the sorrow of lost lives in Japan

After watching more footage again this morning of the Tsunami that happened in Japan on March 11, 2011, I am in shock. In the age of technology and media, we are able to see so many different camera angles, and personal footage of what took place, and so it makes the magnitude of the destruction seem even more incredible (which it surely is). You hear stories of where parents who owned a nightclub wouldn't leave, but the son left the town, and now he's searching for the bodies of his parents. You hear where half of a city of 17000 people may be gone. Hear where a wave of over 30 feet came in wiped out the entire town. You see cars & trucks tossed around like little toys. My heart and prayers go out to the people of Japan. There are so many people who have been affected in one way or another, and how do we respond, as a people so far away?
I must find strength in God, and pray that others who are deeply troubled in Japan would do the same. Here are some words that I have called out to on behalf of the family & friends who are searching and have lost loved ones:
"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging." Psalm 46:1-3

Other options to help will be to donate funds through agencies like Mennonite Central Committee or the Red Cross.

Wow - really all we can do is be thankful for what we do have....go give your family members a hug and tell them you love them....and pray for the country of Japan as they try to piece their shattered lives together - one day at a time.

the radical call to love our neighbor

Do you ever wonder what it means to love your neighbor as yourself? In some ways, I hope we all wrestle with this command that Jesus gives....but where do we come at the end of our discussion?
Will we act like the expert in the law (in Luke 10:29) who tries to "justify himself" - which really means he is trying to make excuses for why he didn't love those in need around him?

As I preached yesterday on the passage of the Good Samaritan and loving your neighbor as yourself (you can listen to the sermon here), it was definitely tough. Because so often I have come up with excuses (I think really good ones) why I haven't shared with those in need. I am really good at justifying my behavior of why I need to keep my money and resources close to me. But then I read this passage and hear how Jesus used a story of a Samaritan (who is a person who was hated by the Jews - avoided at all costs) to help the man who was beaten on the side of the road.

And anytime I think that I can't trust those around me to use the resources I share, wow I will be reminded of this quote:

“Christ loved us, and was kind to us, and was willing to relieve us, though we were very hateful persons, of an evil disposition, not deserving of any good…..so we should be willing to be kind to those who are….very undeserving” ("The Charity to the Poor" by Jonathan Edwards 369)

This is a powerful quote that destroys the self-righteous attitude that I so easily hold onto.

So....it's time to daily listen to God to who might be in need, and how we can share the resources that he has given us!
Get ready for an adventure!

the beauty of a drive

Do you ever want to go on a drive....a drive to get away, a drive to slow down, a drive to see something new? Well, yesterday I was able to take the day and head to Nanaimo (about 1 hour away), and wow, was it good. On the way I realized what a privilege it was to have the freedom to get away. Being in a place of busyness to now one of reflection while driving, the shift was enormous!

As I drove I was able to start giving thanks to God for what he has done. The power of giving thanks to someone else - forces our mind to see the goodness of our surroundings rather than all the problems. I can have an amazing week, but one little thing can shift my focus. It's like I can get caught up in seeing the thorns on a rose, rather than the beauty of the rose pedals.

Are you caught in a way of thinking that is driving you to worry and bitter? A helpful alternative is to thank God for the positives of that person, for your situation, or for what you have learned and seen. "Give thanks to the Lord for He is good, His love endures forever." Psalm 136:1

the deep struggle of death and the great BIG GOD

This past week was one of those odd weeks as a pastor where you just can't train for. Upon receiving a call from a funeral director that a family was looking for a pastor to officiate at a funeral, I asked about the details. I was saddened to hear of a 20 year old had died.

As I met with the family, then worked on what I would share, and went through a somber week of reflection, I did realize a deep sense of loss. There was a deep sense of loss where I saw so many hopes and dreams that were not yet realized (in this case - friendships, marriage, college, travel, fishing, laughter) in the life of this popular 20 year old. Why it was all gone, I can not explain.

So what could I say in front of this crowd of people (over 400) who were searching for comfort, or words of hope.....well, really all I could (and should) deliver was about comfort & hope in God. Here's an excerpt of what I shared:

"I’m not sure what type of God you believe in….but the problem is if you think God is only in a church, or far away – he’s not going to be much help today….if God in your mind is really small and wimpy…I want you to give that God the boot today.

I want to invite you to believe in a God that is BIG and CARING and RELATIONAL....

Hear these words of hope and promise:

“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear.” Psalm 46:1,2"

So are these words (the Bible Verses) that will bring back this young man...NO way! But, my sincere prayer is these words will offer hope for all who read them in a GREAT BIG GOD.
I'm not sure what you are grieving the loss of or struggling deeply with this week....but I invite you to step out and believe in the God of the Bible - a BIG, and Caring and relational God -for He is the one who can give us strength when we need it most.

BIG Picture is always helpful

Do you ever get drawn down and drained by a situation that you run into. As much as you try to forget about it....it becomes the center of your reality.

Last week I read this quote, "Getting bogged down by a problem...zoom out and look at the Big Picture." What an awesome reminder, that when God has and is doing some incredible things....don't get stuck in a rut, don't focus on the zit on your nose, or look at the crack in your windshield but see the beauty around you! Sometimes, even as followers of Jesus, maybe even more as a followers of Jesus, there is a strong urge to get sucked into the devastation & mess of the problems of those around us....rather then trying to help them out of the problems.

Hear these words as encouragement:
"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea..." (Psalm 46:1-2).

Even when things are falling apart around us (or way over in Egypt), we can still hold onto God as our refuge and strength. It's so important to see and give thanks for what God has done....and continues to do (....breath, the sunshine today!, clouds, mountains).
Thanks God :)

part of the best family

What's your family like? Now before you answer that question, I'm guessing you are thinking about the family that you grew up with....the one who you call "Mom and Dad....and your siblings...if you have any." But the family I was thinking about is a new family, the family of God.

Just again this weekend I have been struck by the incredible gift of a large, diverse and unique family all brought together by the love of God, through Jesus. Where the climax of getting to heaven is not that we get to have a place with angels and clouds, but the biggest deal will be that we can be the "people of God, that we can be with God, we can be with Him."

In that family of believers there will be people from all nations (it hit me this week too how most likely there will be more people from China & Africa than from North America)...and that somehow we will all worship in the same language.

So, for the new family that we can be part of once we say "yes" to following Jesus - there is an amazing party awaiting us in heaven, but also a wild adventure of loving and caring for those who are being added to our spiritual family all the time!

Crossover

So, as the year of 2011 has begun...so has a new series that we are sharing together at Gateway called, "Crossover." No, we're not talking about vehicles....sorry car buffs, but we are talking about how people choose to follow Jesus & the role of followers of Jesus in sharing their faith.

Now when talking about this topic, it comes across a bit redundant, as I am preaching messages to people who, like myself, who are supposed to believe that Jesus is "good news of great joy." If you get engaged, no one had to tell you to share the good news. If you get a promotion, you will tell those around you that will share in this joy....so here's the weird thing, that so often sharing about Jesus is like Oreo cookies, it's actually really tough to share.

So often we are so afraid of getting the words just right or not making a bad impression. I remember going to high school and thinking everyone must've known why I didn't go to the last party at the "pit" or where I went every Sunday....but to my surprise, as one friend asked me a few years later in college, "What, you are a Christian, I never knew?"

I am reminded of the words of St. Francis of Assisi:

"Preach the gospel always, If necessary use words." What a challenge, as followers of Jesus are the living example of Jesus in this world. If someone thinks of Christian, what do our actions show them - are we loving, patient, just, kind, encouraging, forgiving....for we are the real evidence of God in their world.

To follow up the quote of Assisi, there is a time to share words, as we are called to explain the difference Jesus makes in our life. I like watching the show Biggest Loser (and yes I often shed a tear), as this show shares the radical life change that happens - the before and after. We are all called to be people who are seeing and experiencing change in our life. For sure the change comes in spurts, and trials and struggles will come, but we get to share with others how and why we keep going.

So in this next month, my prayer is that our faith in Jesus to call lost people to a relationship with him will grow. We will see conversations started, and we will see questions asked, and we will hear of friends turning to God. Looking forward to an incredible January!