Jesus and Dog Poop

“Do you know everybody in this town?” a boy asked me one day when we were out and about together.  I had exchanged greetings with friends in the diner, talked with people in the stores, waved at a couple of friends driving by and he figured I surely must be some kind of celebrity. That’s the way it is when the major part of your life is lived in the same place in the kind of ministry I have that is involved with people every day.  Yes, it is true that I  have many acquaintances and each one adds something to life, some unique gift, for which I am thankful. But, then there are those friends who really know my heart. They are the ones who have ‘gone through the fire’ with me at some point in time; partnering in ministry, walking through sorrow together, doing life!

If you want to know Christ – most deeply, most intimately – prepare to walk with Him through some painful, trying circumstances. If your relationship with the Lord is kept superficial, if you only engage with Him when it’s convenient, if you excuse yourself from service, if you won’t deal with His call to become loving, good, and pure – you just will never know the ‘real Jesus.’  Intimacy means that you let Him lead through places that break your stubborn will, that pierce your pretensions, that make you come to know that He, alone, is your life. If you’re intent on staying on the ‘Hallelujah side,’ always smiling, never willing to walk with Him into the dark, you will never know the depths of His love, never treasure His grace, and never know the sweet mercy found in the Cross.

Intimacy with Jesus begins to take shape in our worst failures! David knew the Lord God and wrote beautiful songs (Psalms) about Him. But, only later in his life, after he had fallen flat on his face, disgraced himself and failed God in the most miserable ways, did he discover the grace of the Lord. Psalm 51 reflects his brokenness, his longing, and his realization of the steadfast love of the Lord. He came to see that all the Psalm-singing and sacrifices were no substitute for a heart of worship. "You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise." (Psalm 51:16-17, NIV) 

Don’t misunderstand my point here. Nobody should go out and sin in some huge way thinking it leads to God! We don’t have to go looking for brokenness. If we live authentic, God-seeking lives, it will find us in this world where ego, self, power, and greed are everywhere.

Perhaps I am overly cynical, and if so, I ask your forgiveness, but I do not think you will find a lot of an authentic Jesus in many American churches. You might find a “Moral Jesus” in some that insist on religious rules. You may find a “Cool Jesus” in others that are intent on gutting the Gospel of the harder parts and making Him “relevant.”  You will find the “Blessings Jesus” in many churches where worship is more akin to a party than an Encounter with the Divine.  To keep the pews full, many gatherings work to keep things light and happy, intently offering self-help programs to make you a more ‘successful’ person. Few will invite you to think on the Cross, to follow Him radically. His sorrow, indeed- the Cross – while talked about, is not loved all that much.

Read this familiar passage. "But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead." (Philippians 3:7-11, NIV)  Paul compares every accomplishment, honor, and recognition of life as “rubbish” compared to knowing Jesus.  (You get the impact of his word when you understand that ‘rubbish’ is a weak translation of the Greek word, skubalon, which literally means, animal excrement!)  Yes, Paul says that knowing Jesus makes everything else in life about as valuable as dog poop by comparison.

I find Jesus very present when I’m sitting at the bedside of an old saint who has forgotten who I am but who brightens when I read her a Psalm, who clasps my hand tightly as I pray, while tears slip down both of our cheeks. I experience Jesus’ presence when I go and walk among the aged of a nursing home and sing to people who have come to the margin of life.  I have felt Him personally present when sitting with my late wife in the chemo room of the hospital. Yes, He walks with those who struggle to trust Him through huge disappointment,  with those who know rejection, with those who serve without fanfare in the most obscure places.

Here is a challenging invitation for this Monday morning.  As we open our hearts and minds to the Lord, as we pray, let us do so with humble, joyous welcome of the Real Jesus. "Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you. For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body." (Philippians 3:17-21, NIV)

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There's Something About That Name

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus-

There's just something about that name.

Master, Savior, Jesus-

Like a fragrance after the rain.

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus-

Let all heaven and earth proclaim;

Kings and kingdoms may all pass away,

But there's something about that name!

Copyright William Gaither

The Good Old days that never really existed

Christmas, for me, is a time when I am pulled to the past, more and more these days. Digging out the holiday décor in the attic, I found a box full of family picture albums. I pulled one out and paged through it. It was a sweet and painful thing to do. They stir up such memories, such longing for the happy moments when my kids were running through the house. Those images help me to remember Bev who went to Heaven 2 years ago. Nostalgia can be a dangerous thing drawing us into the past so that we miss out on the joy that today offers! I do not want to be one of those who are trying to navigate life while staring into the rear-view mirror!  I know that my memory is selective.

We rewrite history to fit our perceptions, our needs.  Getting misty about the 'good old days,' colors our perceptions. The hardships magnify and the joys amplify. Think back just 20 years ago. Do you remember the ordinary moments? Not likely. Mostly our conscious recall is formed around selected events and experiences - birthday celebrations, Christmas, family vacations, deaths, and tragedies.  The stuff of daily life disappears into the haze of time and can only be recalled only with focus and effort! Even then, the recall is suspect as to complete accuracy.

A by-product of time’s passing is the increasing draw of nostalgia.  Spiritually this can be toxic.  Know any Christians who are stuck in the ‘glory days’ of another era?  Have you heard them bemoan the state of the church, criticize the youth program, or long for the preaching of some pastor they knew years ago?  "Well, it's not the way it used to be." they say with sorrow.  And, they are at least partially right. Change is inevitable!

Growing Christians and healthy churches build on past experience, learning from it, celebrating victories, but they are like any living thing – always adapting and changing.  A church or Christian who enshrines an experience and tries to hold onto it - and many do - becomes less and less effective in doing God’s work.

Should we discard all tradition becoming slaves of the new, the trendy?  No, we love the ancient paths, are strengthened by slowly evolving patterns of worship. Novelty can lead to some places just as marginal as nostalgia. The Bible assures us that "Jesus Christ is the same; yesterday, today, and forever."  He is not hip, nor must His Gospel be made ‘relevant’ whatever that means. The celebrations of Communion, baptism, Advent, Christmas, Lent, and Easter are valuable ways of preserving continuity in the Christian community from generation to generation.

So what’s my point today?   Ask God what He desires for you TODAY!  Be very careful about trying to recreate the spiritual experiences of another time, no matter how wonderful it to you back then.  When you remember a place or time when God was near, when you lived close to His Presence, rejoice and give thanks.

Those memories that are stirred when I page through a family album are the foundation of my love for my family. But, if I attempt to relate to my kids who are now adults like I did when they were pre-adolescents, I'll alienate them from me. So it is with the Lord. What He did for you yesterday is the foundation for your walk with Him today, but those things are past. Ask God to help you to see and appreciate what He's doing today.  

(There is this. If you think the Church has gone a little 'off the rails,' do not let that become a source of bitterness or a critical spirit.  Instead, pray earnestly for those who lead.  As one of entrusted with leadership I can assure you that your prayer support is vital to the work.)

Here is a word from the Word.  They are a parable Jesus told - “No one tears a piece of cloth from a new garment and uses it to patch an old garment. For then the new garment would be torn, and the patch wouldn’t even match the old garment. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. The new wine would burst the old skins, spilling the wine and ruining the skins." (Luke 5:36-37, NLT) And then live this -  “Sing a new song to the Lord, for he has done wonderful deeds. He has won a mighty victory by his power and holiness.” (Psalm 98:1, NLT)

Father, today I am pulled to remember,
Tempted to try to turn back the clock.
Come near and, with the voice of the Spirit,
Call me to what You are doing here and now.
Renew vision and hope.
I thank you for the victories past,
The lessons of yesterday that form me today.
Give wisdom to use those moments in a way
That makes me an effective ambassador you in the world where I live,
In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Tommy needs a ‘time out’

“Why did he do that?” The critical spirit rose in me. Later that same day I found myself wrestling with less than affirming thoughts about another over a trivial thing. Irritation showed up when the car in front of me failed to move when the light turned green. While I was around a happy family, listening to their laughter, my feelings of loss took center stage in my mind and I inwardly complained to the Lord, “Why them, not me?”  My mood was uglier than one of those terrible holiday sweaters sold at Walmart™!  The trap of being consumed with my agenda, my needs, my feelings, had sprung. Becoming aware of the place to which I slipped, I realized that I needed a dose of humility!  

Pride shows up dressed in many costumes – meanness, manipulative actions designed to get our own way, complaining about the blessings of another, and doubting God. We are especially susceptible to prideful behaviors in this busy, stressful Season. Our schedules are often full, leaving us exhausted. We tire of long lines in stores, of traffic, of endless demands on our time and energy. Right in that moment, we are likely to slip into “Me, first” behaviors. Yes, it is a natural protective response but it is not good nor godly.

Think about it this way. When I complain, criticize, or push to the front of the line though I may not be consciously aware but what I am really saying is this:  “Lord, I won’t trust You to take care of my needs. I won’t choose contentment that allows me to find my Peace in You. I’m taking charge!”  That is not good, is it?

God’s people complained about their lot in life, accusing Him of failing them.  His answer was not to relieve their stress immediately. Instead, He asked them to change their perspective.  “To whom will you compare me? Who is my equal?” asks the Holy One. Look up into the heavens. Who created all the stars? He brings them out like an army, one after another, calling each by its name. Because of his great power and incomparable strength, not a single one is missing. O Jacob, how can you say the Lord does not see your troubles? O Israel, how can you say God ignores your rights?" (Isaiah 40:25-27, NLT)  Look up! Renew your hope in Me!

Are your emotions in turmoil today?
Are there behaviors that show your frustration?

Are you snapping at your children?

Are you seeking solace in criticizing another, or tempted to indulge your desire for something that tempts you?

In those moments, we need to give ourselves a ‘time out.’  A wise parent sees their child slipping out of control and intervenes before a crisis. They take Tommy aside and put him in his room for some time alone, perhaps to fall asleep for a much needed nap.  When we are acting in ways better suited to a 3 year-old, our Heavenly Father invites us to pause, to reflect, to pray, to become re-centered.   

I gave myself a ‘time out’ on that ugly day. I refocused on the important stuff. I spent a few moments to appropriately acknowledge my own grief.  I chose to thank God for the friends, the opportunities, the grace He gives – and soon found myself with a sweeter attitude.

When you become aware of pridefulness, when Self takes over,  choose a different path. Instead of ruining the day with an explosion of anger, instead of damaging a relationship with bitter accusations, instead of stewing inside about ‘the unfairness of it all,’  take a break. Tell Jesus, in an honest humble prayer, about it and then listen to the Spirit. That Scripture I quoted a moment ago, finishes with a passage more familiar to many of us.  It speaks of renewal found in the Lord.

Our word from the Word today is worthy of some deep reflection.  "Have you never heard? Have you never understood? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth. He never grows weak or weary. No one can measure the depths of his understanding. He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion. But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint." (Isaiah 40:28-31, NLT)

Time out.

Look up.

Quiet down.

Rest on His promise.

And, you will find peace.

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O Come O Come Emmanuel

O come O come Emmanuel

And ransom captive Israel

That mourns in lonely exile here

Until the Son of God appear

Rejoice rejoice Emmanuel

Shall come to thee O Israel

O come Thou Dayspring come and cheer

Our spirits by Thine advent here

Disperse the gloomy clouds of night

And death's dark shadows put to flight

O come Desire of nations bind

All peoples in one heart and mind

Bid envy strife and quarrels cease

Fill the whole world with heaven's peace

John Mason Neale | Thomas Helmore

© Words: Public Domain