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Posts Tagged ‘Mystery’

it’s a small world…

Sunday, November 20th, 2011

I’m amazed at the interconnectedness of our world.  About a gazillion years ago Gail and I served a church our final year of college.  Bobbye was a feisty junior high girl in our youth group. A few years later she and her husband served as the youth ministers at Lincoln Christian Church where our children were in her youth group.  Then, a few years after that, one of their sons was in a small group that I led on the Lincoln campus.  It’s been an interesting back and forth kind of connection.

I was amused this Friday and Saturday because the connection continues. Bobbye’s oldest son is married to the daughter of a student I had in the class I taught. Who knows where this seesaw relationship will end up.  My grandson in Bobbye’s son’s youth group?  Who knows.

The kingdom of God is one enormous, exciting, interconnected, interrelated family. We have relatives across the street and across the ocean.The church’s ubiquitous presence is powerful testimony to the grace of God. The availability of hospitable friends in every corner of the world testifies to the marvel of Christian unity. The connection with people of every nation, language and tribe…witness of the unifying Spirit of God.

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i wonder why?

Wednesday, August 17th, 2011

I confessed a troublesome truth to my class yesterday.  I’m choosing to reveal it to you, too. Maybe you can help me with it. I’ve been trying to analyze it to see if I can figure out why it’s true.  So far, no solutions.

When I’m here (Eastern/Central Europe) I have this deep yearning to know whether or not every person I see is a Christian.  It’s like I want to stop every person on the street and ask them about their faith. I know they can’t understand me…or me them…but for some reason, I just feel I have to know.  Is it because they’ve endured so much? Is it because the west has intruded so blatantly? Can it be simply that they can’t answer me?

Okay, so that’s half the issue.  The problem is, I don’t feel that way at home. Oh, I want to know to…but I don’t have that constant state of near anxiety. I’m driven to find out. It’s a question that sometimes haunts me but often is simply silent. And I wonder why. Is it because I could understand them?  Is it because I could talk to them?  Is it because faith is so common?  Do I just take it for granted by life is pretty normal when I’m home and total in upheaval when I’m here.

I want to want to be driven to know. I want to feel compelled to ask everyone, somehow, if they know Jesus. Maybe that’s why God allows me to be here…to remind me of that deep longing.

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the mystery disappears…

Tuesday, April 26th, 2011

My professor, mentor, colleague, traveling companion and friend is about to find out if it’s all true.  For decades Robert Lowery has been teaching about “the last days.” In an existential sort of way all his questions will soon be answered. Bob has been dealing with a rare cancer the past few years and it appears it’s going to win the battle against his human body.  But…it can not…will not…win against the immortal part of Bob.  He lives forever and though cancer may decimate his current human frame, God will restore it or replace it or whatever it is God does with it with a new, better, immortal one.

I’ve been blessed by Bob’s wisdom, by his friendship, by his commitment, by his confrontation, by his family, and now by his faithfulness. And even as I wait for the phone call, email or text that says it’s over, I sit with envy that it’s over for him. All that mystery about what it’s really like “over there” is soon over.  All the pain and discomfort, all the enemies and enigmas, all the mystery will soon become a thing of the past. Reality–real reality–will take over.

I mourn for our loss. I wonder what LCS will be without him. I grieve over books not written, lectures no longer given, papers no longer published.  Mostly, I pray for his family–loved as much as any in the world by husband, father, father-in-law, grandfather. I feel a little sorry for myself as I think of no more trips to the Stift in Heiligenkruez, no more stories around the drying table, no more reflective talks at the pond.

I find myself coming again to a favorite Psalm… “mourning may last through the night…but joy comes in the morning” (Ps 30:5).

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just a fun discovery…

Monday, March 28th, 2011

1 Samuel begins with the captivating story of Hannah praying for a son. It immediately calls to mind the story of Israel as Sarah, Rebekah and Rachel were all barren before God intervened and gave them a child. Only in this story, the author uses a particular word to talk about God’s gift of a son.  He says, “…the Lord remembered” Hannah.

That word, remembered, has a significant connection to the covenant God made with Abraham and his descendents. It’s found in Exodus2:24 when God “heard their groaning and he remembered his covenant with Abraham…”and again in 6:5 when he says, “…I have remembered my covenant.” The clear implication is, in 1 Samuel, as we embark on the story of David is that God is initiating an important move toward covenant fulfillment.

As I was reading Luke this morning, guess what I found? In Mary’s song (1:46-55), she says, “He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendents forever…”  As we embark on the story of Jesus, once again God reveals that He is about to initiate an important move toward covenant fulfillment. 

God’s faithfulness is remarkable! And it’s fun making those discoveries…

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One Remarkable Moment…

Saturday, September 25th, 2010

Like reveille puncturing the silence, calling us to arms.  Like the morning sun piercing the darkness, bidding us to a new day. Like the clarion call of God, summoning us to the challenge. Unmistakable, unavoidable, irreversible, irresistible.  In the midst of a powerful moment of worshipful singing, the curtains parted before us revealing the brilliant sunshine bathing the skyline of Chicago. God, beckoning…no…beseaching us to carry His Story to the storyless.

For two days we convened, listening to people disclosing their story interwoven through The Story of God. For two days we were challenged to reveal The Story in clear, credible and compelling ways.  For two days we were persuaded by seeing the dark side of human existence penetrated by the power of good news. For two days we were reminded that The Story isn’t over; however, we must wait…agonize…yet, in hope.

Why God, do I need to be cloistered away to finally hear and recognize your voice? Why God, do I need my blurred vision of our broken world shattered by a sun drenched skyline to once again see your storyless people? Why God, does my heart not beat with the desire to reveal Your Story…now…here…  Why God, do I find comfort in boxing up Your Story within the confines of stained glass as if it were a relic fit for a museum?  Why…

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Increasing the Light

Monday, August 2nd, 2010

One of the tensions in Scripture revolves around spiritual transformation.  When we identify with Christ and become a disciple, we become “light in the Lord.” And it’s God’s doing–through His grace He removes the darkness and brings in His righteousness–Light. And yet–we struggle to adequately reflect that light.  Components of our old life stubbbornly refuse to go away or stay away.  Increasing the intensity of the light in our life requires persistent effort on our part.

Bono, lead singer of U2, says “Your nature is a hard thing to change; it takes time…. I have heard of people who have life-changing, miraculous turnarounds, people set free from addiction after a single prayer, relationships saved where both parties ‘let go, and let God.’ But it was not like that for me. For all that ‘I was lost, I am found,’ it is probably more accurate to say, ‘I was really lost. I’m a little less so at the moment.’ And then a little less and a little less again. That to me is the spiritual life. The slow reworking and rebooting the computer at regular intervals, reading the small print of the service manual. It has slowly rebuilt me in a better image. It has taken years, though, and it is not over yet.”

Bono took the words right out of my mouth…

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So many thoughts…

Friday, April 16th, 2010

I’m sitting looking out the window at Restoration House. What I thought was rain falling…isn’t.  It’s snow. And just yesterday I watched them remove the snow blade from the truck. Is this some kind of cruel trick???

14 or so preachers  are coming today for a workshop on preaching in contemporary culture. I woke up wondering what I was doing. Am I crazy? Or, more possible, are they? I live in Illinois, this is New England; I’m old, their just kids; many people in Quincy have some church background, out here very few do. What am I going to tell them that will make any difference at all?

Last night I sat with a good friend (also on the Restoration House board) eating Goldenrod ice cream (milky way and caramel cream–I’ll go for different flavors this evening) and talking church. I realized as I was talking just how much God has been doing at Madison Park lately. Have you looked around? So many new faces…young faces…different faces. And have you noticed?  A dozen baptisms this year with more to come in the very near future.

But, maybe more than any part of our conversation I was moved again rehearsing the story of the teen-age girl moved to smile by the gift of a toothbrush in her chosen color.  What seems so simple–gather some supplies and put together some emergency kits–has become a moment of hope and light in an otherwise tragic situation.  Please, never forget how much of a difference one act of kindness can have!!!

I’m really looking forward to Sunday. I can say that without reservation, because I always look forward to Sunday. For an introvert, it’s a funny thing–I love being with you all. I love the interaction in the foyer and hallways. I love watching you and participating with you in worship. I love preaching. I love seeing what God is doing and hearing your stories. I love seeing you at the doors greeting. I love seeing you engage our guests in meaningful conversation. My life is so much richer because of you…and Him!

So many thoughts…including–I better finish this material so I’ll be ready when those preachers show up!

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It Seems to Never End…

Saturday, March 27th, 2010

Today is Awakening–our Women’s Ministry conference.  I’m doing a break out session on the question of suffering. “Where is God when it hurts?” So, I’ve re-wrestled with the issues for some time now.  Honestly, it’s been a while since I had to deal with the issue directly (thankfully).

Then it happened yesterday. No, not a tragedy in my life–in the life of people I know. A phone call led to a blog entry from a friend, former teacher and colleague. His cancer is growing. The prediction is…2 years. I wrote him…I wrote his son…I prayed.

An hour later the phone rang. A baby in crisis. Probably won’t live. Young mom. Pain!!!

A few minutes later–an email. Recovery isn’t happening. In fact, more surgery to follow. What seemed like a simple procedure has led to multiple procedures.  Then, another email–another patient.  This one’s better, but it’s still the account of recurring cancer.

One of the staff stuck his head in the door. I told, “I’m not answering the phone again today.” I don’t want to think about this any more. It never seems to end…

You know where this is going. Another email this morning. Friends on the mission field. Pray for our team. Some college students were scheduled to arrive for a short term mission trip. One of their members had just learned of the murder/suicide of her parents. Devastation.

We live in a fallen world.  It’s full of pain. Enough for us all. It never seems to end…because it never will end…at least not in this life.

I’m led back to the somewhat obscure book of Habakkuk:
Though the fig tree should not blossom,
   nor fruit be on the vines,
the produce of the land fail
   and there be no herd in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
   I will take joy in the God of my salvation.
God, the Lord, is my strength;
   he makes my feet like the deer’s;
   he makes me tread on my high places.
(3:16-17)

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Would never imagine…

Saturday, January 30th, 2010

I would have never imagined…

My eyes are tracing the hoof prints up the side of the hill in the Vienna Woods at Haus Edelweiss. Apparently some small deer and goats have been coming down to drink from the pond. I’m hoping I’ll see them in the morning before I leave for Brno, Czech Republic to teach.

I’ve experienced this feeling before. ‘What am I doing here?’ Never in my wildest imagination would I have seen myself in Eastern/Central Europe teaching. If I remember correctly, this will make my fifteen year to be here. When I go to Moldova next Sunday, it will be my 8th formerly communist country. Eight really isn’t many, but it’s 8 more than I ever dreamed I’d be in.

But I feel that way about a lot of things. I could have never imagined being allowed to preach in a church like Madison Park. Some Sundays I have to pinch myself to remind me it’s not a dream. I could only imagine preaching in small, unhealthy congregations. I could only dream that a few Sundays a year someone who wasn’t a Christian might visit. Now look…we have guests every week.

Being part of media exposure for Haiti reminded me again that you can never fully anticipate where God is going to take you and how you are going to be asked to serve. I not only could not imagine being on TV for any reason (other than a crime, maybe), much less having an opportunity to ask folks for money for a nation of hurting people.

I guess what I’ve been impress with today is simple—God is such an incredible mystery and His ways are so unimaginable. Yet…so delightful. What a joy to simply watch Him do the unexpected.

I’ve decided not to try to imagine what’s next…it’s more fun just watching it unfold.

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