Break is over

I took a little blog break through the Thanksgiving holiday. But, I'm back in action now with a few reflections. I did take some time to do some reading while away. My latest book interest is another of Eugene Peterson's works called "Eat this Book". He provides some great insight on "the art of spiritual reading". As the title suggests, Peterson encourages us to ingest the truths of God and allow Him to nourish our souls. In order to savor the richness of God's Word we need to take time to enjoy the meal. I believe ambiance contributes to the enjoyment of a meal. I hope the Christmas season provides you with a great atmosphere to enjoy the beauty of the God's gift to us in the birth of Jesus. Take time to cherish the message of the Christ of Christmas.

Thanksgiving

One of the greatest miracle stories in the Gospels is the story of Jesus feeding thousands with a little boy's lunch. The miracle meal unfolds in stages. First, the need is identified: thousands of hungry people and no food in sight. There was no food available with one exception. Apparently the only one among the thousands who shouldn't have been concerned about lunch was willing to give his away. A little boy gave his lunch. It's easy to overlook what happened next. We want to leap ahead to the miracle feeding. The multiplication of a little boy's lunch fascinates us. But, if we read too fast we miss a critical message. Before Jesus distributed the meal He gave thanks (John 6:11). Perhaps one of the greatest lessons in the story is overlooked too often. Before the miracle, Jesus paused to give thanks. I believe that a grateful heart opens the door for us to see the miracles of life that God provides every day. Happy Thanksgiving.

Who is the Christ of Christmas?

In the month of December I will be sharing several messages with the folks at Heritage Fellowship aimed at answering this question: Who is the Christ of Christmas? I would love to hear from you. If you are reading this blog consider yourself a potential source for my messages. What comes to mind when you hear this question? Here's one answer from my life. When I think of the Christ of Christmas I think of "light". In my life I depend on Christ for light. I know what it is like to be blind. In 1997-1998 I lost sight in both eyes (not at the same time) and as a result I experienced a level of darkness in my life that was very frightening. Darkness carries a lot of meaning for me. It reminds me of my need for help, my need for hope, my need for healing and redemption. Jesus, the Christ has responded to my darkness. Christ is light for me.

Snow flurries

OK so it was 75 yesterday and we all thought Spring had bypassed Winter altogether. Now today I hear reports of snow flurries. Some will rejoice. Some will complain. But, it's East Tennessee. The leaves finally changed colors just in time to greet snow flurries. Being the warm weather lover that I am - I'm not so excited to see short days and wintry precipitation. But I love the holidays. It is time for family, giving thanks and celebrating our Savior's arrival on earth. That makes winter one of the best times. In everything give thanks.

Tom Osborne

I had the opportunity to hear Tom Osborne speak last night at an FCA banquet. Osborne is a legend in NCAA football. During one stretch his Nebraska Cornhuskers won three national championships in four years. His record of 255-49-3 is amazing. As I listened to him speak, I was most impressed with his grasp of life in light of God's principles. He did not present a shallow speech with a few sports illustrations thrown in. He shared a deep powerful biblical message about living to glorify God.

God with us

Signs of the Christmas season are appearing. After all, it's November 12th and I heard a Christmas carol yesterday..(Just a little sarcasm here) However, I love the "spirit of Christmas". One of the most powerful proclamations about the birth of Jesus is captured in the name Immanuel (Matthew 1:23). The arrival of Jesus in Bethlehem was a reminder of God's desire to be with us. What about now? I believe that God's desire to be with us has not lessened with time. We must cultivate our awareness of the promise of Jesus that He would never leave us (Matthew 28:19). I wish we could learn to understand that the "spirit" of Christmas should be the Spirit of Christmas. The Spirit of Christ is with us everyday, every month of every year - because God wants to be with us.

Interdependence

Christianity is a path toward greater dependency on God and His people and not toward greater individuality.
Kyle Strobel

As I look forward to this Sunday I am pondering some thoughts that I want to share. I plan to share about the essential need for followers of Jesus to love others. It sounds like a basic tenet of Christianity (and it is) - yet it is one of most challenging aspects of being a sincere follower of Jesus. I believe Strobel has touched on the reason for the challenge. In our culture, independence is often used interchangeably with comments about maturity. They are not the same. While the dangers of "co-dependent" abuses are well documented, not enough is said about healthy interdependence. The pages of the New Testament are filled with metaphors about healthy interdependence. Strangely enough, many of them relate healthy interdependence to maturity.

Lean back and kick forward

It's great to learn from children. If you have ever watched a child in a swing on a playground you can understand a great deal about being the church. Leonard Sweet calls the swing his favorite metaphor for the church. As the body of Christ, the church must lean back - we rely upon the testimonies of the faithful saints who have gone before us. Their sacrifices and faithfulness provide us with a great foundation. But a church that only leans back will ultimately lose moementum. We must kick forward. The testimonies of the past grow stale when they are not renewed in the context of the present. Only then can we reach higher heights and experience the exhilaration of soaring in the power of God's presence.

What would Jesus say?

Recently, I read a question in a book, "What would Jesus say if He attended your weekend church service?" It's a thought-provoking question. It forces me to consider whether we are on target with what we call church. Ultimately, I'm not sure I can provide an adequate answer the question. I say this because I am so familiar with the Sunday service I am sure that Jesus would see things that have become somewhat invisible to me. So I wonder if Jesus would see people that I miss? I am comforted by the fact that I have raised the subject with Him before. On Sunday mornings, I express my sincere desire that He will be pleased with the day. On the other hand, if I respond to the question at another level, I would say that Jesus does attend every Sunday. He has promised to be with me. Because of His abiding presence in me I can know the answer to the question if I listen with my heart. I can know when He is pleased and when He is disappointed.

Hymn Stories

I am looking forward to the morning service at Heritage tomorrow. It will be a presentation by Word Players of "Hymn Stories". I never cease to be amazed at the power of music. God has given us such a gift in the way He speaks to our hearts through music. Songs remind us of God's love. They also awaken deep emotions. They remind us of people and places and events. For example, every time I hear the hymn "Blessed Assurance" I think of a precious lady that was a great encourager to me in my early days of ministry. She told me how that song helped her through lonely times after her husband died. Every time I hear "Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus" I think about a friend who was tragically killed in a car accident when he was only 19 years old. I sang that song at his funeral while I choked back the tears. I had played basketball with my friend just a couple of days prior to his death. Those are times when "trust" is refined and grows strong.

Leftover Candy

Candy is cheap today. The day after Halloween, candy goes on sale. Yesterday's $10 bag of mini candy bars is $5 today. It's been a long time since I took a course in economics but it must have something to do with the law of supply and demand. When the demand is low and the supply is high the price is going to fall. Somehow these principles do not fit with the supply of God's grace. His supply is limitless yet it is never cheap. The price is always the same. Our forgiveness cost Jesus His life. Our acceptance of the Savior costs us everything. We must surrender and follow. Yet, it the midst of these things that are constant, the demand fluctuates. Never have I witnessed a greater resistance to God's grace.