Power in Weakness: Family Edition

When our son and his family arrived to visit us about three weeks ago I was outside cutting the grass. I ran to the driveway and did my version of "the happy dance" in joy over their coming. I also let them know that I would be doing my happy dance again the moment they turned the corner to start their trip home.

Three weeks is quite a long time to have five extra people visiting you. Family or not, two young adults with different priorities, schedules, etc., and three very active children is an adjustment. It takes a great deal of patience, communication, giving and forgiving, and the crucifying of self-interest to get through. I did not always succeed. We did not always succeed. There were some tense moments, some hurt feelings, some frustrations on all sides. Human weakness! There were even a couple of times I would not have objected if they had left early.

Well they left on schedule this morning and there was NO happy dance. Instead, when I was alone there were a few tears shed. There were strong feelings of separation and loneliness. There was no happy dance because in spite of differences and frustrations there is love. Love of family and God's love flowing through us.

So until next time we have some pictures, some fond memories of bocce ball on the wonderful hills of the church lawn, camping in Minnesota, swimming and canoeing at the lake, and playing with the kids.

And we can't wait for another opportunity to practice the attributes of love with each other!

Dave

Do Something

I thought I was done with this topic of doing hard things, sacrificing one's life, etc., but I guess it is still very much on my mind(a good thing I believe).  When I saw this plaque and the accompanying display at the Mall of America in Minneapolis I couldn't pass it up.  We never know when we will be confronted with the opportunity and obligation to do something.  

(Sorry the picture's not too great, but if you click it you should be able to at least read it)

Dave

Do Hard Things

A group of guys from our church did a four hour canoe trip yesterday down the Rainy River.  You can read more about it from my son's perspective here.  I wanted to touch on one incident and relate it to our lives as Christians.

My grandson, Knox was very excited about going canoeing...until we got in the canoe and pushed off.  He was suddenly crying and hollering that we were going to tip.  He was very afraid and wanted to get out.  His Dad took us back to the dock to try and calm him down.  As soon as he had the chance Knox was out of the canoe and running away up the dock.  When they got him back his Dad talked to him about asking God for courage and they prayed together.  He settled down pretty quickly and we were off.  

Being a four hour plus trip we tried to keep him occupied with watching for eagles and the beauty of the nature around us.  But it wasn't more than a couple hours and Knox was saying how bored he was.  This continued off and on for the rest of the trip.  I'm not surprised that he was bored.  I can't fault him for that.  Just sitting in the bottom of a canoe isn't all that exciting for a seven-year-old.  What surprised me was how quickly it all became boring for him.  He went from being freaked out(his term, not mine) to being bored.  I jokingly suggested that we could start rocking the canoe and he wouldn't be bored any more.  He didn't think that was the solution.

I started thinking about this turnabout and what it says about the Christian life.  When we are born again and begin a new life with Christ everything is new and at least a bit scary.  We don't really know what to expect.  There are steps of faith like baptism, sharing your testimony, getting involved in some ministry.  Each one presents its own challenges and we grow!  Every time we step out with God we find the new adventure at least somewhat unsettling.  

But it seems that before too long we start to get comfortable in our faith.  We settle into our routines and it can even become boring.  What once thrilled us and even scared us a little now gets no reaction at all.  What a tragedy!  We need someone to come along and rock the canoe.  I'm beginning to think that some discomfort and even some fear is much better than boredom in the Christian life.  We need to keep stretching because it's the only way we will keep growing.  If we are only doing the things we know we can easily accomplish we don't really need God or need to trust Him.  We feel comfortable and secure...and bored.

My daughter pointed me to a website especially for teens, but I think it has something worthwhile for all of us.  It is called The Rebelution.  The site says "The battle cry of the The Rebelution is just three words: but it's an explosive concept: Do Hard Things."  They make the point that as kids we all had many hard things to accomplish: walking, talking, spelling, reading, etc.  These skills took hard work, but we did them and we grew.  But as we grow older we quit pushing ourselves to do hard things and usually there is no one else to push us so we just stop trying and we stop growing.

God, please rock my canoe enough to shake me out of my boredom and remind me that I can't do this without You!  

Kindness Outreach

Our church finally did our cold drink giveaway this week.  This is one of a few kindness outreaches we have planned.  We tried a few times before in a different venue and it never worked out.  This time we took our wagons, coolers and drinks down to the bass tournament parade.  I'm sure we looked a little comical- adults pulling children's wagons loaded  with coolers down the street.  We gave 200 bottles of water or Coke away in less than an hour.  Some people were hesitant until they found out it was free.  Others wouldn't take it even though it was free.  Most people were pleasantly pleased if a little curious.

The purpose is to turn the "random acts of kindness" idea into an act of kindness to the glory of God.  The act of kindness is accompanied by a nice looking business-size card that says we are doing this to show the love of God.  It includes the church name and location.  

I came across the idea of flooding your community with good deeds several years ago through a book by Steve Sjogren called Conspiracy of Kindness.  It immediately appealed to me as an excellent way to do first-touch evangelism.  Yet I've found people don't really seem to understand it.  The major objection is that this seems a waste of money because it is not meeting any real need.  It's just giving something away to people who don't need it.  Also some people think it is so low-key that it couldn't possibly have any spiritual impact.

I still believe that it has great potential if done prayerfully and regularly.  First, it is something just about any Christian can do.  It is usually done in teams so you don't have to go alone and it doesn't take a lot of know-how.  Many Christians are fearful of engaging in evangelism.  This is a great way to get a taste and to develop some skills.  As confidence grows people will look for opportunities.  For the one receiving the kindness, it gives them a different perspective on God and church from what many believe.  God is sometimes seen as harsh and demanding.  The church especially is usually seen as wanting your money, not as giving you something.  It is a no-pressure situation for both the giver and receiver yet it provides plenty of opportunity for people to ask why and for significant conversation to develop.  I see this as another case of our weakness(small part) being used by God for great good.  

Anyone have any experience with this, good or bad, questions or comments?

Dave

Who Cares????

I've recently written four or five posts on choosing life and willingness to die.  This is something that has been on my mind quite a bit lately.  Much of my thinking has been inspired by some of the reading I've been doing and the current sermon series I am preaching.  I see it as a truly important subject in our Christian lives.  I've been a little disappointed by the lack of response because I was hoping to hear what others think about all this.  Maybe I wanted some assurance that I'm not the only one who has questions and fears in all this.  I realize that there could be many reasons why there wasn't more discussion and I'm not putting you down for it.  I was reading blogs for close to a year before I ever made a comment.  Anyway, I'm still curious if anything has been stirred up in you on this topic so I've put up a poll (right side) that will only take you a few seconds to answer and give me at least some idea if this has been of any interest to you.  And if you still want to let your voice be heard, you can still leave a comment.

To Live or Die

Not finished with this topic yet.  It continues to weigh on my mind; I guess even more so because of re-reading McManus' book, Seizing Your Divine Moment and preaching a series from the passage he looks at(1Samuel 14).

McManus makes the point that we can and do know God's general will: to be people of grace and truth-doing good works, sharing the Gospel, and so on.  But, he says, within that there is much uncertainty.  We have no guarantees that doing the right thing will ensure that we will be kept safe and sound.  God promises us His presence and eternal life, but does not promise that nothing bad will happen along the way.  Jesus is the ultimate example.  He was not kept from humiliation, pain or death.  In fact we are told more than once that we should expect trouble and persecution.

I came across the following story a week or so ago that illustrates this very thing.  John(70) and Eloise(65) Bergen from British Columbia had been serving for a few months with Hope for the Nations in Kenya, Africa.  One night they were attacked by eight people with clubs and machetes.  They were beaten, cut and left for dead.

     

Their current plans are to come back to Canada for physical and psychological therapy and then return to Kenya to serve the Lord in caring for orphans.  Amazing!  You can read more here.   

I'm reminded of Matthew 10:28.  Jesus says,  "Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell."  This couple seems to care much more about serving and glorifying God than about fear of those who can kill the body.  I admire and thank God for their faith and obedience.

McManus rightly says we usually don't get to choose when or how we will die, but we can choose how we will live!  God help me/us choose to live in the will of God without fear!    I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

Dave

Choosing to Die

Ever since I read their story as a young man I've been deeply touched by the lives and deaths of the five missionaries, Jim Elliot, Peter Fleming, Ed McCully, Roger Youderian, and Nate Saint in Ecuador in 1956.  In making contact with the Auca Indians, known killers, they were speared to death even though they had guns.  Apparently one gun was fired as a warning, but none was leveled at the attackers.  This was the agreed upon procedure because, they reasoned, "The natives are not ready for heaven.  We are." 

John Piper encourages that attitude as a reason not to even own a gun.  He says, "I suspect the same could be said for almost anyone who breaks into my house."    

We could extend that to risking our lives for people in danger: "They're likely not ready for heaven.  I am."  Paul, a guy who graduated with me from Bible school went to BC the summer after graduation to plant trees.  One night a group of them were on a road in an area that was flooding.  A bridge was washed out and people ended up in the raging river.  According to reports, Paul went into that river more than once to rescue people and ended up sacrificing his life for theirs.  He was ready for heaven.  They weren't. 

As I asked in the earlier post, would I choose to die for Christ, for others?  Do I have that in me?  I really don't know.  What I do know is that Jesus says that when we die to self, then we are really alive!

Dave