Carey On

At 12:01am on November 1st I was on a train and heard Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas is You” playing from someone’s Bluetooth speaker. When her friend asked her what she was doing she yelled, “IT’S OFFICIALLY CHRISTMAS TIME NOW!” Since 1994 this song has become unavoidable. It’s had such staying power that it reached number 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 in 2019 (that’s 25 years after its initial release!). Regardless of how you feel about Christmas music in general, if you go out in public at some point in the next 46 days, you’re going to hear it.

Ready or not, Christmas is right around the corner. And it can take a bit of effort to get into the Christmas spirit. I don’t intend to add stress to your life, but for many the first sentence of this paragraph caused the slightest bit of tightness in your chest. Yes, you may feel the pressure of tradition and decorating and perfect gifts and trying to make sure everything is wonderfully joyous. However, having the perfect tree is not what we celebrate at this time of year.

This might feel early for a Christmas related devotional, but my hope is that we can enter the run up to this season with the right perspective. Maybe we can cut off some of the stress before it has a chance to show up. John reminds us of what we celebrate in John 1.

John 1:9-13 9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

All I want for Christmas is for you to celebrate the important stuff. Jesus wasn’t born so your house could be impeccably decorated. He came to bring us joy and hope everlasting.

De-Bait

North Dakota, Georgia, South Carolina, Texas, Florida, New Jersey, Ohio. In the past month I have received text messages (and calls I didn’t answer) from people wanting Diana to send money to candidates in each of these states. And if I didn’t send it to them, then the other team would win, and the world would be doomed. A few things you should know: 1) Of the seven states listed I’ve only lived in three of them. 2) When I was about 18 years old, I borrowed my mom’s new cell phone, never gave it back, and I’ve had the same number ever since. 3) My mom’s name is NOT Diana. I despise election season.

This year’s elections, like every other election I can remember, is being touted as the most important election ever. While I do think it is important for you to get out there and vote, or mail in your ballot two weeks ago, I have yet to find a candidate or political party that is special enough to ruin relationships over. And it’s a cruel joke that elections always hit right before the big family gathering holidays.

However, as followers of Christ we can choose peacemaking. We can refuse the bait when someone tries to start and argument. You can say, “it’s okay that we disagree, your political opinions will not change the love I have for you as a person.”

Paul says it this way in Romans 5:1-5: Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

I pray that you are a follower of Christ first. I pray that you know that you are justified by the faith you have, not the person you voted for. We can be patient. We can be long-suffering. We can be peacemakers.

Gonna Be My Friend

The most important rule of being in or near a mosh pit (people pushing and shoving for fun to music): if someone falls, you help them up. You don’t wait, you don’t expect someone else to take care of it, you don’t ignore it because they brought it on themselves. If you are close and able you instantly reach out your hand. This sounds eerily like what we as the church are called to do.

Paul in Philippians 2:1-5 says it this way, “So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to their own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus…”

As Christians we know we are secure and stable in Christ, and from that platform we can reach out and help people who have stumbled. We must resist being so single minded that our goals and ambitions take priority over helping the people around us. Undeniably, helping people can be hard, and it might even cost us something.

Twice I’ve earned double black eyes in the process of helping someone who had fallen. We got their feet under them and as they stood up the top of their head went right against the bridge of my nose. Sure, it hurt in the moment, but I would do it again because no one deserves to be left on the floor.

Now I know, most of the people reading this will never find themselves in a mosh pit, and I honestly don’t recommend ever seeking one out. However, you can always find someone who could use your help if you keep your eyes open.

Let each of us look also to the interests of others. If someone falls down, help them up!

Gabba Gabba

I have a pastor friend who recently attended his second ever punk show. He didn’t grow up listening to that type of music and for the first one he was in the seated balcony. He had never heard of the bands, but someone had an extra ticket, so he said yes.

Punk shows are very different from the pop/country/worship concerts he had been to in the past. Before he went, he was nervously texting me questions. What do I do if I end up in a mosh pit? Move, no one stays in a pit unless they want to be there. Is everyone going to think I’m a nerd if I wear earplugs? No, there is no street cred to be earned with tinnitus. I ended our conversation telling him, worst case scenario, stand in the back and people watch.

The day after, I reached out because I was incredibly interested to hear about his experience. And like I knew he would, he had a great time! The bands were fun, the venue was cool, but the thing that struck him the most was the experience of community that was on display. It’s a lesson the Church could learn a lot from.

As he put it, “in the best way possible, no one cares. Everyone starts with being happy that you are here.” If people can find such a strong sense of belonging just through liking the same thing, how much better can Christians do when it’s our God given responsibility to help people see that they belong, that they are welcome?

When you see someone new on a Sunday morning are you stoked or hesitant? Paul in Romans 15:5-7 says this, “5 May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus,6 that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7 Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.”

We never know the path someone’s life took that brought them to God. However, we can still be excited! Find someone and let them know that you’re glad they showed up. We can help people grow in their faith just by being welcomed as you were welcomed by God when you first came to faith. Let’s be aggressively welcoming.

Next week, mosh pits!

D Fence

Have you ever seen something beautiful and awe inspiring, and later when you’re trying to describe it to someone who wasn’t there at the time you just feel at a loss for words? It was deep and meaningful. It made you feel something in the depths of your soul. And after trying to convey that after the fact you throw your hands up in exasperation and say, “I guess you had to be there.”

I think this is a trap we fall into sometimes when people ask us about our faith. In 1 Peter 3:14-16 it says, “14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, 15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, 16 having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.”

As you go about trying to live the Christian life, there should be hints other people see that clue them into the fact that you’re living for something bigger. Maybe they see it in the way you treat people. Maybe they see it in the choices you make when you have the opportunity to be selfish or self-serving. Wherever it pops up, the people around you take notice of the ways you don’t just fall into the easy path.

Phrases like “prepared to make a defense” make us nervous—like we need to have doctoral dissertations on the tips of our tongues. We want to throw up our hands and say, “I guess you had to be there.” When people just want to hear your story, and how your faith has made an impact on your life.

We are called to live differently. So, live in hope, live in peace, live in a way that makes people ask questions.

Hot Takes

James 3  2 For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what they say, they are a perfect person, able also to bridle their whole body. 3 If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. 4 Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. 5 So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire!

Has your tongue ever started a forest fire? Hurt someone by saying something you didn’t really mean? Or worse, saying something you did mean in the most hurtful way possible. It’s amazing how something so relatively small can get us into so much trouble. We are complex people with thoughts, plans, and opinions. And if everyone just agreed that your way is the best way, or that your opinion was the only correct opinion then the world would be such a better place.

Unfortunately, we all make mistakes. Sometimes you are going to have a bad—maybe soften it to an uninformed—opinion. It is in these times we disagree that it is so important to have as our focus, being people of grace and peace. Blessed are the peace makers because most of us choose fighting. We fight because our need to be right outweighs our willingness to listen. 

This week, like every week, you’re probably going to hear someone talking like they’re trying to set the forest ablaze. When you do, make a choice. You do not need to add fuel to their fire. You do not need to show them up by starting a bigger fire of your own. Yes, we are called to confront injustice and lies, but we need to find a way to do it in love.

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Even someone else’s bad opinion.

Joyful Noisy

When I was in High School, I played bass in our youth group praise band. It was a pretty small youth group, so half of the people there on a given night were in the band. As you can probably guess a full drum kit, bass, guitar, and keys got a little loud in the 10x20 portable room where we met. On top of that most of us were not very good. The drummer had been playing for about 6 months, my friend who made poor financial decisions bought me a bass, so we had someone to play bass—ignoring the fact that I am rhythmically challenged.

No matter how bad we played we had a ton of fun doing it, and someone (probably against their better judgment) asked for us to lead worship for an evening service. In true edgy Christian teenager fashion, we did our soundcheck, got dialed in, and then just before the service started, we turned all our instruments up a little bit. It was too loud, off-time, and one of those situations where everyone compliments your effort rather than your achievement.

We were told to read a scripture during the service, so we read this Psalm.

Psalm 100

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!
2 Serve the Lord with gladness!
    Come into his presence with singing!

3 Know that the Lord, he is God!
    It is he who made us, and we are his;

    we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
    and his courts with praise!
    Give thanks to him; bless his name!

5 For the Lord is good;
    his steadfast love endures forever,
    and his faithfulness to all generations.

We absolutely read it because it talks about making noise and that’s what we were all about. But if we look a little closer, we can see that this Psalm is five short verses reminding us about the simple joy we have in coming to the Lord. We don’t need to be skilled or highly trained musicians. We just need to recognize that there is a God who loves us.

And His love endures forever.

Need Somebody

If you asked my friends to describe me, one of the things that I think would come up in their, obviously overflowing, list of kind words is laid back. I’m a go with the flow kind of person. Problems and setbacks are going to come up, and I know in my heart that 9 times out of 10, I can come up with a creative solution or workaround. However, there are times, those nasty 1 out of 10 situations, when the solution needed can’t just be cobbled together from duct tape and ingenuity.

This past week, my computer crashed beyond my capabilities to mend, and we had a problem with the building that can’t be solved by the multi-tool I keep in my desk. I hate problems like this. I hate them because it requires me to do one of the most difficult things in the world: ask for help.

If you’re like me you know the struggle of admitting you can’t do something on your own, figuring out who you should reach out to, trying one last time to force a solution, and finally swallowing your pride and asking for help. As hard and ridiculous as this process we put ourselves through is, it has never been necessary. The people I have asked for help have been happy to help. They are thankful for an opportunity to serve. Now I just hope they can find a solution.

There are people who are overjoyed to help when we ask for it. When someone asks, you usually don’t think twice and just say yes because what they’re asking usually isn’t that big of a deal. Peter put it this way,

1 Peter 4:8-11 8 Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins…10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace…whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

There are people who love you and want to help. If everything is going great for you then look around and try to anticipate the needs of others.

Service can bring a better understanding of grace to everyone involved.

Missed Days

The heat dies down a little (yay!), pumpkin spice lattes are available once again(yay!), school starts back up (yay!), and now everyone is sick (boo). The unofficial start of fall is supposed to be a time of hope and optimism, but part of that means a bunch of kids reconnecting and meeting germs that they haven’t seen all summer. And because we’ve all done such a good job teaching them to share, they pass it on to the adults. Thinking back on my own time in grade school, I definitely missed way more second days of school than I attended.

There are times in life that we are excited to get started—a new project, a new job, a new school, etc. However, in the process we hit a wall that slows us down. It is in those times that our resolve is tested. Finding out that the thing you want is going to be harder to obtain than you first thought means we need to make a choice: go on or give up?

Obviously, missing a couple days of school is not enough reason to give up. Then again, it can leave you feeling lost and as though you’re falling behind. When you feel like you’re falling behind it is time to ask for help. Peter puts it this way,

1 Peter 5 6:11 6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your family of believers throughout the world. 10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 11 To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Being humble is hard, being patient is harder, and trusting can be the hardest of all, but we can put our hope in the promises we have received from God.

You Do?

A little over two weeks ago my favorite band played, what is likely, their last show ever. It’s a huge bummer for me and has sent me down a fairly deep nostalgia rabbit hole. Since getting their first album in 2002 I have been hooked. The lyrics and music spoke to me in a way that only your favorite music can. I saw them live 15-20 times over the years, and now regret any time I missed a show or thought I’ll just see them the next time they come around.

I was lucky enough to be able listen to the audio of their final show, and during one of the moments of stage banter while the lead singer is thanking all the people who feel like family for attending, someone in the crowd yelled out, “we love you!” The singer responded in his quiet slightly awkward way, “You do? We’re trying our best to love you,” and then they started playing the next song.

I think this an amazing picture of the way we sometimes view God. This band is playing for a sold-out crowd of diehard fans, many who traveled great distances to see them one last time. They sing every lyric. They shout cheers. And when they say I love you, he still quietly asks, you do? We know the love of the God exists, but sometimes have a hard time seeing ourselves as object of that affection.

Old Testament prophet Zephaniah put it this way

Zephaniah 3:15-17

15 The Lord has taken away the judgments against you;
    he has cleared away your enemies.
The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst;
    you shall never again fear evil.
16 On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem:
“Fear not, O Zion;
    let not your hands grow weak.
17 The Lord your God is in your midst,
    a mighty one who will save;
he will rejoice over you with gladness;
    he will quiet you by his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing.

The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are shouting how much they love us. Let us see it for the blessing that it is, and respond with joy, “I’m trying my best to love you, too.”

School Daze

This week school started up again for another year, and I can’t think of another day that causes such a wide-ranging spectrum of emotions among its participants. Parents who reached their summer breaking point are excited to send their kids literally anywhere. Parents feeling weepy because their little darling is growing up so fast. Kids excited for all the new and unknown experiences coming. Kids terrified of all the new and unknown experiences coming. Whether you’re crying out of joy, sadness, or anything in between, the start of something new is worth recognizing and examining.

The return to school for a lot of people is largely a return to routine. People need to be awake and ready to go at a certain time or someone is going to get in trouble. One of my favorite recent memories was watching a friend walk through the realization that when his kid starts kindergarten he’s going to need to be there before the bell instead of the “whenever is convenient” of preschool.

As you look at the rhythms of your life, or your family’s life, be sure that you are prioritizing the right things. When the world starts rushing, we need to be sure that our focus is on character rather than inertia. Paul in Romans 12 puts it this way,

“2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. 3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of themselves more highly than they ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.”

The world (whether it’s the world of school, the world of your job, or the world of your neighbors) tells us constantly do more, do more, you’re falling behind, pick it up! But, we aren’t called to just do more, we are called to do what is best.

God has given you a calling and a purpose. As we enter this new season, this change in our rhythms, be sure to prioritize those things that lead you closer to God.

Pop Goes Perfection

Ecclesiastes 7:20 – Surely there is not a righteous person on earth who does good and never sins.

Even though we’ve all met people who thought they were, there is no one walking the world around us who has achieved perfection. Not even you. However, being armed with this knowledge rarely prevents us from trying to be perfect. We think, “I need the perfect house, the perfect job, to have/be the perfect spouse, have the perfect children, be the perfect friend,” and on and on it goes until we are left disappointed that we haven’t achieved the impossible.

One of the most counterintuitive situations we encounter is that in all this trying to be perfect, we sometimes end up further away from our goal. When striving towards a goal, our efforts should be measured and intentional. We’re going to make mistakes, but each time we fall back we can take a breath and learn something from it.

When Thomas Edison was being interviewed about developing his lightbulb, he was asked about all his failures. In response he said, “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” In your effort to reach perfection what can you learn from your mistakes and missteps?

Paul tells us in Philippians 3:12-15 “12 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Brothers and Sisters, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you.”

God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) the founder and perfecter of our Faith has already done the hard work of perfection. Let us lean into God’s perfection rather than trying to find our own.

Ruh-Roh

Do you remember watching Scooby-Doo cartoons? For a lot of kids this was their first introduction to the horror genre. Something spooky happens and instead of walking away from danger, like sane people would, Scoob and the gang, Mystery Incorporated, would start investigating. Without fail they would be running around the “haunted” mansion, finding secret passages, and ultimately trapping the “ghost” with some clever stunt. Almost without fail, the spooky monster turned out to be some guy in a mask. The thing they were scared of turned out to be no real danger at all.

Often, we find ourselves in a similar situation in life. We feel afraid and as though we are running for our life, but the thing we’re running from is only perceived as dangerous rather than being an actual threat. Running for your life is exhausting! Mystery Incorporated only gets to stop running when they decide to face the scary thing that was chasing them.

As Christians we have a not-so-secret weapon. We know that whatever we are facing we have the God of the universe on our side. And if God has your back who or what could stop you? Paul puts it this way in Romans 8:31-33, “31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33 Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies.

That isn’t to say being brave is easy. Bravery starts with the recognition that you are afraid (or anxious, or nervous) and choosing to step into it anyway. If you struggle with anxiety this might be a choice you make every day. I pray that bravery wins, but even on the days that it doesn’t you are surrounded by the love and grace of God.

We all have times when we need to stop running, and discern whether the thing we’re running from is a threat, something we need to confront, or just some weirdo in a

Become one of those meddling kids.

Tarry

In Matthew 26 the mechanisms that will lead to Jesus’s arrest and crucifixion have been set into motion—like a line of dominos set up before time began. Jesus knows what’s coming, he knows how the disciples will react, and he knows that Judas is planning to betray him. Aware of all that is about to go down, Jesus, after sharing a final meal with them, invites his disciples to join him in the garden of Gethsemane to pray. 

I don’t know what they ate, but it seems like it must have been something heavy because even as Jesus began his sorrowful prayer the disciples all fell asleep. Matthew 26:38-43 says,

“38 Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.” 39 And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” 40 And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping.

Jesus knew, from before he took on flesh, that this was where his life on Earth would take him. His ultimate calling was a heavy one, and a calling only he could take on. However, even knowing this we can see the humanity of Jesus shining through. Jesus felt a sense of dread. That sense of great apprehension and fear of something that is unavoidable. Three times he prayed this prayer, and three times he came back to find his disciples, his best friends, asleep. They didn’t know and couldn’t understand that the time Jesus had been telling them about was at hand.

We will all face times when no one can take over our calling. It is something you are called to face even if it is something you dread. As you follow through on your calling, I pray that Jesus prepares your heart. God is with you and there are wonders to be seen on the other side.

May our prayer always be Your most beautiful and perfect will, not ours, be done. Amen.

Called To

Did you know that there were some prominent theologians who argued that the book of James should be removed from the canon of scripture. They argued that James focused too much on action rather than the grace that brings us into the kingdom of God. Upon closer reading it can be clear that grace always comes first. The actions that we take don’t earn us some kind of better salvation. God loves His people no matter what and from there we must decide how much that knowledge affects our lives.

From that secure foundation we are called to act, called to remind people of the grace and love that has been given to them. James 1:19-24 says,

19 My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.

22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.

If more people lived into the first half of this passage, what a different world we would live in! We work so hard to make sure our voices are heard. Our ideas are the ones that are followed. Our authority is respected. Unfortunately, human anger rarely gets anything done, and often causes more division than what we had in the beginning.

If you claim the name of Christ, then you know you are called to more than just hearing a good word once a week. We can’t just listen to the scripture thinking, “mmm, that’s some good teaching.” We need to hear it and then go out and do what it says. The hardest part of living out our faith is not, knowing the difference between right and wrong. The hardest part is knowing what is right and then actually going out and doing it.

What’s the right thing for you to do today?

Genuine Love

Romans 12:9-13 – Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with familial affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

In this passage Paul isn’t pulling any punches. In other translations, verse 9 is phrased, “Let love be without hypocrisy.” Oof, that’s pretty harsh! In the church it’s easy to feel the need or temptation to put on a game face. We know that we are called to take these big steps. We know that we are called to take the higher road. But when it’s time to jump into action, it becomes far too easy to come up with an excuse. 

It's easy to recall a time when you’ve been hurt or disappointed, a time when you just needed someone to really see you and comfort you. That feeling of knowing you are loved and cared for is one of the best feelings in the world. And just as much as we need to feel it, we need to do our best to show it as well. We are surrounded by people who are looking for someone to tell them that things are going to be okay.

When we are willing to show other people affection, we can change their day, but it might just change their life. You never know the long-lasting impact one small act can have. Think of the lyrics of a song that has impacted you deeply. Odds are, the person who wrote it will never know you, but the words they wrote, the music they created, has created an indelible mark on you.

When we try to outdo one another in showing honor, we don’t mind taking the low place. We can show genuine love to one another because we are fueled by God’s love. Our cup is overflowing so let’s share it with the people around us.

Hurry Up and Wait

I’ll try to make this quick! Our modern life is largely defined by impatience. We buy stuff online and get frustrated when it takes more than two days to arrive. On the roads, especially in New Jersey, the posted speed limit is 50, you’re (allegedly) going 70, and you still get passed constantly. We can get so focused on the destination that we neglect the journey. We don’t want to get there; we want to be there.

Unfortunately, getting there is the most important part. In 2 Peter 3:8-9 it says, “But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”

Peter is largely talking about the time when Christ will return to reclaim the world. We are called to live hopefully and expectantly of Christ’s return, as if it could happen at any time. However, while we wait, we are also supposed to grow ourselves as believers in Christ, and share the hope that we have found with the people around us.

Theologian and Jesuit Priest Pierre Teilhard de Chardin once said, “Above all, trust in the slow work of God. We are quite naturally impatient in everything to reach the end without delay. We would like to skip the intermediate stages. We are impatient of being on the way to something unknown, something new. And yet, it is the law of all progress that it is made by passing through some stages of instability — ​and that it may take a very long time. Above all, trust in the slow work of God, our loving vinedresser.”

In our rush to be at some future there, we forget to see and experience the now. God has called you to be where you are “for such a time as this.” Live into the needs that are around you. Have patience as you grow.

Trust in the slow work of God.

Consequences

I came in to work a while back to learn that someone had broken one of our windows. I ran through all the usual thoughts you have when you discover something like this—wondering all the who’s, what’s, and why’s.  Maybe it was an errant landscaper throwing rocks with a lawnmower, maybe it was one of the young bucks we see wandering around getting mad at his own reflection and charging, or maybe it was just a random act of vandalism.

After the second time, we’re pretty sure that it’s option three. We have a camera on it now, but the damage is done, and we’ll need to get someone out here to fix it. There are times in our lives when we need to solve problems we didn’t create, and fix things that we didn’t break. It’s like getting rear-ended while waiting at a stop light, you did what was right and then someone came along and ruined your day.

Jesus, in John 16 is preparing his disciples for what’s going to be happening over the next few chapters. He tells them that he must leave but a helper is coming in the Holy Spirit who will help lead and guide them after Jesus has fulfilled the beginning of his purpose on Earth. In verse 33 he tells them, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

If you’ve been conscious and aware for any length of time, you’ll know that the world can be a pretty hard place to live in at times. We need to face the consequences of our own decisions, and sometimes the consequences of other people’s decisions. Through it all however, we know that the one who has overcome the world is on our side.

It is so easy to be discouraged and downhearted when we face the disappointments of the world and the tasks that get thrust upon us by others. However, if we pause and remember the God who is on our side we can be invigorated by the knowledge that Jesus has already overcome it all.

Surprised

In Genesis 28 we follow part of a journey for a man named Jacob. He has moved out of his home and into the unknown. He has just received a blessing from his father and was sent to another city to find a wife and start his new life. At a certain point in his travels, he stopped to rest for the night. And since the founding fathers of the faith get nothing but the best accommodations, he slept using a rock as his pillow. While he slept, he had a dream where God spelled out a blessing for him: his descendants would be so numerous that they would spread across the earth, and as they spread, they would be a blessing to the world.

In verse 15 God makes this promise, “Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” This is an amazing promise for God to make to Jacob! It is also a promise that God has made to each of us through the life and work of Jesus Christ.

We need to notice though, that this promise doesn’t say you will never face hard times. It doesn’t say your life will be perfect and easy. God promises us that he will never leave us. When we face hard times, we can hear that voice in the back of our heads that likes to shout and lie to us, “you are in this alone,” “no one else cares,” “there is no help coming.” When we go through the inevitable hard times of life, we need to do our best to lean into the promises God has made to us.

Jacob goes on to do great things, when he faced hard times, he turned to the God of the promise and saw God come through again and again. When he woke up Jacob said in verse 16, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.” On those days when it feels like you are sleeping on a rock, I hope you can look back and remember the days that God came through for you in the past.

I hope you can be surprised by finding the Lord in unexpected places.

Pass It On

In our Bibles, most of Paul’s letters are written to churches, giving them instruction, giving them encouragement, or sometimes giving them a rebuke. Whenever Paul started his letters, he opened with a greeting to the church, and maybe gave a few shout outs to some people who had been doing work for the gospel, and prayed for grace, mercy, and peace for the reader/hearer. We also have a few instances where Paul wrote directly to individuals: Philemon, Titus, and 1 & 2 Timothy.

In looking at 2 Timothy I found it interesting that Paul says this starting in verse 5, “ 5 I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, 7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”

Paul cared deeply for Timothy. He had discipled Timothy and sent him on his first missions to share the gospel with the world. In learning about his faith Paul found that Timothy’s roots started with his grandmother, Lois, and his mother, Eunice. Hopefully, every grandmother is proud of their grandson, but I doubt she could have predicted where Timothy would end up.

Lois knew what I hope we all know, the importance of passing on your faith. She was faithful with her child and grandchild, and that faithfulness led to a person we still learn about today in Timothy. You never know what kind of far-reaching impact you have when you share your faith with your family, with those you work with, or with people you may never see again.

You have been given a gift, a small spark, that you can fan into flame. We have been given a great calling. I pray that you can pass it on. You have no idea how much impact you can have a few generations down the line.