Servants

This morning's daily lectionary features Amos chapter six which is a stinging rebuke of the privileged of Israel whose luxuriant lifestyle is mocked by God through God's prophet. This can be either easily overlooked as God's word against people long ago and have nothing to do with me or it can be a lens through which to examine our own luxuriant lives especially in comparison to the bleak global reality.

Then again I'd like to split the difference this morning, especially as I look at my clock and see that I have about five minutes until I have to be on the other side of the building. While I'm not quite willing to assume that this Amos passage has nothing to say outside its historical context neither am I willing or able to go off on a social-justice tirade. Instead, this passage from Amos calls to mind the sight I beheld when I showed up in the bleak and utter chill this morning at church.

Although we didn't have a lot of snow we had enough to make me realize that I'd probably be pulling out the shovel in addition to my usual Sunday morning preparations. But when I showed up at church there was a four-wheeler with plow attached to it sitting out in front of the building, definitely out of the usual. As I got closer I saw that Rob Blackston had left the warmth and comfort of his home, donning hat and gloves and cleared the walk with his four-wheeler and swept the steps and front porch of the sanctuary building. If that's not service I don't know what is.

Rob's dedication of time and being out in the cold ensuring that others would have safe footing into the building today is the kind of lifestyle that Amos ultimately encourages us to live with the prophet's damning language in chapter six. What sometimes can be overlooked or used to rhetorically bludgeon can also point to sacrificial servant hood as I witnessed this morning upon arrival at church. Thank you, Rob for exemplifying the life that Amos and Jesus preached.

Matthew 10:29

"Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father."

Jesus' words about the care and compassion of God for even a little sparrow are words spoken by him in a larger passage assuring his disciples that they have nothing to fear in this world as long as they are following him and know that God is watching over them and caring for them. This seems to be the way the above passage is used by interpreters of this passage. But yesterday it was used in a startlingly effective different way in one of my favorite novels: "The Sparrow" by Mary Doria Russell.

This novel has been out for about fifteen years and I read it for the first time about six or eight years ago and for some reason picked it up again a few weeks ago and finished it yesterday. The novel tells the story of a Jesuit and Scientific mission to the planet Rakhat to make contact with another sentient species. The story is told from the vantage point of the trip itself, in 2019 as well as in the distant future when the sole survivor returns in 2060. Throughout there is discussion of faith and God, especially one of the priests named Emilio. This main character experiences extreme mountaintops with God and utter desolation from God.

Very near the end Matthew 10:29 is mentioned as both a comfort and a warning; even as Emilio has fallen deeply in love with God and then feels utterly separated from God his superior reminds him of Jesus' words by saying "But the sparrow still falls." That is, at our lowest point when we are shaking our fist at God and wondering why God let bad things happen Matthew 10:29 reminds us that Jesus, that God never made such a promise. The promise made is that no matter what we go through, no matter how horrible how desolate we may feel God is there still even when we fall.

It may not be what many want to hear, but it is so true.

Many Samaritans

Earlier in the day I posted on Facebook that I felt like someone had beat me up and left me by the side of the road. I really didn't mean anything about that other than I was tired after a stressful week and didn't realize any kind of scriptural allusion until after typing it.

But I soon found out how blessed I am to be surrounded by people who are willing and ready to stop by the side of the road and pick me up. Throughout the day other Facebook friends have helped to boost my spirits along with family and the thought of an evening launching model rockets.

It is times like these that I am truly thankful for how God works in my life. Being surrounded by friends who care, whether they are on Facebook or not is very affirming especially when I've been feeling so down.

So in a little while I'll head home after having been brushed off by those who care for me, keeping in mind opportunities to return the favor.

First Grade

We are all up and ready to go! Eric has on his new Bakugan T-shirt and Z-Strap sneakers. He was a little disappointed that he couldn't wear shorts, but the weather is starting a little cool for the first day so he's got jeans on. Meanwhile Kathy and I are ready to go off to CSI for the exercise trail without having to pay for a babysitter!

Eric seems excited enough, though most of his excitement is due to his new shirt and shoes so we'll have to wait until after school to find out how much of his giddiness is for school. So how are Kathy and I feeling? That's an even more difficult question. In part we are looking forward to our extremely extroverted son having interaction with more people on a daily basis, plus the bus picking up at 8 a.m. and dropping him off at 4 p.m. gives us both some quiet time. Then again, that he's on the track of speeding life along is difficult to watch as well; especially as I watch people at church with newborns and vaguely remember those days as well, but now my baby is into Bakugan and Legos instead of sleeping and messing his diaper. In other words, he's well on the way to not needing me.

Perhaps that's a little to melodramatic for the first day of First Grade. It isn't as though its his first day of college or his wedding day. But it is easy to see how fast kids grow up. That cliche hasn't meant much to me these last few years, oh sure he's grown, but his days have remained relatively the same. But not any longer, now I'll only be able to have lunch with him on Saturdays and Sundays from September through May. I guess I better not get myself in this kind of funk, Eric won't want to see anything from me but a smile and well wishes here in a few minutes--off to Elementary school!

Facebook

That one word describes why I haven't updated my blog yet. After resisting the idea for some time, I finally added myself to the social-networking phenomenon. I must say that I was skeptical, after all how much real contact can you have with people when you can't hear their voice or see their face? But what I've found out is that Facebook can be just one more way for me as a Pastor to stay in touch with and find out how the people in my charge are doing. Of course that still means following up with people which takes time and effort. But then again I am able to see who is where and what they're up to and what's on their mind, which in part is part of my responsibility as pastor.

Another thing that Facebook has done is allowed me to be in contact with colleagues around the country who are working hard to discern what it means to be pastor in our rapidly changing world. Throughout the day when I dip into Facebook for a few minutes between tasks I see that other pastors are engaged in the same activities that I am and are also experiencing similar frustrations. And so, in that way it can be a powerful (and cost effective way) to be supported in my own ongoing efforts to more fully serve God in my own particular call.

It is also fun to slip in the different prayer practices that I engage in throughout the day and week. Perhaps by mentioning how I seek to "pray without ceasing" it will encourage others to see that a lofty Biblical goal is possible in life, even for the non-church worker.

Of course, not keeping up with the rest of you who do read this blog from time to time is no real excuse either. I'll just have to find a little more balance, which, in the end, is part of what it means to faithfully follow Christ.

GREAT DAY!

WOW! What a great day!

Saturday started off with a very productive Worhship Committee. Among other things we talked about how the Baptismal Font is falling apart and how the sound system could use a 21st century upgrade. It was a long meeting; at nearly two hours, but well worth it nonetheless.

On another front today was the wedding of Kelly Wrigtht and David Ruggles; if ever there were a couple meant to be together; I don't know of them! Today's ceremony took place at 2 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church and everything went off quite well; even with the pastor trying to immitate the "Impressive Clergyman" from Rob Reiner's classic "The Princess Bride." This purely 80s film captures the beauty and wonder of marital as well as familial love. Thankfully, God on High was watching over me as I attempted to recite some lines from this movie by saying: "Mawage! Mawage is wot bwings us togeber tooday! Mawage, that bwessed awwaangement; that dweam wiffin a dweam!" From those classic 80s lines I attempted to tie-in the Apostle Paul's message about the abiding quality of God's love.

Whether Rob Reiner's stunt was what did it or something else, God worked God's miracles and the wedding was a success! Watching Kelly and David Ruggles make their way into God's future was a joy and priviledge! If it weren't for their love for one another the wedding would not have been half of what it was; but for their love we all experienced a JOY that transcended the wonders of MARITAL LOVE!!!

Thank God for the wonders of two people coming together; of finding one another in spite of their pasts and because of where God is leading them!

From Doldrums to Smooth Sailing

A few weeks ago I blogged about the dead spot that the middle of summer can be. Well not long after that things started moving again. I was asked to do a funeral for a gentleman I did not know, but for whom after talking to the family and his friends it was a privilege to officiate at his service. I have been enjoying reading a good novel or two. My prayer life, through "Praying in Color" and saying the Daily Offices is keeping me more closely in tune with God and God's desires for my life. And this weekend I have the honor of attending a wedding and officiating at one the following day. So life is good.

Maundy Thursday & Good Friday

As I mentioned yesterday, Maundy Thursday gets its name from the latin mandatum which can be translated as "commandment" or "mandate". More specifically for Holy Thursday or Maundy Thursday the latin term refers to John 13:34 where Jesus says, "I give you a new commandment," mandatum novum "that you love one another."

So how are you going to follow the instruction of Jesus and love one another as he has first loved you? What does it mean for us to follow this command of Jesus? Notice that it is not a suggestion or a story, but a mandate and command, that is something that Jesus wants us to do more than and above anything else that we might say or do as his followers. Sounds easy enough, doesn't it, but when you think about it, it can be quite a daunting task.

So what about Good Friday? How can we call the events that lead to and the act of crucifixion anything but horrid and troubling? Well, the definition I found from the same source that I found the latin (The Westminster Dictionary of Theological Terms) may be far less satisfying and may sound far less authoritative than something that has it's origins in Latin. What the author of my theological dictionary says is that "Good Friday" comes from the Middle English for "God's Friday."

A more satisfying definition for "Good Friday" can be found in J. Dudley Weaver Jr.'s book "Presbyterian Worship" where he says:

The term is derived from an early name for the second day of the Holy Triduum, God's Friday, but for those of us who see it from this side of the resurrection the day is indeed "good" Friday, for in the events of this day, painful as they are, the saving work that Christ set forth to do in obedience to the Father's will is brought to completion. It is also God's Friday, for even though Jesus' enemies appear to seize control and to direct his destiny, even though they succeed in causing his death, it is God who is in control and God's will that is being fulfilled. As Jesus himself said to Pilate: "You would have no power over me unless it had been given you from above" (John 19:11a). It is with this understanding that we observe God's Good Friday.

All of that is to say, without the crucifixion there would be no joyous celebration of the resurrection on Easter morning, would there be?

So our task on this Maundy Thursday and the Good Friday to follow is to pray about what it means to love others as Jesus has first loved us as well as reflecting on what it means for God's hand to be directing the difficult events that lead up to and through the Crucifixion of Jesus.

Arriving or Journeying On?

In our congregation's grand adventure of reading the Bible in one year a theme that comes up again and again is God calling people to set off on a journey. Whether it's Abram being sent to the Promised Land or Moses leading the people into the wilderness or the flights of the fancy that David endures before he finally becomes King of Israel or Jesus wanderings all over the Holy Land or Saint Paul's adventures on land and sea journeying on in faith is a constant theme in the Bible from Genesis to Revelation.

The question implied in the title, though, is whether our faith is more about arriving or journeying on. There are some who seem to think that being saved, accepting Christ into your heart is a matter of ultimate arrival. But if we consider the brought scope of scripture, it seems to me that accepting God's grace and love in Jesus Christ is just the beginning of the grand journey of faith.

Of course, that can be a little scary, can't it? I mean, if there is not arrival are we just wandering aimlessly through life? To which I maintain that we aren't so much as wandering, if we have and can rely on Jesus as our constant traveling companion then, no, we are not just wandering but rather its more like we are engaged in a wonderfully fantastic road trip. With Jesus as our co-pilot and sometimes allowing him to take the wheel for us, we can enjoy the scenery, we can know that the stops and detours and forks taken are, if not always guided by him, then at least we won't find ourselves too far off course in the journey.

So where are you in your journey of faith? Have you arrived and you are just going to sit back and watch life pass you by? Or have you loaded up with the resources and companions for the journey ahead? Or are you at a rest stop waiting for just the right moment to get back into the flow of things? Or are you in some faith-based airport terminal waiting for just the right flight to get on board?

Wherever you are on your journey, I hope and pray that you will rely on the love of God that we can know most clearly through God's Son, Jesus Christ, as our ever ready road trip companion.