Who's Pulling?

It's summer and that often brings me to longing again for the summer I spent in Minocqua, WI. That was an awesome summer. I preached at three different campgrounds on Sunday morning and most of the rest of the week was spent reading by the lakeside or water skiing. What more could a person ask for, really? That summer I skied a lot, and helped a number of people learn how to ski. One of the key pieces of advice was always, let the boat do the work and pull you up.

Isn't that good advice for life as well?

God is my helper. —Psalm 54:4

Do you ever hit those rough patches of life and find yourself just fighting to pull yourself up? What if, instead of trying to pull yourself up, you let God do the work and pull you up? What might that look like? What kind of difference might that make?

Night

Last night I attended dinner and worship at Our Savior's Lutheran in Rochester. While sitting around dinner we talked to three different families that were touched by death this past week. It was a tough week around there this past week. There was a glimpse of darkness as we spoke of these deaths. At the same time these were some people of great faith, so there was also a feeling and a sense of hope. Isn't it amazing how faith can sustain us in our moments of darkness?

I might be a little strange, but I love the lament psalms. I just like what I would call their gritty grasp of reality. They voice their complaints and hurts to God, but it seems they always come around to praising God. When it gets down to it what else do we need besides God? They have incredible points of complex reality like in Psalm 42 when it's believed David was writing in the darkness of his life, "The Lord will command His lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night His song shall be with me—a prayer to the God of my life"

When darkness strikes your life and it feels like night, know that God's song is with you... a prayer when you have no words.

Have to?

Yesterday, I wrote about "doing" faith and I think it is important to live out our faith. However, I feel compelled to clarify something. After attending Camp Victory this past summer I've heard a few different students share things like, "I have to ask God to be a part of my life." Really? Did God leave you some time after your baptism and now God needs an invitation to return? That's not how I understand God to operate.

I think places like Camp Victory are doing some great ministry. I just have some concerns with their theology and how it differs from our Lutheran understanding. When you get into what we call "decision theology" I think we begin a step toward a dangerous theology. When we say things like, "You have to ask God into your life" that is putting the power of salvation into the hands of humans. That is to say that salvation is dependent on the act of humans. Our Lutheran theology teaches us that it is God alone that does the saving, primarily through that one gracious act some 2,000 years ago.

My concern then is that when I write things about "doing" faith it gets similarly misconstrued. It becomes easy to start thinking I have to do these things, with an unspoken reason for salvation. We don't live out our faith and serve others as part of a requirement to gain salvation because that puts us right back in the trap of being in control of our salvation. Instead we live out our faith and serve others as a response to our salvation, because God has given us this gracious gift despite ourselves.

These are, in many ways, subtle differences in understanding faith and theology. However, I also believe they are important differences. They are why I am proud to claim a Lutheran heritage and understanding of theology (even if I don't totally understand all of theology... it's complicated).

doing

The devotional I read today was based on James 1, where the author encourages us to "do" the faith. You've heard people talking about and asking things like, "You can talk the talk, but can you walk the walk?" I think that's one of the great beauties of going on these mission trips with youth, you get to see the youth living out their faith. They are "doing" their faith, and it is amazing to watch. It's even more fun because often they struggle to try and articulate their faith, they just don't feel even slightly comfortable with the words. Sometimes they don't even recognize the faith that lies within them. Then we send them out to serve and you can't help but see their faith hanging out on their sleeve as they simply live it.

So how are you "doing" faith today? How are you living out your faith? Or is it just something that sounds good in theory and is left for discussions on Sunday morning in the sanctuary?

On Our Way Again

Sadly, Dawn is still not back from New York yet, but I'm sure she'll be happy to be in her own bed tomorrow night. It just won't be soon enough to cross paths. We leave early tomorrow morning with seven amazing Jr. High students for Rapid City, SD. Please do keep all of us in your prayers this week... and I'll be back here sometime after we return.

Affluenza

The devotion I read today was about our human tendency to focus on the material things of this world. In fact, our obsession with wealth in this society could easily be a sickness we called "affluenza", and in fact, I do believe some have started calling our condition just that. As I prepare to leave on Sunday for Rapid City with our Jr. High youth for another mission trip, and with our last one still fresh in my mind, I realize one of the real gifts of these trips is that they remind us of this condition, of how we focus on the material things of the world. It's funny how we do that, even though we really do know that they just don't matter in the long term... At least in terms of spiritual matters and salvation, which seem a bit more important... I think.

Seeing is Believing

We've all heard the phrase, "Seeing is believing." Perhaps we've uttered before, "I'll believe that when I see it." We like to have visual proof in our lives, don't we? I think it's true when it comes to our faith as well. In those times of questioning or wonder we think things like, "If only I could get a 'clear' sign from God." I know I've prayed for a direct phone call or e-mail from God so that I would know what God desired of me.

I wonder, though, if God did give us a "clear" sign, would we recognize it? How many people witnessed Jesus feed 5,000 people or heal a leper and still didn't believe? Would you believe it? I would like to think I would, but I wonder if that is reality or just wishful thinking.

Yesterday, we buried one of the saints of our congregation. Harold was a witness to God's love, peace, patience, and grace. In many ways how God worked through his life was a "clear" sign of God's presence in our lives. Did it help to build up our faith? It did mine. Maybe seeing is believing...

Different Somehow

Dawn left for New York City yesterday morning. She is going there with her church on a high school mission trip, like we went on to West Virginia. It's only been a day, but things are different somehow around the house without her.

At the end of last week a beloved member of our congregation, Harold, died. It's only been a couple of days, but things are different somehow around church without him and his smile that could warm even the coldest of rooms.

I know both of them are currently in God's hands, but it sure doesn't change the fact that things just don't feel "right" and that I miss them dearly. I trust the reunions will be wonderful.

Back

Well, I'm back from our Sr. High Mission Trip to Logan, WV. It was a busy week of serving that left me exhausted and with a lovely case of poison ivy (or something similar). So it hit me when the devotion from Our Daily Bead was the story about Mary and Martha.

Here we had spent an entire week working and serving. Then I read the devotion that starts with the story of the mayor of a small town who decided not to mow his lawn any longer because there were more important things. I think that can be the danger when we enter into service ministry, we get caught up in doing and lose site of the reason for serving. I think we did a job of keeping a balance of things last week. We served, but we also sat at the feet of Jesus.

I think that mayor had a point that there are more important things in life than mowing the lawn. I don't think I'm ready to go that far, I'll still tend to our lawn, but first I'll try and remember to sit at the feet of Jesus.

Off

Isn't it funny how life can appear to be going so well, but then there is just one little trigger that opens up a Pandora's Box of things that were bothering you that you didn't even realize. For example, life has been going swimmingly. Then, this morning, I hopped in the car to head in to church and all I heard was click-click-click-click-click. Great! The car won't start! Somehow that opened up the floodgates to feeling every last ounce of stress that is currently somewhere in my life all at the same time. Now there is this foreboding feeling that today just might not be the best of days. We'll have to see how that goes and judge later. It just just seem like a great way to start off the day, it kind of makes everything feel a little "off."

Speaking of cars & off, remember, we're leaving on our mission trip on Saturday morning. Your prayers are greatly appreciated. This is also a reminder that I probably won't be posting much until sometime in July.

Identity

Why do we wrap up our identity so much in what we do? I think when we do that we devalue who we are, who God has created us to be. I ask the question because I know that I am terribly guilty of this.

For example, last Saturday was Grandma's Marathon and I found a part of me feeling kind of weird because I wasn't running. I think in part because I've defined myself as a runner, as a marathoner even, and yet I haven't hardly run a step in almost nine months. If I don't run who am I?

I do it in other places as well. I do it in ministry as well. Because I define myself as a pastor I find myself measuring myself against other pastors and ministers. How well I do ministry in comparison has a way of defining how "good" I am as a person.

Now, I don't share these examples as a plea for others to tell me what a great person I am. Instead I share them because I have a hunch others act in a similar way and have seen the destructive nature of it, or maybe need to see the destructive nature of that thinking. I share them to ask the question of, "How do you break free from that kind of thinking?"

Pray

We leave soon on our mission trip to Logan, WV, Saturday morning actually. It should be a great adventure, but we need your help still. Please start to pray for the trip now, and keep praying throughout our trip until we return late in the afternoon on July 1. You can pray for safety, for lives to be changed, or just plain pray!

The students attending are: Megan, Natalie, Dani, Laura, Abby, Jenny, Katie, and Emily
The adults attending are: Jane, Ken, and myself.

ALL of your prayers for this trip are VERY MUCH appreciated. If you are a member of Christ Lutheran who is reading this please know that we will be sharing about BOTH of our mission trips this summer on Sunday, July 29, so please come and join us that morning.

Forgive

Yesterday we were driving into Rochester for a hospital visit after text study. The theme of the passages we looked at for this coming Sunday were about our forgiveness. As we were driving in there was some graffiti that rather struck me...

Writing

"This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: "Write in a book all the words I have spoken to you." -Jeremiah 30:2 (NIV)

Have you ever had one of those days where you've got so much whizzing through your brain, because of a problem at work, a family argument or something else, that you can't stay focused enough to pray... because your brain is bouncing back and forth between things? What do you do in those situations?

Sometimes, if I can slow down enough, I like to write. I'll write a prayer to God, or a poem or something of that nature. It's funny, how that can sooth the soul and draw out things I didn't even realize where in me. Prayer can take on all different forms, even writing. It's a gift of sanity... I think.

Beauty

So my earlier post got me to thinking... Do we need any further proof that God has a desire to see beauty? Probably not, we don't have to look too far outside our window, but just in case. Here are a couple of pictures from our recent trip to Salt Lake City. The pictures actually come from Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks...

Tired

Tired. I'm just really tired today. I'm not sure exactly what it is, but something about it struck me during devotions today. I was reading again from ODB and the author was talking about function verses beauty. She talked about how engineer types are great at making things work, and work efficiently, but how it looks is not all so important. She went from there to talk about the need for "arts" in worship and how that adds a certain beauty.

We do certainly need both in this world. We need both in worship. Personally, I think I need a balance (although perhaps weighted a little more towards the creative, artsy side of things). I'm wondering if part of my tiredness isn't from spending so much time recently on the details of making things function that I've not gotten to tap the inner creative side of things. Maybe. It's a theory at least.

So I wonder, has God called you to, gifted you for, function or form? How are you using your gifts today to that end?

Imitation

This last weekend as we were at the wedding reception of a friend I found myself "playing" with a friends soon to be kindergartner. We began imitating each others every move. It was fun game filled with lots of giggles.

I remember as a kid wanting to be just like various other older kids. I would wear my wrist bands in certain way when I played basketball so I could be like the players I looked up to. I tried to walk like the cool kids walked. I have to admit I still find myself doing the same from time to time as I try and imitate others I admire in hopes of becoming more like them.

My parents are ones that I wouldn't mind imitating a little more. They are celebrating their 42nd anniversary today. That wouldn't be bad to imitate.

Today at "Our Daily Bread" the author spoke about imitating Christ, drawing upon 1 Corinthians. Not a bad idea. Perhaps we could all afford to try and imitate Christ a little more. Why not start with a mentor type person? I think we all know people in our lives who live Christ like examples. Perhaps we can start by imitating them. It's the kind of thing Paul encouraged, that others would imitate him who was attempting to imitate Christ. Go ahead, give it a shot. What do you think?

Do as I say...

Have you ever heard someone say, "Do as I say, not as I do"? I've heard it before and I hate it. Isn't the old adage "Actions speak louder than words" much more true? I love sports, but it drives me nuts to hear these young players talk about how great they are. I want to tell them to stop talking about what they think they can do and start talking about what they have done. Have you ever noticed how really great people never seem to boast about their accomplishments?

One of the most phenomenal, talented, marathon runners I have ever known personally is actually a member of this congregation. If you were to talk to the person you would never know. You might be able to get out of them that they enjoy running, but you wouldn't know that they have been one of the best runners in the state for a number of years.

When I was in Jr. High I was watching my dad run a race. The guest starter that day had, at the time, the second fastest marathon time in the world. He ended up standing next to me. He was more interested in how fast I had run the mile as a 7th grader than he was about how fast he had run.

1 John 3 says, "My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth."

Who have you loved today? I'm hoping you've told at least a family member or two that you love them... but have you shown anyone that you love them today?

We Are In The Middle of It

Years ago a man was traveling by ship with his young daughter across the ocean. Earlier that particular Sunday he had preached a sermon about God’s love. It had been a very difficult service to preach, because he was newly widowed.

He was standing against the rail of the ship, looking out at the vast and magnificent ocean, when his daughter asked him if God loved them as much as they had loved her late mother.

“Of course He does,” answered her father. “There is absolutely nothing bigger or more powerful and all-consuming than God’s love for us. It’s the biggest thing there is!” The little girl pressed on for more information, wanting to know exactly how big God’s love was. Finally her father with great tenderness said, “Well, look across the sea as far as you can. Look up and down and all around. God’s love stretches around to cover all of that; above the blue sky and deeper than the deepest part of the ocean underneath us.”

The little girl pondered for a minute and replied, “And to think Daddy, we’
re right in the middle of it.” And we are. We’re right in the middle of God’
s love. We don’t need a miracle to tell us that. Most of us have known God’s love all our lives. Of course, that is not to say that miracles do not occur. They do--to the eyes of faith.

King Duncan, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com

Gardening

At home we try really hard to have green thumbs. Sometimes we do pretty well. Much of the time, though, we struggle. We're trying a vegetable garden this, I'll be interesting to see how that all turns out. What we're finding difficult is that it seems that every plant needs a slightly different combination of light and water. If you get that mixture right, they take off like no other. If they aren't nurtured with the right combination of light and water? It can get ugly quick.

Isn't that the case with people though, as well? Each person needs just a slightly different combination of being nurtured with the light of love & compassion and watered with our prayers. I think it's the case whether we're talking about kids or adults who appear almost hopeless. With the right nurturing we can all grow in faith and love. Thankfully, in this case, God is the head gardener... and I'm confident his thumb is a bit greener than mine.