disciple
01/07/2009

New Years Resolve

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what I want to move towards

I heard a great talk on Sunday from one of our pastors, George Antonakos on how to be resolute in the New Year. He framed a lot of our relationship with Jesus around three ideas:

1. It’s about relationship. At the end of the day that is what is important. Jesus first steps were toward people, and usually the people that no one else cared about. We need to orient our lives around relationships in 2009 and beyond. We will need to seek these relationships out (including Jesus – he moves towards us as we move towards him).

2. Success involved a diminishing preoccupation with self. Healthy living is living that is not focused on self. I think this is why parenting is such a valuable time in life. It isn’t about me. It’s not about Elise. We move from ourselves to focus on others. I want 2009 to be a time of making sure it is not about me (even though I am so good at it).

3. Personal transformation is a process. We are work in progress. I struggle with this more than most I think. I want to have arrived. I want to have been through tough stuff and be “over that”. It really doesn’t happen that way. We move from struggle to struggle in many ways and our character gets developed along the way. The good news of the process is that it’s never too late to move towards the person we are becoming in Christ. That’s comforting to me. Especially during times of significant challenge.

I can easily waste a lot of time not pursuing who I want to be in Jesus. This usually results in pain and disappointment for me and those around me. This year I am going to strive to be resolute about following Him as closely as I can.

Keep moving forward,

Greg

grace.mercy.peace.truth.love.action

07/05/2008

“nobody cares about you after 25″

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That’s a big statement. Honestly it disturbs me. I have this understanding that I think is how followers of Jesus are to operate and this doesn’t fit. This was a statement that Trent said while we were talking Tuesday night. I got a lot out of our time with Trent. He’s a great example of a guy who is living a great life following Christ. But that statement bothered me.

It’s not that I disagree. I asked him if that is the way it is supposed to be and he just said “that’s the way it is”. I think in practice he is right, Trent’s a realist and I think that is reality.

But it doesn’t mean it has to be that way. To tell the truth, I still want to be cared for and care for others. I want to be loved and to love. I’ve heard a local say for a long time that in the final analysis the thing that matters in life is who we love and who loves us. Now that sounds more like the way of Jesus that I know. It also sounds like what I want.

I recently spent some time with a friend and mentor who was encouraging me in the faith. I was talking about some particular relationship issues that I was dealing with. It’s been a a painful situation and has produced a lot of struggle in me. Very early in the conversation I was struck that the root of the problem was simply that I wasn’t loving the other parties.

Dallas describes love as intending the best for someone. This seems like a simplistic way of viewing love, but as definitions go I think it stands nicely. When I look for the best of the other person I am willfully looking for what is best for them and that is truly what we all want isn’t it?

When I realized the position I was in I was able to change my attitude and realize that the problem was that I was really looking out for my best and not the best of the others in the relationship. It doesn’t make it easy but it does make it clear. Clarity means a lot.

So what does this have to do with the fact that nobody cares about you after 25? For me, it means that I will stand against that reality as is currently is. I still want to be loved and to love deeply. That takes a lot of effort and time and energy. That takes extra-ordinary effort really. But it is more of the way that I want to live than any other way.

When Jesus said “love your enemies” he wasn’t saying that as a punishment or consequence to being a Christian. It isn’t that when you’re a Christian you have to do these difficult things that no one on earth would really want to do. He is saying that loving others is the best way to live. Period.

I want to be a man like that. At 25, 45, 75 or 105. I still want to love and be loved. I’m going to do it.

Greg

12/16/2007

An amazing woman.

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When I was a kid my image of Mary, Jesus mother, was of a shy schoolgirl dressed in the classic church play costume. The girl was usually a little ackward and undercomfortable in her own skin and was scared looking even in the play carrying a cheap baby doll Jesus. I often wish the images I learned in Sunday School could be gotten rid of. Often the flanel boards and simplistic plays left a western culture, suburban image of the heroes of scripture.

The truth is that Mary was one of the greatest heroes in all of scripture.

Just after after she finds out that she will bear the Son of God in her womb, at a young age, and will be shamed by those around her she says:

“Behold I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.”

These words may be the most instructional words for any follower of Jesus in all of scripture. Mary clearly humbles herself (I am a servant of the Lord) and completely submits herself to what God wants (Let if be to me according to your word). In remarkably simple language Mary makes clear her position: regardless of what I want and even in circumstances that are sure to be seen as scandalous, I would have you do what you want in my life.

If you want the essence of the faith in Jesus I would argue that this may be it. I am a servant of the Lord, let it be to me according to your word.

John tells us another part of who Mary is. When she and Jesus were at a wedding and then ran out of wine she tells the servants

“Do whatever he tells you to do”

Mary clearly understands her son to be the miracle working son of God that he is.

In two more parts of scripture we see insight into Mary. The first is when she is at the foot of the cross watching her son die. How much pain this must have been. As a parent I can’t imagine watching my son being treated this way. I can’t imagine a more painful thing to happen. But there is Mary sitting at his feet.

“but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.”

The other is in Acts when we read about the followers of Jesus including the twelve and others:

“All these, with one accord, were devoting themselves together with the women and Mary mother of Jesus, and his brothers.”

My most admired part of Mary’s story though is when she goes to visit her cousin Elizabeth. Elizabeth is filled with the Holy Spirit and says:

“Blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”

Then Mary says:

“My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
And his mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm;
He has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
He has brought down the mighty from their thrones
and exalted those of humble estate;
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”

This description, coming from a teenage jewish girl who was scandalously pregnant from the worlds perspective is one of the most faith filled description of God and his kingdom in all of scripture. Mary is speaking this magnificat while in the most difficult of situations and knowing that she has a long and difficult road in front of her. Even in this Mary is proclaiming that God will right the wrongs in this world. He will bring the rich down and the poor up. He will exalt the humble and humble the exalted.

I know I can often talk a good game. I can make myself look smart and wise occasionally. I can motivate people sometimes. I can call something out of people that may encourage them. I can get people to follow me. I can sometimes see strategic things that other people can’t. I can help peoples vision become action.

But in the end, I often rely on my own abilities and purue my own purposes rather than the mission of bringing the kingdom of God to this earth. Mary’s words and deeds are the ones that I want to embody in my life. Not the self serving way that I often go about using my gifts, abilities, talents and treasures on this side of eternity.

Mary’s words and actions inspire me. Aside from Jesus, she is hands down my hero of the men and women in scripture. These words and actions are the ways that I want to respond to what God does in my life:

I am the humble servant of the Lord
May it be according to your word
Do whatever he tells you to do
Stand at the foot of the cross
Devote yourself to prayer
Even in my struggles and scandalous situations proclaim the kingdom

MAY IT BE ACCORDING TO THESE WORDS.

grace.mercy.peace.truth.love.action

11/24/2007

Sailing anyone?

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Read a great segment from a book called “Exploring the Depths of Jesus Christ” yesterday. Really struck me as how God grows us into the people he wants us to be. Enjoy:

“When sailors first take a ship out of port it is very difficult to head her out to sea. They must use all their strength to get that ship clear of the harbor, but once she is at sea she moves easily in whatever direction the seaman chooses.

It is the same with you as you begin to turn within to God. You are like that ship at first you are very strongly bounded by sin and by self. Only through a great deal of repeated effort are you turned within, but eventually those ropes which bind you have to loosen.

Keep on turning within. Do so despite every failure, despite all the distractions that pull you away. If you will remain faithful and strong in this continual, turning gradually you will push off from the port of self, Leaving it far behind you will head for the interior to an abiding with God, for that is your destination.

What happens once the ship has left port? She moves farther and farther out into the deep sea and the farther from the port she goes the easier she moves.

There comes a time at last which she can use her sails, her oars are useless. They are laid aside, now her course is swift and what does the pilot do? He is content to spread the sails and hold the rudder. All he does now is keep the swiftly moving vessel gently on its course.

To spread the sails is to lay yourself before God in simple prayer. To spread the sails is to be moved by His spirit.

To hold the rudder is to keep your heart from wandering away from its true course. To hold the rudder is to recall the heart gently. You guide it firmly by the moving of the Spirit of God.

Now as you begin to move into Him, He will gradually gain possession of your heart. He gains it in the same way – little by little – that the gently breeze fills the sails and move the ship forward.

When the winds are favorable, the pilot rests from his work. The pilot rests and leaves the ship to be moved by the winds. Oh, what progress they make without becoming the least bit tired.

They are making more progress in one hour without any effort than they ever did before even when exerting all their strength. If the oars were used now, it would only slow the ship and cause fatigue. The oars are useless and unnecessary.”