M is my nine-year-old granddaughter. She and her 5-year-old brother have been with us for a week. Today they will be traveling home. M has been a bit clingy this morning. I think for several reasons – it has been a busy week-end and she is tired; her time here is coming to an end and there is a touch of boredom. I don’t mind the “clinginess.” I enjoy the extra hugs.
I suggested we go for a walk around the lake (there is a lake in our neighborhood that is about a mile in circumference). She liked the idea and was eager to go. When my wife heard we were going for a walk she offered to accompany us. M accepted it but was not as thrilled as I thought she might be. Then her younger brother wanted to go and the protest began. What began as alone time with her grandfather became a party with four people instead of two.
I enjoyed having all four of us walk together but I was also said because I knew the disappointment M felt. Through the years, I have been interrupted during my alone time with God – a question, a conversation, a comment – and the alone time is gone. It can be resumed or rescheduled but is not like walking back into that same moment.
M needed and wanted some alone time with her grandfather. It didn’t happen as she had planned and hoped. Even though we walked together and she took my hand, it wasn’t what she had in mind. I am not her father but there is a good image here. We all need alone time with our heavenly Father – time to just pour our hearts out to Him – telling him about about our day – the highs and the lows.
It is in the One-on-One time that I grow and have my thinking challenged and my heart warmed by His presence. I think I’ll go there later and spend some alone time.
It is Sunday and and I have had opportunity this afternoon to reflect a bit on today’s worship and on the series of messages I am giving on some of the parables of Jesus. The focus last week was on the story of the prodigal or lost son. The question I asked last week: “How far will God go?” We looked at the extent the father goes to welcome His children home. The love the Father has for His children is without measure.
Today there was a different question: “How far will I go?” Jesus called men and women not just to faith in Him but to follow Him – take up ones cross – deny self -become like their teacher. That call was not just to first century Jews but to everyone who would put their faith in Christ.
He wants to shape character, equip us for ministry, involve us in caring for a community of believers and keep our focus on bringing glory to the Father.
When I ask “how far will I go?” I have to ask, “Am I willing for Him to completely shape my character until it resembles Him? Am I willing to be available to do ministry – to set aside personal agendas and ambitions and schedules to minister to others? Am I willing to be inconvenienced for the sake of others? Am I willing to invest in the lives of others so that they, too become disciples of Jesus? Am I willing to do all of it for the glory of God?
It’s easy to say, “yes!” because it is the right answer. But the more I intentional I try to be at living as a disciples the more I realize what is involved and there are days when I wonder, “how far will I go?”
It was a great morning to go for a run. It was a little before 7:00. The leaves on the trees were dripping wet from late rains yesterday. The sky was clear and the air was cool. It was one of those mornings when it was just great to be outside.
I love this kind of morning for a run. It’s the time of solitude that I enjoy – time to be alone, to think, I think about my day, solve problems, plan sermons, pray and simply enjoy my own little world. Sometimes I reflect on the past – parents who are gone – childhood memories - first cars, first dates, first jobs. It is amazing how much one can think about in a 30 minute run.
In mile three of my four-mile journey, I ran under the branch of a tree. A large blackbird took off; the branch shook and I got wet – very cool drops of rain that had been stored on the leaves of the tree waiting for a blackbird to take off just as I was under the branch.
I would never have mentioned the blackbird or the tree had it not been for the rain. On a dry day, I might have run under that same tree, frightened the same bird and the branch would have jiggled just the same but I would have been unaffected. The stored rain-drops interrupted whatever I was thinking about at the time.
I wonder how many things happen all around us everyday that we don’t notice because we are so self-absorbed. Are their hurting people around us that we don’t even see because we are so busy thinking about our own needs. For example, are we in such a hurry to get through a line at the grocery store that we are unaware that the person scanning our groceries seems incredibly sad and needs a word of encouragement.
When I look at Jesus, He seems so “other focused.” Although He had a mission, He was not self-absorbed. Jesus challenged those who would follow Him to deny themselves and take up their cross and follow. Was this another way of telling them to not be so self-absorbed – to think less about their personal needs and more about the needs of those around them.
I am thankful for a blackbird, wet leaves and cool droplets that have reminded me to look around – to notice what is happening around me – to look for those places where I can even encourage the unnoticed people.
Sunday is intended to be a day of rest. Today I am taking it seriously. It is not resting from the past week but resting for the week to come. The grand-children are coming – on their way as I write. I am looking forward to time with them. But I also know that next week at this time I will be ready to rest from the “fun” of this week.
I know they have in mind trips to the pool. My 5-year old grandson has already informed us that he isn’t coming to work. That was in response to my wife’s suggestion that he could help me with some yard work. There will likely be some children’s movies and games and sibling rivalries. There will be questions, stories and debates over where we go and what we do each day.
It is fun to anticipate the week. I’m sure my picture of the week is a bit different from theirs but we will find common ground and have a good time.
As I thought about resting it occurred to me that rest is often about looking back – about resting from what we have done. Sometimes that rest comes with a sigh of relief that the week or the day is done. I like the idea of resting for what lies ahead. It is more about anticipation – getting ready for something new.
Whether we rest from what we have done or rest in anticipation for what lies ahead, it is important that we rest. We are made for a day of rest. We need regularly breaks to rest the mind, the body and the spirit and to gain perspective.
Today I am resting for next week. Next Sunday I will be resting for the week that has passed. Two days of rest for the same week – one in retrospect and one in anticipation.
One of the biggest frustrations in our kitchen remodel job was the amount of demolition that had to be done before we could begin to see it come back together. It seemed that at every turn we were creating another mess and a new set of challenges.
My regular running route has been “under construction” for months. It has seemed more like it was under “deconstruction.” Every time I look down the road I wonder why are they destroying so much. I want to see progress and what I see seems the opposite of progress. Whether it is my kitchen or the county road there is a certain amount of deconstruction and mess that must occur before the new can begin.
When Jesus called His disciples, He had to do some “deconstructing.” They had been taught certain ways of thinking. Numerous places in Scripture Jesus would say, “you have heard that it has been said, but I say to you…” In order for Jesus to do a new thing in the lives of His followers He had to correct the conventional thinking.
As a follower of Christ, He is continuing to challenge my thinking about His nature and how He works. As I invest in the lives of others, it isn’t as simple as teaching Biblical concepts. There is a need to confront thinking that has been shaped by culture, faulty teaching, and life experiences. It would be great if at the moment we decide to follow Jesus we could start with a blank slate that could be filled with Biblical principles.
Instead we come with a full slate and slowly the Spirit of God erases erroneous teaching and replaces it with truth. The process is at times messy; at other times frightening; and at other times exhilarating – but all necessary if we are to become His disciples.
We have been remodeling our kitchen. It has been a long project. I am frequently asked, “Is it finished yet?” The short answer is – for the most part. There is still some trim work and painting to do but everything is essentially back in order. So technically, it is not finished. There are days when I wonder if it will ever be finished. It will be a good day when we can say, “it is finished.”
Just prior to Jesus’ death, He said, “It is finished.” His statement did not just refer to His last life breath but to his ministry. He had finished what He came to do. We know that He came to die for the sins of the world – to make atonement – to reconcile man to God. He was that perfect sacrifice – the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.
But that wasn’t all of His assignment. In John 17:4 Jesus is praying. “I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do.” Jesus had spent three years teaching, healing the sick, casting demons from people, multiplying a lunch, raising the dead and identifying a team of followers that He could train.
He chose 12. These disciples traveled with Him, learned from Him and shared in ministry with Him. Then in John 17, Jesus is praying for them and says that He has completed what the Father had asked him to do.
Finished? I’m not sure I would have considered them finished. They deserted Him at His trial and even after the resurrection, some doubted. I’m sure they did not feel that Jesus was finished with them.
My kitchen may get finished but there will always be more to do with the house. As a Christ-follower, I know that God is not finished with me and yet I dare not doubt the work He has done and trust that He can work through me.
More importantly, as I disciple others, I need to recognize that there will always be areas of growth but most likely they will be ready for ministry before I realize it and I need to be ready to set them free – to “be finished” and release them for the Lord to use and like Jesus, pray for them.
I have been reading and rereading the parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15. There are so many lessons to be learned from it – so many truths and observations to make.
It is obvious that prodigals are important to the Father. He loves both sons deeply. He made preparations for a celebration while the son was still a long way away. He embraced him and had a party to celebrate the home-coming. When the older son refused to come to the party, the father went and pleaded with him to come in.
Both sons have disappointed the father and yet the father pursues them. The younger son has been rebellious and squandered his inheritance. The older son has been faithful but misses the party because of resentment.
There is another character in the story that is mentioned briefly – he is the pig farmer who gives the younger boy a job – not a good job but a job.
I have wondered, which of these I most resemble.
- Without question, I have been the younger son. There was a time when I was choosing my own way and had no desire to honor my heavenly Father.
- I fear I have also been the older brother – not always ready to forgive and celebrate the returning prodigal.
- I have at times been the pig farmer – more concerned about my own needs than with the fact that there is a prodigal in my midst who needs to go home.
- I long to be more like the Father who looks with a sense of expectancy and hope for a party to celebrate the home-coming of a prodigal.
The Father celebrates a homecoming. The prodigal celebrates grace and mercy. Perhaps there are three prodigals – the younger son who returns, the older son who refuses to celebrate and a pig farmer who is oblivious to it all.
Posted by northpointcc under
Uncategorized Leave a Comment
I must admit that I get a little envious of those dads whose adult children live close enough to come home within a few minutes. I hear stories of father’s day cook-outs and family gatherings on Father’s day and I miss my children.
I enjoy the phone calls – short or long – with children and grandchildren but there is no substitute for a hug, a conversation over a Starbucks coffee or a walk together.
Having said that, there is also something special about taking time on Father’s Day to reflect on my children and grandchildren. A good Father’s Day is, being reminded that my children are doing very well. They are both active in ministry – touching lives and helping others grow and mature in faith. They are responsible adults with solid marriages.
If my children lavished me with gifts and cards but were not solid in their faith, it would be a good Father’s day but not a great one. If they were able to visit frequently but their marriages were falling apart, I would enjoy their company but it would not be a great Father’s Day.
As I write this, I think of our heavenly Father. I believe He delights in our offerings and expressions of praise but delights more when we reflect His character. It is then that we bring him the most honor and glory. So, my children honor me most when they are honoring their heavenly Father.
The worship team is practicing; teachers are preparing materials for Praise land (children’s worship). Coffee and cookies are ready for those who arrive early. In homes around the region people are getting up and getting ready to attend worship.
I’m trying to prepare as well. I spent time praying earlier – praying over each seat in the auditorium – trying to think of those who sit in various sections of the room. I reviewed the message and the accompanying PowerPoint. Prayer guides are ready for those in the prayer room.
We are honoring seniors with a PowerPoint slide show and gift. We are recognizing dad’s with a gift. The last part of our worship will be communion. Hopefully, the entire service will honor God and my prayer is that by the time we come to communion hearts will truly be prepared to worship Him.
We have music; testimonies of God working in the lives of our people; teaching from God’s word; prayer; and communion – all significant elements of worship. The key ingredient will be the presence of the Holy Spirit.
As I anticipate worship, I can plan all the elements and anticipate their relative impact but the key will be the presence of the Holy Spirit. He is the One I anticipate. If for some reason He is not here, we will have had a religious experience but not true worship.
Et Cetera – “a number of unspecified additional persons or things.” Could those unspecified “things” be stories, ideas. experiences, et cetera? It suggests that more could be said but there isn’t time or space. More people could be mentioned but I will skip over them now.
The use of the word suggests to me several challenges:
- There isn’t enough room to complete the list
- There isn’t enough time to compile the list
- The list of people or things is not nearly as important as what has already been listed
Those items or people included in “et cetera” are easily dismissed because they aren’t named. Yet they are important. If they had no value, there would not be the need for the “et cetera.” Another way of looking at the word et cetera, (really two words) is that the story is too big or the stories are too numerous. In other words, the story being told is just the tip of the iceberg of what could be told.
The Apostle John wrote an “et cetera paragraph” at the end of the Gospel account He authored. “Jesus did many other things as well. If everyone of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.” - John 21:25
We have 21 chapters of amazing stories – accounts of miracles, teaching, enduring, dying and coming back to life. Those stories are just the tip of the iceberg of what could be said. There is more in the “et cetera” than in the written pages.
I sometimes wish more pages had been written. But the book was written to give us a taste so that we desire more of the Central Figure of the book than just additional stories. In some cases, “et cetera” is the easy way out- a way of saying, “I don’t want to bore you with additional details. It is the conclusion. John 21:25 is the invitation to explore more. It is not the end but the beginning.
In fact the story is still unfolding as Christ works in lives – stories of marriages being restored; grace being received to walk with unpredictable disease; peace in the loss of a job; ET CETERA!
