Joyful Thanksgiving

Last night I drove the 94 miles each way to Michigan State University to see my daughter Kristi lead worship at Real Life, the weekly gathering of students on campus sponsored by Campus Crusade.  I was looking forward to seeing her – always love to hear her sing – and also seeing her boyfriend Dave and this part of her life that is so important to her.  To be honest, the last few weeks have been tough for me.  My daily life has been consumed by “the budget.”  The health system I work for, like other health systems and businesses, is struggling.  A budget shortfall of millions of dollars creates hours of pouring over reports, stressful interactions and insecurity.  So as I sat down in the presence of 200+ college students, I felt completely drained and spiritually dry.

The theme for the night (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) was “Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” A young man got up and shared a devotional.  He just got engaged.  He was psyched.  He was thankful for his girl; he was thankful for his brothers in Christ; he was thankful for all his friends.  But he was most thankful that God had taught him that his joy didn’t come from his girl, or his brothers, or his friends.  Not from his circumstances at all.  His joy came from Christ.  That Jesus would come die for him to rescue him from hell, and make a place for him in heaven, well that was just ridiculous.  Now for today’s college kids, that term ridiculous is a term of endearment.  It was a good ridiculous.  Just ridicuous.  No other way to describe it.

He took us to several verses, but he landed on my all-time favorite – John 15:9.  “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you.  Now remain in my love.”  Long ago I learned that happiness is not about your circumstances.  But in budget season and at many other times, I tend to forget.  “Remain in my love.”  He loves me.  He is there.  Beyond what I can measure (who can measure how much the Father loves the Son?). 

So these kids, they encouraged me.  One after another, they walked to the front and told why they were thankful.  One after another, with exams looming, and relationships bouncing around, and pressures of one kind or another – they have found the secret to giving thanks in all circumstances. 

We all had sheets of paper and crayons (I chose Spartan green) to write down why we were thankful.  I’m thankful for the great trip Lyd and I had to Portland/Seattle this year; for Andrew & Karalyn’s new house; for Kristi’s London dream and safe return; for Kristi’s friendship with Dave and how she’s working so hard at State; for Allie’s license and first job and how she’s turning 18 and I’m so proud of her and the friend she’s been to so many and she still has time for dad; for Lyd’s willingness to get back in the workforce and help us through tough times; for my brother’s ridiculous new liver; for my mom’s new knee and recovery; for my brother’s search for a new work life; for celebrating my dad’s 80th and my sister’s 50th; for Derek’s safe return from Cambodia…but it took a nervous kid reading John 15:9 to remind me of the root of all my happiness.  He loves me.  More than I can measure.  That is the key to joyful thanksgiving.  It’s ridiculous.

I see a generation
Rising up to take their place
With selfless faith
With selfless faith

I see a near revival
Stirring as we pray and seek
We’re on our knees
We’re on our knees

Heal my heart and make it clean
Open up my eyes to the things unseen
Show me how to love like you have loved me

Break my heart from what breaks yours
Everything I am for your kingdoms cause
As I go from nothing to
Eternity

I will be with the One I love
With unveiled face I’ll see Him
There my soul with be satisfied
Soon and very soon

Sing it again Kristi!

A Flat Tire William Cowper Would Have Liked

It was just an irritating flat tire. After what had already seemed like a long day, with meetings at 6:30 a.m. on one side of town, and 10 a.m. at the other side of town, I was driving back to my office around noon and heard that “blub, blub, blub” sound coming from the front right tire. I knew my tires need replacing – all four. But with money as tight as it is these days, I was hoping for a few more miles. But here it was, reality hitting hard on a 84 degree day, on  a busy road.  I changed the tire in my newly drycleaned suit, sweating like a steer and muttering about how unlucky I was.  I realized I had to head home after the tire store stop to shower and change. Just a crummy flat tire on an overwhelmingly full day.

William Cowper knew better 230 years ago when he wrote: “GOD moves in a mysterious way, His wonders to perform.”

So I went home to complete my shower and change, and decided to call it a day.  I should not have been at home on that day at that time.  But had I not been there, I would have missed a call that came to my home phone around 3:45 p.m.  A big call.  A life-changing call.

The University of Michigan Hospital Liver Transplant program was on the line…my brother Mark, who was on the transplant list, could not be reached.  And they had a liver for him, but he had to respond within the hour.  Turns out, he was helping his wife coach a high school softball game, and his phone was in the car.  I was able to reach him through his son’s cell phone, a number the program didn’t have.  And we all raced off to the hospital, and now he has a new liver, and we are praising God for all kinds of things that happened over the past few days – even an irritating flat tire.

Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take;
The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy and shall break
In blessings on your head.

You said it William, much better than I could…Praise God.

Excellence and Grace Do Go Together

I remember a man who preached at the little church I attended as a boy, who never looked up once while delivering a message.  No eye contact.  Not once.  For 60 minutes.  To say it was hum-drum would have put too positive of a spin on it.  His bald head stared down at his Bible the entire time while his monotone voice droned on and on.  We focused on two things - that God could use anyone to speak to us - and extending grace to this speaker was the essence of spirituality, considering others better than ourselves.  We did not ask for more.  Since we did not attract new believers with this strategy, we shifted our focus to God’s satisfaction with small things and small numbers, like 2 or 3.  Or were we just learning to live with mediocrity?

Mike Yaconelli did not ask for more.  ”Spirituality is not about competency; it is about intimacy.  Spirituality is not about perfection; it is about connection.”  I loved Mike for penning those words in Messy Spirituality.  They rang true to me.  But when he talked about his church being the slowest growing church in America (I thought mine was), I began to squirm a little bit.  I got the point that numerical growth was not the all important thing – but if we weren’t reaching people – were we really fulfilling the purpose Jesus laid hold of us for?

 A world away from that little church, Bill Hybels was asking for more.  He reckoned that mediocrity was not a sign of spirituality.  “We believe that excellence honors God and inspires people.”  He encouraged the church to embrace concepts like “evaluation” and “critical review.”  He saw a youth ministry grow into a mega-church that turned into a world-wide movement.   He inspired me.  But I wondered what happened to the bald guy with the monotone voice in his congregation?

So are we stuck with a sucker’s choice?  If we expect excellence, are we lacking spirituality and promoting ourselves?  Is grace only about lowering the bar to those who fail?  Why do I get angry when an opportunity to reach others with God’s truth is fumbled due to lack of preparation?  Why do I feel so hopeless when the church seems content to simply pay lip service to what we believe? 

“By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert…”  1 Corinthians 3:10 [NIV]

The apostle Paul credits God’s grace with giving him the expertise to accomplish God’s purposes.  When we do our best and passionately serve God – He is glorified.  And he goes on -

“God has also given each of us different gifts to use…If we are leaders, we should do our best.”  Romans 12:6-8 [CEV]

God has given us gifts.  Even the bald man with the monotone voice had a gift – it just wasn’t public speaking.  We need to find our gift.  And then we need to give it our all.  If he gave you the gift of leadership, you should do your best.  Excellence honors God because it is a celebration of His grace, His gifts, His will.  Acceptance of mediocrity (or worse) doesn’t call for His grace, it cheapens it.    Excellence and grace do go together.

What if I haven’t figured my gift out yet?  What if I am unsure of God’s will for my life?  Warren Wierse wrote “It always amazes me how God makes His will for my life so clear to other people when I often have to ponder the Word and struggle and pray to discover what He wants me to do.”  It isn’t easy.  Sometimes we fail.  Winston Churchill defined success as “going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.”  But this isn’t acceptance of failure, its working until we get it right.  Solomon gives us some wisdom as we work these things out in our lives.  We’re not here forever.  There’s a time coming  when working and planning will be over.  But for today, his advice to all of us is -

 ”Work hard at whatever you do…”  Ecclesiastes 9:10

Hello world!

My mother told me that my entrance into the world was quick and  easy.  So easy,  that she delivered me without caregivers in the room.  I guess that was the benefit of being her 4th child.  As far as I know I didn’t land on my head, but you may question that from time to time.  So I’m arriving in the blog world unnoticed as well – not famous – just slipping in to let my voice be heard.  After almost 50 years, I think I’ve got something to say now.  And I’ve also got a lot to learn, so I figure this will be a good place for that as well.  My passions are Jesus Christ and His church; my wife; my three kids; health care finance; baseball, hotdogs, apple pie and Chevrolet.  I’m a son, a brother, a husband, a father, a friend, an enemy, a pastor-elder, a preacher, a vice president, a president, an outfielder, a hack golfer, a referee, and a bird-watcher.  I think I’ll have something to say about all of these.  Thanks for stopping by…