One of the joys of being in a doctoral program at the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary is that I am forced to read some wonderful books I might not otherwise read. Such is the exceptional book: The Spirit of Early Christian Thought: Seeking the Face of God by Robert Louis Wilken. Dr. Wilken takes us back to the early days of the Christian church, to the days of the early church fathers, and it is a remarkale journey of rediscovering their faith and commitment to Christ.
The very chapter titles tell of the joys of this scholarly, but very readable, work:
1. Founded on the Cross of Christ 2. An Awesome and Unbloody Sacrifice 3. The Face of God for Now 4. Seek His Face Always 5. Not My Will But Thine 6. The End Given in the Beginning 7. The Reasonableness of the Faith 8. Happy the People Whose God is the Lord 9. The Glorious Deeds of Christ 10. Making This Thing Other 11. Likeness to God 12. The Knowledge of Sensible Things
He writes: "The intellectual tradition that began in the early Church was enriched by the philosophical breadth and exactitude of medieval thought. Each period in Christian history makes its own unique contribution to Christian life. The Church Fathers, however, set in place a foundation that has proven to be irreplaceable. Their writings are more than a stage in the development of Christian thought or an interesting chapter in the history of the interpretation of the Bible. Like an inexhaustible spring, faithful and true, they irrigate the Christian imagination with life-giving water flowing from the biblical and spiritual sources of the faith. They are still our teachers today."
Wilken shows that Christianity dramatically influenced the Greek-laced culture of the early days. It was Christianity that radically transformed the secular world, not the other way around. Christianity is a religion, a way of committed life, not a philosophy. It stresses love, compassion, service in the world, and worship. Wilken shows how the early Christians loved God in many aspects of their lives.
He takes his subtitle from a verse in the Psalms, Psalm 105:4: ''Seek his face always.'' When we intentionally seek to do this, God becomes part of each minute, not just a few minutes each week. May we also continually seek the face of God.
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Learnng from St. Francis of Assisi
"Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible."
This is a saying of Francis of Assisi, a man devoted to God and immersed in the Holy Spirit. St. Francis of Assisi was born Giovanni "Francesco" Bernardone into a wealthy Italian merchant family in 1181. As a youth, he was known for carousing. On his way to the Crusades, in full armor, he had a dream in which God told him to build up his crumbling church.
Later, in a dramatic moment of prayer in the abandoned Church of San Damiano, he heard a voice coming from the crucifix which challenged him to rebuild the church. At first he thought it meant that he should rebuild San Damiano. Gradually, Francis realized that God meant that he should "rebuild" the Church at large. From that moment he learned that living a Christian life would place him in opposition to the values of his society and set him apart from family and friends and many of his own age.
He became a charismatic penitent. He took a vow of poverty and began traveling, preaching, and working to help the sick and the poor. A group formed around him, becoming the Franciscan order.
At first Francis sought to live a life of solitude and prayer. Within a few years he came to see God was calling him to give new momentum to a movement already present among the Christian faithful, a life of conversion - the challenge to LIVE the Gospels in his daily life. Francis found that other men of Assisi were attracted to the same vision - to follow Christ and His Apostles. Soon there grew a small commune which settled on the outskirts of a town near the abandoned Church of Our Lady of the Angels. Here a new Order in the Church was born. Today it is known as the Franciscan Order.
Before Francis died in 1226 at the age of 44, he founded three Orders. His gift to humankind was his love of God as he experienced Him in all of His creation. His legacy lives on in those Christians today who seek to inspire in themselves and others the ideals of peace and justice of the gospels, and to live the Spirit-filled and Spirit-led life.
There is much we can learn from studying the life of Francis and his deep devotion to God and his rich love for others.
This is a saying of Francis of Assisi, a man devoted to God and immersed in the Holy Spirit. St. Francis of Assisi was born Giovanni "Francesco" Bernardone into a wealthy Italian merchant family in 1181. As a youth, he was known for carousing. On his way to the Crusades, in full armor, he had a dream in which God told him to build up his crumbling church.
Later, in a dramatic moment of prayer in the abandoned Church of San Damiano, he heard a voice coming from the crucifix which challenged him to rebuild the church. At first he thought it meant that he should rebuild San Damiano. Gradually, Francis realized that God meant that he should "rebuild" the Church at large. From that moment he learned that living a Christian life would place him in opposition to the values of his society and set him apart from family and friends and many of his own age.
He became a charismatic penitent. He took a vow of poverty and began traveling, preaching, and working to help the sick and the poor. A group formed around him, becoming the Franciscan order.
At first Francis sought to live a life of solitude and prayer. Within a few years he came to see God was calling him to give new momentum to a movement already present among the Christian faithful, a life of conversion - the challenge to LIVE the Gospels in his daily life. Francis found that other men of Assisi were attracted to the same vision - to follow Christ and His Apostles. Soon there grew a small commune which settled on the outskirts of a town near the abandoned Church of Our Lady of the Angels. Here a new Order in the Church was born. Today it is known as the Franciscan Order.
Before Francis died in 1226 at the age of 44, he founded three Orders. His gift to humankind was his love of God as he experienced Him in all of His creation. His legacy lives on in those Christians today who seek to inspire in themselves and others the ideals of peace and justice of the gospels, and to live the Spirit-filled and Spirit-led life.
There is much we can learn from studying the life of Francis and his deep devotion to God and his rich love for others.
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
A Prophetic Message From Columbine
A friend shared with me the powerful words of Daryl Scott, father of slain Columbine High student Rachel Scott, who died proclaiming her faith in Jesus Christ. Daryl Scott, like a prophet of old, points us to check our own hearts and minds as we pray for our families, our churches, our communsiteis, our country and the world:
'Since the dawn of creation there has been both good & evil in the hearts of men and women. We all contain the seeds of kindness or the seeds of violence. The death of my wonderful daughter, Rachel Joy Scott, and the deaths of that heroic teacher, and the other eleven children who died must not be in vain. Their blood cries out for answers.
'The first recorded act of violence was when Cain slew his brother Abel out in the field. The villain was not the club he used.. Neither was it the NCA, the National Club Association. The true killer was Cain, and the reason for the murder could only be found in Cain's heart.
'In the days that followed the Columbine tragedy, I was amazed at how quickly fingers began to be pointed at groups such as the NRA. I am not a member of the NRA. I am not a hunter. I do not even own a gun. I am not here to represent or defend the NRA - because I don't believe that they are responsible for my daughter's death. Therefore I do not believe that they need to be defended. If I believed they had anything to do with Rachel's murder I would be their strongest opponent.
I am here today to declare that Columbine was not just a tragedy -- it was a spiritual event that should be forcing us to look at where the real blame lies! Much of the blame lies here in this room. Much of the blame lies behind the pointing fingers of the accusers themselves. I wrote a poem just four nights ago that expresses my feelings best. This was written way before I knew I would be speaking here today:
Your laws ignore our deepest needs, Your words are empty air.
You've stripped away our heritage, You've outlawed simple prayer.
Now gunshots fill our classrooms, And precious children die.
You seek for answers everywhere, And ask the question 'Why?'
You regulate restrictive laws, Through legislative creed.
And yet you fail to understand, That God is what we need!
'Men and women are three-part beings. We all consist of body, mind, and spirit. When we refuse to acknowledge a third part of our make-up, we create a void that allows evil, prejudice, and hatred to rush in and wreak havoc. Spiritual presences were present within our educational systems for most of our nation's history. Many of our major colleges began as theological seminaries. This is a historical fact. What has happened to us as a nation? We have refused to honor God, and in so doing, we open the doors to hatred and violence. And when something as terrible as Columbine's tragedy occurs -- politicians immediately look for a scapegoat such as the NRA. They immediately seek to pass more restrictive laws that contribute to erode away our personal and private liberties. We do not need more restrictive laws. Eric and Dylan would not have been stopped by metal detectors. No amount of gun laws can stop someone who spends months planning this type of massacre. The real villain lies within our own hearts.
'As my son Craig lay under that table in the school library and saw his two friends murdered before his very eyes, he did not hesitate to pray in school. I defy any law or politician to deny him that right! I challenge every young person in America , and around the world, to realize that on April 20, 1999 , at Columbine High School prayer was brought back to our schools. Do not let the many prayers offered by those students be in vain. Dare to move into the new millennium with a sacred disregard for legislation that violates your God-given right to communicate with Him. To those of you who would point your finger at the NRA -- I give to you a sincere challenge. Dare to examine your own heart before casting the first stone!
'My daughter's death will not be in vain! The young people of this country will not allow that to happen" -- Daryl Scott, father of slain student Rachel Scott
'Since the dawn of creation there has been both good & evil in the hearts of men and women. We all contain the seeds of kindness or the seeds of violence. The death of my wonderful daughter, Rachel Joy Scott, and the deaths of that heroic teacher, and the other eleven children who died must not be in vain. Their blood cries out for answers.
'The first recorded act of violence was when Cain slew his brother Abel out in the field. The villain was not the club he used.. Neither was it the NCA, the National Club Association. The true killer was Cain, and the reason for the murder could only be found in Cain's heart.
'In the days that followed the Columbine tragedy, I was amazed at how quickly fingers began to be pointed at groups such as the NRA. I am not a member of the NRA. I am not a hunter. I do not even own a gun. I am not here to represent or defend the NRA - because I don't believe that they are responsible for my daughter's death. Therefore I do not believe that they need to be defended. If I believed they had anything to do with Rachel's murder I would be their strongest opponent.
I am here today to declare that Columbine was not just a tragedy -- it was a spiritual event that should be forcing us to look at where the real blame lies! Much of the blame lies here in this room. Much of the blame lies behind the pointing fingers of the accusers themselves. I wrote a poem just four nights ago that expresses my feelings best. This was written way before I knew I would be speaking here today:
Your laws ignore our deepest needs, Your words are empty air.
You've stripped away our heritage, You've outlawed simple prayer.
Now gunshots fill our classrooms, And precious children die.
You seek for answers everywhere, And ask the question 'Why?'
You regulate restrictive laws, Through legislative creed.
And yet you fail to understand, That God is what we need!
'Men and women are three-part beings. We all consist of body, mind, and spirit. When we refuse to acknowledge a third part of our make-up, we create a void that allows evil, prejudice, and hatred to rush in and wreak havoc. Spiritual presences were present within our educational systems for most of our nation's history. Many of our major colleges began as theological seminaries. This is a historical fact. What has happened to us as a nation? We have refused to honor God, and in so doing, we open the doors to hatred and violence. And when something as terrible as Columbine's tragedy occurs -- politicians immediately look for a scapegoat such as the NRA. They immediately seek to pass more restrictive laws that contribute to erode away our personal and private liberties. We do not need more restrictive laws. Eric and Dylan would not have been stopped by metal detectors. No amount of gun laws can stop someone who spends months planning this type of massacre. The real villain lies within our own hearts.
'As my son Craig lay under that table in the school library and saw his two friends murdered before his very eyes, he did not hesitate to pray in school. I defy any law or politician to deny him that right! I challenge every young person in America , and around the world, to realize that on April 20, 1999 , at Columbine High School prayer was brought back to our schools. Do not let the many prayers offered by those students be in vain. Dare to move into the new millennium with a sacred disregard for legislation that violates your God-given right to communicate with Him. To those of you who would point your finger at the NRA -- I give to you a sincere challenge. Dare to examine your own heart before casting the first stone!
'My daughter's death will not be in vain! The young people of this country will not allow that to happen" -- Daryl Scott, father of slain student Rachel Scott
Saturday, May 26, 2007
Reading is a Wonderful Gift!
Curling up with a book can be a wonderful thing. You can take wonderful journeys of thousands of miles without leaving your chair. Through the power of words and imagination, you can lose yourself into a whole new world. So we also know exactly what Gustave Flaubert was trying to say when he exclaimed, "Read in order to live'. And don't we all want to live, and not just exist?
I was exposed to books at a very young age, and I have always loved reading. In the fourth grade I purposed to read the World Book Encyclopedia all the way through, all 22 volumes. I did it by the middle of my fifth grade year. It is amazing what you can do when you set your mind to it, and what you can do a piece at a time, step by step.
Recently, a doctoral program has forced me back into the wonderful world of words. It is a great joy once again. And it is a sublime pleasure to read the Bible, God’s set aside Word for the world! The Bible underlines the power of our words. Reading God’s words is a powerful thing. Saying and declaring them into our prayers and lives is even more transformative. Let His words become your words, from the inside out. Praise God from whom all blessings – and the blessings of words – flow!
I was exposed to books at a very young age, and I have always loved reading. In the fourth grade I purposed to read the World Book Encyclopedia all the way through, all 22 volumes. I did it by the middle of my fifth grade year. It is amazing what you can do when you set your mind to it, and what you can do a piece at a time, step by step.
Recently, a doctoral program has forced me back into the wonderful world of words. It is a great joy once again. And it is a sublime pleasure to read the Bible, God’s set aside Word for the world! The Bible underlines the power of our words. Reading God’s words is a powerful thing. Saying and declaring them into our prayers and lives is even more transformative. Let His words become your words, from the inside out. Praise God from whom all blessings – and the blessings of words – flow!
Sunday, May 13, 2007
Be Healed in the Name of Jesus Christ!
God is doing a new thing. A new wave is coming – and I want to catch that wave. I want our whole church to catch that wave. I want all of Burt and Kossuth County to catch that wave.
It means we need to prepare ourselves even more faithfully for God’s service. We need to get rid of any pettiness or jealousy or hatred. We need to reject racism and greed and immorality. We need to hate sin and love God. We need to trust and obey our Jesus Christ and make Him both our Lord and Savior. Getting lined up and ready for the spiritual battle ahead is our duty. Get in the Word and get out of the world. The last days are here. Get yourself in gear.
And God wants to make us strong, to make us whole. He offers us healing and wholeness in Jesus Christ. The promises of the Bible are ours as children of the living God. But we must stand on those promises.
The word sozo, in the Greek, means salvation, but in a total sense – mind body and soul – total healing, complete wholeness. That is what God has for you. Because our Father desires that we be whole spirit, soul, and body, understanding our covenant is the answer to being able to appropriate the blessing of Divine Health. Indeed, our healing, both spiritual and physical, comes from looking to and identifying with the crucified and resurrected Christ “by whose stripes we were healed.” Have faith in that! Have faith in God!
In Exodus 15:26, Scripture records, "If you diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord who heals you."
“Heals” means to cure, heal, repair, mend, and restore health. Its participial form rophe, one who heals, is the Hebrew word for a doctor. The main idea of the word rapha is physical healing
Healing is a beautiful word. Our health is a gift from God – and our returning to health from sickness is also a gift from God. In our day we have been given doctors and nurses and the science of medicine to help us to have health.
We are reminded of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the many miracles of healing he performed during his ministry here on earth. Jesus is always the healer, no matter how we are healed.
Do you think of the loved ones and friends you've known -- perhaps people of strong faith -- who nevertheless succumbed to some dreadful sickness which claimed their lives? Do you remember praying for those loved ones, and wondering why those prayers seemed to go unanswered? It is when our wants seem to come against the larger plan of God that we do not completely understand. But it happens.
Still, we are encouraged to pray for healing and trust that God knows what is best for us. Often – and I think much more often in coming months and years – we will find that healing is the will of God for us!
It means we need to prepare ourselves even more faithfully for God’s service. We need to get rid of any pettiness or jealousy or hatred. We need to reject racism and greed and immorality. We need to hate sin and love God. We need to trust and obey our Jesus Christ and make Him both our Lord and Savior. Getting lined up and ready for the spiritual battle ahead is our duty. Get in the Word and get out of the world. The last days are here. Get yourself in gear.
And God wants to make us strong, to make us whole. He offers us healing and wholeness in Jesus Christ. The promises of the Bible are ours as children of the living God. But we must stand on those promises.
The word sozo, in the Greek, means salvation, but in a total sense – mind body and soul – total healing, complete wholeness. That is what God has for you. Because our Father desires that we be whole spirit, soul, and body, understanding our covenant is the answer to being able to appropriate the blessing of Divine Health. Indeed, our healing, both spiritual and physical, comes from looking to and identifying with the crucified and resurrected Christ “by whose stripes we were healed.” Have faith in that! Have faith in God!
In Exodus 15:26, Scripture records, "If you diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord who heals you."
“Heals” means to cure, heal, repair, mend, and restore health. Its participial form rophe, one who heals, is the Hebrew word for a doctor. The main idea of the word rapha is physical healing
Healing is a beautiful word. Our health is a gift from God – and our returning to health from sickness is also a gift from God. In our day we have been given doctors and nurses and the science of medicine to help us to have health.
We are reminded of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the many miracles of healing he performed during his ministry here on earth. Jesus is always the healer, no matter how we are healed.
Do you think of the loved ones and friends you've known -- perhaps people of strong faith -- who nevertheless succumbed to some dreadful sickness which claimed their lives? Do you remember praying for those loved ones, and wondering why those prayers seemed to go unanswered? It is when our wants seem to come against the larger plan of God that we do not completely understand. But it happens.
Still, we are encouraged to pray for healing and trust that God knows what is best for us. Often – and I think much more often in coming months and years – we will find that healing is the will of God for us!
Thursday, May 10, 2007
I Saw a Miracle Yesterday
I saw a miracle yesterday. I saw a newborn baby.
What an amazing miracle the birth of a baby is! The little baby boy I saw was the son of one of our young women in the congregation. He is a healthy 8 pound, nine ounce bundle of joy. He may be only 20 inches long now, but he is really big in the hearts of his mother and his family. His mom was beaming with the glow only the mother of a newborn baby can possess. The two of them together were a beautiful picture of health and life.
Seeing a newborn baby is a wonderful experience. Babies are precious and they underscore for us the sacredness of life. Life is important to God and should be important to us. Human life is pronounced sacred by God because it is made in His image. God's character goes into the creation of every person. Human life is made by God and valuable to Him. Listen to these two familiar verses:
(Jer 1:5) "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."
(Psalm 139:13-16) For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. (14) I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. (15) My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, (16) your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
It is God Who made us and gave us life.
And the wonderful thing is that God has a plan for every human life, for every little baby. That plan includes life and not death. You know the well-known words of Jeremiah:
(Jer 29:11) "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
I believe those words, originally spoken by the prophet for the Hebrew people, also reveal God's care and love of us through Jesus Christ, as witnessed by the revelations of the New Testament.
The womb of a mother is not just a blob of flesh -- it is a sacred place, for it is where humans become partners with God in the creation of human beings. And from the fist moments at conception, the baby is not just a fetus; it is not just potential human life. It is a baby. It is a living human being. Consider that:
At 18 days ... the baby's heart begins to beat.
At 40 days ... brain waves can be detected.
At 56 days ... the baby responds to touch.
At 77 days ... the baby has fingerprints.
At 98 days ... the baby can hear.
During the entire time in the womb the miracle of life is happening, not just at birth. A baby's life is precious to God. A baby's life is important to God. God has as much a plan for a baby's life as He has for you or me. The baby, like us, is made in God's image. God's character went into the baby's creation.
All life is precious to God. You never know what promise and power God has in store for a baby's life. His plans are often not indicated by how the baby was born or under what circumstances the baby came into the world. Consider that our Savior was born under questionable conditions in a stable.
Or consider the following. There’s a preacher and wife who are very poor. They already have fourteen children. Now she finds out she’s pregnant with the fifteenth. They’re living in tremendous poverty. Considering the economic implications of another child, would you recommend the woman get an abortion? If you would, you would have killed John Wesley, one of the greatest evangelists in the history of the church.
Or consider this situation from the past -- The father is sickly, the mother has tuberculosis. They’ve had four children. The first is blind, the second is dead, the third is deaf and the fourth has tuberculosis, like his mother. The woman finds out she’s pregnant again. Given the extreme situation, would you consider recommending an abortion? If you would, you would have killed Ludwig von Beethoven, one of the greatest composers of all time. Or consider this. A white man raped a thirteen-year-old black girl and she got pregnant. If you were her parents, would you consider recommending an abortion? If you would, you would have killed Ethel Waters, the black gospel singer who ministered to millions of people around the globe with Billy Graham. All life is precious to God.
What about babies with special needs? Well, the Bible assures all life is important, and human life especially. No one created in the image of God is less valued by God than anyone else. Every person, special needs or not, is precious in God’s sight. Just because society places a higher value on people without special needs does not mean that God has the same perspective. When God creates a person, he creates that person to accomplish his divine purposes. Keep in mind that God’s purposes may not be the same as our purposes. All life is precious to God.
Yes, the little baby I saw yesterday is a miracle. Praise God for babies and the promise of life!
What an amazing miracle the birth of a baby is! The little baby boy I saw was the son of one of our young women in the congregation. He is a healthy 8 pound, nine ounce bundle of joy. He may be only 20 inches long now, but he is really big in the hearts of his mother and his family. His mom was beaming with the glow only the mother of a newborn baby can possess. The two of them together were a beautiful picture of health and life.
Seeing a newborn baby is a wonderful experience. Babies are precious and they underscore for us the sacredness of life. Life is important to God and should be important to us. Human life is pronounced sacred by God because it is made in His image. God's character goes into the creation of every person. Human life is made by God and valuable to Him. Listen to these two familiar verses:
(Jer 1:5) "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."
(Psalm 139:13-16) For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. (14) I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. (15) My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, (16) your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
It is God Who made us and gave us life.
And the wonderful thing is that God has a plan for every human life, for every little baby. That plan includes life and not death. You know the well-known words of Jeremiah:
(Jer 29:11) "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
I believe those words, originally spoken by the prophet for the Hebrew people, also reveal God's care and love of us through Jesus Christ, as witnessed by the revelations of the New Testament.
The womb of a mother is not just a blob of flesh -- it is a sacred place, for it is where humans become partners with God in the creation of human beings. And from the fist moments at conception, the baby is not just a fetus; it is not just potential human life. It is a baby. It is a living human being. Consider that:
At 18 days ... the baby's heart begins to beat.
At 40 days ... brain waves can be detected.
At 56 days ... the baby responds to touch.
At 77 days ... the baby has fingerprints.
At 98 days ... the baby can hear.
During the entire time in the womb the miracle of life is happening, not just at birth. A baby's life is precious to God. A baby's life is important to God. God has as much a plan for a baby's life as He has for you or me. The baby, like us, is made in God's image. God's character went into the baby's creation.
All life is precious to God. You never know what promise and power God has in store for a baby's life. His plans are often not indicated by how the baby was born or under what circumstances the baby came into the world. Consider that our Savior was born under questionable conditions in a stable.
Or consider the following. There’s a preacher and wife who are very poor. They already have fourteen children. Now she finds out she’s pregnant with the fifteenth. They’re living in tremendous poverty. Considering the economic implications of another child, would you recommend the woman get an abortion? If you would, you would have killed John Wesley, one of the greatest evangelists in the history of the church.
Or consider this situation from the past -- The father is sickly, the mother has tuberculosis. They’ve had four children. The first is blind, the second is dead, the third is deaf and the fourth has tuberculosis, like his mother. The woman finds out she’s pregnant again. Given the extreme situation, would you consider recommending an abortion? If you would, you would have killed Ludwig von Beethoven, one of the greatest composers of all time. Or consider this. A white man raped a thirteen-year-old black girl and she got pregnant. If you were her parents, would you consider recommending an abortion? If you would, you would have killed Ethel Waters, the black gospel singer who ministered to millions of people around the globe with Billy Graham. All life is precious to God.
What about babies with special needs? Well, the Bible assures all life is important, and human life especially. No one created in the image of God is less valued by God than anyone else. Every person, special needs or not, is precious in God’s sight. Just because society places a higher value on people without special needs does not mean that God has the same perspective. When God creates a person, he creates that person to accomplish his divine purposes. Keep in mind that God’s purposes may not be the same as our purposes. All life is precious to God.
Yes, the little baby I saw yesterday is a miracle. Praise God for babies and the promise of life!
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
Memories of Chief John Hawk
John Hawk died on Monday. He was only 51.
He was promoted to glory, but he leaves grieving children and family and many friends. I was one of them, and I am very sad to hear of his passing. Don't get me wrong -- he was a believer and he knew where he was going. He is with the Lord. But the world is a little bit poorer without John Hawk in it. He was a good man.
He was the police chief of Roy, Washington, and had been for a number of years. He was a dedicated lawman, someone you could depend upon. He always tried to do the right thing, and he always had a heart for people. He was a policeman who cared deeply for his fellow men and women. His Christian training guided him in how he carried out his job.
I knew John as the Police Chief in Kake, Alaska. With the substance abuse problems of many of our residents in Kake, his job was a tough one. But he tried to do his best. We had a few adventures together during that time. There were times when he would arrest folks for public drunkenness and disorderly conduct, and, later, after they had sobered up a bit, I would go up to the village jail and see John and pray with the person in the cell. He always hoped the alcoholic could kick their habit, and sometimes they did. No doubt,it was a struggle to be the police chief a little village with pronounced substance addiction problems. But John was always seeking ways to help, and during his time in Kake some wonderful things were begun by the people.
When we formed the Healing Heart Council in Kake, a group of concerned citizens to promote healthy living and good choices in the village, John was there, helping to work for early warnings of problems and prevention of then before they festered into something worse. When Magistrate Mike Jackson and a group of us began Circle Peacemaking as a way of alternative dispute resolution, John gave it his blessing and did his best to support it. He wanted what was best for the people.
John was adopted into the great Tlingit nation, given a name that had belonged to legendary Tlingit Christian leader Daniel Paul. John cherished his adoption and his connection to the Native Alaskan people of Kake. He moved away for a better career opportunity in Roy, Washington, but I am sure that a part of his heart always stayed in Kake.
One night I will always remember was a night in the late nineties when a particularly violent storm hit the Alexander Archipelago on the Inside Passage of Alaska. It was one that boasted winds up to 136 miles per hour, sheering trees off at their trunks and tearing roofs off houses, yet it got no airplay in the lower 48, as was par for the course.
Still, this monstrous storm hit Kake with much sound and shock and fury, and the little cabin manse we were living in shook so much we thought it might be blown off its foundation. Siding was torn from the walls of the Kake Memorial church where I was the pastor. The wind was furious, and my wife and I, with two childrn under five, prayed to take away our fear.
Suddenly there was a knock at the door, in the hundred mile and hour winds. We opened in and shards of rain blew inside, seeming to cut our faces. There was John, the police chief, all wet in his rain gear. Some roofs had been ripped off people's homes, and he was opening the village gymnasium as a shelter. Since I was the Red Cross contact, I had some cots and blankets in the basement of the church. He wanted us to load them in his SUV so he could take them down to the gymnasium.
So we stumbled out into the wind. I weighed 290 and John was somewhere closer to 200, but both of us were big men, over six feet and pretty strong. Yet the wind was so hard to walk in, we had to bow down. Then, when I was taking a cot in my hands out of the church basement, a big gust actually picked me off the ground, like a kite, and carried me several feet in the air toward the raging ocean thirty yards away.
After that we both crawled with the cost to his SUV. My wife came out to help and she crawled, too. Later, as I carried blankets down in our van, the van actually moved across the road from the force of a titanic wind gust. What a night it was. But through it all John was the faithful policeman, putting his life on the line to serve the people. That was the kind of guy he was.
And he had great compassion for the ones beset by addictions to alcohol and drugs, even as he fought the scourge that addiction puts on our society. He always had a heart for kids. I will never forget how he reached out to kids at Halloween. I can remember a time, early in our time in Kake, when John and kathy had a great time giving out candy to all the village kids and youth at the police station. And he did many other things to reach out to the kids. Every year, John had remarkable programs for the young people in high school to realize how important life was and how we need to be careful with the lives and the friends God has given us.
Oh, John was not perfect, (as none of us are!), but he was a good man. And he will be missed. There are other stories I could tell -- of his starring in a church play we did called "The Death of a Church," (it was his idea), and of his breaking his leg while enforcing the law in a fight with an evil doer, and of other times of putting his life on the line for the good of the people of the village.
John had an innate sense of compassion and that made a world of difference. Earlier in his life he had served as an officer in the Salvation Army, and he knew his Bible, and we had some good discussions. But the fact that he cared about people in a deep way is what I will remember most about John Hawk.
I pray for his dear children and family. I pray for the many people who will remember him fondly. On this day I remember John Hawk with a tear in my eye and thankfulness in my heart. He was a blessing to us, and we will never forget him.
He was promoted to glory, but he leaves grieving children and family and many friends. I was one of them, and I am very sad to hear of his passing. Don't get me wrong -- he was a believer and he knew where he was going. He is with the Lord. But the world is a little bit poorer without John Hawk in it. He was a good man.
He was the police chief of Roy, Washington, and had been for a number of years. He was a dedicated lawman, someone you could depend upon. He always tried to do the right thing, and he always had a heart for people. He was a policeman who cared deeply for his fellow men and women. His Christian training guided him in how he carried out his job.
I knew John as the Police Chief in Kake, Alaska. With the substance abuse problems of many of our residents in Kake, his job was a tough one. But he tried to do his best. We had a few adventures together during that time. There were times when he would arrest folks for public drunkenness and disorderly conduct, and, later, after they had sobered up a bit, I would go up to the village jail and see John and pray with the person in the cell. He always hoped the alcoholic could kick their habit, and sometimes they did. No doubt,it was a struggle to be the police chief a little village with pronounced substance addiction problems. But John was always seeking ways to help, and during his time in Kake some wonderful things were begun by the people.
When we formed the Healing Heart Council in Kake, a group of concerned citizens to promote healthy living and good choices in the village, John was there, helping to work for early warnings of problems and prevention of then before they festered into something worse. When Magistrate Mike Jackson and a group of us began Circle Peacemaking as a way of alternative dispute resolution, John gave it his blessing and did his best to support it. He wanted what was best for the people.
John was adopted into the great Tlingit nation, given a name that had belonged to legendary Tlingit Christian leader Daniel Paul. John cherished his adoption and his connection to the Native Alaskan people of Kake. He moved away for a better career opportunity in Roy, Washington, but I am sure that a part of his heart always stayed in Kake.
One night I will always remember was a night in the late nineties when a particularly violent storm hit the Alexander Archipelago on the Inside Passage of Alaska. It was one that boasted winds up to 136 miles per hour, sheering trees off at their trunks and tearing roofs off houses, yet it got no airplay in the lower 48, as was par for the course.
Still, this monstrous storm hit Kake with much sound and shock and fury, and the little cabin manse we were living in shook so much we thought it might be blown off its foundation. Siding was torn from the walls of the Kake Memorial church where I was the pastor. The wind was furious, and my wife and I, with two childrn under five, prayed to take away our fear.
Suddenly there was a knock at the door, in the hundred mile and hour winds. We opened in and shards of rain blew inside, seeming to cut our faces. There was John, the police chief, all wet in his rain gear. Some roofs had been ripped off people's homes, and he was opening the village gymnasium as a shelter. Since I was the Red Cross contact, I had some cots and blankets in the basement of the church. He wanted us to load them in his SUV so he could take them down to the gymnasium.
So we stumbled out into the wind. I weighed 290 and John was somewhere closer to 200, but both of us were big men, over six feet and pretty strong. Yet the wind was so hard to walk in, we had to bow down. Then, when I was taking a cot in my hands out of the church basement, a big gust actually picked me off the ground, like a kite, and carried me several feet in the air toward the raging ocean thirty yards away.
After that we both crawled with the cost to his SUV. My wife came out to help and she crawled, too. Later, as I carried blankets down in our van, the van actually moved across the road from the force of a titanic wind gust. What a night it was. But through it all John was the faithful policeman, putting his life on the line to serve the people. That was the kind of guy he was.
And he had great compassion for the ones beset by addictions to alcohol and drugs, even as he fought the scourge that addiction puts on our society. He always had a heart for kids. I will never forget how he reached out to kids at Halloween. I can remember a time, early in our time in Kake, when John and kathy had a great time giving out candy to all the village kids and youth at the police station. And he did many other things to reach out to the kids. Every year, John had remarkable programs for the young people in high school to realize how important life was and how we need to be careful with the lives and the friends God has given us.
Oh, John was not perfect, (as none of us are!), but he was a good man. And he will be missed. There are other stories I could tell -- of his starring in a church play we did called "The Death of a Church," (it was his idea), and of his breaking his leg while enforcing the law in a fight with an evil doer, and of other times of putting his life on the line for the good of the people of the village.
John had an innate sense of compassion and that made a world of difference. Earlier in his life he had served as an officer in the Salvation Army, and he knew his Bible, and we had some good discussions. But the fact that he cared about people in a deep way is what I will remember most about John Hawk.
I pray for his dear children and family. I pray for the many people who will remember him fondly. On this day I remember John Hawk with a tear in my eye and thankfulness in my heart. He was a blessing to us, and we will never forget him.
Sunday, May 06, 2007
Eye Has Not Seen, Nor Ear Heard
Every great work in the Church begins with someone on their knees. Tap into the power of God through prayer. God is doing a new thing in our midst!
Dr. Dave Ullom points out to us that in I Chronicles 28:9 we read, “And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you.” Do you ever long to hear God say, “I choose you,” to be assured that He has a plan for you. There are stories from the Bible that illustrate how God calls ordinary people out of their ordinary lives.
God chose Noah simply because He lived a righteous life. Genesis 6:8 tells us, “But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.” God chose David simply because He saw His heart. Psalm 78:70 & 73 tells us, “He chose David his servant and took him from the sheep pens;… And David shepherded them with integrity of heart; with skillful hands he led them.” God chose Mary because of her heart.
Luke 1:30 tells us, “But the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God.’” None of these people held lofty positions or had received worldly acclaim. They were “nobodies” to the world- nothing special- and yet God saw their character, their right choices, and their hearts. They were very special to God. And He said, “You’re the one."
In Mark 5:21-34, Jesus is walking with a crowd of people, all pressing in on Him, hungry for His attention, His healing, His words. Verse 24 tells us that the crowd “pressed around him.” I imagine people desperate for even a small piece of Him. Only one woman, however, pressed in such a way that it caused Him to stop and turn to her. Her touch was different from all the rest. She didn’t just touch Him with her hands, but with her heart of faith. He felt the difference as she was healed.
God wants those people whose hearts are desperate for Him. He wants to heal, strengthen, and equip you. He isn’t looking for the worthy, the intelligent, or the beautiful people. He is looking for the ordinary ones who are simply open to His invading presence in their lives. If He is calling you right now, don’t convince yourself that He isn’t. God sees you, just as you are, and He knows the ones He calls. He has a plan for you (Jer. 29:11).
Pray for 5 people for 5 months 5 minutes a day. We preached about it awhile back. If you have been doing it, keep it up. If you have not been doing it, please start. Think of five unchurched people and pray for them daily. 5 for 5 for 5! is a powerful plan. May each of us do it. In Jesus name!
I have been told by many people, in our church and out of our church, that God is moving in our county and this church will play a key role in what He is doing. “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9 NKJV This not just about heaven. It is also about the near future in this church and community! In these last times, a new wave is coming! Let us catch that mighty wave of God!
Dr. Dave Ullom points out to us that in I Chronicles 28:9 we read, “And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you.” Do you ever long to hear God say, “I choose you,” to be assured that He has a plan for you. There are stories from the Bible that illustrate how God calls ordinary people out of their ordinary lives.
God chose Noah simply because He lived a righteous life. Genesis 6:8 tells us, “But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.” God chose David simply because He saw His heart. Psalm 78:70 & 73 tells us, “He chose David his servant and took him from the sheep pens;… And David shepherded them with integrity of heart; with skillful hands he led them.” God chose Mary because of her heart.
Luke 1:30 tells us, “But the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God.’” None of these people held lofty positions or had received worldly acclaim. They were “nobodies” to the world- nothing special- and yet God saw their character, their right choices, and their hearts. They were very special to God. And He said, “You’re the one."
In Mark 5:21-34, Jesus is walking with a crowd of people, all pressing in on Him, hungry for His attention, His healing, His words. Verse 24 tells us that the crowd “pressed around him.” I imagine people desperate for even a small piece of Him. Only one woman, however, pressed in such a way that it caused Him to stop and turn to her. Her touch was different from all the rest. She didn’t just touch Him with her hands, but with her heart of faith. He felt the difference as she was healed.
God wants those people whose hearts are desperate for Him. He wants to heal, strengthen, and equip you. He isn’t looking for the worthy, the intelligent, or the beautiful people. He is looking for the ordinary ones who are simply open to His invading presence in their lives. If He is calling you right now, don’t convince yourself that He isn’t. God sees you, just as you are, and He knows the ones He calls. He has a plan for you (Jer. 29:11).
Pray for 5 people for 5 months 5 minutes a day. We preached about it awhile back. If you have been doing it, keep it up. If you have not been doing it, please start. Think of five unchurched people and pray for them daily. 5 for 5 for 5! is a powerful plan. May each of us do it. In Jesus name!
I have been told by many people, in our church and out of our church, that God is moving in our county and this church will play a key role in what He is doing. “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9 NKJV This not just about heaven. It is also about the near future in this church and community! In these last times, a new wave is coming! Let us catch that mighty wave of God!
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