northpoint notes

I read somewhere (can’t remember where or when) that a clean desk is the sign of a sick mind. I was so relieved. I have never been accused of having a clean desk. This does not mean that I like clutter either – I really don’t. I prefer a neat (relatively speaking) environment.

I have this fear (actually justified) that if I put things away, I will not remember where I put them and will not find them again – out of sight; out of mind. Sooo whatever I am working on or need to deal with in the near future ends up on my desk. I know there are many who can suggest solutions to keep me neater on a more regular basis but my pattern is to move from neat to chaos to neat to chaos.

When the clutter finally gets to me I start a clean-up. Yesterday it was book shelves. I had accumulated two stacks of mostly unread books. One (actually two short ones) were on the corner of my desk and the other was on the floor at the end of my desk. By doing some rearranging on my bookshelves – eliminating a few journals – I was able to find space on the shelves for the stacks of books to be read. It felt great.

I still have more to do – though the books are gone from my desk, visitors would hardly notice that it has been reorganized and two stacks have been eliminated. The remainder of the clean-up is on the agenda for tomorrow.

I had lunch with a young man today who told me his life’s story. It was a lot like my office – chaotic, no order and to the point of being dis functional. He had a significant encounter with God who brought order to His life. He would tell you that his life is still not fully ordered but the clean-up has begun – there is work on the agenda for tomorrow and the next day and he is committed to allowing God to do all that needs to be done.

As I reorganize my office, I am fully aware that God is continually remaking me. I am thankful for the order and direction He brings.

I am studying in the coffee shop of the public library. A delivery man arrived with supplies – numerous boxes requiring the use of a two-wheeled truck. The process involved unloading from his truck (in the street); coming up a few steps; entering the main door and then through a cafe door to the prep area of the coffee shop.

I could only visually see the last part of this process – going through the cafe door. A coffee-shop employee followed as he wheeled the first load toward the cafe door. I watched as he balanced the cart with one hand to reach around and open the cafe door (which was on a spring – meaning he had to push it open and quickly push the truck before the door closed again. The coffee-shop employee continued to follow and never attempted to help with the door.

I watched as he made four, five, six more trips. Another employee was working just inside the cafe door. She never made an attempt to help keep the door open as he wrestled the truck with one arm and pushed the door with the other.

I was surprised that they seemed to ignore the struggle he had getting through that door. As he made the last trip, it dawned on me that I was only six feet from the cafe door. I could have opened the door for him. I sat in my chair. He had made his last trip.

What is frustrating to me is that a part of what I have been teaching recently has been on finding ways to be a blessing to those around me. I watched 6 opportunities pass in just a few minutes.

I could blame it on being engrossed in what I was studying but if I had been so engrossed I wouldn’t have noticed the cafe door at all.

My wife loves roses – cuts roses, live roses, red roses, dried roses – she loves roses. We have planted rose bushes on every property we have lived with the exception of the first one (we were only there 9 months). We have had varying degrees of success with roses depending on soil and the care we have given.

We have not been particularly successful where we live in large part due to the two reasons stated above – soil and care given (or lack of it). I have been wanting to try a new location for roses – differently flower bed. Friday I was at a garden center and saw two of our favorites on sale – about 1/2 price. They looked healthy – strong base, disease and bug free. I bought them.

As I was unloading them from the car I was reflecting on the good deal. These roses hadn’t cost much at all. Then as I contemplated planting them I began to realize that the initial cost was not the end of the story. These roses would cost me additional money in products to keep them healthy. They will cost me time in caring for them and likely some sweat as well. The purchase price is likely the least of the investments I will make in those roses.

The more I thought about it, the more I realized that everything has a cost. Homes, clothes, cars – even if they are given to us, there is cost in maintaining them. Relationships require various kinds of investments – costs – time, sometimes money, emotions, etc. Good health does not come automatically – nutrition, exercise, rest – all play a part.

I have tried to think of anything that is free. Being a Christ-follower, my thoughts of course went to my relationship with God. Salvation was costly (Jesus died for my sins) but it is free to me. Beginning the journey with Christ is absolutely free but following is quite costly – all-consuming actually.

Jesus warned those who wanted to follow to count the cost. There doesn’t seem to be much focus on this part. It is a little like a garden center salesman selling me roses. He will tell me how hardy the bush is; how prolific if flowers; the size of blooms to be expected; the beauty of the rose. He tells me the benefits but not much about watering, feeding, pruning and pest control.

I am saddened by those who start strong as Christ-followers – celebrating the forgiveness of sin; the promise of heaven; and the hope of a better life (all true); but who begin to fade in their faith when tough times come or when Jesus wants to change something in their lives.

I’m still learning the answer to the question, “what does it cost?” To this point, it has been worth it. I’m assuming it will continue to be so.

• A celebration – I run because I can and every time I run, I am thankful. I know that many would be unable. I feel blessed.
• A stress reliever –  I have had some really meaningful conversations with frustrating people on my daily run.
• A discipline – although I am thankful that I can run, there are days when I don’t want to go. I do it, in part, to prove to myself that I can still do it in spite of how I feel.
• A time to think – some of my most creative ideas have come while running. I’m still trying to figure a good way to take notes with out stopping and without getting my notepad sweaty.
• A time to enjoy God’s creation – I have run on trails in the country, through woods, in snow, on country roads and city streets and on the beach.  I have seen deer, listened to birds sing, been chased by a red-winged blackbird (and dogs). I have seen sun rises and sunsets and bright moon-lit mornings.
• A Reminder of a passage of Scripture – Hebrews 12:1-2 – so I try to run with patience, with a goal in mind.

15 years ago a group of pastors began praying for our city. Out of that original group was birthed a sustained prayer ministry that crosses denominational and racial lines.

There are several groups of pastors that pray together every week. Each month 25-40 pastors unite for a morning of prayer. Annually 40-60 pastors go away for a 4-day prayer retreat. The focus of the praying has been personal renewal, revival in the city and unity among pastors.

Monday I was in a meeting with 35-40 pastors. 13 white pastors and the rest were black. We met to pray and discuss ways we could work together to minister to the victims of violent crime. It was a great meeting. No one was concerned about race or denomination but about sharing the love and grace of God in the community. We prayed for police officers and city officials and for each other.

It reminded me of John 17 – Jesus asked the Father that we would be one – that we would be united. Monday was a glimpse of Jesus’ prayer being answered.

Our church has been involved with a ministry called Angel Food. People can buy a box of food for $30.00 that is supposed to feed a family of four for a week. There are frozen meats; frozen and fresh vegetables, pastas, etc. A family can order as many boxes as they want. They pick up their food at the church once each month. Our job as a church is to take orders, pick up the food at a distribution center, bring it back to our church, place it in boxes as families come to pick up their orders.

Two young men had a vision for this ministry; went for training; recruited volunteers and they run the program. In one month the orders more than doubled – from 44 orders to 90. Several regular volunteers were out of town this past Saturday when the food was to be delivered. This meant a need for more help. Doubling the orders also meant we needed more or larger vehicles to transport the food. A simple announcement about the need in church and we had more volunteers than we have had before and three enclosed trailers were made available.

More than 65% of the orders are from people with no other connection to the church. This, too was a part of the vision of these two men. They wanted our church to be a blessing to the community.

It has been a blessing to watch these young men give leadership to this ministry and to see the quick response of volunteers. God is developing servant hearts. It is a good thing to watch

I have been thinking about relationships – my relationships – about the people in my life that I enjoy being with – who bless me and I hope I am able to bless as well. They are people with whom I do not always agree and yet we maintain a relationship.

In each case (I haven’t thought through all my relationships but I think this is true) the reason for the relationship is that we have something in common. We share similar interests.

With some, it is a common interest in ministry and beyond that, similar ideas about ministry. With others it is a common interest in running, or backpacking or hunting.

We tend to be drawn to those who like to do what we like to do. This morning, I was out for my morning run – reflecting on how much I enjoy having people join me in those things I enjoy – and I was impressed – as if God was saying to me – “that’s what I like, too. I enjoy it when my people join me in those things I am passionate about.

It is one thing to bless God by singing and praising Him with words but perhaps what blesses Him most is when we join in those things that are most on His heart.

I have been spending some time looking at the passage in Luke 11 where the disciples ask Jesus to teach them to pray. Jesus responds with a short “formula” for prayer and then launches into a story about a man who has nobread to feed a late night visitor, so he goes to wake a neighbor to ask for bread in the middle of the night. The man refuses at first but because of the man’s “importunity” (KJV) he gives him bread.

Jesus tells his disciples how much more the Father is willing to give the Holy Spirit to those who ask. It almost seems incongruous unless you look at the previous chapters. Jesus had chosen the 12, sent them out to do ministry. He had also sent out the 72. They had seen demons cast out, multitudes fed – they were in the middle of ministry and asked Jesus to teach them to pray.

So He does in a way. There have been numerous sermons on the Lord’s prayer. But I think He is teaching them something else. The story He tells is quite absurd. What he describes would not have happened.  It would not have been unusual for a man to ask for bread from a neighbor under the circumstances. What would not have happened is the reluctance to get up and give bread. Jesus gives this picture of a situation that is very unlikely and says, if you who are evil know how to give good gifts how much more will your heavenly Father.

He tells them ask, seek and knock because the Father is ready to answer. I really think He is saying, “I know you are anxious about many things – you are learning new things about ministry – you have questions and doubts. I want you to know you can come to the Father any time and every time – keep coming, keep knocking, keep seeking. The Father is ready to equip you with the Holy Spirit each and every time you come to Him. Come often!

It is not the picture of a reluctant Father who needs us to beg Him but rather an eager Father who is saying come – come every time you have need and I will give you the Holy Spirit.

As I concluded my prayer time yesterday morning I asked God to guide my day and to use me to be a blessing to others. It is a prayer I frequently pray. There were basically two things on my agenda – pray with a lady who was having a medical procedure at the hospital and study/prepare for Sunday.

Since the hospital is close to where I live I decided to study there. I found a quiet place and began to work. I would have until a little before 11:00 AM before I needed to connect with the lady having the procedure. The first half of my day was interesting.

I listened to a chaplain intern (a friend of my daughter and son-in-law from another state doing an internship here at Lutheran Hospital) tell of the miracles he has seen in the hospital and share how God is stretching Him and teaching Him to be dependent on Him and how God supplies just the right words when he enters a room (cold call) where someone has just learned their cancer is terminal. He just happened to walk through the area where I was studying.

I listened to a lady from our church (who happened through the area where I was studying) tell of how God blessed her this past Sunday as she taught the children – how a recent vacation experience was the perfect illustration to teach about God’s glory and why we should praise Him.

When I returned to my table from getting coffee there was a man sitting at the next table that I had met a couple of years ago on a missions trip to Gulf Port, Mississippi. I listened as he shared an update on the work of Katrina relief and of more recent ministry to flood victims in southern Indiana.

I visited with C who was having the medical procedure – I listened as she and her husband (whose medical needs prevent him from working) told of the struggles they are having and decisions they were facing regarding future medical treatment. We prayed together.

I bought lunch for a jobless man and listened as he told of feelings of rejection and failure because he can’t find a job. We talked and mostly I listened and then prayed.

When I finally got to the office (around 2:00) I tried to listen again. This time I needed to hear from God – what was He wanting to say to me about the text I had been studying? What did He want me to share from that text with others?

I prayed and He listened.

I had lunch today with a friend who is out of work – lost his job earlier this year and has been looking for several months. So far, no leads. He has been praying and asking God to open doors and to guide him to the right place. No answers.

As we met, he had lots of questions – actually it was one question posed in different ways. Why doesn’t God answer my prayers? Why doesn’t He give me a job? Why, if I keep asking does there seem to be no result? I don’t have answers.

Disciples through the centuries have had questions about God.

Mary and Joseph wondered why Jesus had stayed in the temple instead of going home with them.

Pharisees wondered why Jesus and his disciples ate with tax collectors and sinners.

When Jesus healed on the Sabbath, religious leaders wanted to know why He would break the Sabbath in this way.

The disciples wanted to know why Jesus was talking to a Samaritan woman.

The disciples wanted to know why certain demons did not leave at their command.

There will always be questions about God – questions I cannot answer. But then, if I could answer all questions about God, would I, in fact become God and He something less. I search His word and I pray to know Him better and realize the more I know, the more there is to know – the more I understand the more there is to understand.

So why pray? In part because I have no other options. I come to Him asking, seeking knocking, trusting that He will hear, understand and grant my petitions. On the other hand there is a great line in the movie “Shadowlands” – the story of C.S. Lewis. Someone makes a comment to him about his praying for his dying wife. C.S. Lewis tells his friend that his praying “does not change God, it changes me.”

There is that important aspect of prayer that is not about an object or the solution to a problem. It is about a person and about coming into closer communion with Him. It is in this communion that we find answers – not for jobs, or bigger income but to the deepest longings of the heart.