With that in mind, those 'giants' don't seem as huge or indestructible, but they are still in our lives. God doesn't always remove our pain, or rescue us from the situation that we are in, but He does promise to help us in it, to carry us through it if necessary. I occasionally imagine that as we struggle with pain or loss, Jesus is right there crying with us tear for tear. Not that He is helpless like we think we are, but because He understands our sadness, and doubt, and He knows that grief and expressing those feelings, is part of the process of dealing with them.
     The good news is that we don't have to be frozen in place by life's anxieties, or crippled by fear of the unknown. David placed his trust in a God that he knew, without a doubt, had his back. He may not have known how he would be able to triumph against the bully, but he knew that God called him to try. In our lives, I think that's the important thought, God calls us to believe in Him, have faith, and try. It's not a guarantee that all your problems will go away, David's didn't. However faith does come with a promise that you are not alone in your trials, and a very loving friend in Jesus, the Son of God Himself, will be at your side for every step of of your journey.
     We will all face tests of our faith, and trials of suffering, grief or doubt; the question is, will you follow the example of a small boy serving God against the odds to conquer his battle, or will you go it all alone. Being a strong-willed child, I have attempted the "all alone" method many times, and I can tell you, it has never ended well. It usually ends up with me in a bigger mess than when I started, and I still need someones help to get out of it. Our life is full of times when we feel that our problems and situations are too big for us to deal with, and that is true. But as children of God we are not left to deal with anything on our own, and nothing is too big (or small) for God. All of our struggles, victories and failures, God uses to make us stronger. He molds us through each experience into to men and women that He wants us to be; someone that He can then use to bring someone else closer to Him. Take courage and have faith, when you are the most fearful and full of doubt, remember that God is just a prayer away to help you face your giant.

1 Samuel 17:45 (MES)
Randy

(revised 6-18-2016 - originally written: 2012)